Once upon a time my life was normal…or as normal as it ever gets for me. Married. Son grown, out on his own and doing well. I had a job, several hobbies and I was finally finding the time to get back to my writing. Then I began hearing quiet rumblings that the end of the world was coming in 2012.
Uh huh. Right.
Again?
Didn’t we just have one a couple years ago? How many apocalypses….apocalypti?…do we get, anyways?
I didn’t believe in the apocalypse, but events began piling up around my ears until I had no choice but to investigate the possibility that one might actually be headed our way. During my investigation I came across a small group of people, led by a woman with an outstanding resume. You can check her out for yourself: Juliette.
I watched as, one by one, people from all over the world began listening to her. Then they began banding together to inform and protect each other, their families, and friends. They became the Zombie Survival Crew. Curious about the members of the group, I checked them out thinking that they were a bunch of lunatics who needed to up the dose on their meds.
That’s not what I found though. Yes, they’re a motley crew and a few really are lunatics but they’re also on the ball, well-informed, armed and ready to face the zombiepocalypse. You’ll find a lot of what I discovered here.
Shortly after joining the Zombie Survival Crew ranks I began to suspect someone within the Command structure itself might be a double agent, or under the control of the Unnamed Government Agency. I dug deeper and profiled the leaders of the ZSC. You can find that report here.
Within days after that report someone hacked into my email. My computer began acting odd and, during a scan for malware and viruses, I discovered spyware and a tracking cookie. I traced the source code but was picked up almost immediately. I managed to catch a few words just before the screen blacked out:
Νέο στέλεχος ενεργοποιηθεί. Απροσδόκητα αποτελέσματα. Πολύ συνέχεια …
Χωρίς άδεια πρόσβασης Ενεργοποίηση αυτοκαταστροφής σκουλήκι.
My computer grumbled, flashed then went dead. Whatever was sent back through my system burnt out the processor and power supply completely destroying my computer and everything on it. The translation of the message that flashed on my computer screen before it died is:
New strain activated. Unexpected results. Much more pow …
Unauthorized Access Enable feedback worm.
That’s all I needed to know. I hit the road and have spent the last month on the run. I’ve had to change identities in order to avoid capture. An unknown entity @Cher_Dawn_ appeared on twitter in my place. She’s not to be trusted and, for all I know, is a member of UGA trying to infiltrate the ZSC presenting herself as me. She’s not. You may be tempted to delete her but perhaps it is wiser if we keep our collective eyes on her activities. And please check to make sure you are following me: @Wulfie_
It was foolish of me, I know but, once I found out that this @Cher_Dawn_ was masquerading as me, I began watching my home. No-one was there but the place had been ransacked and bugged. I grabbed a few things I’d left behind and, on my way out the door found something disturbing. It must have fallen out of someone’s pocket…or been ripped off during a struggle. One thing is clear: UGA is on to me.
Hey Command, if you manage to intercept this message: We are being targeted. The UGA may have originally come only after central command figures, but your Special Agents are now being hunted as well. It is only a matter of time, really, until the UGA takes aim at all the ZSC cadres. But then it’s possible that one of YOU is a double agent, isn’t it? I should’ve expected some sort of treachery.
Grae, if you happen to get this, good work on that last report. Watch your back, pal and trust no-one.
Jinxie_G, if you’re out there. Keep moving. It’s the only way you’ll be safe. Check all your gear for bugs and tracking devices. They’ve found me twice because of a GPS hidden in my cell phone. Be safe, chica.
Anyways, what I found on the floor is a piece of cloth with a design on it. I’ve seen it before but can’t remember where. There’s a little blood on it.
I have to go now. I don’t dare stay in one place long. I’m tired and so hungry that squirrels are starting to look tasty. Will report back when I can.
I knew the day would come. Doing what I do, there are certain risks to be expected. That’s why it didn’t strike me as too big a surprise when the letter slid through my mail slot a few days ago. The envelope had my name printed on it and a postal mark from Omaha. No other way to trace where it came from or who sent it. For the only time in my life, I feared a plain brown envelope.
