Zombie infection causes tension in student relationship

The zombie plague has proven difficult for some student relationships.

A zombie attack on Tuesday proved problematic for freshman couple Hannah Masko and McKay Mondfrans. 

While walking around campus, Masko and Mondfrans were ambushed by a horde of zombies. Although Masko was able to escape unharmed, Mondfrans was infected during the struggle.

“They initially came after me, but I was out of ammunition,” Masko said. “McKay jumped in front of me and got infected instead. It was supposed to be me.”

According to Masko, Mondfrans began transforming into a zombie right after being bitten.

“I could smell his flesh start to rot almost immediately,” Masko said. “It was really hard to see my boyfriend turn into something almost unrecognizable.”

“There was a lot going through my mind at the time,” Mondfrans said. “I was just hoping that she would somehow still want to be with me.”

After the attack, Masko avoided Mondfrans as much as possible.

“Of course I care for McKay, but once he turned into a zombie, all I could do was avoid him,” Masko said. “I didn’t want to turn into one either.”

Although Masko tried to avoid contamination, she was infected in the Stan Laub Indoor Training Center Wednesday night during a mission to secure a vaccine for the zombie virus.

“There was really no escaping it,” Masko said. “I was surrounded.”

According to Mondfrans, Masko’s infection has improved their relationship.

“Now that we are both zombies it’s great,” Mondfrans said. “We get to be together constantly without worrying about killing or eating each other.”

While Masko and Mondfrans are able to be together without harming each other, their relationship is much different than it was when they were human.

“Every time we hug, little chunks of flesh fall off,” Mondfrans said. “I know it shouldn’t bother me, but it feels really weird.”

“I’ll always be grateful to McKay for saving me, but now that we are both zombies, I’m not sure how we can really care for each other,” Masko said.

According to Masko and Mondfrans, being zombies has put a strain on their relationship, but neither is willing to give up on it.

“If we can just push through until we get the vaccination, I know that we will come out of this stronger than before,” Mondfrans said.

UnDeadline reporters Sarah Winder, Mandi West, Lindsey Snyder, Taylor Condie and Ron Matheson contributed to this report.

Zombies roaming college campus will soon be sedated and treated for parasite.

Scientists believe they might have found a cure to the zombie epidemic.

The cause of Utah State University’s zombie outbreak, which began Tuesday, has been determined. A parasite which inhabits the brains of humans was found in several different individuals serving as hosts.

This parasite, which is the first of its kind and is not yet named, mutated from the 2012 form which infected students on Utah State’s campus for more than four days.

Those who have not been touched by zombies are safe as long as they avoid direct contact. Zombies can be easily identified by their orange headbands and rotting flesh. 

“This parasite effectively enters the bloodstream and it can completely alter the brain synapse and the neurotransmitters,” said Sofia Origanti, a molecular biologist instrumental in determining the cause. “It has found a way to somehow get inside your brain.”

After effectively quarantining Cache Valley on Tuesday evening, scientists were able to tranquilize four zombies by shooting darts which cut off the brain from the circulatory system. This induced coma allowed blood samples to be obtained and organs examined. 

The zombies remained tranquilized through the night for testing. During that time The results showed that these individuals previously thought to be undead are still living.

"You can't just walk around from point A to point B," said Edwin Antony, a biochemist who assisted in the examination of sample corpses. "You need some sort of energy to keep the body going."

The examinations showed that organs are not directly affected by the parasite but by hormones which come from the infected brain. Organs are not harmed, due to the parasitic nature of requiring a healthy host.

Antony said that there is hope that the infected can be treated and return to normalcy.

"Because they can be cured we have to make sure that we sedate them, quarantine them and then slowly work on rehabilitation," Antony said. "But we can kill the parasite. Parasites work differently than humans so you can definitely develop drugs for it really quickly."

Vaccines will be available upon request at the Registrar’s Office on the third floor of the Taggart Student Center starting Friday morning. Two different treatment procedures for the infected are still in development.

UnDeadline reporters Scott Hall, Caroline Peterson, Itzel Leon, Kris Hyde, Madison Maners, Stacey Worster contributed to this report

Human army captures vaccine after suffering casualties

A zombie feasts on a human heart.

