POV: Jenna
Jenna rummaged through the ruins of what had once been a hardware store, her hands flying over rusted tools and cracked paint cans. She muttered to herself as she worked, her mind focused on one thing: finding anything worth adding to her collection.
"Broken… useless… ooh, duct tape!" She snatched the roll like it was a rare treasure, stuffing it into her spatial storage with a satisfied grin. Her gang of zombies shuffled nearby, their groans echoing in the silence. They weren't much help, but at least they stayed out of her way—mostly.
"Jenna," Carl's voice cut through her hoarding haze, "are you seriously prioritizing duct tape right now?"
Jenna popped her head up from behind a collapsed shelf, holding up her prize. "You can never have too much duct tape."
Carl pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're supposed to be scouting for supplies to help the group survive, not indulging your hoarding addiction."
Jenna shrugged, already scanning the next aisle. "Hey, I'll have you know duct tape is versatile. You can use it to patch up barricades, fix weapons, or tie up annoying allies."
Carl raised an eyebrow. "Is that a threat?"
"Maybe," Jenna said with a smirk before ducking back down to continue her hunt.
---
POV: Rick
Rick stood outside the hardware store, his arms crossed as he watched the rest of the group spread out to search nearby buildings. He could hear Jenna's muffled voice from inside, accompanied by the occasional clatter of falling debris. He shook his head, muttering to himself.
"That woman's priorities are… unique."
Sarah approached, carrying a small box of canned goods she'd scavenged from a nearby house. "You mean her compulsive need to collect every random thing she finds?"
Rick nodded. "It's like she thinks the apocalypse is some kind of treasure hunt."
Sarah chuckled, setting the box down. "To be fair, she's saved our butts more than once with the stuff she's hoarded. Remember the time she pulled out that road flare to distract those mutants?"
Rick sighed. "I know. But it's still... strange."
Sarah patted his shoulder. "Strange works for us. At least she's not trying to kill us."
For now, Rick thought but didn't say.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna emerged from the store a few minutes later, her arms loaded with random odds and ends: a rusted crowbar, a box of screws, and a small bag of nails. She looked entirely too pleased with herself.
"Success!" she announced, dumping the items onto the ground in front of Rick.
Rick stared at the pile, unimpressed. "That's what you found?"
Jenna crossed her arms. "Hey, don't underestimate the power of small, sharp objects. You'll thank me when we need to secure a barricade or stab a mutant in the face."
Carl sighed, picking up the crowbar. "At least this is useful."
"Exactly!" Jenna said, her grin widening. "See, I'm not just hoarding—I'm preparing."
Rick rubbed his temples. "Let's just focus on finding food and medical supplies, alright? We can't live off nails and duct tape."
"Speak for yourself," Jenna muttered, but she followed him as the group moved on.
---
POV: Kane
Kane watched from the shadows as Jenna and her group continued their scavenging. His eyes lingered on Jenna, noting the way she moved with a strange mix of purpose and chaos. Her obsession with collecting anything and everything was almost admirable—almost.
"She's an odd one," Kane mused to himself. "But even chaos has its uses."
He had no intention of letting her—or anyone else—stand in the way of his plans. If anything, her hoarding tendencies might play right into his hands. People like Jenna were easy to manipulate; all he had to do was dangle the right carrot in front of her, and she'd follow.
For now, though, he would bide his time. There was no need to rush—after all, the longer the group stayed distracted, the easier it would be to push them toward the inevitable conflict he was planning.
---
POV: Carl
As the group reconvened at their makeshift camp, Carl found himself watching Jenna as she carefully sorted through her latest haul. She looked like a kid organizing their toys, her expression one of pure concentration.
"You know," Carl said, sitting down beside her, "you could probably use that space of yours for more… practical things."
Jenna glanced at him, her eyes narrowing. "Are you calling my stuff impractical?"
"I'm calling it… eclectic," Carl said diplomatically. "But maybe focus on essentials? Food, water, medical supplies. Things that'll actually keep us alive."
Jenna rolled her eyes. "You sound like Rick. Look, I hoard because I care. What if we need to fix something? What if we need to build a trap? Or what if we just need a distraction? My 'eclectic' collection has saved us more times than I can count."
Carl chuckled. "Fair enough. But don't be surprised if I start calling you 'The Apocalypse Hoarder.'"
Jenna smirked. "I've been called worse."
---
POV: Sarah
As the camp settled down for the night, Sarah found herself watching Jenna from a distance. The zombie woman was busy stashing her latest finds in some invisible space only she could access. It was bizarre, sure, but also kind of fascinating.
"She's not what I expected," Sarah admitted quietly.
Rick, who was sitting nearby, glanced at her. "Who, Jenna?"
Sarah nodded. "She's… weird, but in a good way. Like, she doesn't just survive—she thrives."
Rick grunted. "Yeah, well, let's hope her thriving doesn't get us all killed."
Sarah smiled faintly, but her mind was already wandering. Jenna might be unconventional, but there was something about her that gave Sarah hope. Maybe, just maybe, they had a chance at making this alliance work.