[allmendream]

Zombies seem to desiccate - but not decompose like a dead body. If they were an actual dead body they would suffer rigor mortise and the like.

For the muscles to move (unless magic is somehow involved - and usually it isn't) there has to be some metabolism involved - burning up fat stores, muscles, and potentially anything the zombie has eaten (brains!).

Rage “zombies” (28 days later)are 100% alive - and are more correctly called “the infected”.

The book “World War Z” deals with the zombie infection time limit - but it seemed to be several years of hard core zombie action, longer where they froze over the winter IIRC.

[CatherineofAragon]

Hmmm. Hadn’t thought of it like that. It makes sense, however.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Getting ready to read it now. Movie comes out next year starring Brad Pitt;

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816711/

Rule number one on writing zombie lore. Never paint yourself into a corner by giving away too many hard details.