Chapter 8: Retrieved and Received
Leah silently walked through the eerie woods, checking her watch often. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Part of her wished the time would move along faster so that Dean and Sam could just come anyway. No, Leah thought firmly as she caught herself wishing it again, you know they'll get hurt—or worse. Leah shuddered slightly, the air seeming to be getting colder. No moon or stars shown through the thickness of the nighttime; which made the place seem even more eerie and dark.
"God, why did I even listen to this monster…?" Leah whispered. The trees around her rustled softly as if in reply.
Finally, after almost giving up hope of ever finding the old house, a small shack appeared in her darkened view. It had rain-rotted shingles, tall, weedy, un-mowed grass, broken windows, moldy gutters, and unidentifiable substance all over the windows and wall. It defiantly had not been own, yet alone lived in for many years. Leah gripped her gun tighter as she stepped up to the old house. She took a deep breath as she stood at the old door, then slowly she pushed it open.
The inside of the shack was not as bad as the outside. An awful mildew smell engulf Leah's nose, but at least the walls were clean. Well, mostly. When Leah's eye finally adjusted to the dimness of the light, she held back a gasp. The walls were clean, except for the writing and drawing covering much of the surface. Leah stepped into the room, gaping as she looked up at the ceiling. A large star-shaped pattern covered the ceiling, though a small section of it was missing as if scratched off. When she looked back down, suddenly she stumbled as she took a step, falling forward. She did not let out a cry, but moaned when she thudded against the dusty floor. When she lifted her head, she stopped. A small pile of yellowish-white powder lay inches from her hand. Sitting up, Leah pinched a tiny bit, and then carefully sniffed at it.
"Sulfur…" she whispered, standing up. Again she looked around and it all made sense. This was a demon's hideout. The symbols on the walls were a demon's own. Looking up again, Leah recognized the large star as a devil's trap. Suddenly a sickening feeling overtook her as she realized what this meant. This place was not just a demon hideout. It used to be a hunter's hideout.
"Ugh," Leah whispered. It was quiet a moment when quite suddenly there was a rustling noise in the room next to the room she was in. In a quick reaction, Leah whipped around her gun, gripping it tightly. Slowly, she side-stepped her way over to the other room, trying not to blink. The room was empty when she looked in. Still gripping her gun to the point of her knuckles turning a ghostly white, she stepped in and rounded a small corner to check. Everything seemed okay; it was just a supply closet. A full supply closet. Leah laughed bitterly. Of course it was full.
"Hello," a voice said suddenly. Leah started, whirling around and loading her gun.
"God, you're gonna shoot me?" the man in front of her said. The young-looked man grinned at Leah. He was sitting on a stool, leaned up against the back wall of the room, which actually turned out to be a small kitchen. Leah did not put down her gun.
"Is that how you treat your hosts?" he said, standing up and stretching his arms out if in surrender.
'Fine," he added, putting down his arm when Leah made no reply. Suddenly he blinked, and his eyes changed to a chilling, solid black. Leah did not even flinch.
"Defiantly a hunter," the man added, grinning again.
"Zepheron?" Leah asked swiftly.
"Nope," the demon replied, blinking again and switching his eyes back to normal, "just a lonely little side-character. Will you please put the gun down?" He waved his hand, and suddenly a pair of hands seized her from behind, and another pair of hands grabbed her gun. Leah cried out, and the first person let her go.
"That's better," the demon said.
"What do you want?" Leah growled fiercely
"Actually it's not me who wants something, it's Zepheron."
"Cut the crap and tell me so I can get the heck out of here!" Leah yelled.
"Sheesh, hasty," the demon said. Suddenly he threw something at Leah. She caught it just in time. She looked down and opened her palm slowly. Inside was a small black medallion.
"What's this?" Leah asked, frowning.
"I'm not at liberty to say sweetie."
Leah grimaced.
"You're all the same," she snapped.
