Title: The Water
Inspired by "They say you won't come back" by Breathe Carolina.
Disclaimer: I don't own. I pretend to sometimes… just because Kripke is a cool name.
"Don't go play by the water."
He was 15. That sentence just invited him to go play. He looked at his dad and nodded. He looked to Sam and his brother smiled. Once again they were thinking the same thing. As soon as their dad left the house they were out the back door toward the river that ran along the property. It circled the town in a lazy spiral before making its way down to the coast. As he trudged through the tall grass he wondered why they were in this place. Their dad left early everyday and came back well after sundown. The rumble of the Impala on the long driveway was the last thing he heard before he fell asleep. There had to be a closer spot, but his dad didn't tell them anything. Normally he would at least give them a lesson so they would know what to do if something went wrong. He hadn't though, so maybe they weren't hunting anything. He looked back to Sam who was running his fingers along the top of the grass as they walked. He is so weird. He looked back to his path. Something moved in the grass ahead and he stopped. Sam rushed to his brother and clutched at the back of his shirt. 'What is it?' He shushed him and looked around. 'Raptors.' Sam pinched Dean and grumbled before looking behind him. 'GRAGH!' A group of boys suddenly descended on the brothers. One got a punch to the jaw before Dean realized they were just kids, like them, and didn't mean any harm. The others were laughing and Dean chuckled as he helped the kid up. 'Going for a swim?' Sam shrugged, he was going through a silent faze and Dean punched him on the shoulder silently telling him to stop being weird.
- Don't go looking for answers -
The boys were pushing each other off a large root that had been revealed. The water level obviously not being as high as it had been in the years before. Dean took turns with some of the older kids jumping off the high branches. The darker haired brother sat on the edge kicking his feet in the water as he examined leaves. Peeling them along their veins before throwing them into the water and watching to see if they floated or not. Dean tumbled to the water and with a splash he was gone. Sam's eyes flicked to his brothers wake as soon as he saw the darkened blond hair resurface his eyes went back to his leaves. Green eyes locked on a dark current in the river as he tossed another set of leaf remnants into the water. His eyes narrowed, it looked odd. The current disapated and he tore a new leaf in half. 'You ok Sammy?' Dean pulled himself out of the water next to his brother and shook out his hair. 'Yeah. I just don't feel like getting wet.' He looked at Dean with an accusatory glance as he continued to tear his leaf. 'Ok.' He took that response as 'leave me alone' and climbed back onto the tree.
- Don't go play by the water. -
Another splash and the dark current flickered to life, but quickly faded. Sam looked up to Dean and wondered if his brother saw any of this, or if it was just the sunlight on the water playing with his mind. Dean was next and Sam looked back to the water. He didn't want him to jump. A sick feeling was rising in his gut. This wasn't the sunlight. He pushed on a leaf in the water with his foot and the current moved violently. He stood up in shock and looked to Dean. On of the younger kids screamed and Sam's eyes flicked to them. He was laughing as he fell into the water. Sam raced up the embankment and looked on with curiosity. He looked up to Dean who was waiting on the kid to surface before he jumped. A few seconds passed and the kid still had not risen. One of the older kids who had just gotten out of the water was at the edge looking in with panic. He took a step in and slipped. Sam flinched. He opened his mouth to say something when he heard a voice he knew to well yelling. 'GET OUT OF THE WATER!' Dean was out of the tree faster than Sam ever thought possible as their dad raced into the water. The group of boys stood on the top of the embankment staring at the water as it calmed. The surface broke and their dad was climbing up to the edge of the river. He was carrying something, it only took the boys a second to realize that whatever it was wasn't moving, and probably never would again.
- They say you won't come back. -
'What were you thinking? I told you not to go in the water. The only thing I tell you not to do and what do you do? Get a kid killed?' Dean stared at the floor at the small puddle of water he'd created. His dad hadn't stopped since they had gotten to the police station. Sam sat in the chair and watched Dean as he flinched. He knew that it wasn't his fault. The boys were going to swim even if they hadn't been there. It would have happened anyway. But it didn't matter their father's words were implanted in his brother's mind and now he'd never be convinced that it wasn't his fault. An officer called their dad into a room and Sam leaned against Dean. 'Did you see it Sammy?' he nodded. It felt more like he was rubbing his cheek on Dean's shoulder, but he understood. 'Why didn't you say anything?' He mumbled a response and closed his eyes. He should have said something. If that kid hadn't fallen in it would have been Dean. He turned and put his forehead against his brother's shoulder hiding his face in the towel the paramedics had given all of the boys. After a while their dad came out and motioned for them to go out before him. His mood hadn't lifted, but he didn't say anything the entire drive to the house.
