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Comrade 47's Survival Plan |
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Your Name: Comrade 47
Your Location: Orangeville, Ontario
Radio Handle: Pablo
Involved Persons: Myself, mother, father, brother, best friend (five total).
MASSIVE OVERALL IN PROGRESS. CHANGING B.O.L., AND BY EXTENSION, MOST OF THE PLAN. ALSO WORKING TO SHORTEN THE PLAN CONSIDERABLY.
FAQ
Will you be staying in your home or headed somewhere else?
I will be staying in my home, as it is fairly easily defended.
Got anyone you want to take with you?
My best friend lives in a nearby town of 30 000, so grabbing her and bringing her back to survive the initial chaos is the first thing I'll do. My mother will almost definitely be home, and it's likely so will my brother (if my father is home from work, then it's his lucky day).
How will you communicate with the outside world?
We won't. Radio silence, only listening for transmissions,
How are you planning to get food and water?
A small-sized potato farm, supplemented with other crops, and food taken from raids on supermarkets. Water would be supplied by my house's well.
What's your weapon of choice?
A large brick attached to a rope or chain, to be deployed from any second story window. As for a less static weapon, I'd probably have to use weapons of opportunity.
Are you willing to hook up with other survivors?
Not really.
Loosely, what's your overall plan?
Stay quiet, hidden away, and self-sustaining. Thin out the zombie ranks as much as possible. Amass as many supplies as possible, as quickly as possible.
A lot of your contingency plans involve committing suicide when things go wrong. Isn't that a little extreme?
Taking my own life will be the absolute last resort. It would be preferable to starving to death, being ripped apart by a dozen pairs of hands, or turning into one of the undead and trying to kill my friends. My religious beliefs are that committing suicide will not affect where I go in the afterlife, especially in a situation as extreme as this.
Contents Of My Survival Kit
This is a list of the items and supplies I currently have ready in my home, ready to go right this minute, if I needed to.
Current Bag Contents (As Of 14/05/11) [Not going so well!]
20 500ml bottles of water (10 liters total)
20 yards of duct tape
Items I am currently aiming to add:
Food
Two pump-action 12 gauge shotguns
One Mosin-Nagant rifles (cheapest, and probably first, firearm to be added)
Several SKS rifles
Binoculars
Road flares
Camouflage or dark green jackets
Crowbar
12 gauge shotgun shells and rifle ammunition (quantities will be dependent on cost)
Blankets
Lighters
Overview Of Group
Myself: The self-imposed leader of the group. I would definitely be the most knowledgeable of the situation (ie. zombies), and the details of this survival plan. My position (as well as my pathetic physical strength) will likely be challenged by my male relatives, larger than I am. I would reason with them that I have a very detailed plan, which I more than they have. If it comes down to a physical confrontation, I'll probably cheat.
Brother: Holds a blue belt in karate (although he takes classes irregularly now). He is highly physically active, runs every day, and does numerous upper body strength exercises. He is no doubt the fastest and most capable runner of the group, and would likely be used to great effect scouting the area and other matters that will require speed. My only concern is that he is the one mostly likely to attempt to usurp my unofficial (and not exactly prestigious) position as group leader.
Father: Group weapons expert, and the only one with any real world firearms experience. My father was an army reservist, and as such has the training for the rifles, shotguns, and pistols we may come across. Additionally, should we encounter any sub-machine guns, assault rifles, or grenades, he's the only one who can use them safely and effectively. My father is also a truck driver, having driven transport trucks for a living, and currently driving cement trucks. This will allow us to use trucks to move large amount of cargo at a time, or to set up barricades using trailers.
Best friend: Small framed, no fighting or weapons experience.
Mother: Slowest and least able-bodied of the group. Non-combatant, designated cook.
Of the five of us, one will have some firearms experience, and one of us will excel at running. The physically weaker two of the group will put some minor additional strain on the others when it comes to guard shifts, but will ensure that at least two people are available to tend to non-combat/scavenging matters (such as gardening).
A sizable number of the group suffers from some form of mental illness, mostly depression related. Obviously, prescription medicine will be non existent, so I may heavily reconsider the decision to provide firearms to certain people. Securing the weapons, keeping them out of depressed and angry hands, but still rapidly available during a break-in or ambush may serve difficult.
Equipment
The only way to ensure that I'll have any of these is by stashing supplies ahead of time. After then, I find what I find, and get what I deserve for being under-prepared.
