This topic allowed for a lot of fun, and very different, experiments in writing. First, it was a “living” subject: throughout the journaling process, I had to focus on recording events primarily, and then could move on to my own reactions. Creating interview questions and speaking to players of the Humans versus Zombies game was a lot of fun (even if the interview audio was not ready to be posted by the due date of the multi-genre project); the map was constructed from much of the material I gained from interviews, and through the culture that sprang up during the game. (People very seriously discussed events like “the Mark Twain Massacre” and a hero called “The Fox”—it was an interesting world to explore.)
This blog will be a great resource in my continuing study of the HvZ game, and its folkloristic implications (a discussion too long and specific for this project). Besides organizing and learning more about the material I will be analyzing, I also gained a lot of practice with online publishing and coding. Before creating a zombie map, I had not heard of CommunityWalk; I had also not begun to explore the possibilities Blogger offered. I did learn more about the genres and modes of writing in this project, while getting a deeper understanding of my topic (zombies in general, as well as HvZ). Creating a frame that echoed the pieces inside of the project was the most fun; playing along with this world in different formats was much more fun than dispassionate reporting.
I’m already preparing for the game next fall...
Read More......
29 April 2009
Zombie Evolution (Part III of III)
If there is a fight for survival in Romero’s Night of the 1960s (continuing through the 1980s with Dawn and Day of the Living Dead), humans are on the losing side by the year 2000. The new millennium brought zombie horror back in vogue, with films like 28 Days Later, Resident Evil, and Quarantine. Even Romero’s revenants are given a makeover with a remake of Dawn and the addition of Land and Diary of the Dead to his collection. Interestingly, these ghouls have evolved along a common path. Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later exemplifies the new zombie: no longer shambling, empty-eyed ghasts, easily defeated or outsmarted in small numbers, the zombies of the 2000s are quicker, gorier, and more dangerous than their elders . Instead of coming from voodoo or outer space, these creatures are the product of human ambition. Scientists attempting to control human nature have seen their efforts spiral out of control, and a plague of “Rage virus”-ridden zombies soon take over Great Britain. Since the 1960’s, more of science has become known; now, the true danger lies within human misuse of that science, whether intentional or not. The roots of this Rage virus lie in attempts to reduce violent tendencies in humans (Niles 2007); it is ultimately released by a radical animal-rights activist, who unwittingly opens the cage of an infected lab monkey. Fears of the age are certainly reflected in this new zombie mythology. HIV/AIDS was in the forefront of public consciousness in the late twentieth century, as misinformation flourished . The confusion of the terms “communicable” and “contagious” led people to believe that it could be spread by casual contact; individuals who had contracted the condition were stigmatized, or else lived with the secret (Bourke 306, 307). “Homosexuals, heroin users, Haitians and hemophiliacs” were considered to be at highest risk for the disease; due to this selectivity, some questioned the possibility of government involvement or aims of extermination (Bourke 307). Such an “experiment” had been conducted in the past, with the Tuskeegee syphilis study, and seemed within the realm of possibility. Science and scientists’ motives could not be trusted; this theme becomes readily apparent in films like 28 Days Later, where experimentation (coupled with unknowing action, on the part of the activist) leads to disaster.
There is an echo of Frankenstein in this: the “continual food for discovery and wonder” in science leads only to remorse (Shelley 46). Like the monster in Shelley’s horror tale, the zombie has become a “Nemesis,” meant to reestablish the equilibrium humans have upset by dabbling in science. Boyle uses soldiers in what may be the last human stronghold to present this idea: “If you look at the whole life of the planet, we... you know, man, has only been around for a few blinks of an eye. So if the infection wipes us all out, that is a return to normality” (Boyle 2002). The leader of this operation, Major Henry West, also discusses normality, though in a slightly different way.
This is what I've seen in the four weeks since infection. People killing people. Which is much what I saw in the four weeks before infection, and the four weeks before that, and before that, and as far back as I care to remember. People killing people. Which to my mind, puts us in a state of normality right now. (Boyle 2002)
The monkeys initially infected with “Rage” are shown strapped to a chair and watching television news images of violence and war; the plague itself, then, may be nothing but a natural effect of the world humans have created. Especially in the early 2000’s, fears of attack were high. Following September 11, 2001, Americans were especially anxious about the next “big attack”; and especially terrified because the group directly responsible for the attack (the hijackers) was so small. An interesting parallel may be drawn between the activists who release the infection, and the attackers of 9/11; both small groups, both radical believers in a cause and an action which created unimaginable suffering, for themselves and the world. After the attacks, “[t]he possibility of wide-scale destruction and devastation which 9-11 brought once again into the communal consciousness found a ready narrative expression in the zombie apocalypse which over thirty years had honed images of desperation, subsistence and amoral survivalism to a fine edge” (Dendle 55). Fear of the end of the world was close to the surface, because the world as it had been had ended for Americans. Many of the suppositions and underpinnings of their culture had been attacked: the safe places and structures (government, commerce, transportation) of a country not attacked on native soil since its birth were no longer so safe. Fear of biological warfare reached a fever pitch during this time, as “anthrax scares” moved throughout the country, and possibly into homes via the mail system. This worry is specifically reflected in many of the zombie films of the 2000s: along with 28 Days Later, there is also Resident Evil, Planet Terror, and even Romero’s works.