- Don't go, you won't come back. -
Their dad locked himself in the study and Dean and Sam tinkered in their rooms until they heard the outer door slam. It was dark, where was he going? Dean looked out the window and then back to Sam. He was walking down to the water. 'Sam. Grab some flashlights.' The pleading look on his brother's face quelled any warning he could come up with. He pulled the big yellow flashlight he kept under his bed out and tossed a smaller one to Dean. They quickly exited the house and ran down toward the river. Sam held onto the back of Dean's shirt with a determined grip. He wasn't letting his brother go near the water. He didn't know why but he had a feeling that it was one of the brothers that thing had truly wanted. It was most visible when Dean went in the water and the movement when he'd moved was the strongest he'd seen. They cleared the grass and Sam pulled Dean to a stop. He could hear their father chanting. Dean pushed them behind a tree and snuck forward to see what he was doing. The water was churning violently. It stilled before giant waves rippled along the banks. A hiss of water hit the air and Sam gasped. It seemed like the water could tell they were there. It moved further up the ground with each wave. 'Dean. Let's go. Something is wrong.'
- Don't go looking for answers. -
The brothers ran back to the house and Sam was hiding under his covers within seconds. 'Sammy. What's wrong?' The younger boy shook his head. 'Just tell me.' He heard faint whispers, but couldn't understand them. 'Sam.' The blanket dropped as Sam sat up. 'I think he wants us.' Dean looked to the door in confusion. 'What? Dad?' He hadn't heard him come in. 'NO! The river monster.' When Sam didn't seem to want to say anything more he sighed. 'What are you talking about?' Sam shrugged. 'It just feels like it.' The back door banged shut and he heard his dad's footsteps running up the stairs. He jumped to his bed before their door opened. 'You are never to go to the river again. Got it? I'm serious.' Sam quickly nodded, he had no desire to go near water for a while. Dean nodded and looked to Sam. He was curious.
- They say you won't come back. -
Dean slipped out the door after his dad left. Sam hadn't woken up yet and he didn't want to hear any begs for him to stop. He ran down the path, the grass had been trampled on the last day so much that it was a true path now. There was yellow tape tied tree to tree blocking off the entire area. He didn't know how they had missed it the night before, but darkness hides a lot of things. He slid down the embankment and stood on the root of the tree. He wanted to see what Sam had seen yesterday. The water rippled slightly as he stepped onto the root. He looked closely but stayed upright. His brother's words making him cautious. He wasn't about to lean over the water and let some thing grab him. The water shifted and he blinked. Had it just gotten darker? He looked up at the sun to see if a cloud had blocked the sun. He looked back to the river and jumped back. The water was rushing up the root. He ran past the yellow tape and stared at the water. He believed Sam now. Sam was halfway down the path when Dean started back. A quick kick to the shin and Sam frowned deeply. 'Stupid.' He turned and started running back to the house. Dean followed with a slight limp.
- Don't go, you won't come back. -
Their dad called them down to the living room and pushed a piece of paper at them. 'Dean read this.' Dean looked at the headline then back to his dad. 'Missing boy: Found. The body of the missing boy, Casey Kelly, was found by divers early yesterday morning. The boy had been swimming with friends in the river when he disappeared.' Dean looked up at his dad. It was the boy? Another paper was slid to the table and Sam picked it up. 'Second Kelly boy found.' Sam skimmed the article. It was basically the same as Dean's. 'I do not want you going to the water. I know you did yesterday.' A harsh look at Dean. 'I should have looked into the history closer before setting up here. This is the Kelly house. No one in town said anything until the boy died.'
- Tried to warn you. -
A week passed and the boys kept busy around the house. Sam wouldn't go outside unless their dad was home and the sun was high in the sky. Their dad was now running two hunts. He spent his days on the mysterious one he still had yet to tell them about and his nights at the river. Dean watched out the window as the faint light of their father's flashlight shrank toward the river. A flash of lightning lit the sky and Sam shot up. He looked to Dean who was now staring at the growing light of the flashlight. The downpour started almost immediately after the door swung shut. Sam moved over to Dean's bed and fell back asleep. The older boy stared out the window into the dark. He heard the engine start and the car's tires on the gravel driveway, but he kept his eyes on the water. Every once in a while lightning lit everything and as sleep was winning over he swore he saw a smile in the water.
- You didn't listen. -
The rain was sharp against his bare face. He ran down the mud covered path screaming for his younger brother. He didn't know what was going on, but his brother had sat up and started out the door. Dean watched with half asleep eyes as his brother left the room. The back door opened and shut and he was off the bed and out the door after him. He caught up to Sam and shook him. The boy stopped walking and stared up at him with strange eyes. It took a second before the green eyes brightened and Dean knew his brother was back. 'What are you doing?' Sam's eyes widened when he saw how close he was to the river and he pulled on Dean's sleeve. The older boy looked behind him and realized that their vicinity to the river was not the cause of the fear. Something black and moving was quickly crawling toward them over the mud. It oozed like water, but was too solid. Dean pushed Sam toward the house and they ran. Dean slowed, keeping himself between the gaining thing and his Sammy. A splash of water hit at his heel and he was tempted to pick Sam up and run, but there was no way he'd be able to run with his brother and not get caught. He'd never understood how people in the movies could outrun things while carrying people. The back door slammed shut and the brothers leaned against it. Their chests heaving and eyes closed tight. Loud bangs threatened to burst through the door, but the pressure faded and the boys relaxed a bit.