Rifles: For downing enemies at long range, before they become a threat.
12 Gauge Shotguns: Ammo is abundant, and weapon can be found in hunting stores.
Handguns: Useful backup/confined space weapons. Easy to use.
Molotov Cocktails: Useful for signaling, destroying buildings, and creating diversions.
Crowbar: Found in any hardware store, useful for clearing obstructions. Also a close-quarters weapon.
Fire Axe: Useful for clearing light obstructions and as a weapon. Common, but heavy.
Water Purification Tablets: Prevents us from getting ill, which in the new world, could mean death.
Bicycle Generator: Keeps us in shape, and could power some lights or radios, and charge batteries.
Seeds: Necessary for growing crops to supplement food supplies.
Gas Mask/Air Filter: Can protect us from fumes from fires, and stave off bacteria from dead bodies.
Goggles: Keeps blood/dust out of eyes.
Binoculars/Monocular: Useful for scouting for danger ahead.
CB Radio: For picking up nearby transmissions (raiders, military).
Rope: A million uses, which escape me at the moment.
Walkie-talkies: For contact with other guards, raiding parties.
MRE Rations: Last for up to ten years, nutritious.
Vitamins/Nutritional Supplements: For keeping up good health.
First Aid Kit: For surviving injuries and promoting recovery.
Antidepressants/Anti-psychotics: Useful for staving off the mental illnesses a world of death can bring.
Overlooked Threats
The most basic (and obvious) threats during the zombie apocalypse will be the zombies, starvation, and raiders. But what about your teeth falling out from lack of brushing? Where will you put your human waste? What will you do about the bacteria piles of dead bodies littering the streets? Ever the planner, I have come up with solutions to issues that may be as deadly as the zombies themselves.
Airstrikes/Nuclear Attack:
In the earlier stages of the outbreak, the military may take drastic measure in an attempt to control the spread of the infection. This may include bombing cities or areas considered lost. If supplies permit, I would transform an inner room, like a closet, into a fallout shelter: pre-stocked food and water, shielded walls, limited airflow to the outside. Hopefully, my distance from major cities will protect me from the main blast, while the shelter will minimize the chances of me dying a slow and painful death from radiation poisoning. Obviously, my makeshift closet isn't going to do anything against anything nuclear even remotely close to us, but it'd give us the best chance against fallout.
Bacteria From Dead Bodies: The simplest way to eliminate the risk of disease from rotting corpse is to simply not produce any. Any acts to thin the collective zombie ranks will be planned ahead, and precautions will be taken .The bodies will be burned where they fall as soon as possible. Logically, the blaze should be unable to set fire to the entire building, as it is concrete and metal. If burning is impossible, I'll take reasonable measures to quarantine myself from the infected area (ie. sealed doors). Bleach will be used to clean pools of blood.
Bacteria From Human Waste: Urine will be distilled for water. Feces will be stored in sealed containers until they are ready to be burned, or fertilizer for growing food.
Depression: The isolation from other people, plus the lingering threat of death will likely cause even the strongest of us to eventually suffer from clinical depression. Entertainment (books, music, a journal) will keep me busy and keep my mind off the fact that I'm surrounded by death and will never see my loved ones again.
Raiders/Criminals: There is the likely possibility that greedy or desperate people will try to take my supplies. My risk of being attacked and robbed will be minimized by remaining radio silent, and hiding any markers of my presence in the area (disguising hideout, cleaning up bodies when feasible). Should the passive measures fail, I will fight to the death to protect myself and my safety.
Rodents/Insects: I'm fortunate enough to live in an area that is devoid of poisonous insects such as scorpions, and most snakes. However, rats, mice, and other insects can still pose a threat to me and my food. Rats crawling through seas of rotting bodies, and then onto my food is obviously unhealthy. Insects landing on fecal matter, and then taking a swim in our drinking water is also a threat. All water will be either in closed containers, or covered well. Loose food (fruit, for example) will be placed in containers, eaten, or discarded. Similar to the decoy open can of beer kept away from the patio party, a rotting corpse may be left far from our compound, to attract insects and rats to it and lure them away from us.
Tooth Decay: Tooth decay will start off with discomfort, and later lead to infection. Toothpaste will be among the top priorities when salvaging supplies. Carbonated, sugary drinks will be keep for trading to other survivors (as they can be traded for more nutritious food).
