This story came to mind when I saw a prompt that challenged me to write about the boogeyman that was actually a protector. Of course I had to make it Supernatural related! Let me know what you think!
Like every child, Sammy Winchester learned about the things that lived in the dark. Even before he knew the entire truth about what his daddy did, he had experienced some of that darkness on his own. Like most young kids, little Sammy was afraid of the dark, and rightfully so. Not knowing exactly what hid beneath the depths of his bed or beyond the bowels of his closet, he could sense that something was there. It was always there. Never seen but always watching. As if waiting for the moment to advance on the youngest Winchester.
As little Sammy huddled beneath his covers, he stared down his closet door as if willing it to open and something to pop out. He had spent many nights waiting and watching and praying to a God he was trying firmly to believe in that whatever was in there would stay in there.
A snore from the other actual occupant in the room broke his concentration from the closet. His older brother Dean was sleeping soundly in the other bed, completely unaware of the dangers that seemed to threaten only Sam. He had talked to Dean about his fears of what was hiding in the dark and each night, Dean would look in all the dark places and assure Sam that nothing was there, although he kept a watchful eye on everything when he thought Sam wasn't looking. Sam had spent so many nights up staring at the closet door that Dean had eventually switched beds with him so that he wouldn't be closest anymore, as if creating a protective barrier between Sam and the closet. Watching Dean roll over in his sleep, Sam went back to his careful watching of the door before falling into an exhausted slumber.
As the years passed and little Sammy grew up learning about the supernatural, his worry about the thing in the dark increased. It seemed that no matter how many times they moved, which was more frequent than Sam would like to count, it would follow them.
And worse yet, he was beginning to think that it was not only in the dark like he had originally feared, but out during the day as well. He could sometimes feel like someone or something was watching him closely all the time. When he was at school, on the swing set, working puzzles on the motel room floor, it was always there. Watching.
He had long ago stopped confiding in Dean about his suspicions for his older brother never felt the same sense of being observed like Sam did. When he had told his father about it some months ago, he was handed a 22 gun in order to protect himself in true Winchester style. Although whatever was watching was never seen or heard, Sam knew it was there. It was always there.
More years passed and little Sammy was now in his teens where his limbs were beginning to grow and his attitude was taking a turn for the worse. He had finally given up on trying to find the watching creature and had come to terms that whatever it was, it was just that. A watchful creature. Never seen and never heard. Just there. He thought he could sometimes feel the hairs on the back of his neck raise up because of it being so close to him, but he could never really tell. And although it creeped him out beyond all belief, the creature had never done any harm.
When little Sammy Winchester left for Stanford, he was certain that the creature would leave him alone. Maybe go find someone else to creep on for their childhood. Instead, it just came less frequently. It came and went. It watched and waited. For what, Sam didn't know. But it would be gone for days at a time and then suddenly be back. Like a 6th sense, Sam had begun to pick up on when it was near. It wasn't until he was dragged back into the world of hunting by tragic circumstances did he begin to feel it on a daily basis again. Always there. Always watching.
Just beyond human sight, the watchful creature sat, content with himself. For he had done its job of observing and protecting the Winchester brothers. He had watched them grow up as hunters and had silently intervened in small ways in order to keep them safe. Of course, he was forbidden to intervene in large ways that would alter the future, but he was entrusted with keeping them alive. The task was harder than he had originally anticipated. Things had gotten tricky when the younger sibling had left the hunting world, having to make trips back and forth between the two until he received orders that the oldest sibling was his priority.
During times when it was necessary to give Dean privacy, he enjoyed going back and checking in on the youngest Winchester. He had taken a liking to the youngster since he was a just a toddler afraid of the dark. There was just something about him that he found fascinating. He treasured the small amount of time that he got to spend with Sam since his orders were made clear that Dean was meant to be protected at all costs.
And unfortunately, he wasn't there to protect Sam when his apartment went up into flames and his chances of a normal life were ripped from his reach. It was then that the watchful creature was demanded to return home and leave the boys. Reluctantly, the silent protector watched the brothers sing in the Impala for the last time before he was forced to return to Heaven, leaving the soft sound of a trench coat fluttering behind in his absence.
Well there you go! Hope you liked it, if not, tell me why in the comments! Can't get better if I don't hear what I did crappy on
As always,
With love- uniquelytypical