Ridiculous, huh?
Not if you’re me and especially not if you’re a commander with the Zombie Survival Crew. The last four months turned our lives upside down, sideways, and threw in a few loop-dee-loops for fun. What we thought would be a great way to express our creativity and do some good for humanity became so much more than that. Of course, that’s what happens when you’re approached by a government agency that refuses to give you a name. They tend to make things really difficult. (Ever seen season four of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? We’re talking Initiative-style mayhem here.)
So there I was, sitting cross-legged on the couch in my living room and staring across the burgundy cushions at an envelope that probably held horribly bad news. Or maybe even a psychotropic drug so that Mr. C, and Mr. E. could kidnap me too. They fooled us once with Juliette. Simply asking for a meeting wasn’t going to work with any of us. But drugs, no amount of street smarts or weapons could save us from that.
Okay, even I have to admit that sounds a little paranoid. But you guys haven’t seen first-hand what the UGA is capable of.
I strapped on a facemask, snapped on a pair of latex gloves, and carefully cut open the mystery letter. No white power wafted into the air. No hidden wires were exposed. All that sat in the envelope were two pieces of paper—
From the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Well… that’s new.
What I understand from all the legal mumbo-jumbo is that they are concerned about my activities on the Internet. Apparently my research materials for the ZSC have been tagged as potentially dangerous to the welfare of US citizens. For a few minutes after I finished reading, I just sat there starting at the first sheet of paper. They had to be kidding, right?
Then I looked at the second paper. Every single website I’d visited since joining the ZSC had been highlighted. It read like a serial killer’s handbook. Weapons galore. Information on how certain poisons and drugs work. Magical resources. Explosive manuals… No wonder they’d tagged me! A sane person couldn’t possibly be looking at all of that and not be planning to do some damage. The JTTF’s vigilance is reassuring, though I’m not sure how to continue my zombie-slaying research without raising their suspicions again. One thing is for sure…I’m turning this over to the Oracle so she can put it under the microscope – we need to find out as much as we can about this new group on our tail.
But on the bright side, it wasn’t the UGA trying to determine my location and abduct me.
On March 21, 2011 a flurry of news articles sprang up surrounding a construction sign on highway 160 in South Carolina. Commuters were warned that there were zombies ahead. As you know, your command at the Zombie Survival CrewTM take these reports seriously and investigates them to help determine the threat level and whether we need to send out the alert to the brigades to get their go-bags and launch into action.
The sign was immediately dismissed as a prank, however, through due diligence, we have uncovered that similar so-called pranks also took place in 2009 in Texas and Illinois. And we’re not the only ones who are taking this threat seriously. We managed to intercept some communication by the UGA (no, I’m not saying how it came into our possession), and they have a stealth task force deployed to Fort Hill, SC to dig deeper into this occurrence. We learned, before we lost the transmission, they believe this to be someone from the university who is trying to warn the general public.
Digging deeper we found the pranks all occurred near a college or university. Most reports drawing the connection to proximity of the universities conclude college students are most likely the perpetrators of the “hoax“. We disagree. While the warnings may come from a college student, or group of students, our intel strongly suggests these signs are not a hoax or prank in any way. Based on information received, we believe the universities are dealing with various cultures, serums, and viruses, and without proper authorization have begun to dabble in necromantic experimentation. The students, who have been sworn to secrecy, have become uneasy with the direction of the experimentation and are attempting to warn the general public.
We have it on good authority that the UGA has put pressure on the media to continue to report these incidents as pranks, because it is “politically inopportune” for the truth to be released to the general public. Your ZSC command will continue monitoring the situation, and we have raised the threat level. Are you ready to respond?
My flux capacitor has been tuned up and is in excellent working order. #justsayin
You know… for months now Juliette has insisted that the Command Center is infested by zombie termites. At first we all laughed at her very obvious ploy to pass blame on a fictional creature. But after reading what Anthony sent our way… she might have a point. Only this commander thinks the termites are actually ants.
