Humans versus Zombies (HvZ) has begun again. For those of you unfamiliar with the game, allow me to shed some light on the subject. For those of you who know what I'm talking about, you can skip this part.
HvZ is a college game of tag. The teams are identified by orange bandannas (worn on the arm or leg for Humans, worn on the head for Zombies). One person is the Original Zombie, the OZ. The humans do not know who the OZ is until at least 5 kills have been made. When humans are tagged, they join the zombie team. The only way to temporarily stun a zombie is to shoot them with Nerf guns or hit them with socks. Periodically, the moderators will organize missions for the teams. The Humans have a task to accomplish, and the zombies' job is to turn as many humans as possible.
This game is played on college campuses nationwide, but is it really a good idea?
As a "veteran" of the game, I have a different point of view than a spectator which I have now chosen to be for the remainder of this game. the game very quickly goes from being tag to being war. Humans suit up, armed with socks and Nerf guns before leaving the dorms or classes. They are advised not to travel alone as there is safety from the "horde" in numbers. After a very short while, sometimes only hours, walking on campus feels completely unsafe. The head snaps around at the sound of a blowing leaf or snapping twig. Humans are constantly checking behind them or to the side, looking for assailants with bright orange bandannas on their heads. And at night, at night during the missions, when the fighting gets intense, it sounds like something from a war film, especially with the impressive TKE weaponry.
After a few days, adrenaline and being on guard all the time become part of the norm. It becomes impossible to relax, and the humans watch helplessly as one by one, their friends fall to the horde. Last semester, I was the last one of my friends to be turned. I made the Zombie hit list after my epic sock battle with one of my suitemates. The next day, after my rehearsal ended around 9:30, three of them were waiting at my car, I stunned them, tore back to the Park Ave lot, bolted to my dorm, nearly made it up the stairs, and got ambushed. There were at least 10 of them waiting in the door to my suite.
It quickly comes to feel as though the bandanna is a brand, as good as having a bright red target in the center of your chest. You feel as though everyone is watching you. for me, it is a close to actual war as I ever want to get. I only ever used socks for my ammunition; I carried a bag of at least 2 dozen and kept another 7 or 8 in my pocket of my hoodie. Even though my brother gave me a Maverick for Christmas, I could not bring myself to use it. Even though it looks ridiculous (glow-in-the-dark green), it feels too much like a real gun in my hand and that somehow by using it against my friends, I will lose some integral part of me, the part of me that I keep protected at all costs. I feel that by even pretending to kill, I sink to the lowest level of humanity.
I'm against war, I'm against shooting, and I am against bloodshed, and while this game had no blood (as long as you don't fall and hurt yourself), it has elements of the other two. It is too close to war for my taste. Should we be teaching college students these element with their friends? Yes, we are not truly killing our friends, but what if they go off to war for real and after three or four rounds in the chest, their comrades do not wake with a smile?
I chose Tuesday night to "hang up my bandanna," so to speak. Too many memories of sleepless nights, skipped meals, and distrust had flooded me in the few hours I played that day. I now sit on the sidelines, cheering for my friends as they battle against the horde. At present, there are 74 humans and 38 Zombies, and the numbers will change drastically just today, especially with a mission tonight.
So, I wish my friends the best of luck in their fight. I leave today to present a paper at a conference.
Stay human!
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu!
No comments:
Post a Comment