Z-Day: Preperations

[Volgathras]

It's largely accepted as fact that I'm pretty cool, but we're not here to discuss that right now. No, what is -also- probably true is that the dead will rise to plague the living. Science tells us so, because of something like the umbrella corporation or infected taco bell.

Faced with the inevitable, some of us choose to bury our proverbial heads in the metaphorical sands of a very real 4chan tab of things your mother really wouldn't approve of. Others, though, others have a plan. Some of the more forward thinking among us have already begun stocking food and organ donors for the zompocalypse. And it's those people who will survive when society and science team up to try and rape us in the face.

The Forsaken Lands would thus like to sponsor this Living Out the (like, so totes for realsies) Likely Zompocalypse - or LOLZ - Preparedness Exercise. Share your plan for surviving the rotten incursion to motivate and inspire the continuation of our species! And to sweeten the dessicated, masticated corpse, the best LOLZ plan will recieve a totally bitchin and exceedingly rare forum title! Perfect for impressing the ladies in our post-apocolyptic sex dungeons!

Gentlemen (and ladies, I know you're out there too and sorry I'm taken) frighten me with how serious you take the hypothetical so-totally-won't-but-like-maybe future!

[Iyorvin]

Can we be clear on 'best' plan? There is practical survival then there is a who is the best comedian plan. I just want to know which avenue to take

[Atticus]

How about a dual competition, one for each. Om at work atm but I I got a lot to put out after I'm done loading these missiles and sex changing these 50 cals

[Dale]

I have a sword. And am itching for Z-day.

I also have a tazer, though I am unsure if that will affect the zombies.

So, I'll probably just have to hack my way to your house, then taze you and take all your canned goods.

[Volgathras]

Prizes will be awarded on an arbitrary basis, supported by my many hours of pretending to know what I'm talking about.

I'll probably also be looking at:

-detail; from patient zero to long-term survival

-realism (in a zombie apocalypse scenario, I know, shut up)

-percentage chance of survival (numbers provided by yours truly!)

-Secret!

[Dale]

-detail; from patient zero to long-term survival

When does any good zombie story include this?

[inscribed]

When did this place come back? I thought for sure it was gone for good after this last one. Speaking of zombies...

To prepare for Z-day, hitting the open road like in Walking Dead isn't very practical. I'm planning to buy some property in Cedar Key, FL. Not only is this a great vacation spot, but it's a top notch location to hole up in for any end of the world scenario. One road leading in and out of the island, far away from major highways and interstates to keep random vagrants to a minimum, plenty of fresh water/natural resources for a community to live off of, easy access to both seaways and airways, and natural defenses. Stocking the property is important as well. I've spent A LOT of money on tools and equipment, which I consider to be a great investment. Quality tools hold their value better than most things, and often pay for themselves. Guns, ammo, water, food, rations, batteries, other consumables, etc.... are all obvious items to invest in as well.

Of course, I can't rely on being on the island 24/7. Z-day can strike at any moment. Hitting the road might be a necessity depending on where I am at that moment. If I'm in the southeast, heading straight for my shelter in Cedar Key is the priority. If not in the southeast, then I'll have to resort to taking shelter in a pre-approved location. If on the west coast, heading straight for Tonopah is the obvious choice. Sparse, small population, plenty of supplies, and all kinds of cool toys. Plus I've always wanted to do some more exploring there, and Z-day would be the perfect excuse. If in the midwest, I'm heading for Lackland. Giant military base, plenty of fortified shelters, plenty of supplies, and close enough to the Gulf that I can make my way to Cedar Key once the intial panic has subsided. I've never spent much time in the north, so I haven't approved any locations up that way yet.