Along with the message we received assurance from Anthony that the article’s content is legitimate. His current condition is unknown. We are attempting to establish contact again, but so far no luck.
When you stop to think about it— we’re all doomed.
What? We are. Look at the facts. This fungus very effectively shuts down a host’s system while still remaining in control of all the motor skills. Not only that, it uses the host to replicate itself. Should the fungus morph and take over larger beasts, we’re doomed!
I don’t know about you all, but I’m double checking my go bag and stashing it right next to the door. With this fungus in scientist’s hands the waiting game has begun. How long until they find a way to make a biological weapon based on these zombie ants? I hope we never find out the answer.
Now, does anyone have an extra bowie knife? I dented mine during training the other day.
A lot has happened since the Zombie Survival Crew opened its doors to the public. So much so that we’re having trouble figuring out who is on our side and who is out to destroy us. Are you the crew member turned spy? Have any of your fearless commanders been compromised or brainwashed? Only time will tell. Take a look at our history and see if you can figure out what’s in store for the ZSC.
Everything started out innocently enough. In a bid to be prepared should the worst happen, Juliette began to gather an elite group of persons she could trust at the end of days. We had no clue then that an Unknown Government Agency (UGA) monitored her Twitter feed. Upon releasing the blog post disclosing her plan, Juliette received an invitation from this agency. They would fund her efforts to ready mankind against a zombie invasion and aid her in recruiting efforts globally.
Now, we all know Juliette. She’s very no-nonsense and shoots from the hip (metaphorically, you can’t aim a crossbow that way). Those of us brought in as commanders knew it was only a matter of time before the UGA took exception to how she ran things. I’m mean, seriously, the woman can’t say hello anymore without someone threatening her with an axe, machete, or putting her in a choke hold. Sure enough, not a week after the ZSC began recruiting she got called in to meet with our handlers. Mr. E. and Mr. C. weren’t very forthcoming with details. They picked Juliette up and we lost contact with her for a few weeks.
With a new crew coming into Command, Anthony stepped up to brief them. Because of Juliette’s abduction, he filmed his dispatch to the troops at an undisclosed location. Despite our best efforts to keep him safe, the UGA managed to find him. In a display of bravery and dedication to the Zombie Survival CrewTM, Anthony managed to get the message off to us before someone snatched him. We could only assume our friendly neighborhood UGA handlers were to blame. If he left when they began breaking down the barricade, would he have escaped? We think so – he’s too well versed in evasion tactics to have failed.
Tension rose in the ZSC command center. How many of us would be black-bagged? We searched endlessly for something, anything that would lead us to Juliette and Anthony. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, our communication experts were able to locate the GPS tracker on Juliette’s phone. The signal didn’t last long, but we traced it to a stretch of desert outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Using her (wicked sweet) stealth skills, R.C. scouted the presumed UGA stronghold. As feared, the encampment was heavily guarded, nearly impenetrable. But we know better than to take appearances at face value. R.C. wrote up her report and handed it over to ZSC loyalists. Several plans were worked out in great detail. Wulfie, one of the best strategists we’ve come across, came up with The Plan. She had a squadron at her disposal and any supplies we could muster.
The plan still failed.
As Anthony and Juliette were exiting the underground labyrinth of the UGA stronghold, security officers overwhelmed our inside crew. Our commanders were recaptured. To this day we do not know what happened to the troops sent inside to perform the rescue mission. We received a video feed, Zulu 1032, which showed just how bad it got at the end of the mission. The losses were heartbreaking.
In the week after the failed rescue, the ZSC commanders attempted to rally the troops and keep morale up. However, there were some strange incidents noticed by SAPPED officer Wulfie that didn’t quite seem… right. First Lieutenant Sean Patrick Flanery began to speak in code and at one point left a strange message scrawled on the wall of the command center. No one saw him accomplish this feat. Rumors began to surface that he gained control of commander LK’s flux capacitor. Possibly with help from the UGA?
We can gloss over the zombie bunny infestation… What? No. We are!
