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Sierras

Chapter ten

They walked throughout the morning, Dean keeping the pace slow so Sam could keep up. But even though the going was slow, the exertion was still taking its toll on his brother who struggled to keep up. Dean knew Sam needed to rest and finally stopped alongside the creek.

"We'll rest here for a few hours." He told the couple.

"We can't rest….we got to get out of here before that thing attacks." Randy said as he and his girlfriend stopped and looked back at Sam. "If he can't keep up…"

"I said we'll rest for an hour or two." Dean interrupted him making it clear they were going to do what he said. He walked back to Sam who sat down on a fallen tree branch and leaned back against the tree. Dean could tell that he was totally exhausted.

"You okay?" He handed Sam one of the canteens.

Sam nodded as he took a swallow. He then shut his eyes and let the cool water quench his thirst. He finally opened his eyes and looked at Dean.

"You know that thing has been following us for the last hour, I can hear it, and I can smell it." He said quietly not wanting the others to hear.

"I know." Dean looked around the area hoping to be able to spot it but knowing it would be almost impossible to unless it attacked. The creature could be almost standing next to them but with its ability to blend into the background it would be almost next to impossible to see it unless it moved.

"Dean…."

"Sam I don't want to hear it." Dean knew what his brother was thinking.

"Dean you promised me. You got to get them out of here…."

"I am."

"You know what I'm talking about….I don't know if I can go any further. Without me you'll be able to pick up the pace and make it out of here in a little more then a day."

"The pace we're keeping is just fine. Exhausting ourselves isn't going to help."

Sam knew Dean wasn't about to listen to him and it angered him.

"Damn it Dean I don't want you to die because of me! And that's what's going to happen and you know it as well as I do."

"No one's dying Sam, not you, not them, and not me. I'm getting all of us out of here." Dean glanced over at the couple making sure they weren't paying attention.

Sam looked up at Dean as the sweat glistened off of his face and arms.

"I can't make it Dean….I can't go any further."

"Then I'll carry you, because I'm not leaving these woods without you."

"Then you leave me no choice." Sam pulled a small sharp knife out of his pocket and raised it quickly to his throat. Maybe his brother would leave him if he was dead. He was just about to slit his own throat when Dean kicked the knife out of his hand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm trying to save your life."

"By ending yours? Damn it Sammy I should kick your ass for trying something like that." Dean hoped it was the fever that was causing Sam to attempt to kill himself and that he was delusional and didn't really know what he was doing.

Sam looked down and shook his head as his eyes filled with tears.

"Dean you don't understand….I don't think I'm going to be making it out of these woods alive…" He looked up at Dean as he blinked back tears. "And I don't want anyone to die because of me…especially you."

"Let me worry about anyone dying Sam. You just worry about keeping up with us and if you can't …I'll carry your sorry ass …But either way we're all making it out of here together… And you try a stunt like that again I'll hogtie you then kick your ass later once we're out of here."

Just then a blood curdling scream came from Connie who had walked over to the creek to try and cool off a little.

Dean and Randy both quickly ran to her side.

"What's wrong?" They both asked in unison.

"Over there!" She pointed to the other side of the creek then turned and grabbed onto her boyfriend preventing him from following Dean.

Dean walked over and looked down. Lying partially in the creek was the withered, dried out body of Alicia.

TBC