In an effort to secure the vaccine for the zombie virus, Gen. Jon Kuhl led his troops into the zombie-infested Stan Laub Training Center Wednesday at 9:30 p.m.

The antidote was secured at 11:15 p.m. and was transported back to Utah State University’s main campus.

 

Kuhl and his troops received word Wednesday afternoon that the zombie horde was protecting what was known to be the last supplies of the antidote to cure the infected. The human leaders plan on reproducing the cure with the facilities still operational on USU’s campus.

 

Under the direction of Kuhl and Gen. Steven “Sparkles” Collins, the human army acquired weaponry to overrun the horde. Forty-five humans organized outside the training center and formulated a plan of attack against the 54 zombies.

 

“Choose who you trust. Choose who you think can help you the best. Do your best,” said Kuhl before the attack. “Don’t die. Kill zombies.”

 

According to Kuhl, 20 humans were infected over the course of the mission. Oftentimes, humans witnessed their fellow soldiers fall victim to the zombie horde.

 

“I’d be willing to kill my friends if they turned” into a zombie, said human soldier Joey Shields regarding the possibility of losing a fellow soldier. Shields never had the chance as he was infected shortly thereafter.

 

The horde chanted and swayed after a human became infected:

 

“One of us! One of us! One of us!” were the words that echoed from the horde.

 

“Unleash hell on the zombies as soon as they go,” said Sparkles to his troops during the attack.

 

Radios crackled among the human army; empty shell casings lay askew on the ground; humans shrieked into the night as they were devoured one by one.

 

Kuhl fell down and injured his stomach during the attack, but continued to provide leadership for his unit.

 

“I’m fine. I’m good to go,” said Kuhl after a close encounter with a blood-thirsty zombie.

Overall, the mission was a success for the human army. After multiple running attacks, the humans retrieved the bags containing the cure.

 

“We got our goal. But we lost 20 humans tonight,” Kuhl said. “I hope it was worth it. The scientists better make more of the vaccine now.”

 

UnDeadline reporters Bradley Bair, Marley McClune, Morgan Jacobsen, Eliza Welsh and Jeff Dahdah contributed to this report.

Editor's note: The mission proved hazardous for UnDeadline reporters who embedded themselves within the human army units. Reporter Marley McClune almost became infected when a group of zombies ambushed her. McClune only survived due to her boots being made of the same material as Nerf bullets, which stunned the attacking horde.  

Experts unsure how long humans can last

The recent zombie outbreak at Utah State University has led to questions about how long humans can last. 

The outbreak started with one infected individual on Tuesday; as of Thursday evening it had spread to at least 19 zombies.

USU professors are seeking answers, but the results of their research look bleak.

“It seems to me that it would grow exponentially at the beginning and in the middle,” said USU calculus professor Nathan Geer. “At some point there won’t be a whole lot of humans left and the rate will start to go down.”

The graph for exponential growth with limits shows a quick increase in the infection rate at the beginning and a decrease in rate after the halfway point. At the point where half of the population at USU is zombies, the spread rate of the infection will be the greatest.

“Even if some humans are more resilient than others, once the population is primarily zombies, the humans will go pretty quick,” Geer said.

Scott Ensign, a USU chemistry professor, has some ideas for people to become more resilient. He suggests humans mask their scent because zombies can track humans by smell.

“Cadaver is a molecule that stinks like one of those nasty decomposing body smells,” Ensign said. “I think that would be a great way to do it. Use cadaver just like perfume. It’s good stuff — stinks really bad.”

Despite the suggested precautions to humans, Ensign still believes the spread of zombies will be fast.

“In a matter of weeks everyone will be a zombie,” Ensign said.

UnDeadline reporters Bradley Bair, Marley McClune, Morgan Jacobsen, Eliza Welsh and Jeff Dahdah contributed to this report.

USU scientists working to find cure to zombie virus

As the recent zombie outbreak continues to spread across Utah State University’s campus this week, local scientists are working hto find a cause to the virus and, eventually, a cure.

Several scientists agreed that the first precautionary measure to take was to cut off all contact with those known to be infected.

Andy Anderson

“Quarantine is the first thing,” said Andy Anderson, a USU biologist. “We have to close the borders, close the roads and isolate ourselves from the virus.”

