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"One… two… three!" Jackson counted, and they swung open the door, furiously brandishing their wooden weapons.
The raccoon, however, was unfazed by their efforts, tilting its head and staring at them with an almost amused expression. After several more futile attempts, Amanda and Jackson gave up, panting and laughing at their ridiculousness.
"Alright, that didn't work," Amanda admitted, wiping the sweat from her brow. "We need a new plan."
"Let's try luring it out with some food," Jackson suggested. "I've got some leftover jerky in my truck. Maybe the raccoon will go for that."
With a nod of agreement, they set up the bait right outside the door, hoping to entice the raccoon to venture out of its newfound home. Along with Gunner, they hid behind a nearby tree, watching intently for any signs of movement.
Moments later, the raccoon appeared at the doorway, cautiously sniffing the air before creeping toward the meat. As it was about to take it, Gunner bounded forward, barking, and scaring the raccoon away. It quickly retreated into the cabin, leaving Amanda and Jackson groaning in disappointment.
"Nice try, buddy," Jackson told Gunner, patting him on the head when he returned. "But we need the raccoon out of the house, not even more determined to stay inside."
Amanda sighed. "What if we create a path of noise? We could bang pots and pans, forcing it to move in our desired direction."
Jackson considered her suggestion, nodding in approval. "It's worth a shot."
They gathered a collection of noisy items from the cabin's kitchen. Positioning themselves at opposite ends of the room, they prepared to make as much of a racket as possible, hoping to drive the critter out of the cabin.
"Ready?" Jackson called. His voice was barely audible over the sound of his own racing heart.
Amanda nodded, her grip tightening on a large frying pan, causing her knuckles to turn white. "All set!"
And with that, they began their cacophonous assault, banging pots and pans, yelling, and doing everything they could to make the raccoon leave. The raccoon, however, had other ideas, managing to evade their noisy onslaught by darting back and forth between hiding spots.
Exhausted and without a backup plan, Amanda and Jackson collapsed onto the floor, their laughter echoing through the cabin. They had failed once again to rid the place of its unwanted guest.
As they caught their breath, Jackson glanced over at Amanda, an affectionate smile on his face. "We may not have succeeded, but we sure gave it our best shot."
She grinned back at him, her eyes alight with pleasure. "That we did. And who knows? Maybe the raccoon will decide to leave on its own."
Despite their unsuccessful attempts, their shared experiences created a bond between them.
They were about to give up when Gunner entered the room and took matters into his own paws. With a determined look in his eyes, he bolted into the room, his barks echoing throughout the space.
Suddenly, the raccoon darted out from its hiding spot, scampering away from the relentless pursuit of the protective shepherd. Gunner chased it through the cabin. The raccoon made a beeline for the open door, disappearing into the woods beyond.
Amanda and Jackson stared in disbelief, unable to process the sudden turn of events. Their laughter bubbled up again, this time fueled by relief and astonishment.
"Well, would you look at that," Jackson said, shaking his head. "Maybe we should've let Gunner handle it from the beginning."
Amanda nodded. "I guess sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. Good job, Gunner."
Gunner trotted back to them, his tail wagging as he received praise and affection from Amanda and Jackson.
Jackson took in the cabin's interior and noticed a window missing. "We better get that covered before he decides to come back. I imagine that's how he got in."
"Can they jump? Because that’s pretty high up." She walked over and looked outside. "Oh, there's a wooden barrel right under it."
"It's like an invitation." He moved into the living room and noticed the stack of boxes. "Would you like me to cover it up? You'll need to get a glass company out here soon, but I can use some cardboard for now."
"I'd appreciate that."
Jackson went to his truck and got his toolbox. He imagined duct tape and a few nails would do. He took in the condition of the cabin again and knew Amanda would require a lot of help.
As he worked on covering the broken window, he asked, "Is the place what you were expecting?"
She looked around the room. "I'd be lying if I didn't say my fantasy was different from my reality, but with hard work, I think it can be exactly what I need."
