Golem -- Ch. 2/9, Complete, Gen, H/C, Angst, Hurt!Dean
Fanfic: Golem
Author: sandymg
Beta: borgmama1of5 . She rocks. All mistakes are mine
Summary: Dad's in Minnesota keeping secrets, Dean's picked up a solo hunt, and Sam ... where is Sam?
Spoilers: Through late Season 4. References Scarecrow S01x11 and Jump the Shark S04x19
Wordcount: 26,000 in 9 chapters - Complete
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Hurt!Dean, Preseries
Characters: Dean, John, Sam, a creature
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. They belong to the CW and Eric Kripke - who'd best treat them well
A/N: Thanks to zatnikatel for ongoing inspiration
Chapter [ 1]
Chapter 2
The creature watched the man leave the house and stare around absently for many moments. Then the man walked up to the big metal thing with wheels. The creature didn’t know what it was but had imagined the man would know because He was smart. But soon the creature would be smart, too. The creature’s mind filled up with His knowledge whenever they were close. Changing. Getting stronger. After a few seconds the man entered the metal box car and sped away.
Father master would not be happy that the creature had snuck out. He was not supposed to be seen monster. He was supposed to hide. Once the creature became Himself he’d be pretty like the man. And then he’d be able to go out and see all the pretty girls. He’d been thinking about girls a lot now. Snuck looks at them and followed them with the pits that served as his eyes. But father master said that soon the creature would have pretty green eyes like the man.
Then the creature could look at the pretty girls and they would smile not shriek and maybe even do some of those other things that were starting to appear in his mind from just these short encounters with Him. Yes, it seemed the man liked girls sex very much and every time he was with a girl like that he would be sated and full and complete - but then the man would roll over and that feeling would be gone, replaced by something else, familiar and dull. Except the creature thought maybe it wouldn’t be like this for him, maybe he’d figure out how to keep the good feeling.
* * *
Dean felt better as he drove away from the Johnston’s home. In fact, the further he got the clearer and more relaxed he felt. Crazy what had happened. Like some sort of mini blackout. But he was okay now and he had his notes to fill in whatever blanks there were. He figured he’d better lay off the whiskey for a while. Not that he drank all that much, but still … it was weird. He thought fleetingly about calling Dad but the job was nothing he couldn’t handle. ‘Sides his father didn’t raise him to run to daddy. Nope, best to help this family. Protect the little boy.
Uncanny how Alex reminded him of Sammy. He swallowed. Nope. Not going there. Sam was living a normal life. Was for the best. Even Dad thought so although he’d never say it. Dean knew Sam was happy. Had seen it with his own eyes more than once. Sam didn’t know. Had only caught him once, and that was years ago. Dean’d gotten much better at it. Didn’t indulge his need to check on Sam often. Couple, three times a year. Something would take him and Dad west. And he’d sneak away and track his little brother down and watch him from a distance.
Sam’d laugh with his school buddies. Recently there was this really pretty girl with long curly blonde hair. Dean never got close enough to really check her out but even from a distance she was a looker. Usually Sam would be balancing an armful of books. Last year his brother had looked toward where Dean was hiding and for a moment he thought Sam had seen him. He’d frozen, thinking Sammy. But then Sam turned away and walked toward the large building that Dean knew was the library and Dean left and hadn’t been back yet this year.
Exhausted, he ditched the car near the bus station and waited impatiently for the bus back to Waterloo. Sitting in the back he tried to remember if he’d told the family what precautions to take while he investigated. He must have. It was standard procedure. He’d promised the kid nothing bad would happen. The family needed to salt around Alex’s bed. Dammit, he couldn’t remember if he’d told them this or not.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. Charlie sounded surprised to hear from him again so soon.
“Just wanted to check that you were, um, clear with my directions?”
“Yes. Seemed simple enough. Salt around our beds and windows. That all it takes, really?”
