Okay, the zombies are up. They’re shambling, they’re walking, they’re doing the Thriller dance and they’re hungry. You just spotted one on your front lawn. What now? If you’ve thought this out or even considered the possibility of this day arriving, you should be ready.
We at the ZSC talk a lot about preparation in the sense of stocking up supplies, getting your go bag together, choosing your weapons and other required survival needs. Being prepared is the only real defense any of us have, so here’s 10 things you should know to ensure survival, or at least a fighting chance during the Z-pocalypse.
1. Go Bag
The number one most important thing you could ever possibly do is make your personal Go Bag and never let it out of your sight or put it beyond your reach. We’ve talked about preparation so much it’s running the risk of being repetitive, but the importance of preparing ahead of time cannot be overstated. Food, water, medical supplies, weapons, duct tape… it can be a long and sometimes overdetailed list. No matter how hard we try to think of everything in advance, nobody can plan for everything but we can learn to expect the unexpected. Prepared survival kits can be purchased online or put together manually to suit your preferences.
2. Keep In Touch
Have a network. Get everyone who matters to you on speed dial or prepared email/text message and make contact at the first sign of trouble. Let them know you’re okay, plan a meeting point or at least tell them where you are going. You won’t be able to rely on communications staying open as things go from bad to worse, so be sure do it early. A CB radio is also a good investment, one that can be taken with you either in a vehicle or on foot.
3. Know Your Destination / Escape Route
Okay, you’ve got the car packed up with all your survival gear and supplies. The gas tank is full, you’ve called your mom and told her you’re coming to get her, the CB radio is on and you’re armed to the teeth. So, where are you going? How are you getting there? Is there a mandatory evacuation that ensures all major roads will be jammed and completely impassable? Traffic alerts? Mass panic on the streets? Looting, robbery and general lawlessness? Chances are the answer is yes, so you need to know exactly where to go and the best way to get there before it all goes bad. You can’t pick up or rescue anyone if you’re stuck in traffic.
Whether you’re driving to get Mom or on foot running for the hills, try to avoid congested areas. Stick to back roads or side routes that are likely to be less populated. Arriving at your pre-planned destination is the first step of survival. Be sure to also have a backup destination in mind, a plan B, even a plan C if possible. The ZSC has an always-growing list of Resupply Stations and Rendezvous Points to help you get to where you should be when it all starts to go down. Even if you find yourself caught unprepared (which would never happen to any ZSC member), you can head straight to the nearest supply station or rendezvous point to get what you need and/or meet up with fellow survivors.
4. Outdoor survival
Even if you plan to be holed up somewhere indoors, secure and protected from nature’s elements, there’s a good chance you might have to eventually abandon your comfortable safe haven and literally run for the hills. It’s not a bad idea to brush up on basic survival skills now, before the dead start walking.
Take a course in outdoor/wilderness survival. Learn to build shelter, protect yourself from the elements, hunt and fish. Okay, you don’t have to be the great white hunter of the North, but learning to trap small game such as rabbits and squirrels or pull a fish out of the water means you get more than berries for dinner if and when the food supplies run down.
Learn to build a fire . Humans have enjoyed the ability to make fire for ten thousand years, give or take. But in the modern era of convenience, many of us would be lost with nothing but two sticks to rub together. A minor detail such as the lack of matches or butane lighter can be the difference between life or death in the colder places of the world. Fire also provides light, security and helps make that fish taste a little bit better.
5. First Aid
Even in the best case scenario where the Z-poc never begins, it’s a smart move to know what to do in today’s world of random unhappy accidents. Take a first aid course. Anyone can put on a bandaid, but when the world stops working and there’s nobody to call when someone is injured or sick it’s up to you to take care of them, or yourself. Learn which medical supplies to grab and how to use them, how to treat poison ivy rashes and bee stings, which medications to stock up on and which to throw away… what you don’t know in the world of first aid certainly could hurt you. Also, be sure to get a good first aid reference book and stash it in your go bag.
6. Weapons
It’s the first thing everybody thinks of. Ask anyone about zombie apocalypse survival and they’ll talk about head shots, ammunition, shotguns vs handguns, machetes, crossbows, axes, Bowie knives, baseball bats, cricket bats… hold on now, let’s pause for a moment.
Are you going to need weapons during the z-pocalypse? Most definitely, yes. But this does NOT mean you should plan to run out and raid a gun store the second it hits. Not only because everybody else will probably be thinking the same thing, but do you know how to handle a gun? If you don’t, the chances of you shooting yourself in the foot or mortally wounding a living person are a lot higher than your chances of making a successful zombie kill at any distance. This isn’t a movie. Picking up a weapon does not instantly turn you into Jason Bourne. If you’re going to carry a firearm, make sure you know how to use it. Visit a local firing range and have a look around. Many offer instructional courses or can point you in the right direction, and they won’t laugh at you (much) if you shoot like a girl. Learn how to clean and properly care for your guns, too. A poorly-maintained weapon is not the way you want to face the zombie apocalypse.
Many people don’t like firing guns. We’re not going to tell you get over it and learn to do it anyway, but rather think about the importance of being able to effectively defend yourself and your loved ones against the shambling horde. Your weapon of choice should be the weapon you are most comfortable with, and can handle confidently without supervision. Sometimes a solid wooden baseball bat is enough to save you from becoming a meal. Blunt weapons don’t require ammunition, you don’t need extensive target practice and they’re certainly easier to find. Machetes and other edged weapons make a bigger mess, but have the same advantages and may even require less physical work than a bat. Many outdoor survival classes offer bow hunting instruction, which would give you the opportunity to learn to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
7. Know What You’re Up Against
Don’t underestimate the dead. Yes, at first glance zombies appear to be pretty easy to avoid. They’re slow (sometimes), not very smart (always), and in small numbers pretty easy to avoid (usually). But it’s important to remember that their strength is numbers and chances are at some point they will outnumber you. If you find yourself face to face with certain death with little or no means of escape, you have to know what it takes to put your undead attacker down for good.
