THE UNDEAD: MYTHS AND REALITIES
He comes from the grave, his body a home of worms and filth. No life
in his eyes, no warmth of his skin, no beating of his breast. His soul,
as empty and dark as the night sky. He laughs at the blade, spits at the
arrow, for they will not harm his flesh. For eternity, he will walk the
earth, smelling the sweet blood of the living, feasting upon the bones
of the damned. Beware, for he is the living dead. -Obscure Hindu
text, circa 1000 B.C.E.
ZOM-BIE: n. also ZOM-BIES pl. 1. An animated corpse that feeds on living
human flesh. 2. A voodoo spell that raises the dead. 3. A Voodoo snake
god. 4. One who moves or acts in a daze "like a zombie." [a
word of West African origin]
What is a zombie? How are they created? What are their strengths and
weaknesses? What are their needs, their desires? Why are they hostile to
humanity? Before discussing any survival techniques, you must first
learn what you are trying to survive.
We must begin by separating fact from fiction. The walking dead are
neither a work of "black magic" nor any other supernatural
force. Their origin stems from a virus known as Solanum, a Latin word
used by Jan Vanderhaven, who first "discovered" the disease.
SOLANUM: THE VIRUS
Solanum works by traveling through the bloodstream, from the initial
point of entry to the brain. Through means not yet fully understood, the
virus uses the cells of the frontal lobe for replication, destroying
them in the process. During this period, all bodily functions cease. By
stopping the heart, the infected subject is rendered "dead."
The brain, however, remains alive but dormant, while the virus mutates
its cells into a completely new organ. The most critical trait of this
new organ is its independence from oxygen. By removing the need for this
all-important resource, the undead brain can utilize, but is in no way
dependent upon, the complex support mechanism of the human body. Once
mutation is complete, this new organ reanimates the body into a form
that bears little resemblance (physiologically speaking) to the original
corpse. Some bodily functions remain constant, others operate in a
modified capacity, and the remainder shut down completely. This new
organism is a zombie, a member of the living dead.
Unfortunately, extensive research has yet to find an isolated example of
Solanum in nature. Water, air, and soil in all ecosystems, from all
parts of the world, have turned up negative, as have their accompanying
flora and fauna. At the time of this writing, the search continues.
The timetable below outlines the process of an infected human (give or
take several hours, depending on the individual).
Hour 1: Pain and discoloration (brown-purple) of the infected area.
Immediate clotting of the wound (provided the infection came from a
Hour 5: Fever (99-103 degrees F), chills, slight dementia, vomiting,
acute pain in the joints.
Hour 8: Numbing of extremities and infected area, increased fever
(103-106 degrees F), increased dementia, loss of muscular coordination.
Hour 11: Paralysis in the lower body, overall numbness, slowed heart
Hour 16: Coma.
Hour 20: Heart stoppage. Zero brain activity.
Hour 23: Reanimation.
Solanum is 100 percent communicable and 100 percent fatal. Fortunately
for the human race, the virus is neither waterborne nor airborne. Humans
have never been known to contract the virus from elements in nature.
Infection can occur only through direct fluidic contact. A zombie bite,
although by far the most recognizable means of transference, is by no
means the only one. Humans have been infected by brushing their open
wounds against those of a zombie or by being splattered by its remains
after an explosion. Ingestion of infected flesh (provided the person has
no open mouth sores) results in not infection but, rather, permanent
death. Infected flesh has proven to be highly toxic.
No information-historical, experimental, or otherwise-has surfaced
regarding the results of sexual relations with an undead specimen, but
as previously noted, the nature of Solanum suggests a high danger of
infection. Warning against such an act would be useless, as the only
people deranged enough to try would be unconcerned for their own safety.
Many have argued that, given the congealed nature of undead bodily
fluids, the chances of infection from a non-bite contact should be low.
However, it must be remembered that even one organism is enough to begin
4. Cross-Species Infection
Solanum is fatal to all living creatures, regardless of size, species,
or ecosystem. Reanimation, however, takes place only in humans. Studies
have shown that Solanum infecting a non-human brain will die within
hours of the death of its host, making the carcass safe to handle.
