"So where are we going?" Sam asked from the passenger seat of the Impala.
"Sisters, Oregon." Dean said and tossed a newspaper article at Sam.
"Man's death attributed to spirits? What kind of paper is this?" Sam asked.
"I found it online. A kid named Alex saw his dad's car crash. The man swerved to miss a girl in the road. The girl that was seen in the road had been dead two weeks."
"You believe this?" Sam asked.
"Yes. Now shut up and help me find this town. It's tiny and in the middle of nowhere. We should hit it in about 20 minutes." Dean said. Sam rolled his eyes but began taking in the scenery. The ground was dry and dusty. There were lots of tall trees but they were all at least a five foot radius from each other. Finally houses began appearing on the sides of the road.
"So what's the guy's address?" Sam asked.
"I don't know. The general store's right there. We can see if anyone there knows the family." Dean said. He parked the Impala in front of the store and hopped out. "And we can pick up some food. I'm starving man."
"We ate less than an hour ago." Sam said as they walked in. The store was small to say the least. It looked more like a convenience store than the only store a town had. A teenage girl wearing cut-off jean shorts and a green football jersey with the number 21 on it was paying for some beef jerky and chips at the counter. Dean strolled up next to her and looked at the man behind the register. Sam shook his head but began looking around for some food for himself. "Hi. My name's Andy Rocket. I'm with the paper, and I was looking to do a story on that car crash a couple days ago.
"Oh you mean Mr. Thuman's?" the girl asked.
"Yeah that's the one." Dean said. "Do you know who I could talk to to get some information?"
"Uh his family. His daughter Alex saw it." the girl told Dean.
"Daughter?" Dean said, a bit surprised. "Right. Do you know where they live?"
"Sure. Keep going down this road for about five minutes. When it veers off to the right, there's a left turn. Turn left, go down that, take the fourth left. Their house will be the fifth on the right. One story, yellow, barn to the right in between the two properties." the girl offered.
"Thanks." Dean said. Sam came up and put his collection of food on the counter.
"No problem." the girl said with a small smile. "Oh Mr. Barnes I'm actually going to need a couple more things. Go ahead and ring these boys up first." she added and walked towards the back of the store. The shopkeeper smiled at her and nodded.
"Will this be all for you boys?" he asked.
"Yes sir." Dean said and pulled some bills out to pay. Mr. Barnes took the money and gave Dean the change. Dean nodded at him and took the bags. "Thank you." he said and turned to leave. He nodded to the girl at the back of the store who nodded back before going back to the Impala.
"Really Sammy? Pork rinds?" Dean asked once they were back inside the Impala.
"Yes. Now let's go." Sam retorted. The girl inside the store walked back up to the counter.
"Why'd you give them the long route?" Mr. Barnes asked her.
"To give me time to get back before they do." the girl said. She slid a twenty dollar bill onto the counter and walked out. She tossed the food into the basket on her bike parked outside. She hopped on and pedaled quickly in the opposite direction she had sent the Winchesters.
Sam and Dean eventually made it down to the house the girl had instructed.
"That one there." Dean said, gesturing to a single story house on the right side of the road. Dean parked the Impala in front of the house. The boys got out and walked up to the front door.
"What's our cover story?" Sam asked.
"Reporters." Dean said.
"The girl won't want to talk to reporters. Look. The people across the street are selling their house. How about we're buying?" Sam suggested.
"Fine college boy." Dean said, irritated with Sam's constant search for flaws in his plans. Sam knocked on the door. A slightly frazzled woman opened the door.
"Hi. I'm Sam and this is my brother Dean. We're moving in across the street and just wanted to introduce ourselves.
"Oh. Hi. I'm Jackie Thurman." the woman said.
"Is there a motel in town? We were supposed to stay with our aunt until we could move in, but she got sick." Dean asked.
"Uh no. But we have a spare room if you would like to stay for a couple days." Jackie suggested.
"Thank you Ms. Thurman." Sam said politely. She opened the door wider and allowed the boys in.
"My room is at the end on the left and Alex's is the door at the end. I'll introduce you." Jackie said. She led the way down the hall. "Oh and the bathroom is the first door on the left. You will be staying in the room on the right." She knocked on the door at the end of the hall. "Alex?" she called. No reply. She opened the door to the room. A girl sat on the bed with headphones in and a laptop on her lap. Her curly blonde hair didn't quite reach her shoulders. She wore a green football jersey with the number 21 on it. Her eyes were closed, and she was mouthing lyrics to whatever song was playing. The girl looked up at the newcomers. Her hazel eyes took in the two young men. "Alex, this is Sam and Dean." Jackie said gesturing to each. "They're going to be staying with us for a few days." Alex nodded and took an earbud out.
"Hi. I need to feed Outlaw and Grave." She shut the laptop and walked past the people in her doorway without another word. Sam and Dean's jaws dropped.
"That's Alex?" Dean asked. It was the same girl from the store. The only difference was that the girl had changed into full length jeans.
"Yes. Sorry about her. She saw the accident that killed her father a week ago. Not that much has changed, but she is a little worse than before." Jackie said apologetically.
"She was like that before the accident?" Dean asked.
"Well... If you want to know the story you can ask her. I don't even know all of it." Jackie said. "She'll be in the barn next to the house."
"Thank you." Sam said. He and Dean turned and went outside. They walked around the house to the back. A pen was empty and the doors to a small barn were open. They walked in and heard rock music playing.
"Nice music choice." Dean commented. Alex turned around from brushing the large buckskin horse.
"Thanks." she said with a small smile.
