Advice needed on zombie story I am writing!

[Debbieangel]

I am going to be writing of course a zombie story sometime this summer or fall and need some input from all you writers please?
Any advice you can give me would be appreciated so much,this is my first attempt at writing a zombie story and second time ever to write any kind of story EVER in my life! I am now working on a ghost story and it is going pretty good so far. But, back to the zombie story...I dont want to give anything away I just need some ideas like guns, ammo, like that I am clueless about guns. Thats why I am asking for your input and ideas? I have where I want the zombie story to take place but, I need help with some more help so, please anything will help me out!
Thanks for your help!:)

[GhostWolf]

Guns huh. I suppose you would need to give us some specifics as to where the story is taking place, and what type of people have these guns (for example, a soldier is going to have access to different types of weaponry then say a police officer or your next door neighbor. And these weapons would be different world wide.) I'd recommend this; If you dont already know about firearms, be mildly vague about their type. (A rifle need not be a specific model, its just a rifle. A pistol is a pistol. And so forth.) If you feel the need to be specific anyway, i'd be happy to help if you give me the above information.

[Debbieangel]

Guns huh. I suppose you would need to give us some specifics as to where the story is taking place, and what type of people have these guns (for example, a soldier is going to have access to different types of weaponry then say a police officer or your next door neighbor. And these weapons would be different world wide.) I'd recommend this; If you dont already know about firearms, be mildly vague about their type. (A rifle need not be a specific model, its just a rifle. A pistol is a pistol. And so forth.) If you feel the need to be specific anyway, i'd be happy to help if you give me the above information.

Thanks, well, I am really getting my thoughts together right now on the story, I am placing it in a small community on a hill in between two cemeteries; the people will have to fight in that community to survive. I have not decided if I am going to involve military in it yet I havent thought that far yet.
AAh there are 60 families in this community and this is all happening on a huge hill w/town down below, the main road is at the end of community.
This should give ya all some background in helping me out alittle better I hope!

[wyvern1096]

Sounds like, for the most part, common civillian hunting and home defense guns would be the rule of the day.
As the other poster stated you can be vague and still give some detail. Calling something a bolt action hunting rifle, automatic pistol, heavy revolver, or double barrel shotgun gives an immediate clear picture of what your person is shooting.
I'm assuming law enforcement folks will be around. Cops tend to have higher-end pistols and near military grade weapons, depending on the area. A few common ones are Glocks (.40 & .45 caliber are popular), Sig-Sauers, and various Colt models. Some police departments have issue weapons, which makes your job easier as every city cop or sheriff's deputy is carrying the same gun. Also, the Remington 870 shotgun (or in a few cities the Mossberg 500) is mounted under the dash of nearly every police car in the country.

Also some military guns are available to civilians. They can't be sold capable of firing bursts or full auto, but it's the same gun..
Good examples:

SKS, this is the gun the AK-47 is based on. It fires a 7.62mm round and is very durable. Converting it to full auto calls for high tech tools like a nail file and screwdriver. The SKS comes standard with an integral 10 round clip that's reloaded by a stripper clip. It can easily be converted to use 20, 30, or even 50 round clips (the 50 round clip is more of a novelty. The gun is pretty heavy and unbalanced with it).

AK-47: The best assualt rifle in the world. Durable and easy to use. It also fires the 7.62mm round.

AR-15: Civillian copy of the M-16. Fires the .223 caliber round.

Various WW2 Russian, Japanese, British, and German rifles are available at most decent sized gun stores for about $100.

[GhostWolf]

Other poster has it down right. Shotguns and Bolt action rifles are probably going to be the norm.

A rural community is probably going to have alot of older ex-policemen, they generally keep around their old service pistols. Like the Smith and Wesson .38 or .357, or the Colt M1911 .45.

Also, rural law enforcement has started to carry the Ruger Mini-14. A semi-automatic, cut down version of the old military M-14. It fires .223 aswell. Just like the shotguns, they keep them in either the trunk or between the driver and passenger seats.

[Eyebiter]

The two most common firearms in the US are the .22lr rifle and the 12 gauge shotgun. Nearly every household in the US that owns firearms will have one or both.

The .22lr is suitable for target practice and small game. If you were a good enough shot you could aim for the head, though it might take several hits to bring down a zombie. Best used if your on a relatively safe rooftop or inside a heavily fortified building. Some .22lr ammo is subsonic, which means it doesn't make the sonic boom of full powered ammo. Usually this kind can be fired without need for hearing protection. Very useful cleaning out an area of zombies without attracting more to the area.