Read books – Among many other well-written and admittedly entertaining how-to survival manuals, Max Brooks’ Zombie Survival Guideis a must-have for any household of future survivors. Ten years from now the battered, dog-eared copy of your favorite survival manual found in the bottom of your go bag might just be the answer to everything.
Movies – Zombie flicks are entertaining and fun, but sometimes they can be a good source of information. Also what not to do can be just as important as any to-do list you can find out there. It’s better that the hindsight came from watching a movie rather than figuring it out for yourself later.
One important note – Don’t set them on fire. It’s quite a spectacle on film, but the reality may not be what you hoped for. Not only is it likely to be the worst smell you could ever imagine, but do you really want a flailing, stinking, flesh-eating fireball chasing you down the street?
8. Trust Few
Isolation is dangerous. You need someone to watch your back. As the living population dwindles, your chances of survival are higher if you are part of a group rather than alone. But you also need to know your companions. Are they your friends, family or random strangers you met while picking through the remains of a looted Wal-Mart? It’s a tough choice to make. Anyone can learn to survive, but holding onto your humanity in the process can be harder than you might think.
Disasters can bring out the best of humanity, but also the worst. Some people will only want to be your friend as long as you are useful to them, or because you have more stuff than they do. Be prepared to protect yourself, your loved ones and your stuff. You should trust strangers only as far as you think you could throw them, and always assume that someone you don’t know might not hesitate to trip you to get away.
9. Minimize Risk – Or, Don’t be a Dumbass.
Don’t go to the mall. Not ever. We don’t care how many movies you’ve seen, malls have too many entrances and exits, and too many potential zombies inside. It’s a very bad choice. The only reason to go to the mall is to hit the bookstore to grab the aforementioned reference books. But you should already have these at this point, as well as copies of Undead is not an Option and Undead Uncensored in your go bag.
Don’t get yourself cornered. If you’re heading to the roof, be sure to have a secured way down. Most zombies can manage stairs or even a fire escape. If they know you’re up there they will find a way to get to you. Even if they don’t, you’re risking turning yourself into the proverbial cat in a tree. A siege situation is not one you want to be in during the Z-pocalypse.
Lock doors behind you. Stay off the booze and drugs. Don’t drive like a stockcar racer (unless you are one). Don’t jump from one rooftop to another. Don’t play “tag the zombie” to amuse yourself. Avoid shaky tree branches. If it smells like it’s spoiled, don’t eat it. Don’t consume any wild-growing berries or plants if you don’t know what they are. Don’t drink water from rivers or lakes without boiling or purifying.
Just think. Use your head. Don’t make rash decisions or take unnecessary risks. All the planning in the world is useless if you get yourself (or someone else) killed.
10. Be Prepared for Failure
If you find you’ve accidentally selected Plan D for Dumbass and all of your carefully thought out preparations have fallen apart, abandon ship. Run. Everyone makes mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Don’t dally around trying to analyze what went wrong and don’t worry about trying to fix it, just grab your go bag and run. You can make a new plan later.
Command Center Report: Red Brigade Sergeant at Arms
There’s a lot of chest-thumping and bravado that goes into preparing for the Zombiepocalypse. Even your brave Zombie Survival Crew commanders are not immune to a certain amount of arrogance about the skills we’ve added to our lives in order to defeat the undead masses. However, an ounce of humility will go further to keep you alive when faced with the end of days than a well-sharpened knife.
Know Your Physical Limits
Humans are flawed creations. Eventually portions of our bodies just stop working properly. Even a healthy eighteen year old male could have a blown out knee, which won’t allow him to run when cornered by a herd of zombies. Not everyone is going to have the upper body strength to operate a bow and arrow with the precision necessary to kill a dust bunny, let alone food for your camp.
Divide and conquer. Have an open and honest conversation with your family and those in your camp, laying out any physical limitations each of you may have. If someone can’t lift more than thirty pounds, obviously they aren’t an ideal person to send off to fetch water. The guy with the bum knee isn’t going to make a good lookout if he can’t run back to camp and warn everyone. Everyone will be able to find a chore/duty in camp which plays to their strengths without crushing their hopes of survival because of a physical ailment.
Likewise, if you require medications for serious conditions, keep extras in your go bag. Every so often, refresh your supply—just in case. While on the run is not the time to find out your inhaler expired and is as useful to help you breathe as a mouthful of dirt. If you need a walker or a cane to get around, keep your spare next to the rest of your survival gear. The same idea goes for glasses, contacts, ankle/knee braces. Prone to sprained ankles? Pack extra Ace bandages in your gear. Clumsy? Make sure your First Aid kit is well-stocked with bandages, antibiotic ointment, and peroxide.
The stress of the zombie outbreak will only accentuate any limitations we have in the comfort of our homes. Just because some zombies are walking around, doesn’t mean we’ll all be transformed into Super Zombie Slayers. Life just doesn’t happen that way. It’s better to accept it now and plan accordingly. The alternative is stepping in to a situation you can’t physically fight your way out of.
Know Your Mental Limits
If The Walking Dead is any indicator, the character flaws we try to bury in our everyday lives will jump to the surface and do a little dance for attention. Personally, this is not a thrilling idea. However, just like our physical limitations, we need to prepare ourselves mentally for what could happen come Z-day.
Mental illnesses which you control with medication need to be planned for. As said previously, pack spare medications in your go bag, rotating out the supplies to make sure everything is within the expiration dates. You may also want to speak with your doctor for certain conditions to see if there are any natural remedies you may use in case of zombies. Though, if you’re going to your therapist and talking about zombies, it may cause a whole new set of problems on the mental health front. We’re just trying to cover all the bases on the off-chance something happens. Nothing that should overly concern mental health professionals.
Be honest with yourself. If you cannot cope with accidentally stepping on a snail, there is a seriously slim chance you will be able to pull the trigger when face to face with a zombie. They were people. Living souls we talk to, laugh with, love, and care for. Shooting someone, even for survival purposes, is not something one goes into lightly. You are still ending a life. Still putting yourself above the needs of another, even if they have been turned into a mindless eating machine. No one will be unaffected by pulling the trigger that first time. Even you macho men, thinking you’ll be the next Dixon on the block, will be changed after you kill your first zombie. Kind souls, those who cherish every life on earth, you’ll have the hardest time.