As soon as it became clear that the virus was spreading very rapidly, a team of epidemiological scientists began investigating the origin of the virus.

“We are always looking for commonalities,” said Reed Geertsen, a USU medical sociologist. “We have to track down who has the virus, find common symptoms, look at the physical traits and try to come up with how this virus began and how it is spreading so rapidly.”

According to Geertsen, there are still a lot of questions that haven’t been answered and the cure won’t be found until the underlying cause is discovered.

Reed Geertsen

“We know that the zombie virus is flesh-eating,” Geertsen said. “What we don’t know is how it began. Was it an airborne virus that the first person caught? Was the first person bit by something previously infected that contracted the foreign virus? We just don’t know yet.”

Geertsen compared the zombie virus epidemic to the Black Death that plagued Europe hundreds of years ago.

“This virus is like the plague because of how rampant it is,” Geertsen said. “We are hoping that it ebbs and flows like the plague so we can have more time to figure out how it began.”

Although the future is still unknown in terms of controlling and eradicating the virus, Geertsen, Anderson and their colleagues are hopeful that medical knowledge will prevail and answers will be forthcoming.

“We are applying our best medical and scientific knowledge to stop the spreading of this virus,” Geertsen said.

The fear of not being able to find a cure and becoming infected still remains while the scientists have been running tests and researching the results.

“The thing that’s scary is you don’t know who’s infected,” Anderson said. “Someone who looks normal could have a small bite somewhere and transform into a zombie within a matter of seconds.”

Aside from the medical and scientific aspect of searching for a cure, scientists are also worried about the emotional impact the virus continues to have on human relationships.

“Without scientific knowledge, we are hopeless,” Geertsen said. “When we are hopeless, mass hysteria ensues. When mass hysteria ensues, human relationships are destroyed.”

UnDeadline reporters Amanda Ahlman, Mitch Watkins, Robyn Van Valkenburg, Sara Bailey and Cassidy Stephens contributed to this report.

Humans retrieve supplies for antidote

As Wednesday fell, so too did the number of remaining humans at Utah State University.

The Stan Laub Indoor Training Center reeked with the smell of rotting zombie flesh on Wednesday night as some of the remaining humans at Utah State University fought and scrambled to gather supplies for an antidote.

“It’s intense and it’s scary,” said Lindsey Kossin, a human survivor. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

Teams of humans ran out from a zombie-proof base to go after the antidote materials. Some humans were designated to grab the supplies and each had armed comrades to protect them.

Once they grabbed the bag of supplies, the humans sprinted back to their base as the horde of zombies followed behind them.

According to Tanner Kattenhorn, a human who returned antidote supplies back to the base, the zombies were ferocious.

“OMG. That’s how it felt,” Kattenhorn said after returning the bag. “All I know is that I grabbed the box and ran for my life.

Although he fought hard, Kattenhorn was not fast enough to escape the zombies on a later run for supplies.

Kat Combs believes her fellow humans could have performed better.

“We did terrible,” Combs said. “We were doing good until zombies came out of nowhere and killed a large portion of us.”

Despite Combs’ disappointment, Gen. Jon Kuhl confirmed that the humans accomplished their objective.

“We got the supplies for the antidote but it is up to the scientists to create it,” Kuhl said. “We lost just under 50 percent of the humans tonight and the zombies outnumbered us from the get-go. I feel there were acceptable losses for what we had to do tonight.”

UnDeadline reporters Sarah Winder, Mandi West, Lindsey Snyder, Taylor Condie and Ron Matheson contributed to this report.

Biologists identify cause, hope to share cure, for zombie infection

Some researchers believe there may be a cure for the zombie plague. 

Biologists have confirmed a virus known as K3WW is the cause of the zombie infection that has spread across the Utah State University campus this week. 

“The virus at first has the same symptoms as the common cold and makes its host feel tired and run down,” said Kellie Erickson, USU College of Science senator and biology major. “If it goes untreated, within days, the virus takes over the body and the host becomes zombified.”

The zombie virus has spread quickly among the student population at USU and the number of infections has surpassed more than 100 victims.