Infected animals expire before the virus can replicate throughout their
bodies. Infection from insect bites such as from mosquitoes can also be
discounted. Experiments have proven that all parasitic insects can sense
and will reject an infected host 100 percent of the time.
Once a human is infected, little can be done to save him or her. Because
Solanum is a virus and not a bacteria, antibiotics have no effect.
Immunization, the only way to combat a virus, is equally useless, as
even the most minute dosage will lead to a full-blown infection. Genetic
research is under way. Goals range from stronger human antibodies to
resistant cell structure to a counter-virus designed to identify and
destroy Solanum. This and other, more radical treatments are still in
the earliest stages, with no foreseeable success in the near future.
Battlefield experiences have led to the immediate severing of the
infected limb (provided this is the location of the bite), but such
treatments are dubious at best, with less than a 10 percent success
rate. Chances are, the infected human was doomed from the moment the
virus entered his or her system. Should the infected human choose
suicide, he should remember that the brain must be eliminated first.
Cases have been recorded in which recently infected subjects, deceased
by means other than the virus, will nonetheless reanimate. Such cases
usually occur when the subject expires after the fifth hour of
infection. Regardless, any person killed after being bitten or otherwise
infected by the undead should be immediately disposed of. (See
"Disposal, page 19.")
6. Reanimating the Already Deceased
It has been suggested that fresh human corpses could reanimate if
Solanum were introduced after their death. This is a fallacy. Zombies
ignore necrotic flesh and therefore could not transfer the virus.
Experiments conducted during and after World War II (See "Recorded
Attacks," pages 216ff) have proven that injecting Solanum into a
cadaver would be futile because a stagnant bloodstream could not
transport the virus to the brain. Injection directly into a dead brain
would be equally useless, as the expired cells could not respond to the
virus. Solanum does not create life-it alters it.
1. Physical Abilities
Too often, the undead have been said to possess superhuman powers:
unusual strength, lightning speed, telepathy, etc. Stories range from
zombies flying through the air to their scaling vertical surfaces like
spiders. While these traits might make for fascinating drama, the
individual ghoul is far from a magical, omnipotent demon. Never forget
that the body of the undead is, for all practical purposes, human. What
changes do occur are in the way this new, reanimated body is used by the
now-infected brain. There is no way a zombie could fly unless the human
it used to be could fly. The same goes for projecting force fields,
teleportation, moving through solid objects, transforming into a wolf,
breathing fire, or a variety of other mystical talents attributed to the
walking dead. Imagine the human body as a tool kit. The somnambulist
brain has those tools, and only those tools, at its disposal. It cannot
create new ones out of thin air. But it can, as you will see, use these
tools in unconventional combinations, or push their durability beyond
normal human limits.
The eyes of a zombie are no different than those of a normal human.
While still capable (given their rate of decomposition) of transmitting
visual signals to the brain, how the brain interprets these signals is
another matter. Studies are inconclusive regarding the undead's visual
abilities. They can spot prey at distances comparable to a human, but
whether they can distinguish a human from one of their own is still up
for debate. One theory suggests that the movements made by humans, which
are quicker and smoother than those of the undead, is what causes them
to stand out to the zombie eye. Experiments have been done in which
humans have attempted to confuse approaching ghouls by mimicking their
motions and adopting a shambling, awkward limp. To date, none of these
attempts have succeeded. It has been suggested that zombies possess
night vision, a fact that explains their skill at nocturnal hunting.
This theory has been debunked by the fact that all zombies are expert
night feeders, even those without eyes.
There is no question that zombies have excellent hearing. Not only can
they detect sound-they can determine its direction. The basic range
appears to be the same as that for humans. Experiments with extreme high
and low frequencies have yielded negative results. Tests have also shown
that zombies are attracted by any sounds, not just those made by living
creatures. It has been recorded that ghouls will notice sounds ignored
by living humans. The most likely, if unproven, explanation is that
zombies depend on all their senses equally. Humans are sight-oriented
from birth, depending on other senses only if the primary one is lost.
