SPN: Don't Fear the Reaper
Title: Don’t Fear the Reaper
Author: nicole_sill
Rating: PG-13/ R for swearing.
Genre/ Pairing: AU high school, case!fic. Dean/Cas.
Word Count: 2531
Warnings: Character death, emo angst, ripping off Neil Gaiman’s Dead Boy Detectives.
Summary: Dean and Cas are typical high school students with an unusual hobby, they hunt ghosts and save people! Written for spn_30snapshots table 8, case by case. This is for prompt 03. Reaper.
“Run, Cas! Run!” screamed Dean Winchester.
Dean spared a fleeting glance over his shoulder. Castiel was closing in quickly on his heels. The other boy pumped his arms for all he was worth as the two made a desperate dash out of the parishioners’ graveyard. For a library geek, Dean thought, Cas sure knew how to haul ass. Thank god, because Dean was sure whatever was after them could run faster than anything human. Once it figured out the two teens had fled, it would be after them like a bat out of hell.
Tonight was suppose to be a simple salt and burn. After a month of late night research, Cas figured out that the woman haunting the library was the original school teacher from when Lawrence was just a two horse town. Typical jilted lover taking revenge on happy couples. The bitch liked to scare kids making out in the library. It was really nothing major, just a small case to get Cas in on the whole ghost hunting thing. All they had to do tonight was dig up her grave in the old part of the cemetery. Grave digging is hard work, but not really dangerous. After covering her bones in rock salt and lighter fluid, Dean gave Cas the match and let him light her up. Easy as pie. Welcome to the Night Stalkers, Castiel Novak, here’s your vial of holy water.
Of course that’s when shit went sideways.
Dean spared another look behind him. He could still see the flames rising way too high from the grave. That was wrong. The smell was worse. A rich, fatty odor followed them towards the church. It didn’t belong to the dry husk of a human they had lit up. It was like bacon in the pan on a Sunday morning. Something was burning that shouldn’t be there. Dean’s brain knew more about that scent then his fight or flight mentality would tell him. Something had gone wrong tonight, but he wasn’t sure what. All he knew for sure was that he and Cas needed to get away from the gravesite and hide somewhere safe. Not just fire safe, but sanctified safe.
As if he was reading his mind, Cas picked up speed in a flap of Converse on pavement, and yanked Dean in the direction of the church. Since Cas knew the layout better, Dean let himself be lead around to the side entrance. Cas opened the door with a key from his jeans pocket. Once they were inside, Cas locked the door and then drew some kind of glyph on its back in white chalk.
“Come on,” said Cas. He pushed Dean towards the back of the hall into a dark room with narrow stone windows. “This is the old priest’s chamber. St. Abby’s was once a Catholic church before the town changed to protestant. Salt the doors and windows while I put up the marks.”
Heart still thudding in his throat, Dean looked to where Cas had pointed. Next to Cas’ old backpack sat a five pound bag of rock salt. Dean picked it up and ripped open the bag with his old scout knife. As he lined the entrances, Cas followed behind him, marking the walls and windows with circles filled with more symbols like the ones he drew on the outer door. The pure white chalk stood out boldly against the dark stone. Dean felt like he could almost see the glyphs glowing with power because of the contrast.
“What are those things, man?” asked Dean.
“Angelic wards. They’re designed to keep out all forms of evil. I read about them in the book of Enoch and decided it was something to look into if I was going to be hanging out with you.” Castiel smirked.
“So that’s what kids learn in school these days.” Dean tipped the last few grains of salt across the door. He had hoped there would be enough to make a circle for them to stand in, but there just wasn’t. Dean was going to be sure to pack twice as much rock salt on all future cases.
“Its only the kids who are dumb enough to go with you every time you say you have something interesting to show them.” said Cas. He was done with the walls and he moved to the floor. He started to draw out a circle big enough to keep both boys inside of it. “Come over here, Dean.”
Dean jumped to Cas’ side and watched as Cas closed the circle around them. Dean stuck to Cas’ as he filled each quadrant with a simple drawing and ran through them all with a pentagram. Dean felt a slight tingle across his skin when Cas finished the star. From the way Cas straightened up, Dean thought Cas felt it too.
