Lee, Eddie, and Mark sprint back towards the house, panting heavily, while Andy rushes toward them with concern etched on his face. Danny stands anxiously on the porch, his gaze fixed on the trio.
"Lee, what's wrong?!" Andy calls out, his voice laced with urgency.
"The electric fence was activated! A group of people started attacking us from the woods, and we were trapped between them and the fence!" Lee replies, his voice tinged with frustration as he shakes his head in disbelief.
Danny dashes up to the group, his eyes wide with alarm.
"Holy shit! Are you okay?" he asks, glancing at Mark, who is bent over, groaning in agony with an arrow protruding from his shoulder.
"I thought you guys were giving me the all clear when I heard Mark yell! I'm really sorry," Andy says, genuine regret hitting his tone.
From the porch, Brenda gasps, "Oh, my Lord! What happened to you, sweetheart?!"
"It was those bastards in the woods, Mama…" Andy frowns, his expression darkening.
"Yeah, I'll be alright once the arrow is out, but, goddamn, it hurts!" Mark grimaces, wincing in pain.
Just then, the rest of their friends from the motel arrive at the dairy farm, approaching the group with a mix of curiosity and concern. Kenny waves at them, a grin forming on his lips.
"Hey, y'all!" Kenny calls, his demeanor almost cheerful despite the tension.
"Mark! Oh my God, what happened?!" Katjaa exclaims, her eyes widening as she spots the injury.
"He got shot with an arrow," Lee frowns, his expression grave.
"Christ! Are you going to be okay?!" Lilly chimes in, her voice thick with worry.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I should just... pull it out…" Mark replies through gritted teeth, his face contorting in pain.
Brenda approaches Mark with determination. "Oh, no, honey, c'mon. Brenda's got you. Let's get inside now; we'll sort you out," she insists, guiding him toward the house with Katjaa by his side.
"What kind of shit is this?!" Larry grumbles, clearly agitated.
"We ran into some people on the way up here… bandits, I guess," Lee explains, his tone serious.
"I can bet you my left testicle that they were the ones who attacked us," Eddie adds, frustration boiling within him.
"They've caused us a lot of trouble in the past, killed a bunch of our farmhands. We managed to negotiate a deal to get them to stop," Andy interjects, his expression somber.
"You knew about these people?" Kenny questions, narrowing his eyes.
"Food for protection. It wasn't like we had much of a choice, but they did stop hassling us," Danny admits, glancing at his brother.
"Goddamn it! Carley said this place was locked down tight!" Larry grumbles, as usual.
"Maybe it isn't as safe here as we thought," Lee suggests, unease creeping into his voice.
"We're sorry! We've never had them mess with us like this! Not since we started giving them food!" Andy pleads. "Listen, we may have had an agreement with those people, but we will not tolerate this behavior."
"Ain't no way we're going to let those sons of bitches get away with this!" Danny declares, fire in his eyes.
"You know where they are?" Eddie asks, his tone serious.
"They're hard to pin down, but I think I know where at least one of their camps is located. When you're ready to scout that bandit camp, come find us," Danny answers. With that, he and Andy start to walk away to handle their own business.
"Bandits? Are you serious? This place isn't safe; we can't stay here," Lilly voices her concern.
"Not safe?! This place is way safer than that motor inn! I think with all of our guns, we can handle a couple of punks with bows and arrows! What we need to do is figure out how to get our whole group out here permanently, even if it means taking this place over!" Kenny counters passionately.
"Whoa! Cool your jets there, Rambo. These are nice people. Let's not do anything to get us thrown out before we eat!" Larry shoots back dryly.
"Nice people? These folks are giving me the creeps," Eddie remarks, his unease palpable.
"I'm going to head out and help Danny deal with these bandits. You guys should try to build some rapport with Andy and Brenda while I'm gone. Eddie, will you come with me?" Lee asks, looking at Eddie.
"Of course," Eddie nods in agreement, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Well, that's easy. I've got charm coming out of my ass," Larry states flatly, drawing a scoff from Lilly.
"Yeah, that's... real charming, Dad," Lilly replies sarcastically.
"Where's Ben and Carley?" Eddie asks, scanning the scene.
"Since Carley and Ben ate some of the food on the way back to get us, she volunteered to stay behind and keep an eye on the motor inn until we return," Lilly explains.
As Andy and Danny chat among themselves, they turn back toward the group.
"Hey, kids, look what Eddie got working for you!" Andy beams.
"A swing! I love swings! Just like at my treehouse! Come on, Duck! Thanks, Eddie!" Clementine exclaims, her face lighting up with joy.
"Yeah!" Duck agrees enthusiastically.
Kenny and the kids walk away, and Duck eagerly hops onto the swing as Kenny gives him a light push. The atmosphere around them begins to lighten as everyone else starts to disperse.
Eddie, feeling drained, wanders over to a quiet spot near the entrance where no one stands, and sits down on the ground. He places his hunting rifle beside him, his hands shaking and breath coming in short gasps as the adrenaline fades away. A wave of nausea crashes over him as he reflects on the grim reality that he might have killed two or three bandits in the woods. Stretching his legs out momentarily, he bends them again, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.
"It had to be done. It was us or them. They would've killed us," Eddie whispers to himself, trying to rationalize what had just occurred.
As he lifts his head, he notices Kenny pushing Duck on the swing, Lee standing nearby with Clementine. Lee says something, and moments later, Duck hops off the swing, making way for Clementine, who eagerly takes her turn as Lee gives her a gentle push.
Eddie pulls out a pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket, lights one, and takes a deep drag, savoring the fleeting calm.
Once Lee finishes pushing Clementine, he takes a moment to chat with the others before walking over to Eddie. The concern on Lee's face is evident as he approaches.
"How are you holding up, man?" Lee asks, his voice low and comforting.
"I'm fine," Eddie replies, though his tone betrays him.
Lee gently clasps Eddie's shoulder, offering reassurance. "You did what you had to do to protect yourself, me, and Mark. Your cover fire probably saved our lives back there."
Eddie pauses, considering Lee's words. "I just… I didn't think I'd kill anyone…" he admits, the weight of his actions pressing heavily on him.
"It was them or us, Eddie. You did good," Lee reassures him. "Don't forget that."
Eddie meets Lee's gaze, feeling a mix of gratitude and lingering doubt. "Thanks, Lee. I appreciate it."
Lee nods, standing beside Eddie for a moment longer.