"You don't look like the type." Dean added.
"I know. Can you name the band?" Alex asked.
"Nope. Never heard 'em before. Who are they?" Dean asked, hoping to start up a decent conversation.
"Three Days Grace. They're one of my favorites. The song's Let it Die" Alex said. The horse bumped her with his nose. "Sorry boy." she said and resumed brushing him. "Can I help you two? Is it Dean? Or Andy?" she asked Sam and Dean.
"Dean. How did you get back here before we did?" Dean said.
"I told you guys the long way to get here. I went the short way on my bike." Alex explained. Dean nodded his approval. "And are you buying the house across the street or reporters?"
"We were wondering what happened to your dad." Dean said bluntly, avoiding her question. Alex's face fell a bit.
"Can you two ride? I have to get these guys exercised." she asked, taking her turn to avoid a question.
"Uh. I've ridden a pony like once at a fair." Dean said.
"Good enough. We just walk anyways." Alex said. "Sam, since you're taller, you'll ride Outlaw." she said gesturing to the horse behind her. "Dean will ride Leia."
"Who's Leia?" Dean asked.
"She's the neighbor's horse, but they're on vacation, so I have to exercise her too." Alex explained. "We'll get Outlaw ready first though." Alex said. She turned and pulled the heavy Western saddle off a rack on the wall. Dean moved to help her. "Thanks." Alex said shyly. She slid most of the weight onto Dean's arms and pulled the blanket out from under the saddle. She walked into Outlaw's stall and put the blanket on his back. Then she came back out and took the saddle from Dean. "Thanks again." she said quietly. She walked back into the stall and put it on Outlaw as well. She cinched the girth quickly and came back out. "Bridle. Still need a bridle." she said, more to herself than the boys. She pulled one off the wall and pulled it over Outlaw's head. She led him out of his stall and then outside. She tied the reins to a post and walked back in. "Let's go get Leia." she said.
"What about your horse?" Sam asked.
"I can get Grave ready a lot faster because I'll ride English. I'm putting you guys on Western because it's easier and your horses are better with it." Alex said as she strode over to the neighbor's barn. A mare nickered at Alex from her stall. "Hey Leia." Alex said and rubbed the horse's nose. Then she quickly tacked up Leia in the same way she had tacked up Outlaw. She led Leia out and tied her up on the post next to Outlaw. "Well you guys are ready. Come back in while I tack up Grave and get you guys helmets. No you do not get to wear a Stetson." she said when she saw Dean start to interrupt.
"Aw come on." Dean moaned. He cocked his head and gave her his best puppy eyes. Alex rolled her own.
"Fine. We're only walking anyways." she said with a smile and a shake of her head. She quickly tacked up Grave and led him outside. "Wait here and don't try to mount." she warned. She tied him up and headed back into the barn one more time. She came back out with a helmet on her head and two Stetsons in her hands. The Winchesters took them and put them on their heads.
"Howdy partner." Dean said with an exaggerated accent. "How come you're wearing a helmet?"
"Ha ha. Very funny." Alex said in regard to his first comment. "I have to give Grave a more strenuous workout." Alex explained. "So mounting. I'll demonstrate then walk you through it." she said. She stood on Grave's left side, put her foot in the stirrup, and swung up. "Pretty easy." she said before swinging back down. "Dean, you mount first. Stand on Leia's left side. Put your left hand on the pommel and your right hand on the back of the saddle." Dean tried to follow her instructions. Alex chuckled. "Not quite." she said. She took Dean's left hand and moved it into the correct place. "There. Now put your left foot in the stirrup. Be careful not to kick her." Dean put his foot in carefully. "Good. Now turn your foot so that your toe is facing the front." Dean did as he was told. "Nice. Now push off your right foot. Swing over her back and try to sit down gently. Then try putting your right foot in the stirrup. Dean swung up easily and sat down. "Nice work Dean."
"I can't get the damn stirrup." Dean said.
"Careful, don't kick her. Let me help." Alex said. She walked carefully behind Leia. "Stay sitting straight up. Just relax your leg." She turned the stirrup the direction it needed to face and slipped it under Dean's foot. "You're set. Just sit up there and relax. She's still tied up but could pull the reins loose." Alex warned. Then she turned to Sam. "Your turn." Sam was already on the left side and had his hands in place. "You're way ahead of me. Good. Now put your left foot up." Sam tried but missed and kicked Outlaw. The horse shifted and blew out. Sam blushed. "Don't worry about it. Outlaw can just be a sissy at times. Try again." Sam tried again and got it. "You heard what I told your brother?"
"Yeah." Sam said and swung up lightly. He put his right foot in the stirrup easily.
"You boys are quick learners." Alex said. "Now the reins. Sam's first because I'm over here." She undid the reins and handed each to Sam. "It's pretty easy. Hold them both in your right hand. Your left hand can either hold the pommel or just rest on your leg. Pull towards the left to turn left and the right to turn right. Pull back on both to stop, not too hard though. Their mouths are sensitive." She instructed. "Hold them tight for now." She walked over to Dean and untied his reins and handed them to him. "Same goes for you." Then she undid Grave's reins and mounted him. "Now give them a gentle nudge in the side." The boys both did and their horses started walking. They got onto the road before they noticed Alex hadn't started. They stopped their horses and turned around. "Hold on a second. Sorry." Alex said. She was walking out of the barn again. "Forgot to turn off the music." She mounted Grave again and nudged him right into a trot to reach the boys. "There are some nice little trails up here. Now we can talk if you want to." she said as they resumed walking up the road.