Beau of The Fifth Column

And today is how to take the car, go to mom's, kill Phil, sorry, grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over.

I want you to picture your favorite zombie franchise.

The theme is always the same.

Craziness in the streets, supplies are low, government is inefficient at best, or non-existent at worst.

Generally, if you follow the franchise long enough, you find out that the whole thing was put into motion so a rich company or wealthy group of people could profit somehow.

What else?

For the most part, the stories also follow a protagonist that has a mission of some kind.

They have to get the cure somewhere, or they have to fight the corporation.

That's just good storytelling.

It wouldn't be much fun following a bunch of people just trying to get through the chaos, right?

You have to have plot points, or it's boring.

But for most people, trying to find a teachable moment, that's the most important part.

If you're one of those out in the thick of things, you know what to do, your mission, whatever that mission is.

But what about the people, the lead characters, always stumble along on the way?

Those just trying to make it through.

They hold up somewhere, right?

They get food, water, fire, shelter, a first aid kit to include their meds, and a knife.

Or maybe a spiky bat.

Sounds familiar, right?

The same steps needed to help protect yourself while trying to ride out the effects of a natural disaster or civil disturbance.