POV: Jenna
Jenna sat by the campfire that evening, absently toying with her newest acquisition: a slightly bent screwdriver she'd found on the office building's rooftop. To the untrained eye, it was just another piece of junk, but Jenna knew better. Screwdrivers were versatile—stabby, twisty, prying tools of opportunity.
Her gang loitered nearby, their groaning muted as they shuffled aimlessly. Carl was on the other side of the camp, sharpening his blade, while the humans huddled together, talking quietly. Jenna felt their eyes on her, a mixture of curiosity and suspicion that was as familiar as it was annoying.
She sighed, tossing the screwdriver into her spatial storage. "Tough crowd."
One of her zombies let out a low groan, and Jenna nodded in agreement. "Exactly. They should be thanking us. Without my hoard, we'd be screwed. Pun intended."
The zombie stared blankly at her, which Jenna decided to interpret as appreciation for her wit.
---
POV: Rick
Rick watched Jenna from across the camp, his arms crossed. He couldn't deny that her hoarding had come in handy more than once, but it was hard to trust someone who seemed to prioritize random objects over survival essentials.
"She's a wildcard," he muttered to Sarah, who was sitting beside him.
Sarah shrugged. "She's also resourceful. I mean, remember the time she pulled out that fishing net to catch those mutated rats?"
Rick frowned. "Yeah, but it's not just her. It's her group. They're zombies, Sarah. And Theo isn't the only one who's starting to question their motives."
Sarah sighed. "Look, I get it. But right now, we need them. And if we're going to make this alliance work, we need to start trusting each other."
Rick didn't reply, his gaze lingering on Jenna's gang. He wanted to believe Sarah was right, but something about this alliance still felt like a ticking time bomb.
---
POV: Kane
Kane watched the camp from a safe distance, his expression unreadable. He'd spent the day sowing seeds of doubt among the humans, and he could already see the results. Theo was more paranoid than ever, and even Rick was starting to waver. It was almost too easy.
But Kane wasn't just relying on fear and mistrust to destabilize the group. He had other plans—plans that involved Jenna's peculiar abilities. He'd been observing her closely, noting how she used her spatial storage and how fiercely she protected her hoard. It was an obsession, one he could exploit.
"Everyone has a weakness," he muttered to himself. "And hers is right there in plain sight."
He turned his attention to the horizon, where the faint glow of distant fires painted the sky. The lab's influence was spreading, and soon, it would reach this camp. Kane smiled, his mind already working out the next steps. He didn't need to break the group himself—not when the lab's creations would do it for him.
---
POV: Theo
Theo paced near the edge of the camp, his thoughts a chaotic swirl of anger and suspicion. He couldn't shake the feeling that Jenna and her zombies were hiding something—something dangerous. And Kane's words kept echoing in his mind, fueling his paranoia.
"They're not like us," Kane had said. "They don't think like us. They don't need what we need. So why are they hoarding supplies?"
Theo clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. He needed answers. And if Rick wasn't going to do anything about it, then he would.
His gaze shifted to Jenna's gang, who were groaning softly as they shuffled near the fire. They seemed harmless enough, but Theo wasn't fooled. He knew better than to trust appearances.
"Tomorrow," he muttered under his breath. "Tomorrow, I'll prove it."
---
POV: Carl
Carl leaned against a tree, watching Jenna as she sat by the fire. She looked relaxed, even content, as she chatted with her gang in her usual one-sided conversations. It was almost… endearing.
He shook his head, smirking to himself. Jenna was a mystery, even to him. She was impulsive, eccentric, and often infuriating, but she had a way of making the apocalypse feel less… apocalyptic.
Still, Carl couldn't ignore the growing tension in the camp. Kane's subtle manipulations were working, and Theo's paranoia was spreading like wildfire. If something didn't change soon, the alliance would fall apart—and Kane would win.
Pushing off the tree, Carl walked over to Jenna, his boots crunching softly against the dirt. She looked up as he approached, her expression curious.
"What's up?" she asked.
Carl sat down beside her, his gaze steady. "We need to talk."
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Uh-oh. That sounds serious."
"It is," Carl said, his tone firm. "Things are getting worse. Kane's stirring the pot, and Theo's ready to snap. We need to do something before this whole thing blows up in our faces."
Jenna frowned, her usual lighthearted demeanor fading. "What do you want me to do?"
"Be careful," Carl said. "Watch your back. And keep an eye on Kane. He's up to something, and I don't think it's just about survival."
Jenna nodded slowly, her expression serious. "Got it. Be careful, watch Kane, don't die. Anything else?"
Carl smirked. "Yeah. Try not to hoard anything too ridiculous."
Jenna grinned, the tension easing slightly. "No promises."