Having shelters planned out is one thing, getting there is another. This comes down to vehicle choices. I generally have at least a couple vehicles in my name at any given time (craigslist specials!), so I can pretty much guarantee to have a set of inscribed-certified wheels nearby at any given time. Any vehicle will need to be able to cover at least 400-500 miles on full fuel. With most vehicles, this will require installing an extra fuel tank. Comm systems are important as well. CB radio, scanner, ham radio, good quality two way radios... don't skimp and learn to use them. Keep basic supplies in any vehicle, like water, rations, tools, spare parts. Keep up with basic maintenance at all times. If a part breaks a lot, stop replacing it and upgrade it. Any vehicle can be made durable. It's up to you to learn the faults and drawbacks of your personal vehicle and fix/repair/upgrade/adapt to them. Optional upgrades that will help with Z-day... solar panels, water storage tank, hot water shower, dual battery, armor, bullet proof windows...

Preparation only gets you so far. Ultimately, survival falls to the man (or woman?). I'm a confident mechanic (among many skills!). I can repair anything from a car to a generator to a computer to a radio to a frickin airplane. I'm great at scavenging. I've spent many a day scouring junkyards for fun, and I have no problem making some extra cash picking up broken stuff off craigslist to repair/sell or just part out. Camping, fishing, hunting, farming... no problem. Rest assured, where ever I end up being holed up, I'll have electricity and hot water. Most importantly, I stay fit and healthy. When Z-day strikes, I'm not going to have to worry about being sick or requiring some medication or suffering a death sentence because I need a pair of glasses or something.

So that's a rough overview of my plan. It's a work in progress.

edit: As far as weapons and personal protection goes... I think a good machete is all you really need for zombies. Maybe a hatchet too? How hard will it be to keep hacking a few skulls? Not hard, I think. My arm might get tired, but luckily I have two of them. Plus they both dual purpose as camping/foraging tools. I will also need firearms for dealing with other survivors, but not entirely practical for zombies unless it's a critical scenario. I've got a XDS for pocket carry, and an 870 for something with more punch. I still need to invest in a quality rifle for long range zombie plinking.

I've always been a fan of the spear or glaive as a weapon (see avatar!). Way cooler than swords or katanas or axes or what have you. It might serve well as a zombie killing weapon, but I'm not sure how practical it'd be for day to day travel. Have you ever tried packing a spear in a car? **** is cumbersome. Maybe one day I will figure out a badass design for a telescoping spear/glaive that maintains its strength while extending/retracting at will, but until then, I think I'll have to stick with the above.

[Volgathras]

Z-Day Prep Review: Inscribed

Detail: Well planed, for the most part. It seems like you've taken the unreliability of the situation in to account. you're going to want to avoid military institutions, though. They'll probably just mow you down cuz, you know, zombies and stuff. Medicine is an important one you left out, though! Even the healthiest body gets sick from time to time, especially when all the things we take for granted in modern life are taken away. I didn't see much in the way of plans after the fall, though. What about long term survival? just 'wait it out'?

Realism: I was right there with you... until the glaive business. A glaive? Really? Like, to poke with? Easily handled hacking instruments are much safer bet against any zombie horde. And that one road leading to your house? Means you got only one escape route. Without constant surveillance on that road, you've just painted yourself in to a corner.

Secret: Didn't really go in to it.

Overall Z-Day Prep Score: 65

Current Zombie Survivalist Ranking: 2

[inscribed]

Haha, come on, I clearly stated that as much as I'd like a spear or glaive to be a weapon a choice, that a machete or hatchet would be a better choice, and then laid out its flaws. Reach is always a factor when overcoming numbers, i.e. a zombie horde. Like the saying goes... a shaolin monk could handle 10 fighters with his fist, but with a staff he could handle 100. Recount!

Medicine is only for weak people. I don't need no stinkin' medicine!

Long term survival always comes down to 'wait it out'. Even if you rebuild a small community... all you are doing is waiting it out...

[Dale]

A lot of people don't account for survivability when the horde comes, they just think about mowing down zombies with machetes. As far as shelter goes an Island would be ideal, or a house boat if you can manage to get your hands in a nice one. I always thought it would be a good idea to hit up a nursery and grab all the plants maybe you can start a little farm on your island.