The 12 gauge shotgun is used for bird hunting, clay pigeons, and home defense. Effect to 30 yards with birdshot. At close range it does heavy damage. With slug ammunition it can also be used to hunt deer at short range (50-100 yards).

Bolt action and lever action deer rifles are also common in rural areas. In some parts of the country the economy literally shuts down because all the men leave town to go deer hunting.

Modern bolt action rifles are usually scoped, which makes them very suitable for long range shots. It's fairly easy for a trained user to make hits at 300 yards with a scoped deer rifle. However the bullet will drop between 15 and 20 inches from the point of aim at that distance, assuming a 100 yard zero.

What does this mean in terms of zombie fiction? The character might aim for the head of a distant zombie only to see the round impact further down the chest. Through trial and error one can use "Kentucky Windage" - essentially putting the scope cross hairs above the target in order to compensate for bullet drop at distance, wind, or target movement.

Lever action deer rifles are familiar to anyone who has seen a classic American western. The 30-30 is the most common caliber, although there are both less powerful pistol round versions and more powerful hunting rounds. Usually used at close range (under 100 yards). While some will have scopes mounted, most do not.

[Debbieangel]

ok thanks for the info on the guns..how about some pointers on strongholds in the community from the zombies, I have some ideas like communications with each other, like one big organization of people working together but in separate houses.

[wyvern1096]

Well, as far as talking to each other Motorola 2-way radios and CBs are the 1st thing that springs to mind. A home with an elevated porch, balcony, or 2nd floor balcony would be ideal. Once stairs are removed a person would be safe from maruading zombies. The story "Merry Christmas" in the fiction section gives a pretty good example of a fortified community.

[Eyebiter]

Often the local high school gym will be used as an emergency shelter. Cots are usually set up, along with a field kitchen to feed both refugees and emergency staff. In a zombie situation it's likely this would be a command post for the local law enforcement and townspeople giving them both a location to defend and a place for troops to rest and get a hot meal.

[Debbieangel]

Often the local high school gym will be used as an emergency shelter. Cots are usually set up, along with a field kitchen to feed both refugees and emergency staff. In a zombie situation it's likely this would be a command post for the local law enforcement and townspeople giving them both a location to defend and a place for troops to rest and get a hot meal.

Ok, this one is a hard one, let me lay it out for ya...this community is on a hill up from the town, away from schools, law enforcement, any kind of townhalls, just a community with homes in it.
Now, there is a hard story to develop! But, thats the way I want it...also the main road goes right past the two cemeteries!!!
Now, guys give me some ideas I would really appreciate it!:)

[dannoofthedead]

If you want to make it scary the best advise is to think of what scares you the most about the genre and write to that. If you can be sitting at your pd and have to stop and lookg over your shoulder, you know its good.

[DVW5150]

I just had an idea , why are there 2 cemeteries? Family conflicts! Most small towns dont require more than one, let alone 2. Work with that (maybe) to base some conflict...In the 1800s they had tried to stop burying folks that were not dead, due to coma or whatever, by having a bell in the headstone with a string that ran down inside the casket to the cadavers wrist or ankle. So if someone was mistakenly buried alive, they could pull the string to ring the bell, hopefully the care taker would dig em up...hopefully. It would be creepy to see an old cemetery with some of the bells in the headstones just...
ringing.
Just 2 pennies worth! :skull:Have fun!

[wyvern1096]

How steep is the hill? Can a zombie shamble up from any direction? Or is it so steep that there are only a handful of places they could come up? Are these huge cemetaries or smaller family grave yards? Maybe one larger communal one (I gather there is a decent sized town near-by, even if your community is not attached to it) and a smaller one for the "old-money" families (new ruling class\possible conflict). Is this a tightly packed community? Subdivision or apartment buildings, or is it 50+ single family homes sprinkled over various streets?

How did the community support itself before the end of society? A group of farmers or hard-rock miners are going to be a bit rougher and more practical than a bedroom communtity for a near by city. Another thought on the farmer track: Picture trying to defend fields of grain, corn, beans, or orchards of orange trees from the living dead while still trying to farm them. After all, trips to McDonald's and K-Mart are not real practical anymore.

[Debbieangel]

I am basing my story on reality... I actually live in a small community between two cemeteries...one is above our village on the hill and the other is lower..both cemeteries are quite huge.
This is a very very large hill with alot of acreage and zombies wouldnt have any trouble getting in at us at all sides...the houses are close to each other but not quite on top of each other.
We would be able to go out on second floor and hollar at each other I am thinking wallkie talkies would be good for some people.
This would be a good story to develop wouldnt it?

