Episode 542: Oops

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Dave

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Zombie Cliche Lookout: Wounded Friends

Generally speaking, people don’t survive very long into the zombie apocalypse before they figure out that the bites are a sure way to turn a friend into a dangerous zombie. Naturally, fear of bites becomes a huge priority. When fighting zombies, not getting bitten is the biggest priority. When bringing new people into your group, ensuring that they aren’t infected is often the first thing that’s brought up.

Of course, there’s more to it than that. Yes, people who get bitten will die and reanimate, becoming extremely dangerous. Yes, people will likely hide those injuries and that’s inherently dangerous. Those things make it very easy to forget one very important fact: the people who have been bitten are still people, and they’re afraid and in pain. Sure, kicking those people out of the group will keep you safe, but it’s not exactly the sort of thing you’ll want to do if keeping your humanity is important to you.

About this Episode:

In the comments of the last couple episodes, BrickVoid has made the point that Brent is likely infected, and thus potentially extremely dangerous to the rest of the group. Indeed he is. And I’m going somewhere with this. Bear with me, I am, once again, trying to address some of the tropes and cliches in the genre with this plot thread.

Discussion Question: Dealing with a Bitten Friend?

Let’s just keep this theme rolling, shall we? How would you deal with a friend or loved one getting bitten? I’m not talking about a stranger trying to get into your group here. I mean someone that you love, and have been working with since the zombie apocalypse started. It’s a little bit more difficult question when you put it in those terms, isn’t it? Well, it’s supposed to be. So, you know, chew on it for a bit.

9 thoughts on “Episode 542: Oops”

  1. If it came down to it and my loved one was bitten. I would try to follow their wishes, if they wanted to be taken out back and be taken by their own hands/by me/by someone else. Then I’d respect that and do as they wish. but if they just want to be like left somewhere safe and pass on their own, then I’d help.

    It is hard to think about and it brings tears to my eyes just thinking that if this were my mother or another loved one in this situation. But in that situation where the dead rise and eat the living, hard decisions have to be made.

    It’s like if you’re held up somewhere and survivors come for help, or if you see a lone survivor and wonder if you should help them. Your minds is in self preservation and yet you want to do the right thing. It’s decisions like this that make me love zombie stories. It’s interesting to see how different people handle these choices.

    • I think that’s the best approach. If you can do what they want, and it doesn’t put people at risk, do it. It’s the least you can do.

  2. Typo alert, Zombie Cliche Lookout, first sentence: “before that figure out” that–>they 😀

    Optional addition: add “that” after the last word quoted here. Sometimes words can be omitted and the sentence still makes sense, in the case of ‘that’, Dave might want to use it for extra emphasis, up to him though. The affected sentence would read thus, in it’s entirety, if changed:

    Generally speaking, people don’t survive very long into the zombie apocalypse before they figure out that the bites are a sure way to turn a friend into a dangerous zombie.

    I figure that by reading the above altered excerpt, Dave will understand how well the two emboldened words in the italicized sentence complete the emphasis of his point. 😉

    Same section, second paragraph, second sentence: “get bitten with die” with–>will 😉

    About This Episode, after the comma: “made that point that” that–>the 😀

    Discussion Question, last sentence: “It’s a little bit harder question”

    Change bolded section to read as one of the following alternatives:

    “difficult”
    “more difficult”

    If a choice is harder, it’s better to use ‘difficult’, and since it’s a serious question, as the subject matter, bitten friends, indicates here, it really should be reworded to have ‘difficult’ instead of harder in it. 😀

    In other words, choice is a degree of difficulty, not a measure of how hard it is to make that choice, since that’s already implied with difficult. 😉

    Up to Dave, though, to me it makes more sense if you parse it out properly, and think about it for a bit. 😉

    • Good calls all around; fixed.

  3. Yeah I feel this is one of the most compelling and hard things to get right in zombie fiction.

    Also, why do I feel Brent is Immune to the infection?

  4. I believe you asked the wrong question. Initially it will be very hard for people to kill any zeds at all. Most people do not know how to defend themselves and even those who do will have to learn how to take out large numbers of totally unafraid eating machines instead of one or two brawlers.

    Think of it like this, newbie soldiers who have been training for months or sometimes years can not bring themselves to pull the trigger even when the enemy is trying to kill them. Civilians faced with zeds will most likely die in droves without even bothering to think of the moral consequences of putting down a family member.

    Z Nation shows people who have adapted to this and even say (Insert Name) I give you mercy before taking out someone they know.

    On the other hand groups like ZERT worrying me. They are proud of the fact they are ready to take out thousands of zeds right now. They sorta think mass murder will be fun and exciting.

  5. Bitten friend? Bullet to the brain. The cold, harsh truth. By the way, is it normal that all of the letters on the site are in red instead of blue?

  6. Now, where did he leave his keys??

  7. Friend is turning into a zombie? Curb stomp ’em to prove your dominance over them as an individual and survival, HELL YEAH.