Chapter 42-3 Chasing Ghosts

[Zombie Yeti]

After looking through a number of the symbol meanings, it seems there are a large portion of them that relate to protection.

We've got:
2&4: Loko's mark
7&8. Damballah's mark
10. 保护
14. Bird foot
17. Eye of Horus
23. Damballah (alternate)

All of these symbols have a meaning that in one way or another relates to protection. Is Ink trying to protect himself or is he telling others to protect him? Why, if it is the latter, would zombies be able to understand such a diverse set of symbols? Could he be spreading his bets by appealing to any and all possible source of protection against the coming zombie apocalypse? This seems to imply he knew something was coming though he may not have been the source of it. Could he have been part of a conspiracy to start it or even possibly to prevent it?

So many questions!

look at hiroglyphics with the Egyptians or cave men and other civs. They used pics to communicate maybe ink is the zombie Rosetta Stone. And I know spelled hiroglyphics wrong.

[Jannit]

look at hiroglyphics with the Egyptians or cave men and other civs. They used pics to communicate maybe ink is the zombie Rosetta Stone. And I know spelled hiroglyphics wrong.

That's true. However if we can agree that ink is on the exceptional side when it comes to intelligence in zombies then how can we expect others would understand the symbols?

We've already seen that they can't interpret numbers anymore and those should be something they're familiar with in their human life.

[Footbutt]

And I know spelled hiroglyphics wrong.

Jiroglyphics.
...it's a soft "J".

[FenixArc]

Jiroglyphics.
...it's a soft "J".

Could be wrong, but at least in American English I've only ever seen it spelled "Hieroglyphics".

[TacticalJHP]

Could be wrong, but at least in American English I've only ever seen it spelled "Hieroglyphics".

Correct, as far as the american way of spelling it.

http://www.discoveringegypt.com/Egyp...-Alphabet.html

[Eviebae]

That's true. However if we can agree that ink is on the exceptional side when it comes to intelligence in zombies then how can we expect others would understand the symbols?

We've already seen that they can't interpret numbers anymore and those should be something they're familiar with in their human life.

Couldn't Ink read numbers because he could read and input them in the keypad at the tower. Plus, he uses numbers on the Little One's. Randy could follow a list.

[Jannit]

Couldn't Ink read numbers because he could read and input them in the keypad at the tower. Plus, he uses numbers on the Little One's. Randy could follow a list.

Absolutely! My point is that he was the only one that we have encountered with that capability. We didn't see other zombies who were able to interpret symbols (numbers) that they should've been familiar with in life. I was wondering what the point of the markings was from a communication standpoint. Since other zombies don't seem to have the ability to recognize the numbers and interpret their significance I was saying that the idea of Ink's tattoos being used to have other zombies protect him was unlikely given their inability to recognize something as simple as numbers.

[alexcadtek]

And how would you explain zombies showing up in Hawaii at roughly the same time as in LA? And the mentioning of many hotspots when it all started?

Sure, we have no detailed information about when exactly each hotspot started. And it could be the case that Ink started it somehow-ish, and he accidentally hit some slow-turners who fled in all kinds of directions - even one with a plane to Hawaii ... So biomass from humans' body's south-pole-exits might have hit quickly moving propellers of all kinds big time ... But to me, although this might be logic in a way, this would sound too crazy - especially because this would mean that during the first hours of the outbreak several slow-turners must have hit the roads, trains, planes, and ships quickly enough to spread the z-agent accordingly; and from the first episode we know how quickly the major traffic broke down in reaction to the zombie-panic. So I prefer sticking with the idea that the z-agent has spread from a different source, while Ink was able to adjust the zombie-frail in his favor based on his skillsszzZZ in all kinds bio-engineering. And I feel inclined to politely disagree with you.

Best wishes!
Mad

I see your point, but I just think that there is to much orchestrated for him, how was he so quick to be able to figure out that he can manipulate zombies when he himself was one. Also he had all these tattoo's that clearly mean something, I really see your point, it is more realistic. I like that you made me see this in another way but I just feel that he did have something to do with it. But then again you are correct about the other hotspots, how do we know that there are not many others like INK in other states. But I do want to ask you. why is it that in the city where there are so many people ( LA ) he is the only person that was that smart, seems hard to belive that out of all los Angeles there where no more smart people like him that turned. Why has the group not ran in to more like him, you would think there would be at least a few more z's like that. What do you think?
Thanks!

[alexcadtek]

I think Michael will take Victor with him to kill INK and guess what. Victor is going to kill him! MCUCHO MACHO! oh and I dont think Burt or Riley will leave now. also they might have datu help them since he is already infected. what you guys think?

[YetAnotherBloodyCheek]

Madames et messieures,

I believe that we have not seen Ink's most interesting tattoo yet.