Zombie Diaries: A Zombification Tale (Preface and Introduction); 1

Preface:
I was contemplating something more fun, something less serious, and yet with a potentially serious theme to the story.  I had just finished a serious short story (Baren Wastelands) and a frivilous "Disneyish" funny / silly story (Dancing on Clouds).  I was contemplating what to write next.  A good awesome friend of mind mentioned that one of her kids has an obsession about zombies.  Another great friend of mine also was obsessing about some living people are zombie like.  Well, it was not too long after that I started watching Walking Dead.  The zombie discussions didn't die down.  Then, I thought about my life, and what does zombification look? What can cause it?  Why would a Zombie apocalypse occur in the real world.  This story, takes the whole zombie genre to a whole new level. My goal was to make it more realistic. Like how is it possible to happen today in the modern world?  How could it be real?  I thought about these things, and I came up with a way to make it both silly, hopefully funny, somewhat realistic, mixed into it and somewhat hidden, a serious theme. 

Please note, these will just be sectioned posts of the story. The story is currently incomplete, I will be writing sections day to day. (not every day), but, here and there.  As my posting catches up with where I am in writing it, the postings will slow. 

                The Zombification Process

It is I, my astute intellect, and the vast experience I have attained over the last 30 years of studying human development that leads me to the conclusion of my research and thus the confirmed hypothesis that it is self evident that we are now at the brink of a true human zombie apocalypse.  I do not say this lightly, I write this to all the government agencies that will listen.

Dirk puts the pen down. Hating the use of computers, he was penning this letter with the use of an expensive true black fountain pen.  The ink smudged around the word ‘listen’ as he lifted the pen from the paper and then crossed out the word ‘listen’ and started writing again.

‘heed this warning.  I have attached a summarization of my research notes with this letter. The exact experiments, and facts that support my notes are available upon request.   I ask that this be taken seriously as I am able to prove the impending shock. I also have a cure. It will not be easy to implement, but the cure is not something that is dispensable, nor can it even be prescribed.  It is outside of the control of anyone except each individual.

I write this warning in the hopes that the global epidemic about to hit our civilization may be stemmed through the power of knowledge, intellect, and wisdom mixed with passion.

These words will inspire much laughter and revelry, I bullshit you not, these findings are real and are a sober matter found currently happening in our society. 

Signed

Dirk Fingler PHD

Dirk, not totally immune to the benefits of technology, dated the letter and proceeded to the scanner / copier multifunction gadget and began making copies of his notes and the letter. He had all the envelopes addressed and ready to send to congressmen and women, research agencies, to the CDC, and many others. 

Dirk, stopped for a moment to pause as he made copies and rubbed his gray beard, he thought for a moment as a tear streamed down his face.   The truth was, he was not immune to his pronouncement. The fact that he believed his conclusions was reinforced by his own ailment.  He scratched the flabby skin on his upper arm a little and flakes of skin came off.  He knew without a doubt he too was zombifying.

The zombification process took many years as Dirk had discovered in his findings.  And After researching many zombies and many humans in transition he discovered that some went their entire lives before succumbing to zombification. The evidence became apparent as he wrote of his own life and his research. 

Dirk pulled out a box from under his desk and ruffled through it, and there neatly bundled were a pile of scientific notepads with brown paper covers.  Inside, were the smudges of his findings.  The bags under his eyes were heavy with regret.  He had lived a long life.  He had been a scientist for over 30 years. Yet, his most incredible findings of human civilization were in the last 3. Sorting through the notepads, he grouped a bunch together dated 11/6/2011 all the way to 10/3/2014.  It was just under three years for him to make this discovery.

What led him to this discovery is only found in his journals.  He knew that not much could be done and he knew that he was now beyond saving, yet, he had no choice but to reread his journals.  It was late in the night.  All of his staff were gone, the lab office was the only room in the science building lit.   Outside the lightning flickered, the rain intermittently down poured and then let up and then poured again.  The thunder was off in the distance.  It was irrelevant.  Dirk immersed himself in reading his journals one last time to make sure he hadn’t missed anything.