Corinne Bliss

11/4/2009

English 1

Major Expository Essay: Zombie Facts

There is often great confusion when a zombie outbreak occurs in any neighborhood or countryside, because not many people actually know the facts about zombies or how to rid yourself of them. The simple thing to remember first is to never panic, because scientists have proven that fear attracts them further. What else attracts zombies? What sort of things repel them? How to you encourage them to visit, and how do you get them to go away? Can you safely dispose of zombies? Let's get right to business and present some facts.

First off, what causes zombies? Science has found that most zombie outbreaks are due to outbreaks of viruses that rapidly spread through the population by the infected individuals biting, or otherwise passing the virus, onto new victims. A comprehensive study of an outbreak at Riverside (the exact location has been classified due to the severity of the contamination) revealed the cause of the 'zombies' was a mutated, violent and highly virtulent form of rabies. Also of note, a town in Mid-western America was the site of several incidents of zombies found to be caused by biological weapons testing by the town's main company, which had much control over the city. Various other incidents have all been linked to viruses, as well, thus cementing the scientific community into believing most zombies aren't the living dead but disease sufferers. If you are ever in an outbreak, then, it is important to keep yourself from contracting the virus.

But in the middle of an epidemic, what can one do to keep from contracting these viruses? It is always important in ANY epidemic circumstance to keep your hygeine and health as well as possible. Wash your hands, cough into your arms, avoid contact with those who are sick, make sure you eat and rest well, among many other proven methods to reduce the risk of disease. In the explicit case of zombies, most outbreak-causing virus strains have been found to not be airborne. However, body fluids of any sort are the common vector of spreading the diseases; one should avoid any body fluid of an infected from even touching the skin. Of course, place the utmost importance on not being bitten. But sometimes this is alot easier than said, because of the violent, swarming nature seen in most 'zombies'.

Zombies are well known in horror movies as being the 'living dead', but this has been proven to not be true in most cases. When dealing with the infected, it is important to note that the victim is often not in control of his or her own body and thus should be treated like rabid dogs; even when they have been killed or die on their own, do not assume the corpse is now safe to handle. The virus can live for a great deal of time in body fluids of the deceased. The humane destruction of zombies can come in various methods, the most preferred of survivors being the use of various guns. Also note that most zombies lack rational thoughts, and traps can be used very effectively against large groups. Often, due to particular reactions the body has to the viruses, the infected are highly sensitive to fire and may be ignited quite easily. But be warned: a flaming zombie can still move for a small amount of time, and it is best to try this method only if there is a good distance between you and your target. Most zombies seem to be attracted in large groups so this can be very effective against a crowd.

What exactly attracts zombies? There have been, among various strains, different triggers that will cause zombies to swarm or attack an uninfected person. Most commonly, regular movement of an individual (walking, running, etc) seems to be easily detected. Perhaps body heat is also an indicator that draws the infected, since they rarely, if ever, attack another infected individual. Loud sounds and things that are overly distracting (pipe bombs were effective in the Riverside outbreak) will often attract zombies in large groups. Because of this, and often the large number of the infected, it is very important to stay in a group if you can. If you must go alone to find an exit, try to be as unnoticable as possible. It has been found that sometimes one can trick a zombie into thinking the unaffected also is infected. At night time, the practice of turning off flashlights while near zombies can greatly reduce your chance of being detected. Try to avoid wearing perfumes or bright colors. The goal is to be as blended into the background as possible.

When you are able to, upon attempting to escape an outbreak, often going to the highest point of an area has proven effective for survival, such as a hilltop or the roof of a high building. This way one may pick off the infected one by one before they can reach you. Make sure to close doors behind you; due to the affects of virus-related outbreaks, motor skills are severely compromised in zombies and simple tasks such as opening a door cannot be done. (But be wary, some may have the strength yet to break through simple barricades. The more safeguarding one can do, the better.) If you can, try radioing out for help, or starting a signal fire so that rescue teams can locate you. Sometimes one can actually, with supplies and patience, wait out an epidemic until one can escape on foot. Remember that zombies do not follow the 'only at night' rule in the real world, but escaping during daylight may be easier for you due to increased visibility. In all, the most important thing in an outbreak is to head high and keep your head low.

Further information on zombie outbreaks can be come across easily in the modern age, by use of the internet or libraries. One book that can be immensely helpful to read is the acclaimed The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. Just keep in mind that not all outbreaks are alike, but some precautions are universal. We hope that in reading this essay, you have become more educated in zombie outbreaks and how to protect oneself against such an event.