POV: Jenna
Jenna kicked open the convenience store door with a flourish, her crowbar resting on her shoulder like a trophy. "Ladies, gentlemen, and undead companions—welcome to the jackpot."
Inside, the store was a treasure trove of apocalypse essentials. Shelves were still stocked with cans of food, bottles of water, and various cleaning supplies. There were even a few dusty boxes of snacks tucked away in the corner.
"Oh, this is good," Jenna muttered, practically salivating as she began loading supplies into her spatial space. "This is really good."
Her zombie gang shuffled inside behind her, groaning softly as they watched her work. One of them poked at a bag of chips with a curious growl.
"Hands off," Jenna said, swatting the zombie gently on the head. "Those are mine."
Carl entered the store, his sword still drawn, and scanned the room for any lingering threats. "You might want to be quick about this. We don't know what else is out there."
Jenna rolled her eyes. "Carl, you worry too much. This place is practically a goldmine. We'd be idiots not to grab everything we can."
Rick and the other humans followed, their eyes widening at the sight of the stocked shelves. "How is this place untouched?" Sarah asked, her tone suspicious.
"Maybe the wolves scared everyone off," Rick replied, though he didn't sound convinced.
"Or maybe it's a trap," Theo muttered from the doorway, his arms crossed.
Jenna shot him a glare. "Oh, come on, Theo. Can't we just enjoy a win for once?"
Theo didn't reply, but his scowl deepened.
---
POV: Kane
Kane stood just outside the store, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. He wasn't interested in the supplies—they were a temporary solution to a much bigger problem. What intrigued him was the strange sense of unease that lingered in the air, as if the wolves had been a mere prelude to something far worse.
His thoughts were interrupted by Theo, who approached him with a sour expression. "They're getting comfortable," Theo muttered, nodding toward the store. "That's dangerous."
Kane smiled faintly. "Comfort breeds mistakes, Theo. Let them enjoy their moment. It won't last."
---
POV: Carl
Carl leaned against a shelf, watching as Jenna gleefully hoarded everything within reach. She was tossing items into her spatial space at an alarming rate—everything from canned soup to random office supplies.
"Do you really need that?" Carl asked as she grabbed a roll of duct tape.
"Do I need it?" Jenna repeated, feigning offense. "Carl, this is duct tape. It's practically currency."
Carl chuckled despite himself. "I'll never understand you."
Jenna grinned. "That's part of my charm."
Before Carl could respond, a loud crash echoed from the back of the store. Everyone froze, their eyes darting toward the source of the noise.
"Please tell me that was just a raccoon," Jenna whispered.
Carl tightened his grip on his sword. "Stay here."
Jenna grabbed his arm. "You're not leaving me out of the action."
"Fine," Carl said with a sigh. "But stay close."
---
POV: Rick
Rick moved cautiously through the store, his knife at the ready. The crash had come from the storage room, and every instinct told him to turn back. But he couldn't afford to ignore it—not with the lives of his group on the line.
As he pushed the storage room door open, the smell hit him first—a sickly sweet stench that made his stomach churn. Inside, the room was dark, the only light coming from a flickering bulb overhead. In the center of the room was a pile of corpses—human, zombie, and animal—twisted together in a grotesque heap.
"Oh, no," Rick muttered, stepping back.
Before he could retreat, the pile began to shift. Something was moving beneath the bodies, something large.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna arrived just in time to see Rick stumble out of the storage room, his face pale. "Uh, Rick?" she said hesitantly. "What's going on in there?"
Rick didn't get a chance to answer. A low growl emanated from the storage room, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. A moment later, a massive creature emerged—a grotesque fusion of flesh, bone, and vegetation, its body pulsating with unnatural energy.
Jenna blinked. "Okay. That's new."
Carl stepped in front of her, his sword raised. "Get everyone out. Now."
Jenna hesitated, torn between self-preservation and the overwhelming desire to see what kind of weird junk she could salvage from the creature's remains.
"Jenna," Carl snapped, his tone sharp. "Go!"
Reluctantly, Jenna turned to her zombie gang. "Alright, guys, you heard him. Retreat. But if anyone sees something cool, grab it on the way out!"
The gang groaned in unison, shuffling toward the exit.
---
POV: Carl
The creature roared, its deformed limbs lashing out wildly. Carl dodged the first attack, swinging his sword in a wide arc that barely scratched its thick hide.
"This thing's tough," Carl muttered, glancing at Rick. "Got any ideas?"
Rick shook his head. "Just keep it distracted. We need to buy time for the others to escape."
Carl nodded, his focus narrowing as the creature lunged at him again. He ducked under its swipe, slicing at its leg with all his strength. This time, the blade bit deeper, eliciting a pained roar from the creature.
"Come on, you ugly son of a—" Carl started, but the creature cut him off with a backhanded swipe that sent him flying into a shelf.
"Carl!" Jenna's voice rang out, panic laced in her tone.
Carl groaned, pushing himself to his feet. "I'm fine. Just—get out of here!"
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna hesitated, torn between retreating and helping. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but something about leaving Carl behind didn't sit right with her.
"Alright, big guy," she muttered, gripping her crowbar. "Let's see what you've got."
Before Carl could stop her, Jenna charged at the creature, aiming for its head. Her swing connected with a sickening thud, and the creature staggered, momentarily dazed.
"Ha!" Jenna shouted, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. "Take that, you overgrown science experiment!"
The creature roared in response, swiping at her with one massive arm. Jenna ducked, narrowly avoiding the attack, and darted back toward Carl.
"Okay," she panted, "maybe this wasn't my best idea."
Carl chuckled, despite the situation. "Welcome to my world."