[Graebel]

Its an interesting idea. My only question is whether the zombies are coming up out of the graves or just spillover from the mortuary slabs? If they're coming up out of the ground, wouldn't your community be overrun? Although I guess if only the freshies are coming up, then it wouldn't be too bad. An industrial spill accident - toxic ooze bringing the dead back to life. Oops, Grindhouse is still on the mind. :D

When I've written about weapons I usually fudge it in the rough draft and do my research afterwards. Let's the writing flow a little bit better.

[Debbieangel]

Its an interesting idea. My only question is whether the zombies are coming up out of the graves or just spillover from the mortuary slabs? If they're coming up out of the ground, wouldn't your community be overrun? Although I guess if only the freshies are coming up, then it wouldn't be too bad. An industrial spill accident - toxic ooze bringing the dead back to life. Oops, Grindhouse is still on the mind. :D

When I've written about weapons I usually fudge it in the rough draft and do my research afterwards. Let's the writing flow a little bit better.

There seems to be a good supply of "freshies" in the one cemetery it is a very large cemetery on a lot of acreage. Like I said, this is why I put the thread up for ideas...keep them coming guys THANKS ALOT!!!!:D

[wyvern1096]

What about just having walkways between houses? Think of the Ewok village in Return of the Jedi.

[Debbieangel]

What about just having walkways between houses? Think of the Ewok village in Return of the Jedi.

Very good idea for a the houses but, most houses are on large lots which are pretty good space away from each other.
Thanks for the idea, a few of the families would be able to band together that way good fortress..good places to run incase of a breach!:)

[wyvern1096]

Unless there is a huge forest near I think walls would be nearly impossible. Too much material required and too much time required to erect it. Unless a hasty partial barricade could be built. This would channel your zombies onto predetermined and well defended strongpoints for easier disposal. Bonfires would work wonders in the early stages of an outbreak as long as they were not allowed to spread.

I would think individual fortified homes would be the rule of the day. Perhaps with sniping perches on the roof. Maybe a couple of home-built armored cars for patrol? These vehicles would be needed for eventual supply runs anyway.

[deadpunk]

Unless there is a huge forest near I think walls would be nearly impossible. Too much material required and too much time required to erect it. Unless a hasty partial barricade could be built. This would channel your zombies onto predetermined and well defended strongpoints for easier disposal. Bonfires would work wonders in the early stages of an outbreak as long as they were not allowed to spread.


You're thinking UP when you should be thinking DOWN. Trenches would be more feasible and realistic of a defense than fences. A few local guys with backhoes could encircle a large area in no time flat. The deadies go in, but can't climb out.

However, Debbie sems to have really set a scene where the local geography is it's own natural defense of sorts. If the hills are steep enough, I'd wonder that a traditional zombie could walk up them? And, certainly, any decent deer hunter could pick them off as they shamble up at a slow rate.

As for weapons, I would stick with hunting rifles and small caliber handguns, if you're going for realism. The average joe couldn't load anything else, let alone handle it with any efficiency.

I think families within the town would look to hole-up together. The local highschool (I think this was mentioned) would likely be the first shelter set up. However...on an interesting note; the town where I live is near a major railroad depot. We actually have an evacuation route that leads to the old Police Station where a fallout shelter resides. (Lots 'o chemicals being transported on them trains, it turns out.) And, alot of communities that were founded by the generation that returned from WWII also have such locations. Check into it. The Cold War built alot of such fallout shelters that aren't really publicized, but do exist. As stated above, I agree that personal fortification would be the order of the day.

After the initial shock of the first night, people are either going to shore up, or run to a 'safe spot'. If your community doesn't have such a spot, folks are going to be inclined to stay put, until someone in authority drags them out and herds them like cattle.

[Debbieangel]

You're thinking UP when you should be thinking DOWN. Trenches would be more feasible and realistic of a defense than fences. A few local guys with backhoes could encircle a large area in no time flat. The deadies go in, but can't climb out.

However, Debbie sems to have really set a scene where the local geography is it's own natural defense of sorts. If the hills are steep enough, I'd wonder that a traditional zombie could walk up them? And, certainly, any decent deer hunter could pick them off as they shamble up at a slow rate.

As for weapons, I would stick with hunting rifles and small caliber handguns, if you're going for realism. The average joe couldn't load anything else, let alone handle it with any efficiency.

