I haven’t read many zombie books to know for certain, but I know my movies, and I would have to say I haven’t seen this issue explored—what would society be like after a zombie apocalypse? Zombie movies typically concentrate on the time when the undead take over the world. But, what of the aftermath? Society would need rebuilding.
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Today’s Monday Mayhem will explore what would society need to do to rise from the ashes of a zombie apocalypse. Of course this is all speculation, and for the most part, for entertainment value. However, I will assume some truth lies therein, and I’m rather opposed to revealing what that truth is. I’m sure you’ll figure it out—eventually.
First thing on the agenda? What to do with all the bodies of the undead once a cure for the zombie virus hits the streets? I will presume a zombie virus antidote will render the survivors immune to the virus and kill everything else undead. Even more so, let’s take that assumption to include zombie traps that would disperse the antidote to the undead masses like a net and relieve them of their zombiehood. So, again I ask. What will happen with all the dead zombie bodies?
Gas stations would need gas. If there is gas in gas stations then tractors can have gas in order for survivors to use the tractors to dig ditches. The survivors can then use the ditches to bury the dead bodies.
The other solution is to burn the dead bodies and bulldoze the ashes into the fields where former farmers could fertilize their crops. Morbid? Yes, but it’s a positive solution for a negative event.
Next, as it happened after World War II, a baby boom will take place. Those left will have nothing else to do but to procreate the next generation of survivors with the hope that generation will build a society void of the threat from the undead.
With all the children born, a number of things will need to happen if society wishes to survive another generation. Not necessarily in this order: The survivors will need a leader to instruct them in the way of civility. Laws will have to come into effect to address quarrels among families, individuals and other areas of the land. With growth also comes farming, education and healthcare. Who will do what? will be the big question on everyone’s lips.
Lastly, as with all great emerging societies, comes the sanitation question: What to do with all the human waste once society gets into a rhythm of birth, growth and death?
So you see, even though we may have won the war against the zombies, we’ll still have to win the bigger war—the war of rebuilding after the undead are no longer a threat.
To me, that is the greatest challenge of them all.
After having watched a number of zombie movies these past few weeks, I’ve concluded that family comes before anything else. I write this with the firm image of a family running through the woods trying to elude a zombie army. Not only is family above everything and everyone, but it’s also the key to a stable society, regardless of the law of the land.
Zombie
For this week’s Monday Mayhem, let’s explore this thing called family, and its importance in terms of the survival of a nation—specifically during a zombie apocalypse.
Humanity has fought many wars. Many of which could have been avoided. Of those wars, the ones who would emerge as victor would always be the stronger side. But is that true?
For instance, take the ancient walled city of Masada. Built on a natural plateau in Israel, comparable to a mesa, in 74 CE, 960 Sicarii rebels and their families repelled 15,000 Romans before taking their own lives in an act of defiance against the empire. Archeological findings, though, indicate as little as 28 rebels could have held off the great Roman army from captivity. This contradicts the historian Josephus’ account detailing the loss of life.
Imagine if this were also true in a zombie apocalypse. The undead wouldn’t have a chance.
Stable families create stable nations, which in turn, create strong armies based on loyalty and honor. Numbers are meaningless with strong armies. In other words, if families are in the midst of a siege, hundreds could defend against thousands.
Zombies could try to attack families, but zombies are stupid, they haven’t got a clue what a father would do if their son or daughter becomes the target of the undead. A mother would equally decapitate those who dared threaten her offspring. Have a look at the animal and insect kingdoms. The females tend to be the most dangerous gender of the species. Two cases in point are the praying mantis and the black widow spider. You can read about them coming up with your own conclusions.
I’ll now leave this open for discussion.
If there ever were a zombie apocalypse, I believe a nation built on a strong foundation can conquer anything—it doesn’t matter if it’s a foreign invasion or zombies. Despite domestic disputes, families will always win.
The opening titles to the movie World War Z contains an interesting scene where the audience witnesses ants swarming. The scene, which foreshadows what will happen later in the film, is so brief that it wouldn’t surprise me if folks missed it. Later in the film, the swarming happens again, but this time the creatures are zombies.
Zombie Horde [Photo Credit: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]For today’s Monday Mayhem series post I would like to talk about zombie swarming—how it takes place, who is susceptible, and why. It’s all about theory today, folks. If you like to talk about the Horde Effect—I just made that up—then you’ll want to keep reading.
Ants are one of the most interesting insects in nature. They come together, disperse, forage, warn and even lead, all by a chemical built within their small bodies. The chemical they possess goes by the name pheromones. Simply stated, ants produce pheromones to assist their complex colonies in multiple ways.