“That’s all I got. It just basic Enochian, but it should keep us safe until morning from whatever the hell was out there tonight.”
Dean sat down carefully so he wouldn’t damage the wards. Cas waited for him to get settled then sat down beside him, carefully tucking his long legs inside the circumference of the circle. Cas shivered in his tee shirt and Dean instinctively threw an arm around his shoulders to pulled him in tight. From the dark tousled mess of Cas’ hair, Dean caught the rich burning scent from outside. Dean lifted up his own shirt to his nose, and pulled it away. Both of them were covered with that stink like a greasy film. Dean was planning a date with some Axe body wash in the morning once he got home. He hoped he could save his favorite Zeppelin shirt.
“Dean, what the fuck was that tonight?” ask Cas in a sleep laden voice.
Dean felt his eyes grow heavy. The adrenaline from the chase was wearing out leaving him more tired than he’d ever been in his sixteen years. Beside him, Cas slumped more solidly against him as he stared to crashed. Dean shifted so that the two were back to back, supporting one another, all limbs still within the confines of the circle. A thought whispered through his head. He needed a weapon. Iron or steel would be best, but he just couldn’t move his body anymore. Before he knew it, Cas was snoring behind him, and Dean didn’t get to say he had no idea what went wrong, just that it was a fuck up on an epic scale, and he was sure they hadn’t heard the last of it yet. Dean last memory before drifting off into oblivion was of yellow eyes staring at him from the headstone of Ms. Prim, school marm of Lawrence, Kansas.
***
Warm golden sunlight careened down through the narrow stone windows, splashing Dean across the face. He fought the invading warmth, but finally Dean had to open his eyes and stare up at the unfamiliar ceiling above him. It was made of dark, almost black stone. Bits and pieces of the previous night filtered back. The old grave they had dug up so to put the spirit to rest. A standard salt and burn, but something had happened. A man had come out of the woods, but what then? There was a hole in his memory big enough to drive his dad’s impala through. All he remembered was Cas and him running here, marking and salting as if to keep the very hounds of hell out of this room.
Cas.
Dean turned his head to the side, and came nose to nose with Cas. The other boy’s eyes were closed, framed by dark lashes. Dean waited to watch Cas’ chest rise and fall with life before he reached out and poked his cheek.
“Cas, wake up. Its morning. The preacher man’s gonna be pissed you were out with me all night again,” Dean shook Cas to rouse him. Cas opened his deep blue eyes and started at Dean.
“If you do that again, I‘m going to hit you.” Cas rose up on his elbows. “Crap. What time is it?”
“Its about time you two woke up, that’s what time it is.”
Dean and Cas jumped up at the new voice. Both of them were on their feet and facing the old desk in the room. Seated in the rollback chair was a woman with dark hair and grey eyes. She smiled up at them. “Hello Dean. Hello Castiel. I’m Tessa, and I’m here to take you to the next stop.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” asked Dean. This chick was hot, but creepy. Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his scout knife. Cas saw him and reached into his own pocket, but found nothing but chalk.
“Way to have our backs, Picasso.” snorted Dean.
“Actually, its because of that chalk you two meatheads are still here.” said Tessa. She got up from behind the desk and pointed to the walls. “Because of the wards you drew up, I couldn’t get in here to claim your souls until someone came and cleaned up. They took their time too. Castiel, your brother Gabriel loved you very much. He begged Reverend Milton to let him come here and get your things himself.”
Cas’ eyes darted around the room. Dean watched as tension build in his friend’s slender frame. “She right. My things are gone. As are the wards we drew up last night.”
“Guys, its not the next day. Its three weeks later. By some freak twist of magic, you two managed to seal yourselves in a ghost proof room as you were becoming ghosts yourselves. Now that the crazy shit you drew all over the place is gone, I can do my job and take you to the other side.” Tessa smiled and offered each of them a hand.
“Son of a bitch. Are you trying to tell us we‘re dead?” asked Dean. “Wait, what, does that make you like a grim reaper or something?”
“In the flesh,” said Tessa. “Well, sort of speak.”
