Necrocide

Chapter 8

"As if clowns weren't scary enough already," Aaron said, finishing the paragraph on Stabby the Clown. He took another sip of his hot chocolate and placed the mug back on the table.

He turned the page, moving on to Entry #6. The one he was both looking for and not looking forward to.

The Zombification Process.

"Let's get this over with," Aaron groaned.

His eyes darted across the page past the author's darkly witty introduction paragraphs until he found the list of signs. An entire routine to how he would die. How'd he feel before he died. How he'll act before he dies. What he'll be hungry for as he dies.

The process of turning is surprisingly painless, or at least physically. Once bitten, be on the look out for any or all of these signs:

Moderate Signs:
• Paling skin
• Fast-healing injuries
• Inability to feel pain
• Fatigue
• Aggressive behavior
• Thoughts of cannibalism

Severe Signs:
• Violent outbursts
• Increased (and/or complete) loss of speech
• Colorless eyes
• Increase in strength
• Acts of cannibalism

Well, I'm screwed, Aaron thought with discouragement.

Despite the new healing factor that comes with the turning process, bite marks never heal, instead remaining on the body even after full revival as a Deadman. Scientists theorize that this is similar to the creation of a scar, especially from an infection or a burn. The penetrative force of the bite combined with the hazardous, flesh-eating cells of the Deadman infection leave behind a permanent mark on skin like a branding.

The process of turning can vary depending on where the bite is located. If the victim was bitten near vital arteries or organs, zombification can be completed in ten to twelve hours. Anywhere else can range from one to three days. However, there have been several instances of infections caused by Deadman blood entering open wounds.

I can relate, Aaron thought to himself.

In those instances, the infected blood's healing qualities can activate and heal whatever wound they enter. This can erase evidence of exposure, but it can still be confirmed through the victim's inability to feel pain. Depending on how much blood enters the body, the turning process can take longer. Three milliliters of Deadman blood injected from a medical syringe results in complete zombification within a week, but the longest recorded time was ten days. When the body was found, studies revealed less than a milliliter of infected blood entered a small cut on the man's hand that disappeared as soon as his blood was contaminated.

However, there is a way to speed up the turning process, not that anyone would want to do that. Despite the destruction of the pain receptors, it is still not healthy for an infected person to harm themselves. Not only will consistent harm damage the victim's mental health, rapid blood loss will make the infection spread faster due to the healing factor combined with the contaminated blood cells producing through the body. Once blood loss has surpassed Class IV Hemorrhage, the victim dies, allowing the infection to completely replace the bloodstream with contaminated cells.

After the contaminated blood cells reach the brain, the corpse will revive as a Deadman. Depending on what happened to him before his death determines whether he revives as a Commoner or an Abnormal.

Aaron quickly shut the book. He had all the information he needed for his last few days. Plus, he had a small notebook and a pencil in his back pocket for notes.