“The attack was imminent,” said Daniel J. Young, a professor in the Department of Political Science who specializes comparative politics, development issues in Africa, and zombie attacks. “We have been holding it off for as long as we can with medicine, however, there are too many students getting infected.”

K3WW is a communicable virus that is passed via direct touch. Doctors have been able to design a vaccine which attacks the antibodies of the zombie virus and suffocates them. 

“It is imperative to put an end to this disease to send any person with symptoms to the nearest hospital to get the vaccine,” Erickson said.

“I’ve already treated 20 zombies,” Young said. “It is a quick recovery once they get the vaccine."

But, he said, distribution has been a challenge. 

"Unless we can find a more effective way to get the vaccine out, many of the zombies will die,” he said. 

Young urged students to get vaccinated at the Student Health and Wellness Center, located at 850 E. 1200 North in Logan.

UnDeadline reporters Mina Sayer, Bennett Purser, Branson Smith, Elisabeth Gee, and Will Christensen contributed to this report.

USU scientists search for a cure, but some disagree on cause of zombie plague

Zombies have been found all over Utah
State's campus over the past week.

In order to avert the apocalypse and save humanity, scientists at Utah State University began working on a cure for the spreading zombie virus on Wednesday.

“No one really knows where the virus cropped up, but all of a sudden it was in a few places all around the world,” said Lauren Lucas, a researcher in the Department of Biology at Utah State who is one of many scientists attempting to solve the mysteries of the virus. “For one to get the virus, it has to directly get into the bloodstream.”

Upon reaching the brain from the bloodstream, the virus proceeds to shut down all regions of the brain, save for the amygdala, the section responsible for human rage.

“That’s why zombies are so angry,” Lucas said. “Rage is the only thing on their minds because the amygdala is one of the only things that are active.”

The zombie virus also severs the neural connection between the brain and the stomach.

“This makes it so zombies can never tell when they are full,” Lucas said. “That’s why they never stop eating and eating.”

“We cannot underestimate the power of the plague and how quickly it can spread,” said Tori Winslow, president of the League of Supernatural Nations. “All of your friends that you know today could very well be zombies tomorrow. You just have to be careful.”

Scientists are currently working on a vaccine but it is a slow process. 

“It takes a long time,” Lucas said. “We still haven’t gotten vaccines for major viruses like AIDS, but now no one is even worrying about AIDS anymore, we are just worrying about the zombie virus. It’s risky business, but we are doing it for humanity.”

Lucas recommended that members of the public could help search for the cure. Meanwhile, she said, survivors should consider finding hiding places that can sustain life for a long period of time.

Not all scientists agree on the cause for the gruesome zombie-like state of the humans.

“Here is what is really happening: Students are combining the sacred Datura plant extracts with newt toxins most likely stolen from the Brodie Lab in the biology department,” said Richard Mueller, the associate dean of the College of Science at USU.

According to Mueller, the Datura plant is grown throughout Utah as a garden ornamental and would not be difficult for people to obtain.

“These are toxins being studied in the biology department as research on an evolutionary arms race between toxic salamanders and garter snakes that prey on them and a sample was probably taken by a student — now zombie — worker,” Mueller said. 

“Over time the garter snakes have become more and more resistant to the toxins unlike our unfortunate former human friends who have become zombified by ingesting this toxic brew,” Mueller said. “The effects will wear off in a few days. I advise staying inside until the danger has passed.”

Casey Cresswell, a human at USU, said he doesn’t believe that the zombies need to be cured at all. 

“Zombies are the cure, because they are a higher form of life. They don’t care anymore about things that we care about,” Cresswell said. “They don’t have any family or friend problems. They don’t have to date anybody. They don’t have to worry about school. All they have to worry about is eating, and that’s why they are the cure.”

UnDeadline reporters Dominic Bohne, Sierra Copeland, Jamie Keyes, Jaimie Son and Katie Larsen contributed to this report. 

Zombie students face discrimination

Craig Nielsen feels as though humans just don't understand him and his fellow zombies. 

With blood-shot eyes, dry blood caked on his lips and a newfound musk of rotten mold, Utah State University student Craig Nielsen said since he transformed into a zombie on Tuesday, his new features have turned many of his human friends away. 

