Chapter I: Rise of the Undead

P.O.V- Percy

I stared at the ruins that once had been the city of Manhattan. The place I had spent every minute of my life in was now gone, completely destroyed. Everyone I used to know had perished and left me as the 'lucky' survivor.

Of course I don't want to die just yet…But if I do, it would be by my own hands. I can't stand the thought of being forever unconscious in the body of a grotesque creature that moves along targeting the flesh of the living. Yeah it might've looked awesome to be one of those damn walkers when you read about or watched some fantastical movie production about it but when you're living in the actual reality of it, knowing there's an actual possibility of becoming one of them, is like a hell within a hell.

For those who'd think that my fears define me as a wimp, I can honestly guarantee you'd be pissing yourself in this situation. It only took less than a month for the lives of millions of ordinary people to be turned into the world's next greatest devastation.

Zombies aren't the animated dead the cravers of human meat like we think. It started off with people like you and me catching a virus. It wasn't just any kind of virus though.

It started off as the common flu symptoms; nobody really thought much of it. It then took moments after the person's body was fully diseased where they'd then went rabid, attacking everything and anything they could get their hands on. Doctors diagnosed the illness as another disease of the madness, assuming it was another form of Porphyria.

They were then admitted to mental institutions, treated as individuals with mere psychological problems. Those people were quite secure, placed into large rooms with thick glass keeping them away from the people in charge of their care.

It took one mistake to change all of that though.

Someone left the door open to one of the patient's room.

As you can presume, it wasn't such a smart move. The patient escaped and attacked a staff member infecting them which triggered the butterfly effect. Soon everyone in the hospital were hideous beings limping around spreading their disease to society.

Zombies aren't actually dead. They didn't rise up from the depths of the earth because some guy dropped radioactive chemicals over a grave so their loved one would return. They are rather sick people or so they say. In all honesty I couldn't care less how walkers had became the way they are, I'm more concerned about living…Especially after the promise I had made.

I averted my eyes away from the rubble to the forest clearing that in front of me. I gripped the nylon strap of my ragged backpack and began to walk down the dirt path. I held a large metal rod that I had pulled out from my old bathroom wall in the midst of the apocalypse. A towel rack upgraded to weapon, better than an AK 47.

Every step I took was cautious. Though most of those beings were roaming the smashed pavements of the city's urban outskirts, you were never guaranteed real safety. Some of them are unpredictable to the point of being more than just dangerous, fatal. You are never really assured of anything.

I almost kept going till I saw something move in the distance. It was a large figure but I couldn't really make out what exactly it was. I heard a loud shriek as it moved in my direction.

It surged forward in almost in a predatory animal way, but even I, not being the sharpest tool in the shed, knew that wasn't an animal. I lunged behind a large rock in desperately hoping that the walker wouldn't come for me.

I pressed my back so hard into the stone if felt my spine was going to snap. I began to turn to see where the zombie was but I felt my pant leg snagged on something. I pulled it subconsciously only to see what looked like a decaying hand. The hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled me, it's long sharp nails digging into my calf.

A head popped up and I saw a pair of wild eyes attached to a thin, hollow face. It opened its mouth to reveal rows of rotting teeth. It was like the thing unhinged its jaw as it leaned into my leg ready to take a bite. I kicked the lurker away and tried to get up but the zombie grabbed me again pinned me down, getting on top of me in order to eat my face off.

"This is really awkward," I panted as I used my feet as a barrier between us as it clawed at me. "Not only for me but for you."

I hurled the rod, lodging into its the chest and it howled in pain and fell back.

I brushed myself off and pulled out the steel pole and scraped the blood off with tree bark.

"Nobody messes with Percy Jackson." I smirked at the motionless body.

I heard a growl behind me and I realised I had forgotten about the other zombie.

"Damn it!" I cursed as I turned around to find the huge walker hovering over me. I felt something pierce thigh and I saw the distinctive extensive nails of the zombie I had just fought. Any sense of triumph I had before was completely gone.

They knocked me down causing my bar to scatter away. I resisted as they scratched, their ravenous mouths trying to reach my flesh. My limbs were on fire and pain flooded my entire body. I trembled beneath the weight both of them denying the fact I was about to die. All that talk earlier was for nothing.

"Get the hell off!" I shouted at them as if they understood.

I reached out my arm in order to obtain my weapon but I was too far. They sunk their talons into my right shoulder and I grimaced. I jostled them more but they didn't budge, it felt as if they were getting heavier. Panic ran through my veins as I then tried to slip out from under them but it was no use. I knew wasn't going to win this clash.

"I'm sorry!" I hollered.

I failed you….

I gritted my teeth as I slowly stopped my struggle, my arms and legs allowing their claws tear into my skin.

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for their teeth to gnaw into me but instead I heard a couple gun shots.

I reopened my eyes to find a boy who seemed to be few years older with curly auburn locks, pale skin, and a goatee peering down at me, a rifle pointed at my chest. I'm sure the striking terror I had felt inside flashed across my eyes because he gradually lowered his gun though stared at me intensely.