The Panic
The first week of the outbreak will be the most chaotic, with other people being as great a danger as the undead. As soon as I know that it's happening right f*cking now, I will grab a blunt object, gather my family members and calmly tell them that the world may be ending (in gentler words). I would speak firmly
"I need you to listen to be very carefully. Something terrible has happened. Mom, go upstairs, turn on the bathtub, then go in your bedroom and close the door. Dad and Michael, take as much non-perishable food and bottles of water upstairs as you can. The instant you hear anything trying to get in the house, run upstairs and block off the stairs with the bookcases and mattresses. Leave a space for me, I'm coming back. Use this [MAG-LITE FLASHLIGHT KEPT IN KITCHEN] if anything comes through. Hit them on the head, and do not let them bite you."
I will then demand the car keys from my father. If he protests, which wouldn't be unreasonable, I would explain to him that I am taking the car to go pick up a friend. If he protests further, I will take them from him using force (the order of force which will be used is as follows: ask kindly, ask firmly, demand, threaten with Mag-Lite, strike with Mag-Lite). Next, I call my best friend. If she's home, and picks up, I would tell her to stay put, that I'm coming for her. If she's not home, I will assume she is already dead and proceed to assist my family in preparing for the first week after Z-day.
"[BEST FRIEND], listen carefully. It's finally happened, the dead are walking [SHE AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THE MATTER BEFORE]. Get your mom, go to the kitchen closet, and do not make a sound. I'm coming for you. Do not make a single sound."
Logic dictates that during the initial panic, I should stay put at home, and ride out the chaos. I'm not doing that, not when my best friend is still out there, afraid and vulnerable to the undead, rapists, and thieves. I will take my dad's Crown Victoria, down the ten kilometer highway into town. It's a wide highway, but in the event a portion is blocked, I will take a side road. After pulling up in front of her house, I will quickly grab her, run back to the car, and drive back home. If the area around her house is crawling with stenches, then I would attempt to thin the numbers by crushing a few under the wheels of the car, and pray that we can out-maneuver the rest.
Long Term Projects
Barricade reinforcement: Tacking on and securing to the doors sheets of metal and wood.
Distilling alcohol: Serves two purposes, the most important being fending off boredom. The second, which is a rather nice bonus, is being able to produce moonshine for personal consumption or trade.
Running water: Running water in some form of poor man's plumbing will improve comfort and hygiene. We will need to acquire an electric pump.
Supply Raids
Human Contact
Mental Health
What Happens If X Happens?
What if your hideout is surrounded by overwhelming amounts of the undead?
Assuming there are too many to utilize my brick-on-chain contraption, and that there is no chance of escape, I would hold up, remain silent, and pray that the hoard outside will get distracted and seek new prey. In the likely event that they don't simply go away, I would wait until the food is exhausted, and then use the remainder of my weapon supplies to take out as many of them as possible, before taking my own life to avoid the pain of starving.
What if the church is lost to the undead?
Should the church become overrun, we will attempt to evacuate back to my home. On the way out, if timing and supplies allow it, we will try to set the building on fire to destroy the large number of undead concentrated in the one building .If gasoline is the only available flammable liquid, we will preserve the gasoline, as now that our shelter will be ten kilometers from town, the car will be more important than ever.
What if the church is already overrun/burnt down?
We make a U-turn, escape back to the house, and formulate a better plan.
What if both your house and the church are unavailable?
Then it looks like we're f*cked. We'll grab what we can and head north in the Crown Vic. North meaning far up north, where the towns are small and spread out. We'll look for an abandoned house or something like that, and hold up. We'll basically make something up as we go along.
What if you get bitten?
I would kill myself, careful to prevent myself from turning into one of the undead. Depending on the situation, I might decide to do one last bit of help for my still-living companions. Grabbing a shotgun or handgun, running off into the distance, drawing as many away from my friends as possible, and being sure to save the last bullet for myself seems logical.
What if a companion is bitten?
I would do what is necessary to prevent them from coming back. I would give them every second until they turn, and then bury them in the garden. I will be hit hard by such as loss, and may never fully recover. Should I find myself, by some cruel combination of luck and misfortune, to be alone, having lost all companionship, I would turn the weapon on myself and join them.
What if a military evacuation/convoy of survivors appears on the horizon?
Depends, if it's an evacuation, and can get me somewhere safe (ie. uninfected), then I would immediately jump at the chance to go with them. But if it's just another group of survivors, and going with them would mean trading one hideout for another, I would stay to live and die by my own (not their) choices. But let me reiterate: 100% of all situations, I would evacuate to safe ground (uninfected Europe, maybe) if possible.
