Post by FangedSmile on May 2, 2007 19:10:05 GMT -6
Zombies: Fact or Fiction
Warning: If you are easily disgusted by zombies do not read this newsletter. But if you want to know more about these wonderful monsters, keep on reading. I promise not to get too graphic in my discussion. Wink
Of all the monsters are in literary and movie history none frighten me more than the zombie. Think about it, you have the perfect killing machine. All it does is follow its food - you - and try to eat it. That's pretty scary in my book!
If you plan on writing about zombies, it would be a wise decision to do a little research on the subject. I've listed two books at the end of this article. I have both of them and have found them to be wonderful resources on the subject. The following is my take on zombies, based on what I've read in books and seen in movies. This is not reality, but fiction.
Unless of course, one dark and stormy night, you think you hear the distinct moaning of a hungry zombie through your closed door! Smirk
You may be asking yourself just what is a zombie? The dictionary defines them as a reanimated corpse that hungers for...well...us. They aren't indestructible beings, but they are usually in large enough numbers that fighting back is difficult. Zombies come in many shapes, sizes and degrees of decomposition, but they all have one thing in common.
They are hungry!
Not much is known about how zombies are created. The most common belief is it is caused by a virus. Since viruses require circulation to move through the body, it is believed that only people who were infected prior to death will actually become a zombie. This theory makes sense, but there is no scientific proof to back it up.Smile
There is no cure for the infection, so when a person is bitten by a zombie it's pretty much over. There are several stages people go through if infected, but remember, every person is different. So the amount of time it would take to "turn" varies.
Usually, the person will first feel like they have a cold or the flu. Fever, chills, nausea, and pain in the joints are symptoms of infection. As time progresses, numbness of the arms and legs, dementia, and poor muscle coordination can occur. Eventually, paralysis, coma and death will happen. Depending on the person, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours for the final stage to take place – total reanimation of dead flesh. At this point, the person is no longer human and should be dispatched quickly!
Once changed their higher brain activities shut down. No longer will they recognize loved ones. All they think about now is feeding their insatiable hunger. They think of nothing but finding food. And yes, as I said earlier, that's you. In the beginning, they have all the abilities they had before they died. They can run and jump, and are as strong as before they turned. Zombies do not have super human strengths or talents.
After it has been around for a while, a zombie should start to slow down. Rigor mortis, along with decomposition, should go to work on their bodies making their muscle structure break down. There is a belief among the zombie scientists that the virus will slow this process. But it is uncertain how much extra time of "normal" body use a zombie will have. In most cases, older zombies tend to walk slower and have a harder time keeping up with a running human.
To write effective zombie stories you will want to learn what you can about the monsters. You want your work to be believable and realistic, a story your readers can't put down. By doing a little research, you'll find a wealth of information to help you create a memorable zombie world, one your readers will fear for months to come.
Thank you for taking the time to read. Happy Writing!
~Demon Squirrel of Doom
Two amazing books on zombies are:
The Zombie Survival Guide
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Warning: If you are easily disgusted by zombies do not read this newsletter. But if you want to know more about these wonderful monsters, keep on reading. I promise not to get too graphic in my discussion. Wink
Of all the monsters are in literary and movie history none frighten me more than the zombie. Think about it, you have the perfect killing machine. All it does is follow its food - you - and try to eat it. That's pretty scary in my book!
If you plan on writing about zombies, it would be a wise decision to do a little research on the subject. I've listed two books at the end of this article. I have both of them and have found them to be wonderful resources on the subject. The following is my take on zombies, based on what I've read in books and seen in movies. This is not reality, but fiction.
Unless of course, one dark and stormy night, you think you hear the distinct moaning of a hungry zombie through your closed door! Smirk
You may be asking yourself just what is a zombie? The dictionary defines them as a reanimated corpse that hungers for...well...us. They aren't indestructible beings, but they are usually in large enough numbers that fighting back is difficult. Zombies come in many shapes, sizes and degrees of decomposition, but they all have one thing in common.
They are hungry!
Not much is known about how zombies are created. The most common belief is it is caused by a virus. Since viruses require circulation to move through the body, it is believed that only people who were infected prior to death will actually become a zombie. This theory makes sense, but there is no scientific proof to back it up.Smile
There is no cure for the infection, so when a person is bitten by a zombie it's pretty much over. There are several stages people go through if infected, but remember, every person is different. So the amount of time it would take to "turn" varies.
Usually, the person will first feel like they have a cold or the flu. Fever, chills, nausea, and pain in the joints are symptoms of infection. As time progresses, numbness of the arms and legs, dementia, and poor muscle coordination can occur. Eventually, paralysis, coma and death will happen. Depending on the person, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours for the final stage to take place – total reanimation of dead flesh. At this point, the person is no longer human and should be dispatched quickly!
Once changed their higher brain activities shut down. No longer will they recognize loved ones. All they think about now is feeding their insatiable hunger. They think of nothing but finding food. And yes, as I said earlier, that's you. In the beginning, they have all the abilities they had before they died. They can run and jump, and are as strong as before they turned. Zombies do not have super human strengths or talents.
After it has been around for a while, a zombie should start to slow down. Rigor mortis, along with decomposition, should go to work on their bodies making their muscle structure break down. There is a belief among the zombie scientists that the virus will slow this process. But it is uncertain how much extra time of "normal" body use a zombie will have. In most cases, older zombies tend to walk slower and have a harder time keeping up with a running human.
To write effective zombie stories you will want to learn what you can about the monsters. You want your work to be believable and realistic, a story your readers can't put down. By doing a little research, you'll find a wealth of information to help you create a memorable zombie world, one your readers will fear for months to come.
Thank you for taking the time to read. Happy Writing!
~Demon Squirrel of Doom
Two amazing books on zombies are:
The Zombie Survival Guide
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War