Ants Eating [Photo Credit: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos]For instance, when an enemy approaches their colony, ants spray pheromones to warn other ants of impending doom. They also spray their pheromones when they want to ward off ants from other colonies, in effect, protecting their territory. They do likewise if they come across something of interest. This is how they lead other ants to food sources. Have you ever seen how ants seem to follow each other in a straight line to and from a picnic table? That’s how they do it. They spray pheromones from the location of their catch all the way back home so that other ants can follow their trail. It’s quite interesting to see this process at work.
Now, as for zombies, they aren’t much different from insects. Similar to swarming ants, the “modern-day” undead have a way of communicating in order to get things done. I’m talking about their shrieks.
In the old days, zombies lumbered and dragged and lurched. They were slow. They were feeble. Today’s zombies, however, sprint, jump and ram. Hard to deny the power the undead possess when they’re in full attack mode. Their shrieks lead other zombies to potential kills, and the other zombies do the same. On and on it goes. I call it the Horde Effect, but you can call it anything you’d like. The point being, like ants, zombies lead each other to a food supply without knowing they’re doing it out of instinct.
I’m sure there are other similarities between insects and zombies. This post only concentrated on zombie swarming. Perhaps one day I’ll also look at the zombie dormant state and its similarity to bat behavior. Until then, ants can provide a great lesson for humanity, not only in organized social structure, but also in zombie swarming. It’s time to appreciate nature more than for providing us food and resources.
Do you know what terrifies me the most about zombies? It’s not their slow, lumbering drag. Neither is it their insatiable appetite. Nor is it their decomposing flesh that I’m sure smells like something that came out of a garbage disposal unit. No. What scares me the most about the undead is their blank, vacant eyes. For behind that empty stare is a soulless body that possesses no sadness, fear, hate, love or passion for, or about, anything we humans consider as the stirring of the spirit.
Asbury Park [Photo credit licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]Let’s talk a bit about zombie terror for today’s Monday Mayhem. I’m almost positive everyone has a fear of the undead. What is yours?
Some may find the zombie appetite for human disconcerting. In reality, how different is it from the compulsion that potential cold-hearted murderers feel when they roam the naked streets? If you’ve ever seen Stephen King’s The Shining, then you’ll know what I mean. Jack Nicholson’s character reminds me of a hunger-driven zombie. Focused. One-track mind. His only goal is to kill. As frightening as he is, I’ve seen his character repeated from one movie to the next. It’s not scary anymore. Dare I say the word? His character is predictable.
But those eyes—they have to be the single most feared thing I can think of when someone asks me about zombies. It’s like looking into a cold bucket of ice knowing that no matter how much I try, I will always feel as if the frigid waters will wash over me whenever I get lost in them. I suppose this is understandable, considering the undead originates from the same dirt pit friends and family members may one day fill.
In that same vein, the bodies of the soulless increase in strength and might.
I can’t describe my feelings when I imagine what it would be like to confront a zombie with its piercing eyes on top of me. How could I put into the words the zombie’s ability to measure the time it will take for it to catch and eat me before I realize I should have made a run for it?
The blank stare is what generates terror in my bones. As hard as I try, I can’t shake its indifferent gaze from the deepest parts of my body. It will stop at nothing to gain an advantage over my weaknesses. It will never surrender.
All of the undead’s temptations originate from when it sets its pale eyes on its victim. How can I overcome such a vile beast if all I can think about are those eyes?
There has to be a solution to this fear I have. There has to be.
For this week’s Monday Mayhem, let’s examine a question—would you? As non-standard as the question is, the implications can be enormous. Would I what? Would I eat the icing off the cake before digging into the cake itself? Would I leave a theater halfway through the movie because of my disappointment with its content? Would I not pay a tip if I had lousy service?
Would you? [Photo Credit: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]As innocent as those questions are, that’s not what’s on my mind. The “would you?” question has more to do with the breath I take into my lungs every day than anything else does. In other words, would I consider doing something beyond innocent in order to ensure my survival—the survival of my family?
Let me rephrase the question then. Would you do what is necessary to guarantee your survival if the zombie apocalypse really takes place? Of course this is all speculation, so you can go ahead and think about it for a moment.
Everyone’s definition of survival is different. I know when it comes to Boxing Day here in Canada the proverbial claws come out. Think what you may about us Canadians, if there’s a deal at some store after Christmas, you best know we’re not polite. We’re not cordial. And as they say in sportsmanship, may the best man win. Survival is all a matter of who gets what at the better price.
Have you thought about it? Not an easy thing, is it?
Would you?
