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Because they look so similar to normal humans it's very easy to mistake a zombie for just another guy on the street. Don't be fooled, however - these creatures are nothing like what they once were, and making the mistake of getting too close to one can be costly.

Always look a person in the eye from a distance. The eyes are the first clear sign of a zombie. Typically the creatures will have a far away, vacant stare, one that doesn't quite concentrate on anything around it. The pupils also sometimes cloud over, taking on a milky white appearance that only gets worse the more a zombie rots. Don't just break out a chainsaw and start hacking the moment you see somebody with a vacant stare, however, as you could be murdering a person on drugs.

The next indicator is the motion of their limbs. Human motions are typically very fluid; our arms swing like pendulums when we walk, and overall we look like well-oiled machines. Zombies, in contrast, move in jerky, short strides as their joints begin to freeze up and their muscles decay. What's more, zombies in motion - especially when headed for a target - universally stretch out their arms, as though to give a hug.

But they do not want to give a hug.

They'll also typically walk in shambling steps, nearly tripping over themselves, and often indeed doing so. You can only pray that an entire legion of zombies headed towards you will start tripping over their own feet, not to mention each other, and allow you a quick avenue of escape.

The most obvious sign of a zombie, however, is skin decay. Because zombies are essentially reanimated corpses their bodily regenerative systems have ceased to function, and their skin will soon begin to rot and fester. Older zombies will sometimes even sport huge gaps in their skin where it has either sloughed off of its own accord or been eaten away by other zombies. Giant bite marks are an unmistakable sign of a zombie.

Beyond the physical signs, also keep in mind that zombies will often move in packs, congregating together towards a single target. As they do so they'll emit loud moaning sounds, especially if their target is quite nearby. These moans can alert other nearby zombies towards the victim, as well, so be sure to keep out of their line of sight. (And hope that their eyes have rotted away anyway.)

And though all these signs may be legion in normal human beings going about their usual day, just remember: people stop for a bite to eat at Tim Hortons or Denny's, not the shoulder of the next person over.

Learn more about this author, Matt Bird.
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