"That was quite a fight, those bloody bastards are everywhere." He told me after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah…" I rubbed the back of my head looking beside me to see the walkers lying in a pool of blood.

"Where's your group? It's risky to walk around alone."

"It's a one man band." I responded.

"Oh," He replied, looking around. "Where's the man?"

I rolled my eyes and he held his hand out. I grabbed it and pulled myself up. His eyes went to my right arm probably to see my scratch but they darted away quickly.

"Give me everything you got." He told me.

"What?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

He sighed and gestured to my backpack and bar. "I need those."

"Why? You know what screw it; I'm not giving you anything."

"Grover!" I heard someone call from distance.

"Yeah I'm coming!" He shouted back.

"Look, I don't think you enjoy having to fight off starvation and thirst all while being outnumbered by human hungry monsters. Just give me your stuff and I'll take you to a safer place."

"Why should I trust you? For all I know you'd take my things and run." I retorted.

"If I really wanted to raid you don't you think I would've blown your head off and had taken your belongings?" He replied, crossing his arms.

I sighed. "Good point."

I gave him my backpack and rod and he began to run with it. He then stopped and looked back at me.

"I was just kidding." He grinned.

I shook my head as he motioned for me to follow.

"I didn't think a lone guy with a pole could survive this long, especially after that little battle seen back there."

"I wasn't always alone." I mumbled.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing."

"Come on, lighten up kid."

"Yeah lighten up while the world is slowly being taken over by the diseased."

"The diseased?" He asked.

I ignored him.

"Hey, I'm just trying to stay positive." He responded with a shrug.

"I want too also." I thought to myself."But how can I when I wasn't even able to save the people I love."

We stopped in front of what looked like a strawberry field.

He looked around with suspicion before he proceeded to move again.

"Really? Who are you, James Bond?" I asked sarcastically.

"We can't risk being seen by any other people." He replied, disregarding my sarcasm.

"Why, wouldn't they be able to help?" I asked absentmindedly.

"I don't know where you've been all this time but not just anybody can be trusted. Some of these people out here are even worse than any zombie could ever be. They'd do anything; lie, cheat, steal, and kill if it means their survival. Some even do it for the fun of it… I'm kind of glad you're a bit dumb, it'll be easier to trust you."

"Hey!" I responded, offended. "I'm not dumb; I've just never crossed such people before."

"Okay, we've got to go through this field to that other forest." He pointed forward.

"It's not exactly mission impossible." I said aloud, immediately regretting it.

The look on this guy's face was scary. His eyes burned into me so bad that if I tried wedging a marshmallow in between his stare it would disintegrate in seconds.

"Dude, you don't know what's out there. For all we know a gang of burly men who are waiting for us on the other side or even a pack of zombies."

"So what's you plan, smart guy?" I turned to look at him only to see him chewing on my backpack strap. "What the heck are you doing to my pack?!"

He looked down at the strip in his mouth and pulled in out.

"Sorry." He apologized, wiping the slobber off with his t-shirt. "I'm just a bit stressed."

He reached into his pocket and gave me a small barrel gun.

"There's about ten rounds in there so don't waste it." He told me.

"Only use it if it's completely necessary, and don't even try to shoot me, I'll make sure you rot in hell."

"Oh yeah, I think I'm already rotting in hell." Was what I was about to say but resorted to nodding instead.

"Okay I'm going to go to the right side and you'll go left." He turned to me with three fingers up. "Be quick but don't draw atten-"

"Yeah, yeah I get it." I replied, irritated.

"Be careful Percy." He told me.

"Wait, how do you know my name?" I questioned him, slightly creeped out.

"Uh, it's kind of written on your backpack."'

He pulled it out from his side to show me the thick black letters on the top of my backpack which stated; 'PROPERTY OF PERCY JACKSON'.

"Oh." I scratched my head in embarrassment."I forgot I had my name there...So uh, stay safe too."

"On my count you'll run your way and I will mine."

He slowly curled each one of his three fingers down.

"3…2…1"

He started to run, although he seemed to be quite clumsy and almost fell within the first yard.

I mentally face palmed myself and began to run the other direction, staying low.

The farm was quite extensive. It seemed to be several acres because it felt like an endless path. Once I had reached the end I was pretty out of breath, which is a bit ironic since I had been the captain of Goode High's swimming team before this apocalypse out broke.

Life was actually pretty good before, especially because my life hadn't been threatened by flesh crazy creatures. I mean I'm sure you wouldn't categorize your life as 'absolutely fantastic' in my position unless you're sadistic. If that's the case, you must be really entertained by this, twisted freak.

I searched my surroundings looking for any sign of that guy or 'Grover', as he was addressed before.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I heard him scream moments later.

I sprinted as fast as I possibly could toward the sound of his voice. The world blurred around me and I stumbled over numerous tree roots.

"EEEEEEEEEEEK!" He shrieked once again, this time it sounded closer.

