Prologue

The bell had just rung as he parked the Impala in front of the school. With determination he stepped out of the car and leaned against its shiny surface. Teenagers were flowing out of the building, some heading for the bus while others had rides of their own. Dean caught a glimpse of his little brother in the crowd, as he tried to wrestle his way through it.

"Dean" Sam exclaimed in relief of finally seeing a friendly face. Dean smiled and ruffled his hair, but walked past him without a word as his girlfriend was approaching him with hurried steps. When they were less than two feet apart he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Marion bit her lip as she twisted her fingers in his messy hair. As their lips met, Sam grunted in disgust and climbed into the car.

"Hey babe" Dean purred when he finally caught his breath.

"Hi" Marion replied with Dean's favorite smile. With his arm safely wrapped around her, he led her to his car and opened the door for her. Her blond hair danced around her face as she placed herself in the passenger seat.

They had only been driving for a few minutes when the car jolted forwards, causing Dean to lose control over the steering wheel. They all yelled as the car crashed into the ditch and stopped.

"What the hell was that?" Dean asked in his usual growling voice. Sam stared out of the rear window and stated: "I think we hit something". He turned his head and looked at them with concerned eyes "Is everybody okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, we're fine" Dean replied, took Marion's trembling hand and squeezed it reassuringly, "I'll go check outside"

He walked around the car, scanning it thoroughly. "The tire's flat" he told Sam through the window. "Can you get the spare one in the trunk?"

But Marion was already outside and hurried to the back of the car. As she opened the trunk, she gasped loudly. "What the hell, Dean?!"

Dean turned only to see her staring at him with hysterical eyes. She had seen their arsenal!

"Why do you have all these guns in your trunk? What are you? A serial killer?" Dean shut the trunk and met her gaze.

"I can explain" he said calmly and reached out for her hand, but Marion backed away.

"Don't touch me" she barked. He made yet another attempt to hold her back, but this time she turned and started to walk down the road with hurried steps.

"Wait, Marion!" Dean yelled and ran after her.

"Stay away from me!" she ordered.

"No, let me explain!" he pleaded, seized her elbow and jerked her around. "It's not what it looks like"

"Then what is it? Why the hell would you need a trunk full of weapons?" her voice was trembling both with anger and fright. Dean glanced at Sam, whose face was squeezed up against the car window, before he looked back at Marion.

"I'm a hunter" he said with a heavy heart.

"A what?" she asked with a frown.

"A hunter. I hunt evil – supernatural things"

With a skeptical look she snorted and said: "You really are crazy" and with that, she turned her back towards him and walked away.