Instead of hunger, the primary drive of these creatures is mindless hatred—the only line spoken by one of the “Infected” (Boyle’s term) is “I hate you” (Boyle 2002). This also bears a striking resemblance to the motivations of modern terror attacks, described as Middle Eastern “rivers of rage” (italics added). Muslims felt anger at the United States’ support of Israel and corrupt regimes, a deep humiliation at their culture’s falling behind in the world, and anger at their own governments’ oppression; these are the “rivers” which brought some Muslim radicals to action (Friedman 2003). Boyle’s choice of motivation for his monsters is not coincidental, but tied to a state of “normality” which includes this hatred and violence. There are no more “safe” places: homes, business places, even national defense centers were vulnerable to this new kind of warfare—no longer the fear of a lone stranger or rapist, suddenly a war was on American doorsteps. Without warning, “it wasn’t on the TV any more. It was in the street outside. It was coming in through your windows” (Boyle 2002). The monsters were real, and actively seeking to infect others with their rage. It is not the twilight of the zombie, but the twilight of humanity.
Throughout the evolution of the zombie, several themes have been apparent: a fear of the unknown (voodoo witchcraft) developed into a fear of the scientific unknown (outer space), which then mutated into anxieties about manipulation of scientific knowledge we do not fully understand (the viral zombies of the 2000s). Dealings with the stranger have always come into question, as has the safety of the home, family, and friends—a loved one may have been human, but once turned into a zombie, must be dealt with coldly. These fears have been crescendoing, as well as changing. In the dawn of the zombie, the creatures were mostly isolated and unthreatening on their own; the true threat lay in their human master, an individual who needed to be dispatched. By the time day is reached, the zombie has broken free of its chains, and is a threat because of its hunger and increasing numbers. Romero’s creations still allow humans some hope, however: bands of armed men clear out the hills in Night, and a small group manages to escape the horde in Dawn of the Dead. Contemporary zombie movies are much less optimistic. 28 Days Later does leave three survivors with hope of rescue at its conclusion, but its sequel 28 Weeks Later implies the spread of the virus throughout Europe, with a closing shot of Infected running towards the Eiffel Tower. Even Romero’s continuation of his series looks desperate: the Land of the Dead is not a promising place for humanity. Whether or not it is the future we are moving towards in reality is unclear, but the fear is as visceral as its shambling (or running), hungry (or angry) representation.
WORKS CITED
- “Restavék Campaign.” 01 May 2007. National Coalition for Haitian Rights. 19 March 2009 < http://www.nchr.org/hrp/restavek/overview.htm>.
- American Cultural History: The Twentieth Century. 2 September 2008. Lone Star College Kingwood Library. 9 February 2009
- Bourke, Joanna. Fear: A Cultural History. Emeryville, California: Avalon Publishing. 2006.
- Boyle, Danny, dir. 28 Days Later. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2002.
- Boyle, Danny, dir. 28 Weeks Later. Fox Atomic, 2007.
- Dendle, Peter. “The Zombie as Barometer of Cultural Anxiety” Monsters and the Monstrous: Myths and Metaphors of Enduring Evil. Ed. Niall Scott. New York: Rodopi, 2007 (45—56).
- Friedman, Thomas. Searching for the Roots of 9/11. Discovery Channel. 2003. (transcript on cnn.com)
- Halperin, Victor, dir. White Zombie. United Artists, 1932.
- Jones, E. Michael. Monsters From the Id: The Rise of Horror in Fiction and Film. Dallas: Spence Publishing Company, 2000.
- Métraux, Alfred. Voodoo in Haiti. Trans. Hugo Charteris. New York: Oxford University Press, 1959.
- Niles, Steve. 28 Days Later: The Aftermath. New York: Fox Atomic Comics, 2007.
- Parsons, Elsie Clews. “Spirit Cult in Hayti.” Journal de la société des américanistes 20.1 (1928): 157—179.
- Romero, George A. Night of the Living Dead.
- Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus.
- Adler, Shawn. “Danny Boyle on ’28 Months Later’: It’s Not Called ’28 Months Later’!” [Weblog Entry.] MTV Movies Blog. MTV News. 12 November 2008. 19 March 2009. < http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/11/12/danny-boyle-on-28-months-later-its-not-called-28-months-later/ >.
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Zombie Evolution (Part II of III)
1968 brought with it an unknown director named George A. Romero, and a small film titled Night of the Living Dead. Both would bring zombies into the full light of public consideration. For unknown reasons, the recently deceased have risen, and begun attacking and eating the living. The film revolves around a small group of survivors holed up in a farmhouse during the first night of the incident; the power dynamics in this group are fascinating, but just as interesting are the ghouls outside their door. Gone are the biddable, blank-eyed zombis of Voodoo lore: the figures have no apparent goal other than eating the living, and no apparent master but their own instinct. No one knows where they have come from (suggests of a “Venus probe” are bandied about on the television, but no concrete explanation is ever found), when they will leave, or how the world outside may be different in the morning.
As the element of witchcraft evaporated from zombie lore, new details were invented and new fears represented. Rather than being controlled by a ganga, the zombie was now subject only to the force of its own hunger. This made it a more abstract terror, and one more difficult to banish. Rather than confronting a single evil individual, characters were now pitted against a ravenous zombie horde. Their hunger for human flesh may be indicative of anxieties held about the nature of man in years following the optimism of Enlightenment. The l8th-century movement, as it took the first steps towards modern-era beliefs, sought a “total integration of man in nature, with refusal of any transcendence,” eliminating the need for morals which alienated man from his nature (Jones 5). By bending to natural morality, rather than created Judeo-Christian ideals, man might reach a state of perfection and harmony. Ideally,
everything is in response to need—mechanically...like a tree or machine. Man merely carries out natural forces—without any freedom whatsoever—in all he does, whether he loves or hates, helps or hurts, gives life or takes it. (Jones 5)
The zombie is the fulfillment of this ideal. It is simplified to a single drive—hunger—and advances without emotion, fear, fatigue, or sympathy. Being cannibalistic only increases the purity of a zombie’s purpose: humans are all “submitted to the same laws” (5); in this case, natural laws of predator and prey.
