Infected

''"I'd feel bad for them if I wasn't so damn disgusted." ''- Harris Tolbert

Background
The Infected, colloquially referred to as "Shrooms" are human beings who are symptomatic of the cordyceps infection. The first recorded case of the infection occurred in Tijuana, Mexico, and rapidly spread throughout the North and South American continents. Most humans are susceptible to the virus, and wear gas masks in order to avoid inhaling the spores. The growth of the infection is entirely dependent on the amount of spores one inhales. There is a direct correlation between the concentration of spores inhaled and the spread of the disease. Some humans are carriers of the infection, able to spread it through bodily fluid. A very small percentage of humans are entirely resistant to the spores, and are studied to try and produce a vaccine.

Behavior
The behavior of the shrooms ranges from highly volatile and aggressive to docile. Human intelligence and aggression fades as the infection spreads. Once the fungus takes the head of the victim, they are rendered blind and rely on echolocation to navigate their environment. At this stage, they are referred to as "clickers" due to the distinct clicking noise they produce.