More important than undead cute things, our SAPPED officers discovered devices hidden in the ZSC command center. Analysis proved they were recording phone conversations and anything said within the building. The devices were disposed of. We are unsure of how they got in. There may be a mole in our midst.
Things around Command quieted down for a while. We were struggling to get a lock on Anthony and Juliette’s new location after the UGA’s base was destroyed. Out of the blue Green Brigade commander IronE Singleton received a message from Juliette asking to meet him in Atlanta. With a squadron waiting in the wings, he went to the meeting. Sure enough, it was Juliette there in the flesh, but something seemed… off. Before IronE could secure her and bring her back to Command, Juliette took off. Her location is currently unknown. Members are encouraged to approach her with caution. We do not know what was done to her while in UGA custody.
Another problem came to attention shortly after Juliette’s strange appearance and disappearance. SAPPED officer Grae Wolffe, while attempting to provide technical aid for one of the command team, became a target of interest for the UGA. They intercepted the parcel he shipped off, took the sensitive materials within, and returned the envelope to him with obvious chew marks on one corner. No one could have known he planed to mail anything to Command—unless they’d been monitoring private communications.
The UGA has gone so far to isolate ZSC commanders that they’ve cut off internet service to commander Jinxie G’s residence. She has been forced to communicate through an unreliable cell phone signal and WiFi hotspots. Obviously she hit on something big, but without a secure line of communication we can’t be sure. We need the information in her possession. It could be exactly what we need to gain an upper hand over the UGA.
Late Breaking News: A coded message has been emailed to Command. We are working to decipher the encryption. So far all we know is it’s been sent from a newly made email address via cell phone. When we know more, you will be the first to know.
Roughly 63% of households in the United States have at least one pet. What would happen if the zombie virus jumped species? Seventy-one million homes are at risk should this happen. Sure, no one is going to run screaming if the family goldfish turns. But maybe they should. The zombie virus would mean they could “survive” out of water, and maybe give them greater powers of locomotion. Putting aside the goldfish threat for the moment, most people have larger pets, like dogs, cats, parrots, etc. Fido with the uncontrollable hunger of the undead? Totally terrifying.
One of the reasons the zombie virus frightens us so much is because it strips away everything that makes a person human. In a matter of moments the virus renders a person nothing more than a ravenous animal. The question is; how would it affect creatures that are already in touch with their primal instincts?
Domesticated animals have been given human traits so that they are able to live amongst us without too many dangerous mishaps. Dogs are the perfect example of this process. In the wild, dogs (and their cousins) are pack animals. Domestication made them see humans as their pack instead of other dogs. Through time and training they adapted, learning our spoken and silent languages to fit in better. Stray dogs revert back to an all-dog pack mentality. However they still recognize humans as the dominant being in the urban forest.
If we strip away the domesticated parts of an animal, we are left with your basic wild beast. Even then they will see man as a predator and shy away from us with minimal confrontation. In humans the zombie virus overrides the fear instinct. Take that fear of predators from an animal and there is nothing holding them back from attacking. Wild animals are outfitted with some vicious weapons. Without the fear of being hurt or possessing pain receptors to be aware of injury once turned, they will put those claws and teeth to good use.
For most of us, the greatest problem would come from the animals we’ve brought in to our houses as pets. Pigs, for example, will eat almost anything even without being turned. In Hannibal by Thomas Harris, there are pigs that have been trained to eat humans. It’s not unheard of for domesticated animals to eat their owners outside of novels, either. Numerous accounts have been reported of cats eating the dead when they run out of food. They do what they have to in order to survive.
What if you lived near the local Zoo? It wouldn’t take long for an infected and crazed animal to force its way out of captivity. Images of tigers looking like the Doberman Pinschers from Resident Evil come to mind. Trust us when we say, you want to get as far away from zoos or wildlife centers after the first zombies have been found.
It is unclear how long it will take for the virus to jump species. However the potential for disaster is right there under our noses. If your animal is bitten while protecting the family, put it down in a humane manner. Vigilance will be what keeps the virus from crossing over sooner. Or so we hope. For all we know the virus could start with animals…
No one let that idea get further than this dispatch. We are under heavy surveillance and the UGA doesn’t need any new ideas.