If the zombie apocalypse takes place, what are the odds you will not kill someone to defend your house? I’m not talking about zombies here. Killing zombies can ultimately become a sport. I cite Dawn of the Dead as an example where the survivors are stuck on a mall rooftop taking pot shots at a horde or the undead below, simply for their own amusement. So, yes, killing zombies can be a fun affair.
The more difficult question is more complicated than that.
Would you kill another human to defend your family? Answer this carefully. It would mean breaking the boundary you’ve established within your character as a means to survive the apocalypse further, which, by the way, there’s no guarantee you’d accomplish in doing. After all, your soul is what will eventually vanish with the act.
Now, some folks may find it easy. They’d treat it like another Boxing Day sale—your loss is my gain. But what of the folks who are upright citizens of their neighborhoods? What will become of them? Or will they become those who will be the ones who everyone would have to fight against?
You see then, it’s not an easy question. “Would you?” could mean the end of your civilized life as you know it, all as a matter of defending your family.
But then, really, what would be the difference between us—the defenders of our loved ones—and those who are also trying to survive for their loved ones?
I’m dedicating this Monday Mayhem post to all the fans of The Walking Dead. There really is no two ways about it—the show is one of the best series on TV today. This is what I like about it.
AMC’s The Walking Dead
As many of you are familiar already, the show delves into the heart of humans, giving an often-frightening glimpse into the darkness that lays beneath the otherwise innocent exterior projected to others. The depths of depravity to which humans can reduce themselves to appears each week as one survivor offs another in a matter-of-fact way. This is not a show for juniors. There is a message there that we should soon not forget. If, and when, an apocalypse truly does hit the world, as foreseen by the prophets of old, humanity would benefit being prepared. Neighbor against neighbor will be the norm.
This is realistic, and as depicted in episode after episode, people will be ready to take others down if it guarantees their own survival.
Christian Serratos as Rosita Espinosa
I also appreciate the show’s intense value for resources. If someone comes upon a rare find—a satchel perhaps, a box or a jar—which by today’s standards means nothing, it’s as if the rare find is treasure. Money, jewels, precious ore mean nothing in the world of the apocalypse. For in that world, money, jewels and precious ore will not feed survivors. Neither will they clothe, bathe or shelter them. The value in today’s riches will mean nothing in the future end times. The Walking Dead does an incredible job demonstrating how futile a chase it is when money, jewels and precious ore makes an appearance into a story.
The absolute best part about The Walking Dead is the zombies. What will the world be like when friend turns against friend all because of a virus? What will it be like when that friend will not only turn away, but also deliver the fatal blow that will destroy what they perceive as the enemy? Remember now, zombies were once human who fell to the infection. What’s that to say about the human compulsion to destroy one another? There isn’t a doubt it exists, and the zombies attest to that. Every time a zombie appears in the show, a lesson speaks to the audience—no one is safe. The show’s zombies have a purpose, and with that purpose, it enlightens the viewer to a world that could be, a world filled with pain, and a world crippled by the destruction of morality.
Tomorrow, my second book in the Ranger Martin series releases. That sentence makes it sound as if something’s about to escape the San Diego Zoo. From what I know, literature doesn’t eat people. At least I don’t think it does. So I wouldn’t worry about wild books named Ranger Martin and the Alien Invasion running rampant in the streets. It’s just not going to happen—although you may encounter a slightly crazed author attempting to sell you his novel. And I use the word “attempting” in the loosest of terms because half the time, I have no clue what I’m doing.
Jack Flacco takes action to a new level.
I mean, I’d rather drive around aimlessly than spare myself the embarrassment of asking for directions. That’s how one year my family and I made it through Maine to Nova Scotia. How else do you think I’ve survived this long? I’m sure others are the same way. Same goes for bland theater popcorn. The idea of rising from my comfortable seat, knocking knees with the folks blocking the aisle all in a bid to get extra butter at the concession stand sounds like a lot of work to me. Instead, I’ll sit quietly never really knowing that I could have had more flavor for my snack during scenes of the latest Transformers film.
I’m not very good talking about myself either. I’m terrible at it. I have a Facebook page and Twitter account, and I post stuff on there, but I don’t like being intrusive. Trust me, I could do better with these days I have to talk about my book. It’s something that does not come naturally and takes me forever to come up with words that wouldn’t make me sound like I’m bragging. Because that’s what I don’t want to do—sound like I’m bragging.
For this reason, I’m dedicating this Monday Mayhem post to my Review Team. These folks volunteered their time and energy to read Ranger Martin and the Alien Invasion in order not only to provide me feedback, but also to give potential readers an honest opinion. It’s best hearing what they have to say than for me to open my mouth so you can watch my brains fall out.