- They say you won't come back. -
Sam stood and looked out the window. His reflection was shown back at him, the black of the night making him pale and blue. Suddenly his face snarled and hit the window. He fell back before scrambling toward the door. The banging on the door had started again. 'It looked like me. A dead me.' The face that had been looking back at him looked like someone that had drowned. 'Maybe that's how it gets you…' Dean pushed against the door as he thought. His dad had told them about something. Lures. How different badies use lures to get people to do what they want. Maybe it had looked like one of the Kelly boys to lure the other one into the water. They had gone missing only a day apart. He knew that if he had seen a drowned Sam he'd go racing into the water. He looked at his brother then. The fear on his face was clear. There had to be something they could do. The door creaked and he called for his dad.
- Don't go, you won't come back. -
His voice cracked as he yelled. Water was starting to leak onto the floor. His foot slipped and the door moved, but he pushed back. 'Sam. When I tell you run. Get out of the house and away from the river.' The smaller boy looked at his brother and nodded. It was a tiny movement but Dean's eyes narrowed and he reared back on the door. 'NOW!' the force of his push gave his brother enough time to get to the front door before the door flew open. He expected a flood of water to cover him, but nothing happened. He looked up and saw the black thing he could tell it was looking at him. Waiting. Part of him knew it was useless, but the urge to run overcame him and he climbed to his feet. Water as cold as ice enveloped him and he saw the lights of the house fade before he passed out.
- Don't go looking for answers. -
Headlights. He saw the headlights and rushed toward them. A sharp order from his common sense, which sounded a lot like Dean calling him idiot stopped him from running out in front of the car. The squeal of brakes and sliding dirt filled the night air. He recognized his fathers silhouette. How had he not recognized the Impala? 'It got Dean!' The door hadn't even opened before he was screaming. He didn't know what had happened back at the house, but the door had slammed into the wall as he was exiting. It was at least in the house now. His dad pulled him in the car and pressed on the gas pedal. They were spinning toward the house a second later. The lights were out and Sam's stomach twisted. He shifted closer to the safety of his dad as they neared the darkened house, and strange creature. He didn't even want to think about what could have happened or be happening to his brother. The car jerked to a stop just before the stairs to the porch. He was shuffling toward the door after his father, but it shut. 'STAY.' A finger was pointed at him and he nodded.
- They say you won't come back. -
Mud squelched beneath his fingers. He could hear the trickle of water. His eyes fluttered opened. It was dark. Too dark. He moved his hands and the mud made a sucking noise as he shifted. He looked out and saw the river. He was nearly level with it, hidden in a cave he guessed. He knew he was by himself, he couldn't tell why. He could just run away now. He heard shouts then. A voice he knew. Chanting in a language he didn't. A roar of pain or something like it trickled down into the cave. He moved toward the mouth of the cave. The water was too cold. It stung his skin as he rolled out of the cave. The rain had stopped, but the wind persisted. It was hard to swim toward the sound of his father's voice. The river stopped moving for a second. His head dropped below the water and he came up gasping. He had drifted further downstream. His dad was shouting for him now. He called out, fell under again. He had to focus. He swam toward the edge of the river. The low hanging tree branches scratched at him, but they were too small, they broke in his hand as he pulled on them. He reached for a branch and his fingers connected with something solid. He was up out of the water and into a hug before he had realized his dad had found him. The hug was strange. It lasted but a second before he was directed up the hill, away from the water. It couldn't have been a hug. He'd fallen against his dad. That was it. As he walked back to the house he couldn't help but wonder why he'd felt strong arms holding him close if he'd only fallen. Sam was standing on the back porch. His eyes lit up and he jumped down the steps and darted into his brothers arms. 'I thought you were dead.' He looked up at his dad and then whispered into his brother's ear. 'I think Dad did too. He hugged me…' A shocked look crossed his brother's face. 'Nuhuh!' Dean laughed and pulled Sam under his arm. 'I'll tell you all about it.'
- Don't go, you won't come back. -
They were packed and leaving the next morning. Their dad had finished his actual hunt that night. They had cleared up a second one on accident and the Winchester boys were happy. There dad explained to them that the Kelly boys had died at the same time. He'd done more research into it. Both of the brothers were needed. That was why it had only stored Dean away, not killed him. He wouldn't tell them what it was. Dean thought it was because he didn't know what it was. Sam didn't want to know. He'd nearly become an only child. 'Make sure there isn't a pool at the next place.' Sam threw in. 'Or a lake.' Dean agreed nodding. 'No river.' Both boys agreed. John looked at the boys in the rearview mirror. 'Are you going to listen to me now when I tell you to stay away from something?' The boys looked at eachother. They knew they would. It was inevitable.
A/N: I am going through a young Winchesters phase. This is my first fic in a long time that I've finished. Please go easy on me. I've written one other SPN fic, but I'm not done with it and this just came to me one day… so technically this would be my first fanfic about Supernatural. I like reviews. I try to reply to them all.