Posted 07 December 2007 - 12:34 AM
The 'Rage Virus' actually infects living organisms. They aren't necessarily 'dead', but their state of mind is so far from anything we've seen before that they can't be considered 'alive'.
It is a virus spread through blood contact or through any mucous membranes (Eyes, mouth, cuts, bum, ears). Within seconds of contraction, the virus stimulates the part of your brain that acts as an anger reciprocal and basically jacks it up on steroids. You instantly hate everything you see and go to kill it, using whatever methods (Usually barbaric and primitive) to do that. Weapons aren't used, but bare hands and teeth. Scratching, biting, hitting, clawing, whatever.
Also, victims are known to vomit blood (That is infected), and will spread the virus even more if the blood gets on you. These are the guys you really have to watch out for. No victim of the Rage Virus is slow, stupid, or easy to kill. Luckily, the only infestation that was comprised of a makeshift Rage Virus was eradicated within the day. If there ever was another zombie attack, these are the guys I WOULDN'T want to come after me.
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With Magic, I'm not so sure how it all works. I know for a fact that there's books out there about it (Necronomicon, anyone?), and people who claim they're able to reanimate the dead. I'm not worried about this, because if this were true, we'd have all been overrun years ago. There's no shortage of dead bodies, and certainly enough angsty teens that are wanting to try this one.
However, Magic reanimation requires a lot more energy. Unlike biological zombies, Enchanted zombies require energy to provide life. It's unknown if there's anyone out there that can generate that much energy by themselves without either killing themselves or just simply becoming too exhausted to ever do it again. You'd need some sort of human powerplant to summon enough energy to bring back enough zombies magically to pose a true threat.
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Middle Eastern Zombie Bacteria? Believe it or not. There have been accounts from not only US Soldiers and doctors, but Iraqi police and soldiers that during the night, if driving down a highway, insurgents aren't the only worry. Many have claimed to see roaming citizens and other soldiers that rush any vehicle they see. A US Humvee once brought one of these citizens to a medic in their convoy, but were attacked as he was allowed in the truck. Unlike a normal human, this zombie took 10 rounds from a standard issued M-16 rifle IN THE HEAD before it was eliminated. After its 'death', the doctors looked at it and found its T.O.D. to be roughly two days prior.
Parasites? Maybe so. There was a news article a few years back that claimed mosquitoes or some other insect in the Middle East carried a sort of 'encephalitis' bug. When bitten, the virus would spread through your body and cause your heart rate to go so high you would technically have an irreversable heart attack. After you died, the bug would go into your brain and assume control of your body, though the size and weight of the limbs would cause extremely decreased movement. After revived, the parasite would roam the streets and do what any other organism would do.
Hunt.
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That's just the few I know currently. Sad part is, the Rage Virus and Parasitic versions are the most real, as those are the ones that have been witnessed.
Next question?
Overwhelmed as one would be, placed in my position.
Such a heavy burden now to be "The One".
Born to bear and read to all the details of our ending
To write it down for all the world to see.