Yes, I have a sword that has been itching to sever spinal cords, but you -will- need firearms to fend off against looters and such.

Also, cardio! Has anyone else ever gone to get into their car and then fumbled with the key! Think about that scene from zombieland when he just kept running around the car. It also works on black ops zombies and I'm pretty sure it would work on any RL brain sucker.

[Iyorvin]

I may be cheating but.........

Z-day patient zero started with a new mutation of a bird flu in china. H12N15 was it's strain. The ironic part is that by itself the strain held no negative effect in humans, but when reacting with previous strains of the flu, unnatural things began to happen. Anyone who was previously 'vacinated' with a HxNx vaccine became infected through an air born spread of the disease. What they thought would stop there, with those vaccinated, soon mutated and was spread to anyone through bite, scratch, saliva or blood. Thus began the Z-Age.

My family and I have been living in remote areas all our lives. For the most part we live entirely off the land. We hunt, we fish, we have gardens, we can our goods, and even haul our own water and septic. The art of living off the land is one of the only ways anyone has survived, besides the roaming gangs of looters and canibals. When Z-Day first arrived, my family and I instantly flew to our fly in only community where my wife grew up. The community, even before Z-Day, had only 8 living members, many of which were very old. It surprised me at first. An 80 year old couple who was still living off the land. Each home had wood burning stoves for heat, sisterns for holding water, and were all furnished. The community had been much bigger in the past, with a small K-12 school. Graders and front end loaders, and massive diesel holding tanks to run them were still sitting in the community. My time with the rural munipality came in handy as I was trained in the operation of these tractors and heavy equipment, and with the remaining diesel we pushed down trees and formed a wall around the community. The position of the community was key. It lies on the northern end of Lake Athabaska in northern Saskatchewan. There are no roads to this community, and by walk the nearest settlement is hundreds of KM's away, and even then that community also is a fly in community with low population. My wife is a native, and there are few communities and families who have been clinging to the old ways. For hundreds of years they have lived in this area, living of the land, passing it down from generation to generation. Their old medicines have saved us from infections, and their diet has actually improved our health. We eat fish from the crystal clear lake, and caribou, rabbits we trap with our trap lines, and fresh vegetables from our massive gardens. We grind our own flour and make bannock, and in fall we harvest our gardens and jar them in our cold rooms. It gets cold up here, and after six months of winter things can get very hard. We stored the wood we could initially from the remainder of our gas, and things have become very hard over the years as we have had to cut wood by hand. There are plenty of axes, and two man hand saws we have all grown accustomed to using. My wife's father was a master wood worker, and has taught me how to make dog slegs, both wheeled and ski versions, which we use to haul fire wood to the three houses we choose to use. The huskies are an amazing creature, and with training, it has become my lifes work. I breed them, train them, and then use my sleds to aid the community. My wifes grandparents refused to live with anyone, saying if nature hadn't killed them up here no disease infected human would - chuck norris strong. With a wall of trees, 10 feet wide all around us, the only in and out was the massive lake behind us, which was not an issue for us at all. There were over ten canoes already here, six different speed boats owned by the families, a massive barge and tug boat owned by my wifes uncle, two house boats, and even a sail boat. There were many islands in this big lake, and we immediately began organizing a second colony in the invent the first was ever discovered. An old man, who had died of old age, had built a home on one of the islands, complete with a dock, his own garden, and almost all the amenities we had in the first. Obviously the island could not support everyone, but it would be there if needed.

