Christmas with the Dead

The events unfold in a present-day setting, roughly two years after the storm triggers the zombie outbreak. The town of Mud Creek has become a fortress and a ghost of its former self. Daily life is defined by isolation, makeshift defenses, and the fragile thread of human connection that persists through radio broadcasts.

Mud Creek is a fictional East Texas town that initially feels quiet and close-knit during the Christmas season. The freak lightning storm transforms not only people but the town’s atmosphere, turning neighbors into threats and exposing the fragility of everyday life. In this battered small town, Calvin fortifies his home and keeps a radio vigil, hoping to reach other survivors amid the chaos.

🤝 Hope & Connection

Calvin’s radio broadcasts and his guarded search for other survivors show the stubborn human need to connect. The story repeatedly returns to small acts of communication that pierce the surrounding death. Even in a world overrun by zombies, a glimmer of friendship and shared purpose remains essential for survival.

🧟 Living vs Dead

The line between living and undead blurs as the living must negotiate with the dead and with those who control them. Calvin and GM form an uneasy alliance under threat, while the Reverend’s cult weaponizes fear to command both prisoners and the flock. Survival hinges on navigating these shifting power dynamics where both sides can turn deadly.

🙏 Faith & Fear

Reverend Mac’s magnetic sermonizing wields belief as a weapon, shaping the group’s devotion and driving the perilous intrusions into the living world. The town’s spiritual leader uses fear to bend reality and justify coercion. The struggle asks whether faith can survive without humanity, or if fear will erase it.