"I'm not like Zepheron, Silvers. I only get his leftovers," the demon replied resentfully. He nodded toward the door behind Leah. Gratefully Leah turned, only to come face to face with another man. He grinned, and his eyes flashed black.
"My associate will escort you out," the demon said.
"I can get myself out by myself, thanks," Leah replied coolly.
"Hunter's love to take detours honey. You're all the same."
Leah turned to the demon who was also grinning at her with his black eyes glinting. The man behind her grabbed her arm roughly and began dragging her away.
"Let—go—of—me—" Leah said, trying to pull away. The demon seemed unperturbed. Finally, they reached the door and the demon shoved Leah out roughly. She landed with a thud on the ground, the arm pulsing from the vice-grip, the demon laughing very menacingly. Before Leah could stand, the door to the old shack slammed loudly. Then, before she knew it, the shack exploded behind her. She screamed loudly, flames licking at her feet. As she attempted to get up, she slipped, falling back to the ground where the grass and trees were catching fire quickly.
"Oh God…" Leah cried, shutting her eyes tightly. Flash backs bombarded Leah, like those close-to-death moments in the movies, as she laid there, particularly flashbacks of the night Peter died. Then through the midst of the fire, the heat, and the flashbacks, Leah felt a hand grip her arm tightly. It was slightly painful, and it felt as though it was burning. But they pulled Leah up, and dragged her away from the burning site. Leah pulled her feet up and ran blindly, the hand still pulling her along.
Finally at a safe distance from the shack, Leah collapsed to the ground. She was breathing heavy, and she noticed the burning pressure on her arm was gone.
"Leah?!" a voice called loudly. Another voice yelled out too.
"Dean? Sam?!" Leah yelled out in response.
"Over here!" Leah heard Dean call, and soon after the yell Dean appeared through a thick bush, Sam right behind him.
"Leah!" Dean cried, running over to her. Leah pulled herself up, gripping her arm.
"Are you okay?" Sam asked as Dean helped Leah up.
"Yeah I'm fine," she replied, coughing.
"We saw the fire," Sam said. Leah nodded with another cough.
"Barely made it," she said angrily, "freaking demons."
"Zepheron?" Dean asked. Leah shook her head.
"We should get out of here," Sam said, looking around quickly.
"Where's Ruby?" Leah asked, glancing around.
"Waiting at the car," Dean replied. Leah nodded, and allowed Dean to pull her away from the glowing, burning woods.
***
Leah leaned her head back against the side door of the Impala. They had stopped at the nearest motel. She had finally stopped coughing, but her arm still pulsed. Dean was quietly staring off in the distance, leaning against the hood of the Impala. Leah looked down and stared at her tightly closed palm. She had not opened it to look at the black object since it was thrust at her. And Sam and Dean never asked what it was the demon gave her. Leah frowned and then looked up at Sam was coming toward them. Quickly, Leah reached behind her and dropped the object into her back pocket.
"No vacancy," Sam said, slightly frustrated when he got to them.
"I'll just sleep in the car," Leah said, folding her arms, "but I need to get something to eat. Do they have vending machines?" Sam nodded. Leah unfolded her arms and strolled off toward the motel before either men could reply. Dean stared after her, still thinking deeply.
When Leah got in the motel, she headed straight for the restroom. When inside she grabbed a hold of the sink, and leaning her head against the mirror she tried to suppress the sick feeling in her stomach. Her eyes sealed tightly, Leah listened to the ringing words of the demon replaying over and over in her head— all hunters take detours. You're all the same.Leah tightened her grip on the sink. Because that was what her parents did. They took a detour. And they got themselves killed, leaving Peter and Leah behind. Slowly, Leah reached into her back pocket and gripped the black medallion. She pulled it out and leaned away from the mirror. She slowly opened her palm. The black object glinted in the fluorescent lighting in the bathroom. Curiously, Leah traced a finger along the engraved designs in the medallion. The designs were not recognizable. The medallion was light, but hard and cold. Leah closed her palm tightly. When she did so, a sharp small pain throbbed in her arm. Putting the medallion in her back pocket, Leah reached up and took off her black jacket. Hen she slowly rolled up her sleeve. Leah held back startled gasp. There was a hand-print on her arm— and it was a bruise. The purpling skin shone brightly and noticeably against her pale skin. Disgusted, Leah rolled back down her sleeve.