Dean exhaled. Okay. He wasn’t totally losing it. “Yes. That will keep you protected until I can find out who’s haunting you and dispose of the remains properly. Then you won’t have any more trouble.” Dean paused. Thought of something. “Doors, too. Be sure to put salt lines at each door. Alex’s room, too.”
“Yes, we did just what you said. We … really appreciate your help. Alex, well, he seemed … calmer after you left … Thank you.”
Dean smiled. There were times he really loved this job. “You’re welcome. I’ll be in touch in a day or so.”
He entered the small house with a light step. Groaned when he looked over at the still bare cupboards and realized he should have stopped for food. Jesus, he was starving.
* * *
The Johnston house had a boring history, which made no sense and made Dean want to kick something. He’d been hoping for easy. Some guy-murdered-in-the-house kind of easy because then he’d be able to find the grave, dig up the bones - salt, burn and done. The message the spirit had left was related to the family being intruders so it had to be linked to the house, didn’t it? Piecing together obscure puzzle pieces were Dad’s and Sam’s strengths, not his. He preferred the endgame, getting it done.
But Dad wasn’t here and Sam … He needed to get this done for that family and quickly because spirits like this only got angrier as time passed. Next logical step was to head to the Town Records Office and see what he could find on the property before this house was built.
Two hours later Dean escalated from wanting to kick something to wanting to punch the closest wall. Nothing. Zilch. Even Sam, the wonder boy of research, couldn’t pull a ghost from that history. It was clean. No ancient burial site. No Native American lore surrounding the area. The property sat as an empty lot for like ever. The land nobody wanted and nobody cared about until 1989 when a developer bought it and the neighboring plots up at once and built this row of cookie-cutter houses.
Dean, didja check out the developer? Yeah, Sam, I’m not an idiot. Clean records, no citations. All the building inspections in order. And the contractor? Yes, the contractor, too … Except … You got something? Wait. Hold on. Maybe. The electrical subcontractor. Name on the original plans wasn’t the same as the one on the inspection papers. They switched subs mid job. Now why would they do that? Seems like a time and money waster. He pulled out his notebook to read back through the notes he’d just taken.
Yep, went from Manny Electric to Ryan & Sons. Time to find Manny.
* * *
Father master had not been pleased. Had locked the creature back in the shed and he hated it there because it was dark with nothing to see and he liked seeing the world. He’d been careful and only one boy saw him and he didn’t even scream which made him wonder if he was less monster but he didn’t know, didn’t have a way of seeing himself. He’d asked father master when the man would be back. There’d been no answer at first but then he’d said, soon. This made him glad because the creature needed the man so that he could become Himself and be pretty and never have anyone scream again.
His master returned and opened the little lock and stood in front of him with that look that scared him and he suddenly felt the man’s fear about failing his father Dad in much the same way and thought isn’t it funny that even before the creature became Himself they already shared this.
“Now that you are more … formed … I have food for you. For now it’s not cooked. But later, when you are finished, you will eat only cooked food. Do you understand?”
The creature nodded because he could not yet speak. This would come when he was more complete and then he’d have those pretty lips that the girls loved to kiss and they would lay with him and it would feel good and take the ache away - until it didn’t.
Father master left the trap with the squirrels and the rabbit and walked out giving him another of those looks that made him feel bad incomplete like the man felt when the empty grew too big and the man filled it with girls and cheeseburgers not that the creature knew what those were and something called TV and a sharp liquid that warmed the belly and those memories the creature couldn’t take because they weren’t really there.
The creature now thought he knew what the man needed. There was a boy and he made the empty spot and no matter how many pretty girls, it was still there so they needed that boy. He didn’t know who the boy was yet. Those memories were harder to get at, locked down, almost like the man was fighting to keep those the most. It was much easier to take all the girls.
He didn’t really have teeth so he had to break apart the animals with his hands which were developing quickly and father master was pleased at least about that. But the food was good, especially the rabbit which looked at him with dead eyes as he ripped its head off. This brought up another rabbit from long ago that didn’t move and was soft and slept with the man and Mommy would read a story about the rabbit, but the creature didn’t know yet what stories were or Mommy or reading or why this memory was one that still made the man cry.
