Chapter Four
The lights of the Impala landed on an abandoned car about a mile from the old shack. The driver door was wide open and the hazard lights were flashing but there was no sign of a living soul for miles. All around stalks of corn stood stock still as if they were silently waiting, watching to see what happened next.
Dean clicked on his flashlight and walked out to investigate. "They blew a tire but they didn't finish fixing it," he said when he saw the spare laying on the ground near the shredded tire.
"Maybe the demon's new meatsuit has a car. Pulled up, offered help, then kidnapped the poor schmuck," Bobby said, checking the inside of the car.
There were a few drops of blood on the seat, but not enough to cause alarm and they looked old. Probably had nothing to do with the disappearance of the driver. A purse in the front seat told them the car belonged to a woman and the cellphone that lay next to it told them she hadn't left her car willingly.
"Let's go check the shack," Dean said, heading back to the Impala.
Nothing looked out of place at the end of the dirt path that led to the shack. No cars were parked by the road, or fresh tracks in the mud. None of it felt right.
"I don't like the looks of this," Bobby muttered, cocking his pump action shotgun.
Dean lead the way to the shack but it didn't seem as ominous as it had when they'd been only a few nights before. There was no lightning storm or buckets of rain; no flickering candles in the darkness. Only the sound of crickets and the moonlight casting its silver glow on the vines that covered the house. He shone his flashlight across the front of the house, the light shimmering from the broken glass of the windows.
He eased up onto the porch, ready for anything. He pulled a flask of holy water from his pocket and his cellphone came with it, skittering across the porch. Quietly he cursed and shone the light down to the rickety slats until he found his cell, sitting right next to the pendant Sam had lost. Down on one knee he retrieved the necklace and it hit him like a brick wall.
"Sammy," he whispered.
"What?" Bobby asked, coming up behind him. "Is that Sam's anti possession charm?"
"Yeah, it is," Dean said, sprinting back to the car without another word.
"What in the hell are you doin' boy?" Bobby called, following Dean as fast as he could.
"The demon's in Sam," he yelled, hopping in to the Impala. "All this shit that's been goin' on, the blood on the door, the dead dog in Mia's bed. It's all been Sam."
"That's ridiculous," Bobby scoffed.
"Is it?" Dean asked, cutting his eyes to the older man. "Were you with him all day today?"
"Well, no."
"Since the night that son of a bitch escaped there's been no dead cows, no black corn, no storms, nothin'. No one else goes missing until today when we're all gone from the house but Sam. He's been actin' weird but I thought it might just been because he's got a thing for Mia but no… no, that thing's in him."
"You think the demon lured us out here? Away from the house? For what?"
"Mia," Dean said, pushing the Impala to the limit. "It wants revenge for what we did and who's the one that called us here in the first place?" He whipped out his cellphone and called Mia, his heart racing as he quietly begged her to pick up.
"Dean? What's up? Did you find the demon?"
"Mia, listen to me, I need you to stay calm and act like everything's ok. Sam's possessed. I can't explain right now but it's been in him the whole time and I think it wants to kill you."
She fell silent but he could still hear her breathing. She was processing it all. "Not there huh?" she replied, her voice wavering only slightly. She'd caught on. Good.
"Listen to me, I need you to tell Sam that you need something out of your car. You go outside, you get in, and you get the hell out of there," he demanded frantically.
"Dean," she said, forcing a smile into her voice, "we left my car at the bar. Don't you remember? If you want us, you'll have to pick us up."
"Don't hang up Mia. You stay on the line. I'm on the way. I'm comin' you hear me?" he roared.
"I hear you. It's okay, Dean. We didn't know we'd need the car. I forgive you."
"Don't, Mia. Don't say that. I'm on the way, you just hang tight."
Silence.
"Mia?" he said but got no reply. "Son of a bitch," he yelled, throwing his phone into the seat.
"Drive faster, boy," Bobby growled.
"Is that Dean?" Sam asked while Mia was on the phone. She looked at Sam, forced a smile, and went on talking to his brother. "Is that Dean?" he asked again, taking another step forward. When she didn't answer him he snatched the phone from her hand and clicked it closed.
"Yeah, that was him," she replied shakily, resisting the urge to step back. "He's on the way and wants us to get ready. Said they might know where the demon is hiding."
"Is that so?"
"That's what he said. Let's get our stuff then," she said going for her gun on the coffee table.
Sam grabbed her hand, pulling it up to his chest. Had she not known he was a demon, she would have been pleased with the gesture, but every move she made could be her last. "Why Dean?" he asked, his voice thick with sarcasm that the demon was trying to hard to weave into sincerity.
"What?" she tried to pull her hand from his but he only tightened his grip. Her heart beat against her ribcage and she prayed with everything she was worth that Dean would get there in time. "What are you talking about?"
"Why'd you pick Dean?" Sam asked. Mia winced in pain as his grip grew tighter. She tried to peel his fingers off with her other hand but he only smiled and stepped closer. "I already know what you were doing while you were gone with him."
"We weren't doing anything. Sam, let me go. Please," she begged.
"Why do all the girls go for Dean?" Sam mused, shoving Mia backward. She fell over the coffee table and landed between it and the couch where he was on her in an instant, straddling her. His hand encircling her throat and he pressed his lips to hers. She sobbed against him but he didn't move. It was as if he didn't even feel her struggling beneath him. "What? Isn't that what you chicks go for? Don't you like jerk guys like Dean, taking what they want and leaving you all alone in the morning?"
He was practically yelling now, his hands tightening around her throat, eyes gone red. She reached under the couch, grabbing a flask of holy water. She fumbled to open it with one hand but he didn't seem to notice until she splashed some on his face.
The demon screamed and stumbled back away from her. Mia ran toward him, snatching the phone from his hand and making a mad dash for the bathroom. She slammed the door moments before Sam smashed into it, screaming in rage.
Shakily she dialed Dean's number. He picked up on the first ring.
"Dean, please hurry!"
"Dean? Dean again?" Sam screamed from the other side, banging something against the door.
"He's trying to break down the door, you have to hurry," she begged, climbing into the tub.
The door began to crack on the inside and then it gave way, Sam's form filling the frame. He grabbed her by her hair and dragged her from the bathroom, throwing her down in the hallway. Her phone was flung from her hand but the call stayed connected.
She could hear Dean yelling over the phone but nothing was clear. All she could hear clearly was Sam's incessant questions; why Dean? Why'd you pick him? Why can't you love me? None of it made sense to her. His fist hit her with a blow so hard it made Troy's feel like a love tap. Stars flashed before her eyes and before she had time to brace herself he hit her again and again. She cried for him to stop even as blood filled her mouth.
Again and again he punched her, smiling as he felt bones break under his fists. She cried out to Dean for help and then suddenly she was silent, but he didn't stop.