We’re not going to tell you to suck it up and kill a zombie. However, you need to tell the people you are with when the Z-poc hits where you stand on the matter. Weapons will be sparse. A gun is better off in the hands of someone who can use it than in the hands of someone who will won’t ever be mentally ready to take aim.
Full disclosure
People who suffer from conditions such as bipolar or depression need to make sure others are aware. Those unaffected by these conditions will not understand when they accidentally trigger a bad episode. Life is difficult enough with depression, let alone adding in the stress of life on the run, fighting every day just to stay alive. Simplify things by making sure your companions are fully aware of your mental welfare.
In the end, the number one thing is to be honest with yourself and the people relying on you to survive. Do everything you can to pull your weight, but injuring yourself or causing mental duress in the pursuit of survival is not any way to begin a new life.
Publisher: Crazy Duck Press (CDP)
Date of Publication: August 2011
ISBN: 9780982812198
Number of pages: 266
Book Description:
“…Death was a dream of sleep where the eternally dying dream the sleep of death. The undeniable evidence in the stillness of her being, the stark paleness of her complexion, and the lack of blood pooling from her cuts after climbing through the window whispered dark truths in her ears. Rigor Mortis. There was nothing familiar to Jamie about her skin. Time and time again, she found herself asking what had happened, only to arrive at the hard won conclusion that she, Jamie Lund, wasn’t alive anymore. Somehow in the foolhardy night, she’d been a dumb girl. She’d gotten herself killed…”
From the mind of Stavros, the critically acclaimed author of Blood Junky, comes a new twisted tale of horror and adventure. An average girl, living in the city is murdered. Nothing new, right? It happens every day. Just another statistic. That is…until she woke up dead.
Trapped within her own decaying shell, the dead girl struggles to piece together the awful events of her untimely death and hunt down the man responsible. Armed only with a kiss from an ancient Egyptian God, a pockmarked memory, her ex-boyfriend, and a murder of crows Jamie Lund comes face to face with something more terrifying and real than mere death…she suffers the agony of being undead!
With twelve black & white illustrations and a full colored cover from tattoo artist, Charles Hearn, this sardonic tale comes alive like no other zombie story, popping from the page with stunning, unnatural brilliance. Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge will keep the reader on the edge of their seat suspended in this unique supernatural thriller.
Sounds super cool, right? Let’s get to know a little more about the author, Stavros.
Interview:
When did you first begin writing, and what inspired you to write your first book?
I wrote my first poem when I was in seventh grade. And it’s been downhill ever since. As writing became more and more of a thing in my life – song lyrics, short stories, short scripts, etc – I dreamed that dream of “The Novel” that seems lure young men to the siren shores of pencil pushing. Even tried to write my first one before I was twenty, though I failed miserably at it. I still have it in a filing cabinet with a pencil sketch cover.
What books and authors have most influenced your life?
Kurt Vonnegut – Slaughterhouse 5, Oscar Wilde – The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Federico Garcia Lorca – Everything! , Pablo Neruda – Everything! , Sylvia Plath – Her poetry, Frank Herbert – The Dune Series, especially God Emperor of Dune, Isaac Asimov – The Foundation Series, Patrick Suskind – Perfume, Frank Zappa – Real Frank Zappa Book, The poetry of Rumi and Hafiz; and just straight books – The Destroyer Series, The Human Zoo & The Tao of Physics all had major influences
Tell us a little about Jamie Lund. What is she like before she wakes up dead? What sets her on her revengeful quest?
I tend to think of Jamie as a normal, modern gal. She liked Lady Gaga, shoes, shopping for expensive things – was a cheerleader; worked in an office building, climbed the social ladder, and had a circle of friends who would hold her hair when she drank too much. I even imagined that she had a faux rhinestone cell phone protector, though I never mentioned it. What sets her on the path of revenge is coming to the drastic realization that she’s dead, yet alive. She only vaguely remembers being murdered. So, in grieving for the loss of her own life she tends to hit the anger button a couple extra times.
Faced with a world infested with flesh-eating biters, what would be your go-to method of defense and why?
Katana. No reloading. And leather Biker boots, pants, and jacket (and sometimes the helmet) because it’s too tough to chew through!
In this ever-changing world, it behooves us to be prepared for disaster to happen at any moment. The Zombie Survival Crew members have a “go-bag” filled with items essential for their survival should disaster strike and they must flee to survive. What are the most essential items for your go-bag and why?
Besides grabbing the afford-mentioned Katana and a long rifle for clearing paths at a distance, in a backpack is: 1 pair of clothing, extra socks, water bottle filled with water, Swiss army knife, hunting knife, 9mm and 12 clips, assorted MREs, a med kit with antibiotics, duct tape, bottle of Motrin, rope, flint, chlorine tablets for water purification, and a small plastic tarp. Everything else can be foraged.
How did you come up with the premise for Dead Girl? And what do you feel makes your book stand out in the zombie lit world?
It originally came to me as a comic book. And Jamie was going to be more of a sword-totting vengeful decayer taking on the mob. But that all changed once I started writing it. What makes Dead Girl different from traditional zombie fair is that she is the only zombie in the story and is basically, for the most part, cognitive. Dead Girl is more of a murder mystery that is solved by the victim before she decays. I love zombie tales, and have a traditional type of story that I am working on called, The Cure. So I felt free to take DG in a completely different direction. Also, at the time that I was writing it and publishing, zombies weren’t as big as they are now, and the idea of making it “Romantic” had not even ventured into the apocalypse. Basically, I just wanted to play in uncharted territory
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in writing for a horror audience?
Oh God, Yes. Horror fans have seen it all, read it all, or are thinking about it in a way that I never will. When I actually think about the amount of horror that is out there I get weak in the knees. Just contemplating that I’m going to throw my meager attempts into the fray is foolhardy. Which is part of the reason why I’m so damn anal in my research and development. That coupled with my drive to push the envelope to create something unique for the reader to experience gives me the illusion that I can hang with the big boys and girls.
