POV: Jenna
Jenna yawned loudly as the group trudged along the forest trail the next morning. Her zombie gang shuffled dutifully behind her, occasionally growling softly as if in protest of the early start.
"Remind me again why we're walking at the crack of dawn?" Jenna asked, turning to Rick, who was leading the group with his usual grim determination. "Is it because you enjoy ruining my life?"
Rick didn't even look back. "It's because I enjoy keeping you alive."
"Details," Jenna muttered, twirling her crowbar like a baton. "But seriously, we need to find a car or a horse or something. My feet weren't built for this."
Carl, walking beside her, sighed. "Your feet are undead. I'm pretty sure they can handle it."
"That's not the point," Jenna shot back. "The point is that this is boring, and I'm tired."
Carl didn't respond, though Jenna noticed the faintest twitch of a smile on his lips.
---
POV: Rick
Rick ignored Jenna's banter as he scanned the horizon. The forest had given way to a rocky hillside, and the terrain was making progress slow. He didn't like it—too exposed, too many places for an ambush.
"We'll rest when we reach the top," Rick said, glancing over his shoulder. "Stay sharp."
Sarah groaned softly. "You've been saying that for hours."
Rick didn't respond. He'd learned long ago that vigilance was the only thing keeping them alive.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna squinted as they climbed, the sun casting long shadows across the hillside. Her zombie gang seemed agitated, their growls growing louder with each step.
"Hey, guys," Jenna said, patting one of them on the head. "Chill out. We're almost there."
The zombie groaned, tilting its head toward a nearby cluster of boulders.
Jenna followed its gaze, her eyes narrowing. "What is it, boy? Did Timmy fall down a well?"
Carl appeared beside her, his hand on his sword. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," Jenna admitted, gripping her crowbar. "But they're spooked."
Carl frowned, scanning the rocks. "Stay close."
---
POV: Kane
Kane stood on a nearby ridge, watching the group through binoculars. His controlled zombies were already in position, hidden among the rocks and ready to strike.
"Let's see how they handle this," Kane murmured to Theo, who stood beside him.
Theo's expression was tense. "You're pushing them hard. If they figure out what's really going on—"
"They won't," Kane interrupted, his tone calm. "Not yet. For now, let them struggle."
---
POV: Rick
The attack came without warning. Zombies burst from the rocks, their glowing veins pulsing as they swarmed the group.
"Defensive positions!" Rick shouted, his knife flashing as he moved to intercept the first attacker.
The group formed a tight circle, their weapons flashing as they fought back. Jenna's zombie gang joined the fray, their growls turning into feral snarls as they tore into the attackers.
"These aren't regular zombies," Sarah shouted, her knife sinking into one of the glowing creatures. "They're faster, smarter."
Rick nodded grimly. "Stay together. Don't let them split us up!"
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna swung her crowbar with wild abandon, the metallic thud of impact echoing through the chaos. "Seriously, who keeps making these things?" she shouted, smashing another attacker. "Is there a mutant zombie factory somewhere?"
Carl appeared beside her, his sword slicing through two attackers in one fluid motion. "Focus, Jenna."
"I am focused," Jenna shot back, dodging a swipe from another zombie. "Focused on staying alive and complaining about it."
One of the glowing zombies lunged at her, but Jenna's zombie gang intercepted it, tearing into the creature with surprising efficiency.
"Good job, team!" Jenna called, giving them a thumbs-up. "You're all getting promotions."
---
POV: Rick
Rick's muscles burned as he fought, his knife slicing through attacker after attacker. The glowing zombies were relentless, their coordination unnerving.
"We can't keep this up!" Sarah shouted, her back pressed against his as they fought off the swarm. "There's too many of them!"
Rick's jaw tightened. She was right. They were outnumbered, and the enemy wasn't slowing down.
"Jenna!" Rick shouted. "Can you use your space to clear some of them out?"
Jenna hesitated, her crowbar frozen mid-swing. "Uh… maybe?"
"Now, Jenna!" Rick barked.
Jenna groaned but focused, her hands glowing faintly as she activated her spatial ability. Several of the glowing zombies vanished, sucked into her space in an instant.
"Ha!" Jenna shouted, grinning. "How do you like that?"
Rick didn't have time to respond as another wave of zombies surged toward them.
---
POV: Kane
Kane's smile faltered as he watched Jenna use her spatial ability. It was powerful—more than he'd anticipated. But it was also unpredictable.
"She's stronger than we thought," Theo said, his tone laced with concern.
"She's reckless," Kane replied, his smile returning. "And reckless people make mistakes."
---
POV: Jenna
The glowing zombies finally began to thin out, their attacks losing momentum as the group fought back with renewed determination. Jenna leaned on her crowbar, panting heavily.
"Okay," she said, her voice breathless. "That was way too much cardio."
Carl approached, his sword sheathed but his expression serious. "You did good."
Jenna blinked, caught off guard. "Was that… a compliment?"
"Don't let it go to your head," Carl muttered, walking away.
Jenna grinned, watching him go. "Too late."
---
POV: Rick
Rick surveyed the battlefield, his chest heaving as he wiped blood from his knife. The group was battered but alive, their resilience stronger than ever.
"We need to move," Rick said, his tone firm. "Kane's not going to stop."
Sarah nodded, her knife still in hand. "And what about Jenna?"
Rick glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "She's unpredictable. But for now, we need her."