The end of the world was sudden.
Percy Jackson had been eating lunch when the screams started. Goode High wasn't one of the worse schools in Manhattan, but it definitely wasn't one of the better ones, either. His first thought, a kid had brought a gun to school, again. It had happened before. He remembered that day, distinctly.
Luke Castellan has been an outcast and honestly, Percy couldn't remember the last time he had laid eyes on him before that day. He had disappeared from school weeks before and honestly, not many took notice and not many took notice when he was suddenly back in Chem class on that day.
Then he shot Silena and her boyfriend, Charlie and he had finally got all of their attention. Percy remembered being frozen, stuck as his two friends bled out before his eyes. His lab partner, Zoe was next. He never did see how she managed to get across the room. She had been beside him, only moments before.
At the end of it, Percy was the one to try to wrestle the gun out of his hands. Even now, he couldn't tell anyone how he was still alive. It was luck, pure and utter luck. He had been dubbed a hero, but he didn't feel like one.
If he were a hero, Silena, Charlie and Zoe would still be alive.
So when screams filled the air of Goode High for the second time, his instincts took over and pulled a girl that had been walking in the middle of the cafeteria to the ground and under the table for cover.
"What-." she tried to say, but Percy covered her mouth with his hand. After a moment of listening, he let go, eyebrows furrowed.
"No gunshots." he breathed out in confusion. He then met the silver eyes of the unsuspecting girl. They were wide with shock, but very alert. Her curly blonde hair framed her heart shaped face that was currently devoid of any color.
Realization washed over him. It was Annabeth Chase. Utterly smart, good-at-everything, Annabeth Chase. She was dressed in her usual button down and navy blazer, made casual only because of the jeans she wore with them. Even so, she was dressed way better than him. Percy was sporting his last year's swim team sweater and jeans.
"I don't think it's a shooter." the blonde then managed as another scream rang through the air. Around them, their classmates were fleeing. Running past their hiding spot without a second glance. "We need to get out of here."
Percy gave a stiff nod in agreement, grabbing her hand without a thought. He didn't know why, but he knew they needed to leave. "Don't let go."
She didn't have time to protest as Percy pulled her up from under the table and along with him, out the doors of the cafeteria. It was then that they saw what everyone was running from. Beside him, Annabeth had let out a choked gasp.
His ninth grade Algebra teacher, Mrs. Dodds was sinking her teeth into Grover Underwood, a crippled boy from Percy's English class. His bloodcurdling scream filled their ears and causing Percy to feel dizzy. Mrs. Dodds looked sick. Pale with an almost greenish tint to her skin and bloodshot eyes. If she hadn't been moving, he would have mistaken her for dead.
No. This could not be happening. He blinked and it was still there. This time, it was Annabeth, who was pulling him out of there. Tugging his hand with a strength, he had no idea she possessed.
But when they made it to the double doors that lead outside, there stood more of them. Students, just as sick and horrid looking as Mrs. Dodds. Both of them skid to a stop.
With eyes wide and afraid, Percy slowly backed away, but it was too late. They had already been heard. They start gunning for them both and Percy turned to run, but instead Annabeth dragged him to a door. Once inside, she clicked the lock into place as pounding and groans could be heard from the other side.
It was the boys' locker room. Percy knew it by the musty smell. He darted his eyes around the small room, hoping not to lay eyes on another one of the sick. After registering that he was momentarily safe, Percy collapsed onto one of the benches, still in shock.
"Percy, right?" the only other person in the room spoke, bringing him out of his stupor. "Do you have a phone?"
He blinked up at her, remembering that she was there. He didn't know her, personally. They belonged to different worlds, or well, they used to. They had never crossed paths before, but he knew who she was. Any girl as beautiful as her, you learned her name.
"Focus, Seaweed Brain!"
That did make him focus. What had she called him? She was standing directly in front of him, eyes pointed, waiting for him to answer her. "No, it's in my locker." he finally choked out, hoarsely. "What's happening?"
She sighed and took a step back, wringing her hands, nervously. "I-I don't know." she relented, sounding unhappy about it.
"Mrs. Dodds-." he began, trying to fathom some sort of sense to it. "She was eating Grover." But there was none. People didn't just go and eat other people. There was nothing normal about what was happening.
Annabeth nodded, slowly as if she herself was trying to grasp what she saw. "She looked almost dead."
"They all did."
They were silent for a moment, the sounds from outside the door, drowning out their thoughts. It was a clear indicator, proof, that they had actually seen what they thought they had. Annabeth seemed to begin to pace back and forth across the small room. It was as if she hated being stuck there. "We have to get out of here." she then exclaimed, exasperated. "I can't be stuck in here without knowing if my family is okay. Think of how fast it escalated here. Imagine the hospital! My stepmom works there!"
Percy was too caught up in replaying Grover being eaten alive to even think about his mom or Paul. He was now and he was even more terrified than before. "There is no way out." he then muttered.
Annabeth disagreed and pointed to the door they had came through. "The door is right there."
He gaped at her. Was she insane? "There's at least dozen of them out there! We'd never make it."
The pretty blonde girl before him pursed her lips. He was still a bit surprised that it was her that was there with him. Of all people, he would never expected it to be her. She had always seemed far away to Percy. Out of reach. She was extraordinary and he was average. He had no problem with it, but it was the truth. "Why did you pull me to safety?"
Percy furrowed his brows. "You were out in the open and I thought it was another shooting." he told her as if it were obvious.
She let out a small chuckle. "Once a hero, always a hero, huh Jackson?"
"What?" he said, confused.
"You stopped Luke Castellan that day and then, you tried to save me." she stated, a calculating look in her grey eyes.
That caused him to shake his head. He hated being called a hero. Luke died that day because of him and he didn't find that heroic at all. "Anyone would have done it."
"No." she amended, meeting his eyes. "They wouldn't have. You're brave, Percy. Brave enough to do this."
He blew out a scoff of disbelief, looking away from her intimidating gaze. "You don't even know me."
Annabeth shrugged as if that didn't matter. "I know enough."
"Fine." Percy sighed, understanding how relentless she was. Also knowing there was no way they could last in that locker room for long, especially considering the smell. "But we need something to fight them off. There's no way I'm letting them bite me. In the movies, that's how it spreads."
"I didn't want to admit it, but it seems like a bad movie, doesn't?" she murmured, looking around the room for potential weapons. Her eyes land on a bag of sporting equipment and she hurried over to it. Percy watched as she pulled out a bat and a hockey stick. She offered him the hockey stick and then gripped her bat like a softball pro. "Should we aim for the heads, too?" Annabeth asked, seriously.
In truth, he didn't know, but it seemed like all bets were off. It was either him or them. "Couldn't hurt."
Hello! Here's another Percy Jackson fan fiction AU I decided to be a part of... I do want to continue this. I love the Walking Dead and so some of the inspiration is drawn from there, but this is a Percy Jackson fic all the way. Thanks for reading! Reviews are cherished. Love, V.