Meet the Review Team
Kristin’s The Faithful Elephant—“The moment you open the book, you are immediately immersed into the action. There really is no hesitation.”
Rhyanna’s Reads—“This book is one fantastic pile of pages. The book is one of the more exciting stories that I have read. It has action, and some funny, silly, and active characters!… This book is so wild that almost everyone will love and read it!”
K. Andrews’ Barnfullawalkers—“Ranger Martin and the Alien Invasion is a madcap ride, a rollicking read, that will keep you turning the pages well past bedtime. Flacco weaves a tapestry of imagery, dialogue and intrigue in his tale of zombie apocalypse and world’s end that I find endlessly compelling as a reader, and truly inspiring as a writer…Flacco shows his skill as a writer and a storyteller as he weaves these fantastic elements together in a way that is enthralling, believable, and quite simply, unforgettable.”
Sandi Layne’s Writing from time…to time—“Though the title indicates there is an alien invasion—and there is—this is still a zombie story, complete with constant attacks by the walking undead as well as government cover-ups and entirely human bad guys.”
Karen Oberlaender’s My Train of Thoughts on…—“This story is as cleverly elaborated as the first one, has a pleasant flow, focuses on its protagonists and their strategy to save the human race, as well on ethical values.”
Jolene Cecil’s Valley Girl Gone Country—“I have to say that the twists and unexpected turns of this story will leave you stunned…unlike in a movie theater where one can cover their eyes with their hands shielding them from watching the impending doom of the characters on the screen, I couldn’t do that. I had to keep reading.”
Adrienne’s greatsnaps, goodtimes and me—“Readers beware: Flacco is also not afraid to kill characters. This made me very happy because what is an action, suspense novel without a few shockers? Sometimes he even lets you get to know the characters, become attached to them, and then BAM! They’re gone.”
Shy’s .:shy:.—“Ranger Martin’s ‘sidekicks’ are sometimes anything but sidekicks as some (a.k.a. Matty, a fiery teen) are just as gutsy as he is when it comes to crushing zombie skulls. I’m looking forward to reading the first book so I can witness some of the early events responsible for building these relationships.”
Mei-Mei’s Jedi by Night—“Ranger is exactly the kind of guy you want with you when facing down the undead: solid instincts, quick thinking, and of course a good shot. But he’s facing more than zombies; there are some extraterrestrial visitors in town, and they don’t seem friendly.”
The L. Palmer Chronicles—“Any good adventure also needs a great central villain. While the zombie is a unified hoard of un-death, General Grayson is a twisted, cold psychopath in search of only his own survival in this invasion. His cruelty and intelligence combine to make him a formidable enemy, and one who pushes Ranger Martin to his limits.”
The Scarlet Loser—“It’s hard to tell who to root for and who the real enemies are in the story. As soon as you pick a side, that side either dies or does something that you find morally questionable. When you decide that you don’t like a character, that character shows a hint of a redeemable quality that makes you wonder from where the character’s motives really stem.”
Kim’s Tranquil Dreams—“I have to say that adding aliens to the equation is very smart. It’s not just zombies but now it gets worse when you add in an unknown thing that has unknown capabilities like aliens. It’s a whole different ballgame and it makes for an exciting adventure. That’s how I felt while I was reading this novel.”
The Opening Sentence—“There isn’t a wall or car windscreen in north America that isn’t now painted with someone’s brain. For the alien horror fans there are plenty of airshafts and cornfields to have your jollies well and truly freaked out.”
Molly’s Hot2Molly—“From the very first sentence, Ranger Martin and the Alien Invasion draws you in. The action begins instantly and Jack’s descriptive, compelling writing style feels both new and thrilling as well as familiar and comfortable – like you’re watching your favorite zombie movie come to life through words.”
Karina’s Live with Courage—“The very bestest, bestest, best part of the whole novel, though, is that there are strong female characters…none are cowering lacy dresses who talk nothing but boys and play the ‘woe-is-me-I’m-such-a-victim’ card. They all rise to the challenge and meet it head on. If the author was aiming for greater-than-life female characters that girls could look up to in tough times, I believe he nailed it.”
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale tomorrow.
![Zombie Horde [Photo Credit: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asbury_Park_Zombie_Walk_2010_(5141707630).jpg)
![Ants Eating [Photo Credit: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ants_eating.jpg)
![Asbury Park [Photo credit licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asbury_Park_Zombie_Walk_(5144677424).jpg)
![Would you? [Photo Credit: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_DVIDSHUB_-_French_and_US_service_members_survive_the_Djibouti_Desert_(Image_5_of_24).jpg)
Looking to God 