Waking up tired from staying up a bit too late on Friday night, I felt like I was already getting into character for the zombie walk. Though I had intended to plan a costume days earlier, I looked through my drawers, found some clothes I had been meaning to mend, and decided that they would become part of my zombie costume.
I remembered I had a pair of black tights and a t-shirt that I had been intending to get rid off, but instead made into my outfit for the zombie walk. Since the clothes were a little plain, I smeared on some skin and blood makeup from the dollar store, sprayed on a little too much hairspray, and applied excessive amounts of dark eye makeup.I added some old running shoes, a headband, and a stopwatch so I could build my character: a zombie jogger!
Finally, within an hour and with under ten dollars spent on a costume, I had gone from half asleep morning zombie to a blood covered, flesh-eating zombie.
On my way to the metro to meet up with friends, I got a few weird looks, but was also greeted by some little kids waving at me, and chanting, “Zombie! Zombie!” The looks and interest in my new zombie look continued until we reached the thousands of other zombies hanging around Place des Festivals. Here, my friends and I found our kin. Until the walk started, we spent our time checking out all of the other costumes, and trying to figure out where and when the walk would start. Though it was supposed to start at 3:00, everyone started slowly trudging down de Maisonneuve around 3:30.
As more and more zombies poured into the streets, we were all slowed down by the hundreds of cameras. It took a while before the flashes slowed, but soon the hoards of zombies spilled out onto the street to walk at a more leisurely pace. This was when the real fun started. Instead of posing for pictures, groups of zombies began to moan, climb scaffolding, and bang on the windows of buildings, bus booths, and phone booths. Unknowing citizens both on the streets and in buildings, could surely hear the cries of the undead from blocks away, while others looked down from their hotel rooms to see thousands of zombies reaching up towards them with bloody hands.
Even as a zombie myself, some of my undead associates were really giving me the creeps. More than a few times, I would look to my side to see someone with rotting flesh and blood staring at me as they lurched forward. Just like reading books about zombies or watching movies, the scariest thing about a hoard of zombies is their sheer numbers, and the resemblance zombies maintain to their once living selves. Throughout the walk, I saw zombie nurses, doctors, postal workers, business executives, and families. In contrast to other figures of horror, the zombie really could be anyone, including someone you once knew or loved.