What made you decide to team up with a tattoo artist to do the illustrations?
I had met Charles at my first horror convention in Gettysburg, PA when I released Blood Junky, back in 2010. He had always wanted to do comic books and his panels were amazing. We stayed in touch after the event and as DG took shape I contacted him. He was interested and we made it happen.
Tell us a little bit about your music. What types of music do your write? What instruments do you play? What drives your musical passion?
I play drums – kit and afro-cuban styled percussion, guitar, bass, and been known to sing. Mostly, I’ve been working on electronica, due to a heavy road life, though I’ve been writing some new songs on the acoustic. Honestly, music has had to take a backseat to publishing and getting Kaos Kustom Fangs off the ground. But I still tinker and play to relax. I even have a few hardcore acoustic pieces that I want to record with bass and drums to scream or whisper political poetry over. I think the juxtaposition will be hilarious.
What are you working on now? Can you tell us your latest news?
I’m working with Sweet Revolt to get the adaptation of my novel Love in Vein funded as a feature film, as well as, penning book three of the One Blood Series. In addition to that, Charles and I are working out the details to bring DG to life as a fully fledged comic book and motion comic.
Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
Yes. Buy the book. You won’t be disappointed. And if you are…it makes for great target practice! After all, gotta keep your aim sharp and there’s a zombie on the cover.
About the Author:
Notorious Poet. Fool. Born in Washington DC. Stavros was a writer and editor for The Independent Underground Magazine. Raised in Southern Maryland, he fled the Chesapeake Bay to the wilds of the New Mexican desert. He is a single father of two, whose poetic works have been published in several online and print publications, including Central Avenue, The Sword That Cuts Through Stone, Poets Against The War, Conceptions Southwest, The Mynd, Imagine: Creative Arts Journal, and Bartleby, where he won a specialty award for his poem, Blackbird.
In 1999, he won an Official Selection into the Writer’s on the Edge Festival for his play, The Redline. In 2001, he created the Poetry Television Project for public cable access in Albuquerque, NM. All eight volumes of Ptv’s ground-breaking show were broadcast to over 100,000 viewers on a network of regional PAC channels throughout the Southwest and Baltimore. He helped to launch Unpublished Magazine, sponsored the monthly poetry series, The Word Café, in the Duke city, and produced a political compilation, Poetic Democracy. In 2007, he released the award-winning documentary film, Committing Poetry in Times of War.
In 2010, he launched the production management company, Organic Ghetto, and released its first imprint, Crazy Duck Press, with his first novel, Blood Junky. Blood Junky received exceptional praise and review, even being called “one of the best vampire novels ever written,” by Living Dead Media. The following year he helped to launch BioGamer Girl, undertook a bigger East coast tour where he began selling his original photographic art, and released two new novels through Crazy Duck Press. Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge features a stunning full-color cover and twelve black and white illustrations from tattoo artist, Charles Hearn. Blood Junky’s sequel, Love in Vein, cemented the One Blood series with its continuation of the story, garnering such review as to claim that the book and the series is “comparable with, and at times surpasses, the ‘Vampire Chronicles’ by Anne Rice.”
In 2012, Stavros joined forces with the Vampire Professor, Bertena Varney, M.A.M.Ed, to co-create the nonfiction annual anthology, Vampire News, and officially became a Fangsmith with the creation of Organic Ghetto’s second imprint, Kaos Kustom Fangs. He rounded out the year by writing and editing screenplays for the One Blood Transmedia Project, recording Dead Girl as an audio book, and undertaking his biggest national marketing campaign, The Book & Fang Tour.
In 2013, he and the Vampire Professor released the second volume of Vampire News: The (not so) End Times Edition and is currently working on writing and growing his imprints. Stavros is also a musician who has scored commercials, film shorts, documentaries, and television programs.
Rating: PG-13 (intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images) Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, and Daniella Kertesz
First thing’s first, this reviewer is fully aware that World War Z is based on the novel by Max Brooks. However, seeing as they don’t give me any books—just stacks of movies to shuffle through—I haven’t read it. This review will focus solely on the merits of what was on the screen during the film. Nothing else. Now that the business portion is out of the way . . . have I mentioned how much of a pain it is to not only sneak into a theater without freaking out the humans, but also get a pair of 3D glasses to stay on when one of your ears fell off fifteen years ago in New Mexico? Let’s just say there was liberal application of duct tape in the moments before the lights dimmed and the film began.
World War Z starts off with disturbing news reports of a rabies-like virus sweeping over the globe. America is seemingly unharmed by this virus. Our hero, Gerry is happy to be at home with his family and not with his old bosses at the United Nations dealing with the mess. Then everything flips on its head. Gerry and family are caught in the middle of a sudden outbreak of the zombie virus. In seconds, Philadelphia is overrun with the undead. The family escape and Gerry is called in to help the UN figure out how to deal with the zombies. He’s sent to every corner of the earth searching for answers in unlikely places. In the end, it seems the world’s only hope stems from utter devastation.
The opening is slow, designed to lull you into a false sense of security while simultaneously feeding viewers information through numerous television news clips—the tried, true, and vastly overused method of plot progression available to the zombie film genre. This is of course after viewers suffer horrendous vertigo and nausea from the title sequence, which is designed to make maximum use of the 3D format. Essentially, you can get stuck in line for popcorn during the first seven minutes and not miss anything vital to the film’s plot. A zombie movie is a zombie movie, is a zombie movie. Anyone hoping World War Z would prove to be ground breaking and different in this aspect is fooling themselves.
That’s not to say once the action kicks in, the film isn’t interesting. The mechanics of the zombies alone cause a lot of heart-stopping, breath-holding moments, and even a handful of really well thought out scares. The zombies are fast. Obscenely fast. They have no physical limitations, easily leaping over two cars to take down their prey. Any reservations the person held alive are gone after death, allowing the undead to climb over each other, sacrifice each other in the name of sinking their teeth into something alive, or even bash their skull repeatedly into a car’s windshield in order to get to the gooey yummy treat inside. The makeup ranges from normal looking people covered in blood, to the hero zombies who were desiccated, rotting as they wait for fresh food sources. Two of the hero zombies in the final act of the film were by far some of the best zombies character-wise I’ve seen in any genre film. They were wild, uninhibited in their ferocity and sheer weirdness of undead traits.