Zombies are an incomprehensible force of nature in other ways. By the 1960’s, the control and knowledge promised by scientific advancement (a promise left over from the Enlightenment era of reason) were beginning to flicker. The Space Race of the 1950’s continued, putting man in space by 1961 (Alan Shepherd) and in orbit by 1963 (John Glen) (American Cultural History). As scientists reached further out, it became clear that their understanding did not extend the distance of their designs; even now, a relatively tiny amount is actually understood about outer space. Anxieties about the limitations of science, and specifically space exploration, spurred fascination with zombies—beings that defied all practical scientific explanation—and especially ones which might be caused by a “Venus probe” (Romero 1968).
At the same time that science was stretching out, the landscape of America was shifting as well. After World War II ended, soldiers returned and the country experienced a population boom. The 1950’s brought the birth of suburbia, as World War II veterans returned home to government-aided mortgages outside of cities, and the creation of a viable network of highways (American Cultural History). People were more spread out than they had been in crowded city-centers, traveling longer distances between friends, family, and work. Other effects are implicit in this shift in living. Houses more removed from each other (and from police forces who may be of immediate assistance) “have become defensive: they keep the neighbors out, they conceal, they separate” (Dendle 50). American fears of their own neighborhoods were high. The Gallup Organization began including public opinion questions on crime in the early 1960’s, and found that “between 50 and 60 percent of women were afraid to walk alone at night on streets near their own home” in 1965 and 1972 polls (Bourke 334). This fear was more prevalent in women than men (with under one-fifth of men afraid of the same streets), likely a result of female “powerlessness [being] stroked by media reporting which consistently portrayed women as vulnerable in public places” (Bourke 333). Though women were likelier to alter their behavior in response to this unease, the message was clear to everyone: strangers could not be trusted. The safety of one’s own home was suddenly under question, as their effectiveness as “defenses” were evaluated. Barbra’s choice of fortress does not seem to suggest a positive image of home-as-defense; it holds off the ghouls for some time, but they break in during moments of distraction. Both a stronghold and a strong, attentive guard are needed to survive the anxieties of the 1960s, and Romero’s reinvention of the zombie genre.
Continue reading Part III.
Read More......
Cultural Analysis: Zombie Evolution (?) (Part I of III)
[Also pulled from site archives. Conflict-specific notes accompanied every section, but were especially focused on the final "Twilight" discussion...unfortunately, these files were too corrupted to include. The following is the recovered, main text of the document.]
Development of the Dead: Zombie as Evolving Legend & Cultural Negotiation
Few monsters are in such high demand in 2009 as the zombie. Video games, films, board games, and even survival guides are published on the approaching “zombie apocalypse”; despite being terrified of the walking dead, many people (myself included) devour zombie culture as quickly as it is generated. This fascination may certainly be part of the “post-apocalyptic...fantasies of liberation” (Dendle 54), as we play games of what-if and evaluate our homes for effectiveness at holding off a fantastical zombie attack. However, the living dead are also representative of our deeper fears of the unknown, science, safety, strangers, war, and our future; there is a need to examine them from a safe distance (preferably from the roof of a fortified safe-house with the proper weapons, supplies, power sources, and reading material).
The evolution of the zombie may be traced in three main stages: Dawn, the inception of the zombie legend in folklore and film, beginning in Haiti; Day, when the (Western) public’s full attention was first turned on zombies, and the mythos surrounding them began to take its own form; and Twilight, as the culture surrounding the zombie has become darker and more complex, and the outlook of human opponents more bleak. There are many films and cultural phenomena within and between each of these main periods, but considering the zombie’s lifespan in larger categories allows for a broader consideration of the legend.
Dawn: Haiti, Vodoun, and the White Zombie
The origin of the zombie lies in Haiti, in the Vodoun spiritual tradition. Vodoun (or “voodoo”), is a mixture of African-origin beliefs and rites with Catholic traditions, and is practiced widely among peasant and working-class peoples in Haiti (Métraux 15). Black magic, though not the guiding principle of Vodoun, is acknowledged within the religion; and it is here that the zombi lives. This creature is regarded as “the living dead—corpses which a sorcerer has extracted from their tombs and raised by a process which no one really knows” (Métraux 282). Enslaved by a ganga or hungan (priest/healer, or in black magic, a sorcerer), the zombi’s soul & consciousness are stolen; its will is supplanted by its master’s (Parsons 47). At this point in their development, zombis were nothing more than entranced (if deceased) humans—they did not eat human flesh, but normal food, minus anything containing salt (which was believed to wake them) (Métraux 283). However, in the removal of his will, one did cease to be human and became zombi. It was possible for a ganga to transform his zombi into any form—a stone, a cow, or a pig—if he desired. A transformed zombi might be killed and sold at market: “[i]t is zombi flesh, not human flesh, that is so disposed of” (Parsons 179). This misunderstanding of the cultural line between human and non-human led to the “alleged cannibalism [of Haiti, and] as a result several writers denounced Voodoo as a cannibal religion and from their writings Haiti came to be regarded as a savage country” (Métraux 16).
