Angela laughed, leaning against the tree beside me, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, Megan..." she murmured, her tone sweet, mocking, "you look like you could use a good meal." She took a sip of her drink, the sound exaggerated, taunting. "But slavery? That's a steep price for pizza."

Lisa chuckled, twirling a slice between her fingers. "Then again..." she murmured, her smile cruel, "you do look desperate enough to consider it."

Megan's face twisted, her voice low, venomous. "You're sick." She stepped closer, her finger jabbing toward me. "This isn't funny."

I shrugged, unfazed, taking another bite. "I didn't say it was." My eyes locked onto hers, cold, unyielding. "But life isn't funny either, Megan." I gestured to the mushroom broth boiling over the fire, the survivors clutching their bowls like lifelines. "And right now, you're starving while I'm feasting." My smile twisted. "So. What's it gonna be?"

Megan's hands clenched, her voice shaking with rage. "I'd rather starve."

I laughed, the sound dark, amused. "Suit yourself." I leaned in, my voice dropping to a whisper. "But remember—pride doesn't fill an empty stomach."

The clearing was alive with tension, the air thick with the scent of desperation and the faint aroma of mushroom broth boiling over the fire.

The survivors huddled around their makeshift meal, their faces smudged with dirt, their eyes burning with hunger and resentment. They clutched their bowls like lifelines, but their gaze kept flickering toward me, toward the steaming pizza and ice-cold drinks in my hands.

One of the men, a burly guy with a scruffy beard and wild eyes, slammed his bowl into the dirt, his voice raw with frustration. "I can't take this anymore!" he snarled, his hands clenched into fists. "We're starving here, and this bastard is eating pizza like it's nothing!"

Another man, leaner but with equally wild eyes, stood up, his voice low and dangerous. "We outnumber them!" he hissed, his gaze locked onto the pizza. "We can just take it!"

A third man, taller and broader, nodded, cracking his knuckles. "Yeah!" he growled, his voice grim. "Let's go! I want to see how long this arrogant prick keeps smirking when we take it all!"

The group began to move, their steps heavy, determined, hungry. Their eyes were fixed on the pizza, the drinks, and me. Some of them licked their lips, others clenched their fists, their faces twisted with greed and rage.

"Come on!" one of them shouted, stepping forward, his voice raw. "We take it, and we split it! No more starving!"

"Yeah!" another yelled, pushing through the crowd, his eyes wild. "I want a slice! I want a drink! I don't care how!"

Megan stood there, her face conflicted, her arms crossed. She didn't stop them. She couldn't. The hunger in their eyes was too strong, their desperation too raw. She watched as they advanced, her jaw clenched, her hands tightening into fists.

I took another slow sip of the cold drink, the can glinting in the moonlight, my eyes never leaving theirs. Then, casually, I reached behind my back.

In one fluid motion, I pulled out the magical tool, transforming it into a gun in the blink of an eye. The metal gleamed, cold, deadly, as I raised it forward, my finger resting on the trigger.

"Come..." My voice was low, mocking, and dangerous. "If you have the guts..."

The clearing froze.

The men stopped dead in their tracks, their faces paling, their eyes wide with shock. "What the fuck!" one of them yelled, stumbling back, his hands raising in surrender.

"He's got a gun!" another shouted, his voice panicked, high-pitched. "This bastard has a gun!"

"Damn it!" a third hissed, stepping back, his face twisted in fear. "How the hell does he still have a gun?!"

The group scattered, panicked, tripping over each other in their haste to retreat. Some of them fell to the ground, scrabbling backward, their eyes wide with terror. Others stood frozen, their hands trembling, their faces pale.

"You can't just pull a gun on us!" one of them shouted, his voice shaking.

"Can't I?" I replied, my voice sharp, final. "I can." My smile twisted, dark, dangerous. "And I will."

Angela chuckled, leaning against the tree, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Looks like the hungry dogs backed down real fast."

Lisa grinned, taking a bite of pizza, her gaze cold, mocking. "Guess they forgot who's really in charge here."

The survivors stood there, frozen, humiliated, defeated. Their hunger was still there, gnawing at them, but their pride had taken a hit. And right now, that stung more than starvation.

One of the men, still on the ground, glared up at me, his voice raw with hatred. "You can't keep this up forever!"

I lowered the gun, just enough to let them see I was giving them a choice. "Run along," I murmured, my voice low, dangerous. "Before I change my mind."

They didn't need to be told twice.

The group scattered, muttering curses, glancing back at me with fear, rage, helplessness. Megan stood there, her face twisted, her hands clenched, unable to meet my gaze.

I took another sip of the cold drink, my smile never fading.

"Pathetic," I murmured, my voice low, amused.

Angela laughed, raising her drink in a mock toast. "Cheers to that."

Lisa grinned, taking another bite of pizza, her eyes gleaming. "They'll be back."

I shrugged, my gun still loose in my hand, my voice cold, final. "Let them come."

Because soon, they'd learn.

Hope was a luxury.

And I was the only one who understood the truth.

Power wasn't about sharing.

It was about showing them exactly who held the gun.

And right now?

That was me.

The men who had advanced were now frozen, their faces pale, their hands trembling. Some stood paralyzed, others had fallen to their knees, their eyes wide with terror.

One of the men, still crouched on the ground, swallowed hard, his voice shaking. "Megan..." he called out, his voice raw, desperate. "Officer Megan! You have to do something!" His fingers dug into the dirt, his knuckles white. "He's got a gun! He can't just point it at us like this!"

Another man, his face twisted in rage and fear, stepped forward, his voice panicked. "Officer Megan! Make him put it down!" He gestured wildly at me, his hands shaking. "He's threatening us! He's got no right!"

A third man, his voice cracking, joined in. "You're supposed to protect us!" He glared at Megan, his eyes burning with accusation. "You can't just let him do this!"

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