2.8 Hours Later

2.8 hours later – a city wide zombie chase game

Can you survive a zombie apocalypse?

Survivor

2.8 hours later is a city wide zombie chase game in which you and a group of friends test your wits (and stamina) against the hordes of the undead. The 2012 UK Epidemic spanned six cities: Leeds. Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, London and for the first time this year the game came to Birmingham. Hundreds signed up to see if they had what it took to survive.

Before the game began we were registered and given three things,an armband (so the zombies know who to eat), a map and a set of co-ordinates. We were given a safety briefing (basically don't be an idiot and remember that it's just a game) we were also given a warning that there had been two promotions of “boss zombies”, seasoned volunteers who we should avoid at all costs. We were set loose in the city with a chilling message: there are zombies outside that door who are trying to eat you.

Walking into the street during a zombie apocalypse changed how I started to think. My mind entered a heightened sense of awareness and everywhere was a possible lurking place for the infected. After making our way to the first checkpoint (very cautiously) we met the first survivor; a woman who had lost her husband. She was understandably distraught, and a little bit crazy, but what do you expect in a zombie apocalypse! After eventually teasing the second set of co-ordinates from her we were advanced upon by zombies and fled the scene.

I'm reluctant to give the plot of the game away because I enjoyed it so much and wouldn't want to spoil the surprise for you, but this pattern continued for a while. We were met by many different survivors along the way, each with their own story to tell. As the game progressed the zombies became more and more commonplace, and even worse: they were getting faster. By the midway point my adrenaline was pumped up and I started to forget that this was just a game. 
“I'm being chased by zombies! They're about to eat me! RUN!” I kept thinking. It's easy to think that you'd be calm and collected at the end of the world but if this experience has taught me anything it's that I won't be, no-one will.

So after surviving the zombie apocalypse (and yes, I did survive and no, it wasn't easy) we were led into the “safe zone” through a quarantine tunnel to be scanned for the infection. Those who were infected were sent to the infected area where the virus took it's hold (they were made up to look like the zombies who had just been chasing them) and we all danced the night away at the zombie disco.

Infected

The following night I took a turn for the worse and, as it turns out I must have been infected because I spent the evening as a zombie!

If you get a chance to volunteer (and if you pass zombie school) then I'd definitely recommend it. It is one of the single funniest experiences of my life. First of all the team were great, the guys really have a passion for what they do and it's such a lively atmosphere. We were assigned zones and zombie types (shuffling or running) based on our strengths at zombie school.

I was lucky enough to be put in one of the creepiest zones. It was a massive street which was pretty poorly lit alongside some derelict buildings, the perfect place for a zombie ambush! As an added bonus I could see the whole street from my hiding place and watching the action unfold was just awesome. When the first zombie started chasing the survivors they all grouped up along the right hand side, avoiding another zombie on the left. Little did they know that there was one in the bushes, then, BAM! Out he ran and the whole group scattered like a flock of birds, easy pickings for the living dead. I was at the bottom of the street, waiting for the survivors who thought they were safe. So many people would turn around to see if their friends had made it, BIG mistake. Half the time I decided to chase people and half the time I made it my mission to scare the shit out of them. Both times were hilarious and I've never seen so many grown men scream like little girls and so many people say “Holy fuck” with real terror in their voice.

Once our shift was finished we were transported to zombie HQ to get changed and make our way to the zombie disco, where we could meet the people we'd been terrifying all night long.

As you can probably tell, I really enjoyed the whole experience, and there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be doing it again. For more information on the game, and when it'll be coming to a city near you, visit http://2.8hourslater.com/

-Simon