Brad Pitt, despite reservations about an A-list actor stepping into a genre film, delivers a wonderful performance with the script he’s given. He brings to screen the only compassion seen from any character, really. Some of the supporting cast shine—most of the good ones don’t get nearly enough screen time. Other members of the cast failed to give a performance capable of making viewers want to see them survive. Isn’t that the point of being one of the main characters? We want to see you live, not listen to you whine, garble lines, and have little to no facial expressions. When a zombie has more facial expressions than the wife of the main character, a main character who’s in mortal danger, there’s something wrong.
What can be learned from World War Z? Duct tape is your best friend. Armor can be made from fashion magazines. The police are indeed people and cannot be relied on after the undead invade your city. And most importantly, if you’re not careful, a can of Mountain Dew could very well lead to your demise.
I’m going to give World War Z four severed hands, out of five. The epic scale of the film was hard to ignore—something genre fans haven’t seen since Romero’s Land of the Dead. Bypass the 3D experience, though. The foot chase scenes in 3D format induce headaches. Chewing on aching brains isn’t good eats. Think of the zombies waiting outside for a snack when you head to the theater.
We put out the call for local information on resupply stations and rendezvous points, and the Zombie Survival Crew continues to respond. Information is coming in and we’re sifting through and compiling everything for communication to the loyalists. We started with information on South Central Resupply site Midland, TX thanks to Purple Brigade member, Kris O’Dell, continued with Wilmington, DE compliments of ZSC Yellow Brigade member Brian McCabe, and Blue Brigade member Jenni Womick brought us Trinity, and we now move forward with Sergeant at Arms, Sarah Quattrocci. Deep in the mountains of Vermont, she has located the perfect meeting place for the Blue Zone.
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Assuming that higher-population areas are high-risk, finding a location off the grid but not completely inaccessible is key. Just outside of Burlington, VT and easily accessible from both Northern and Southern areas West of the mountains via Route 116, this location is a safe distance from the more heavily populated areas. Located on Route 116 just north of Hinesburg village on the east side of the road.
Access from New York state can be made by crossing the Crown Point Bridge and following Route 17 to connect with Route 116 at the Junction in New Haven, VT.
This building is not only spacious and designed for the long haul, but also combines security with at least some of the comforts of home. The building is powered primarily by a photovoltaic system (solar power), a 10-kilowatt wind turbine and uses another renewable resource such as wood pellets made from lumber milling waste for heating.
The core of the building features a large, open-concept common area constructed of concrete, wood, natural stone and other natural materials. It includes a 3-story stone fireplace to help keep the entire area heated during the colder months. There are dozens of skylights and operable windows to take advantage of natural light, provide natural ventilation and fresh air and allow full views of the outside.
Situated within walking distance is a grocery store, hardware store, gas station, doctor’s office, police station and – perhaps most importantly – a large secure warehouse that is ideal for storage of supplies.
To read more on all resupply stations, please go to our (for members only) Key Links under the Escape Routes/Resupply Stations section!
Kissimmee, FL—Most people would say Disney right off the bat! But, is this where you want to be during the zombie invasion? I don’t think so! I don’t even want to think of the Magic Kingdom under those circumstances!
I chose Trinity School for Blue Brigade-Phase 1 Resupply station. The school is located on West Vine Street in Kissimmee, FL. West Vine is also known as US Highway 192, and Irlo Bronson Highway depending where on the road you are located. This is the main road in Kissimmee. It actually runs through a good portion of the middle of the state to the Atlantic Ocean. So, the school is easily accessible.
The school, is actually on a little campus that consists of several buildings, all of which are already fenced in. The school building is an older, two-story building that resembles an old motel. There are stairwells at both ends of the building, and an elevator (if power was on) in the middle. There are public restrooms in the middle on both stories. There are limited windows, and they are high up. Each classroom has an outside door, and a door inside that links it with the room next to it. There are also restrooms between the classrooms, and sinks in each room.
The other main building is the Family Life Center. This is a gym, with a large kitchen, restrooms with showers, and two other rooms that could serve many uses. There are very few windows, and the majority are very high up.
The other buildings on the campus are a church. There are restrooms, and other rooms and some offices here. Again, few windows. There is a another long building across from the school that has offices, a lounge and storage. There is also a fellowship hall that has a second large kitchen and an area for meeting. There are 2 small storage sheds, and in the very back of the campus there is an old house that now serves as day care-with a 3rd kitchen in it.
Since the entire campus is already fenced in, it would be not to difficult to fortify it and make it stronger. The aerial picture shows the entire area, but it’s old so there are no fences. The fences were added about 3 years ago.
For supplies, the school is in a perfect location. Directly across the street is a WalMart, and some other random stores (including a comic book store-study material for zombie killing). Next to that plaza (kiddie corner across the street to the right) is a Target and a Home Depot. Next to the school on the right there is a Play It Again Sports, and next to it on the left is a gas station. And, for the adventurous ones, a K-Mart and Big Lots about 2 blocks away.
Also, less than 1 mile away is the Kissimmee Gateway Airport. This is a “small” plane airport (no commercial planes). If any of the planes were flyable, this could be a HUGE asset.
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To read more on all resupply stations, please go to our (for members only) Key Links under the Escape Routes/Resupply Stations section.
In Mary’s world, there are simple truths.
The Sisterhood always knows best.
The Guardians will protect and serve.
The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
But slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.
Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?
The Forest of Hands and Teeth Carrie Ryan Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Hardcover: (March, 2009), ISBN-13: 978-0385736817
Paperback: (February, 2010) ISBN-13: 978-0385736824
Debut novel The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan is a compelling action-packed story filled with the horrors of a world succumbed to zombies and is the first of a series.