I think families within the town would look to hole-up together. The local highschool (I think this was mentioned) would likely be the first shelter set up. However...on an interesting note; the town where I live is near a major railroad depot. We actually have an evacuation route that leads to the old Police Station where a fallout shelter resides. (Lots 'o chemicals being transported on them trains, it turns out.) And, alot of communities that were founded by the generation that returned from WWII also have such locations. Check into it. The Cold War built alot of such fallout shelters that aren't really publicized, but do exist. As stated above, I agree that personal fortification would be the order of the day.

After the initial shock of the first night, people are either going to shore up, or run to a 'safe spot'. If your community doesn't have such a spot, folks are going to be inclined to stay put, until someone in authority drags them out and herds them like cattle.

A lot of hills but, the terran wouldn't be too hard for the zomb's to shamble along...in parts yes..mostly no..in places it would be easy to run from them but also you would fall trying to get away. So, a two edged sword there!
If I could describe the land really good in my story that you could see it..it is going to be a fantastic story!
BTW: My community is a little village within itself..no schools, no stores, nothing just homes! Everyone would have to forge off of each other.
I am telling ya this story hasnt been told yet...I just wish GAR would make a movie here it would be awesome!:D
Just picture a horeshoe then a road at the end of it!

[wyvern1096]

Large logs rolled down the hills would be an interesting deterrent. It would also be a very macabre scene to describe.

[GhostWolf]

Cars, assuming they aren't larger variety trucks, aren't that hard to overturn. In a pinch, and assuming the members of the community were looking to stay long term, they could be used as a barracade. Overturning them between houses, and blocking any outward facing entrances might also give you a central area that people could hold up in. Spare fencing materials could be used to fill gaps. Cement aswell, which could be put in behind the hasty walls for a more permanant solution. It would turn the community into a sort of fortress.

Supply runs would be neccessary from what you've described. Depending on the duration ofcourse. A gate could be arranged while setting this all up. Create hardend areas and post watches. Problem solved... kind of.

[Debbieangel]

The houses are basically on plots of land..lots..not a whole acre but, have yards in between houses, you probably could fit 4 to 6 cars between my house and my neighbor on one side of me...the other possibly more. The care idea would work for some families but not all for barricade. I like the idea tho. Ghostwolf keep em coming :)

[wyvern1096]

Can't believe I didn't think of this before. :o What about barb-wire fencing? The stuff is easy to string (I did some temp work at a ranch about 12 years ago. We got miles of the stuff up in two weeks) and would halt zombies long enough to be disposed of. Wouldn't be much good for huge numbers, but as a stop-gap until better barriers were in place it'd work great. It would also be a nice supplement to other barricades.

[Debbieangel]

Can't believe I didn't think of this before. :o What about barb-wire fencing? The stuff is easy to string (I did some temp work at a ranch about 12 years ago. We got miles of the stuff up in two weeks) and would halt zombies long enough to be disposed of. Wouldn't be much good for huge numbers, but as a stop-gap until better barriers were in place it'd work great. It would also be a nice supplement to other barricades.

Didn't think of barb-wire fencing? good idea!! It would take alot of it to string out but, I can see it being done. Thanks for the idea!;)

[wyvern1096]

To add to the barb wire suggestion: The stuff is pretty easy to electrify. Some stories I've read have the zombies affected by electricity. Don't know if this applies to yours.

Primitive catapults would be fairly simple to make. Molotov cocktails or improvised explosives hurled from something like this would be interesting, and sort of fun to describe.:elol:

Likewise, a ballista (BIG crossbow, used as a seige weapon or shipboard weapon), while more complex, would be workable. And the ammo is free...

[GhostWolf]

To add to the barb wire suggestion: The stuff is pretty easy to electrify. Some stories I've read have the zombies affected by electricity. Don't know if this applies to yours.

Primitive catapults would be fairly simple to make. Molotov cocktails or improvised explosives hurled from something like this would be interesting, and sort of fun to describe.:elol:

Likewise, a ballista (BIG crossbow, used as a seige weapon or shipboard weapon), while more complex, would be workable. And the ammo is free...

while the molotovs might be a good idea. Catapults and Ballista aren't. Yes, ammunition for either would be easy to produce, but they aren't accurate enough take down zombies.

catapults fling large objects. Rocks and the like. so you'd crush some, and turn other's into crawlers instead of uprights. Ballista aren't accurate enough to do anything more than spear a zombie to the ground, if you manage to hit one. Thus producing a stationary target instead of taking care of the threat.