Most people laugh off talk of government or private industry conspiracies, and even the sensationalism Hollywood adds to the theories just makes the general unknowing public skeptical at best. It is much easier for the masses to believe there is no Grand Scheme undermining their normal routine, no secret conglomerate or Unknown Government Agency hiding in the shadows…
…until you become the target of one.
Even without being the direct target, there are some of us who just feel something isn’t quite right with the world, no matter what the media and masses try to make us believe. There may not be a tangible reason, or incontrovertible truth, but that niggling feeling in the back of the head won’t go away just because others don’t see what we see, or feel what we feel in the pit of the stomach.
Recently I made an offer of aid to one of the commanders of the Zombie Survival Crew. It was an innocuous thing, just the sharing of software which I had in my possession and no longer used. The archive file was too large to just share via email or chat, so I took an old thumb drive and thought nothing of sticking it in an envelope and shipping it via standard mail. The story of that attempt was reported here earlier; and now I go from being just one of the questioning but otherwise apathetic masses to one of the questioning few who are looking over their shoulder.
I’ve been friends with another of the founding commanders of the ZSC for a few years, but until recently she has been quite active online – blogging, writing, an active twitter user – available almost any night for a fun time or serious conversation. But looking back at some of the things she told me about her life up to the time we met, and the more recent events which have caused many changes recently in her life, it feels like she has become the target of some kind of plot.
Jinxie G in an undisclosed location
Four moves in less than two years – most of them within the last year. “Official” assistance which has disappeared nearly as quickly as it was offered. And ever since helping form the ZSC, she has been on the run and unable to maintain her usual daily contact and routine. Yes, our own Jinxie has become a target of that Unknown Government Agency that is hiding in the shadows, trying to control the secret of invasion and infestation, which she and others have uncovered and are trying to prepare the defense of the human race.
Her recent move has forced her into a location without direct internet access – not even a local wifi signal to gain access with. Jinxie has been forced to roam the area with her laptop, using coffee shops, libraries, and even McDonald’s to gain access and relay orders. Although they haven’t been able to silence her, and can’t stop her signal completely, our fearless commander is obviously targeted as a “person of interest” to the UGA; communication is sporadic instead of consistent, and it is happening in such a way that none of the upper echelons of the ZSC are able to aid more directly to restore Jinxie’s communications.
There must be something They want to keep hidden, and the ZSC is on track to expose whatever it is. And the UGA is already in place, large enough to affect communications of many types, on many levels, monitoring those of us who are learning to think for ourselves more, act together in uncovering the fact which have so far eluded the unknowing masses. From small town USA on one side of the country, to large metropolitan areas on the other, and surely in place around the world, the UGA is trying to keep their secrets from escaping.
We must remain diligent. Our commanders have stirred the pot, and must be coming close to something. Their recent activities are being monitored, and those of us who make it publicly known we are helping the ZSC Command may find ourselves targeted next.
Lora took on the coffee detail Saturday morning and did a stellar job keeping the mugs full, despite the presence of a whole host of ghouls, ghosts, zombies and aliens. By the time I got to my second cup, I decided I wasn’t going to talk to anyone else that day because every time I opened my mouth I ended up with knife, axe or ray gun pointed at me. Kinda harsh.
I sought refuge outside where I encountered Norman and we grabbed this shot before the crowds pounced. He ran in one direction while I ran in another and had an extremely close encounter with a Killer Klown. There was a brief spell of almost-panic when some ZSC loyalists misunderstood a dispatch to mean that Norman had been attacked by the Killer Klown. No names. Well, *clears throat* at least until Philly in June! I can confirm that Norman did not have a run-in with the gigantic Klown and made it out of Jersey in one piece.
By the time I got back to the table, Lora had developed a rather amusing fascination with Rob – who was manning the table behind us with the ever delightful Josh. In Lora’s defense Rob did smell really really good – which was in sharp contrast with the overall smell the crowds were giving off. Points to Lora for that one! The boys would join us later for early birthday drinks for Lora, who was celebrating her **th on Sunday.