After a few years the loss of family and friends subsided. We were too far removed from any population, with no roads anywhere near us, and surrounded by the thousands upon thousands of bodies of water between us and the southern part of Canada, we started to feel safe, even happy. So much so that we began taking measures to think about our colony even beyond our own lifetimes. My wife and I had one daughter, another family here had a son a few years older, and we knew that would not be enough. Their family and our own decided to have three more children each, God allowing, to help create more individual families for future generations. We would then send families to the other native communities(tribes) surrounding the lakes, and in exchange they too would send us sons and daughters. We traded not just sons and daughters, but we helped provide for each other when things were not so well. One year they had a poor winter hunt, and you see, the winter hunt is the most important. For over six months the land is frozen here, colder than your freezer at home. It is the time when we must store our fish and meat for the long haul. Every community had gotten into the habit of hunting just a tad extra, and although it was a hungry winter, we always rallied together during these hard times. You see, for a lot of these communities, this plague didn't effect them at all. Some of the communities never ever left. They didn't have modern medacine, electricity, phones, internet, running plumbing or gas lines, they lived entirely off the land. The natural medicines and herbs they have used for centuries is all they have ever known. Every man, or even woman, is raised a hunter, gatherer, or a family caregiver, who is then a teacher, nurse, parent, and community leader. Their social issues are non existent, because purpose drives their life already. They didn't require a plague to destroy the worlds population, they were already living the answer. And now, so are we, and after years of this the memories of the plague are vanishing, and replaced with happiness and a truer meaning in life. So much so, that we have stopped carring if the world outside has been cured, or even all dead.

EDIT: There may be basic things I have left out of this because they are basic to us, and perhaps not so basic to you. Feel free to ask questions, and also, everything in this story is true, except the Z-Day stuff of course.

[Volgathras]

Z-Day Prep Review: Iyorvin

Detail: Dramatic lay-out is a plus, I like you got in to the story telling! Background was god, giving yourself somewhere to springboard. There were some plot holes, though. For instance, how would you fly to this fly-in community? In the event of a global pandemic, air travel would almost certainly be the first thing shut down. Even if you had a private plane, there are too many things required by outside forces (permissions, fuel, electronic guidance, etc) that it's unlikely you'd be flying anywhere. This would mean that driving or walking would be your only alternatives. You didn't mention how far away this live-in community is, but any walk is a tough one through brain-muncher territory.

Once you get to the community, you have a good plan for food, but your prolific use of tractors and so forth would mean your fuel reserves (assuming the few elderly people in the commune had the foresight to fill them) would quickly run dry, especially if you're thinking of using your tractors to create a ten foot thick wall of trees around your presumably quite large community (several houses with gardens, schools and so forth? We're looking at several square miles... or kilometers for you non-americans).

The future plans are interesting, if a little naive. Living under the assumption that social issues would cease to exist is a dangerous thing. Humans have been killing each other for unimportant **** for ages upon ages, and the solidarity of global catastrophe would only abate that basic human flaw for a short time. This is something you fail to take in to account in your plans, leaving yourself open to the raiders, scoundrels, rapists, murders and other dredges of non-society who will inevitably crop up to take what they want through force. In fairness, though, this is Canada - they'll probably just quietly mutter reproaches from your walls until you through them some food out of pity.

There is also a distinct lack of interest in medicine. Living off of the land will present special challenges, especially for those who are accustomed to city living. Dietary supplements? Your food will probably not meet the requirements for a healthy body - specifically things like vitamin C which will be hard to get in a cold environment. Farming accidents, especially with heavy farming equipment like tractors is common, and ESPECIALLY child birth - all of these things would require pharmaceuticals at the very least, and someone with at least a little medical training. You could presume some archaic medicinal knowledge, but man that's convenient.

Realism: No one will ever really be ready for z-day, unless you're a complete nut. However things seemed awfully convenient for you in your plan. You already have;

-An escape route

-A fortified position

-Shelter

-Resources

... without knowing any of this would happen (after all, who could have known that the virus would react like it did with vaccines?). While it's a good plan, it assumes things are already working far in your favorite, as opposed to the much more likely scenario of waking up in South ****-Brick, B.C. surrounded by a horde of shambling dead.

Secret: Commendable, but in a dystopian future it means you're dead.

