Hypothetical: Dire situation, running low on supplies

[Thorn]

Hypothetical: Dire situation You are fortified with several other families in a brick and mortar building that served as a pump station. It has been easy for you to fortify and defend from the living dead due to the old world poured and reinforced concrete and iron door, However getting out for supplies has become problematic as more and more zombies appear, and are aware of your presence. You recently lost a man and his son while they were out on a supply run. You are in charge of the food rations and it is your responsibility to inventory and dole them out as you best see fit. You understand they are not going to last much longer even after cutting back on the amounts you are allowing to go out per person each day. You have been thinking about abandoning this structure and moving on trying to find a better supplied shelter or help elsewhere, you are however voted down at every turn. It is not something the majority is willing to consider right now. Do you… A) Hide the true nature of the ration issue to avoid panic? B) Use it as a bargaining tool to try and motivate people to move, and thus exaggerate the nature of the crisis? C) Ensure those fighting and foraging are getting a lions share of the food and water, allowing the sick and lame to make due with bare minimum. D) Look out for yourself and your own family/friends by giving tem larger portions while allowing others to go with much less. E) Load up on as much weapons and rations as you can carry and blow out of there. F) Other, please explain

[SRP76]

Is there a way out onto the roof of this place? And do we have some rope? If the answers to both questions are "yes", then we've solved our food problem. We just go fishing: loop the rope, drop it off the roof, and haul up a zombie. Off with the head, strip the flesh from the bones, and make stew. Feeds 12.

[Bub666]

We just go fishing: loop the rope, drop it off the roof, and haul up a zombie. Off with the head, strip the flesh from the bones, and make stew. Feeds 12. Are zombies even edible?If you eat a zombie,wouldn't you become infected?

[SRP76]

Are zombies even edible?If you eat a zombie,wouldn't you become infected? I imagine cooking kills anything (assuming it's the "virus/bacteria" type cause). And if it's the "radiation" cause that's hinted at in Night, then everything is already irradiated, and eating anything would be lethal. So, you might as well chow down. Of course, you will want to try to pick the freshest ones; it would be like choosing fruit at the supermarket. As long as the meat's still fresh, you're set.

[sandrock74]

I certainly wouldn't eat dead flesh! I'm sure youd become infected no matter how the zombie meat is prepared!

[SRP76]

I certainly wouldn't eat dead flesh! I'm sure youd become infected no matter how the zombie meat is prepared! You eat hamburgers, don't you? That's dead flesh. And zombie might not be too bad, provided you get the fresh ones. Since we (people) are most closesly matched anatomically with the pig, I imagine zombie would taste a lot like pork. And pork isn't bad. Ham, porkchops...

[Bub666]

You eat hamburgers, don't you? That's dead flesh. And zombie might not be too bad, provided you get the fresh ones. Since we (people) are most closesly matched anatomically with the pig, I imagine zombie would taste a lot like pork. And pork isn't bad. Ham, porkchops... Yeah,but hamburger meat and pork aren't infected with something that can turn you into a zombie.

[SRP76]

Yeah,but hamburger meat and pork aren't infected with something that can turn you into a zombie. It might be (not with a zombie virus, but other bacteria and so forth). That's why they tell you to cook it thoroughly. The same rules for cooking chicken and pork would apply to cooking ghoulmeat. The cooking process would sterilize it. The filthy, untreated water you'd be drinking 3 months into the apocalypse would be more harmful than eating properly cooked zombie.

[Bub666]

It might be (not with a zombie virus, but other bacteria and so forth). That's why they tell you to cook it thoroughly. The same rules for cooking chicken and pork would apply to cooking ghoulmeat. The cooking process would sterilize it. The filthy, untreated water you'd be drinking 3 months into the apocalypse would be more harmful than eating properly cooked zombie. Well if you want to eat zombie meat,you go right ahead and eat it.I would rather starve then eat zombie meat and become infected.

[clanglee]

B) Use it as a bargaining tool to try and motivate people to move, and thus exaggerate the nature of the crisis? Get em moving. But only after we had scouted around for another possible place.

[Publius]

B) Use it as a bargaining tool to try and motivate people to move, and thus exaggerate the nature of the crisis? Get em moving. But only after we had scouted around for another possible place. Agree. B, followed by E.

[Bub666]

I think I'd go with E.I would load up on all the weapons and food that I can get my hands on and get the hell out of there,before it was too late.

[Thorn]

I was reading one of the stories submitted in the fiction section and in it the protagonist ate zombie meat. I remember thinking... that is new. I do not think anyone ever proposed such an idea before. I also remember being completely repulsed. Not just because it is a case of someone eating "human flesh" because I think that is something that a lot of people are forced to do to survive in horrible situations. No, but because these are dead people and zombie meat has very little appeal to me. First of all it is meat of people who are dead, in various degrees of freshness. Secondly because it is either infected with a pretty bizarre virus, irradiated with some very bizarre and highly dangerous radiations, and likely loaded with matter of other nasty things. Either way I am not so sure I want to put that in my body. Interesting thought though, and yes for the sake of argument you do have roof access and ropes. This one is a moral dilemma for me. I would not stay and damn my family/friends to death. I would have to argue long and hard to make my case. Then lying which is something I try to avoid in life while not appealing, might be required to make people feel the situation is even more dire to try and get them motivated. In the end if they would not leave I think I would take a faqir share of guns, ammo, and supplies and get the heck out of there. If they gave me problems I am not sure how i would deal with that but I can assure you I would not be a wallflower forced to remain in a situation that was clearly dire when there was hope of a better situation out there.

[CornishCorpse]

Hey Thorn, a new face to me at least. Welcome to the boards! I know its late but better late than never. Anyway Id have to go with E for the reasoning that eventually the group would turn in itself, unless you have a broader strategy of how to survive even if its only load up on supplies and hope there is something better over the next hill things will get nasty. You may want to be honest and do whats best for the group who is to say the better armed wont simply take the rations for their own families and send the expendable members out? Failing that what is to say that they wont simply cannibalise the non neccessary members of the group? It solves the ration problem without having any of the risk of going into the deadland. As proven in night there will always be someone who wants to stay in the same spot and just wait it out, lets say a a few people dont want to leave but some do. Are the hermits going to let the wandrers take their supplies and firearms and just wander off into the distance with it? So conflict. In my opinion the best option would be a 50/50 split of everything between the two groups. In an ideal world it would work but people are very greedy and in a situation where the choices are starvation,murder or being eaten alive. Meh humanity may fail. As for the zombie fishing, its a good idea but not everyone thinks as practically as you SRP. I agree if neccessary you could but how are you going to persuade a mother that feeding infected rotting flesh to her children wont infect them?

[Thorn]

Hi Cornish. I am a returning member from the old forums many moons ago. I left shortly after the war in Iraq started by way of time reference, but you can never escape your fascination with Zombies if you are me so it is always there. I have checked in from time to time and just lurked but recently wanted to read some dead fiction now that I have some free time on my hands and re-applied. At the same time I figured may as well stop in say hi, and chat with some good people about the zombies that are such a part of my psyche. So, anyhow thank you for the warm welcome and I look forward to many chats to come.