That haven? A church, of all things. Vlad was told if the zombies could get inside, they could have sanctuary. He assumed that a lot of the zombies went there and reconnected with their faith, that it could be an entryway back into their personalities and beliefs, that maybe the spell or whatever was going on with the zombies was weak in spaces where beings connected with their humanity. It may not work for all zombies, but it was the only theory and course of action there was.

While that was all well and good in theory, when it came to ZoCOS and zombie protection, Justice wasn’t sure of the legal grounds that would allow zombies to reside in a church.

The legality of sanctuary law had never been spelled out in the United States. Mostly, ZoCOS didn’t want to fuck with churches unless it was absolutely necessary. Who wanted to be the guy who called a SWAT team out on a beloved institution?

Churches were often full of the living on weekends and Wednesday nights, people praying to their god, begging to bring back loved ones or not to be someone who succumbed to becoming a zombie. It wasn’t quite the same as a national dialog on the situation, but it was good to see evidence that at least some people were thinking about what had happened. The rest of the week, it was said, the clergy just carried on with sermons to pews filled with zombies.

Interestingly, some Christians believed the zombies were a sign of the end times, that those with vacant bodies had been raptured. Some churches were interested in protecting the zombies, believing them blessed. Some just wished to minister to the sick. Whatever reason, Pride and Justice had somewhere to take zombies, should they choose to, just not a plan of how to get them there.

Their Hummer would only fit so many. But maybe they didn’t need to take everyone. If Pride and Justice could get to the bottom of things, maybe they could fix these zombies in one fell swoop. Until then…

Merlin drew a door on the adjoining walls between the stores with his finger, and the area was permeable again. Justice followed him through. The zombie girl Katya stood there, swaying out of sync to the music, but she looked happy in some strange way, as if she knew they were going to try to help.

She met Merlin’s gaze when he set a hand on her shoulder. She nodded, then followed him outside.

Justice shouted to Merlin about the thugs outside, but they were still frozen in place. Flesh standing so tasty and still had attracted the attention of the zombies who had been in the windows. Doors opened along the street, and zombies sniffed the air.

Merlin and Justice were too far from the Hummer to call for backup, not that Justice thought anyone would come. Not now, not with them where they were. He expected the panic he was feeling to be reflected in Merlin’s expression, but instead, Merlin walked straight down the street, away from the zombies, calm as a Hindu cow.

Coming from behind Justice, the street toughs that Merlin had frozen double-timed their pace in order to step in on either side of Justice. Merlin followed. Behind him, the zombie girl they’d found fell into step.

Together, they looked quite the spectacle. A wizard, a ZoCOS officer, criminals with tattooed faces, and a zombie.

What had to be two hundred zombies, drawn by instinct, or maybe Merlin was putting the whammy on all of them, poured out of the shops up and down the street. They walked surely, but not with panic or malice, toward the Hummer. Merlin and Justice reached it first and got in along with the toughs.

All around the red vehicle, rictus smiles and death in various stages peeked in through every window. If they wanted, they could tear the metal car and those inside it apart. But they didn’t. They just stared as Merlin looked into each of their faces, as if he was giving them orders.

Then, with a nod, Merlin gave Justice an address to one of the oldest churches in the city, just a couple of blocks away. “Drive slowly.”

Justice peered at the zombies. No, not zombies. Sons. Daughters. Fathers. Lovers. Mothers. People who needed his help. He pressed the gas lightly.

Over the radio, dispatch started shouting, begging for a status. Where were they going, what were they doing? Were they under attack? “We’re sending in support.”

How did they know? And why would they send support in this part of town? They never did that. It was the joke around the office that if someone found themselves in the Red Light District, they were on their own. Yet, ZoCOS was sending support.

Support for what? The zombies were docile, following in a long, slow parade to a church. Justice picked up the communicator. “Negative. There is no attack. No support needed.”

“What the fuck is going on over there? What are they doing? The zombies have left their positions.”

Sirens were sounding. Lights started flickering in the periphery. The ZoCOS vehicles were a ways out, but Justice and Merlin were almost to the church with their precious cargo.

Hopefully ZoCOS would stick with their practice of not fucking with churches. This was, however, a whole lot of zombies at once.

Merlin took the communicator from Justice, but his hand lingered, and they traded a meaningful look. This would effectively end Justice’s career. There was no plan, just a choice that felt like the right one.

Whatever was going on, ZoCOS was killing zombies, keeping them in position; in other words, maintaining the status quo. They weren’t looking for answers; ZoCOS and, by extension, Justice and Merlin were, apparently, the bad guys. Or at the very least, enforcers for the bad guys.

Now that he understood this, Justice was not going to continue being a bad guy.

When he looked behind the Hummer, another hundred zombies had tagged along. Three hundred zombies sentient enough to make a choice were following the procession. Justice exhaled and nodded.

Merlin spoke into the communicator. “They’re going to church.”

With that announcement done, Merlin shut the communicator off.

Sirens grew louder as Justice pulled into the driveway of a tall Gothic building of carved stone with large stained-glass windows depicting scenes Justice vaguely remembered from childhood. A solemn priest stood in front of the huge open oak doors.

Merlin and Justice jumped out to shake hands with the priest.

“Hello, my name is Jesus.” He held his arms out. “All are welcome here.”

Merlin smirked at Justice’s look. Jesus. Were they all truly sons of God out in the world? Didn’t he know a lifeguard named Jesus? It was too much to process, so he decided to just believe that Jesus the priest was there to save the souls that were brought to him.

Of course, if names were designations of positions or natures, he’d fancied he was named Justice for a greater reason than that it appealed to his parents. “These are…lost souls. I don’t think they’re all Christians.”

