Here at Prepared For That, we do our best to supply you with all the information you would need to handle anything that comes your way. I know I have a tendency to make jokes from time to time, but today I want to talk to you about something that’s very serious to all of us. I want to talk about some of the most grave threats we face in our lives today.
I want to talk about vampires, werewolves and zombies.
VAMPIRES
A vampire is a human-like creature that subsists by feeding on the blood of humans (like a large mosquito, but with the added inconvenience of cursing your soul to eternal damnation). Recorded cases of vampires have existed all throughout history, peaking in the early 18th century.
Vampires come in many forms: creepy, Nosferatu-style monsters; suave, charming humanoids such as the one portrayed in Bram Stoker’s Dracula; and even whiny emo teenagers who sparkle in the sun. All are terrifying.
Warding Off Vampires
Luckily for us, there are many items known to scare off vampires. Various plants have this property, with garlic being the most well known, but branches of wildrose or hawthorne also being effective. In Europe, sprinkling mustard seed on the roof of a house has been known to work.
Sacred items have also been shown to ward off vampires. Holy water, crucifix and rosaries will stop vampires in their blood-sucking tracks, and vampires are unable to walk on consecrated ground such as churches or temples.
It is believed by some that a vampire cannot enter a house without being invited first, but this is yet to be conclusively proven.
Killing Vampires
Sometimes prevention isn’t enough, and you’ve just got to go and kill a vampire. I can respect that. There are a few known ways to kill a vampire.
The most accepted way to kill a vampire is by staking. Usually this is done by driving a stake through the heart, although driving through the mouth has been used in Russia and Germany and through the stomach in Serbia.
Decapitation has been used as well, burying the head away from the body and often stuffing it with garlic. Even such pedestrian methods as shooting and drowning have been said to work by some in the Balkans. A combination of all methods should be used, just to be sure.
WEREWOLVES
A werewolf is a human who, after being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, is cursed to transform into a wolf-like creature whenever the moon is full. These creatures are believed to have super human strength and speed and a taste for flesh, human or otherwise.
Unfortunately, not much can be done to ward off werewolves, and they are resistant to most forms of attack. They do, however, have one weakness- silver.
Piercing werewolves with a silver-tipped weapon- a bullet, blade or otherwise- has been shown very effective at slowing down and even killing a werewolf.
ZOMBIES
Ahhhh, the undead. They are one of the scariest villains out there, what with their countless numbers, inability to be reasoned with, and relentless pursuit of human flesh. While zombies are certainly terrifying, they have many weaknesses that we can exploit to defeat them.
First off, they are dumb as nails. They literally have no capacity for logical thought, and as such are easy to outsmart. Even turning a door knob is beyond their ability, so a simple closed, unlocked door is often enough to create an impenetrable boundary between you and a horde of the undead.
Second, zombies are pretty much as vulnerable as the average human. True, they aren’t as beholden to things like breathing and staying hydrated, but they can be killed with a simple shot to the head. Bullets, blades, candlesticks- if you can destroy the brain, you can stop a zombie in his shambling tracks.
For much more information on the subject, check out our article on surviving the zombie apocalypse.
The prospect of supernatural threats can be a scary one, but remember that they are like any other. Becoming equipped with knowledge and prepared with essentials will go a long way in helping to survive and defeat such threats.
And if you happen to run into one of them tonight, relax- it’s probably just a kid in a costume.
Good luck and stay prepared!
