The looming presence of the rival zombies became impossible to ignore. Day by day, Jenna and Carl noticed their territory shrinking. The other group wasn't just after supplies—they were staking their own claim on the city.
Carl took charge, leading the gang through alleyways and old streets, trying to avoid direct conflict. Jenna, still not fully understanding the gravity of the situation, kept accidentally hoarding random items as they passed—an old toaster here, a rusted bicycle there.
"Jenna, focus!" Carl hissed as she stuffed a broken umbrella into her space. "This isn't the time for hoarding junk!"
"But it's a nice umbrella," Jenna mumbled.
Carl's eyes narrowed. "We need to figure out what their next move is. They're getting bolder."
Jenna nodded, but her mind drifted to the growing pile of supplies in her spatial pocket. As they walked, she noticed something out of place—a few crates of food sitting in the middle of an otherwise empty street.
"Carl, look!" she said excitedly. "More supplies!"
Carl grabbed her wrist before she could rush over. "Wait. It's a trap."
Jenna blinked, her brain struggling to catch up. "A…trap?"
He pointed to the rooftops around them. "They're watching. That's bait. They want us to go for it."
Jenna's face scrunched up in confusion. "But…why not just take the supplies themselves?"
Carl let out a frustrated sigh. "Because they're testing us, Jenna. They want to see how we react. If we're stupid enough to walk into their trap, they'll attack."
Jenna stared at the crates longingly, the idea of giving up potential hoarding opportunities physically painful. But she knew Carl was right.
"Okay," she said finally. "We won't fall for it."
Carl nodded, pleased that Jenna was finally starting to understand. But just as they turned to leave, one of Jenna's gang members—completely unaware of the danger—lurched forward and grabbed a crate.
The rival zombies immediately appeared, dropping down from the rooftops like predators. Carl cursed under his breath, pulling Jenna behind him.
"Guess we're doing this the hard way," he muttered.
Jenna, still clutching the umbrella, looked at Carl with wide eyes. "Do we say hello now?"
Carl glared at her. "No, Jenna. We don't say hello."