Mary’s life within the village surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth is too secluded for her after growing up listening to her mother’s stories of the ocean and what the world was like before the Return. She dreams of leaving the village one day to see the ocean for herself, and after a breach threatens her home, it looks like she’ll get her wish as she and her closest friends take a journey that leads them into an unknown world.
While Mary is torn between the boy she loves and the boy who loves her, she never loses faith in her mother’s stories and strives forward in their journey to see that what her mother said was true.
This book is captivating, compelling, and a fast-paced zombie thriller that will have you turning page after page and sitting on the edge of your seat until finished. Never have I been so pulled into a book, wrought with emotion, and nearly screaming out loud as things went bump in the night in the story and in reality. It pulls you in, holds you within its pages as you make your way through with Mary’s narration and intense internal dialog that has you feeling every emotion, every fear, and hearing every sound—especially those ongoing moans of the Unconsecrated.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a top-notch YA book that carries a lot of praise with it, which can be found on Carrie Ryan’s website: http://www.carrieryan.com.
Kudos to Carrie Ryan for writing such a brilliant piece of work and for coming up with a title that literally jumped off the shelf at me. It was the reason I bought the book!
Keeping clean in the Z-pocalypse may seem extremely futile. It would be a shame, though, for any of our ZSC brigadiers to succumb to disease and infection from something mundane when charged with the task of staying one step ahead of the undead menace.
We highly recommend adding biodegradable soap in bar and liquid form to your go bags—not just in your camping gear, but the bag you plan to carry on your person at all times. It is important to keep not only the dishes to you cook and eat with clean, but your clothes and body as well. Below are the best methods for keeping clean without polluting the water source you draw from.
Before you begin washing anything in camp, establish a gray water pit at least 200 feet from your primary water source and away from the camp kitchen to avoid contamination after cleaning. Dig a hole deep enough for the camp’s estimated water usage. Save the excess dirt. When the gray water pit is full or you plan to move camp, cover the pit. This will prevent animals from drinking the soapy water. It will also keep the rain from washing the soap into the nearest water source. Even biodegradable soap can pollute water, poisoning fish and altering the bacteria necessary for the ecosystem in the water.
If the water source is destroyed, you obliterate your chances of surviving. Purifying and boiling will not make gray water or water polluted by soap drinkable.
Washing the Dishes:
There are two methods for washing the dishes. The first is for a small amount of dishes; the second is ideal for large camps that pool resources and chores.
Washing Method #1 (Small campsites)-
In a clean pot, bring at least a liter of water to a rolling boil for over a minute. Allow the water to cool to a temperature you can handle it and move the pot beside the gray water pit.
Using as little biodegradable soap as possible and a clean rag, scrub the cooking utensils and rinse with purified (boiled) water. Make sure all water goes into the pit. (Tip: use a ladle or transfer the water to a bottle for easy, controlled pouring.)
Repeat the scrubbing and rinsing routine with the pots, pans, etc.
Scrub the silverware and rinse in the water left in the pot.
Dump out the rest of the water into the gray water pit.
Leave the dishes to dry somewhere dust-free. Ensure they are completely dry before storing.
Washing Method #2 (Large campsites)-
Fill three plastic tubs or pots thusly: Pot #1 – 2 liters hot water with biodegradable soap (for washing). Pot #2 – 1 liter hot water (rinsing). Pot #3 – 1 gallon cold water with 12 teaspoons chlorine bleach (sanitizing).
Scrape excess food off of all plates and pans. If food sticks to the pan, fill with water and bring to a boil to loosen it.
Wash in pot #1, using a clean rag. Start with the least soiled items (silverware, cups, etc) to keep the water clean longer.
Rinse in pot #2.
Sanitize in pot #3 for a minimum of 2 minutes. Make sure items are completely submerged.
Leave out to fully dry in a dust-free place before storing.
Dump used water into the gray water pit.
Cleaning Laundry:
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute.
Read the labels on your clothing. (The Z-pocalypse is not the time to shrink your only pair of jeans by accident.) If your clothes all say “Wash, cold water” let the water cool all the way. Use warm water, otherwise.
Add a small amount of biodegradable soap to the water and mix. Do not use detergent. It will pollute the water supply and make animals sick, even with proper grey water disposal.
Submerge the laundry and agitate (stir) using your hand or tongs for a few minutes. Clothing with excess staining will need to be scrubbed with a small amount of soap prior to putting them in the pot to wash. Do not use hot water on bloodstains, even zombie blood.
Remove clothes from the pot and carefully wring out excess water.
Hang to dry.
Dispose of wash water in the gray water pit.
Wash the pot and tongs as described in Dishwashing Method #1 above.
Tip: This technique may also be done in a shallow hole lined with a tarp if a pot or tub is not available.
Washing Yourself
Smelling like a zombie isn’t the only concern we’ll face while on the run from the undead. There are a number of nasty parasites and diseases that can make people seriously ill if they do not bathe regularly. The Z-pocalypse is not the time to skip a shower. Unfortunately, it will be the most difficult time to try and take one.
One can get by for the first few chaotic days by keeping unscented baby wipes in your go bag and taking what amounts to a spit bath twice a day. Dispose of the wipes in the garbage. Do not burn them, the pieces could catch in the wind and start a fire.
After a few days of not-really-bathing, you’ll beg for as close to a shower as you can get. Purify a gallon of water (boil for a minute and cool, you know the routine by now) and find yourself a place reasonably private to wash up, at least 200 feet from your water source. Use biodegradable soap (most handmade soaps fit this bill) and a clean washcloth to bathe. Yes, use this soap on your hair, as well. You only need to wash the roots of your hair. Rinsing will push the soap down the rest of your hair to clean it. Bathe using actual water at least three times a week to keep healthy.
Do not mistake dipping into a lake as taking a bath. Water alone will not kill the pathogens that cling to human skin and hair. And lake water is full of other microbes that can make you ill. Basically, if water is touching you in any way, purify it first.
