Beware Of The…
Chapter Three
The flames danced sending moving shadows casting all about the shelter creating a spooky dream-like appearance.
With all the dried lumber, Sam briefly worried about the place burning down, but figured he had bigger problems at the moment as one of the shadows seemed to peel away from the wall, coming to life.
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It was the giant man-child he'd ran into. Of course it was. Who else had he expected? Halle Berry dressed in her skintight cat woman bodysuit?
The guy was a beast. His height and weight alone spoke of a strength and hardness that could snap a neck with one hand. But his actions were very child-like, and there was a vulnerability and tenderness about him.
In the dim lighting the man's face showed up even more horribly distorted - wrinkled and pumpkin-like, his extra nose and eye unnerving. He lumbered awkwardly over to a large, overturned wooden crate and sat down, picking up a dirty-pink stuffed bunny from off the floor and cradling it gently in his huge arms as if it were a baby. He ducked his head, staring back at Sam, shy and fearful.
Sam wasn't getting out of here easily. He noted quickly the crate the giant man-child was situated on was set right in front of what appeared to be the only entrance and exit to the shelter. Sam's mind was still fuzzy, but he knew enough. He was in no shape to fight his way out and for some reason Sam didn't want to. This man-child needed his help. Needed saving… not hunting. He'd known that only a few short moments after happening across him the first time. Maybe he could communicate with him. That hadn't gone down too well when he'd given it a go before. Sam winced. remembering the feel of the tree stump when it met his head. But he would try again. What choice did he have?
Cautiously, Sam stayed his distance and slowly crouched down to eye-level, remaining on the balls of his feet and using the vintage television to support his back. Figuring the lower he was and smaller he looked the easier it would be to appear nonthreatening.
The man-child turned to the side, watching Sam suspiciously out of the corner of his left eye, but not making a move.
A firestorm was roaring through Sam's head, but he took in a deep breath and said softly, "My name is, Sam. Your name is…is…" Sam floundered searching through his broken head. He knew this. He vaguely recalled the man- child had spoken just before he decided to scoop him up and carry him off effortlessly as if he were Fay Wray. "is...is…Tony? No, no. Uh...Tommy? "'Eh...Timmy?"
Teddy sat very still, with a trembling finger he picked at a loose piece of string on one of the bunny's floppy ears.
Sam frowned consintrating harder. "No. Wait that's not…Teddy!" Sam spoke up in excitment as the name unexpectedly popped into his aching head. "Teddy right? Your name is Teddy." Sam smiled slightly knowing he was right.
Teddy perked up at the use of his name, but didn't say a word. Averting his eyes he clutched the floppy, battered bunny to his chest and stroked the dirty-pink fur ever-so-gently, using a feathery touch.
"You don't have to be afraid. I know everything is confusing." Sam remained still, and kept his voice soothing. "You're all alone." Sam made his educated guess, eyes shifting about to be sure. "That can really suck."
Teddy made a scared baby bird sound and put his face down into the Bunny as if to hide, yet kept his eyes peeled on Sam.
"It's okay," Sam said being sure to smile big, remaining very still. "I can help you."
Teddy's inflated lower lip quivered as he rocked slightly back and forth on the crate. His face wrinkling further in what Sam interrupted as genuine fear and confusion.
"I know how you feel," Sam mumbled, not knowing how he was going to gain this obviously skittish man's favorable trust in a short period of time. Not to mention removing him from what obviously was his home. "Wow."
He ran his eyes over the room, inspecting it more closely. Now that Sam's brain had a chance to catch up to what he was seeing he realized Teddy must have been pack-ratting for years. Everything from toys to knickknacks, old tires, and cardboard boxes holding stained clothing, greasy mechanical parts, a kitchen blender, dented pots and pans, and warped water damaged record albums were among some of the array of random that was strewn and stacked about.
"Looks like a Goodwill store exploded in here," Sam chuckled lightly, and then winced. "Speaking of exploding– "he held back the moan as his head felt like blasting right off his neck. "Wouldn't happen to have any Tylenol in this place would you?" Sam chuckled lightly, slipping down the rest of the way to the dirt, landing on his behind and leaning heavily against the large TV wearily. Felt like a battle axe was trying to split his melon open.
Teddy blinked all three eyes at Sam, looking utterly bewildered.
"I guess not." Sam blinked in return, trying to stay focused, but man, he was circling the drain.
Teddy brought the bunny up to rub it agaisnt his cheek. The giant man was so babylike. Who knew what he'd been through.
"World is so unfair," Sam agonized. "You're not a monster, but everyone will see you as one," he said, eyes tearing up he looked at the bunny in Teddy's hands. "What's his name?" he asked, gesturing to the ratty stuffed animal with his chin.
