For those who wanted to see a little bit more to this week's E/O Drabble. Here's what I came up with for an extended version. I hope everyone likes it.
BRAIN TEASER
By: Vanessa Sgroi
THEN
"Hey, Dean. Look at this." Sam held up a multi-colored cube he'd just found tucked away in a drawer at the Men of Letters headquarters. "What do you think it is?"
Dean studied it thoughtfully, reaching out and taking it from Sam. "I dunno. Maybe it's an early version of Rubik's Cube?" He deftly began moving the levels around.
"Dean, don't…"
"What? I solved Rubik's Cube in like 15 minutes."
"Yeah, but this isn't a toy…and we don't know what might happen!"
Dean shrugged, continuing to manipulate the object until all the colors lined up on all sides. They waited with bated breath. Nothing happened.
"See, nothing!" Dean put the cube on a nearby shelf. "Probably was just one of those brain teaser things after all."
Sam frowned at it, a crease bisecting his forehead. "Yeah, I guess."
"C'mon, let's go get something to eat."
The brothers turned and left the room, snapping the light off as they left.
Several minutes passed when suddenly the mysterious cube began to glow and twinkle. The colors shifted, dancing to and fro in the dark of the room. Soon the impromptu light show came to an end and all grew dark once more.
NOW
The Winchester brothers awoke in the middle of the night to loud noise filling the air. Stumbling from their rooms, they looked at each other in confusion.
"What the hell is that?" Dean called.
"Beats me!" yelled Sam in return. "Sounds like it's coming from the library though!"
The brothers turned in unison and raced to the library. Entering the room, they immediately saw the cube Sam had found earlier in the day sitting on the shelf where they'd left it. It was now awash in flashing lights and a strange sound was emanating from it.
Dean ran to the shelf. Picking up the object, he began turning the rotating pieces much like he'd done earlier.
Sam looked on nervously. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to get it to stop!" The hunter shook the object for good measure.
The cube in question suddenly went dark and quiet. Dean grinned in satisfaction. "There!"
"You broke it."
"I did not break it, dumbass. I just…stopped it."
Suddenly, the cube lit up again, brighter than ever and the "music" blared louder, reaching earsplitting volume. Sam covered his ears. Dean covered one ear while turning the cube over and over. "Dammit, you see an on/off button on this thing?" he yelled.
"No!"
"How do we make it stop?"
Helpless, Sam shrugged. "I don't know!"
An epiphany sparked in Dean's green eyes. "Cas? Cas!" Looking Heavenward, Dean yelled, "Cas? Castiel, we need you to get your feathery fanny down here!" The noise grew louder forcing wince and a groan from both Winchesters. "Fast!"
Cas appeared directly in front of Dean almost before he finished speaking. "Dean?"
Dean thrust the cube toward the angel. "What is this?"
Nonplussed, Cas replied, "Is it not one of your—what do you call it?—music boxes?"
"No! It's definitely not a music box!" Dean shoved the cube into the angel's hands. "We don't know what it is but make it stop!"
Once the cube touched Cas's hands, the noise diminished to a more bearable level but the lights kept flashing. The angel stared raptly at the object. "Interesting."
"Cas, do something! Turn it off!"
"I am rather enjoying this." Cas took a deep breath and cradled the cube, an beatific look settling on his face when the curious object began to vibrate. "It feels…good. I am tingling. It is quite...exhilerating."
Dean and Sam glanced at each other, both a little unnerved by the intense bliss reflected on the angel's face. Dean ran a hand down his face. "Great. It's like an angel vibrator!" snarked the older Winchester.
Sam's eyes grew wide as the mental image embedded itself. "Dean! That's just…that's just…ahh, man—now I need brain bleach."
Suddenly, the cube glowed bright and hot and a high pitched whine replaced the tinny "music". It grew volume and then a burst of blazing white momentarily blinded the brothers. When they blinked away the shadowy artifacts, Cas remained frozen in front of them; the cube now a bubbling melted mess in his hands.
The angel wiped his hands on his coat. "It appears I have broken your toy. I apologize."
"Uhh…that's okay, Cas," Dean reassured. "I just hope that wasn't something important. You have any idea what it was?"
"No. Though I must admit that that sensation was—in a word—exquisite. I would like to experience it again sometime. Perhaps it was similiar to what you humans call..."
Dean held up a hand. "TMI, Cas. TMI."
Cas frowned slightly. "TMI? What does TMI mean?"
"Too much information," Sam answered while nodding his head in agreement.
"Too much information? I do not understand. I have provided you with none at all. Maybe if you have another one of these objects, I can..."
"Nevermind!" The Winchesters replied in unison.
FIN
