Dictionary of Paranormal Terms - Z

Zana
A woman who was captured in the 1880's in the western Caucausus region of Abkhazia. Referred to as an Abnuaaya, or Alma, she resembled a neanderthal rather than a human, with unusual features and a full coat of hair from head to toe. She was also very powerful, and could easily outrun even horses, and swim across fast flowing rivers. While in captivity she gave birth to several children, who were also physically tougher than normal and dark skinned, but with no other apparant unusual characteristics.

Zanya
See Zana.

Zombie
The reanimated, souless corpse of a deceased person, with no mind of it's own. In Haiti, a Voodoo priest is said to be responsible for raising the bodies of the dead in this way. In reality it is more likely that 'zombies' are actually still living, people who are given a powerful neurotoxin which renders the individual in a death-like state. Zombies are popular fictional creatures in horror books and movies, but it us unlikely that a genuine reanimated corpse could ever exist in reality.