Dead South Page #3

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Some on, some off.

Just depends

on our needs is all.

There are quite

a number of them.

These new men wouldn't have

anything to do with the people

- planting down on nightshade,

do they?

- Now, Philly...

I just don't see the point

of pushing everyone off

Jim everette's place.

The hard facts are that

we need to hold on

to everything that we've got.

And that includes nightshade

and the flood grounds.

You realize,

we are surrounded by

thousands and thousands

of freed slaves?

We're out-numbered nine-to-one.

Now, what happens if they get

the notion for revenge?

They're going to go after

what families first?

- But, daddy, what if...

- Sweetie, there are

no what ifs.

Daddy, your freed slaves

don't want any revenge.

They just want to try to

find their families

and start some new kind of life,

and these men you've hired

are not farm hands.

This is not the time

for this discussion,

'cause it's upsetting

my digestion.

The war is finally over

and if we can just...

No!

No.

Now...

Sweetie, Jenkins promises me

that he'll have Silas

run those dresses right up here

as soon as they arrive.

I think I'm ready

for that chicken now.

Thank you.

Thank you, Henry.

You are my very heart, Philly.

My very heart,

we must remain

together on all of this.

Now, listen...

Listen, they'll be no more

of those late night walks.

I want you to stay

close to daddy, now.

And no more of those little

clandestine charity meetings.

Please, put the silverware back.

We'll soon

be without any eating utensils.

If I cannot alter my fate,

as you say, daddy,

then what do utensils matter?

Or anything else I may

choose to do with my time?

Henry, please tell Marie

that the chicken is

particularly excellent tonight.

You look like you're still

ready for the war.

For the squatters.

My canning skills ain't

the best in eye tooth,

but last season's berries

were the best in years.

My name is Stokes.

Philomena Stokes.

Of course... my name is

beauregard charmington.

My brother hilde and I,

we own nightshade.

You're a beautiful man,

aren't you?

Do you have a nickname your

brother or family uses for you?

Beau...

Beau.

Well, Beau... Beau,

I'm going to

figure one out for myself.

Welcome to eye tooth hollow,

Mr. charmington.

Welcome to my home.

You're welcome, Michael!

You and miss philomena

gonna get married now?

Hilde...

Hilde.

Hilde!

You know what, brother,

you are not the god of sky

and light and steel and battle.

Things was right lively

out there that day.

And they took their chances,

same as us.

I owe, hilde.

Jim everette, at camp,

tried to help me, wound up dead.

- Sh*t, you tried to help me,

you end up bit.

Poisoned, with the blood fever,

just like me.

Now, I owe, hilde.

I owe and too many people

been payin' my bill.

You're leaving out the part

where you done saved me.

May we come in?

Come on.

So...

Where are we going with this?

We're not going anywhere.

Stokes believes that

he can control everything.

Which is really, not unlike

a muskrat, lost and drowning

in a mighty river,

while anointing himself

the river king.

The two of you

are all that matters.

I mean, the blood feud

with the eaters is nothing.

They're so focused on the

short term gains of their

digestive mistakes,

they're blind.

Most of them can hardly

even speak anymore,

and that only portends much

greater and irreversible changes

if they don't alter their diet.

We don't care

nothing about them.

As well you shouldn't,

in the end,

they're hardly a threat.

- Just don't let them

mass up on you.

- You have a point?

Stokes wants me

to kill you both.

But I think that's a bad idea.

And it would be a violation

of the truce.

Not his, mind you, mine.

I think you're far too valuable

to be treated as livestock.

Get out.

Just hear me out.

The two of you are now... gods.

But you still think

you're mortal.

I mean,

you've been handed Olympus,

and you want to toil the fields

as farm hands?

But around you, all the land,

and all the people,

all of this is ours.

We want you to join us.

You heard my brother.

Now, did you

see that, gentlemen?

I told you they had it in them.

I'm gonna allow your little

commedia Dell'arte to play out.

And in the fullness of time,

there will be clarity.

Jasper, I found out

your mother was sold

to the Robinson family

in cutlerville, Virginia.

Bessie,

i haven't been able to find

anything out about Herman

just yet,

but I'm going to keep trying.

Little Sarah...

...I'm sorry...

Your daddy died

three years ago, as a runaway.

He was trying to get back here.

Trying to get back to you.

Jasper...

This is for you.

This is from my hope chest.

I want you to use it

to get back to your mother.

Go on, now, go on.

Shh...

You know, he's right.

Y'all done for, boys.

No... no, wait. Wait.

Wait... it's not...

It's not what it looks like.

I'm sorry!

Come on now, Beau,

let's get these bodies.

Do you want to feel

the sun on your skin again,

my child?

Now, make sure you get the

squatters and the new families

working up on the east fields

by tomorrow morning.

Then, tomorrow night,

me and Beau,

will finish up

what they didn't get to.

Yes, sir.

That be 'bout the last field.

We'll be ready for first rains.

You know, I'm grateful

for what y'all doing here.

Hell, I'm grateful

for every lil' thing.

The war done took

most everything.

That's what war do, mostly.

But right here on the tail end

of that, there be's somethin'.

I never much cared nothin' much

about... family and farming.

And we was never rich enough

to own nobody.

And, now, I'm grateful

for that mercy.

You see, everything they told us

we was fightin' for...

...we thought we was

fightin' for, that was a lie.

Yeah, the men who started

this war, well...

...they just as easily kill

a white soldier,

as they do a black slave.

Or a lame plough horse.

Yeah, we was nothin' to them.

You see,

the war funny like that.

How it be teachin'

and takin' all at once.

I done learnt

a few things by it.

Like what I'm 'spose

to do with this?

What I'm 'spose to do

with freedom?

That keep me up most nights.

Since I come here to nightshade,

well, I sleep just fine.

And so do the rest.

You should know that.

Now, if you find things

happen... or things change,

your plans change,

well, you should know

how these people

have taken a shine to you.

Well, you all will always be

welcome here.

You know, if something changes.

Well... goodnight, gentlemen.

Goodnight griff.

That mug made griff

a regular chatterbox.

Vino veritas.

What?

Now, y'all

in violation of the law.

Nightshade farm

and these woods is mine.

I laid claim to it

openly and notoriously.

If you persist

with this insurrection...

...it will end up

in the fires of hell.

Now, who shot at my pig?

Who was shooting at my pig?

Why you chasing my pig?

We only feedin' our families.

Thems wild hogs

don't belong to nobody.

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