There were so many things the creature did not yet know. But his mind was filling. Father master said to be patient that it will come and now that they had started it would happen much faster. He wished he could go to the man’s home and take it all inside right now, at once - not patient. But the creature wasn’t strong enough to do this yet. Soon. A little more time and he would own all the thoughts and the creature would know everything. And the man would know nothing. Which made him a little sad because the man was the only reason he would be able to become Himself after all. But father master said there could be only one.
* * *
Turned out Manny was still alive so he wasn’t the ghost, but Dean dug up an old city housing commission ID of his father’s and reworked it with his photo so he was ready to find out what ol’ Manny knew.
A portly, Hispanic man with that in-charge look approached him as Dean sauntered onto the construction site.
“You Manny?” Dean said holding up the ID. “Davis. Housing commission. Couple questions for you.”
The man looked nervous and Dean’s confidence grew that this was the right track. Yeah, but you couldn’t have gotten here without me. Shut up, Sam.
“I wanted to ask you about a house you worked on in the early ‘90s. 1100 Pearl Street in Cedar Falls.”
“That was twenty years ago, man. You gotta be kiddin’.”
“No, I’m not. You weren’t the only electrician to work on that house. Why didn’t you finish the job?”
Manny started squirming. “Look. ‘S not something I publicize, okay. There was an accident. A workman died. Police cleared me and I settled with the man’s family out of court.”
“I’m not trying to reopen anything. Just need to find out what happened. What was the name of the man that died?”
The shorter man eyed him doubtfully. “Rodriguez. Should be in the city records.”
“Of course. Joseph Rodriguez?”
“Michael Rodriguez. What is this?”
“Nothing. Sometimes the records get mixed up. I’m doing some follow up. Seems the current residents want to, um, renovate.” Renovate? Lame, Dean. “Sorry to have bothered you.”
This seemed enough to satisfy Manny. Dean started to walk away. Turned back. “Just one more thing. Where does Mr. Rodriguez’s family live now?”
* * *
Dean knew he could have called the Johnstons. Certainly there was no reason to return yet, but what the heck, it was on the way. Well, fifty miles out of the way, on the way. But he wanted to share the progress he’d made and let them know that by the end of the day tomorrow he felt confident their problem would be over.
Charlie opened the door and gave him a bright smile. “You’re back soon.”
“I have an update for you. Hope you don’t mind my delivering it in person. If this is a bad time-“
“No. Not at all. Come in, please.” He turned around. “Cheryl, Dean’s back.”
Cheryl appeared behind her husband also smiling. They really were the nicest people. As he entered their busy family room Alex ran up to him. “Hey, the Ghostbuster’s back.”
Dean smiled. “At your service.”
“I helped Mom with the salt. We have it everywhere. Every window just like you said.”
Dean nodded approvingly. “That’s good.”
Alex narrowed his eyes and bit his lower lip making Dean wonder what this was about. “Alex, why don’t you show me your precautions. Sounds like you did a super job.”
He looked toward the boy’s parents who nodded yes and followed Alex as he bounded up the stairs two at a time. From behind he looked so much like Sammy that for a moment Dean could have been following his little brother up the stairs at Bobby’s house. In the boy’s bedroom he kneeled down to inspect the salt line and then met the boy’s eyes. “Alex. Did you hear anything else?”
The boy lowered his head and then raised it back to meet Dean’s eyes. “The salt. I think it made him mad.”
“More bad words?”
Alex nodded yes and his eyes were wide, moist.
“Anything else?”
“Said … it wouldn’t matter. The salt. Said he was in the … walls. He used another bad word.”
Dean nodded, not surprised given what he’d just learned. They needed to protect themselves further. Needed … what exactly? Suddenly he realized Alex had left the room. Dean followed him downstairs.
