Zombie Parade

3: Stella

Percy POV

I gasped while flapping my arms in the water. 

I was always a good swimmer, but it's hard to stay afloat when you're shot and bleeding. The wound was a through-and-through, meaning that the bullet entered and exited my body. I gasped while resurfacing against the waves for the second time.

My hands and legs projected me towards the Manhatten side of the river. The swim was grueling, and my stomach felt like it was on fire. 

I carried a trail of blood as I crawled onto the stones and dirt. It was harder to trek through the semisolid ground than it was the water. The warm breeze only emphasized the heat in my stomach. The blood gurgled out of my wound's entry and exit sites. Considering I'm still alive, I'm assuming that no organs were hit. 

"Holy crap," I cursed while laying on my back. 

Heavy breathing and coughing spread from my mouth as I closed my eyes. I was still bleeding, but I couldn't think of that right now. I'm too exposed. I have to get to a safer location, preferably inside. 

I groaned while standing up. The swim in the river washed away the zombie blood and guts from me. I am no longer in disguise either. 

Each stride sent a jarring jolt of pain into my stomach. I clutched my stomach tightly while walking to the thin layer of woods. Manhattan isn't particularly known for trees and foliage. However, the borders of the Penninsula always have a layer of green. I walked into the woods and kept close to the larger trees and bushes. 

My eyes were wide open as I looked around. I have to find a place to stay. I'll stay on the outskirts of Manhattan because it's safer than being in the streets of New York. I was near a riverside playground. 

The woods opened into a children's playground. Grassy fields had a few spread-out park structures. A sense of nostalgia washed over me as I gazed at the swings and slides. I had visited this park before with my mom. I played outside a lot when I was a kid. 

A few stray zombies were walking around lazily. Most of the zombies in the city were probably downtown in the busy streets of the city. 

"A few zombies shouldn't be that bad," I muttered. 

However, the sun is starting to set. No one should dare try to travel through a horde of zombies at night. 

I wouldn't stand a chance. 

I walked around the park. I killed any zombie that tried to come close. I repeated a simple 'stab through an eye' maneuver with every zombie. Unfortunately, only using one hand hindered my mobility. I was tightly clutching my stomach with my other hand so that I could limit the amount of bleeding. 

My backpack has a crude first-aid kit, but I need to find a place to stay first. Fortunately, I found a small cabin in the thin woods near the park. 

It was a wooden cabin. 

Two zombies were screeching inside. As soon as I entered, the male zombie pushed at me. I barely had time to react. I ducked before smashing its head with the hilt of my knife. Then, I stabbed his skull. The other zombie was a lot slower, so it was easy to kill it. 

I tossed both bodies outside before closing the cabin door. The cabin only had one window, and the shutters were already closed. 

I locked the door before looking around the cabin. There was a table, a minifridge, and a bed in the corner.

I groaned while sliding to the floor. I picked through my backpack before pulling out my first aid kit and spare clothes. Two shirts padded the front and back sides of my right-abdominal wound. Then, I used a white wrap to bandage my waist.