Overall Z-Day Prep Score:70

Current Zombie Survivalist Rank: 1

[Iyorvin]

Well you can't dock marks because of convenience without first detailing how the virus started. I made it up cause it was a cool idea. And to be somewhat realistic, the plan is some what in mind because a. We do eventually want to move there, and b. If any disease were to strike in mass we do have plans to move there with our child. And us working the land and doing things ourselves have been part of our conversations in daily life all the time. We do raise our own animals, our own garden, jarring fruits and veggies, and the location is real. Believe it or not. At any rate I'm still num 1

[Trick]

The unprepared are always the main character and will always outlast the "bunkered" guy. TV, games, comics, and movies teach us this. Boom.

[Iyorvin]

Haha, I didn't even see you posted so much in depth stuff, I had thought you just copied and posted my own story and posted a summary at the bottom. I could refute a ton of your points, and was debating posting a 10 page story detailing things better but thought that might be a bit extreme for a fun forum project like this.

I will refute this entire paragraph though.

"There is also a distinct lack of interest in medicine. Living off of the land will present special challenges, especially for those who are accustomed to city living. Dietary supplements? Your food will probably not meet the requirements for a healthy body - specifically things like vitamin C which will be hard to get in a cold environment. Farming accidents, especially with heavy farming equipment like tractors is common, and ESPECIALLY child birth - all of these things would require pharmaceuticals at the very least, and someone with at least a little medical training. You could presume some archaic medicinal knowledge, but man that's convenient."

Her family has been living up here for years upon years upon years with little to no outside influence. The community now has power, but no gas for heat or running water. Medicines are available, people were living off the land here for hundreds of years, and the inuit still do it. It's silly to think that it can't be done just because you don't know how or do it yourself. Vitamin C, and the scurvy that can accompany it from there lack of, is only an issue if you can not adapt to, as you stated, diet of the north. However, you are assuming that we are not already adapted to that living. Vitamin C can be absorbed from eating raw, or lightly cooked fish, rather then eating it as we do normally. It is also available in wild berries that surround the area. As for the tractors, well, the community being fly in has certain advantages, one being a storage of fuel. It was never stated they would be for continual use, only that they would be used to construct a barrier, or more probably, used to knock trees down for a wall. The community is not large, a square KM maybe, and that includes the airstrip. Also, modern day medicine has a lot of holes in it, and there are many cultures and tribes currently out there that do not use modern medicine, and not only do they live long, they live healthy. Tarahumara are a good example.

I'll stop here, I could talk for hours upon this subject, because I enjoy it. I've gone so far as to look into the construction of solar and wind power, and building your own solar panels is relatively cheap, and if you know any electricians you can even tie that power into the GRID and have the power company pay you, of course, if done right.

[Iyorvin]

Btw, in central Saskatchewan there are small airports everywhere mainly due to farmers using them as spray planes. But I will admit that the flight could still of been an issue in my plan.

[Mali]

After Z-Day, all of our troubles seemed to disappear. Sure, conversation with my wife got much less interesting. I still get the migraines from time to time. But, in general, things are good.

Instead of watching TV at night, we took to the habit of walking. The whole community has been making an effort to get out and really appreciate the night air. At dusk, she and I and other community members whom once were closed up inside their homes with the doors locked tight now make it a point to see what there is to see in nature's great out-doors.

Sometimes, we walk in silence, enjoying each other's presence without words. Other times, we work together to find food. We each have a role to play. There is a sense of longing among the crowd and a remarkable instinct to survive.

Since Z-Day, I've come to know the real meaning of the word friendship.

Take Sam Baldwin. Great Guy. He used to mow my lawn when things got busy at work (another thing I don't miss). Just the other day, we were walking and discussing our mutual interest in fresh, tender meats. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man jumped out from behind a truck. Hooded, wild-eyed, and looking like he hadn't had a good meal in weeks, the man started shooting at us as if his life depended on it. I thought I was a goner, but good ole' Sam charged the guy and took him down without even thinking about it.

