Nerf guns cock, sweat glistens on their faces, their feet shuffle, crunching the grass beneath into pieces as the group splits into two — the humans and the zombies start strategizing their moves for their last mission of the campaign.
Karina Ann Yeger, Atlantic University student and the Human Leader with a shock of blue hair gives instructions. “Today we need to stick together in tight groups. Do not leave the positions you’ve been assigned. We will not get stuck. Do not get into tight corridors, do not go behind bushes, do not go anywhere we can get stuck. After we get the two objects we need, the ammo and the flare gun, we go over the Shack quad. Is that understood?”
People nod their heads and grip their guns a little tighter.
On the other side of the door, the Zombies are forming their own strategies. They are bent on infecting all the humans and ending the campaign with a win.
Finally, the leader of the Zombies, Andrew Goble, psychology senior from Jay, FL, booms, “3, 2, 1…GO!”
The humans dart ahead while the zombies wait for 10 seconds to begin their hunt.
It had all started with one zombie: The OZ or “Original Zombie.” Now, there was a group of about 12 zombies running together. The pack mentality was something to experience. As one of the humans, for me, it was about blood thudding behind your ears, the paranoia of being chased and the instinct to defend yourself.
Occasional shouts, shots of the nerf gun and the stunned zombies walking around disturb the quiet campus.
The humans move through the campus buildings in a tight group and run past the trees towards the Sorrell Chapel where the ammunition lies. Their numbers are dwindling though. The zombies surround them completely. One by one, everyone turns.
The last human, Marty Lasseter, freshman anthropology major from Union Springs, aka Redneck, is pinned to the corner of the chapel. A gun is fired, but the zombie dodges the shot. Everywhere I look, bandannas are now tied around the forehead — the mark of the zombie.
The group is hooting and cheering. Goble turns to everyone and says, “Everybody remember the lessons you learned during this week, come back during the spring and be that much more awesome.”
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