Cheryl looked from him to Alex. “Dean, why not join us for dinner? We have plenty.”
“I couldn’t-“ he started, but Cheryl and then Charlie insisted but it was Alex looking at him with puppy dog eyes that did him in.
The meal was the best he’d eaten in centuries. Roast chicken and mashed potatoes and crisp green beans and as he took his third helping he complimented Cheryl again.
“Nobody really cooks in my family,” he explained.
“Oh, are you married?”
“No. I live with my Dad and little brother.” Something was off and Dean blinked but he couldn’t think what that was so he went on. “We eat out mostly. Diners …”
“And does your father … is he in the same business you are?” Charlie asked.
“Dad, yeah, he’s a hunter.” Dean stopped. He wasn’t supposed to … even with clients you didn’t tell it like it is. Dad would be mad. Sam did this sometimes, told the truth, said he was sick of lying, sick of the job, this life and he wanted to go away. Did Sam go away? No. Sammy wouldn’t leave them. Wouldn’t …
The lights started flickering. Charlie looked around, alarmed and Cheryl said, “Charlie … ?” The lights sizzled out and a figure emerged from the dining room wall. An arc of white light stretched from its hand, zigzagging madly through the air. Alex screamed.
Dean jumped up, knocking over his chair in his panic. “Sammy, you okay?”
A frightened woman’s voice. “Sammy? Who’s Sammy? Dean what do we do now? What’s it want? You said the salt would keep it away … Dean …?”
Dean looked from the scared family to the crackling, glowing thing that was getting closer.
“Get out!” he ordered the parents and the kid. He stood there was his job, was supposed to … But he didn’t know what this was, what it wanted, what was he supposed to do? It moved closer and Dean backed away and a voice was talking to him, deep, rich, telling him about things - monsters, spirits that he was supposed to fight … hunt. The voice was telling him what to do teaching but the knowledge was vanishing … disappearing before he could understand. Alone with the scary, glowing monster he scrunched down on the floor and made himself as small as he could and tried to hide from the terrible lightning.
Go to chapter 3
Author: sandymg
Beta: borgmama1of5 . She rocks. All mistakes are mine
Summary: Dad's in Minnesota keeping secrets, Dean's picked up a solo hunt, and Sam ... where is Sam?
Spoilers: Through late Season 4. References Scarecrow S01x11 and Jump the Shark S04x19
Wordcount: 26,000 in 9 chapters - Complete
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Hurt!Dean, Preseries
Characters: Dean, John, Sam, a creature
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. They belong to the CW and Eric Kripke - who'd best treat them well
A/N: Thanks to zatnikatel for ongoing inspiration
Chapter [ 1]
Chapter 2
The creature watched the man leave the house and stare around absently for many moments. Then the man walked up to the big metal thing with wheels. The creature didn’t know what it was but had imagined the man would know because He was smart. But soon the creature would be smart, too. The creature’s mind filled up with His knowledge whenever they were close. Changing. Getting stronger. After a few seconds the man entered the metal box car and sped away.
Father master would not be happy that the creature had snuck out. He was not supposed to be seen monster. He was supposed to hide. Once the creature became Himself he’d be pretty like the man. And then he’d be able to go out and see all the pretty girls. He’d been thinking about girls a lot now. Snuck looks at them and followed them with the pits that served as his eyes. But father master said that soon the creature would have pretty green eyes like the man.
Then the creature could look at the pretty girls and they would smile not shriek and maybe even do some of those other things that were starting to appear in his mind from just these short encounters with Him. Yes, it seemed the man liked girls sex very much and every time he was with a girl like that he would be sated and full and complete - but then the man would roll over and that feeling would be gone, replaced by something else, familiar and dull. Except the creature thought maybe it wouldn’t be like this for him, maybe he’d figure out how to keep the good feeling.
