Hunting Zombies by McCullough Joseph A.;

Author:McCullough, Joseph A.; [McCullough, Joseph A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rosen Publishing Group

IDENTIFICATION AND THREAT

Because atomic zombies were the first zombie variety commonly accepted by the modern media, they have shaped the public perception of the undead threat. If you ask most individuals on the street to describe a zombie (and they don’t run away), they will most likely describe an atomic zombie. Put simply, an atomic zombie looks like an upright corpse that happens to be wandering around. They are generally deathly pale, have vacant, slack-jawed expressions, and walk with a limping, shambling gait. They will often extend their arms, groping the air in front of them, trying to grasp any living thing that comes near. Even from a distance, anyone who has any knowledge of zombies should be able to recognize them by their odd stance and movement.

Atomic zombies have only one motivating factor: the need to feed.12 While zombies have no metabolism as such, the chemical process that animates their corpses also slowly burns at the meat and tissue that holds the zombie together. Consuming more flesh gives the chemical process an alternate fuel source that will keep the zombie going. While no exact studies have been done, it is estimated that just a small handful of flesh or a small animal like a bird will keep a zombie going for at least a day or two.

In their quest for flesh, zombies wander aimlessly until something catches their attention. Atomic zombie eyesight is incredibly poor and is based on movement. They will react to anything that moves faster than their own shuffling walk. For the most part, these zombies rely on their hearing, which remains acute even in death. They generally notice any unusual sound louder than a slight breeze and will move in the direction of the noise. The louder the sound, the quicker they react (although “quick” is a very relative term here). Atomic zombies also possess a sense of smell, though this sense has only one setting. Once they are within a few feet of a living creature, zombies can smell it. It remains unclear exactly what scent zombies smell, though sweat remains the strongest contender.13

The smell of living prey triggers this type of zombie’s famous “moan reflex.” Those unlucky enough to have heard the moan of a zombie wish only to forget the experience. Many who have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder relating to zombies have reported that it is the moan, more than anything else, that haunts their waking dreams. Zombies create this sound by pushing the excess gas generated by the chemical reaction up through their throats. The result is a dry, warbling groan that can be heard from several rooms away.

At first examination, the moan might seem a strange survival mechanism, as its only function is to attract other zombies toward food, thus forcing the original zombie to share. However, on further study, the moan is seen as a vital part of the zombie way of life (if you’ll pardon the expression). Individual atomic zombies are slow and awkward and only able to catch the injured, frail, or particularly stupid.

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