The Emancipation of Heaven's Court
Disclaimer: I own nothing save for what rattles around in my rather warped imagination.
Chapter twelve: See Me, Feel Me, Hear Me
Sam lifted his head and listened intently for any signs of life in the bed and breakfast, memories from last night came flooding back. With a soft sigh he pulled himself up and shook his head. He thought he could see shapes but when he tried to focus everything went back to black. 'Dean?' He cried out his voice sounding dry and scratchy. 'Dean?'
Sliding off the bed he waited for the dizziness to pass, gingerly he put weight onto his injured knee, 'so not a good idea Sammy.' He chuckled if only at hearing his own voice, breaking the silence.
Sliding his hand over the wall, he limped towards the door, he had no idea how long he had slept or if anyone … 'stop it Sam they'll be alive, just wait.' He chastised himself standing outside the bedroom door he got his bearings before moving any further. To his left the stairs downstairs, to his right the other bedrooms and the shared bathroom further down the hall. Just in front of Sam, a small hallway leading to the private quarters for Lizzie and Amy.
'Hello anyone around?' Sam yelled out as he made himself take a step forward, 'Lizzie? Amy? Dean?'
He wanted to go back to the bedroom and wait for Dean but deep down he knew that he couldn't do that, he had to find out what happened to the others. Turning to his right Sam decided to check the other bedrooms. Limping heavily he stumbled and took a deep breath when his fingers hit the door of the first room on his right. 'Anyone in there?' He called out knocking on the door, trying the handle he opened it waiting for someone to speak. 'Hello?' With a faltering step Sam made his way into the room, his hands outstretched in front of him. 'Hello?'
After a few steps he collided with the bed, banging his already bruised knee Sam tumbled, face forward, instinctively putting his hands out to break his fall. 'No!' He cried out as his fingers slid across a thick pool of fluid, the coppery smell of blood filling the air. Reaching across he felt the shape of a woman's body in the bed. Recoiling Sam dropped back and fell when the backs of his legs hit an obstacle. 'No, no more.' His hands flailing in front of him Sam felt the body of a man.
Eventually he managed to stumble out of the room, coughing and choking on the smell of blood, his hands leaving a bloody trail along the wall, Sam resolutely continued on his search.
An obstacle blocked his way down the hallway; awkwardly crouching down Sam felt his way along the floor, forcing himself to calm down and to rely on his other senses. The smell of blood choked the air, he knew that there was much more spilt around him than he had already found. He listened to the silence, cocking his head to one side concentrating on any noise he might hear. The wind battered the outside of the building and a roll of thunder sounded in the distance, recognising the sounds he forced them from his mind and tried to focus on his immediate surroundings. The sound of water dripping startled Sam at first, staying on his hands and knees, dragging his injured one behind him Sam moved in the direction of the water drips. His blood streaked hands slid on the bathroom door handle, choking back a sob of frustration Sam managed to open the door and tumble inside. 'Anyone here?' He whispered not expecting an answer now. Crawling with infinite slowness and a churning stomach Sam inched his way into the small room.
The plopping sounds of dripping water grew louder as he got closer to the tub, with his heart hammering against his chest Sam felt up the side of the bathtub until he could lever himself up. The plopping now incredibly loud made his skin crawl, 'hello?' Reaching out he felt for any signs of life, but only found another body this one though was different to the others he had encountered. Lurching he floundered for the toilet, his stomach expelling the small amount of fluid in it. The head was gone, his hand landing on the bloodied stump of the neck.
The sound of screaming breeched the silence startling Sam out of his shock, when it stopped as quickly as it started he realised that he was the one screaming. Stumbling he found his way back to the door, disorientated he staggered across the landing, teetering on the top step Sam lost his footing and fell down the flight of stairs landing in a heap of tangled limbs at the bottom.
An hour or so later Sam moaned and tried to sit up, his body felt like someone had pushed him through a shredder, forcing himself up Sam started to giggle, all he could smell and taste was blood, he felt the gore sticking to his hands and he fell down the stairs, blindly.
'Stupid, stupid, stupid.' He shook his head and tried to quash his giggles but they just kept rising. Lurching ahead Sam tried to find his way out of the lobby but it seemed wherever he turned there were bodies and blood: so much blood.
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Twenty-two hours earlier:
Dean watched Sam as he sank down on the chair and rest his head back, releasing his own breath he made himself turn and go over to Lizzie, knowing that Sam was okay for now.
'Hey Dean how is he?' Lizzie smiled as he came closer to the desk.
'A little spooked, ah we're gonna eat in our room tonight, Sam's not quite up to eating in public just yet.'
'That's fine, I usually take Amy a tray up and eat with her, what if I get enough for the four of us and we all eat together.'