The zombi made its first appearance in Western film in White Zombie, a 1932 production starring Bela Lugosi as the dark sorcerer responsible for the undead. Pale and detached, the zombies here are simply the slaves of “Murder” Legendre (Lugosi), who, interestingly, is a white Voodoo practitioner. Still unmistakably strange and untrustworthy, his whiteness allows another European to approach him with the request to murder and reanimate a victim (Nell, an engaged woman coveted by Charles Beaumont, her casual acquaintance). This delineation of race also echoes the power structure of Haiti, where slavery has always been part of the national fabric the “zombie stands out clearly as symbol of the disempowered, the abject, the truly ‘native’” (Dendle 47). In one of the most memorable and terrifying scenes of the film, viewers are taken through Legendre’s sugar mill. Zombies work blankly, adding to their master’s power with no will of their own. Eerie within themselves, the creatures seem to represent an “alienation of the worker from spiritual connection with labour and from the ability to reap reward from the product of labour” (Dendle 46)—an issue pertinent both in Haiti and in an America dealing with the effects of the Great Depression. The value of “hard work”—a cornerstone of the American attitude—suddenly came into question, as the savings and rewards of lifetimes of hard work had disappeared in the collapse of the economy (American Cultural History). A zombie’s pure focus on survival and raw labor resonated with the anxieties and attitudes of the time, as the cause in both cases was perceived to be a powerful, exploitative, strange individual (Legendre, or fiercely capitalist ideals). In White Zombie, the exploited can only be saved by the faith of her fiancée and the aid of missionary Dr. Bruner; the United States’ rescue would also have to come from the people’s faith and external aid.
Continue reading Part II.
Read More......
Few monsters are in such high demand in 2009 as the zombie. Video games, films, board games, and even survival guides are published on the approaching “zombie apocalypse”; despite being terrified of the walking dead, many people (myself included) devour zombie culture as quickly as it is generated. This fascination may certainly be part of the “post-apocalyptic...fantasies of liberation” (Dendle 54), as we play games of what-if and evaluate our homes for effectiveness at holding off a fantastical zombie attack. However, the living dead are also representative of our deeper fears of the unknown, science, safety, strangers, war, and our future; there is a need to examine them from a safe distance (preferably from the roof of a fortified safe-house with the proper weapons, supplies, power sources, and reading material).
The evolution of the zombie may be traced in three main stages: Dawn, the inception of the zombie legend in folklore and film, beginning in Haiti; Day, when the (Western) public’s full attention was first turned on zombies, and the mythos surrounding them began to take its own form; and Twilight, as the culture surrounding the zombie has become darker and more complex, and the outlook of human opponents more bleak. There are many films and cultural phenomena within and between each of these main periods, but considering the zombie’s lifespan in larger categories allows for a broader consideration of the legend.
The origin of the zombie lies in Haiti, in the Vodoun spiritual tradition. Vodoun (or “voodoo”), is a mixture of African-origin beliefs and rites with Catholic traditions, and is practiced widely among peasant and working-class peoples in Haiti (Métraux 15). Black magic, though not the guiding principle of Vodoun, is acknowledged within the religion; and it is here that the zombi lives. This creature is regarded as “the living dead—corpses which a sorcerer has extracted from their tombs and raised by a process which no one really knows” (Métraux 282). Enslaved by a ganga or hungan (priest/healer, or in black magic, a sorcerer), the zombi’s soul & consciousness are stolen; its will is supplanted by its master’s (Parsons 47). At this point in their development, zombis were nothing more than entranced (if deceased) humans—they did not eat human flesh, but normal food, minus anything containing salt (which was believed to wake them) (Métraux 283). However, in the removal of his will, one did cease to be human and became zombi. It was possible for a ganga to transform his zombi into any form—a stone, a cow, or a pig—if he desired. A transformed zombi might be killed and sold at market: “[i]t is zombi flesh, not human flesh, that is so disposed of” (Parsons 179). This misunderstanding of the cultural line between human and non-human led to the “alleged cannibalism [of Haiti, and] as a result several writers denounced Voodoo as a cannibal religion and from their writings Haiti came to be regarded as a savage country” (Métraux 16).
The zombi made its first appearance in Western film in White Zombie, a 1932 production starring Bela Lugosi as the dark sorcerer responsible for the undead. Pale and detached, the zombies here are simply the slaves of “Murder” Legendre (Lugosi), who, interestingly, is a white Voodoo practitioner. Still unmistakably strange and untrustworthy, his whiteness allows another European to approach him with the request to murder and reanimate a victim (Nell, an engaged woman coveted by Charles Beaumont, her casual acquaintance). This delineation of race also echoes the power structure of Haiti, where slavery has always been part of the national fabric the “zombie stands out clearly as symbol of the disempowered, the abject, the truly ‘native’” (Dendle 47). In one of the most memorable and terrifying scenes of the film, viewers are taken through Legendre’s sugar mill. Zombies work blankly, adding to their master’s power with no will of their own. Eerie within themselves, the creatures seem to represent an “alienation of the worker from spiritual connection with labour and from the ability to reap reward from the product of labour” (Dendle 46)—an issue pertinent both in Haiti and in an America dealing with the effects of the Great Depression. The value of “hard work”—a cornerstone of the American attitude—suddenly came into question, as the savings and rewards of lifetimes of hard work had disappeared in the collapse of the economy (American Cultural History). A zombie’s pure focus on survival and raw labor resonated with the anxieties and attitudes of the time, as the cause in both cases was perceived to be a powerful, exploitative, strange individual (Legendre, or fiercely capitalist ideals). In White Zombie, the exploited can only be saved by the faith of her fiancée and the aid of missionary Dr. Bruner; the United States’ rescue would also have to come from the people’s faith and external aid.