Teddy hugged the bunny fiercely. "Mine."
"I know it's yours. I won't take it from you," Sam said solemnly. Just want to know his name."
Teddy looked like he might start crying.
"Look." Sam pointed a finger to himself. "Sam." He pointed a finger at Teddy. "Teddy." He then pointed a finger at the bunny.
"Mine." Teddy made a loud gurgling sound in his throat.
"This is going to be harder than I thought," Sam mumbled.
Teddy set the floppy bunny in his lap and dug into the bib of his overalls, pulling out a lighter.
Sam's eyes widened. His lighter. Teddy was not only a hoarder but a klepto.
Teddy began to play with the lighter. Flicking the wheel, he sparked the flame to life, then flipping the top closed to put out the fire. He seemed entranced by the object as if it was a magic trick of some sort.
Sam pointed to the lighter. "Mine," he said.
Teddy put both hands over the lighter and held the Zippo possesively against his chest.
"Guess this isn't the time for lessons in stealing and sharing," Sam said scrubbing a hand over his eyes as he felt himself dropping back down into darkness.
Teddy went back to flicking the lighter.
"It's fun, huh," Sam said woozily, rolling his head side to side, desperate to keep awake.
Teddy looked up at Sam, the lines and loose skin on the man-child's face seemed to disappear, the corners of his twisted mouth drawing up into what appeared to be a smile. "Fun," he repeated.
Sam nodded happily. "My brother would say the same thing," he said wistfully. "He's made a career out of pyromania."
"Fun. Teddy, fun." Teddy continued to play with the Zippo. Flicking and flipping the lighter open and closed. The lighter's flame appeared and disappeared. Happy grunts turned into heavy, jolly bouts of gurgly laughter as he started to wave the lighter about in the air above his head creating blob-shaped shadows on the wall.
"Be careful with that," Sam snapped, listing sideways and noting the nearby stack of boxes filled with papers and magazines, and what looked to be a bed made of straw shoved against a far wall. Not to mention the tree branches and other flammable material that made up the walls and littered the floor.
Teddy suddenly seemed upset. As if he knew he was doing wrong. He slowly got up and shuffled his huge frame over to Sam. Bent down and offered up the lighter, tears threatening to spill.
"No. No," Sam slurred, staying very still. "You can keep it," he said.
Teddy continued to hold out the lighter, grunting and shoving the Zippo in Sam's face.
Sam tentatively reached out and clasped Teddy's hand, a hand that was three times the size of Sam's. "I mean it. Really. It's yours." Sam nodded and smiled up at the man-child and patted his hand hoping to gain more of his trust by forking over the Zippo.
Teddy seemed to understand. He straightened up, big happy feet stomping in the dirt, head held high, more sounds of happiness gurgling in the back of his throat as he proudly took his prize and went back to sit on the crate.
"Just don't catch anything in here on fire." Sam looked to the lit candles, the flickering warm glow causing him to fight to keep his eyes open. "Though I'm sure you've had plenty of practice in not doing just that… so far," he added unsurely.
While Teddy continued to be mesmerized by the Zippo, big clumsy fingers flicking the flame on and off again, Sam went back to studying Teddy. The big guy was easily amused and distracted by child's play. Bingo! Sam knew he needed to escape, find Dean, and together maybe they could get Teddy the help he needed.
Distract and amuse. What could be more fun than fire? He thought, still looking all around. There was nothing at his fingertips.
Bingo again! Sam sat up straight. Fingertips. He remembered how Dean used to distract him on late nights when their father was gone and Sam had woken with a particular bad dream with his famous 'shadow puppet, musical theater.' Dean would hum songs and create shapely shadows, bringing the characters to life with such panache. Sam would soon forget the horrible dreams, and curl sleepily against his big brother's warm chest.
Damn his brother was such the showman. Sam shook his head in fondly.
Big mistake. Unable to suppress his pain, he moaned loudly.
Startled, Teddy stopped flicking the lighter, frozen in obvious fear at Sam's outburst.
"Shhhh. Sorry, man," he mumbled softly. "Got to remember not to do that."
Teddy didn't seem to understand dropping the lighter to his lap and taking up his bunny once more clutching the fake animal to his chest.
"Look… look, Teddy," Sam said, raising his hands slowly. "Not an expert like my brother, but here goes…'eh everything."
Humming an out of tune version of Christopher Crosse's 'Sailing' – a song, that even sung harmoniously would make Dean's ears bleed – Sam began using both hands to create a shadow puppet of a rabbit. Wiggling his fingers he made the rabbit clean its face, twitch its ears and nose, then dance about along wall where a long piece of sheet metal had been placed.