'Now that is the best idea I have heard all day.' Dean gave her a genuinely warm smile and wink, 'I'll go and tell Sam.' Frowning dean looked around something felt wrong. 'Do you hear that?'
'What Dean?'
'That … that hissing sound?'
'No … oh that? What is it?'
'Dunno, listen can you keep an eye on Sammy while I …' Dean swayed drunkenly and squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to stop the world from tilting around him.
'Dean I – I don't feel …' Lizzie managed to get the few words out before she succumbed and collapsed where she stood.
'Lizzie?' Dean shook his head and tried to get rid of the buzzing, turning he lurched towards Sam. 'Sammy?' He could make out his brother slumped on the chair before his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed.
'Oh God Lizzie, Dean … what's going on?' Amy cried out reaching the top of the stairs she saw both her friend and her sister fall unconsciously to the floor. Hurrying as fast as she could she ran to Dean's side and then when she found a pulse went to check on her sister. Stumbling she could hear the buzzing and felt so strange, turning Amy tried to reach out to Sam but the blackness claimed her too.
Dean opened his eyes and sat up immediately regretting the action when the dizziness assailed him and he had to rest his aching head again. 'Sam?' He called out, panic rising when he received no answer made dean swallow hard and sit up again. 'Sammy where are you?'
'Dean?' Lizzie's voice broke through the jumbled sensations bombarding dean's mind.
'Lizzie? Thank God you're alright … what about Sam? Amy?'
'Amy's here but there's no sign of Sam.'
'Where the freaking hell is Sam?' Dean snarled, but when he managed to sit up again dean realised that he was strapped down on a large seat, a feeling of dread descended over him. 'Ah no, not again.'
'Dean?' Lizzie tried to get his attention, but the memories had Dean fixated on his own rising anxiety; he had to get a grip. Blinking blearily he calmed his breathing and focused on Sam; he had to find Sam.
'Lizzie? You okay? You hurt?'
'No, no I – I'm not sure what's going on? Where are we?' Lizzie asked pulling on the wrist restraints, 'Dean what the hell is going on?'
'Any idea on how long we've been here?' Dean ignored her question for now, he had to get some sort of timeline, if they were back at Heaven's Gate … 'How long has it been?'
'I have no idea.'
'Amy?'
'I-I'm here, don't feel so good Liz.'
'Hang in there kiddo, we'll get out of here … you'll see.' Lizzie tried to sound optimistic but failed miserably.
'This, this place is filled with old people.' Amy sniffled trying to forget about how bad she felt.
'Yeah I know, welcome to Heaven's Gate ladies.' Dean said trying to sound lighter than he felt.
'I don't understand what's going on Dean.' Lizzie cried out angrily, 'what the freaking hell is this?'
'Long story short, these oldies aint what they appear to be.' Dean explained in the simplest way possible. 'They worship this … this demon, God or whatever it is. It lives underneath here, they feed off their victims, first they drain them of their life essence I guess that's what keeps em alive and young at heart. Then they feed the bodies to whatever they worship down below. As long as they keep him in feed then he keeps em living healthily some of the bastards are centuries old by the look of it.'
'I don't understand, what do they want with you … us? And where is Sam?' Lizzie asked her own hysteria rising in minute increments.
'We escaped here before we found your place. That thing underneath here has fixated on Sam, and I am guessing that he had them bring us back here … Oh fuck.'
'Dean?' Amy spoke up, 'they want to isolate him don't they?'
'Yeah, while we're lunch they're sizing him up for dinner.'
'This is not funny Dean.' Lizzie snapped.
'Hey do you hear me laughing?' Dean snarled, 'I can't do this not again.'
'Do what?'
'Feed them.' Dean tried once again to free himself from the leather straps holding him down but only succeeded in tightening them.
'Well, well isn't this sweet … my boy has returned to me.' An elderly man's voice came from the doorway.
'Yes, and oh lookie I have a girl or two.' A woman's voice joined his, both of them clapping in glee. 'Oh to feel young again, I have missed this.'
'Can't risk em in the ground again, dang inspectors finding our last feeding room, but these chairs will do nicely.' The man noted with a wry grin and rubbing his hands together he went to stand in front of Dean, 'welcome home boy.'
'Let me go you fugly old bastard.' Dean hissed.
'Now, now is that anyway to talk to your elders?' the man cuffed the side of Dean's head and then inspected the healing hole on his throat. 'No, no this will not do.'
'Get your creepy ass hands offa me.' Dean tried to bite the withered hand hovering so close to his mouth earning himself another hard blow to his head.
Whistling the man reached behind the chair and selected a tool, 'time to get reacquainted sonny boy.' He plunged the tool into dean's neck reopening the hole, removing the cutting instrument he tossed it aside and threaded tubing into the incision.