Continue reading Part II.
Read More......
Zombie interviews.
[The following was recovered and transcribed from audio files found in the site archives, and placed in what appears to be chronological order in relation to other events/materials. -J.N.]
[A bump as the recorder is set on the table.]
Questioner: There, it's on.
Subject: Great, that's good.
Q: Let's begin. How did you decide to play Humans versus Zombies on campus? Why are you playing?
S: The word spread to me through Facebook, and also through a professor’s announcement in an urban legends class. I’m kind of a geek when it comes to zombies, and thought it sounded like a lot of fun! Besides, this was a chance to try out all of the strategies my friends and I sit around and come up with. (Like I said, geek.) At least, it was all fun and games until people started dying...
Q: I understand. I do notice that you've survived. Did you develop any strategies?
S: My main strategy was staying beneath notice. Most of my friends live off-campus, and I don’t live with anyone who shares my course schedule, so I was on my own most of the time. I tried to avoid crowded areas, or places I could get cornered (like the 6th Street construction project). I also tended to walk around with my Nerf gun drawn and with socks at the ready, scanning for bandannas. There wasn’t much aimless strolling during zombie week, either.
Q: Did you have any especially memorable moments?
S: I had my first real zombie encounter on Friday [two days into the game]. Walking from class to class, I accidentally turned down Hitt Street in front of Memorial Union. Bad idea—it was so crowded, and impossible to keep an eye on everyone at once. A friend was walking next to me and talking while I searched the crowd. A guy wearing a bandanna ninja-style (or zombie-style) was walking about ten yards behind me; I spotted him first, and kept my sock arm cocked as he came closer. He looked a little confused, so I asked him if he was played. There was a slow “yes...” and he began to lunge, but I had already nailed him with the sock. (He said later if I hadn’t stopped to ask, he wouldn’t have hesitated to tag me!) I didn’t have long to celebrate, though, as a team of two zombies came up from the other direction, spotted me immediately, and began to grin. I ducked into Memorial Union and hid in the bathroom until the next classes had begun, then left via a side exit.
Q: What were you hoping to get out of the game?
S: I wanted to have a little fun, be forced outside to play for a while each day, and observe what other people did during an exercise like this. Getting caught up in the missions was a blast, though I wish I had done more of the embedded journalism I first pictured. It was too difficult to carry a camera and ammunition at the same time.
[Pause.]
I started out doing it as a way to spend time with friends, but that backfired.
Q:What was your first zombie experience (pre-game)?
S: As a kid, I read the strategy guides in video game magazines for things like Resident Evil, and got such a good chill from them. Zombies were my stress dream material for years, but when books like The Zombie Survival Guide came out and I began to dream myself effectively barricading houses and organizing survivors, the monsters became less stressful and more a fun scare.
Q:Why do you think zombies are so popular now, as a horror monster?
S: They seem to be really taking off in an older teenager/young adult crowd, so I’m right in the middle of the craze right now. Zombies remove order, they take away the government and adult figures that used to tell you what to do. Suddenly, there’s opportunity to build your own fort, supply it the way you like, create endless designs that are crucial to survival—because zombies are deadly, too. They’re liberating and dangerous at the same time, which is kind of what growing up is like, too. Not as much fun when they're chasing you in real life, as opposed to on the screen, though.
[A few moments of silence follow, then a click as the recorder is switched off.]
28 April 2009
Lessons learned.
To keep this kind of a tragedy from occurring again, I'm compiling a sort of zombie archive on this site. History, tips, and a way to understand what's happened here.
The first addition to this archive, besides this journal, is a map. If this ever happens again, perhaps it will be of some help. Perhaps.
To navigate, click on the "Categorized Markers" tab in the top right-hand corner of the map, and from there navigate by the three headings: Red Zone, Danger Zone, and Battle. Red Zones are areas (usually residences) saturated by zombies. One should always use caution when approaching these areas, if anyone is left to return to Columbia. Danger Zones are less overrun by the living dead, but may give the living few options for cover or exits. Battle markers denote locations of important fights in the war to survive. Click on the name of a marker to zoom to that marker, and access a description, photo, and overall danger rating.
Read More......
The first addition to this archive, besides this journal, is a map. If this ever happens again, perhaps it will be of some help. Perhaps.
To navigate, click on the "Categorized Markers" tab in the top right-hand corner of the map, and from there navigate by the three headings: Red Zone, Danger Zone, and Battle. Red Zones are areas (usually residences) saturated by zombies. One should always use caution when approaching these areas, if anyone is left to return to Columbia. Danger Zones are less overrun by the living dead, but may give the living few options for cover or exits. Battle markers denote locations of important fights in the war to survive. Click on the name of a marker to zoom to that marker, and access a description, photo, and overall danger rating.
Read More......
18 April 2009
Escape and loss.
Support comes from unexpected sources and in unexpected ways sometimes—and often events follow unexpected roads, as well.
Alex fought his way from St. Louis to help me escape from the Columbia infestation. There’s tell of a safe zone in Kirksville; forces from their defense came to our aid as well, and arranged for an escort and helicopter ride out of town. Alex and I received word late in the afternoon, and evacuated the room quickly—we grabbed all our remaining ammunition and dressed for a fight.
