POV: Jenna
The next morning, Jenna woke to the sound of hushed whispers and the unmistakable tension of a camp divided. She sat up, stretching lazily as her zombies huddled nearby, looking even more awkward than usual. It wasn't exactly a picturesque morning in the apocalypse, but it was home—sort of.
She noticed Carl standing by the edge of the camp, his back stiff and his hand resting on his sword hilt. Jenna grabbed a random crowbar from her stash and wandered over to him.
"Morning, Sunshine," she greeted, her voice chipper. "What's got you so broody today?"
Carl glanced at her, his expression grim. "Theo."
Jenna groaned. "What now? Did he try to fight a zombie with a spoon or something?"
Carl smirked faintly but didn't lose his serious tone. "He's rallying people. A small group. They're questioning whether this alliance is worth it."
Jenna frowned, gripping the crowbar tighter. "That's bad."
"Very," Carl agreed. "And Kane's just sitting back, watching it happen."
Jenna's frown deepened. She knew Kane was trouble, but seeing him actively stoke the fires of dissent was a whole new level of infuriating. If Theo's paranoia spread, it wouldn't just break the alliance—it could get people killed.
"Well," Jenna said, her tone light despite the tension, "good thing I'm here to save the day."
Carl raised an eyebrow. "What's your plan? Hoard the rebellion into submission?"
Jenna grinned. "You joke, but I could totally do that."
Carl chuckled despite himself. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
---
POV: Rick
Rick's head was pounding as he stood in the middle of camp, trying to reason with Theo and his growing group of supporters. It was like talking to a wall made of paranoia and stubbornness.
"We've survived this long because we work together," Rick said, his voice firm. "If we start turning on each other, we're as good as dead."
Theo crossed his arms, his glare unwavering. "Working together is one thing. Trusting them is another. They're zombies, Rick. They don't think like us, and they don't need what we need. So why are they here?"
Rick clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm. "Because they've saved our lives more than once. Because Jenna's hoard has kept us alive. And because fighting each other isn't going to solve anything."
Theo shook his head, his resolve unshaken. "You're blind, Rick. And when they turn on us, don't say I didn't warn you."
Rick watched as Theo and his group walked away, his frustration boiling just beneath the surface. The cracks in the alliance were growing, and he didn't know how much longer he could hold it together.
---
POV: Kane
Kane stood at the edge of the camp, watching the confrontation with quiet satisfaction. Theo was a useful pawn—easily manipulated and brimming with righteous indignation. But Kane knew that Theo alone wouldn't be enough to shatter the alliance. He needed to push harder, to find a way to turn the humans and zombies against each other entirely.
His gaze shifted to Jenna, who was talking animatedly with Carl. She was the wildcard, the unpredictable element that could either stabilize the alliance or send it spiraling into chaos.
"She'll either be their savior or their downfall," Kane mused to himself. "Either way, it works for me."
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna was busy rummaging through her stash, looking for something that could help diffuse the tension. She wasn't exactly a diplomat, but she figured a well-placed distraction or two might buy Rick some time to sort things out.
"Ah-ha!" she exclaimed, pulling out a box of glow sticks. "Perfect."
Carl, who was watching her with a mix of amusement and exasperation, raised an eyebrow. "Glow sticks?"
Jenna grinned, cracking one open and shaking it until it glowed a vibrant green. "Who doesn't love glow sticks? Instant mood lifters."
Carl shook his head. "You're impossible."
"And yet, you're still here," Jenna shot back, tossing him a glow stick. "Now come on. Let's go spread some zombie cheer."
---
POV: Theo
Theo paced near the camp's edge, his mind racing. He couldn't shake the feeling that Rick was wrong—that Jenna and her zombies were hiding something. They were too coordinated, too strategic. And Jenna's hoard? It didn't make sense. Why would zombies need supplies?
"We need to act," he muttered to his small group of supporters. "If we wait too long, it'll be too late."
One of them hesitated. "What if Rick's right? What if we're overreacting?"
Theo glared at them, his frustration boiling over. "If you want to sit back and wait for them to turn on us, be my guest. But I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."
The others nodded, their resolve hardening. Theo felt a surge of satisfaction. He wasn't alone in this. Together, they would expose the truth—no matter what it took.
---
POV: Carl
Carl watched as Theo's group disappeared into the distance, his instincts screaming that something was about to go very, very wrong.
"This is bad," he said quietly.
Jenna, who was busy cracking open another glow stick, glanced up. "What's bad?"
"Theo. He's not just talking anymore. He's planning something."
Jenna's grin faded, her expression turning serious. "Then we need to stop him."
Carl nodded, his gaze sharp. "Agreed. But we have to be smart about it. If we confront him head-on, it'll just make things worse."
Jenna smirked, her confidence returning. "Good thing I'm a master of subtlety."
Carl snorted. "Sure you are."
As they started toward Rick to warn him, Jenna couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. The alliance was on the brink of collapse, and she had no idea how to fix it. But one thing was certain—she wasn't going to let Theo or Kane tear it apart without a fight.