Project 1On October 21st, 2012 I had an all day photo shoot. I had 16 zombie models, 2 victim models, and one created torso to work with. I did the makeup, special effects and, prosthetic work on all models and the torso, which we named Billy Ray. I then staged the models and proceeded to take over 300 shots in various styles. I used films, filters and adjusted the levels in each photo to achieve the desired look for my project. I wrote the story to go along with my photos and placed my “artist name” Siobhan Keith on the images, as they are also on my business page. All work is my own and original.

DAWN OF THE ZOMBIES

by

Jennifer Smith

Bettye had just left her shift bartending at the local nightclub. She was really wishing she had remembered her tennis shoes because her boots were already killing her feet. “The walk home is going to be painful”, she thought. Little did she know, just across the park was a surprise waiting for her. Something that would prove much more bothersome than a pair of uncomfortable shoes. She walked up the small hillside that led to the open public park and started across the field. She heard something rustle in the hedges that bordered the hill. When she turned to look she saw a young girl in her nightclothes. It was Brianna, one of the neighborhood children. Bettye started toward her and said, “Are you okay? You should be at home getting ready for school.” Just as quickly as the words left her mouth she realized something was not right about the child. Brianna started to growl.

Brianna jumped to her feet, crouched like an angry dog. She was gnashing her teeth at Bettye and had blood all over her dress. It looked as if she had been eating raw meat. Bettye wondered what could be wrong and what she should do. The child lunged at her and began biting at the air. She did the only logical thing and ran. She ran through the picnic area glancing back to see what Brianna was doing. When she turned back around she nearly fell down while trying to stop. She nearly ran into the two people sitting in one of the swings.

She recognized the couple, Lisa and Brian. They were Brianna’s parents and, they were dead. They had wounds on their face and chest. It looked like someone had eaten them. Things were starting to come together in the back of Bettye’s mind. “Was it a virus?”, “Didn’t Zombies only happen in movies?” She kept running.

She could already see someone wiggling around in the center of the soccer field. But she had to go past them. The closer she got the more scared she was but she kept walking. When she was nearly to the person on the ground they heard her and slowly started to turn over, crawling toward her. It was Jacob Watson. She knew this kid. He delivered her paper. He had a huge hole in the side of his head and most of the flesh on his arms was gone. He was still clutching to his soccer ball, almost as if he remembered how much he loved the game. He would never play again. It was sad and traumatic but she had to keep moving.

Bettye knew that she had to get to the hospital. Her girlfriend Nicole was there. She was about to have their first baby and had been having a rough few days so they admitted her the night before. When made it through the park she knew it was a few more blocks to the hospital and there could be anything around the next corner. In the opposite direction, 3 blocks away, was their home, and their shotgun. She would need to be able to protect Nicole and herself so she ran. Her muscles ached but she kept pushing, running as fast as she could. She didn’t see any sign of life on the streets or un-life. Whatever those things were, she didn’t see any for the moment. She went straight in the front door, to the living room and straight to the gun cabinet. She stuffed shells anywhere she could fit them and ran back out the door shotgun in hand. She took a deep breath and ran straight for the hospital. Every time her feet hit the pavement she just hoped to find Nicole safe and alive, really alive. The hospital looked like a ghost town. Nicole however was in her room, asleep, safe and none the wiser to the situation outside. Bettye caught her up to speed, told her she loved her and they headed out of the hospital. Now, to make it back home.

There was an open field that ran from the back of the hospital property and ended about ½ block from the back of their house. Bettye thought that might be safer than cutting by the park which was obviously infested with these things. So they began walking across the field, slowly, because Nicole was full term and having contractions. The hospital wasn’t safe though and they had to try. About halfway across the field Nicole stopped. She heard a low growl. Bettye heard it too and knew what was happening. They turned to see another child crawling toward them on the ground.

Behind her were three adult zombies, ambling toward them as well. Bettye didn’t want to use the shotgun unless she had to. She thought it might draw too much attention. The zombies were slow so they decided to keep a steady pace, stay alert and keep moving.

Every time they looked behind them it seemed there were more zombies. She was starting to panic. Nicole couldn’t fight. Nicole could barely stand up the contractions had gotten so bad. She had one gun and a handful of shells. She pulled Nicole along. Trying to be understanding of her pain and keep them alive at the same time.

A contraction hit Nicole and she doubled in pain, stumbling to the ground. Even though the zombies were moving slowly it still felt like they were closing in on them. She took Nicole’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “Just a little further baby”, she said hoping to comfort her. Nicole was struggling to stand by now.

She pushed herself up and started moving again. This couldn’t be happening. The zombies were closer, as were the contractions, and then her water broke! She had very little time before her baby would be here. She could feel it moving and stretching in the womb. It was so painful and if she stopped she could be eaten alive. How could any of this be real? Where would she have her baby?

Just in the knick of time they came upon a fenced in area that looked like an abandoned lot. There was nothing but a high fence and a few trees but it would have to do. They ran inside, to the far side of the lot and Nicole lay on the ground by a huge pine tree. Bettye was looking around to make sure none of the zombies could get inside. Nicole was about to have the baby, right now. She had to protect her. Nicole let out a huge scream. Bettye turned to reach for her hand and gasped. The baby had busted through Nicole’s stomach. It wasn’t ok. It was infected like the other children and it was coming out.

The baby was ripping Nicole apart. Bettye had no idea what to do. The baby didn’t look ok but Nicole wasn’t sick. Or was she? Bettye tried to hold her hand but Nicole was screaming, ripping at the ground and bleeding so much.

It was pushing through her abdomen. Bettye had never seen or heard anyone scream like Nicole was but there was nothing she could do. She sat helplessly and cried.

Nicole let out one last scream and Bettye could see by the expression that she couldn’t take the pain anymore. She threw her head back and then she stopped moving. The baby was still growling and trying to wriggle it’s way out. She stood up and walked away. Things were different now. What else could she do? Nothing. Everyone was going to die. She was tired of running. These things were everywhere and eventually they were going to get her. She lay down on the ground next to Nicole and waited. When she heard them crawling and staggering toward her she just held Nicole’s hand and closed her eyes.

The zombies ripped their way through the entire town. The place was deserted but if the occasional living person did pass through then they would have seen zombies filling the streets.

The sun began to set and the zombies still roamed the streets. Shambling across parking lots. They roamed in and out of people’s yards. They were everywhere just waiting for their next meal to pass by.

The End

I want to thank my parents for letting the “horde” and myself take over their property for the day. Thanks to my mom for helping with the torso work and random errands throughout the day. Thank you to all the models and to everyone there for being patient and helping to pull this off. I couldn’t have done it without you all. <3