Zombie Myths

As I continue with my zombie research, I have come across some myths about the undead.  Granted, as fictional creatures, there is really no right or wrong way to portray them, they can be whatever your imagination wants them to be.  And that is what makes them so scary.

At one point I read somewhere the zombies were afraid of water.  I have no idea where that came from, but it's clearly not true.  In Land of the Dead, a horde of zombies gladly cross the river barrier to get to the living.  They probably don't swim very well.  After all, they have troubles walking, and swimming requires a lot of coordination.  But they don't have to worry about drowning because they are already dead.  Heck, they don't even have to breathe under water!

There are movies that portray the survivors wanting to head out to sea or hang out on an island.  In World War Z, the important survivors spend their time on battleships out in the ocean.  In theory, that's not a bad idea.  If a zombie does enter the ocean, more than likely the currents are going to sweep it away.  It's possible it could also sink to the bottom.  Some places in the ocean are very, very deep.  The zombie would never be heard from again.  You could be pretty safe if you're on a boat or an island.  The chances of a zombie getting to you are slim.

But there are downsides to hanging out in the middle of the ocean.  First of all, what happens when you run out of food or water?  If you're on a boat, you have the ability to head to land, but only if you have enough fuel.  You could always fish and let the ocean provide for you, assuming you brought the necessary equipment.  That takes care of the food issue, but what about water?  Ships have a limited supply.  Yes, you could wait for a storm and collect the rain water, but then you're on an island or a ship in the middle of a storm.  What happens if the ship capsizes?  What do you do if there is no shelter on your island?

Now, let's assume for a moment that you came to your island or ship prepared.  You have all the necessary supplies for survival.  You might just make it.  But you'll have to be strong and adaptable because you probably won't have all the technological amenities you have in society.  But I'm sure you already prepared for that.  After all, you're a survivor!

Having myths about how a zombie will react is important.  It gives the survivors hope.  However, it's also important to always plan for the worst-case scenario.  Keeping an eye out for danger and being wary of your surroundings will be invaluable and probably save your life.  Never trust anything that sounds too good to be true, and never let your guard down!