Teddy couldn't sustain his happiness as he bounced up and down on the crate, laughing heartily.
The sparkle in the big giant's eyes and excitement in his laugh made Sam smile.
"You like that, huh?" Sam continued to hum, next creating a dog, and then a swan.
For the next half an hour or so, Sam created different shadows, ignoring his pain as he continued to befriend Teddy and entertain himself if he were being honest. His inner child was enjoying the moment as well until in a sudden flash the elephant shadow puppet he'd just made seemed to peel off the wall and trampled through his head causing a burst of pain – an eight, quickly increasing to ten.
"Ahhhhhhhhh! Crap," Sam cried out, his voice echoing and bouncing all around like a pinball machine gone mad. His hands fisted in his hair, and he jerked backward to escape the pain, head thumping against the TV behind him.
Teddy's laughter ceased abruptly, the bunny dropping to the ground with a soft plunk as he drew his hands up to his face to shield himself, staring at Sam with a gaping mouth and bewildered, frightened eyes – all three of them.
Sam folded his arms around himself and drew his knees up to his chest, balling himself up. "Sorry, sorry," he panted his entire body shuddering fighting not to fall back into the darkness of unconsciousness. "I'm –"he panted, "Dean," he choked on a whisper, slamming his eyes shut.
A croaking-squawk coming from Teddy brought Sam's eyes back open. Through the haze of his pain and tear-filled eyes he could practically see poor Teddy's heart trying to pound right out of his chest.
"Shhh. Shhh." Sam's fingers dug into his arms clutching himself closer. "Didn't mean to scare you," he said, wincing hard.
Teddy's distorted face became unreadable as he continued to sit and stare and whimper, nothing more than a muscular mass of scared child. He grunted, pointing to Sam then to the wall, then back at Sam obviously demanding more shadow puppets.
"Can't," Sam wheezed a small half-moan leaving his throat. "I can't."
Fat tears squeezed out of Teddy's eyes catching in the thick folds of his skin.
"S-sorry," Sam puffed on a breath.
Like a two-year old having a meltdown, or maybe more like a snorting bull shaking its angry head at the cowboy about to mount it, Teddy abruptly grabbed his bunny from off the ground and stood, kicking the crate he was sitting on away with his oversized boot.
The crate hit the wall with such force it broke into matchsticks.
Sam's heart froze. Teddy was huge and amazingly strong and royally pissed off.
While Teddy busied himself with his temper tantrum storming around the large room and smashing things about, Sam pushed his back against the TV and inched his way precariously to his feet.
This wasn't the distraction he'd hope for, but it would have to do.
The room tilted up then thumped back down, repeatedly, like a teeter-totter gone ballistic. Only sheer desperation kept Sam vertical. He had to get out of here. Right now, Teddy was inconsolable and he was going to hurt someone–namely Sam. He'd find Dean and together they would come back to help Teddy.
As soundlessly as he could –which wasn't soundlessly at all as a cry of pain left his lips – Sam kept his sights locked on Teddy's turned back. Taking a few wobbly steps toward the exit/entrance of the shelter, he paused for breath and to make sure Teddy hadn't heard him, and then carefully made his way around the hordes of debris. Pressing his lips together Sam forced himself not to make another sound, though the pain in his head was bad and he was fading fast. The agony of his concussed head threatening to slip him back into darkness.
Teddy continued to have his fit, winging and whizzing boxes and knickknacks about like a human tornado.
Sam blinked rapidly to keep the sweat and blood that started to drip into his eyes away. As he neared the doorway he took his gaze off Teddy, focusing all his effort on his trembling legs, desperate to keep them moving, fighting to keep off his knees. Just as he neared the entrance he tripped over the rusted frame of a tireless red bicycle. Reaching out, Sam caught himself against the doorframe, realizing that everything had become deathly quiet.
Sam turned back. "Shit," he breathed out, realizing right off that his plan of escape had backfired.
Teddy's eyes were on him, boiling over in rage. His floppy bunny tucked up under his arm in a football carry.
"Teddy, relax, dude. Just come with me. I can help you. You'll be okay. Just come," Sam coaxed gently.
But Teddy wasn't listening. "Mine!" His anger escalating, he dropped his head and sped toward Sam, four-hundred pounds of angry-fast-feet and hulking body rushing Sam's way like the world's largest football player – ever.
Sam gasped in anticipation and forced himself not to flinch, bracing for the bone crushing tackle.
But there was no preparing. The pain was ferocious as Teddy rammed him, slamming Sam's back flat to the ground, knocking all the air out of him and roughly returning him to darkness again.
TBC….
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