Author's Note: Thank you for those that reviewed my last two entries! ^_^ I've decided to release Entry 3 a bit earlier then I had planned originally, just because I felt like it. As the title explains, this entry is about zombies and headcrabs. Enjoy!
Entry 3, Zombies and Headcrabs
I was running down the hall; 9mm pistol in one hand and a med kit in the other. I barely reached the wounded security officer when the above vent gave way crushing the man underneath. From above, in the part of the vent still intact I could barely see the lurking shadow of a headcrab. Cautiously I grabbed a grenade from my belt, pulled the pin and flung it up into the vent shaft. After the explosion I moved a little closer to see if I could scavenge the officer's body for ammo. That's when I realized I had made a deadly mistake. The front of the vent was secure but the back was not. However it was too late. I heard the familiar shrill shriek and then complete darkness as I lost complete control of my nervous system to the parasite…
I awoke in a cold sweat last night; not sure what time since we really don't have clocks. I remember sighing with relief as it was just a bad dream. Being turned into a zombie is probably the worst thing that could ever happen to someone. I remember studying headcrabs back in Black Mesa. We didn't know much about them until during the Black Mesa Incident, but some things were obvious. You see a headcrabs nature is to wait and lurk in dark areas for unsuspecting prey. After finding a suitable host they let out a shrill scream as they jump upon the preys head. They then attach themselves by digging their claws into parts of the head while they use their mouth to tear apart the flesh surrounding the skull. By using parts of its own body to interfere with the host's motor cortex of the brain, the headcrab is then able to control almost all parts of the body. The worst part is that the person/creature zombified actually stays alive while the headcrab eats parts of flesh from either the head or back depending on the crab.
There are three different zombies based on the three different headcrabs; regular, spider, and hissing. A regular headcrab obviously turns a host into ordinary shambling zombie. A spider headcrab turns a host into a spider zombie. Spider zombies are quite interesting. They are extremely agile and can even climb up walls. It's these guys you want to look out for in the field. I remember someone once telling me that the reason they have no flesh is because they tear it off so they can run and jump faster. Lastly there are the hissing headcrabs that turn a host into a bloat load zombie. At least I'm original unlike the other 'egg heads'. Anyway bloat load zombies after being zombified become bloated because of the hissing headcrabs venom. After that, other hissing headcrabs attach themselves to the host's back and eat the flesh off that area to survive. A bloat load zombie can carry about four hissing headcrabs. These are probably the most deadly of the three zombie types, but luckily they aren't encountered much and they are pretty slow as well. There was a rumor I heard that there might be a Combine zombie but I think it's just a mere story told to frighten people.
So here I am once again spending my time patrolling outside Station Twelve. So boring but at least I have you to keep me company. Bah I'm so bored! I wish one of the other Resistance leaders were here so I could have someone intellectual to talk to. I mean don't get me wrong, the Resistance members at Station Twelve are all fine and dandy. Thing is all they seem to want to do is talk about how all hope is lost or about their weapons. There's no one really here to chat with about different teleportation methods or even the habits of a Houndeye alien. It can be very frustrating but sometimes if I'm lucky I get Dr. Vance's daughter to stop by. She's a really cool person to talk to about hacking and different areas around City 17. Well it's almost night time and I'll be off to grab a few hours of sleep soon. Not enough time to talk about Black Mesa but I can scribble down a few notes about Station Twelve.
Station Twelve is a nice place as long as you're ok with the smell of human waste and bugs….lots of bugs. Combine are always patrolling around us, so I often wonder how it is that they are able to miss one of the busiest safe houses in City 17. This is the main reason I must be careful while stationed here. It's a pretty good place all in all though as long as you're attentive and quiet. We have furniture, a radio to contact the other stations and plenty of headcrabs to eat. Headcrabs can be pretty good as long as they are cooked. However you NEVER want to eat the legs; very tough and they taste awful. It's the backside and belly you'll want to carve up. Anyway, most of the people that arrive here don't stay long. Most of them head off through the Underground Railroad to try to get to Black Mesa East.
Black Mesa East is probably the biggest safe house known to all the citizens. Dr. Vance, his daughter, and Dr. Mossman reside there along with a huge number of escapees and Vortigaunts. This is the place I wish so badly I could be transferred to. I hear that the Vortigaunts there make a great headcrab dish unlike the fools here who burn the crabs. They actually conduct teleportation experiments there as well. How I envy them! The trip to get there is quite long on foot and just as dangerous though. It really amazes me when I hear of stories of citizens that went through obstacles of hazardous waste, Combine, and zombies to get to Black Mesa East. Human survival is always a funny thing. For instance you have a group of citizens attempting to escape City 17. One of them dies and therefore the whole group grows stronger because of it. Besides that is one less person with a weapon. Well I've defiantly veered off topic, but at least my shift is up. Hopefully tonight I will have a nice dream, maybe something like meeting up with Gordon again or being transferred to Black Mesa East.
-Val