* * *
Dean felt better as he drove away from the Johnston’s home. In fact, the further he got the clearer and more relaxed he felt. Crazy what had happened. Like some sort of mini blackout. But he was okay now and he had his notes to fill in whatever blanks there were. He figured he’d better lay off the whiskey for a while. Not that he drank all that much, but still … it was weird. He thought fleetingly about calling Dad but the job was nothing he couldn’t handle. ‘Sides his father didn’t raise him to run to daddy. Nope, best to help this family. Protect the little boy.
Uncanny how Alex reminded him of Sammy. He swallowed. Nope. Not going there. Sam was living a normal life. Was for the best. Even Dad thought so although he’d never say it. Dean knew Sam was happy. Had seen it with his own eyes more than once. Sam didn’t know. Had only caught him once, and that was years ago. Dean’d gotten much better at it. Didn’t indulge his need to check on Sam often. Couple, three times a year. Something would take him and Dad west. And he’d sneak away and track his little brother down and watch him from a distance.
Sam’d laugh with his school buddies. Recently there was this really pretty girl with long curly blonde hair. Dean never got close enough to really check her out but even from a distance she was a looker. Usually Sam would be balancing an armful of books. Last year his brother had looked toward where Dean was hiding and for a moment he thought Sam had seen him. He’d frozen, thinking Sammy. But then Sam turned away and walked toward the large building that Dean knew was the library and Dean left and hadn’t been back yet this year.
Exhausted, he ditched the car near the bus station and waited impatiently for the bus back to Waterloo. Sitting in the back he tried to remember if he’d told the family what precautions to take while he investigated. He must have. It was standard procedure. He’d promised the kid nothing bad would happen. The family needed to salt around Alex’s bed. Dammit, he couldn’t remember if he’d told them this or not.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. Charlie sounded surprised to hear from him again so soon.
“Just wanted to check that you were, um, clear with my directions?”
“Yes. Seemed simple enough. Salt around our beds and windows. That all it takes, really?”
Dean exhaled. Okay. He wasn’t totally losing it. “Yes. That will keep you protected until I can find out who’s haunting you and dispose of the remains properly. Then you won’t have any more trouble.” Dean paused. Thought of something. “Doors, too. Be sure to put salt lines at each door. Alex’s room, too.”
“Yes, we did just what you said. We … really appreciate your help. Alex, well, he seemed … calmer after you left … Thank you.”
Dean smiled. There were times he really loved this job. “You’re welcome. I’ll be in touch in a day or so.”
He entered the small house with a light step. Groaned when he looked over at the still bare cupboards and realized he should have stopped for food. Jesus, he was starving.
* * *
The Johnston house had a boring history, which made no sense and made Dean want to kick something. He’d been hoping for easy. Some guy-murdered-in-the-house kind of easy because then he’d be able to find the grave, dig up the bones - salt, burn and done. The message the spirit had left was related to the family being intruders so it had to be linked to the house, didn’t it? Piecing together obscure puzzle pieces were Dad’s and Sam’s strengths, not his. He preferred the endgame, getting it done.
But Dad wasn’t here and Sam … He needed to get this done for that family and quickly because spirits like this only got angrier as time passed. Next logical step was to head to the Town Records Office and see what he could find on the property before this house was built.
Two hours later Dean escalated from wanting to kick something to wanting to punch the closest wall. Nothing. Zilch. Even Sam, the wonder boy of research, couldn’t pull a ghost from that history. It was clean. No ancient burial site. No Native American lore surrounding the area. The property sat as an empty lot for like ever. The land nobody wanted and nobody cared about until 1989 when a developer bought it and the neighboring plots up at once and built this row of cookie-cutter houses.
Dean, didja check out the developer? Yeah, Sam, I’m not an idiot. Clean records, no citations. All the building inspections in order. And the contractor? Yes, the contractor, too … Except … You got something? Wait. Hold on. Maybe. The electrical subcontractor. Name on the original plans wasn’t the same as the one on the inspection papers. They switched subs mid job. Now why would they do that? Seems like a time and money waster. He pulled out his notebook to read back through the notes he’d just taken.