I’m going to skip over the barely edible pizza that we tried to eat for lunch (after I skipped breakfast Lora kept reminding me to eat, but never did) because just as we prepared to chow down ZSC loyalist @Grae42 showed up and made my day! I think I *may* have over-squished him in the hug department because he’s had back problems ever since, but, well, you can’t say I’m not passionate about the troops!
There was a rather humorous incident after my first-ever taste of 5 Hour energy drink that almost earned Guy a kidney shot when he walked up behind me and tapped me on the hip. Grae and Lora mounted a temporary coup to decree amongst Command that your fearless leader is NEVER to be given 5 Hour energy drinks unless the ZSC is completely surrounded by walkers.
Grae and I decided to go on another hunting mission and spent some time chatting with Steve – who was extremely sweet and very supportive of the ZSC. He took on a spur of the moment mission for Command and signed some gear for us which we’ll put up as part of a The Walking Dead contest soon!
The Walking Dead panel? Hysterical. I won’t ruin it for those of you who may get to see similar events at future Cons, but Steve was “narly,” Laurie was articulate and very sweet, and Jon? Well, I think I have “no thrusting” burned into my brain forever.
Lora and I headed off to the restaurant to eat our first real food in, like, forever only to discover that the waiter – Jason – was the gentleman Lora yelled at the night before. He took it in stride, brought me the biggest side of mayo in history and drink that could peel paint off the walls, and I learned a very valuable lesson about pickles. Never, ever, eat a pickle when Lora is around or you will end up snorting part of it out of your nose. Just trust me on this one, ok? You do NOT want to test it out. It hurts.
The only way Lora was actually able to finish her meal was for me to leave the table and take the giggling elsewhere.
Lora’s insistence on getting to bed early got scrapped when she encountered Rob and Josh watching Jack Nicholson beating up a pigeon. Don’t ask. Suffice it to say Saturday night’s insanity rests solely on her shoulders. By the time we got to the room, it was 1:59 a.m. soon to be 3:00 a.m. because of the time change.
…the 7:00 a.m. alarm? Yeah. The clock got a crossbow bolt #justsayin
********************************
Sunday morning dawned harsh and bright, leaving quite a few us needing to wear our sunglasses even in the darkened convention rooms. Lest anyone think the lack of sleep adversely affects my ability to lead in times of crisis, Sunday was a remarkably productive day.
We ended up locked in battle with the guys who run a Zombie Survival Course. Don’t let the picture fool you. I gave it back even better than I got it. The guys are definite ZSC material which we established after several minutes of “combat practice.” We’re hoping to run some joint training exercises with them in the future.
As the monsters began their slow lurches back to the shadows I had the unexpected opportunity to spend a bit of time chatting with Jon (in rusty, horrible Russian that was definitely made worse by my exhausted state). At first it seemed as though he was about to fire off a throw or two but then Jon decided to jump on board and support the ZSC!! Given the temperamental nature of his The Walking Dead character Shane Walsh, I thought it wise to record the decision.
All in all? A wild wacky weekend at Monster Mania – none of which would have been possible without the tireless efforts of Lora! *salutes with crossbow*
The question is? Who out there is brave enough to join Command at the next one????
There was a brief span of time when I pulled up in front of the hotel for Monster Mania 17 where I considered not stopping at all. Front of the hotel was jam packed with big, long-haired, tattooed guys standing in groups and looking like they could kick my backside with a toothpick.
Turns out? I probably should have taken the hint it was going to be a wild weekend….
I was on my own as our brave #zombiesurvivalcrew volunteer Lora – known on twitter as @loral31377 – was going to arrive at the venue a bit later in the evening. And, seriously? I swear I did do my best to stay out of trouble until she arrived.
