After Keith’s untimely loss, one of our survivors, Judy Myers, had a wonderful suggestion. Everyone took a sheet of paper and wrote out their final request pending “contamination.” Their request was then sealed in an envelope with their names on it with the expressed intent that they only be opened in the event of being bitten by a zombie.
If this happens to you, there are four possible outcomes:
1. A person of your choosing can walk up, with you see it coming, and shoot you in the head.
2. A person of your choosing can walk up, without you seeing it coming, and shoot you in the head.
3. You can wait to turn as a result of the virus and then be shot in the head.
4. We can give you a pistol and you can handle the situation yourself.
Now, no one had to reveal their choice. And truth be told, there is no right or wrong answer.
Is it suicide to take yourself out? If you have the virus, you are already dead. On the other hand, what if we wait for you to turn and something goes wrong? What if a person misses the shot and gets bit? Now, because we let you live to your last breath, we have condemned someone else to the exact same fate. But don’t you want every last breathing moment? Are you kidding? Who wants to go through the unbearable pain that turned Keith into a fireball of rage? But what if you off yourself and, five minutes later, the CDC arrives in the parking lot with a cure and a host of .50 caliber machine guns? Wouldn’t you rather the last thing you see in this world to be a friend that is willing to end your suffering? What if your transformation goes faster than anticipated? What if you turn quick? How can you selfishly put my 14-year-old son – and everyone in this store! – in jeopardy?
So everyone had to decide what they wanted their final request to be. We then locked the collection in the store office with the intention to only open them “in the event of…” And I truly hope I never have to read a single letter.
And while these decision have been fairly tough, I cannot imagine the disagreements that could arise if we encounter stranded refugees. Every extra person we bring in lessens our overall resources and risks us to potential exposure of the virus. Then again, what is the alternative? Leaving them outside to die?
I am afraid that this is a subject I am going to have to bring up with the group…