Yep, went from Manny Electric to Ryan & Sons. Time to find Manny.
* * *
Father master had not been pleased. Had locked the creature back in the shed and he hated it there because it was dark with nothing to see and he liked seeing the world. He’d been careful and only one boy saw him and he didn’t even scream which made him wonder if he was less monster but he didn’t know, didn’t have a way of seeing himself. He’d asked father master when the man would be back. There’d been no answer at first but then he’d said, soon. This made him glad because the creature needed the man so that he could become Himself and be pretty and never have anyone scream again.
His master returned and opened the little lock and stood in front of him with that look that scared him and he suddenly felt the man’s fear about failing his father Dad in much the same way and thought isn’t it funny that even before the creature became Himself they already shared this.
“Now that you are more … formed … I have food for you. For now it’s not cooked. But later, when you are finished, you will eat only cooked food. Do you understand?”
The creature nodded because he could not yet speak. This would come when he was more complete and then he’d have those pretty lips that the girls loved to kiss and they would lay with him and it would feel good and take the ache away - until it didn’t.
Father master left the trap with the squirrels and the rabbit and walked out giving him another of those looks that made him feel bad incomplete like the man felt when the empty grew too big and the man filled it with girls and cheeseburgers not that the creature knew what those were and something called TV and a sharp liquid that warmed the belly and those memories the creature couldn’t take because they weren’t really there.
The creature now thought he knew what the man needed. There was a boy and he made the empty spot and no matter how many pretty girls, it was still there so they needed that boy. He didn’t know who the boy was yet. Those memories were harder to get at, locked down, almost like the man was fighting to keep those the most. It was much easier to take all the girls.
He didn’t really have teeth so he had to break apart the animals with his hands which were developing quickly and father master was pleased at least about that. But the food was good, especially the rabbit which looked at him with dead eyes as he ripped its head off. This brought up another rabbit from long ago that didn’t move and was soft and slept with the man and Mommy would read a story about the rabbit, but the creature didn’t know yet what stories were or Mommy or reading or why this memory was one that still made the man cry.
There were so many things the creature did not yet know. But his mind was filling. Father master said to be patient that it will come and now that they had started it would happen much faster. He wished he could go to the man’s home and take it all inside right now, at once - not patient. But the creature wasn’t strong enough to do this yet. Soon. A little more time and he would own all the thoughts and the creature would know everything. And the man would know nothing. Which made him a little sad because the man was the only reason he would be able to become Himself after all. But father master said there could be only one.
* * *
Turned out Manny was still alive so he wasn’t the ghost, but Dean dug up an old city housing commission ID of his father’s and reworked it with his photo so he was ready to find out what ol’ Manny knew.
A portly, Hispanic man with that in-charge look approached him as Dean sauntered onto the construction site.
“You Manny?” Dean said holding up the ID. “Davis. Housing commission. Couple questions for you.”
The man looked nervous and Dean’s confidence grew that this was the right track. Yeah, but you couldn’t have gotten here without me. Shut up, Sam.
“I wanted to ask you about a house you worked on in the early ‘90s. 1100 Pearl Street in Cedar Falls.”
“That was twenty years ago, man. You gotta be kiddin’.”
“No, I’m not. You weren’t the only electrician to work on that house. Why didn’t you finish the job?”
Manny started squirming. “Look. ‘S not something I publicize, okay. There was an accident. A workman died. Police cleared me and I settled with the man’s family out of court.”
“I’m not trying to reopen anything. Just need to find out what happened. What was the name of the man that died?”
The shorter man eyed him doubtfully. “Rodriguez. Should be in the city records.”
“Of course. Joseph Rodriguez?”
“Michael Rodriguez. What is this?”
“Nothing. Sometimes the records get mixed up. I’m doing some follow up. Seems the current residents want to, um, renovate.” Renovate? Lame, Dean. “Sorry to have bothered you.”
