The basement beckoned, barely a crawl-space really, beneath the warping and unstable boards of the church's already undermined structural stability. I felt around while seeking the way below and the poor soul there, my power telling me it was about three feet deep. We all moved at once, my companions following my lead, tracking me as I sought out a way to access the sole survivor.

At the entry to the church, under a rumpled rug, I spotted the outline of a simple hatch. My ...