Short Stories

Since the outbreak of ZP-98 in August of 1998 the number of cadaver animatum had risen to over 180 million members at its peak. However today in 2027 the majority have died off while the remaining captive instances numbering 4,500 are in government custody and a further 2,000 are in private collections. A unknown number of wild instances inhabit several destroyed island nations and although the UN IIE (islands in exile) committee requested a peacekeeping operation be deployed to reclaim their lands this request has been denied by the security council until at least 2035.

A cadaver animatum Is the result of a human which has been infected with ZP-98 and was not dispatched by medical staff or others within 35 minutes of brain death. Defined by W.H.O ZP-98 is a complex prion believed to have mutated from BSE(Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) sometime in late 1997 or early 1998. While rumored cases go back as far as 1990 the first confirmed case was in 1998 by Dr. Perry Pasteur. The name of patient zero remains unknown due to HIPAA. The only known facts are the patient was between 25 and 30 years old at time of infection, a male, and is still believed to be held by the WHO in cryogenic storage.

The incubation time of ZP-98 is 3 days from time of infection to time of death. Vectors of infection include. Blood transfusions, Organ transplants, and Occlusion bites. Symptoms Include chills, fever, sore throat, vision problems, visual and auditory hallucinations, total organ failure and in 100% of untreated cases death.

After death in any case where the brain is not destroyed or the spinal cord severed the infected person will reanimate and become a cadaver animatum in 35 minutes at the minimum or 8 hours at the maximum.

WHO recommends all medical personal, funeral workers, and care home workers are certified in methods to control and dispatch cadaver animatums as they are highest at risk for infection.

ZP-98 still claims over 10,000 lives a year and almost 200 medical personal a year. A majority of deaths are blamed on those who either hide a known infection or families of infected who do not wish their loved one to be dispatched. A worrying report from the W.H.O CA institute shows over 18% of the population still believe cadaver animatums retain some humanity. While a smaller 2.5% believe that cadaver animatums retain all humanity and shouldn’t be terminated. The WHO retains its 2000 study showing a majority of human thoughts and memories are lost at time of reanimation and remaining thoughts and memories are lost within 3 months of infection.

While some survivors of the initial outbreak claim amputation of bitten limbs would result in the infection not spreading and therefore saving the infection person. A 2003 study shows no evidence for this claim and WHO retains the only effective treatment is the Plymouth protocol which calls for a medically induced coma and various medications designed to slow infection.