As part of our collective efforts to prepare for the z-poc, ZSC command has undertaken a mission to bring you a series of recipes to keep the body strong and the spirit lifted during dark times. Now, don’t go thinking you’ll be cooking these up in the early days of the infection. You’ll be too busy slaying walkers on the move for this kind of fare. But once the initial dust settles and you’re in the fight for the long haul, you’re going to want something other than the beef jerky, energy bars and chocolate you’ve got stashed in your Go Bag.
Being on the run from the shambling horde doesn’t leave a lot of time for cooking every day, so a good way to get that protein you’ll need is to make some jerky out of whatever large game is in your area when you can’t loot any from surrounding stores any longer. Heck, you could probably even use this for javelina (native to the Southwest and quite the nasty beast in temperament).
Most people don’t realize that Arizona and the Southwest have deer and elk, along with the mountain lions and javelina, so this very basic recipe really goes a long way. I haven’t tried this using javelina, and that’s a different type of meat, but hey, it’s worth a shot. Either way, the meat from a javelina is good to eat. Have a pig roast, if anything.
We’ll just go with the deer/elk/buffalo recipe. I’m also assuming you know how to skin these animals. If you don’t, that should be on your “Top 10 Things I Need to Know for the Zombiepocalypse” list.
First, you’ll want to trim off all visible fat from the meat because it becomes rancid. Cut the flank steak lengthwise with the grain into long thin strips no more than ¼ inch thick. Rub it aggressively with salt cover for 10 to 12 hours so it’ll absorb the salt and release some of its natural juices. At this time, you can add additional spices, fruits, liquids, etc. This is why I require spices in the Yellow Brigade Go Bag (you’ll have to be logged in to view that link).
Next, you’ll need to build a scaffold to support the meat over a slow fire beneath it; the heat and the smoke completes the process in half a day, and with an occasional sunning, the meat will keep for months.
Not too hard, right? Just get yourself somewhere safe for a couple of days so you can do this and you’ll have that protein you need for a good long while, depending on the size of the animal, of course.
Happy hunting!
I’d like to thank my ex-husband, the bow hunter from Wyoming, for helping me with this.
Mankind wouldn’t be anything without the discovery of fire. We’ve come a long way from painting on cave walls and living on the land—so much so, most people wouldn’t know how to accidentally start a fire, let alone create a fire that is safe to cook on and allow their family to gather around. When the Zombiepocalypse hits, we’ll be forced to revert to basic means to survive.
Being able to build a fire is essential to making it past the first week after the zombies show their rotting faces. Not only will you need it to cook food, but also purify water and stay warm. We take for granted the warmth our houses retain courtesy of insulation. Tents and sleeping bags do not make it warm enough to survive outdoors.
There are a few things to remember when building a fire for your survivor camp:
Be sure to place the fire at least twenty feet away from any tents, trees, bushes, and the camp kitchen. This clearance includes low-hanging tree branches.
Chose a location that is blocked off from wind gusts.
Clear away grass, leaves, branches, etc. in a ten-foot diameter around the campfire.
Have a bucket of water and shovel handy, along with a small pile of sand or dry dirt that is free of flammable debris.
Preparing the fire pit
Dig a circular pit with a three-foot diameter. Make sure the deepest part, the center, is at least a foot deep. (If you happen to have an above-ground fire pit, dig a hole underneath it, this will make disposing of ashes easier after.)
Line the outside of the fire pit with rocks. This will keep people from accidentally stepping into the pit. It will also give you a base to set a grill on top of. (Tip from The Walking Dead: Build the fire pit wall higher to prevent the light from attracting unwanted attention.)
Gather three types of wood: Tinder (small twigs, dry leaves, dry pine needles, dry grass), Kindling (branches 1-inch in diameter and smaller), Fuel (larger pieces of wood. Avoid whole log rounds. They will burn too long to be able to control).
Make sure all wood is dry. Do not burn freshly cut (green) wood, it will smolder and create excess smoke. Green wood does not light easily, either. It takes months to properly dry green wood—up to a year. Gather all the dry wood you can when establishing camp. If you need to cut into a fresh tree, do so only if you plan to remain in camp long enough to let it dry.
Building a fire
Place two to three loose handfuls of tinder in the center of the fire pit.
Add kindling in one of the following formations: Set kindling over the tinder like you’re building a tent; Crisscross kindling over tinder; Stack kindling around tinder (think the walls of a house) and top with smaller kindling (house roof).
Light tinder with a match or lighter and gently fan the base of the fire. Add more tinder as the fire grows, make sure leaves are tucked inside the kindling so they don’t get blown away and accidentally ignite an accidental fire.
Add kindling and fuel wood to keep the fire burning.
Basic Fire Safety
Be sure to keep the fire low, manageable.
Supervise young children and pets near the fire.
Watch for sparks, loose burning leaves. If they drift outside the cleared circle, extinguish them.
Do not leave the fire burning unsupervised.
Do not burn plastic, Styrofoam, or aluminum cans. They create fumes and particles, which are hazardous to inhale.
Do not put glass containers in the fire. They do not burn and could shatter, leaving glass shards everywhere.
Do not burn aerosol cans or closed containers, they will explode.
Extinguishing the fire
Allow the fire to burn down as low as possible before attempting to extinguish. It is preferable to let the fire burn down to ash.
There are two ways to fully extinguish a fire: Water and dirt.
If you are using a metal fire pit Do. Not. Use. Water. Adding water to a metal fire pit will cause it to buckle, making the fire pit unsafe to use in the future. Shovel dry dirt or sand onto the fire one scoop at a time, mixing it with the coals. Continue until no heat radiates from the fire pit. Dump the metal pit out onto the hole below.
The dirt method: You may use the dirt method without a metal pit. Do Not simply bury the coals. Buried coals will continue to burn and become a walking hazard. Buried coals may also ignite tree roots and start a large fire.
The water method: Pour a lot of water onto the coals until the hissing stops. Using a shovel, stir the coals and ash to ensure they are wet. If there are any large pieces of wood in the fire pit, scrape the embers off and stir them into the wet ashes. Continue to mix until the slush of cool to the touch.