What if the military is seeking out and destroying all 'possible infected', including yourself?
My supply of scavenged weapons would be no match against even one solider, let alone a platoon. I would hide, and make every effort to avoid contact with the military. If they are razing buildings, or searching through all of them, I would make an effort to make a run for it, understanding that I probably would not survive.
What if the undead appear to be growing more powerful/intelligent?
Then I guess I'd be in trouble. I would continue hiding and fighting and surviving, until either me or them are no more. Intelligence would imply that I would be able to attempt reasoning with them. Increased strength is iffy. Anything short of the dead suddenly gaining the ability to tear down solid concrete, and I think I can manage as usual (barricades).
What if, during the Panic, a group member refuses to accompany you?
A likely situation will be my brother or father deciding to make a run for it, or my friend's family refusing to come ride out the Panic with us. I will very firm with the following words: "You can [stay here/come with us] where it's safe, or you can take your chances out there alone!" For maximum effect, I'll put considerable strain on 'alone'. If said person still refuses to join us, I'll say, like I don't care, "Fine, you can die out here! Do whatever the hell you want, because you won't last a week out here!" If that doesn't work, it's unfortunate for them, because there will be over matters I will have to attend to, either moving the food upstairs and blocking the stairs, or getting back home.
Top Fifteen Songs For The Zombie Apocalypse
Eventually my iPod will run out of juice, and that every second spent listening to music is a second spent distracted. But if I had the opportunity to somehow bring ten tracks with me (cassette tapes, perhaps?), here are the ones I would:
1) The Life - Dope
2) Still Alive - Jonathan Coulton ("When you're dead, I'll be still alive...")
3) American Witch - Rob Zombie
4) Minerva - The Deftones
5) Rosenrot - Rammstein
6) Sonne - Rammstein
7) River Below - Billy Talent
8) Eradicate The Masses - Sencit
9) Fireman - Iron Man Soundtrack ("Bada dada, bada dadaaaa!")
10) The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash
11) Eon - Celldweller
12) More Than A Feeling - Boston
13) Ich Will - Rammstein
14) Stars - Hum
15) The Dead Can't Testify - Billy Talent
Your Location: Orangeville, Ontario
Radio Handle: Pablo
Involved Persons: Myself, mother, father, brother, best friend (five total).
MASSIVE OVERALL IN PROGRESS. CHANGING B.O.L., AND BY EXTENSION, MOST OF THE PLAN. ALSO WORKING TO SHORTEN THE PLAN CONSIDERABLY.
FAQ
Will you be staying in your home or headed somewhere else?
I will be staying in my home, as it is fairly easily defended.
Got anyone you want to take with you?
My best friend lives in a nearby town of 30 000, so grabbing her and bringing her back to survive the initial chaos is the first thing I'll do. My mother will almost definitely be home, and it's likely so will my brother (if my father is home from work, then it's his lucky day).
How will you communicate with the outside world?
We won't. Radio silence, only listening for transmissions,
How are you planning to get food and water?
A small-sized potato farm, supplemented with other crops, and food taken from raids on supermarkets. Water would be supplied by my house's well.
What's your weapon of choice?
A large brick attached to a rope or chain, to be deployed from any second story window. As for a less static weapon, I'd probably have to use weapons of opportunity.
Are you willing to hook up with other survivors?
Not really.
Loosely, what's your overall plan?
Stay quiet, hidden away, and self-sustaining. Thin out the zombie ranks as much as possible. Amass as many supplies as possible, as quickly as possible.
A lot of your contingency plans involve committing suicide when things go wrong. Isn't that a little extreme?
Taking my own life will be the absolute last resort. It would be preferable to starving to death, being ripped apart by a dozen pairs of hands, or turning into one of the undead and trying to kill my friends. My religious beliefs are that committing suicide will not affect where I go in the afterlife, especially in a situation as extreme as this.
Contents Of My Survival Kit
This is a list of the items and supplies I currently have ready in my home, ready to go right this minute, if I needed to.
Current Bag Contents (As Of 14/05/11) [Not going so well!]