Jesus nodded. “There are other ministries who can take them in.” He eyed Merlin and Justice, then squinted to look into the Hummer, where the toughs were sitting completely still. “Those two as well?”

ZoCOS vehicles were lining the perimeter of the parking lot.

“If you can take them. They’re not zombies, they’re just a little…”

Merlin smirked, and Jesus shook his head. “My child, you have done a very brave and foolish thing.”

Merlin shrugged and looked around. He grabbed Justice by the arm and said, “He did it too. It’s mostly his fault.”

Justice met Merlin’s gaze and saw something strangely sweet, maybe even loving there. “Are you doing this for me, Merlin?”

As if he didn’t hear it, Merlin peered at all the ZoCOS cars. “We need to figure out our next move.”

When it came to ZoCOS, the zombies would be destroyed, but they would arrest Justice and Merlin for sure. Kidnapping would probably be the official charge. Maybe people who employed the zombies would try to sue Merlin and Justice for loss of profits or claim the zombies as property.

Justice had seen it happen before, with rebels who would try to load up zombies, but at the time, he hadn’t understood that the men and women were just following the courage of their convictions. They, prior to Justice’s revelation, had understood what allowing the system to continue cost. Now that he understood, this was the right thing to do.

Merlin observed Jesus watching the authorities. On the fringe of the parking lot, members of the ZoCOS team were trying to reclaim some of the zombies. The most aware of the creatures ran across the grass and concrete and inside the church.

“Once they have cleared the threshold, you know that you either have to stay here at the church, or face prosecution.” Jesus folded his arms either from a chill in the air or irritation with the situation. Now Justice wondered if the reason ZoCOS left churches alone had to do with actual magic. If Jesus had powers, if all of them did, that would explain much. Other than the Jesus he knew who did landscaping. Then again, he did seem to have a green thumb. “Why don’t you just go inside, and you can figure out your move from there?”

ZoCOS was putting on riot gear and pulling out the big guns, quite literally, as if they were going to mow down the rest of the parking lot. Zombies ran for the church, but Merlin watched the chaos with amusement.

“Fuck that. They’ll never take us alive!” Merlin grinned, but Justice suddenly felt cold and ill. What had he just done? They didn’t have any plan, no special knowledge that would fix anything. They’d just moved zombies from one place to another and invited trouble.

It was all well and good when Justice felt as if they were fulfilling a cause, but all he really knew was there were magical creatures in their world, but they had no fucking clue why the zombies happened either. Whatever leads he thought they had, they wouldn’t be able to follow up on them in prison. Or in church, which may as well be prison since they couldn’t leave there either. One foot over the line and his old friends at ZoCOS would arrest or shoot him.

Now Merlin was talking crazy that they would never be taken alive? So what was his plan? Suicide by cop? For what? The noble freeing of a bunch of creatures who didn’t know one way from the other, really?

Justice put his hands on his hips and dry heaved over the pavement.

Merlin patted his back and then gently caressed the back of his neck. The touch felt good, even under these circumstances. It had been months since he’d had so much affection.

Yet, now he realized Lewis may come back. And open relationship or not… Fuck, what was he thinking? He’d never see Lewis again anyway. Not at this rate. Maybe someone would find Lewis in Justice’s apartment where he’d locked him in, scared what would happen if he was out in the wild, see his adorable freckles and red hair, maybe make him work in a red-light district to replace these zombies they’d just rescued. And then what? What could Justice do about it?

Justice turned, ready to make a break for his old friends. He could tell ZoCOS it was all Merlin, that Merlin put the whammy on him or whatever. It was bullshit, but he didn’t care. All he could think about now was Lewis being mistreated, and while he couldn’t say he was motivated by love to fix that situation, he definitely felt a strong sense of responsibility.

He started to run, but Merlin had Justice by the back of the shirt. “No. Come with me.”

Jesus eyed them both warily, then stepped between them and to ZoCOS. “Get in the church now.”

Merlin peered up at their new prison and sighed. His eyes fixed on a large cross at the front of the building and the spire it sat on. “Come on.”

Justice scrutinized the toughs, took one last look at his car. He thought he knew what Merlin had in mind and, hell, maybe it would be better that way. Top himself off and that would be the end of it. No more worry.

They walked into the huge main cathedral. There were row upon row of pews before the altar. Many zombies knelt, praying. Others stood along the walls, curiously examining the stained-glass windows and other Christian artifacts. The ones reconnecting with their faith, their lives, their cheeks were growing pinker, their skin less patchy.

A small consolation. Maybe those of faith could reconnect with that. Others could reconnect in their homes. With their families. Dogs. They weren’t zombies so much as lost souls.

If only Justice and Merlin had had more time, perhaps they could’ve found other places that would help those for whom this was alien. But what they’d done was a start.

And now they would have a dramatic end.

The stairs went up to the second floor of the church, but they didn’t reach the roof. After a short search, Merlin found a utility ladder that got them to the very top of the building.

At the pinnacle of the cross was a light, meant as a beacon for God, Justice assumed. Up the back of the main beam of the cross were narrow rungs, for whomever needed to change the lightbulbs. Until he got up here, Justice hadn’t noticed how windy the day was. Not crazily, but now that he was at the top of a two-story building, preparing to climb up a cross, it felt like cyclone winds.

He peered over the edge of the church. ZoCOS was below, weapons drawn. Tony, Annette, everyone he knew. Even the chief. From here, it wasn’t much of a jump. Merlin was right. A jump would be more dramatic from up on top of the cross.

“Coming?” 

~~This series will continue in daily increments through the end of March 2026. After that, it will be once a week on Tuesdays~~