This seemed enough to satisfy Manny. Dean started to walk away. Turned back. “Just one more thing. Where does Mr. Rodriguez’s family live now?”
* * *
Dean knew he could have called the Johnstons. Certainly there was no reason to return yet, but what the heck, it was on the way. Well, fifty miles out of the way, on the way. But he wanted to share the progress he’d made and let them know that by the end of the day tomorrow he felt confident their problem would be over.
Charlie opened the door and gave him a bright smile. “You’re back soon.”
“I have an update for you. Hope you don’t mind my delivering it in person. If this is a bad time-“
“No. Not at all. Come in, please.” He turned around. “Cheryl, Dean’s back.”
Cheryl appeared behind her husband also smiling. They really were the nicest people. As he entered their busy family room Alex ran up to him. “Hey, the Ghostbuster’s back.”
Dean smiled. “At your service.”
“I helped Mom with the salt. We have it everywhere. Every window just like you said.”
Dean nodded approvingly. “That’s good.”
Alex narrowed his eyes and bit his lower lip making Dean wonder what this was about. “Alex, why don’t you show me your precautions. Sounds like you did a super job.”
He looked toward the boy’s parents who nodded yes and followed Alex as he bounded up the stairs two at a time. From behind he looked so much like Sammy that for a moment Dean could have been following his little brother up the stairs at Bobby’s house. In the boy’s bedroom he kneeled down to inspect the salt line and then met the boy’s eyes. “Alex. Did you hear anything else?”
The boy lowered his head and then raised it back to meet Dean’s eyes. “The salt. I think it made him mad.”
“More bad words?”
Alex nodded yes and his eyes were wide, moist.
“Anything else?”
“Said … it wouldn’t matter. The salt. Said he was in the … walls. He used another bad word.”
Dean nodded, not surprised given what he’d just learned. They needed to protect themselves further. Needed … what exactly? Suddenly he realized Alex had left the room. Dean followed him downstairs.
Cheryl looked from him to Alex. “Dean, why not join us for dinner? We have plenty.”
“I couldn’t-“ he started, but Cheryl and then Charlie insisted but it was Alex looking at him with puppy dog eyes that did him in.
The meal was the best he’d eaten in centuries. Roast chicken and mashed potatoes and crisp green beans and as he took his third helping he complimented Cheryl again.
“Nobody really cooks in my family,” he explained.
“Oh, are you married?”
“No. I live with my Dad and little brother.” Something was off and Dean blinked but he couldn’t think what that was so he went on. “We eat out mostly. Diners …”
“And does your father … is he in the same business you are?” Charlie asked.
“Dad, yeah, he’s a hunter.” Dean stopped. He wasn’t supposed to … even with clients you didn’t tell it like it is. Dad would be mad. Sam did this sometimes, told the truth, said he was sick of lying, sick of the job, this life and he wanted to go away. Did Sam go away? No. Sammy wouldn’t leave them. Wouldn’t …
The lights started flickering. Charlie looked around, alarmed and Cheryl said, “Charlie … ?” The lights sizzled out and a figure emerged from the dining room wall. An arc of white light stretched from its hand, zigzagging madly through the air. Alex screamed.
Dean jumped up, knocking over his chair in his panic. “Sammy, you okay?”
A frightened woman’s voice. “Sammy? Who’s Sammy? Dean what do we do now? What’s it want? You said the salt would keep it away … Dean …?”
Dean looked from the scared family to the crackling, glowing thing that was getting closer.
“Get out!” he ordered the parents and the kid. He stood there was his job, was supposed to … But he didn’t know what this was, what it wanted, what was he supposed to do? It moved closer and Dean backed away and a voice was talking to him, deep, rich, telling him about things - monsters, spirits that he was supposed to fight … hunt. The voice was telling him what to do teaching but the knowledge was vanishing … disappearing before he could understand. Alone with the scary, glowing monster he scrunched down on the floor and made himself as small as he could and tried to hide from the terrible lightning.
Go to chapter 3