Form and Void Part 1

Superior, Nebraska

Sam raided a nearby hardware store and grabbed various items to make himself a taser. Sam walked out of the store and down an alley, a nearby voice catching his attention.

"H-a-t-e. It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low." The voice recited. "L-o-v-e. You see these fingers? They're arched. These fingers has veins that run straight to the soul of man. The right hand, friends—the hand of love. Now watch, and I'll show you the story of life. These fingers, dear hearts, is always a-warrin' and a-tuggin', one against the other. Now watch 'em. Old brother left hand—left hand hates a-fightin'."

Sam walked deeper down the alley and found an infected man with a radio playing next to him.

"Can you talk?" Sam questioned.

"And it looks like the love's a goner." The radio continued.

"Or are you too far gone?" Sam asked.

"But wait a minute." The radio played.

"What?" the man looked up at Sam.

"Wait a minute." The radio repeated. "Hot dog! Love's a-winnin'. Yes, siree. It's love that won. And old left-hand hate is down for the count."

"Good answer." Sam nodded.

~/~\~

The Impala pulled into the driveway and Dean, Angela, and Jenna got out, with Amara.

"Well, nice neighborhood," Angela commented as she took in the rural farmland.

"Yeah." Jenna agreed. "I pretty much grew up here. Learned to ride my bike down the road. Had my first kiss at that blue house over there. Lost my virginity up there."

"I'll bet that blue house was pissed," Dean muttered.

"She was." Jenna chuckled as she handed Amara to Angela. "Do you mind?"

"Yeah. Hey, beautiful." Angela cooed softly.

"Anyway… That's why I asked you to bring us here." Jenna explained to the hunters. "After everything that happened, it just feels safe."

"Well, good." Dean nodded. "Safe is good."

Angela rocked Amara lightly as she started to fuss. "Shh, shh, shh."

"You're so great with her." Jenna smiled softly.

"She reminds me of my daughter when she was a baby," Angela replied quietly.

"Right." Jenna nodded.

"You're gonna be okay, both of you," Dean assured.

"I know. What about you guys? And Sam? Are you gonna be okay?" Jenna tilted her head.

"Well, for us, the bar's pretty low," Dean muttered. "See ya."

"Dean. Angela. Thank you… for everything." Jenna replied sincerely.

Jenna's grandmother stepped out of the house and onto the porch. "Jenna!"

Angela handed Amara back to Jenna and gave her a small smile before she and Dean left, walking back toward the Impala.

~/~\~

Superior, Nebraska

Sam looked in the mirror after downing some pills and noticed that his black veins were spreading. He had the sick man captured and handcuffed to one of the hospital beds.

"What's your name?" Sam asked the man.

"Bite me." The man snapped.

"Okay, 'Bite Me,' how long have you been infected?" Sam questioned.

"Could ask you the same thing." The man retorted. "We smell our own."

"Answer the question." Sam narrowed his eyes.

"Why? 'Cause you want to know how much time you got left?" the man scoffed.

"I want to know everything," Sam replied firmly.

"Uh-huh." The man nodded. "What's in it for me?"

"Well, if I can find a cure—

"If. I want something real…" the man interrupted. "Something I can hold in my hands."

Sam's brows furrowed. "Like what?"

"Your pudding." The man answered after a moment.

Sam threw him the pudding cup, which the man opened and ate with his fingers.

"I was infected last night," Sam commented. "You?"

"This morning." The man answered as he scarfed down the pudding.

Sam tilted his head, confused. "Wait a second. Then why—

"Am I further along?" the man finished. "Don't know. This thing, it ain't math. I seen some people change fast, some change slow. But in the end… We all end up the same. We go psycho. And then we go boom."

"Well, that's not—I'm gonna fix this," Sam assured the man.

"Liar!" the man roared. "You and me, we're dead. We're just taking our sweet time about it. So, if you were smart, you'd put a bullet in me… and then eat one yourself."

~/~\~

The Impala sped down the road and Dean pulled out his phone, dialing Castiel's number.

"Come on, Cas." He groaned as the angel didn't answer.

