Percy's head throbbed as fragmented memories surged through his mind, sharp and vivid in nature. The world around him seemed to dissolve, the dark shadows seemingly enveloping him as he lay motionless on the cold hard ground, and his vision swirled as the scene was replaced by sterile, white walls and the hum of machinery.

Cold fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a harsh glow on Percy as he found himself, submerged in water, an oxygen mask plastered on his face with several wires protruding from his wrists and body. Where was he?

Panic surged through him but his body refused to budge. His eyes darted from one person to another, each wearing similar lab coats and tried to find some kind of answers; any kind of answers. But the more he searched, the more his head ached in agony.

A man stepped forward followed by two men, each wearing safety glasses and they said something inaudible, and almost immediately, vision darkened at the edges, the pain becoming unbearable. He felt himself slipping away, the boundaries of his consciousness fraying. The last thing he saw before the darkness consumed him were the pitiful looks of the people.

The dream ended abruptly, jolting Percy awake, gasping for breath. His body was drenched in sweat and his heart raced as if he had run a marathon. He had no idea what that dream was but what he knew for certain was that it was not merely a dream. His memories were disoriented, not allowing him to remember anything. He wasn't even sure if Percy was his name and the only reason he stuck with it was because that was the name on the pod that he had awoken from.

Percy sat up, running a trembling hand through his raven hair. The dark supermarket loomed around him, aisles stretching like a labyrinth of shadows. Despite that, looking outside, he could spot the tiniest rays of sunlight protruding through the holes in the blinds.

He rose to his feet, muscles stiff from exhaustion and sleep. It was dawn – a dangerous time to be out but the supermarket was equally perilous. The penthouse was probably the only safest place. He wasn't sure why he believed that but he classified it important from his past.

Percy gathered his things, checking the bags of food he had managed to collect. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. He secured the reusable bags over his shoulders, adjusting the shotgun's strap for a quick draw. With one last glance around the store, he carefully pushed the trolley aside and cracked the door open, scanning the outside for any movement. The streets were eerily quiet, the distant growls of zombies a low hum on the edge of his hearing.

Stepping outside, Percy felt a slight breeze. The air was thick with the scent of decay and a hint of something metallic – blood, perhaps. He moved swiftly, sticking to the shadows and avoiding open spaces.

*Growl*

Percy dashed into the nearby alley, hiding behind an open dumpster. A zombie walked past on the street, lifeless eyes looking around as its rotting skin exhibited an awful and gut-wrenching smell. As if trying to be silent, Percy realised that he had stopped breathing and quickly started breathing again, albeit with relief.

That was, however, short lived as he felt a rustle around his ankles and he instinctively drew his shotgun and pointed at the source. On the other end of the gun, a dog stared at him, black fur glistening with hints of blood. He wasn't sure who's blood would be coated on the fur, the dog's or a human's?

This was his first encounter with an animal that was not a zombie nor a human and he did not want to risk finding out what happens to dogs when inflicted with the virus. He readied the trigger, trying to calm his beating heart and deducing that his decision was the safest but the longer he stared at the dog's beaded eyes, the weaker his resolve got.

"Goddammit," Percy said as he shouldered the gun again.

As if not sensing any danger, the dog began to walk deeper into the dark alley, looking expectedly at Percy to follow it. Hesitantly, he followed the dog, warily ensuring no zombie was around. As he went deeper, the faint traces of sunlight began to get dimmer and the smell of blood and rotting flesh began to increase.

*Bark*

The dog finally stopped and began barking at an unconscious figure – a young boy with dark hair and pale white skin. He wasn't sure if the skin was pale from the start or due to blood loss but looking at the severed leg and visible wounds, he could tell that this child had definitely suffered.

His head began throbbing in excruciating pain, as if trying to remind him of something, and made him stagger as he reached out to the closest wall and gripped it in support. The dog barked repeatedly, nudging against his leg and pointing at the boy.

"What do you want me to do?" Percy asked through gritted teeth, the pain increasing by the second.

The dog barked and trotted over to the lying figure and pulled a gun from the boy's hand, dragging it to Percy. As it got closer, Percy noticed that the blood on the dog's fur was starting to increase and now it was obvious that the source of the blood was the dog. Was it bitten?

Percy looked at the dog remorsefully; he had no idea what to do to a dog that was turning into a zombie. Did the virus affect dogs the same way that it did to humans? Then why was it not attacking him and trying to bite him?

Tilting its head, the dog barked again, louder than before and Percy realised that if the dog kept barking, it would draw the zombies to him, "Hush boy."

Surprisingly, the dog quietened and looked at him and the gun expectantly. Percy picked up the gun and took off the safety lock on the gun, pointing at the dog. The dog seemed to smile as its tongue slipped out of his mouth.

Even though he was prepared to shoot before but now, with the deceased boy's body, he could not bring himself to.

*Bark*

The dog barked again and Percy placed his finger on the trigger, and begged the world as he looked at the dog, "Please, don't make me do this."

There was no response and the dog barked once more. Closing his eyes, Percy took a deep breath and pressed the trigger, followed by a gunshot. Silence echoed after the gunshot and Percy vaguely heard a whine and a thud, no doubt of the body falling to the ground and refused to look at the scene he had caused. He turned around and walked back the steps he had followed the dog around.

Survival was expensive to the matters of the heart.

A/N: I am not going to lie, the chapter wasn't expected to be this dark but for some reason, it was a thought at the back of my head. Anyways, hope you enjoyed and make sure to favorite, follow and, oh yeah, review as well. Might get the next update sooner than how long this took.