20 500ml bottles of water (10 liters total)
20 yards of duct tape
Items I am currently aiming to add:
Food
Two pump-action 12 gauge shotguns
One Mosin-Nagant rifles (cheapest, and probably first, firearm to be added)
Several SKS rifles
Binoculars
Road flares
Camouflage or dark green jackets
Crowbar
12 gauge shotgun shells and rifle ammunition (quantities will be dependent on cost)
Blankets
Lighters
Overview Of Group
Myself: The self-imposed leader of the group. I would definitely be the most knowledgeable of the situation (ie. zombies), and the details of this survival plan. My position (as well as my pathetic physical strength) will likely be challenged by my male relatives, larger than I am. I would reason with them that I have a very detailed plan, which I more than they have. If it comes down to a physical confrontation, I'll probably cheat.
Brother: Holds a blue belt in karate (although he takes classes irregularly now). He is highly physically active, runs every day, and does numerous upper body strength exercises. He is no doubt the fastest and most capable runner of the group, and would likely be used to great effect scouting the area and other matters that will require speed. My only concern is that he is the one mostly likely to attempt to usurp my unofficial (and not exactly prestigious) position as group leader.
Father: Group weapons expert, and the only one with any real world firearms experience. My father was an army reservist, and as such has the training for the rifles, shotguns, and pistols we may come across. Additionally, should we encounter any sub-machine guns, assault rifles, or grenades, he's the only one who can use them safely and effectively. My father is also a truck driver, having driven transport trucks for a living, and currently driving cement trucks. This will allow us to use trucks to move large amount of cargo at a time, or to set up barricades using trailers.
Best friend: Small framed, no fighting or weapons experience.
Mother: Slowest and least able-bodied of the group. Non-combatant, designated cook.
Of the five of us, one will have some firearms experience, and one of us will excel at running. The physically weaker two of the group will put some minor additional strain on the others when it comes to guard shifts, but will ensure that at least two people are available to tend to non-combat/scavenging matters (such as gardening).
A sizable number of the group suffers from some form of mental illness, mostly depression related. Obviously, prescription medicine will be non existent, so I may heavily reconsider the decision to provide firearms to certain people. Securing the weapons, keeping them out of depressed and angry hands, but still rapidly available during a break-in or ambush may serve difficult.
Equipment
The only way to ensure that I'll have any of these is by stashing supplies ahead of time. After then, I find what I find, and get what I deserve for being under-prepared.
Rifles: For downing enemies at long range, before they become a threat.
12 Gauge Shotguns: Ammo is abundant, and weapon can be found in hunting stores.
Handguns: Useful backup/confined space weapons. Easy to use.
Molotov Cocktails: Useful for signaling, destroying buildings, and creating diversions.
Crowbar: Found in any hardware store, useful for clearing obstructions. Also a close-quarters weapon.
Fire Axe: Useful for clearing light obstructions and as a weapon. Common, but heavy.
Water Purification Tablets: Prevents us from getting ill, which in the new world, could mean death.
Bicycle Generator: Keeps us in shape, and could power some lights or radios, and charge batteries.
Seeds: Necessary for growing crops to supplement food supplies.
Gas Mask/Air Filter: Can protect us from fumes from fires, and stave off bacteria from dead bodies.
Goggles: Keeps blood/dust out of eyes.
Binoculars/Monocular: Useful for scouting for danger ahead.
CB Radio: For picking up nearby transmissions (raiders, military).
Rope: A million uses, which escape me at the moment.
Walkie-talkies: For contact with other guards, raiding parties.
MRE Rations: Last for up to ten years, nutritious.
Vitamins/Nutritional Supplements: For keeping up good health.
First Aid Kit: For surviving injuries and promoting recovery.
Antidepressants/Anti-psychotics: Useful for staving off the mental illnesses a world of death can bring.
Overlooked Threats
The most basic (and obvious) threats during the zombie apocalypse will be the zombies, starvation, and raiders. But what about your teeth falling out from lack of brushing? Where will you put your human waste? What will you do about the bacteria piles of dead bodies littering the streets? Ever the planner, I have come up with solutions to issues that may be as deadly as the zombies themselves.
Airstrikes/Nuclear Attack:
In the earlier stages of the outbreak, the military may take drastic measure in an attempt to control the spread of the infection. This may include bombing cities or areas considered lost. If supplies permit, I would transform an inner room, like a closet, into a fallout shelter: pre-stocked food and water, shielded walls, limited airflow to the outside. Hopefully, my distance from major cities will protect me from the main blast, while the shelter will minimize the chances of me dying a slow and painful death from radiation poisoning. Obviously, my makeshift closet isn't going to do anything against anything nuclear even remotely close to us, but it'd give us the best chance against fallout.
