"I'm sorry to hear that," Warren says. "I assume that Edie already asked if you wanted to leave, given the givens..." he trails off and gives Edie a sidelong look.

"Yes, but I'm not a hundred percent sure I'm not contagious. Bar says it's safe in here though."

He winces. "Ouch."

"And it's not that bad. We seem to have gotten some of the same things like TV and blue jeans without science, the standard of living where I am isn't too bad. And I have projects that don't require science."

"Huh. Okay then."

"I mean, it's awful but not in some urgent crisis way? If that makes sense. It's more 'poor air quality' than 'rampaging undead'."

"Poor air quality is a problem we have. I can't say the same about rampaging undead."

"...We sometimes have rampaging undead. But we also have people who are equipped to fight rampaging undead. So there's that."

"I'm pretty sure we could fight off rampaging undead if we had to," Kurt comments.

"Probably, yeah."

"I'll stick with being glad we don't have to," Warren says wryly.

"It's a lot easier to fight them with divine magic. Like, you can just physically destroy them, most kinds, but it's the long way around."

"Still not quite as efficient as not having them to start with," Warren shrugs.

"Did you develop a zombie phobia while I wasn't looking?"

"No, I just prefer that corpses stay where they are and not necessitate things that will cause any living loved ones the previous owner may have had undue distress."

"Near my school it's more ghouls than zombies."

"...My sympathy."

"I think the last time they got someone was two years ago, the warded paths are good," she says, waving a hand.

"Well that's...better than not..."

"Sorry, I don't mean to horrify you with the local hazards."

"What even is a ghoul?"

"It's an undead. They like to eat people. I have been told that my best bet if I meet one and can't run away is arcane fire. I stay on the warded paths so I have never seen one in person."

"How do they happen, though?"

"I don't remember what it is for ghouls. I remember from elementary school we covered zombies and that has to do with burial conditions, these days people are very careful about how they bury the dead and they're less of a problem but there's always mistakes."

"Why don't they just start cremating everyone?"