I finally had him in sight. He was on the ground bent in the fetal position. I couldn't see what was frightening him but I didn't care. I staggered forward with the gun in my hand. He looked at me, complete dread in his eyes. He pointed, his hand trembling.

"R-rrrr…r-" He started.

I moved my gaze to where he was pointing at.

"A rabbit? Really?"

I rolled my eyes as the cute fluffy animal hopped away.

"All that time you took telling me I had to be careful was a waste. Here you are drawing attention yourself over a... rabbit?"

"Those things are petrifying! Big bullies that steal from the defenseless!" He sniffled.

"A-are you freaking crying?" I rubbed my temples. "Just get up man."

"B-but-"

"What happened to Mr. Courageous?" I interjected.

"Since when was I courageous? I just wanted to keep things light."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't know…you seemed pretty brave back there when I was fighting those walkers off."

"Really?" He asked, wiping his nose.

"Yep."

"Thanks man that means a lot."

"Yeah, okay. So where do we go now?"

"We're actually in front of the camp right now."

I turned around to see a worn out sign. "Camp Half-blood?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "It was an abandoned camp site. Chiron said it was some program for Greek Mythology geeks. Apparently the counselors would pretend the kids were these things called 'demigods', a half human, half god hybrid. Hence the name 'half-blood.'"

"Who's Chiron?" I asked but was cut short when a man in crutches came.

"Grover, where have you been?" The guy asked.

He sounded familiar. He took a brief glance at me and turned back to Grover.

"Who is this?! You know we can't have just anyone in this camp! What were you thinking? This guy could be potentially dangerous to us."

"I'm so sorry Chiron!" Grover cried. "This guy was being attacked in the woods by lurkers and so I helped him. Though he was being defeated back there, I still think he'd be a good fighter with the right training."

Chiron sighed and turned to me. I think our eyes went wide at the same time.

"Percy?"

"Mr. Brunner?"

I stared at my old Latin teacher as if he were a foreigner. His once chestnut brown hair was in almost completely gray.

I knew his hair had already been thin before but now he had seemed to have lost so much there was only a few tufts left on his head. He seemed a lot older too. His face was aged with deep lines and wrinkles. He wasn't even in a wheel chair anymore. The only thing that remained the same was his bushy eyebrows and long scruffy beard.

"Quantum tempus!" He smiled.

"Certe." He replied.

"You uh, know each other?" Grover asked timidly.

"He was my Latin teacher." I told him.

"Yeah, I think that explains the words you two exchanged I didn't understand." He responded.

"Percy, those are very deep wounds." Chiron stared at the swollen gashes on my shoulder exposed by my tattered shirt.

"Don't tell me you were bitt-"

"No, luckily Grover saved me before they could actually get to consuming me." I interrupted.

I took a quick look and felt my stomach churn. The slash had stopped bleeding but it had dried as a black crust. The colour of the skin around the area had turned an ugly glaucous.

"Whoa, didn't realise how bad it was." I told myself aloud.

"You should go to the infirmary and get that treated." Mr. Brunner told me. "Grover please take Percy there."

"Of course." Grover nodded.

He started to walk and I reckoned he was leading me. He brought me to a large cabin and made me sit on a bunk.

"With all these cabins how do you avoid attracting attention?" I asked him as he pulled out clean bandages and rubbing alcohol.

"This place is completely concealed by this forest." He answered. "Plus the walkers are infatuated with the strawberry plantation out in the front. Their presence scares away a lot of people."

"You mean we're pretty much in zombie territory?" I asked, stunned.

"Yeah, so you better be careful."

"Gee great, I'm in such a safe haven." I mumbled.

He dipped a piece cotton into the disinfectant and dabbed it on my cut.

"Ow!" I winced as a stinging pain flooded my arm.

Grover looked at me sympathetically before dabbing some more. I bit my lip to prevent me from crying out but I chopped down so hard I tasted my own blood.

"Okay that looks good enough." He told me, finally putting the demonic bottle down.

He picked up the clean gauze and wrapped it around my injury. Though the most of the pain sustained, I felt a little better.

"You're lucky you didn't need stitches." He said once he had finished pinning the cloth.

"Especially since neither I nor anyone else here knows such medical treatment." He then rubbed his facial hair thoughtfully. "Or maybe she would know…"

"Wait there's more people here?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, but I suggest you rest before to get to actually meeting anyone else."

He handed me a blanket and strolled out.

"Holler if you needed anything!" He shouted from his back.

I watched him leave as I shook my head.

"That guy." I murmured before my head hit the pillow and I was out.

A/N: Hello new readers ;) Welcome to the story in progress, Infected! I hope that you enjoyed it so far, for this is only the beginning; I have so much more in store! Next chapter will have more of the other characters involved and the plot will escalate a bit more. This will most likely be a rather short story chapter wise but I'll try to make each chapter as lengthy as possible word wise (sorry that was pretty damn confusing…). Anyway please comment what you think and like/and or favourite if you'd like to read more!

Translations:

Quantum Tempus: Long time no see (maybe not exactly that phrase but its meaning is along those lines).

Certe: Certainly (cognate).