I never used to have friends that I could be sure would take a bullet for me. Now, they do it all the time. I know my neighbors are with me... right over there, actually. I have a true sense of belonging.

These days, the cities are quiet, but we have everything we need. The markets are wide open. The smog has just about gone away. My old trick knee stopped acting up. I've never felt more alive.

What does tomorrow hold? Better health, new friends, and a real shift in collective thinking that has been a long time coming. This is the future. We are here. Come join us.

[Iyorvin]

Owned.

[Mali]

Lol. Comeon Volgathras, where's the meta-analysis of my survival chances?

[Volgathras]

Being a zombie hardly counts as survival. Awesome read though .

Speaking of which, I did it before, but i guess we had a mini forum roll-back I missed. Iyorvin has proven himself the most capable of surviving in the event of a zombie apocalypse and has been marked accordingly. Congratulations! You'll need a stick to beat off all the zombies and impressed women, now.

[Atticus]

I'll put this to the test,

Well, I work with guns and helicopters, in fact I am a certified plane captain, so I know how to maintain everything with it. From corrosion control to the flir system. Not going into great detail, I service the m240b Gau21 and m4 weaponry, I feel like forest Gump when I take it all apart, clean, inspect reassemble and shiit the things. I'm a qualified expert marksman with both rifikes and pistols, I've **** fifty cal crew served guns tons of times. Hell I know the ins and outs of building gbu guided bomb units, and access to it all in the military base I reside in. Thruth is it would be fairly easy once the deaheads start spreading, I'm sure ill be mobilized with my squadron, taking the URL so to speak. Mres are very nice, food on the go. But here's the kicker, I've a vast medical supply within my kits. Both of ky parents are docters, I guess it was just how I was raised. If I were to go it alone, I would take the utility f150 to the armory, collect my guns, a deckpate for the Gau, all the maintence kits I can muster and book out with ammunition, locking the Amory with a unbreable lock only I have the key too. To my shop I would go, collect my tactical gear, flak vest, type three cameos and my brain bucket and book it back to this beautifully placed house in a ridge thirty minties away from Coronado base. Two story, with very little windows on the first story, eight foot stone walls, with a gate both at the entrance and behind it would he more than I deal. A pond and garden in the back yard, and a balcony just above the front door, about six my six feet. Perfect for the defkplate and Gau21 mount. I would probably have to kill the chief who lives there, but overweight and poor vision on his part would play in ky favor, after all I am a fully trained killer, the nice speed boat on the dock not but a mile away woukdnt hurt either, he carries the jays on him all the time. After all, it is survival of the fittest.

[Mali]

a·live

[uh-lahyv] Show IPA

adjective

1. having life; living; existing; un-dead; not dead or lifeless.

2. living (used for emphasis): the proudest zombie alive.

3. in a state of action; in force or operation; active: to keep zombies alive.

4. full of energy and spirit; lively: Grandmother's more alive than most of her contemporaries whom are not zombies.

5. having the quality of life; vivid; vibrant: The room was alive with zombies.

Idioms

alive to, alert or sensitive to; aware of: Zombies are alive to the necessity of revitalizing deteriorating neighborhoods.

alive with, filled with living things; swarming; teeming: The room was alive with zombies.

[Dale]

Is alive truly surviving though?

[Mali]

sur·vive (sr-vv)

v. sur·vived, sur·viv·ing, sur·vives

v.intr.

1. To remain alive or in existence.

2. To carry on despite hardships or trauma; persevere: Zombies that were surviving in tents after the flood.

3. To remain functional or usable: I dropped the zombie with my .357, but it survived.

v.tr.

1. To live longer than; outlive: Mrs. Zombie survived her husband by five years.

2. To live, persist, or remain usable through: Zombies that can survive frosts.

[Dale]

But your consciousness is gone, and therefore you are not alive.

And also, you die before you become a zombie, so you didn't survive.