Way back when in one of these
articles, we talked about a zombie’s keening. These things are dumber than a
bag of hammers and they are running on the most basic of instincts. We have
seen hordes of these things roll through and their numbers can be downright
frightening. As of yet, we have not been witness to a breaking up of a horde. I
imagine that if an F-4 Phantom came cruising down a stretch of highway and dropped
napalm on them Vietnam war style, things might be different but it is of my
opinion that once a zom gets in with a horde, they are not leaving. They are in
that herd mentality and think, “Let’s just shuffle this way since that is where
everyone else is going.”
But this is also what I have
discovered. Every time we have seen a horde roll through, there was always a
precursor. There were always scouts moving ahead of the horde. Obviously, they
were less “degenerated” than their fellow brethren. They didn’t move fast but
they certainly moved faster than the collective horde.
Now I am about to revisit a pretty
painful memory but it is important. At this point, all of us have become
accustomed to these sounds that the zoms make. They never shut the freak up. They
are constantly making noise, even if it is some wet, gurgling noise that comes
from their pseudo-breathing.
But back when those zoms broke through
the trash compactor and got a hold of Janet, there was a different noise that
they made. It was the “I found food” scream. And that scream is loud, long, and
echoing. What is more, it whips all the other zoms around them into their “I
want a piece of that” frenzy.
I think those scouts head out ahead of
the horde and their alpha male leader searching for potential food sources and
those scouts could be the ones guiding their direction. I think regardless of
if they scream or not, the horde is just going to keep relentlessly marching
along but those scouts could be like a rudder on a boat, steering the horde in
directions.
Here in lies the problem. You have to
start getting aggressive. Scouts entering your area could turn a horde right to
your doorstep so the ultimate solution is to take those scouts out as quickly
and as quietly as possible.
The larger the horde, the more scouts
you will see advancing ahead of the horde. One lone zom out wandering in a
field may not be a precursor to a horde. Five or six? There is a chance they
could be coming. Obviously a rapid succession of gun shots and vehicle noise
will drag them to you just as quickly as a zom “I found food” scream. So be
mindful. But this is certainly one of those “ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure” scenarios.
There are times to run away. I think
that was eight months ago. Now, if you want to survive, you have to be
“defensively aggressive.” Strike quickly but be able to retreat quickly back to
a safe place and hole up.
Good luck.