“I agree something unusual has happened, but I don’t see any reason to believe we’re dead,” said Cas. “I want proof. Show me my body.”
Tessa looked away. Dean peered at her face and saw something flash across it. The look could be sadness or frustration. Either way, Dean knew she couldn’t do it. “There are no bodies left, are there?” asked Dean.
“Why do you say that?” asked Cas.
“Because they burned up in the graveyard.”
“Do you remember, Dean?” asked Tessa. “Sometimes its easier if you remember what happened. But,” her eyes cut over to Cas, “For some others its easier if they don’t.”
“We were doing the salt and burn on Prim, when that guy came out walking out of the woods,” started Dean. “I don’t really remember what happened, but he was strange.”
“His eyes,” added Cas. “His eyes were yellow, like neon yellow.”
The sweet fatty smell from their last night on earth suddenly filled the space. Dean was reminded of a story he heard once, about how firemen don’t eat roast pork because the smell is too close to the scent of burning bodies. Dean believed it now. If this was the same odor, even Dean could see himself becoming a vegetarian.
Cas rubbed a hand under his nose, trying to dislodge the scent . He looked to Tessa. “What do our families think happened?”
Tessa bit her lip. “The police are going with some lover’s suicide pact. They think you two were too emo to go public with your relationship so you went all Romeo and Juliet in the graveyard. The Winchesters are trying to keep the case open, as is Gabriel, but the Milton’s are willing to let the whole thing go. It doesn’t look good that one of their foster kids killed themselves on their church property. Since the Milton’s have the money and social standing, the case will go their way.
“Look, what happened is beyond your concern now. I needed to reap you three weeks ago. Just come with me, go where you’re suppose to go next. This story is over for you both. Its time to move on.”
“No. Fuck no.” Dean shook his head. “Some douche kills us and burns us up so there isn’t even something for our families to bury, and we’re just gonna let him walk? Fuck that. I’m going all vengeful spirit on his ass.”
“I agree with Dean. We need to find the yellow eyed bastard that did this to us, and make sure he pays for what he’s done. This isn’t the type of deed that goes unpunished.” said Cas. “Gabriel was trying to get the courts to let me live with him, Dean. Somehow, I’m sure he’s blaming himself for this. I can’t let him live with that.”
Dean grabbed Cas’ hand and gave it a squeeze. Cas shot him a look of gratitude. There was no way they could leave now.
“Hey, Tessa,” said Dean. “You’ve waited a few weeks already, what’s a few weeks more? You gotta give us a chance to find this bastard and set some things right. I mean, who better to know how to haunt someone then a couple of ex-ghost hunters?”
Tessa sighed. “I need you to understand what your asking. You want me to leave you here, pretty much in limbo, until you catch your murderer?”
Dean and Cas looked at each other, then nodded.
“Okay,” said Tessa. “I can give you three weeks. After that, I have to come collect you. The longer you stay on this plane, the more unstable you will become. I’m serious guys, this is how Poltergeist, women in white, bogymen and most other evil spirits are created. Time among the living drives the dead insane. In three weeks, I’ll be back for you, right here in this spot. Don’t keep me waiting.”
Tessa then imploded in a gasp of grey smoke. Dean raised his eyebrows.
“Whoa, intense much?”
Cas rubbed his face with his hands. “I can’t believe this. It can’t be happening. I need proof, Dean. Proof we’re dead, proof that everyone thinks we’re dead. Something other than some crazy woman disappearing in a puff of smoke like some witch in a movie.”
“Hold on Toto, don’t freak yet.” Dean grabbed Cas’ shoulder. “I’m here, man. We’ll get through this together.”
“I guess if I died, I’m glad it was with you,” said Cas. “But not in the girly way those dicks think we went out.”
“I’m pretty sure we went out fighting. At least, I hope we did.” Dean went for the door. “Lets get out of here, and see what we can dig up on this yellow eyed bastard.”
Cas reached out and opened the door. He felt it in his hands, and heard it creak in protest. The world seemed very much alive at the ends of his finger tips. Surely, this whole being dead thing was a mistake. Cas had little doubt he and Dean would be back to ghost hunting in no time, this whole day was just some crazy chalk dust induced dream.