Bacteria From Dead Bodies: The simplest way to eliminate the risk of disease from rotting corpse is to simply not produce any. Any acts to thin the collective zombie ranks will be planned ahead, and precautions will be taken .The bodies will be burned where they fall as soon as possible. Logically, the blaze should be unable to set fire to the entire building, as it is concrete and metal. If burning is impossible, I'll take reasonable measures to quarantine myself from the infected area (ie. sealed doors). Bleach will be used to clean pools of blood.
Bacteria From Human Waste: Urine will be distilled for water. Feces will be stored in sealed containers until they are ready to be burned, or fertilizer for growing food.
Depression: The isolation from other people, plus the lingering threat of death will likely cause even the strongest of us to eventually suffer from clinical depression. Entertainment (books, music, a journal) will keep me busy and keep my mind off the fact that I'm surrounded by death and will never see my loved ones again.
Raiders/Criminals: There is the likely possibility that greedy or desperate people will try to take my supplies. My risk of being attacked and robbed will be minimized by remaining radio silent, and hiding any markers of my presence in the area (disguising hideout, cleaning up bodies when feasible). Should the passive measures fail, I will fight to the death to protect myself and my safety.
Rodents/Insects: I'm fortunate enough to live in an area that is devoid of poisonous insects such as scorpions, and most snakes. However, rats, mice, and other insects can still pose a threat to me and my food. Rats crawling through seas of rotting bodies, and then onto my food is obviously unhealthy. Insects landing on fecal matter, and then taking a swim in our drinking water is also a threat. All water will be either in closed containers, or covered well. Loose food (fruit, for example) will be placed in containers, eaten, or discarded. Similar to the decoy open can of beer kept away from the patio party, a rotting corpse may be left far from our compound, to attract insects and rats to it and lure them away from us.
Tooth Decay: Tooth decay will start off with discomfort, and later lead to infection. Toothpaste will be among the top priorities when salvaging supplies. Carbonated, sugary drinks will be keep for trading to other survivors (as they can be traded for more nutritious food).
The Panic
The first week of the outbreak will be the most chaotic, with other people being as great a danger as the undead. As soon as I know that it's happening right f*cking now, I will grab a blunt object, gather my family members and calmly tell them that the world may be ending (in gentler words). I would speak firmly
"I need you to listen to be very carefully. Something terrible has happened. Mom, go upstairs, turn on the bathtub, then go in your bedroom and close the door. Dad and Michael, take as much non-perishable food and bottles of water upstairs as you can. The instant you hear anything trying to get in the house, run upstairs and block off the stairs with the bookcases and mattresses. Leave a space for me, I'm coming back. Use this [MAG-LITE FLASHLIGHT KEPT IN KITCHEN] if anything comes through. Hit them on the head, and do not let them bite you."
I will then demand the car keys from my father. If he protests, which wouldn't be unreasonable, I would explain to him that I am taking the car to go pick up a friend. If he protests further, I will take them from him using force (the order of force which will be used is as follows: ask kindly, ask firmly, demand, threaten with Mag-Lite, strike with Mag-Lite). Next, I call my best friend. If she's home, and picks up, I would tell her to stay put, that I'm coming for her. If she's not home, I will assume she is already dead and proceed to assist my family in preparing for the first week after Z-day.
"[BEST FRIEND], listen carefully. It's finally happened, the dead are walking [SHE AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THE MATTER BEFORE]. Get your mom, go to the kitchen closet, and do not make a sound. I'm coming for you. Do not make a single sound."
Logic dictates that during the initial panic, I should stay put at home, and ride out the chaos. I'm not doing that, not when my best friend is still out there, afraid and vulnerable to the undead, rapists, and thieves. I will take my dad's Crown Victoria, down the ten kilometer highway into town. It's a wide highway, but in the event a portion is blocked, I will take a side road. After pulling up in front of her house, I will quickly grab her, run back to the car, and drive back home. If the area around her house is crawling with stenches, then I would attempt to thin the numbers by crushing a few under the wheels of the car, and pray that we can out-maneuver the rest.
Long Term Projects
Barricade reinforcement: Tacking on and securing to the doors sheets of metal and wood.
Distilling alcohol: Serves two purposes, the most important being fending off boredom. The second, which is a rather nice bonus, is being able to produce moonshine for personal consumption or trade.
