DEAD RISING

Girlfriend

"Yeah were completely lost." I say.

"We went a block from your apartment... you can literally still see your building!" Grover says. "You said you've knew the way!"

"I had my mom... and google maps!" I snap back. "And it was a year ago, how the hell am I supposed to remember that far back!"

"Guys shut up!" Annabeth gets between us. "Gods... are you guys always like this? I thought you guys were friends?"

"Oh yeah we are." Grover says. "More than friends really."

Annabeth looks at us confused.

"Like brothers." I say. "Not lovers... why do you always gotta make it sound like that man?"

"Cause we are brother lovers." Grover says.

I sigh... "I can't stand your words... your words suck like you." I say.

"Oh my..." Annabeth sighs. "Idiots... both of you.

Screams echo off the buildings and we hide behind a flipped over car. The screams get closer.

"Can you see it?" Annabeth asks.

I lay on the ground to look through the cars crunched windows. The sight in the car nearly made me puke instantly.

"What is it?" Annabeth bends to look, but I stop her.

"Nothing you want to see." I look at her, laying back down. The flipped car's driver still in the seat, I'm guessing a woman was driving but it's kinda hard to tell. Her head is like a smashed watermelon, blood and brains covering the interior.

"Oh god..." I cover my mouth.

"What do you see?" Grover says.

I look past the remnants of the driver, and see a set of legs limping slowly to us.

"I think it's a freak." I say, pushing myself up off the ground.

"So how do we get past it?" Grover asks. "We cant just fight every freak we see, eventually we will lose."

"Percy, you move to the truck right there." Annabeth points too to a large moving truck next to the flipped car. "And when I give the signal, swing low like at their ankles with your sword."

I nod and move to the back of the flipped car.

"I'll tell you when." Annabeth says. "Now go."

I move quickly to the truck and hide next to the large wheel.

"Grover, you stand up between Percy and I and make the freak see you." She says.

"Yeah ok... wait what!" he whisper yells.

"Just do it." she nudges him.

"Ugh fine..." he stands up and gets into position. "Oh hey... she's kinda cute." Grover says.

"Dude..." I whisper.

"Hey baby!" he waves. "I know I don't have that much meat on me, but I guarantee I'll be the tastiest man this side of the Mississippi."

I hear the freak scream and it's footsteps slam against the ground.

"Now!" Annabeth yells.

I slash low with the sword, connecting with the freaks legs. It's body slams on the ground while it's feet stay behind next to me. Annabeth gets up and stabs the freak in the back of the head.

"That was...terrifying." Grover said.

"That was the first girl to like you." I say. "Even with your gross pickup line."

"I know... I'll miss her." He says.

"Want me to cut her head off so you can carry it with you?" I ask.

"Ye- no, no.....no...................right, no-no-no." he shakes his head.

"We should get going before Grover actually gets a freak girlfriend." Annabeth says.

"So... where do we go?" I ask.

"Well... let's head east, to Queensboro bridge and cross it." Annabeth says.

"Ugh... this is going to be a long walk." Grover groans.

I start walking to the bridge, the driver of the flipped car keeps flashing in my head and the smell burned into my nose. We walk a few blocks, not seeing a single living or dead person.

"You'd think we'd see looters or something." Annabeth says.

"Yeah, I bet we while soon enough, it is New York after all." Grover says.

"Hey here's the entrance for the bridge." Annabeth says, and I keep walking. "Percy." She says. "Hey Percy." She repeats. Her hand grabs my shoulder. "Hey, you ok? You've been quiet since that freak we killed.

"Huh, oh yeah sorry." I say, her face close to mine. "Oh, were at the bridge." I turn and look at the cars filling the bridge. "Looks like a traffic jam."

"Are you ok?" she asks again.

The skies roar to life, the unmistakable sound of a military jets engine as it flies through the air. A jet flies low over our heads, low enough to feel the force push us back.

"What is happening?" Grover says. Another jet off in the distance gets level with the bridge as it flies toward it.

"Get down!" I yell and tackle Annabeth to the ground between two street barriers shielding her with my body.

A window shattering boom and a shockwave that rattles my teeth and makes my ears ring. Screaming metal as it bends and stretches to it's limit. I stay on top of a curled up and screaming Annabeth.