Author: nicole_sill
Rating: PG-13/ R for swearing.
Genre/ Pairing: AU high school, case!fic. Dean/Cas.
Word Count: 2531
Warnings: Character death, emo angst, ripping off Neil Gaiman’s Dead Boy Detectives.
Summary: Dean and Cas are typical high school students with an unusual hobby, they hunt ghosts and save people! Written for spn_30snapshots table 8, case by case. This is for prompt 03. Reaper.
“Run, Cas! Run!” screamed Dean Winchester.
Dean spared a fleeting glance over his shoulder. Castiel was closing in quickly on his heels. The other boy pumped his arms for all he was worth as the two made a desperate dash out of the parishioners’ graveyard. For a library geek, Dean thought, Cas sure knew how to haul ass. Thank god, because Dean was sure whatever was after them could run faster than anything human. Once it figured out the two teens had fled, it would be after them like a bat out of hell.
Tonight was suppose to be a simple salt and burn. After a month of late night research, Cas figured out that the woman haunting the library was the original school teacher from when Lawrence was just a two horse town. Typical jilted lover taking revenge on happy couples. The bitch liked to scare kids making out in the library. It was really nothing major, just a small case to get Cas in on the whole ghost hunting thing. All they had to do tonight was dig up her grave in the old part of the cemetery. Grave digging is hard work, but not really dangerous. After covering her bones in rock salt and lighter fluid, Dean gave Cas the match and let him light her up. Easy as pie. Welcome to the Night Stalkers, Castiel Novak, here’s your vial of holy water.
Of course that’s when shit went sideways.
Dean spared another look behind him. He could still see the flames rising way too high from the grave. That was wrong. The smell was worse. A rich, fatty odor followed them towards the church. It didn’t belong to the dry husk of a human they had lit up. It was like bacon in the pan on a Sunday morning. Something was burning that shouldn’t be there. Dean’s brain knew more about that scent then his fight or flight mentality would tell him. Something had gone wrong tonight, but he wasn’t sure what. All he knew for sure was that he and Cas needed to get away from the gravesite and hide somewhere safe. Not just fire safe, but sanctified safe.
As if he was reading his mind, Cas picked up speed in a flap of Converse on pavement, and yanked Dean in the direction of the church. Since Cas knew the layout better, Dean let himself be lead around to the side entrance. Cas opened the door with a key from his jeans pocket. Once they were inside, Cas locked the door and then drew some kind of glyph on its back in white chalk.
“Come on,” said Cas. He pushed Dean towards the back of the hall into a dark room with narrow stone windows. “This is the old priest’s chamber. St. Abby’s was once a Catholic church before the town changed to protestant. Salt the doors and windows while I put up the marks.”
Heart still thudding in his throat, Dean looked to where Cas had pointed. Next to Cas’ old backpack sat a five pound bag of rock salt. Dean picked it up and ripped open the bag with his old scout knife. As he lined the entrances, Cas followed behind him, marking the walls and windows with circles filled with more symbols like the ones he drew on the outer door. The pure white chalk stood out boldly against the dark stone. Dean felt like he could almost see the glyphs glowing with power because of the contrast.
“What are those things, man?” asked Dean.
“Angelic wards. They’re designed to keep out all forms of evil. I read about them in the book of Enoch and decided it was something to look into if I was going to be hanging out with you.” Castiel smirked.
“So that’s what kids learn in school these days.” Dean tipped the last few grains of salt across the door. He had hoped there would be enough to make a circle for them to stand in, but there just wasn’t. Dean was going to be sure to pack twice as much rock salt on all future cases.
“Its only the kids who are dumb enough to go with you every time you say you have something interesting to show them.” said Cas. He was done with the walls and he moved to the floor. He started to draw out a circle big enough to keep both boys inside of it. “Come over here, Dean.”
Dean jumped to Cas’ side and watched as Cas closed the circle around them. Dean stuck to Cas’ as he filled each quadrant with a simple drawing and ran through them all with a pentagram. Dean felt a slight tingle across his skin when Cas finished the star. From the way Cas straightened up, Dean thought Cas felt it too.
