Chapter 4
The group arrives at the St. John dairy.
Andy: Here it is. St. John family dairy. Y'all can see we've kept this place so safe.
Bucky: Wow, Farm! And look at those electric fences!
Mark: The fence keeps them out?
Andy: You betcha. They fry like bugs in a zapper. We're pushing 4000 volts through that thing, with generators and amps.
Bucky: Cool!
Howard: Shoob…
Randy: Howard, leave Bucky alone.
Howard: Yeah right, like I'm gonna stuck with this dork.
Carley: I'm going to assume that's a lot…
Doug(twdg): Oh, wow, you guys must know a thing or two about running wire.
Danny: Had a guy who did, yeah.
In the house, at the window, a woman sees the group.
Lee: This is a really brilliant set up.
Andy: Suits us just fine.
Debbie: Ever have any accidents?
Danny: Nah…
Andy: It's safer here than cut out there.
Randy: We've got kids in our group, doesn't seem safe to have them near a lethal fence.
Andy: Oh, don't worry about that, Randy. We've got plenty to keep 'em entertained.
Bucky: This place looks safer than the motel! And those fences, got enough electricity to run the whole place!
Andy: It's worth protecting, kid. Hence all the juice.
Woman: I thought I saw Y'all with company comin' down the drive!
The woman shows up with a basket on her hand.
Andy: Guys, this is our mama.
Brenda: I'm Brenda St. John and welcome to the Dairy.
Andy: This here's Lee. He's from Macon.
Brenda: A couple of our old farm hands were from Macon. They grow 'em good there.
Andy: And this is Randy. He's from Norrisville.
Brenda: Nice to meet you, young man.
Randy nodded and smile at Brenda.
Danny: They've got a few more friends staying at the old motel.
Brenda: Oh my goodness, that place is pretty vulnerable. Have you got someone with survival experience to lead your group?
Lee: Lilly. She's tough as nails and keeps us focused on what it takes to survive.
Mark: Lilly was in the military, like me.
Brenda: Well, that's good to hear. That motel ain't the safest place. Now that y'all are here, we'll make sure you're safe and comfortable.
Bucky: YAAYY!
Everyone staring at Bucky awkwardly.
Bucky: Sorry. Force of habit.
Howard: Hey, you folks have any food? I'm wonkin hungry here!
Carley: We're all incredibly hungry.
Brenda: These are for y'all. Baked fresh this morning.
Brenda shows them a basket full of biscuits.
Carley: Amazing!
Doug: Holy Moly!
Howard: FOOD!
Doug(twdg) and Howard take the basket and eat some of the biscuits and they earn some nasty glares from the group except Bucky who laughed.
Bucky: *laugh* They're really hungry until they eat those biscuits. ZING! *laugh*
Howard: What? It's just a biscuit.
Randy: Doug(twdg), Howard, we should keep this food for the group.
Doug(twdg): Sorry.
Howard: Oh ok but I'll get another one.
Howard trying to get another biscuit but Debbie smacked his hand
Howard: Oww… what was that for?!
Debbie: That's enough, Howard!
Howard: Hmph!
Danny: Can't get stuff like that anymore, not without cow for milk and butter, that's for sure.
Brenda: That's right. Hopefully, Maybelle will make it through this bout of whatever she's got and be with us for a good long while.
Lee: Your cow is sick? What's she-
Mark: We have a vet! We can bring her here! We can help you folks out.
Brenda: A vet! Oh my! Our prayers have been answered!
Randy: Maybe our whole GROUP could come here for today…
Brenda: Well how about this, Y'all go get your veterinary friend, and I prepare some dinner. A big feast for all you hungry souls. It'll be nice to have some folks to help out around here again. Danny, why don't you come help me out in the kitchen.
Brenda and Danny get in the house.
Doug(twdg): Why don't I and Carley head back with the food and round up everyone for the trip back here.
Andy: You might wanna take others with you both. Remember, those roads can be dangerous.
Carley: We can handle ourselves.
Doug(twdg): Maybe he's right, Carley. Debbie, Bucky, and Ben can come with us.
Howard: Hey, what about me?!
Debbie: You'll stay with Randy, Lee, and Mark because if you come with us, you're going to eat all the biscuits by yourself.
Howard: Like you're too good to stop me.
Debbie: Well, at least I'm a smartest, not a dumber than dirt like you.
Carley: That's enough, you two! We have foods to deliver!
Howard: Ok! Just as long as this Nerdball Kang need to learn not been to sarcasm here!
Debbie: Hmph!
Mark: Take this.
Mark gives Doug(twdg) his rifle.
Doug(twdg): All right! See ya later!
Carley: Take care of yourself, Lee. See ya in a while.
Doug(twdg), Carley, Debbie, Bucky, and Ben leave the Farm.
Andy: Mark, Lee, Randy, Howard, why don't ya take a look around. Once ya get settled in, I could use some help securin' the perimeter.
Lee: Is there a problem?
Howard: You asked too much question like Douglas(rc9gn), Lee!
Randy: Howard!
Randy punches his BFF on the shoulder
Howard: I'm just kidding!
Randy: Sorry about what Howard said.
Lee: Uh huh…
Andy: Yeah and Sometimes, the dead get tangled up in the fence before they fry and end up knocking over a post. It'd be a big help if you guys could walk the perimeter.
Randy: Oh…
Andy: You can learn and teach these boys a lil somethin' about our fence. I'm gonna go top off the generators before they run dry. Come get me when you're ready.
