[center][b]Paradise Lost
September 3rd, 2015[/b][/center]

Mother Wolfe grew pale, as did the six other nuns clustered into the small office. Pppsssshhhh! Pppppsssshhh! The television acted as if it had not just delivered the gravest news in its time. Some of the sisters formed crosses over themselves and Mother Wolfe just lowered her head but not in prayer.

Magdalene was the first to speak up, rescuing them from the maddening silence. "What shall we tell them?"

Mother Wolfe lifted herself from her chair and positioned herself at the window, peeking through the blinds. The body that had been lying in the road across the monastery lied there as it had been for a couple of days. No survivors in sight but no zombies either. Just a thick mist shrouding the unknown hell. She lowered the blind and carefully said, "Tell them... tell them to keep praying."

Magdalene wanted to argue, but she was too on-edge and doubtful it would be constructive anyhow. Whilst the nuns dispersed from Mother Wolfe's office, Magdalene muttered under her breath, "They won't like that answer."

The crowd scattered across the pews hushed there whispers as the nuns entered the parish portion of the monastery. The calmest of the nuns, Sister Conner, spoke up, "The TV is no longer working. Please, continue your rosaries that Our Lady might save us." The crowd, for the most part, stood still: most of them were not Catholic, but rather refugees smart (or lucky) enough to escape the inner portion of Paradise Falls. St. Elijah Monastery was on the eastern edge of the industrial district, sitting within walking distance of the Lake Placid. The only road connecting it with the rest of the city was a twisting, dirt road that quite a few people had found whilst fleeing from the infection.

The six nuns traversed through the parish, comforting and mingling with the survivors. Magdalene made it a habit of visiting Franklin Crooker, a middle aged man with two small children on his lap most of the time. His was heavy looking man with a pair of thin glasses sitting upon his face and thick beard to accompany them, making him appear somewhat odd to the rest of the survivors

"Well?"

Magdalene took a seat next to him, prompting Franklin's daughter to slide from his knee to hers. The little girl, Emily, gave a warm smile, but Magdalene only responded with a cold, blank expression. Emily had just lost her mother recently, so it was difficult to understand why she was smiling. [i]A child's resilience...[/i] Magdalene's face met with Franklin's, and all she could say was, "It's bad."

[center][b]September 6th, 2015[/b][/center]
Magdalene subtly awoke from her slumber: someone, or something, had crept into her room. Her own hand slipped under her pillow, clenching the knife she stole from the kitchen - it was the first time she had stolen anything in years.

"Sister Seuss..." Magdalene loosened the grip on her knife at the sound of Sister Conner's worried voice.

Magdalene raised her head up and met the light of Sister Conner's lantern. "What is it?

"There is a banging at the monastery's main doors."

Minutes later, Magdalene and Sister Conner met with the other four nuns as well as Mother Wolfe in the monastery's main foyer. Bang! Bang! The heavy door did not budge an inch, but the sound was horribly easy to hear.

"Is it one of them?" Magdalene spoke with a forced confidence, despite her shaking, terrified body.

"I believe so," Mother Wolfe croaked.

"How did it know we're in here!?" Sister Donald held her hands to her head, slipping her fingers under her veil in a frustrating panic.

Mother Wolfe held a finger to her chin in a deep thought before saying, "I don't know. I doubt it can do much as it is now, though. Let's go back to bed."

Magdalene spoke up, "Mother Wolfe... it will put the refugees in a panic if they hear its banging! We must do something."

Sister Donald retorted, "Like what!? Go out there and kill it!? That could compromise the entire monastery!"

"Calm yourself," Mother Wolfe pleaded. "Sister Seuss, if it worries you so much, feel free to monitor the halls."

Magdalene threw a fiery gaze toward Mother Wolfe, but she was quickly overcome with guilt for doing so. "Yes, Mother Wolfe. I did not mean to..."

"Yes, I know."

Sister Conner offered her lantern to Magdalene, who gripped the cold handle with a light hand. However, she dropped it as the banging was soon accompanied by moaning.