Dinah didn't know what to think — Sally had left her for dead — she looked at her brother. His eyes frozen in fear — his guts hanging out of his body. She looked at the man in front of him — the chainsaw wielding giant — and it seemed that he was just as confused as she was. He looked at her with big brown eyes — those that resembled ones of a bovine — he babbled something in a soft tone — Dinah barely heard him so she just asked what was at the front of her mind, "Are you going to kill me?"

—🫀—

Bubba registered her words and he shook his head rapidly, "No! No! You didn't do nothin'!" He knew she couldn't understand him, but it felt good to try — sure, she was on his family's property, but Bubba had a good eye for good people — and he just knew she was a good person. Reaching out a hand, surprisingly, the woman took it and followed him. Truth was — she was defeated.

—🫀—

The stranger led Dinah down the path — it seemed as if he was able to see in the dark as he didn't trip once. His large hand held Dinah's small one with a firm grip — Dinah knew she wouldn't try to run, she was too tired and still in shock from seeing her brother get gutted, yet here was the man that killed him — leading her like a child wanting to show their mother something they did. The house that she and her siblings had seen got closer into view before the stranger brought her into the house.

—🫀—

Bubba held the chainsaw with one hand and the woman's hand with the other — he was surprised that she wasn't fighting to get away — "'m sorry..." He mumbled, knowing that it came out as gibberish to her — she still looked at him with tired eyes and spoke in a monotone voice, "That was my brother you killed." Bubba was hit with instant guilt — "Oh! 'M sorry! 'M real sorry!" The woman looked as if she would cry, Bubba didn't know what to do. He dropped the chainsaw on the porch — the actual saw slicing into the screen door. Hitting his head with one hand, Bubba tried to punish himself. "Oh, please don't do that." The woman begged as she brought her other hand up and grabbed him by his wrist gently, "Don't do that." Her voice was soft and kind and Bubba couldn't help but listen to her.

She didn't pull her hand away from his wrist but instead held onto him gently, she was shorter than him so Bubba had to look down at her — "Did you know why you did that?" The woman asked, Bubba felt tears come to his eyes, "I was scared... I did not know that yer brother was there and..." Bubba sniffled, "Were you scared?" Her words made Bubba nod rapidly, it was like she understood him. She seemed to be thinking, biting her lip she looked directly at Bubba — she didn't look uncomfortable or scared she looked... content and happy. "I understand, have you been through a lot today?" Bubba nodded at her words and she smiles sadly, "Me too, what's your name?" Oh, how was Bubba gonna introduce himself? "My names Bubba... Bubba." He repeated — sounding clearer than the first time. "Bubba? That's your name?" Bubba nodded at her words and she smiled, "Well my name is Dinah."

—🫀—

Dinah honestly didn't know what she was doing — she's heard of stockholm syndrome, but this didn't feel like that — she felt like this was different, it was something about survival and knowing that maybe she could get helped by this large stranger. Something in Bubba's eyes made Dinah realize that he was just as innocent as she was — he didn't understand things and with how his speech was severely underdeveloped and how he shifted under her gaze, she knew that something more was wrong. "Di...nah." Bubba pronounced and Dinah smiled, "Yes, that's right." The two were left in a semi comfortable silence before yelling was heard from inside.

Bubba instantly grabbed Dinah by the waist and picked her up. Dinah's hands went right to his shoulders to steady herself — Bubba babbled in a panicked tone and with what sounded like pig squeals, he brought Dinah inside the house.

—🫀—

"Oh no, oh no. They can't find ya... they just can't!" Bubba exclaimed as he brought Dinah into his little sanctuary — the butchers room — Dinah looked more scared than she did before causing Bubba to pace back and forth. "Bubba, it's alright... I'll stay in here and I'll be quiet." Dinah reassured before she grabbed Bubba's wrist softly and motioned to the bracelet he had on. "Where did you get this? My... my sister's friend had a bracelet like this." Bubba's attention was back on her, "Oh, if ya want ta have it ya can." He took the bracelet off and waved it at her — Dinah shook her head, "Oh no, I don't want it, it looks better on you anyways." She joked but her words made Bubba smile under the mask he wore and without even thinking, he embraced her in a large bear hug — picking her off of the ground from how much shorter she was.

—🫀—

Dinah stayed very still as she slowly registered the hug that she was receiving. From how smushed she was against Bubba, she was able to smell the blood, sweat, dirt, and just straight up uncleanliness that was radiating off of him — without any clear air flow coming into the house or the room they were in, it was obvious that Bubba and his family members, had gotten used to smelling like this. Dinah reached her hands up and patted Bubba's back — he didn't know when to end a hug, and he definitely should've ended it a few minutes ago. What Dinah didn't realize was that Bubba was also smelling her.

He loved how he could smell the sweat coming out of her pores and the scent of the soap she had used before she left wherever she came from — and her hair, oh her hair! It smelled heavenly and Bubba could get used to the feeling of it brushing against his eyes and hands. Dinah made little movements as she tapped Bubba again, "I think you can let go now." She whispered and Bubba began to slowly release her until footsteps made their way into the room and Bubba quickly turned around with Dinah in his arms — Dinah brought her arms to Bubba's chest and tried to shrink herself against him. "Bubba! The hell are ya doin'?! Drayton just brought the girl!"

The man's voice sounded familiar but she didn't dare make a peep as Bubba acknowledged him with a mumble, "What're ya up to? Huh? Touchin' the bodies again?!" The man began to cackle at his own words before another man came into the conversation, "What're ya two nitwits doin'?! Nubbins, go make sure Chop Top isn't messin' up anythin' with that girl!" The first man who had came in seemed to leave and Dinah couldn't help but grab onto Bubba's shirt for comfort as the footsteps got closer, "Jedidiah. What are ya doin' back here — I ought ta whip ya from what ya did to the damn door!" The man's voice got louder and Bubba whimpered.

"Turn around and look at me when I talk to ya boy." The man ordered and Bubba looked down at Dinah — she shook her head rapidly in protest but Bubba's eyes showed that he was terrified at what would happen if he didn't — so he wrapped his arms around her and turned around. The two were holding each other, both out of fear as Dinah realized that the man talking to them was the man from the gas station. The older man's eyes widened as he spotted Dinah, "Now, what in the name of God is this? You thinkin' ya got yerself a girlfriend Bubba?!" He exclaimed causing uproar in the other room. Bubba shook his head as he tried to explain but the man quickly came over and went to grab Dinah out of his arms — he quickly put her behind him to protect her, "Oh what is this, ya thinkin' yer a knight in shinin' armor?!"

Running footsteps came into the room as Dinah spotted Chop Top and the hitchhiker from earlier — it was finally that she realized that all of these people were the family that lived here — "Hey! That's my girlfriend! Dinah!" The hitchhiker yelled before Chop Top pushed him, "No! She's mine!" The two argued as Dinah hid behind Bubba. The older man looked between Bubba and the two other boys before yelling, "Shut up! None of ya have a girlfriend — let alone her bein' yer girlfriend!"

—🫀—