The day was fading, the orange glow of sunset dimming to dusky purple as Percy adjusted the strap of his rifle and glanced at Will. The city's ruins stretched around them, jagged and quiet, the occasional distant groan of wind through hollowed=out buildings the only sound.
"You good?" Percy asked, his voice low.
Will nodded, adjusting the grip on the pistol holstered at his hip. "Fine. But I'd rather not be out here any longer than we have to. Feels like asking for trouble."
Percy couldn't blame him. The shadows were lengthening, and with them came the memories of all the times they'd nearly gotten killed in the dark. Even the sturdy boots he'd scavenged weeks ago, slightly too big for his feet, seemed louder than they should have been against the cracked asphalt.
"Let's make this quick," Percy said.
Their destination was an old department store they'd passed on their way into the area—a potential goldmine for supplies, but also a risk. The building loomed ahead, its shattered windows glinting faintly in the fading light. The giant, faded letters of the store's name were barely legible on the crumbling facade.
Inside, the smell of mildew and rust hit them immediately. Broken shelves leaned at odd angles, and the floor was littered with glass, paper, and the detritus of a world long abandoned.
Percy adjusted his grip on his rifle, scanning the aisles. "Start with the pharmacy section," he suggested. "Anything medical, grab it."
Will nodded and moved cautiously toward the back of the store, his boots crunching softly over debris. Percy followed, sweeping his gaze over the aisles for anything that looked usable.
The faint light from holes in the roof cast eerie shadows over the store, making every movement seem larger, closer. Will crouched near a shelf and began rifling through its contents, muttering under his breath.
"Expired painkillers," he said, holding up a dusty bottle. "But still better than nothing."
Percy nodded, shifting his rifle to one hand so he could pick through a nearby display of first-aid kits. Most were empty, but he managed to find a roll of gauze and some antiseptic wipes that were only half dried out. He added them to his bag.
The tension in the air was palpable, both of them on edge. Percy's fingers tightened on the grip of his rifle as he moved to the next aisle.
"You think the others are having better luck?" Will asked, his voice a little too loud in the quiet.
Percy shrugged. "Hopefully. Annabeth's probably got a whole plan laid out. Piper's probably ignoring it."
Will huffed a quiet laugh. "Sounds about right."
They worked in silence for a while, gathering what little they could. Percy bent down to pick up a flashlight, its casing cracked but the bulb intact. As he straightened, he froze.
It wasn't a sound exactly, but the absence of it—a faint shift in the oppressive quiet that made his stomach twist. He glanced at Will, who was crouched nearby, still focused on his search.
"Will," Percy whispered.
Will's head snapped up, his hand instinctively going to the pistol at his hip. "What is it?"
Percy held a finger to his lips, tilting his head toward the source of the sound. It came again—muffled voices, distant but distinct, carrying through the shattered walls of the store.
Voices meant people.
Will nodded, drawing his pistol as Percy raised his rifle. They moved silently toward the sound, their steps careful despite the uneven floor. Percy's heart pounded in his chest as the voices grew louder, clearer.
