POV: Jenna
Jenna felt the shift in the air as the group gathered around for their morning meeting. The humans had been acting strange since the blood moon; even the friendlier ones gave her side glances now, like they weren't quite sure what to make of her and her gang. She could feel the weight of suspicion pressing in on her from all sides.
Carl stood next to her, arms crossed, eyeing the crowd. "They're more paranoid than usual."
Jenna nodded, her gaze drifting toward a few humans who were whispering among themselves, casting glances her way. "It's like they're waiting for us to snap and go full zombie on them."
Carl chuckled, but his tone was serious. "They're afraid of what they don't understand. And with Kane stirring things up, that fear is only going to get worse."
Jenna frowned, glancing at him. "What's Kane got to do with it?"
Carl hesitated, his eyes flicking to where Kane stood, just out of earshot. "I'm not sure yet. But he's too calm, too… unaffected by everything going on. It's like he knows something we don't."
Jenna followed Carl's gaze, studying Kane. He was watching the group with a neutral expression, his posture relaxed, like he didn't have a care in the world. It was odd, especially considering the chaos that had erupted during the blood moon.
"We need to be careful around him," Carl muttered, his voice barely a whisper. "There's something off about him."
Jenna nodded, a chill running down her spine. She'd always thought Kane was a bit too pragmatic, too willing to make hard decisions without a second thought. But now, she wondered if there was more to him than she'd realized.
---
POV: Kane
Kane watched the group with a faint smile, noting the unease spreading through the ranks. It was perfect. The humans were already on edge, their distrust of Jenna's group growing with each passing day. All he had to do was give them a little nudge in the right direction, and the alliance would crumble from within.
He turned his attention to Rick, who was discussing scouting plans with Sarah and a few others. Rick was a natural leader, but he was too soft, too trusting. Kane knew he could exploit that.
As he approached, Rick looked up, nodding in greeting. "Kane. We're discussing the next supply run. I thought it might be good to send a mixed group—humans and zombies—to ease tensions."
Kane raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Are you sure that's wise? I mean, tensions are already high. If something goes wrong, it could make things worse."
Rick frowned, considering this. "You might be right… but we can't just keep them separate forever. If we're going to work together, we have to start building trust."
Kane nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "Of course. I just hope it doesn't backfire. People are scared, and fear can make them do… unpredictable things."
Rick didn't reply, but Kane could see the doubt creeping into his eyes. Perfect. Just a little more, and he'd have everyone second-guessing each other.
---
POV: Sarah
Sarah stood near the edge of camp, watching Jenna's group from a distance. She didn't want to feel suspicious, but after the blood moon, everything felt different. She'd seen how the zombies had fought, how fierce and powerful they'd been. And while she knew they'd been fighting alongside her, she couldn't shake the nagging thought that, one day, they might turn on her.
She took a deep breath, trying to shake the thought. They hadn't given her a reason to distrust them. Jenna had been nothing but helpful, even sharing some of her precious supplies. But the fear lingered, gnawing at her, whispering that maybe she was being naïve.
As she watched, she noticed Carl glancing around, his eyes sharp, like he was looking for something—or someone. When his gaze met hers, he nodded in greeting, but there was something in his expression that unsettled her. It was almost as if he were… watching her.
Shaking off the thought, Sarah approached him, determined to bridge the gap that seemed to be forming. "Hey, Carl. You okay?"
Carl's gaze softened, and he nodded. "Just keeping an eye on things. There's… a lot of tension in the air."
Sarah nodded, glancing back at the humans who were whispering among themselves. "People are scared. I think the blood moon shook them up more than they want to admit."
Carl sighed. "Fear can be dangerous. If we're not careful, it'll tear this alliance apart."
Sarah hesitated, then nodded. "Then maybe we should do something to ease that fear. Show them we're all on the same side."
Carl's lips twitched into a small smile. "You're braver than most humans, Sarah."
She shrugged, feeling a slight warmth at the compliment. "I just… I don't want to see all of this fall apart. We've come too far to let fear ruin everything."
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna watched as Sarah and Carl talked, a pang of jealousy flaring up in her chest. She knew it was ridiculous—Carl was her friend, her ally. But seeing him so easily connect with the humans made her feel… left out.
Shaking off the feeling, she focused on the task at hand. They had a supply run to plan, and if there was one thing she was good at, it was hoarding supplies.
As she joined the group, Rick looked at her, his expression uncertain. "Jenna. We were just discussing the next supply run. We thought it might be a good idea to send a mixed group—humans and zombies."
Jenna raised an eyebrow, surprised by the suggestion. "You think that'll work? People seem pretty… on edge."
Rick hesitated, then nodded. "It's a risk, but I think it's worth taking. If we can show people that we're all on the same side, maybe it'll ease some of the tension."
Jenna glanced at Carl, who gave her a reassuring nod. "Alright. Let's do it. But if anything goes wrong, I'm holding you responsible, Rick."
Rick chuckled, the tension easing slightly. "Fair enough. Let's just hope everyone can keep their cool."
As the group finalized their plans, Jenna felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe this could work. Maybe, despite everything, they could find a way to trust each other.
But as she glanced at Kane, who was watching with that unreadable smile, a nagging doubt crept into her mind. Something told her that he wouldn't let things go as smoothly as they hoped.