Nielsen is one of many zombies who have claimed humans are insensitive and prejudiced against the undead.

“As a human I could rely on people,” Nielsen said. “Now as a zombie I can only rely on myself and my horde.”

“The humans no longer care about me,” he said. “In fact, they’re frightened of me, even when I’m just saying ‘hi.’”

Nielsen said since he became a zombie, he has lost 200 human friends. 

“I feel like I can’t be their friend anymore,” he said.

Although humans might be afraid he is going to eat their brains, Neilsen noted that being consumed by other organisms is just a natural part of life.

“All living and partially living things must eat,” he said.

Nielsen said part of the problem is fueled by selfishness of humans.

“I no longer feel that we can get along,” he said. “From my own personal experience, there’s nothing but the horde.”

  

Hannah Masco, another student zombie, has felt an increased level of discrimination from her human friends since her transformation.

“They’re not as friendly anymore,” Masco said. “They keep their distance.”

One example comes from her former teammate. The two of them worked together during a Tuesday night mission when Masco was attacked by a zombie. The teammate now completely ignores her.

“He is hiding information from me,” Masco said.

Despite feeling excluded from the humans, she said she felt welcome in the horde.

“Right away everyone feels welcome into the horde,” she said. “We even have a huge group hug that we do to make everyone feel included.”

Alec Player, an intern in the Access and Diversity Center at USU, said the university is working on ways to help zombies feel more accepted.

“There’s definitely a zombie club,” Player said. “And we have a zombie week to concentrate on the good zombies that have come before.”

Player said USU’s Counseling and Psychological Services has a counselor-mediated support group for zombies. He said this gives them a chance to talk, and it also helps to have a different perspective.

“If we have the chance to help, we should help because we are no better than they are,” said Samantha Paterson, a student at USU. “If we can’t help them, we should put them out of their misery.”

Nielsen said the only way to solve this problem is for humans to join the horde. After they join, he said, they will see the error of their ways.

“We know our way is superior,” he said.

UnDeadline reporters Stewart Ulrich, Christopher Campbell, Hannah Hendricks, Emily Lindley and Alora Clark contributed to this report. 

Squad leader succumbs to zombie virus, faces mortal regret

Some zombies feel sorry for the humans they are forced to consume.

As the zombie horde continues its onslaught through the campus of Utah State University, more humans are beginning to experience the emotional and physical consequences of undeath.

And some, like Commander Jacob Tibbitts, are feeling remorse over their newfound lifestyles.

                  

Tibbitts began Tuesday night’s mission as a human – a leader in the fight for survival among Utah State's mortal beings. By Wednesday he was walking among the dead as a newly infected zombie, dazed and stricken with a virus that has claimed scores of students this week. 

He is no longer risking his life for the members of The Resistance; now he seeks their lives to satiate his hunger for human flesh. 

The once-trusted leader has become the enemy.

In search of humans on Wednesday, Tibbitts stumbled across the Quad with others of his kind, all wearing the zombie army's orange bandanas fastened around their bloodied heads. Humans ran for cover as the rotting, walking corpses approached. 

Tibbitts was betrayed by a former friend, Dylan Jones, during a mission Tuesday evening. Jones had gone undercover as a human within the The Resistance.

“I was with a person who I thought was a member of my squad,” Tibbitts said. “He bit me and I turned.”

Tibbitts said that as he contracted the virus, there was an initial shock followed by a pain. With regret he moved his bandana from his arm to his forehead, while the other zombies laughed at him for being caught in Jones’ trap.

Jones displayed no remorse for the attack.  

“I was disguised as a human, but underneath, I was really a zombie,” he said.

Jones’ true identity was revealed during the night’s mission when his hunger could no longer be controlled.

After the transformation from human to zombie, Tibbitts said he still longed to connect and commune with his human kin, but is overcome with his appetite for flesh and brains.

“I’ve been feeling remorse, because I want to help my old squad,” Tibbitts said, “but now I feel so hungry.”

Tibbits has been hunting since 8 a.m. If he does not consume a human brain within 48 hours of his own change, he will die.

UnDeadline reporters Mitch Watkins, Robyn Van Valkenburg, Sara Bailey, Cassidy Stephens and Amanda Ahlman contributed to this report.