You're sitting at home, watching the latest episode of AMC's 'Fear The Walking Dead.' The lights are off, the room is dark, and you're all by your lonesome on a Sunday night, when suddenly, you hear a loud thud slam right into your front door.
It's your next-door neighbor. His eyes have turned grey, he's foaming at the mouth while making weird grunts and noises. He looks like he hasn't eaten in days. You try to talk to him, but he responds with nothing but deep growls.
Then you realize -- it's the beginning of a full-on zombie apocalypse. What do you do?
Here are six tips to help you survive the onset of a zombie apocalypse:
Build your survival pack
You'll want to get the biggest backpack you can find, but not too big that you'll have difficulty lugging it around. Just make sure it's big enough to fit all the essential items you'll need on your nomadic journey of survival.
Make sure to pack your best and most comfortable running shoes, because while it's badass to stay and fight zombies, it's always a much better option to make a run for it. Don't worry about bringing too many clothes, no one's going to worry about fashion in a zombie apocalypse.
Focus on bringing useful things like knives, matches, a first aid kit with medicine, a flashlight and, of course, food. Bring canned goods and stuff that last quite a long time.
Choose your allies
Just like in 'Fear The Walking Dead,' there's just no way you're going to survive all alone in the new world that is to come, so choose your closest friends and family members -- the people you think you'll work the best with -- and gang together.
Some people are assets, while others are liabilities. Your best friend for example, will defend you until death, and you can count on him even if the both of you never speak a word. That kind of loyalty is priceless in a zombie apocalypse and will prove valuable in many situations.
Some people will do more harm than good, like for example, people who panic easily and people who are terribly clumsy.
Discuss rules and survival strategy with your team
Once you've built your survival dream team, discuss rules and survival strategies so everyone is on the same page.
When unforeseen circumstances arise, and they are bound to plentifully, you'll want to have a standard protocol in place for your team. You don't want the guy next to you pulling the trigger when he should be asking questions first, or vice versa.
A clear-cut plan to ensure your survival could spell the difference between life and death.
Pick your homebase
Okay so the most obvious place to build camp is your nearest grocery store, because, who doesn't have a childhood fantasy of getting locked up in a place that's abundant with all the great junk food you could ever want? Right? No.
Everyone will be thinking the same thing. Grocery stores, or malls, or hospitals where there's a lot of medical supplies, will be the first targets and will draw large crowds. The larger the crowd, the harder it is to control and the greater the risk of something going wrong.
Keep your group small and secluded so it's easier to manage.
Restaurants are a great place to hole up. They are small enough to lockdown quite easily, there are sufficient facilities to cook and store food. And you can pretty much camp out in a restaurant, given you have enough food and supplies, literally for months on end.
So hit up your nearest Olive Garden, and let the good times roll.
Stash your weapons
Sooner or later, this new world will force you to make critical decisions against fellow human beings and the undead. Make sure you are well equipped to handle either.
Guns are loud and draw attention, so if you can avoid them, it would be wise. Stick to using military grade knives, or aluminum baseball bats, or crowbars -- things you can whack zombies over the head with. You can even go the Michonne route and get yourself a Samurai sword. If you must have a gun, keep it locked up and safe, and keep the ammunition closeby.
Give everyone in your group a weapon to arm themselves with in case of emergencies. It's kinda hard to fend off zombies with your bare fists.
Make love, not war -- but don't be afraid to fight
Lastly, don't go the way of The Governor and maliciously kill your fellow humans. Have a heart and keep your humanity.
Give people shelter, and bring in as many people as you can who are assets and not liabilities. Value loyalty and teamwork.
But when the going gets rough, don't be afraid to stick a knife in someone's skull, if that someone will most likely get you killed.