The morning sun pierced through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows over the clearing. The air was crisp, the forest alive with the distant calls of birds and the rustling of leaves. Megan stood tall, her uniform still crisp despite the chaos, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd.

"Alright, listen up!" she called out, her hands on her hips, her tone leaving no room for argument. "We all know the situation. We're low on food, and we can't just sit here waiting for something to happen."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the group, lingering on the faces of those who looked the most desperate. "So here's what we're going to do. We split into groups of five. Each group will take a different direction—north, south, east, west—and search for anything edible."

A man in the front, his face gaunt with hunger, raised his hand. "Officer, what if we don't find anything?"

Megan's expression didn't waver. "Then we keep looking," she replied, her voice firm. "But we will find something. This is a forest. There are berries, roots, nuts—something. And if we're lucky, we'll find a river and fish."

A woman with a child clinging to her leg spoke up, her voice trembling. "What if we get lost? What if something happens to us out there?"

Megan exhaled, her tone softening just a fraction. "Then you stick together," she said, her eyes meeting the woman's. "No one goes alone. And if you do find something—anything—you bring it back here. We share it. Equally."

The crowd was murmuring, some nodding in reluctant agreement, others exchanging nervous glances, their fear and uncertainty hanging in the air like a thick fog. Megan's voice cut through the doubt, firm and commanding, as she tried to rally the desperate group. "We don't have a choice, people. We either work together, or we starve."

I leaned against a tree, my arms crossed, watching the show unfold. Angela and Lisa stood beside me, their lips curled in amused smirks. I didn't bother to correct Megan. Let her play hero. Let her think she was in control. It didn't matter to me.

Suddenly, the crowd began to split into groups, their voices a mix of nervous chatter and forced determination. I noticed Mira, Nicole, and Bill team up with the doctor—Paul—and his daughter, Hailey. They stood together, their expressions tense, their postures rigid with fear.

I walked over to them, my boots crunching on the dry leaves. They looked up, their eyes widening slightly as I approached. I could see the panic in their faces, the way their bodies tensed as if expecting a threat.

I focused on the doctor, my voice calm, almost friendly. "Hello. I'm Dexter." I gestured to Angela and Lisa. "This is Angela, my wife. And this is Lisa."

Paul didn't want to engage, but manners—or fear—forced him to respond. "Paul," he muttered, his voice tight. He gestured to the girl beside him, who clutched his arm like a lifeline. "And this is my daughter, Hailey."

I nodded, my gaze sweeping over the group. "Smart choice, teaming up with a doctor." My tone was light, but my eyes were sharp, assessing. "You'll need him if things go south."

Mira shifted uncomfortably, her arms crossing over her chest. "We're just trying to survive," she said, her voice firm, but her eyes betrayed her nervousness.

I chuckled, shrugging. "Aren't we all?" My gaze lingered on her for a moment, then shifted to Nicole and Bill. "You two, be careful out there. The forest isn't kind to the unprepared."

Nicole swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the stick she was holding. "We'll be fine," she murmured, though her voice lacked conviction.

Bill stepped slightly in front of her, his jaw set, his eyes defiant. "We can handle ourselves."

I smirked. "Oh, I know you can," I replied, my tone dripping with mocking amusement. "But can you handle what's out there?"

Paul exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin. "We don't have time for this," he snapped, his voice low. "We need to move."

I didn't push it. I stepped back, my hands raised in a mocking gesture of surrender. "By all means, Doctor. Lead the way." My eyes flicked to Megan, who was watching us from a distance, her expression unreadable. "Just don't forget—" I paused, my smile turning cold. "When things get bad, you know where to find me."

I watched as Mira, Paul, and the others disappeared into the dense forest, their figures swallowed by the shadows of the towering trees. The flicker of fear in Mira's eyes lingered in my mind—good. Fear kept people alive, or at least, it kept them cautious.

Megan noticed the groups were leaving, their voices fading into the distance. She turned to me, her expression tense, her hand resting on her gun. I crossed my arms, my voice casual, almost amused.

"Megan, aren't you going?"

She didn't look at me, her gaze scanning the remaining supplies piled in the center of the clearing. "I'm staying to look after the supplies," she replied, her voice firm, but tinged with something unnerving. "Otherwise, they might be stolen."

I nodded, a slow smirk spreading across my face. "Smart move, Officer." My tone was light, but my eyes were sharp, calculating. "Wouldn't want anyone taking what's yours."

Megan finally glanced at me, her eyes narrowing. "I'm not stupid, Dexter." Her voice was cold, defensive. "Someone has to stay. Someone has to make sure things don't get out of control."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Oh, Megan," I murmured, my voice dropping to a dark whisper. "Things are already out of control." I gestured to the forest, to the rift in the sky, to the desperate, scattered groups vanishing into the unknown. "You're just delaying the inevitable."

She clenched her jaw, her fingers twitching near her gun. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

The forest was thick with tension, the air heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. I stepped closer to Megan, my voice a low growl, my eyes locked onto hers—cold, unyielding, unapologetic.

"It means you can't protect them." My tone was final, leaving no room for argument. "Not from me. Not from themselves. And certainly not from what's out there."

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