The Little Ones. Why are they little & different from the other infected?

[Osiris]

This is my theory on why the "Little Ones" are little and different from the rest of the infected. I thought of this from the chapter where Lizzy is with the Mallers when they are ambushed in a tramp set by the zombies. After Tardust gets in the truck a Little One reaches in to grab him and get in. Bricks tears the arm off the Little One and drives with the rest of the convoy escaping the ambush zone. After reaching a safe distance the mallers group up outside the vehicles and Bricks is still carrying the Little One's severed arm. When everybody looks at it Tardust says it doesnt even look like it was ever human.

My theory is that the Little Ones are infected babies. I think that they could even be babies that were still in the womb unborn perhaps. I think that the virus would be in a more pure form in babies since they are still developing and therefore lead to the difference in their appearance compared to the common infected.
I thought of this after watching the second Alien vs Predator movie (which sucked!!!!!!!!!!!!) after watching the seen where the hybrid alien walks through the maternity ward and you see the babies in that room with the little cribs. Figure the hospital plays a big part in this obviously, especially after Riley and Kalani see him there while trying to make their way to the generators.

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On to your theory. It's definitely and interesting way of looking at them. I would be less inclined to lean to the Little Ones being children infected within the womb based of two things:

1. The timeline of events doesn't feel like it would support infection, birth and then the rapid growth to a stage where it would have the dexterity to do that which it does.
2. It's simply a horrific notion.

I would be inclined to believe that the Hospital does play a larger role in the development of the creatures, but that they are likely the result of experimentation of more developed children aged 10 to 15.

But that's a pretty entertaining theory. Even if it is a little depraved.

A- for effort.

[Osiris]

It isn't out of the realm of possibilities, however. Since we know so little about the infection or virus, it is impossible to speculate on the effects it may have on an embryo. It would be interesting to see how it would be affected by amniotic fluids and the connection between mother and child, though I would not lean toward it being in a pure state, quite the opposite. It would be attacked by the mother's cells with far more aggression in order to preserve the child--bear in mind that I'm not a doctor and that is pure speculation on my part. I'm sure that Yarri would be able to elaborate on the relationship between a mother's experience and how it affects an unborn child as well as the nature of the connected immune systems, her being our resident nurse/medical expert--a term I use loosely, but with relative confidence.

However, given that the Behemoth exists, anything and everything remains a possibility. It is simply too terrible a notion for me to indulge in.

[reaper239]

you know, i have often wondered about children in the ZA. we never see that dealt with, for obvious reasons, but it has always bothered me.

[yarri]

Could the small ones be the unborn?
The physical and mental changes the virus invokes in a human body can be tremendous as evidence by the jumpers, big ones, fast ones....etc this would lead me to believe that a fetus, embryo or zygote (any name for the states of development of a new human in utero) would be spontaneously aborted in the system shock of the mother when the virus overwhelms her. So no I do not believe that these small ones are the unborn

Could the small ones be newborn babies or babies?
It has been seen in my clinical practice when dealing with babies is that they are physically fragile. Their body systems are grossly immature and subject to failure within hours from things like infection. An infant can dehydrate to kidney failure in 2 to 5 hours without immediate attention. As above I do not believe these small ones are babies

Could the small ones be children?

Yes I have always since their first introduction believed that these are children approximately age 5 to 10 They would be immature enough to allow tinker without the hormonal changes from puberty that may or may not interfere with the virus and its coded outcome.


(Kc... you are a naughty naughty man to encourage my brain to think these things and I love you for it!)

[Osiris]

But, if the zombies in the story actually turn out to be the dead.... would it make a difference if the new borns made it or not? Unless we're not talking about re-animated corpses... then I'm fresh out of ideas for this one.

[yarri]

But, if the zombies in the story actually turn out to be the dead.... would it make a difference if the new borns made it or not? Unless we're not talking about re-animated corpses... then I'm fresh out of ideas for this one.

Dead things don't make breath in the cold air, dead things don't sleep, dead things don't bleed or heal.. I do not think these things are dead darlin..

[Osiris]

Living things don't breath water.

[yarri]

Living things don't breath water.

Fish do..and they are alive.
Sea mammals are able to hold their breath for long long periods of time. They (water zeds) could have expanded lung abilities...