Frankie and Guy at the table next to us – who would collectively become the ZSC saviors for the weekend – took one look at your fearless leader and realized they needed to spring into action. Those of you who know me? Yeah. You know I don’t do well without backup from the faithful Zombie Survival Crew cadres. I forget to eat, remain hydrated, sit down, sleep, or stop moving for even a split second. In this case, it wasn’t until Frankie shoved a piece of pizza in my hand that I realized I hadn’t eaten in almost 24 hours.
Within minutes I was accosted by Michael Myers (twice), three versions of Jason Voorhees and a dude with fangs in a top hat. Huh? Have no fear, your fearless leader sprang into action and promptly dispatched all comers. Yeah, moving on. By the time Lora arrived, I was a little jumpy, and *may* have responded just a bit sharply when a male voice suddenly queried: “Are you Juliette?”
Much to Command’s delight it was Kevin – @KgOr3693 – a ZSC loyalist who was promptly crushed in a bear hug by yours truly and then forced to smile for pictures immediately afterward. I know for a fact Lora was shocked he had enough left in him to come back for a second visit on Saturday! (Just kidding! Kevin was awesome and we had a blast! He even saved us seats at The Walking Dead panel Saturday night.)
I left Lora to protect the temporary command center we’d established and hiked off to hunt The Walking Dead, and make contact with Norman and Steven. Neither one of them ran away screaming when they realized I was in the room, so I’m counting that as a win. We talked ZSC strategy for a bit but covert ops would have to wait until later.
Even with the Freddy’s, Jason’s, zombies, ghosts and bloody-what-the-hecks roaming around it was after the Con shut down for the evening that things got really interesting.
Norman and I discussed ongoing missions and discovered our communication lines may be somewhat compromised. Needless to say I agreed to some adjustments in strategy with Norman, and have instructed Command to thoroughly check our security precautions in the coming weeks.
Shortly after this most important meeting, it was brought to my attention *clears throat* that someone *points at Lora* forgot to grab the computer cord so we could charge the machine overnight. I had to laugh when Lora insisted there was no way security could stop me so I should go on the retrieval mission.
When I entered the vendor room, I realized Lora is a lot smarter than I initially gave her credit for – and she should either get a promotion, or a crossbow bolt. To get the necessary accessory I had to walk across the empty darkened room, with the creepy muzak coming from a location unknown, then squeeze my backside in between tables while ignoring the life-sized Hannibal and Michael Myers dummies that were right behind me. Seriously? I think I completed the mission in Olympic time.
At some point before we collapsed in heaps, we wandered into the uber-crowded hotel bar where Lora ended up accosting a waiter – in the nicest way possible – in a desperate bid to get us drinks. (This is important later.) We wandered outside for a bit of fresh air only to have me physically manhandled by a rather “happy” gentleman insisting on telling us really, really bad jokes. Lora ducked. He didn’t. It wasn’t pretty…
…and then? The fun really started.
(Come back for Monster Mania – Part II on Wednesday, March 23)
On a recent foray out of ZSC Command to secure resupply of vital commodities for the zombiepocalypse, I stopped off at Monster Mania in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on a quick reconnaissance mission for new recruits. You can check out the visual evidence of the ZSC mission here.
I encountered zombies and ghosts, and spent a significant amount of time being chased by a masked man with a knife I later learned goes by the name Michael Myers. I will shortly share more details of the Monster Mania mission but wanted to relay the results of one meeting in particular right away.
Actor Jon Bernthal opted to take the opportunity to express his concerns as a citizen for a possible impending zombie invasion and deliver a message of support for the Zombie Survival Crew.
Once upon a time my life was normal…or as normal as it ever gets for me. Married. Son grown, out on his own and doing well. I had a job, several hobbies and I was finally finding the time to get back to my writing. Then I began hearing quiet rumblings that the end of the world was coming in 2012.
On March 21, 2011 a flurry of 
In the week after the failed rescue, the ZSC commanders attempted to rally the troops and keep morale up. However, there were some 
Things around Command quieted down for a while. We were struggling to get a lock on Anthony and Juliette’s new location after the UGA’s base was destroyed. Out of the blue Green Brigade commander 
