POV: Jenna
The night was unnervingly quiet. Jenna sat by the campfire, poking at the embers with her crowbar. Her zombie gang was scattered nearby, groaning softly as they huddled together like undead sheep.
"I don't like this," Jenna muttered to herself, glancing at the shadows that seemed to stretch further than usual. "It's too quiet. Quiet means bad things."
Carl appeared beside her, his expression as serious as ever. "You're not wrong. Something feels off."
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Did you just agree with me? Are you feeling okay?"
Carl ignored her, his eyes scanning the perimeter. "Stay alert. If something's coming, it'll hit us hard."
Jenna sighed, standing up and adjusting her crowbar. "Great. Just when I was getting comfortable."
---
POV: Rick
Rick stood at the edge of the camp, his knife in hand as he watched the treeline. The eerie stillness made his skin crawl. After the attack earlier, he'd expected more noise—growls, rustling, something. But the silence was worse.
"Do you see anything?" Sarah whispered, appearing at his side.
"Nothing," Rick replied, his voice low. "But that doesn't mean it's safe."
As if on cue, a faint rustling sound broke the silence. Rick tensed, his grip tightening on his knife. The sound grew louder, closer, until the shadows at the edge of the forest began to move.
"Everyone to your positions!" Rick barked, his voice sharp. "We've got company!"
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna spun toward the treeline, her heart racing as figures emerged from the darkness. At first, she thought they were regular zombies, but the way they moved—coordinated, deliberate—made her stomach drop.
"Great," she muttered, raising her crowbar. "It's the synchronized dance team again."
Carl shot her a warning look. "Focus, Jenna. These aren't the usual shamblers."
Jenna's zombie gang moved to form a shaky line in front of her, growling at the approaching threat. Jenna patted one of them on the shoulder. "Good job, guys. Look menacing."
The controlled zombies didn't hesitate. They surged forward, their glowing veins pulsing in unison as they slammed into the barricades.
---
POV: Kane
From his vantage point, Kane observed the chaos with a calm expression. His controlled zombies were doing exactly as planned—testing the group's defenses, forcing them to expend energy and resources.
"This is only the beginning," Kane murmured to Theo, who stood nearby. "Let them wear themselves out."
Theo frowned. "And if they push back?"
"They won't," Kane replied, his voice confident. "Not for long."
---
POV: Rick
Rick fought with grim determination, his knife flashing as he slashed at the controlled zombies. They were faster and stronger than the usual ones, their glowing veins making them eerily resilient.
"Focus on the veins!" he shouted, driving his blade into one of the creatures' glowing chests. It let out a strangled growl before collapsing, its light dimming.
Sarah was nearby, fending off another zombie with her crowbar. "There's too many of them!" she yelled, her voice strained. "We can't hold them off forever!"
Rick clenched his jaw. She was right. They were outnumbered and outmatched, and the barricades wouldn't hold for much longer.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna swung her crowbar with wild abandon, managing to take down two zombies in quick succession. Her gang was doing their best, but it was clear they were struggling to keep up.
"This is ridiculous!" Jenna shouted, glancing at Carl. "How are we supposed to beat the glow squad?"
Carl didn't respond, too focused on fending off a particularly aggressive zombie. Jenna sighed, muttering to herself as she swung her crowbar at another attacker.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something—movement in the shadows, separate from the controlled zombies. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized it was Kane, standing just beyond the treeline.
"Kane's here!" Jenna shouted, pointing with her crowbar.
Rick's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he followed her gaze. "What's he doing?"
"Looking smug," Jenna replied. "Can I hit him?"
"Focus on the fight!" Carl snapped, his sword slicing through another zombie.
---
POV: Kane
Kane met Jenna's gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips. He could see the frustration and exhaustion in her eyes, the cracks in her usual bravado. Perfect.
"She's noticing us," Theo muttered.
"Good," Kane replied. "Let her wonder. Let all of them wonder."
---
POV: Rick
The fight dragged on, the group's energy waning as the controlled zombies continued their assault. Rick's arm burned from the effort of fighting, but he refused to back down.
"Hold the line!" he shouted, his voice hoarse. "Don't let them through!"
The barricades creaked under the pressure, and Rick knew it was only a matter of time before they gave way.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna gritted her teeth, swinging her crowbar with everything she had. Her arms ached, her legs felt like jelly, but she refused to stop.
"Why do they keep coming?" she muttered, slamming her crowbar into another zombie. "This isn't fair!"
Carl appeared beside her, his expression grim. "They're testing us."
"Well, they're doing a great job," Jenna shot back, panting. "We're failing the test."
Before Carl could respond, a deafening roar cut through the air. Jenna froze, her eyes widening as a massive figure emerged from the shadows—a mutated beast, its body glowing with the same eerie light as the zombies.
"Oh, come on," Jenna groaned. "Can't we catch a break?"