As they crossed the threshhold, the families feet echoed hollowly in the empty building.
"Momma, what is this place?" asked the smallest.
"This is a church, little one. You can tell by the cross on the roof, probably a Christian church but that emblem had been used by many cults before this one.' replied her mother.
Scurrying around the premises, the young 'uns explored eagerly, exclaiming, questioning - with the mother patiently explaining the purposes of the various accoutrements to the best of her abilities.
"No, Fanny, those aren't dresses, they're robes for the males, decorated to impress the umm, congregation or their god, I'm not sure, since no one has ever seen their god"
"Yes, Larry, the sound is meant to impress also, the building is designed to give a sense of awe when the songs called hymns are sung and the man in skirts bellows from the pulpit."
"No, that's not a bath, it's for dunking people who are already clean, to cleanse their insides as well, so they never need soap here"
"That little bowl is for babies, for without the special water on the forehead they won't remember their names"
"No, Johnny, you can't start now, I've not checked out that the place is empty, but you can eat that dry stuff, if you're hungry, but it's not much of a meal."
"Suzie!. You spilled that red stuff and now all the littlies that drank it will have a headache, though why the folks here use such a lousy wine I don't know"
"Stanley, I know it's a strange picture window, the mans hands do look rather painful - it seems many in this cult are into something called BDSM with blood, pain and self mutilation, there's no accounting for taste"
"Jimmy!, don't pull on that rope!" Covering her ears, the mother checked on the rest of her brood while the bell tolled deafeningly.
Bouncing on the low stools, they were delighted with chairs their size.
"Momma! There ARE small people here."
"No, darlings, those are for kneeling down while praying because it's too far to the floor, some might never get up again"
Entreaties from all sides from her family, the mother finally relented...
"Alright, everyone, go ahead."
And so the horde of rats fell upon the every part of the wooden pews, altar, fittings, vestments, robes, curtains - gnawing, chewing, splintering until the inside resembled the same forlorn outside of the former church that now sported a weathered For Sale sign....