We dodged one zombie on our way out the door. Quietly, we crossed campus, to the meeting spot behind Brady Commons—we saw two more creeping around the library, and kept an eye on them, but did not engage. A lone survivor—a woman I knew from life before zombies—and a pair of an older and younger boy joined up with us then. We circled the commons, searching for the group, wondering if we were all that was left. There were a few short skirmishes. Finally, we found the group, along with the Truman reinforcements: these were serious players, wearing neon yellow and purple shirts for visibility, packing several guns and bandoliers apiece. They were a welcome sight; I only wish Justin were still around to see it.
The five of us joined a team of other Resistance members—several I had fought with on the first mission. Later, I learned, we ran with survivors of the Massacre.
I don’t know how they survived, after some of the choices those leaders made.
We made it to our first location safely: back to Mark Twain, to sweep for survivors and information about the evacuation point. All the hastily-assembled teams gathered there, and our group volunteered to go on a rescue mission at Lowry Mall. Our small group of five—Alex, Kelsey, Cruz, and his younger ally Josh—nearly joined another squadron, to go directly to the next destination, but I called Alex and Kelsey back at the last minute. I’ll regret that mistake for the rest of my life (which may or may not be much longer).
We were poised to cut directly in front of Jesse Hall, and make it to the Mall from there—but we failed to notice the moaning growing louder and louder until we were on top of them. The zombies were swarming the steps of the hall, and the Fox—Bravo Team’s leader, and the leader of the Mark Twain Massacre survivors—decided we had to make a break for it.
We traveled through a riot gang of twenty, our little band of twelve only stacked two thick throughout. Some of us fell behind. A zombie was coming up behind me, quickly overtaking me, when Alex stepped between him and me. I heard a shot—thought he had escaped—and turned in time to see the gun drop from his hands. Kelsey was held down by a pair of them; I watched them overwhelm her, then turned and fled, a female nipping at my heels, screaming at my team—
“WAIT—I’m still alive!”
My group was too far ahead to help, and I managed to twist around and fire into her chest. I ran until I caught up with them, as well as the remains of Alpha Team. There weren’t many; we had lost several more in the Jesse Hall ambush, and the other teams had fared badly as well. The Kirksville team was nowhere to be found.
No further mention was made of a rescue; I can only assume those survivors were abandoned. Our remaining forces hurried on foot across campus, signal for the helicopter in hand. At least, until the two rugged Alpha men split while we regrouped, and suddenly, it was a race between us and the zombies, to see who would catch up first.
The few undead we saw from this point on were scattered, almost timid. Only a few gave chase. The band of twenty of so—of forty that had met only an hour earlier—made its way to the top of the Virginia Avenue Garage, where Alpha Team’s remnants waited, waving the signal in triumph.
We waited. Truman’s team demolished a small team of zombies lurking at the bottom of the garage on their way up, while we picked off the few that wandered up to the top floor. The only blessing is that Alex and Kelsey weren’t among the bodies I could see.
Is it over? Though now I have a group of allies—Cruz and Josh among them, at least—many of those I stood with have fallen. What can tomorrow bring? Read More......
Alex fought his way from St. Louis to help me escape from the Columbia infestation. There’s tell of a safe zone in Kirksville; forces from their defense came to our aid as well, and arranged for an escort and helicopter ride out of town. Alex and I received word late in the afternoon, and evacuated the room quickly—we grabbed all our remaining ammunition and dressed for a fight.
We dodged one zombie on our way out the door. Quietly, we crossed campus, to the meeting spot behind Brady Commons—we saw two more creeping around the library, and kept an eye on them, but did not engage. A lone survivor—a woman I knew from life before zombies—and a pair of an older and younger boy joined up with us then. We circled the commons, searching for the group, wondering if we were all that was left. There were a few short skirmishes. Finally, we found the group, along with the Truman reinforcements: these were serious players, wearing neon yellow and purple shirts for visibility, packing several guns and bandoliers apiece. They were a welcome sight; I only wish Justin were still around to see it.
The five of us joined a team of other Resistance members—several I had fought with on the first mission. Later, I learned, we ran with survivors of the Massacre.
I don’t know how they survived, after some of the choices those leaders made.
We made it to our first location safely: back to Mark Twain, to sweep for survivors and information about the evacuation point. All the hastily-assembled teams gathered there, and our group volunteered to go on a rescue mission at Lowry Mall. Our small group of five—Alex, Kelsey, Cruz, and his younger ally Josh—nearly joined another squadron, to go directly to the next destination, but I called Alex and Kelsey back at the last minute. I’ll regret that mistake for the rest of my life (which may or may not be much longer).
We were poised to cut directly in front of Jesse Hall, and make it to the Mall from there—but we failed to notice the moaning growing louder and louder until we were on top of them. The zombies were swarming the steps of the hall, and the Fox—Bravo Team’s leader, and the leader of the Mark Twain Massacre survivors—decided we had to make a break for it.
We traveled through a riot gang of twenty, our little band of twelve only stacked two thick throughout. Some of us fell behind. A zombie was coming up behind me, quickly overtaking me, when Alex stepped between him and me. I heard a shot—thought he had escaped—and turned in time to see the gun drop from his hands. Kelsey was held down by a pair of them; I watched them overwhelm her, then turned and fled, a female nipping at my heels, screaming at my team—
“WAIT—I’m still alive!”
