Well, we've almost come to the end. There's likely only one more chapter after this. I just want to thank everyone for reading. Also, I'd like to again thank everyone for their kind wishes and words this week on the loss of my beloved dog, Levi. All of you and your words have meant a lot to me.
Vanessa
Predator (A Septolet)
Prowling.
Closing in.
Predator after prey.
Sensing vulnerability,
lips curve
into wicked grin.
Victory?
© 2009, Vanessa Sgroi
"Oh, shit! Dean! Bobby!" Sam yelled into the phone, "Bobby, they're all around him. All around his damn bed!" The young hunter saw his brother shift and suddenly sit upright with a harsh gasp. Seeing Dean flail as he tried to get off the bed, tried to get away, Sam called out, "No! Dean, stay where you are! Don't move!" His attention was pulled back to the phone though his gaze remained fixed on the sight before him.
"Sam? Sam! What're they doing—the shadows?"
"Nothing. I mean, they're surrounding the bed but they're not really doing anything." He watched with alarm as Dean shuddered and sank backward on the bed. "At least I don't think they're doing anything. Just staring at Dean."
"You have a salt ring around the bed?"
"Yes."
"Good. That's probably what's keepin' 'em at bay for now. They're not paying any attention to you at all?"
"No."
"I think he's been marked."
"What does that mean?"
"It means they only have eyes for him. For the time being, you don't exist."
Through the shadows, Sam saw Dean's hands fly to his temples and his brother rolled as if to get off the bed. "Dean, no! Just…just stay where you are! God, Bobby, they're not touching him or anything but he looks like he's in pain. Are they doing something to him I can't see?" The young hunter's voice was bordered on frantic.
"Sam! Listen—listen to me. Someone's got to be controlling these Death Shadows. Someone summoned them, sicced them on your brother. You gotta find the controller."
Nearly mesmerized by the sinuous, writhing mass undulating around his brother's bed, Sam muttered into the phone, "I—I can't—can't leave Dean alone in here with…them."
"Dean's safe for now—you hear me? But it's not gonna last. They've had a taste of him. You've got to find and kill whoever the hell summoned them."
"How? How do I do that? It could be anyone."
"Hell, boy, I gotta lot of things rattling around in this head of mine, but I'm no Jeopardy contestant. I need to look at some books. I can tell you one thing, it's always a woman—the shell of a woman anyway. Someone he's recently had contact with."
"Wait—a woman? I…I think I might know who it is, Bobby! You're sure he's safe for now?"
"As long as that salt line holds."
"How do I stop her when I find her?"
"Gimme ten minutes. I'll call ya back."
(SN) (SN) (SN)
His surroundings were sliding in and out of focus as his eyes rolled around in loosely in their sockets, desperate to comprehend the shapes and shadows around him. Pain spiked through his head as a chilling, constant susurration filled Dean's mind.
Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour.
Over the menace-filled whispering, he heard Sam's voice yelling to him, telling him to stay where he was, and Dean forced himself to settle, curling awkwardly into as much of a ball as he could with his injuries. Instinct continued to scream at him to run—to get away—and his heart raced, breath sawing in and out.
Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour. Hungry. Devour.
Dean gasped as the throbbing in his head intensified and his hands flew to his temples. He rolled onto his side, preparing to bolt, when Sam's ringing command stole across the room.
"Dean, no! Just…just stay where you are!"
He stopped, innate trust in his baby brother rising to the fore.
"I'm gonna be right back, okay? Whatever you do, don't get off the bed!"
His words were nearly drowned out as the malevolent hissing grew louder.
Hungry. Devour.
(SN) (SN) (SN)
"I'm gonna be right back, okay? Whatever you do, don't get off the bed!"
Sam watched his older sibling for a second before slipping out of the room. He hurried toward the Nurses' Station a little ways down the corridor. A nurse he didn't recognize was seated on a stool behind the high counter.
"Excuse me…"
She looked up and blinked. "Yes?"
"I'm looking for Nurse Perdue."
"I haven't seen her, sorry."
"But she was here a little while ago. You don't know where she could be?"
"She's probably at lunch."
"Do you know where she'd be having lunch?"
The nurse eyed him up and down, a look of suspicion finally eddying across her face. "Are you supposed to be up here this time of night?"
"I've got permission from Dr. Ward—call him and ask. I just need to ask Nurse Perdue a question…about my brother in 4-22."
Still showing a certain amount of skepticism, the nurse raised an eyebrow and stared at him for a moment before relenting. "If she brown-bagged her lunch, she's probably down in the break room at the far end of the hall." The woman pointed toward the opposite end of the corridor in which they were standing. "Otherwise, she went to the cafeteria."
Hoping Ursula had indeed brown-bagged her lunch rather than opt for hospital food, Sam hurried down the middle of the hallway, searching the plaques next to the doors for one that said 'Break Room'. When he came to one marked "Lounge", he figured he'd reached his destination. Sam pushed the door open as quietly as possible, just wide enough for him to inch through.
To his relief, the room was empty except for Ursula Perdue who sat at a small table near a miniature refrigerator. An tired-looking egg salad sandwich and a cup of tar-like coffee sat on the table in front of her, all but forgotten as she concentrated on a piece of paper in her hand. Her lips moved as she read the words printed there.
Sam rested a hand on the gun at the small of his back. "Call them off!"
Ursula's head snapped up at the sound of his voice. "What the hell? What're you doing in here?"
"I said call them off—now!"
A fierce scowl descended across her face, and she shoved out of her chair. "Are you crazy? What in God's name are you yammering on about?"
"The Death Shadows! I know you're summoning them. What's that paper in your hand? Is that how you're doing it?"
Outraged, she spluttered and spit, "It's none of your business what this paper is!"
Sam dove for her and grabbed her wrist, certain the paper she held would hold the answers he sought. He tightened his grip until her fingers went lax and the paper fell away. The young hunter caught mid-flutter and his gaze quickly roamed over the words. His breath stuttered. It wasn't the incantation he'd been expecting. It was a "Dear Jane" letter. Apparently, illustrated in the choppy loops of handwriting, the man in Ursula's life had found a new love and was moving on.
"How dare you!"
Dropping her wrist as if it was suddenly red hot, Sam backed away and muttered, "I'm sorry."
"I should call Security on you. Sounds to me like you should be locked up!"
A strong sense of foreboding slithered up Sam's spine. He spun on his heel and rushed to the door. "Oh, God. I gotta get back to my brother."
Ignoring Perdue's continued ranting, Sam streaked down the hallway back to Dean's room, his long legs eating up the distance with ease. He slammed through the door and skidded to a halt, breath hitching. The Death Shadows still performed their wicked dance all around Dean's bed. Worse, Nurse Monica Martin stood in the middle of the room, a smile of delight gracing her face. As she stepped toward the bed, Sam reached for his gun, bringing it easily to bear on the nurse.
"Stay away from my brother."
The nurse froze but she didn't turn. Instead her head rotated grotesquely 180 degrees until she was looking directly at him, an unholy light of hunger flickering in her green eyes. Her gaze traveled impassively to the gun then back to his face.
"There's nothing you can do," she hissed silkily. "He's mine now."
TBC…
