[click]
"It's, uh -,"
[rustling]
[muffled voices in the background]
"- it's October 22nd, 1998. Thirty-six days since, uh - everything, according to Miss. Know it all Annabeth Chase -,"
[a female voice can be heard in the background]
"I am not a know it all. I'm just smarter than all of you dipshits,"
[more rustling]
[the original voice speaks again]
"Yeah, okay, babe, whatever. Anyways - it is, currently -,"
[the voice grows slightly distant as he moves away from the mic]
"Yo, Valdez, what time is it?"
[another male voice can be heard in the background]
[it is distant, and his words are indecipherable]
"Okay, thanks,"
[the voice gets closer]
"It's 7.32 PM, the sun has set, a crescent moon is out, and it is surprisingly calm, at the moment -,"
[a second female voice can be heard]
"Don't jinx us, Jackson,"
"Yeah, right,"
[the voice, Jackson, clears his throat]
"The last attack we had was, approximately three -,"
[the second male voice, Valdez, interrupts]
"Four,"
[Jackson grunts]
"Sorry. Four. Our last attack was approximately four hours ago, at Central Park. We managed to escape with no injuries, besides Rachel, whose shoulder got caught on a tree branch,"
[an exhale from a second female, Rachel]
"Yeah, because of you, asshole,"
[Jackson scoffs]
"Whatever, Red. Point is, we're hoping we'll get lucky tonight. Maybe, even if just for a few hours, we won't get attacked by the -,"
[beep, beep]
"Shit. This thing is about to die,"
[Valdez pointedly clears his throat]
"Lemme see it,"
[rustling]
"Can you charge it?"
[tap, tap, tap]
"Yeah, I got it,"
[click]
-..-
[click]
"The time is now -,"
[tap]
"3.02 AM on October 24th. The others are sleeping right now, I'm taking first shift,"
[movement in the background]
[silence]
[an exhale]
"I'll probably just let them sleep, though, I don't think I could sleep even if I wanted to,"
[silence]
[distant snoring]
"It's easier like this. When everyone's asleep. I don't have to worry about them being heard. Or hurt,"
[a sigh]
"And they look so much more . . .happier. Peaceful. Like everything's gonna be okay,"
[silence]
[Jackson clears his throat]
"Anyway. It's been eerily quiet lately, and it's making me nervous. The longest we've had so far without disruption is a few hours, and it's been longer than that. I'm kind of expecting -,"
[a loud, muffled voice]
[a cry out in pain]
[shouting]
"- fuck, I've gotta check that out,"
[bang, bang]
"Rachel! Leo, Annabeth! Get up, get up, they're -,"
[click]
-..-
[click]
[overlapping voices]
"What do you mean we don't have any more bandages?"
[something being thrown]
"It means exactly what it sounds like, Chase, were out of fucking bandages!"
[a frustrated exhale]
"Well, what are we supposed to do, then?"
[a bang]
"I don't know, I can only do so much -,"
[another bang]
[silence]
[footsteps]
[a door opening]
"I'm back!"
[relieved breaths]
[Rachel, presumably, is heard unloading a grocery bag]
[voices]
"What'd you get?"
"Bandages. Gauze. A couple of boxes of twinkies. Y'know, the usual,"
[a loud shout]
[more voices]
[a new, unfamiliar voice]
"My friends! Please - you have to -,"
[yelling]
[cries]
[overlapping voices]
[noises in background]
"Hold him down!"
"I'm trying!"
[more voices overlapping each other]
"Guys, we have to calm down!"
[more yelling]
[talking]
[silence]
"Good grief,"
[Annabeth exhales]
"What's your name?"
[the new male voice is heard again]
"W - Will. Will Solace,"
"Okay,"
[Rachel lets out a breath]
"Okay. Will, do you know what's going on?"
[Will breathes heavily]
"I - yeah, kind of, I was - high school. Last month, I was in my room, studying for my med exams, and then there was - the news, it said there was -,"
[a pause]
[shaky breathing]
"- Zombies. They said there was zombies,"
[distant nodding]
"Yeah. What else?"
"Well, obviously I didn't believe it at first -,"
[a chuckle]
"- But at that point nobody did. After it got more serious and people started. . .turning, I stopped doubting it. I ran for cover, like everybody else,"
[silence]
[Jackson is heard clearing his throat]
"You - you mentioned friends. Who - who were you talking about?"
[Will sniffs]
"Piper and J - Jason. We were - were they with me?"
[silence]
[a shaking head]
[stifled crying]
"Oh, god. They - I have to find them!"
[frantic movements]
[shouts]
[overlapping voices]
"You have to rest!"
[Leo is heard holding down Will]
"Look, man, we'll look for your friends, but you need to rest before you even thinking about getting out of this bed,"
"But - they could die out there! Please, you have to -,"
[Annabeth shakes her head]
"I'm sorry. Percy and I will look for them, okay? We'll pick you guys up when Will's all healed if we haven't found them by then. Okay?"
[silence]
[a shaky inhale]
"Yeah. Okay,"
[click]
-..-
[click]
"It is, currently, 4.52 AM and I'm technically supposed to be sleeping,"
[a slow exhale]
"I just can't. I've been doing it less and less. The nightmares don't help, and we still haven't found Jason or Piper,"
[a sardonic chuckle]
"Everythings has finally gone to shit. As if it didn't before,"
[a beat of silence]
"I worry about mom. And Paul. I left them back in their apartment. I didn't -,"
[a frustrated exhale]
"I don't know what to do anymore. I can't lose them, I -,"
[a shaky breath]
"I already lost Estelle, I can't -,"
[Jackson's voice cracks]
[a few beats of silence]
[a shaky inhale]
[the sound of wiping away tears]
[click]
-..-
[click]
[panting]
"So, me and Annabeth -,"
[more panting]
"- have been walking this woodsy area - well, as woodsy as New York can get, I guess - for about two and a half hours, and the only thing we've found is a pair of shoes, a package of cosmic brownies, and a pair of earbuds,"
[a pause]
"It's better than nothing, I guess, but they're still hasn't been any sign of this Jason or Piper Will's been talking about. I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda worried. Will seems like a good kid, and I don't wanna let anyone else down. We've already lost so much,"
[a moment of silence]
[branches crunching underfoot]
[a sigh]
"Anyways. It's almost noon, so I guess we should probably stop soon,"
[the voice grows slightly distant]
"What do you think, 'Beth, is there a gas station up ahead?"
[paper unfolding]
[a pause]
"Uh - yeah. There should be one more or less a mile out. If we get lucky, we can get lunch and enough food to bring back dinner for the others,"
[swallowing]
"Yeah. If we get lucky,"
[paper refolding]
"We should also try and stock up on whatever else we can find. Maybe there'll be an abandoned car or med supplies or something. Maybe some water,"
[more breaking branches]
"Yeah, we'll see,"
[click]