Making either accuratly enough to be even mildly effective would also be a problem. I only know a handfull of people in the local SCA chapter who have managed to do so, and they weren't full size weapons.

Good thoughts though.

[wyvern1096]

I was thinking of the catapults for flinging molotovs and improvised explosives. Accuracy would not be much of an issue.

I knew a couple of guys who made a ballista but have never attempted it myself (don't have that kind of time on my hands...) so I don't know. With flammable ammo they could still be somewhat useful. I was thinking of a machine perhaps 5 or 6 feet long, not a huge trireme mounted one. You have to admit it would be a very interesting and vivid scene to write though.:)

[Graebel]

My husband built a small, but working trebouchet out of nothing but Legos. It threw things fairly accurately across the room.

With real tools and equipment you could build larger models that threw scattershot/home-made napalm. It would give you a better distance advantage than fighting them up close.

[EvilNed]

A hunting crossbow for weapon.

If it's a 5,000+ community, then some houses could be packed close together, with highrising hedges. That could be a spooky scene being chased through those paths.

[Debbieangel]

Sorry I havent posted for awhile, I love all the ideas thank you everyone!
I am not sure how how I will put your ideas in the story but they are good!
I am going for a realistic point of view...my point of view like if it were to really happen here where I live.
It's going to be interesting because I can think of atleast3 or 4 men right off the top of my head that hunt, so I think guns might be a good portion of it, and lol I just now thought of this my next door neighbor has a crossbow!
Keep the ideas coming! ;)

OOh ya, when you are thinking, think there is probably a "lot" size space inbetween each house or some house more space than that. :D

[wyvern1096]

Another thought for defense: Simple snares and rope traps. No, it wouldn't harm the zombie but it would stop it for easy disposal. This would be a simple, effective means of security in areas with trees.

Also, a bell to draw them to certain areas, especially combined with a goat or chicken (or for a grim image, a condemned prisoner) in a sturdy cage. This could draw your zombies away from critical areas for easier disposal. The area around the bell and cage could be cleared with elevated hunting blinds about 200 yards away.

[benjamin03]

I dont want to give anything away I just need some ideas like guns, ammo, like that I am clueless about guns.
Thanks for your help!:)

Concerning guns and ammo you have two choices :

1) You actually give guns realistic names ( and if u really want to be specific ammo too ) but then you have to see that it all is physicly possible and not strange meaning that in the country farms they have mediocre shotguns and hunting rifles but no rocketlaunchers and .50 machine guns ... etc

2) Option 2 is that u just call the guns : rifles, machine guns, pistols, handguns, shotguns, ... and concerning ammo ... well u call it ammo. :)


I say option 2 sounds better, i have read a lot of zombie fics out there and when writers give thir guns realistic names , well sometimes it works out really well such as in the bodyscnatchers story, there it's about millitary men so that's a good reason to be specific about the guns and ammo but then again in Neils story The midas touch , he never gives a gun a name jsut calls it a machine gun or rifle or something and that worked out beautifully because it's simpler and it leaves a lot more for the imaginiation of the reader, and if the reader imagins ( sorry for the spelling ) how the 'rifle' looks himself he will always like the result because HE imagined it !

Hope this helps

[dracenstein]

You could always have your villagers steepen the slopes around their houses to almost vertical, guaranteed that no mindless zombies can climb up that!

But what are the capabilities of your zombies? Can they work out how to drive a car, for example? Can they reason? Can they run and talk?

As for another defence idea, if most people are staying (I presume some are just going to run screaming blue murder/zombies all the way to the next town or main road, if they get that far), why don't they fortify, say, four houses or so, enough space for all of them, then form a barricade out of cars and timber between the houses.

[boblord]

I was thinking of the catapults for flinging molotovs and improvised explosives. Accuracy would not be much of an issue.

I knew a couple of guys who made a ballista but have never attempted it myself (don't have that kind of time on my hands...) so I don't know. With flammable ammo they could still be somewhat useful. I was thinking of a machine perhaps 5 or 6 feet long, not a huge trireme mounted one. You have to admit it would be a very interesting and vivid scene to write though.:)

Fire is not such a good idea. while it will kill zombies, it will take awhile because the fire has to burn through the skin. In the mean time you have a flameing zombie walking around. Also you could start wild fires that way in which case the people would be forced to leave.

Is there a river near by? If not you might want to think about how the people get water/food and such because if you want it to be realistic then if they don't have food/water people are going to starve/get dehydrated.