Note: Dean is 13 : Sam is 8 (few months before his 9th B'day)
It was as always. Dad had dumped them and taken off on a hunt leaving them in a one bedroom unit just at the outskirts of this forgettable Midwestern town. He had stayed long enough to enroll them at the local school just down the road before climbing into the Impala barking last orders at Dean and then vanishing around the bend heading out of town.
Dean had stood at the side of the road clutching the two fifty dollar bills, his bottom lip trembling in anger and disappointment. He had shot up in height these last few months and the constant physical training his father had put him through was starting to show in the broadening of his shoulders. Dean had been certain that this time his father would take him along but instead he had been tasked with looking after Sam. The hunt was in a town about 50 miles away. Something had been hunting and killing children, so no wonder his dad didn't want him or Sammy anywhere near it. He turned to look at his little brother who stood just a few feet away with his school bag at his feet and waiting for Dean to make a move. Sam's hazel eyes were big and luminous, intently fixed on his brother, the brother who was his whole world but at this moment he sensed that the anger and disappointment Dean felt would be squarely placed at his feet. He held his brother's gaze faithfully and the hang dog, puppy eyed look pierced Dean's heart with deadly precision. A soft groan passed Dean's lips as he moved towards his brother, stuffing the money into his pocket while he bent down to pick up Sammy's school bag.
'Dude, have you got a dead body in here…?' he hissed at the younger boy. The weight of the bag made Dean nearly drop it again but just in time he rebalanced himself and threw it over his shoulder, walking towards the small unit they would call home for the next week. Sam followed his big brother with a slow smile forming on his face.
'Just some light reading…' he quipped to which Dean scoffed in his usual way vanishing up the path to their unit with Sam hurrying behind.
Unbeknown to the boys the little scene had not gone unnoticed by the woman across the road who had been sitting out on her porch with her black cat curled up on her lap. She had been spending many days sitting and watching the world pass by and the arrival of the dark haired man with two young boys in tow earlier in the day had peaked her curiosity. The little family had pulled up in that black monstrosity of a car and the sharp gruff orders barked by the man towards his sons had rung through the still neighborhood. She had been up just after dawn that morning as the pain in her back made it impossible for her to stay in bed any longer. The painkillers would dull her senses drawing her back to memories she wanted to bury deep so she forwent them and silently suffered the physical pain in preference to the psychological pain of her loss.
The tall stranger had walked into the Super's office and returned shortly after with some keys for one of the units. He helped the younger of the two boys out of the car while the older was already removing the bags from the trunk. She noticed the heightened vigilance emanating from the group, their eyes for ever surveying the area and their purposeful movements constrained while giving on the outside the appearance of a normal family.
She watched as they disappeared up the path their father taking the rear of the little procession glancing back once more to the road.
It was later that morning when she had stepped out onto the porch to look for her cat when she saw the black Chevy pull up into the driveway. She hadn't noticed them leave prior but their return was heralded with shouting from the older boy and a car door slamming as he fled the car when it had hardly come to a stop.
'It's just not fair…you promised dad' yelled the red faced boy, standing in front of the car from which his dad had climbed. The man ignored the outburst and proceeded to remove several bags of groceries from the back seat of the car. The younger of the two boys had climbed out of the car silently watching the show down while holding a large brown paper bag with groceries against his chest like a shield. The dad threw his eldest the briefest of glances and though he said nothing the fear reflected in the boy's face spoke volumes. All his bravado was about to crumble around him as he drew in a ragged breath and started to open his mouth.
'Enough, Dean. It's not up for debate. Go and help your brother with the bags.' The finality of the man's decision rang clearly in his voice and the boy's shoulders sagged.
The younger of the two boys had approached his brother and held out the grocery bag, smiling shyly with his offering.
Dean's eyes refocused while blinking away the angry tears that had filled his eyes and softened his stance. He grabbed the bag as his father walked off towards their temporary home.
'Come on, squirt…just you and me again…as always' He wrapped his arm around his little brother's shoulder and steered him towards the unit.
Short & sweet today...more to follow soon