POV: Jenna
Jenna clutched her crowbar tightly, her zombie gang circling the mutant creature like a pack of mildly confused predators. It wasn't the most coordinated effort, but it was working—sort of. The creature was distracted, swiping at the zombies while Carl and Rick darted in and out, landing calculated strikes.
"This is going great!" Jenna shouted, even as one of her zombies went flying past her, landing in a heap. "Okay, maybe not great, but decent!"
Carl didn't bother responding, his focus entirely on the battle. He dodged another swipe from the creature's grotesque arm, his sword flashing as he aimed for its side. The blade connected, slicing through the fleshy growths that pulsed with an eerie green light.
The creature roared, staggering but refusing to fall. Jenna winced as one of its massive limbs smashed into a nearby car, crumpling it like paper.
"Any bright ideas, boss?" Jenna called to Rick, who was fending off a smaller mutant that had appeared from the wreckage.
"Just stay alive!" Rick shouted back.
"Great plan!" Jenna muttered, gripping her crowbar. "Super actionable."
---
POV: Carl
Carl ducked under the creature's next swing, his movements sharp and precise. His sword was already coated in its sickly green blood, but the creature didn't seem to be slowing down.
"We need to take out whatever's keeping it going," Carl called to Rick, who was trying to keep the smaller mutant at bay.
Rick nodded grimly. "The veins—they're glowing for a reason."
Carl glanced at the pulsating veins on the creature's chest, their eerie light intensifying with each passing moment. He gritted his teeth, adjusting his grip on the sword. "I'll handle it."
He sprinted toward the creature, dodging debris and swipes from its massive limbs. As he closed the distance, the creature roared, turning its attention fully to him.
"Come on, you ugly bastard," Carl muttered, raising his sword.
---
POV: Kane
Kane watched from the sidelines, his expression unreadable. The chaos unfolding before him was almost poetic. The humans and their undead allies were working together, their desperation pushing them to new limits. But the creature was relentless, its power growing with every second.
"This could go either way," Kane murmured to himself, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Theo, standing nearby, looked less amused. "They're going to get us all killed."
"Or," Kane countered, "they're going to show us just how far they're willing to go to survive."
Theo scowled, but he didn't argue. His gaze shifted to Jenna, who was yelling something unintelligible at her zombies while waving her crowbar like a flag.
"Ridiculous," Theo muttered. "And yet…"
"And yet," Kane echoed, his smile widening.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna's focus snapped back to the battle as Carl charged the creature, his sword aimed directly at its chest. The creature lashed out, its massive arm swinging in a wide arc. Jenna's breath caught as Carl narrowly dodged the attack, rolling to his feet and continuing his assault.
"Alright, team," Jenna said, addressing her zombie gang. "Let's give Carl some backup. And by backup, I mean, try not to die immediately."
The zombies groaned in unison, shuffling toward the creature with a mix of determination and confusion. Jenna followed, gripping her crowbar tightly.
"Hey, overgrown salad!" she yelled, swinging her weapon at one of the creature's legs. The impact wasn't much, but it was enough to get its attention.
The creature roared, turning its glowing eyes toward her. Jenna swallowed hard. "Okay. Maybe that wasn't my best idea."
---
POV: Rick
Rick saw the creature lunge for Jenna, its massive arm sweeping toward her like a wrecking ball. His heart leaped into his throat.
"Jenna, move!" he shouted, already running toward her.
Jenna stumbled backward, her eyes wide. The creature's swing missed her by inches, smashing into the ground instead. Rick reached her just in time, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the creature's range.
"What were you thinking?" Rick demanded, his voice sharp.
"I was distracting it!" Jenna protested. "You're welcome, by the way."
Rick groaned. "You're going to get yourself killed."
"Not if you keep saving me," Jenna replied with a grin.
---
POV: Carl
Carl took advantage of the distraction, charging the creature's chest. His sword plunged into one of the glowing veins, and the creature let out an ear-splitting roar. Green light burst from the wound, the veins pulsating erratically.
"Now!" Carl shouted, pulling his sword free.
Rick and Sarah moved in, attacking the creature from both sides. Jenna's zombies piled on as well, clawing and biting at its limbs. The creature thrashed wildly, its movements growing weaker with each strike.
Finally, with one last roar, the creature collapsed, its massive body hitting the ground with a resounding thud. The green light in its veins faded, leaving only the faint glow of its grotesque wounds.
Carl stood over the creature, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. "It's done."
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna approached the fallen creature cautiously, her crowbar still at the ready. "Is it really dead? Because I don't want to poke it and find out it's just playing possum."
"It's dead," Carl said, his tone firm.
Jenna relaxed slightly, her gaze drifting to the creature's remains. "So… does anyone mind if I, uh, take a few souvenirs?"
Rick groaned. "Jenna, no."
"What?" Jenna said, feigning innocence. "It's not like it's using them anymore."
Carl shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're unbelievable."
"Thank you," Jenna replied, already examining a particularly shiny piece of debris.