BAM BAM!! The door rattled as someone pounded loudly. In a flash, Leah threw on her jacket then whipped open the door. Ruby blinked in surprise.
"You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Leah replied swiftly, side-stepping Ruby. Ruby seemed to want to ask again, but she remained silent. Leah made her way back to the Impala quickly, trying to ignore the pain still throbbing in her arm.
"I though you were gonna get food?" Dean asked when Leah arrived.
"Changed my mind," Leah said, opening the back door and getting in the car. Dean looked at Ruby, than Sam expectantly. Both shrugged in wonder. When they all got in the car after Leah, Dean turned in his seat. Leah was wordlessly staring out the window into the brightening sky. She no longer looked exhausted, but wide-awake.
"So where to Leah?" Dean asked brightly.
"Dunno, just drive," she replied quietly. Dean frowned. Then she turned in his seat and cracked the engine to the Impala.
Leah did not say a word as they drove down the quiet country road. It was morning now, and none of them had gotten any sleep. Both Dean and Sam were wondering the same thing— what happened to Leah back in Fort Robinson? Did she get whatever Zepheron wanted? But they did not bother to ask her— whatever happened back there, she obviously did not want to talk about it.
"We should pull over," Sam said quietly to Dean. Dean looked over at Sam.
"What? Why?" he asked. Sam frowned.
"They need to rest. Well, Leah does anyway," he replied. Dean frowned.
"There's an old shack up the street— besides, we need to go someone, not just drive around," Sam added.
"And go where?" Dean asked.
"Well, we have to stop and figure that out, right?" Sam answered. Dean remained silent. But he slowly began to pull the car over to turn at the next road.
Sam was right about the old shack up the road. It was an abandoned hunter's stop, most likely for passersby like themselves. Dean pulled over in silence, the early morning glow of the orange sun behind the trees gleaming against the dew. The sound of the engine cutting off stirred Leah out of her stupor. She did not question about where they were. Quietly she climbed out of the Impala after Dean and Sam. Staring at the old shack, Leah stuck her hands inside her back pockets. Sam pulled out a road map from inside the Impala, and then he, followed by Dean and eventually Ruby, headed up to the shack. Leah followed wordlessly.
The shack seemed so similar to the one back in Fort Robinson, so Leah tried not to think about it as she sat down on the old couch. Sam opened the map on the coffee table, smoothing it out.
"Okay," he said, pointing to the map, Dean peering at it over his brother's shoulder, "I know we're somewhere near Berea, so… I guess we should head on to Alliance. There are some hunters there and we could call Bobby…" Dean agreed. He looked over at Leah curiously. She was staring outside silently. Sam followed Dean's gaze. He did not say anything about Leah; he only watched her solemnly, eventually turning back to the map
Leah remained quiet when, quite suddenly, her phone began buzzing loudly. Sam and Dean again turned their attention to her. Standing, Leah pulled out her phone. And again it read "unknown number."
"Zepheron?" Leah asked when she opened the phone.
"Please," the voice said eerily sounding different then the last time, "call me Zeph. It sounds so formal when you say it." Leah frowned.
"You sound different," she said quietly.
"Come now, you don't think I would continue using the same old meat-sack now do you?" Zepheron replied.
"Don't worry about it," Zepheron added, "besides; I have something for you. You should like it."
"Psh," Leah sneered, "you sicken me."
"I know," Zepheron laughed coldly, "lemme give you a nice hint." The phone went quiet for a moment. There was a rustling sound, then a moan.
"L-leah…?" a voice croaked. A very familiar voice…
"L-leah… don't… don't come…" the voice continued. Suddenly it hit Leah. She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop from screaming. Slowly she removed her shaking hand.
"Peter?" she gasped in disbelief.
