Zombies are generally understood as the dead come to life. They do not fly or suddenly attain supernatural powers like telepathy nor do they grant wishes. They get around in the dark and manage sniff out the closest living human in the vicinity. Zombies are more than just their rotting bodies and mindless demeanor; they may come in other forms you haven't considered. Know thy zombie in order to hone your defense.

The Voodoo Zombie is the original understanding of the term “zombie.” This is an induced, trance-like state where the victim is controlled by a bokor or voodoo witch doctor.  This brainless state is achieved by introducing a Haitian powder mixture consisting of puffer fish poison (tetrodotoxin) along with chants and most possibly death of a goat. The obvious way to avoid this type of zombie is to simply avoid swampy areas with warning signs accompanied with human skulls. Also try always be nice to everyone, they just might be crazy enough to practice witchcraft and you don’t want to be on that person's black list.  

The Philosophical Zombie, however, is more a state of mind rather than the actual living dead. This term refers to those who live life in a jaded and static manner. If practiced correctly and moderately, this lifestyle exemplifies that “ignorance is bliss." You don’t need to worry about getting bitten with this zombie. The only problem with them is that, if a practitioner is completely absent-minded and working on heavy machinery, there is a percentage of death around their vicinity. 

The Modern Zombie is the Hollywood version and the most acknowledged type of cannibal corpse. Usually, this zombie is introduced either by a virus or some inexplicable outbreak. It is fact that if bitten, scratched, or if you incur any open-wound contact with this zombie that you will become one yourself. If you truly care, find nicest means to decapitate the infected and avoid the inevitable.  This zombie comes in two variations: slow and fast. 

The slow zombie is the old-school zombie who moves in a snail like pace and wanders aimlessly slurping brains. The only time they pose any threat is when they come in swarms and are too many to kill and fend off if you're a small group. If you manage to be bitten by one of these zombies, you deserve it, because these guys are not a threat! Just avoid them and walk the opposite way. For as long as you manage to avoid them, they will be able to be contained in a span of a week. High ground or gated areas with a lot of food supply are the most recommended locations for hiding. It doesn’t take a genius to annihilate them so even the most amateur army can kill them off. 

If you are in ground zero, just breathe, relax, and head towards a zombie-clear zone. Pick up the closest item for defense and layer on your clothes if you can. The extra layers should give extra bite insurance. But don't turn back and dive into a swarm of slow zombies thinking that, since you layered up, you've instantly turned untouchable. Always keep in mind that if you are stuck in a museum, head for the medieval era and suit up with armor. This will make you bite-proof—but take in consideration that you'll have a hard time walking around. 

The fast zombie is the improved version of the living dead and usually the product of an experiment gone wrong. They come running and rabid and really unpleasant. Same rules apply about getting bitten or scratched but, realistically speaking, not many civilians will be able to survive this attack. If these things managed to escape the lab they were being created in, how much fighting chance do you think you have? I mean, obviouisly they got through well-armed security (a project like this is probably heavy on the funding). The spread of infection of this type of outbreak will multiply at an alarming rate once it escapes. Accept your fate. It is the only recommended time that you “run with scissors” for temporary insurance but either way you’re screwed. In the event that you're bitten (and only triathletes and the main characters in movies have any chance at escaping this fate) the best thing to do for the human race—and your own dignity—is to find some way to kill yourself before you turn into one of the walking—in this case running—dead. Happy Halloween, folks. 

Dead Zombie Society

 
1. Quarantine is the American version of the zombie movie Rec. It follows a news reporter and her cameraman who end up being locked in an apartment building by the health-control department. Along with them are two firemen and the building's tenants. The story unfolds as an unnamable sickness spreads inside the complex, killing the infected and turning them into rabid undead.
 

2. Dead Set is a five-episode TV series about Big Brother contestants  discovering that the world around them has become infected. Created by English writer Charlie Brooker, the story focuses on the desperation of the characters for survival as chaos unfolds around them.
 

3. Walking Dead is a monthly comic created by Robert Kirkman. It follows a group of people currently surviving a world facing the zombie apocalypse. It is currently bound into four hard bound volumes.

4. World War Z chronicles various individuals of different nationalities and their tales of survival after a world wide zombie epidemic. This book was written in a documentary manner by Max Brooks, son of the legendary actor and director Mel Brooks.

5. The Zen of Zombie: Better Living Through the Undead is a book created by Scott Kenemore. Its literature focuses on the peaceful living of the undead and encourages the uninfected to practice the state of mind as a philosophical zombie.