"Maybe he has already returned to the tent," Dean uttered, and meant to end their unsuccessful search.
"Or he left just like you did last night." Seth knew that couldn't be it since the car – their only car – was on the same spot where Dean left it when he arrived that morning.
"Well, okay, bad for him. We're gonna have some fun and he's gonna miss it."
"Yeah, fun," Seth pronounced tiredly, "I don't care for that now. I'm starving. Do we have something to eat?"
"We could go to a restaurant," Dean suggested, but those were only empty words. "But we're not going to. What kind of a camping trip would that be?" he posed a rhetorical question.
"I feel like I'm being kept here against my will."
"Come on, Seth. We're gonna have fun."
Seth sighed. "Fine."
Dean's face lit up. "Follow me. I'm gonna show you something." He started walked toward the car.
"If it's not food, I'm gonna be disappointed." Without getting a response, Seth continued with that dialogue. "I seriously hope it's not another snake. Or any other animal." He got lost in his thoughts. "Unless it's dead and ready to be served." Saliva was quickly forming in his mouth. His vision was getting worse because all he saw were images of food. A chicken ran in front of him. Brain was playing games with him. As if it wasn't enough. Seth's brain clearly joined Dean's side. A thought crossed Seth's mind that he should have left when he had the chance. Except that in reality he never got the chance. How could have Roman succeeded? There was no vehicle around to help him escape. And he got no connection to call somebody to pick him up. Did he walk away or what? No, impossible. He still had to be around. But this way of thinking was interrupted by another image of a tasty animal. This time it was a deer.
"Oh, isn't it cute?" Dean mumbled.
"Wait, what?" Seth asked, dazed. "You see it too?"
"Sure," Dean hesitantly answered, confused why he shouldn't be able to see the forest creature.
"I thought I was hallucinating. I'm really hungry."
"So . . . you want an arch and an arrow?"
Seth looked at Dean. Are you kidding me, he had to be thinking.
"Or you'd prefer a wild boar?"
"No," Seth replied slowly, failing to believe he was actually having this conversation.
"You're right. It's early for hunting. It'd be better if we made it an afternoon activity." Seth didn't seem to approve of that, but that was something Dean didn't give a damn about. "I can add it . . .," he spoke while taking out a paper sheet. "Oh, look, it's already here." Dean briefly showed the paper to Seth. Seth, though, didn't care to look, nor Dean gave him sufficient time to go through the list of Dean's plans for those days off.
The smile stayed on Dean's face while he read the list to himself. "So what's next?" he asked.
"Breakfast," Seth shouted.
"That's not what I mean. There are activities for this morning."
"I'm not doing anything until I eat." He felt he needed to add, "Not that afterwards I'll become your puppet and do whatever you tell me to. Besides, Roman's not here."
"What happened with your enthusiasm?"
"I've already used all of it."
Dean had no other choice. He opened the trunk of the car and took out an old brown bag. When he unzipped it, Seth got a chance to notice some bottles, vegetables – vegetables? – and some other unrecognizable things, hopefully food. Then there was a small portable fridge.
"Yes!" Seth shouted when he saw hotdogs in there.
"Enjoy, buddy," Dean told him cheerfully. He needed Seth to be strong for all the activities that he had planned for that day. If only there was Roman to join them. That was really strange. How could he just disappear? Is it possible that he got lost in the woods or something? While Seth was eating, Dean was thinking. This wasn't normal. Roman wasn't one to get lost. To leave if he wasn't satisfied, yes, perhaps. But how? There was no way for him to leave, at least none that Dean could think of.
He watched Seth, who was sitting in front of him. Now Dean had to be careful. He couldn't allow the other one to disappear. What kind of leader would he be if he lost all his soldiers? And all the wasted time and energy preparing the schedule. Who would obey him then? Not that otherwise they would. No. But when he succeeded in keeping their mood somewhat above the I'm-gonna-kill-you level, at times he was able to control those two. According to that theory, reducing Seth's hunger could make him more obedient, even excited about the upcoming events.
"It's cold but it's so good," Seth mumbled while eating.
"Of course it's cold; it was in the fridge."
"So . . . when are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow," Dean replied, acting offended.
"You seriously wanna continue with this? We don't have Roman," Seth reminded him. "What if he got injured?"
Dean laughed. "Yeah, right."
"This is serious, Dean. Who knows how many of yours snakes are slithering around –"
"Whoa. I have only one snake, okay? And don't worry about it; it's alright."
"Jeez, Dean. Just . . . just . . . You know what I'm talking about," Seth said. "And there are other snakes too."
"You really wanna continue with this snake conversation?" Dean asked, daring him.
"With you? No. I'm just worried about Roman. Can't you understand that?"
"He'll come back. Like me," Dean said with a smile on his face. "Now are you finished with that?" he asked, but didn't give Seth any chance to reply. Arrogantly he closed the fridge saying no more food for you and hurried Seth to finish the last bits of his hotdog before he'd take it away from him.
The trunk of the car got closed loudly but Dean kept the other bag with him. He transferred it into the tent and returned to Seth who was drinking beer.
Dean looked at the can in his hand. "Where did you get that?"
"From the car," Seth replied when he stopped the beer stream from flowing.
"Don't drink it!" With force Dean separated the can from Seth's right hand.
The way Dean said it made Seth spit out the liquid that he held in his mouth out of fear. "Is it poisoned?"
"No. You think I'd put poison into beer? I'm not that cruel."
"So? What's the problem?"
"You have to be sober for the morning exercise."
"Exercise? Seriously? I just had breakfast."
Dean chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. "You couldn't wait."
Seth gave Dean a non-very friendly look and while striking him with the eyes he took the beer back. A few more sips wouldn't make any difference. But when he finished it, he realized it would be much better if hadn't drunk any beer. And also if had empty stomach. But so what. Still, the idea of going for a run made him happy. He wasn't sure was exactly Dean had in mind, but Seth got excited over the possibility of cross country running. "Follow me," he was the one to say.
"No," Dean protested. "I'm the leader."
"What's the leader without his sheep? Either come with me or stay here. But there's no way I'm gonna follow you."
That was a tough choice, but the range of possibilities was almost non-existent. "Fine." Dean sighed. "You can lead this time. But only this time."
Seth hid his smile from Dean and kept the thought yeah, make yourself believe that safely placed in his mind. Then confident with the new-gained control he took the responsibility of being the one in charge.