Chapter Text
Those who seek refuge from death are often the first to find it's maws.
Mankind learnt this the hard way..
In the scarcely pulsating heart of Paradise City, lays the Church of Saint John Paul.
In this church, are three figures. A father who hasn't yet accepted his role and two young souls who've latched onto him for guidance. Sometimes more arrive but those visitors at best stay for a single night before moving on.
The place of worship is rotting like the hopes of what remains of humanity. The silent clock ticks every day. Fists are clenched until they hurt.
This is their tale.
The blanket is too fucking thin. Jonathan thinks to himself as he kicks the ragged piece off his body with a small thrash. And yet the tattered blanket latches onto his left foot, for it too is a survivor, we suppose.
God damn it. Jonathan thinks to himself as he thrashes his legs around with twisting motions once more. The damn thing won't come off. He's seen leeches put up less resistance than this.
Can this- His inner workings are cut short when a smaller, less calloused hand simply grips the piece of soft cloth and throws it aside.
"Morning to you too, Jonathan!"
He recognizes that voice. It is familiar enough to bring a sense of comfort to the aging man. His head turns to face the figure sitting beside him.
She's smiling. Her name is Spidey and she is of course, smiling despite it all. It takes a lot to fathom her optimism sometimes.
"Did I. . ."
He wishes to ask if he woke her up. The younger woman shakes her head no and like usual, takes the reigns of the conversation. He was never a social butterfly.
"Nah, I was just pulling watch with Cee."
4C, it's an odd nickname. Jonathan nor Spidey have quite figured out what it means yet. Calling someone a number felt odd however, so they unanimously and simply decided to call him "Cee".
"We've run out of food, by the way."
God, how can she still say that and smile?
Jonathan lets out a gruff sigh as he slowly raises his body upwards. His bones creak as he stands up and he is forced to hold his back.
"Christ-"
Spidey lets out a childish giggle; the type you'd hear only the pure of heart be able to let out. It shocks Jonathan and Cee both everytime she does it.
"Old ass."
He frowns, but doesn't quite get mad. He couldn't get mad if he tried. For some reason he's not yet able to decipher, he doesn't mind these petulant youth in his abode just yet.
Ignoring the comment, he gives way to listen to the outside before he opens the door. No shrieking. No unwelcome echoes. No knocks and no one at the door.
Just the rain and the three of them.
Spidey springs up to her feet as Jonathan opens the creaking door by unlocking its locks. It is pouring thunder outside and he's lucky he slept with his hooded coat on.
The young Cee is clutching the hunting rifle lent to him, that old relic Jonathan had somehow found and made use of. When the door opens, Cee jolts up.
"I wasn't sleeping!"
The panic in his voice only proves the opposite. Jonathan lets out a heavy huff as Spidey peers behind him along the trail they take to the watchpost.
When all three are under the roof, Jonathan takes his hood off and gestures for his rifle back. Cee decides to give it back without resistance.
And as Jonathan surveys the surroundings for any of them or worse, Spidey pats the disappointed in himself Cee on the head.
"It's okay Cee, I believe you."
The old map of the city is drawn over with markers and written notes into the corner of with pens aswell. It's a good way to keep his group updated, even if two of them can't really read.
Jonathan doesn't mind reading the old books in the church for them. It's a nice way to kill the time, pretend to be normal for 30 minutes or so.
But now, he must focus on actually important matters. Food has run out as Spidey said before and they cannot have that happening right now.
His two aides packing up their equipment behind him, his eyes scan the Paradise City map for pathways and potentional noted loot and danger in marked areas he has yet to explore.
Scorched Lands? No, too risky. Outer Ring? Probably looted already. Hostel Area? Crawling with survivors he'd rather not talk to at all again if possible.
. . . Sunken District. The place where aquatic and amphibian monsters roam and you'd need a boat just to even traverse the landscape. He remembers some commercial food areas there.
"Jonathan! Are you ready?"
Spidey calls out as Cee zips up his winter coat.
It's their best bet. If they stay away from the Carcass they'll be fine. He has to take that risk if these two and him are to survive.
Folding the map to a slot in his backpack, his slung trapdoor rifle rustles at his back as he turns to face his. . .
He doesn't know what they mean to him yet.
"Ready."