My group was too far ahead to help, and I managed to twist around and fire into her chest. I ran until I caught up with them, as well as the remains of Alpha Team. There weren’t many; we had lost several more in the Jesse Hall ambush, and the other teams had fared badly as well. The Kirksville team was nowhere to be found.
No further mention was made of a rescue; I can only assume those survivors were abandoned. Our remaining forces hurried on foot across campus, signal for the helicopter in hand. At least, until the two rugged Alpha men split while we regrouped, and suddenly, it was a race between us and the zombies, to see who would catch up first.
The few undead we saw from this point on were scattered, almost timid. Only a few gave chase. The band of twenty of so—of forty that had met only an hour earlier—made its way to the top of the Virginia Avenue Garage, where Alpha Team’s remnants waited, waving the signal in triumph.
We waited. Truman’s team demolished a small team of zombies lurking at the bottom of the garage on their way up, while we picked off the few that wandered up to the top floor. The only blessing is that Alex and Kelsey weren’t among the bodies I could see.
Is it over? Though now I have a group of allies—Cruz and Josh among them, at least—many of those I stood with have fallen. What can tomorrow bring? Read More......
Aftermath.
The mission was simple: rescue a scientist from Mark Twain, and bring him to a safe house. Unfortunately, the zombies somehow knew what was going to happen, and were ready to ambush the survivors when they arrived.
They’re calling it the Mark Twain Massacre.
Only the few who were able to sprint to safety survive. Everyone else fell, backed up against the power plant, desperately trying to fight off the horde crawling and groaning up the ramp towards them. No reinforcements came; most of the other survivors were holed up in Schurz Hall, which was besieged by a secondary group and was impassable for hours.
In one night, our numbers have been reversed: there are over two hundred zombies to under fifty remaining survivors. We need support—desperately. Otherwise, I don’t think we’re going to make it out alive. Read More......
They’re calling it the Mark Twain Massacre.
Only the few who were able to sprint to safety survive. Everyone else fell, backed up against the power plant, desperately trying to fight off the horde crawling and groaning up the ramp towards them. No reinforcements came; most of the other survivors were holed up in Schurz Hall, which was besieged by a secondary group and was impassable for hours.
In one night, our numbers have been reversed: there are over two hundred zombies to under fifty remaining survivors. We need support—desperately. Otherwise, I don’t think we’re going to make it out alive. Read More......
17 April 2009
Chaos, uncertainty.
Reports from the mission are coming in a rush, confused, unclear.
One message is crystalline: Justin has been turned.
I don’t know what I’m going to do. He was my best chance of survival: a true friend, always watching my back and drawing out precise plans to repel the zombie attack. There are very few allies in my area now; just a few humans left in the building, and a horde milling down the street.
Tomorrow will be a new—but colder—day.
The few reports trickling in tell of a horribly failed mission: human teams completely surrounded by zombies, backed into corners, wasting their ammunition on the undefeatable horde. The defense meeting hasn’t adjourned yet, and news is still scattered, but I dread finding out what’s really happened tonight. Read More......
One message is crystalline: Justin has been turned.
I don’t know what I’m going to do. He was my best chance of survival: a true friend, always watching my back and drawing out precise plans to repel the zombie attack. There are very few allies in my area now; just a few humans left in the building, and a horde milling down the street.
Tomorrow will be a new—but colder—day.
The few reports trickling in tell of a horribly failed mission: human teams completely surrounded by zombies, backed into corners, wasting their ammunition on the undefeatable horde. The defense meeting hasn’t adjourned yet, and news is still scattered, but I dread finding out what’s really happened tonight. Read More......
The infection is spreading.
Zombies don’t wake up very early; though Mark Twain has a 1:1 human-to-zombie population now, none were sighted while walking to breakfast or work this morning. The first undead I saw very accidentally followed me from class; I spotted him first, and was able to score a kill. Before I could celebrate, though, two more appeared in the distance. Rather than take on two by myself, I ducked into the Memorial Union and hid in a bathroom as they shuffled on. I’ve been choosing my routes very carefully: during the day, the most-traveled pathways are the most dangerous.
I’m locked inside all evening in a closed-door defense meeting; some survivors are undertaking a mission tonight, though I’m unclear on the details. Justin will be going, and bring back a full report afterwards. We’ll meet afterwards to discuss plans for Saturday and Sunday’s missions, and tactics in general. Read More......
I’m locked inside all evening in a closed-door defense meeting; some survivors are undertaking a mission tonight, though I’m unclear on the details. Justin will be going, and bring back a full report afterwards. We’ll meet afterwards to discuss plans for Saturday and Sunday’s missions, and tactics in general. Read More......
16 April 2009
Unsuccessful, but smarter.
First mission update:
Seeing a huge crowd of cheering humans did quite a bit to lift my spirits. Over one hundred of us, all gathered together!—we divided into squads (though these groups quickly dissolved into a single mass). First, we set up a perimeter around Ellis Library, which we thought contained information essential to our mission. A group of zombies approached from the west, and the mass of humans panicked: some ran away, with undead in cold, shambling pursuit. Others put their backs to a fountain—these were nearly cut off from the rest of the group and surrounded. Those of us who took the high ground protected the library and shouted orders to the others (though these were mostly ignored). Justin and I protected each others’ backs there, as well as when we crossed campus in pursuit of more information on the cure.
Unfortunately, we weren’t fast enough, and the zombies beat us to our prize. Next time, it may be wise to split into smaller, more independent groups—too small, and survivors are a target, but too large, and the mob can’t follow directions, panics, and scatters.
