Journal:El Monkey Junkie
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Journal of Dr H Lostman, a Necrotech operative cataloguing the effects of undeath on the individual designated 'El Monkey Junkie'
The specimen, designated 'El Monkey Junkie' for reasons that are too repulsive to discuss in a scientific journal, is an example of the reanimated corpses that plague the city of Malton. The creatures, known colloquially as 'zombies' or 'zeds', exhibit behaviour not unlike an advanced form of alcoholic intoxication: they are aggressive, unco-ordinated and possess only rudimentary communication skills. In an attempt to study this phenomenon, I, Dr Harold Lostman, have taken to pursuing and investigating this single specimen.
The specimen is currently located in Shearbank, as a part of the horde known as The Shining Ones.
History of Specimen Pre-Death
In life, the specimen was 19th Century English gentleman known as Robert Cunningham. One of the founders of Malton Zoo, he spent much of his time out of the country, aquiring specimens for display there, especially primates, of which he was reputed to be particularly 'fond'.
As time went on, these expeditions grew more infrequent, and he was content to merely watch over the Zoo. However, he became irrationally jealous when his beloved primates paid attention to visitors other than himself. Eventually, he attacked and killed several visitors to the zoo. In prison, his mental faculties deteriorated rapidly, and he eventually lived out the rest of his life in a mental institution.
History of Specimen Post-Death
The specimen was resurrected in late 2005, though the exact date is unknown, as are his precise movements following this. He is known to have visited the Zoo, and to have made his first kill as a zombie upon finding it deserted.
I chose to investigate 'El Monkey Junkie' more or less at random. The choice proved to be a fortunate one, however, as he soon showed signs of heightened intelligence, clustering together with peaceable zombies waiting to be revived, in order to avoid attack. Naturally, the specimen himself was revived as a result of this strategy. Amazingly, while the now human 'El Monkey Junkie' (hereafter referred to as EMJ) initially retained his intellect, as he conversed with other survivors. As time passed, however, his mental state began to deteriorate, much as it had when he was in prison. The specimen commited suicide shortly after realising this. As a zombie, he appeared to once again grow more intelligent.
The specimen was present at the unprecedented gathering in Whetcombe Park. My initial aim was to determine what could have prompted this mass zombie congregation. I observed a marked increase in zombie communication, both with each other, and to an extent with survivors.
What followed, after several days of zombie inaction, was a vast zombie rampage. The specimen was not initially part of this, instead following the cries of its zombie brethren in order to find food. It was, however, present at Caiger Mall, the final point of the "Mall Tour".
During the siege, EMJ was revived several times. At these points, it seemed content to stand and let the other zombies devour it, even encouraging them at times. Once, it ventured inside the mall. My hopes that it might return to human life were raised when it offered greetings to the Mall residents, claiming to be something an emissary of the zombie horde. This is the first incidence of the specimen's seeming increase in mental faculties as a result of zombification. By all accounts, EMJ was fairly shocked by the Mall residents' treatment of each other, which extended to murder in at least one case. Shortly after, the specimen departed the Mall and became a zombie outside its walls, where it remained until the Tour disbanded.
The specimen then followed the remnants of the Tour horde, which was now known as "The Shining Ones" (bizarrely, the zombies seem to have conferred this name upon themselves). This horde proceeded to lay waste to Dunell Hills before moving on to Yagoton.
Yagoton: April 2006
April 4
Subject is showing increasingly bizarre behaviour. Detaching itself from the main horde, it travelled eastwards until it happened across a survivor huddled in the street. Rather than attacking, the subject gently shook the man awake and proceeded to declaim at him in the rudimentary language of zombies. This is surprising, not only as the subject has been virtually mute up to now, but also for the content of the speech. A translation follows:
"I say, old chap, the street may not be the best place for a rest. Do you _WANT_ to be eaten?"
"See, now here's one of my erstwhile companions come to chew on your flesh."
"Well, chaps, I must dash. Good luck with the dying and the killing respectively."
Any hope that this was the emergence of a less bloodthirsty side to the subject were immediately dashed when, following the groans of a horde-member, it burst into a nearby police station and began to feed.
April 5
Specimen has again been seen attempting to communicate with humans, this time expressing the opinion that Yagoton's "weakness" is a result of its previous lack of zombie presence. I myself can find little wrong with this assessment, surprising as it is coming from a zombie.
Stickling Mall: April 2006
April 9
Since I last recorded the specimen's movements (during which time he has followed The Shining Ones southeast to Stickling Mall), he has not actually killed anyone, preferring instead to grip healthy survivors and bite them so that they are infected. I am unsure if this is because of a newfound aversion to killing (unlikely, as EMJ still makes a point of following the horde).
The specimen has also taken to smoking a pipe. I have asked several junior Necrotech operatives to raid the history archives to see if this was a pre-death habit of his.
