When the three of them got back to the hotel, Sam layed down on a bed. He was tired an was ready for at least 6 hours of solid sleep.
"What are you doing?" Dean asked. "Sleeping, oh please God don't tell me I can't." Sam murmured into a pillow.
"Sorry, Sammy. We're packing up and heading to Michigan. You can sleep in the car." He told his younger brother, as he threw his stuff back into his duffel bag. Sam groaned. and got up.
After a few minutes, they were back on the road. It was cold and dark and it was going to be at least a 10 hour drive, even with Dean going 10 miles over the speed limit. Sam leaned against the window and closed his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept for more than 2 hours. Sometimes he wished his life was different. that he didn't have to spend every moment of his life going after something dangerous. But all in all, he knew he was saving peoples lives and ridding the world of Evil.
Vanessa had fallen asleep in the backseat, with an old blanket over her. She'd been tired all day, but she wasn't going to complain. She was the one that wanted to do this. There was no turning back now.
Dean watched the signs along the side of the road go by, making sure he was going the right way. He always told himself that he didn't need a map to get around, but after him and Sam had gotten lost more than once, he realised he did need a map... Or else Sam was gonna' give him a good slap across the face.
He contently kept driving, feeling that everything was finally at least some-what under control for the first time in 2 years. He apparently had thought too soon, because his sweet little Impala started to make noises and smoke from under the front hood. Dean blinked a few times and then made a face as the car stopped on the side of the road. "Baby... Come on, don't do this now... Please? I've always been good to you." He muttered. Some may think it was silly to talk to a car, but hey, Dean had a good relationship with the Impala.
Sam stirred from his short-lived sleep and stared at Dean. "What's going on?" He asked.
"Something's wrong with the car.." Dean muttered. "It started smoking.. Then just stopped."
"Great." Sam muttered sarcastically, watching as Dean got out of the car with a flashlight, and lifted the hood. After a quick inspection, he looked at Sam. "Well.. This one's my fault... Oil's bone-dry."
"Wait, Dean.. Let me guess! There's no spare oil in the trunk?" Sam asked, staring at his brother.
Dean gave Sam a guilty smile. Sam cursed under his breath and turned in his seat. "Vanessa?" He asked. She opened her eyes and looked at him, sleepily. He quickly explained what had happened as Dean got back in the drivers seat.
"Alright.. There's no cell signal out here... But.. There's a gas station about 5 miles back.. So... Our only option is to walk down there, get a bottle of oil and then walk back." Dean told them.
Sam groaned, and put on his jacket. "If I don't get to sleep at the next hotel. I'm gonna' hit you." He muttered at Dean, before getting out of the car. Vanessa followed him.
Dean grabbed an extra flashlight, a knife and a gun. Can never be too careful, right?
He handed the knife to Sam. "Take this."
Vanessa pulled her coat tighter around her as a gust of wind whipped by them. "It's dark.." She murmured, watching her own breath float across the pitch black sky. "Where are we, anyway?" She asked, looking at Dean.
"Eh... Middle of nowhere-Pennsylvania?" He guessed.
"Perfect." Sam groaned.
"Hey, we'll be fine if we stay on the road. It's not like we're going to be like those stupid people you see in the movies that take shortcuts through the creepy woods." Dean smirked.
Sam just shook his head, and turned the other flashlight on, as they all started walking.
"Hey, wait." Sam muttered. "Shouldn't someone be watching the car, Dean?"
"Oh, right.." Dean said. "I'll stay here... Since, you know.. It's my car."
"No.. We can't split up.. You said yourself that there's no cell service." Vanessa breathed.
"Fuck. We're gonna' have to just hope the car is here when we get back." Dean muttered.
"What if we push it into the woods a bit? Just enough to where it's hidden from the road, but not enough to where we can't find it, when we get back?" Sam suggested.
"Fine." Dean muttered. Sam helped him push the black Impala into the edge of the woods. Dean put a rock on the side of the road, as a marker as to where the car was. "Alright, let's go."
They headed back down the road, shining the flashlights around at all the trees. Vanessa felt like they weren't alone out there. Every noise made her picture some ugly beast or a creepy ghost with no eyes. She heard a tree branch fall in the distance and grabbed Sam's hand. "S'okay." He whispered. Personally, he knew she was scared and he didn't expect her not to be. He got scared himself at time, and right now was one of those moments.
Dean sighed, checking his watch. They'd been walking for 10 minutes and it already seemed like hours. It was gonna' be a long night. It was nearing 1 AM and it had to be only 20 degrees farenheit with the wind chill.
"WhattheHellisthat?" Vanessa breathed, stopping.
"What?" Dean asked.
"I saw a man... Up ahead... He went into the woods... He was dragging something." She murmured, pointing her flashlight where she'd seen him.
"Guess we're on a hunt." Dean said, taking the gun out of the back of his jeans.
They headed up the road for about 15 seconds, until Vanessa stopped them, telling them they were at the right spot. "Let's head in." Dean said, taking off into the woods. Sam went after him, still holding onto Vanessa's hand.
Dean spotted someone walking past some trees. "Hey!" He shouted. "Stop where you are!" He called, running after him.
"Dean! Wait!" Sam yelled. trying to catch up. Vanessa could feel her lungs burning as she ran beside him. She gasped as her right foot hit something and she fell. She fell on top of something.. Something sticky. She aimed her flashlight down on it and stared back at a fresh-dead corpse of a middle-aged man. She screamed loudly, trying to get up.
Sam who hadn't noticed, stopped in his tracks when he heard her scream. "Vanessa!" He called, running back to her. He saw the body and blinked. Quickly grabbing her hand, he helped her up. "Come on.." He said. He knew it was too late for the man. He had been dead for at least a few hours by the look of his pasty skin
They started running again to catch up with Dean. She felt tears running down her face. Her ankle ached from tripping and her heart was nearly beating out her chest from fright. She felt her lungs tighten. She couldn't remember the last time she'd run so far. so fast.
"DEAN!" Sam yelled, finally coming to stop, when he realised they'd lost track of him. Vanessa looked around, breathing hard. Sam felt a rush of panic run through him. He had no idea where Dean was, or if he was okay. Something else was in these woods, and it was killing.
"DEAN!" He yelled again. They both listened, but all they got was the sound of an owl in the distance. "Shit." Sam muttered. "I hate when he just takes off like that."
"That man-... Was he-..?" Vanessa asked. Sam nodded. "Yeah.. I know.. Are you okay?" He asked her.
She nodded. She wasn't gonna' complain about her ankle, when they had worse problems.
It really was gonna' be a long night.