Perhaps this is not a handicap shared by the walking dead. If so, it
would explain their ability to hunt, fight, and feed in total darkness.
Unlike with sound, the undead have a more acute sense of smell. In both
combat situations and laboratory tests, they have been able to
distinguish the smell of living prey above all others. In many cases,
and given ideal wind conditions, zombies have been known to smell fresh
corpses from a distance of more than a mile. Again, this does not mean
that ghouls have a greater sense of smell than humans, simply that they
rely on it more. It is not known exactly what particular secretion
signals the presence of prey: sweat, pheromones, blood, etc. In the
past, people seeking to move undetected through infested areas have
attempted to "mask" their human scent with perfumes,
deodorants, or other strong-smelling chemicals. None were successful.
Experiments are now under way to synthesize the smells of living
creatures as a decoy or even repellent to the walking dead. A successful
product is still years away.
Little is known about the altered taste buds of the walking dead.
Zombies do have the ability to tell human flesh apart from that of
animals, and they prefer the former. Ghouls also have a remarkable
ability to reject carrion in favor of freshly killed meat. A human body
that has been dead longer than twelve to eighteen hours will be rejected
as food. The same goes for cadavers that have been embalmed or otherwise
preserved. Whether this has anything to do with "taste" is not
yet certain. It may have to do with smell or, perhaps, another instinct
that has not been discovered. As to exactly why human flesh is
preferable, science has yet to find an answer to this confounding,
frustrating, terrifying question.
Zombies have, literally, no physical sensations. All nerve receptors
throughout the body remain dead after reanimation. This is truly their
greatest and most terrifying advantage over the living. We, as humans,
have the ability to experience physical pain as a signal of bodily
damage. Our brain classifies such sensations, matches them to the
experience that instigated them, and then files the information away for
use as a warning against future harm. It is this gift of physiology and
instinct that has allowed us to survive as a species. It is why we value
virtues such as courage, which inspires people to perform actions
despite warnings of danger. The inability to recognize and avoid pain is
what makes the walking dead so formidable. Wounds will not be noticed
and, therefore, will not deter an attack. Even if a zombie's body is
severely damaged, it will continue to attack until nothing remains.
F. Sixth Sense
Historical research, coupled with laboratory and field observation, have
shown that the walking dead have been known to attack even when all
their sensory organs have been damaged or completely decomposed. Does
this mean that zombies possess a sixth sense? Perhaps. Living humans use
less than 5 percent of their brain capacity. It is possible that the
virus can stimulate another sensory ability that has been forgotten by
evolution. This theory is one of the most hotly debated in the war
against the undead. So far, no scientific evidence has been found to
support either side.
Despite legends and ancient folklore, undead physiology has been proven
to possess no powers of regeneration. Cells that are damaged stay
damaged. Any wounds, no matter what their size and nature, will remain
for the duration of that body's reanimation. A variety of medical
treatments have been attempted to stimulate the healing process in
captured ghouls. None were successful. This inability to self-repair,
something that we as living beings take for granted, is a severe
disadvantage to the undead. For example, every time we physically exert
ourselves, we tear our muscles. With time, these muscles rebuild to a
stronger state than before. A ghoul's muscle mass will remain damaged,
reducing its effectiveness every time it is used.
The average zombie "life span"-how long it is able to function
before completely rotting away-is estimated at three to five years. As
fantastic as this sounds-a human corpse able to ward off the natural
effects of decay-its cause is rooted in basic biology. When a human body
dies, its flesh is immediately set upon by billions of microscopic
organisms. These organisms were always present, in the external
environment and within the body itself. In life, the immune system stood
as a barrier between these organisms and their target. In death, that
barrier is removed. The organisms begin multiplying geometrically as
they proceed to eat and, thereby, break down the corpse on a cellular
level. The smell and discoloration associated with any decaying meat are
the biological process of these microbes at work. When you order an
"aged" steak, you are ordering a piece of meat that has begun
to rot, its formerly toughened flesh softened by microorganisms breaking
down its sturdy fiber.
Excerpted from "The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead" by Max Brooks. Copyright © 2003 by Max Brooks. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.