Mark: You betcha.
Mark turns to Lee, Randy, and Howard
Mark: This place is INCREDIBLE! It's got food! And that fence… oh man, that fence! If we play our cards right, this might turn out to be a place we can stay. So how do you we can stay? So how do you want to play this?
Lee: Before we can think about bringing our whole group here to stay, we need to figure out if this place is as safe as they telling us.
Randy: I agree with Lee said. They're think it's safe here and look at the broken swing over there.
Randy points at the tree with a broken swing tied up.
Randy: It's not safe for Duck and Clementine if they use that broke swing.
Mark: Yeah, I noticed that too. Not a big deal, but maybe there's other things not working that we just can't see yet.
Lee: And checking the fence perimeter sounds like a decent way to get a good look at their defense.
Howard: Nah, I'm too lazy to check on the fence.
Lee: I didn't say we're going to checked on the fence now.
Howard: Yeah, yeah, I just need to sit down because I can see the bench over there.
Howard pointed the house have had the bench.
Lee: Well go ahead then.
Howard: Yeah whatever.
Howard walks toward the bench and sits down
Randy: I'm gonna talk to Andy first about the electric fence.
Lee: After you, Randy.
Randy walks to Andy who fixed the generator. Andy stands up as he saw Randy in front of him.
Andy: Hi…
Randy: Hi…
Andy: I'm glad you guys decided to help us out. I noticed back at the motel that you and your group are pretty well armed. Are you and Lee been stockpiling, huh?
Randy: Yeah. If anyone tries to mess with me and my group, they'll learn their lessons.
Andy: Well, protecting your people is important, but in my experience having that many guns around are when people get dangerous. Especially for the kids and teens like you.
Randy: Yeah but the group can teach me and my friends how to survive.
Andy: Well I'm glad they've helped you and your friends out.
Randy: And if you need extra people to protect dairy, you can count on us.
Andy: Hopefully it'll never come to that, but thanks.
When Randy is about to talk to Andy, Lee begins to talk far away from the broken swing
Lee: Too bad it's broken. I'll bet Clementine and Duck would have loved something like this to play on.
Andy: Kids used to like that old swing even more than the tour sometimes!
Lee: I'll bet.
Randy: Why don't you fix it, Lee? It might be better if the swing is already fixed.
Lee: Yeah but I need a plank and rope for that.
Andy: Sure! That'd be great! Momma sure does appreciate you all helping out.
Lee turns to the broken swing and begins walking around to find a plank and a rope. Randy begins to ask more question to Andy.
Randy: An electric fence is enough to keep out walkers?
Andy: Walker? Is that what you call them? That's good. The old one wouldn't have, but Mac - he was our foreman - he figured out how to amp up with the generators. We used to sit out here some nights and watch the sons o' bitches sizzle and pop when they got too close. Closest thing to entertainment these days, I guess.
Randy: These generators are enough to power the whole dairy?
Andy: We got lots. And we gotta keep trading for fuel as much as we can. But they all work together to do the trick. Like us.
Randy: We can't be the first people you've invited up to dairy.
Andy: Well, no, We've made similar deals with other folks, trading for gas and food, but ultimately they moved on, looking for the people they lost contact with.
Randy nodded as he understands. Randy and Andy turn around as they saw Lee finished his fixed the swing.
Randy: Wow.
It reminds Randy of his dad, back when his dad fixed the swing that been broke by Howard when they were kids. His dad would always try to shoulder every responsibility. Randy knew his dad always protect him but now his dad was no longer in this world. Randy know his dad was in a better place now.
Andy: Well I'll be damned. Momma's gonna be thrilled to see that old swing all fixed up.
Lee: Hopefully our kids will like it too.
Brenda opens the front door and look around the outside house but didn't notice Howard sitting on a bench
Brenda: Did you say something darlin'? Oh my goodness. Did you do that?
Lee: Just trying to help out a bit around here.
Brenda: You know, I used to push Andy and his brother out here on that swing every night when they were kids. Seems like such a long time ago now.
Lee: Yeah it does.
Howard: Yeah like me and Cunningham when we were kids.
Brenda was a bit shocked as she now noticed Howard sitting on a bench.
Brenda: Oh! I didn't see you there, young man. What's your name again?
Howard: Howard Weinerman
Brenda: Oh I'm sorry for not noticed you there, Howard.
Howard: Yeah it's fine.
Brenda goes inside the house. Lee walks to Andy and Randy and talks to Andy.
Lee: Mark and I can help you with that perimeter, now.
Andy: Oh, good. The fence stops a walker in about three or four seconds but gets overloaded if we leave the husks out there.
Randy: Can I come with you guys?
Lee: I appreciate you helping us out, Randy but you better stay here with Howard. You know it's dangerous outside there. Okay?
Randy: I'm just trying to help you but okay. Need to spend time with my BFF a bit.
Randy walks away to the house and sits on the bench with Howard.
Lee: You know, Mark and I can clear the fence ourselves if you want to stay here and finish up with the generators.
Andy: Well, that'd be great!
Lee: Also take care of the boys too.
Andy: Don't worry. Your kids will be fine with us. I'll turn off the northwest section, and if you guys strip 'em off and look for any weak points, that'd be a big help.
Lee: Sounds easy enough.
Andy: Stay attentive, ya never know.
Mark and Lee walk away to the gate.
To be Continue...