Okay, the zombies are up. They’re shambling, they’re walking, they’re doing the Thriller dance and they’re hungry. You just spotted one on your front lawn. What now? If you’ve thought this out or even considered the possibility of this day arriving, you should be ready.
Okay, you’ve got the car packed up with all your survival gear and supplies. The gas tank is full, you’ve called your mom and told her you’re coming to get her, the CB radio is on and you’re armed to the teeth. So, where are you going? How are you getting there? Is there a mandatory evacuation that ensures all major roads will be jammed and completely impassable? Traffic alerts? Mass panic on the streets? Looting, robbery and general lawlessness? Chances are the answer is yes, so you need to know exactly where to go and the best way to get there before it all goes bad. You can’t pick up or rescue anyone if you’re stuck in traffic.
Take a course in outdoor/wilderness survival. Learn to build shelter, protect yourself from the elements, hunt and fish. Okay, you don’t have to be the great white hunter of the North, but learning to trap small game such as rabbits and squirrels or pull a fish out of the water means you get more than berries for dinner if and when the food supplies run down.
Are you going to need weapons during the z-pocalypse? Most definitely, yes. But this does NOT mean you should plan to run out and raid a gun store the second it hits. Not only because everybody else will probably be thinking the same thing, but do you know how to handle a gun? If you don’t, the chances of you shooting yourself in the foot or mortally wounding a living person are a lot higher than your chances of making a successful zombie kill at any distance. This isn’t a movie. Picking up a weapon does not instantly turn you into Jason Bourne. If you’re going to carry a firearm, make sure you know how to use it. Visit a local firing range and have a look around. Many offer instructional courses or can point you in the right direction, and they won’t laugh at you (much) if you shoot like a girl. Learn how to clean and properly care for your guns, too. A poorly-maintained weapon is not the way you want to face the zombie apocalypse.
Don’t underestimate the dead. Yes, at first glance zombies appear to be pretty easy to avoid. They’re slow (sometimes), not very smart (always), and in small numbers pretty easy to avoid (usually). But it’s important to remember that their strength is numbers and chances are at some point they will outnumber you. If you find yourself face to face with certain death with little or no means of escape, you have to know what it takes to put your undead attacker down for good.
Don’t get yourself cornered. If you’re heading to the roof, be sure to have a secured way down. Most zombies can manage stairs or even a fire escape. If they know you’re up there they will find a way to get to you. Even if they don’t, you’re risking turning yourself into the proverbial cat in a tree. A siege situation is not one you want to be in during the Z-pocalypse.
Reviewer: A. Zombie
First thing’s first, this reviewer is fully aware that World War Z is based on the novel by Max Brooks. However, seeing as they don’t give me any books—just stacks of movies to shuffle through—I haven’t read it. This review will focus solely on the merits of what was on the screen during the film. Nothing else. Now that the business portion is out of the way . . . have I mentioned how much of a pain it is to not only sneak into a theater without freaking out the humans, but also get a pair of 3D glasses to stay on when one of your ears fell off fifteen years ago in New Mexico? Let’s just say there was liberal application of duct tape in the moments before the lights dimmed and the film began.
The opening is slow, designed to lull you into a false sense of security while simultaneously feeding viewers information through numerous television news clips—the tried, true, and vastly overused method of plot progression available to the zombie film genre. This is of course after viewers suffer horrendous vertigo and nausea from the title sequence, which is designed to make maximum use of the 3D format. Essentially, you can get stuck in line for popcorn during the first seven minutes and not miss anything vital to the film’s plot. A zombie movie is a zombie movie, is a zombie movie. Anyone hoping World War Z would prove to be ground breaking and different in this aspect is fooling themselves.
That’s not to say once the action kicks in, the film isn’t interesting. The mechanics of the zombies alone cause a lot of heart-stopping, breath-holding moments, and even a handful of really well thought out scares. The zombies are fast. Obscenely fast. They have no physical limitations, easily leaping over two cars to take down their prey. Any reservations the person held alive are gone after death, allowing the undead to climb over each other, sacrifice each other in the name of sinking their teeth into something alive, or even bash their skull repeatedly into a car’s windshield in order to get to the gooey yummy treat inside. The makeup ranges from normal looking people covered in blood, to the hero zombies who were desiccated, rotting as they wait for fresh food sources. Two of the hero zombies in the final act of the film were by far some of the best zombies character-wise I’ve seen in any genre film. They were wild, uninhibited in their ferocity and sheer weirdness of undead traits.
Brad Pitt, despite reservations about an A-list actor stepping into a genre film, delivers a wonderful performance with the script he’s given. He brings to screen the only compassion seen from any character, really. Some of the supporting cast shine—most of the good ones don’t get nearly enough screen time. Other members of the cast failed to give a performance capable of making viewers want to see them survive. Isn’t that the point of being one of 
What can be learned from World War Z? Duct tape is your best friend. Armor can be made from fashion magazines. The police are indeed people and cannot be relied on after the undead invade your city. And most importantly, if you’re not careful, a can of Mountain Dew could very well lead to your demise.
The school, is actually on a little campus that consists of several buildings, all of which are already fenced in. The school building is an older, two-story building that resembles an old motel. There are stairwells at both ends of the building, and an elevator (if power was on) in the middle. There are public restrooms in the middle on both stories. There are limited windows, and they are high up. Each classroom has an outside door, and a door inside that links it with the room next to it. There are also restrooms between the classrooms, and sinks in each room. 
The other main building is the Family Life Center. This is a gym, with a large kitchen, restrooms with showers, and two other rooms that could serve many uses. There are very few windows, and the majority are very high up.
The other buildings on the campus are a church. There are restrooms, and other rooms and some offices here. Again, few windows. There is a another long building across from the school that has offices, a lounge and storage. There is also a fellowship hall that has a second large kitchen and an area for meeting. There are 2 small storage sheds, and in the very back of the campus there is an old house that now serves as day care-with a 3rd kitchen in it.
Since the entire campus is already fenced in, it would be not to difficult to fortify it and make it stronger. The aerial picture shows the entire area, but it’s old so there are no fences. The fences were added about 3 years ago.
In Mary’s world, there are simple truths. 