“That’s all I got. It just basic Enochian, but it should keep us safe until morning from whatever the hell was out there tonight.”
Dean sat down carefully so he wouldn’t damage the wards. Cas waited for him to get settled then sat down beside him, carefully tucking his long legs inside the circumference of the circle. Cas shivered in his tee shirt and Dean instinctively threw an arm around his shoulders to pulled him in tight. From the dark tousled mess of Cas’ hair, Dean caught the rich burning scent from outside. Dean lifted up his own shirt to his nose, and pulled it away. Both of them were covered with that stink like a greasy film. Dean was planning a date with some Axe body wash in the morning once he got home. He hoped he could save his favorite Zeppelin shirt.
“Dean, what the fuck was that tonight?” ask Cas in a sleep laden voice.
Dean felt his eyes grow heavy. The adrenaline from the chase was wearing out leaving him more tired than he’d ever been in his sixteen years. Beside him, Cas slumped more solidly against him as he stared to crashed. Dean shifted so that the two were back to back, supporting one another, all limbs still within the confines of the circle. A thought whispered through his head. He needed a weapon. Iron or steel would be best, but he just couldn’t move his body anymore. Before he knew it, Cas was snoring behind him, and Dean didn’t get to say he had no idea what went wrong, just that it was a fuck up on an epic scale, and he was sure they hadn’t heard the last of it yet. Dean last memory before drifting off into oblivion was of yellow eyes staring at him from the headstone of Ms. Prim, school marm of Lawrence, Kansas.
***
Warm golden sunlight careened down through the narrow stone windows, splashing Dean across the face. He fought the invading warmth, but finally Dean had to open his eyes and stare up at the unfamiliar ceiling above him. It was made of dark, almost black stone. Bits and pieces of the previous night filtered back. The old grave they had dug up so to put the spirit to rest. A standard salt and burn, but something had happened. A man had come out of the woods, but what then? There was a hole in his memory big enough to drive his dad’s impala through. All he remembered was Cas and him running here, marking and salting as if to keep the very hounds of hell out of this room.
Cas.
Dean turned his head to the side, and came nose to nose with Cas. The other boy’s eyes were closed, framed by dark lashes. Dean waited to watch Cas’ chest rise and fall with life before he reached out and poked his cheek.
“Cas, wake up. Its morning. The preacher man’s gonna be pissed you were out with me all night again,” Dean shook Cas to rouse him. Cas opened his deep blue eyes and started at Dean.
“If you do that again, I‘m going to hit you.” Cas rose up on his elbows. “Crap. What time is it?”
“Its about time you two woke up, that’s what time it is.”
Dean and Cas jumped up at the new voice. Both of them were on their feet and facing the old desk in the room. Seated in the rollback chair was a woman with dark hair and grey eyes. She smiled up at them. “Hello Dean. Hello Castiel. I’m Tessa, and I’m here to take you to the next stop.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” asked Dean. This chick was hot, but creepy. Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his scout knife. Cas saw him and reached into his own pocket, but found nothing but chalk.
“Way to have our backs, Picasso.” snorted Dean.
“Actually, its because of that chalk you two meatheads are still here.” said Tessa. She got up from behind the desk and pointed to the walls. “Because of the wards you drew up, I couldn’t get in here to claim your souls until someone came and cleaned up. They took their time too. Castiel, your brother Gabriel loved you very much. He begged Reverend Milton to let him come here and get your things himself.”
Cas’ eyes darted around the room. Dean watched as tension build in his friend’s slender frame. “She right. My things are gone. As are the wards we drew up last night.”
“Guys, its not the next day. Its three weeks later. By some freak twist of magic, you two managed to seal yourselves in a ghost proof room as you were becoming ghosts yourselves. Now that the crazy shit you drew all over the place is gone, I can do my job and take you to the other side.” Tessa smiled and offered each of them a hand.
“Son of a bitch. Are you trying to tell us we‘re dead?” asked Dean. “Wait, what, does that make you like a grim reaper or something?”
“In the flesh,” said Tessa. “Well, sort of speak.”