Still, I’m not relishing walking alone to class tomorrow. I’d prefer the group—if nothing else, those who scatter are good decoys. Read More......
Seeing a huge crowd of cheering humans did quite a bit to lift my spirits. Over one hundred of us, all gathered together!—we divided into squads (though these groups quickly dissolved into a single mass). First, we set up a perimeter around Ellis Library, which we thought contained information essential to our mission. A group of zombies approached from the west, and the mass of humans panicked: some ran away, with undead in cold, shambling pursuit. Others put their backs to a fountain—these were nearly cut off from the rest of the group and surrounded. Those of us who took the high ground protected the library and shouted orders to the others (though these were mostly ignored). Justin and I protected each others’ backs there, as well as when we crossed campus in pursuit of more information on the cure.
Unfortunately, we weren’t fast enough, and the zombies beat us to our prize. Next time, it may be wise to split into smaller, more independent groups—too small, and survivors are a target, but too large, and the mob can’t follow directions, panics, and scatters.
Still, I’m not relishing walking alone to class tomorrow. I’d prefer the group—if nothing else, those who scatter are good decoys. Read More......
Stayin' alive
So far, have managed to avoid zombie conflict today. Came across one in Mark Twain, but he was too busy feasting on his last victim to notice me. Crept out the door while he was distracted. Yesterday’s close call outside of that building has made me more cautious: was nearly devoured in a moment of distraction, but a sniper on the roof had my back. Walked around all day with my weapon drawn, constantly scanning the environment, making the uninvolved a little nervous (or amused).
Did happen to catch the last few moments of a human-versus-zombie showdown: she had her gun drawn, and didn’t fall for any tricks, waiting until he finally lunged in and shot him squarely in the chest. I cheered, and we traded salutes (thumbs up) before continuing on our way.
There’s a mission tonight, with details (zombies, don’t you cheat) as follows:
A scientist working for HUFTEZ misplaced a box containing instructions crucial to the success of shutting down the nano-bots. You need to find the box before Dr. Skullshroud's minions find it. The reward for winning this mission is that the group of humans to first reach the box will earn a deployable safe zone of their choice that will last for 30 minutes that they can use anytime throughout the week (contact a moderator to help monitor this). If you cannot come to agreement on who gets to use it and when to use it, you will forfeit it. The box also contains information pertaining to tomorrow's mission. Good luck. Read More......
Did happen to catch the last few moments of a human-versus-zombie showdown: she had her gun drawn, and didn’t fall for any tricks, waiting until he finally lunged in and shot him squarely in the chest. I cheered, and we traded salutes (thumbs up) before continuing on our way.
There’s a mission tonight, with details (zombies, don’t you cheat) as follows:
A scientist working for HUFTEZ misplaced a box containing instructions crucial to the success of shutting down the nano-bots. You need to find the box before Dr. Skullshroud's minions find it. The reward for winning this mission is that the group of humans to first reach the box will earn a deployable safe zone of their choice that will last for 30 minutes that they can use anytime throughout the week (contact a moderator to help monitor this). If you cannot come to agreement on who gets to use it and when to use it, you will forfeit it. The box also contains information pertaining to tomorrow's mission. Good luck. Read More......
15 April 2009
Fortified in Ellis.
Survived classes; currently holed up in the library. Saw my first zombie walking back from class, as we crossed the road on different sides—he didn’t seem to notice me, so I walked on. Met up with an armed friend a few minutes later, and continued on to the middle of campus. There are three zombies roaming around Speaker’s Circle, and reports seem to indicate that the General Classroom Building is a “death zone”. Will have to navigate past both of these on my way back to the base (dorm)...luckily, Justin has my back.
Paper due in a few days now a bigger concern than zombies. Read More......
Paper due in a few days now a bigger concern than zombies. Read More......
Safe...for now.
Unfortunately, even a zombie apocalypse can’t shut down the University of Missouri. Made it to class safely. It was an uneventful walk; I didn’t see any humans or zombies, though there were plenty of zombified-looking students. Did manage to check off several potential choke points, and made a note to avoid them on the trip home. If nothing else, a zombie invasion is a great urban awareness exercise: I’m avoiding crowds and scanning people carefully, which could be helpful in preventing a mugging in a pre- or post-zombie world. (Of course, muggers don’t wear helpful headbands.)
I’ve been walking around with one hand on my gun; my hands are full, so it’s sitting cocked in my bag. (This may prove to be a gross miscalculation. Time will tell.) Read More......
I’ve been walking around with one hand on my gun; my hands are full, so it’s sitting cocked in my bag. (This may prove to be a gross miscalculation. Time will tell.) Read More......
Resting Easy
Consulting the Zombie Survival Guide yielded only one course of action: supply and fortify. Our band ventured out to Wal-Mart. Resupplying food was only one of the goals of the trip; armament was the other. I settled on a small, hand-held firearm and extra ammunition: speed is more important than pure power, in a world where the person sitting next to you in lecture could be a zombie. The group returned without incident, I ate a small snack, and rested a little easier with my Nerf under my pillow.
Read More......
Day One
Taking my life into my hands (or at least writing my life code on an index card), I carefully make my way back from a friend’s room to my own. Our darkest suspicions (and most secret hopes) have been confirmed: the zombie apocalypse has come to Mizzou.
Supply run is imminent; details on return. Read More......
Supply run is imminent; details on return. Read More......
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