~/~\~

Dean and Angela continued their drive back to Superior when suddenly, Angela's phone started ringing.

"Hello?" she answered. "Jenna, hey," she replied, earning a look from Dean. "Uh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. What's wrong?"

Dean whipped a U-turn and the Impala sped back in the direction of Jenna's grandmother's house.

~/~\~

Superior, Nebraska

Sam was at the hospital talking on the phone with Angela.

"I mean, it sounds like something out of 'The Exorcist.'" Sam commented.

"That's what I said." Angela's voice rang through.

"So, you thinking demon?" Sam asked.

"Or the kid got infected by something," Angela suggested.

"You know, who knows what was in that giant, crazy fart?" Dean's voice rang through the speaker.

"Wow." Sam chuckled. "Vivid. Thanks."

"Look, baby, we know you're flying solo." Angela sighed.

"No, I'm—I'm fine, Angie." Sam lied. "Look, don't—don't worry about me. Just help Jenna. And if you guys need anything, then call me."

"Will do. How're you doing? How's 'Zombieland'?" Angela asked curiously.

"It's good. It's great." Sam muttered.

~/~\~

Sam was searching online for some sort of cure for this mystery infection, when suddenly he heard a woman singing, the sound echoing through the empty hallways.

"O death, o death, o death won't you spare me another year?" Billie sang ominously. "Oh, what is this that I can't see with ice-cold hands taking hold of me? When God is gone and the devil takes hold who'll have mercy on your soul?"

Sam frowned when he found the woman, who had her back to him.

"Hey, Sam." She greeted, finally turning to face him.

"How do you know my name? Who are you?" he demanded.

"Mm. Think you mean, 'what'?" Billie corrected. "Here's a hint. You, your brother, and your wife been real good for business lately."

"You're a Reaper." Sam realized quickly.

"The circle gets the square," Billie smirked.

"What's your name?" Sam questioned.

"Mm, you flirtin' with me, kid? 'Cause, no offense, but married men ain't my type." Billie drawled. "And I'm not looking to get friendly with the man who helped gut my boss."

"I'm sorry about Death." Sam apologized sincerely.

"So am I. But people are still dying, so… work to do, souls to collect… Messages to deliver." Billie replied vaguely.

Sam's brows furrowed curiously. "What kind of messages?"

"It's over," Billie answered firmly.

"What's over?" Sam questioned, getting slightly annoyed with the vague answers.

"You, Dean, and Angela… Dying and coming back again and again." Billie retorted. "The old death thought it was funny. But now there's one hard, fast rule in this universe. What lives… dies. So, the next time you, your brother, or your wife bite it, well, you're not going to Heaven… or Hell." She explained. "One of us—and, Lord, I hope it's me—we're gonna make a mistake and toss you out into the Empty. And nothing comes back from that. I know you're dying. I can feel it. You're unclean in the biblical sense. So I'll be seeing you again, Sam… Seeing you real soon. Name's Billie, by the way."

~/~\~

Sam walked by his computer, noticing that his veins were getting worse. Sam thought for a moment before he walked into the chapel located in the hospital.

"So… I know it's been a long time, but…" Sam started. "Dean, Angie, and I… we've—we've been through a lot of bad. But this is different. This is my fault, and I don't know how to fix it. And if I have to die, I've made my peace with that, but… Please. Dean and Angie deserve better. They deserve a life. There are people out there, good people, who are going to suffer because of me, and I am not asking you to clean up my mess." He prayed. "Hell, I don't even know if you're out there, but… If you are… And if you can hear me, I, um… We need your help, God. We need to know there's hope. We need a sign."

After a few moments, nothing happened, and Sam sighed defeatedly. Sam left the chapel and was walking down the hallway when he was struck by a vision of himself being tortured.

"What does that mean?!" Sam cried out into the empty hospital.


A/N: Hey, y'all! Sorry for not posting for two days, I've been working late the past two nights and I've been super exhausted. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! I also have a chapter of Snapshots planned for this Wednesday, so look out for that ;) Thanks for the recent reviews, as well! Love y'all, xoxo.

~Emily