“I agree something unusual has happened, but I don’t see any reason to believe we’re dead,” said Cas. “I want proof. Show me my body.”
Tessa looked away. Dean peered at her face and saw something flash across it. The look could be sadness or frustration. Either way, Dean knew she couldn’t do it. “There are no bodies left, are there?” asked Dean.
“Why do you say that?” asked Cas.
“Because they burned up in the graveyard.”
“Do you remember, Dean?” asked Tessa. “Sometimes its easier if you remember what happened. But,” her eyes cut over to Cas, “For some others its easier if they don’t.”
“We were doing the salt and burn on Prim, when that guy came out walking out of the woods,” started Dean. “I don’t really remember what happened, but he was strange.”
“His eyes,” added Cas. “His eyes were yellow, like neon yellow.”
The sweet fatty smell from their last night on earth suddenly filled the space. Dean was reminded of a story he heard once, about how firemen don’t eat roast pork because the smell is too close to the scent of burning bodies. Dean believed it now. If this was the same odor, even Dean could see himself becoming a vegetarian.
Cas rubbed a hand under his nose, trying to dislodge the scent . He looked to Tessa. “What do our families think happened?”
Tessa bit her lip. “The police are going with some lover’s suicide pact. They think you two were too emo to go public with your relationship so you went all Romeo and Juliet in the graveyard. The Winchesters are trying to keep the case open, as is Gabriel, but the Milton’s are willing to let the whole thing go. It doesn’t look good that one of their foster kids killed themselves on their church property. Since the Milton’s have the money and social standing, the case will go their way.
“Look, what happened is beyond your concern now. I needed to reap you three weeks ago. Just come with me, go where you’re suppose to go next. This story is over for you both. Its time to move on.”
“No. Fuck no.” Dean shook his head. “Some douche kills us and burns us up so there isn’t even something for our families to bury, and we’re just gonna let him walk? Fuck that. I’m going all vengeful spirit on his ass.”
“I agree with Dean. We need to find the yellow eyed bastard that did this to us, and make sure he pays for what he’s done. This isn’t the type of deed that goes unpunished.” said Cas. “Gabriel was trying to get the courts to let me live with him, Dean. Somehow, I’m sure he’s blaming himself for this. I can’t let him live with that.”
Dean grabbed Cas’ hand and gave it a squeeze. Cas shot him a look of gratitude. There was no way they could leave now.
“Hey, Tessa,” said Dean. “You’ve waited a few weeks already, what’s a few weeks more? You gotta give us a chance to find this bastard and set some things right. I mean, who better to know how to haunt someone then a couple of ex-ghost hunters?”
Tessa sighed. “I need you to understand what your asking. You want me to leave you here, pretty much in limbo, until you catch your murderer?”
Dean and Cas looked at each other, then nodded.
“Okay,” said Tessa. “I can give you three weeks. After that, I have to come collect you. The longer you stay on this plane, the more unstable you will become. I’m serious guys, this is how Poltergeist, women in white, bogymen and most other evil spirits are created. Time among the living drives the dead insane. In three weeks, I’ll be back for you, right here in this spot. Don’t keep me waiting.”
Tessa then imploded in a gasp of grey smoke. Dean raised his eyebrows.
“Whoa, intense much?”
Cas rubbed his face with his hands. “I can’t believe this. It can’t be happening. I need proof, Dean. Proof we’re dead, proof that everyone thinks we’re dead. Something other than some crazy woman disappearing in a puff of smoke like some witch in a movie.”
“Hold on Toto, don’t freak yet.” Dean grabbed Cas’ shoulder. “I’m here, man. We’ll get through this together.”
“I guess if I died, I’m glad it was with you,” said Cas. “But not in the girly way those dicks think we went out.”
“I’m pretty sure we went out fighting. At least, I hope we did.” Dean went for the door. “Lets get out of here, and see what we can dig up on this yellow eyed bastard.”
Cas reached out and opened the door. He felt it in his hands, and heard it creak in protest. The world seemed very much alive at the ends of his finger tips. Surely, this whole being dead thing was a mistake. Cas had little doubt he and Dean would be back to ghost hunting in no time, this whole day was just some crazy chalk dust induced dream.