Running water: Running water in some form of poor man's plumbing will improve comfort and hygiene. We will need to acquire an electric pump.
Supply Raids
Human Contact
Mental Health
What Happens If X Happens?
What if your hideout is surrounded by overwhelming amounts of the undead?
Assuming there are too many to utilize my brick-on-chain contraption, and that there is no chance of escape, I would hold up, remain silent, and pray that the hoard outside will get distracted and seek new prey. In the likely event that they don't simply go away, I would wait until the food is exhausted, and then use the remainder of my weapon supplies to take out as many of them as possible, before taking my own life to avoid the pain of starving.
What if the church is lost to the undead?
Should the church become overrun, we will attempt to evacuate back to my home. On the way out, if timing and supplies allow it, we will try to set the building on fire to destroy the large number of undead concentrated in the one building .If gasoline is the only available flammable liquid, we will preserve the gasoline, as now that our shelter will be ten kilometers from town, the car will be more important than ever.
What if the church is already overrun/burnt down?
We make a U-turn, escape back to the house, and formulate a better plan.
What if both your house and the church are unavailable?
Then it looks like we're f*cked. We'll grab what we can and head north in the Crown Vic. North meaning far up north, where the towns are small and spread out. We'll look for an abandoned house or something like that, and hold up. We'll basically make something up as we go along.
What if you get bitten?
I would kill myself, careful to prevent myself from turning into one of the undead. Depending on the situation, I might decide to do one last bit of help for my still-living companions. Grabbing a shotgun or handgun, running off into the distance, drawing as many away from my friends as possible, and being sure to save the last bullet for myself seems logical.
What if a companion is bitten?
I would do what is necessary to prevent them from coming back. I would give them every second until they turn, and then bury them in the garden. I will be hit hard by such as loss, and may never fully recover. Should I find myself, by some cruel combination of luck and misfortune, to be alone, having lost all companionship, I would turn the weapon on myself and join them.
What if a military evacuation/convoy of survivors appears on the horizon?
Depends, if it's an evacuation, and can get me somewhere safe (ie. uninfected), then I would immediately jump at the chance to go with them. But if it's just another group of survivors, and going with them would mean trading one hideout for another, I would stay to live and die by my own (not their) choices. But let me reiterate: 100% of all situations, I would evacuate to safe ground (uninfected Europe, maybe) if possible.
What if the military is seeking out and destroying all 'possible infected', including yourself?
My supply of scavenged weapons would be no match against even one solider, let alone a platoon. I would hide, and make every effort to avoid contact with the military. If they are razing buildings, or searching through all of them, I would make an effort to make a run for it, understanding that I probably would not survive.
What if the undead appear to be growing more powerful/intelligent?
Then I guess I'd be in trouble. I would continue hiding and fighting and surviving, until either me or them are no more. Intelligence would imply that I would be able to attempt reasoning with them. Increased strength is iffy. Anything short of the dead suddenly gaining the ability to tear down solid concrete, and I think I can manage as usual (barricades).
What if, during the Panic, a group member refuses to accompany you?
A likely situation will be my brother or father deciding to make a run for it, or my friend's family refusing to come ride out the Panic with us. I will very firm with the following words: "You can [stay here/come with us] where it's safe, or you can take your chances out there alone!" For maximum effect, I'll put considerable strain on 'alone'. If said person still refuses to join us, I'll say, like I don't care, "Fine, you can die out here! Do whatever the hell you want, because you won't last a week out here!" If that doesn't work, it's unfortunate for them, because there will be over matters I will have to attend to, either moving the food upstairs and blocking the stairs, or getting back home.
Top Fifteen Songs For The Zombie Apocalypse
Eventually my iPod will run out of juice, and that every second spent listening to music is a second spent distracted. But if I had the opportunity to somehow bring ten tracks with me (cassette tapes, perhaps?), here are the ones I would:
1) The Life - Dope
2) Still Alive - Jonathan Coulton ("When you're dead, I'll be still alive...")
3) American Witch - Rob Zombie
4) Minerva - The Deftones
5) Rosenrot - Rammstein
6) Sonne - Rammstein
7) River Below - Billy Talent
8) Eradicate The Masses - Sencit
9) Fireman - Iron Man Soundtrack ("Bada dada, bada dadaaaa!")
10) The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash
11) Eon - Celldweller
12) More Than A Feeling - Boston
13) Ich Will - Rammstein
14) Stars - Hum
15) The Dead Can't Testify - Billy Talent