'You freaking bastard.' Dean muttered trying to breath through the pain.
Relax boy, it will be all over soon.'
'Where's Sam?'
'Your brother? The one who caused us all of those problems to begin with?'
'Yeah him.'
'Oh the Master has plans for him, for now he is a prisoner of his blindness.'
'What does that mean?' Dean couldn't handle the pain and wanted nothing better to let the darkness take him but he had to find out about Sam.
'The Master wanted to play with him for a while to see what … potential he has. He is still in the bed and breakfast, just like a rat in a maze, only he's blind and the maze is a place full of bodies and blood.'
'Oh Gods Sammy.' Dean breathed, then a scream pushed its way out as the pump started to work, the old man connecting himself to Dean as he spoke and decided to flick the switch without waiting.
'Dean?' Lizzie screamed watching Dean's body arch in the seat and then flop bonelessly back, his head lolled to the side away from the tubing, his eyes open but glazed over and unfocused, only appeared to stare at her.
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Shaking uncontrollably Sam wanted to sleep, he wanted his brother but nothing he could do was going to make that happen. A ringing sliced through the silence smothering Sam, choking back a hysterical giggle he slid his fingers into his back pocket and pulled out his cell phone. 'You're really losing it Sam.' He muttered as his fingers moved over the buttons until he found the answer one. 'H-hello?'
'Sam? Sam is that you?'
'P-Pastor Jim?' Sam whispered the familiar name, 'what – what I don't understand.'
'Sam what is it? Where's Dean?'
'Don't know where Dean is.' Sam said so softly that the cleric had trouble hearing him, 'they're gone, they're all gone Pastor Jim and, and I don't know what to do.'
'Sam … son where are you?'
'N-not sure think I'm still at the bed and breakfast.'
'Sam where is Dean?'
'He – he, they took them or killed em I dunno anymore. They left me alone … why?'
'Sammy listen to me, I need you to concentrate for me, can you tell me what happened?'
'F-Fell asleep an-and when I woke up they were all gone or dead. All dead … so much blood.'
'Are you hurt Sammy?'
'My-my knee hurts and … and my head I guess. I dunno can't see.'
'Why can't you see Sam?'
'Blind … so tired Jim, so tired.'
'Hey Sam I need you to stay with me, I'm nearly at the bed and breakfast.'
'You – you know where to come?'
'Lizzie and Amy's place? I know the girls.' Pastor Jim turned his car around and started to pray as he sped down the highway. 'Sam … Missouri sent me to find you.'
'Don't wanna be alone anymore Jim.'
'Sam listen to me you're not going to be alone anymore.'
'They took him Jim, they took Dean … not me coz I'm dirty.'
'Sam, oh Sam no – no don't you say that.'
'Tis true they only want the good ones.'
'Sam?'
'So tired Pastor Jim, so tired.'
'Is there anyone else there Sam?'
'All dead, they killed em all.'
'Sam?'
'All I can feel is blood, it's everywhere, blood and, and bodies.' Sam giggled and then started to sob, 'it's all happening and it's all my fault.'
'No, no son it's not your fault, none of this is.'
'They hurt me.' Sam whimpered, 'they put me in the ground and made me blind.'
'Sam …'
'They knew where we were, no escaping from them, they get a taste and will never let you go.'
'No Sam … that is not true.'
'My visions and stuff, they are all happening, they're all coming true. Coz I'm bad, bad, bad.'
'Oh Sam.' Jim felt the tears well in his eyes as he heard Sam breakdown completely. 'Can you hear anything around the building?'
'All gone, just me and their spirits. Oh Gods Jim their spirits they'll find me and blame me.'
'Sam, Sam stop it.' Jim snapped down the phone, 'I'm not faraway boy, you just hang on until I get there.'
'Yeah, yeah whatever. Jim?'
'They took Dean away from me coz I'm bad, they'll take you too.'
'No they won't I won't let em, anyways I'm too old and tough.'
Sam giggled lightly clutching the phone as a spasm rocked all of his muscles in one ferocious wave. Gasping Sam dropped the phone; curling in on himself he pressed his back against the wall and tried to make himself invisible.
Jim sped the car up, he had lost the connection with Sam and his worry escalated to panic. The flash of blue and red lights in his rear vision mirror, made Jim feel sick to his stomach he didn't have time for this.
Pulling over he watched the uniformed officer approach his car cautiously, 'oh for pity's sake hurry up.'
'So preacher where's the fire?'
'Sorry officer I was just on the phone to my nephew … he is in a bad way.'
'I'm sure that he will be fine …'
'You don't understand officer he is staying with Lizzie and Amy at their bed and breakfast. He – he's blind and alone, he said that there's bodies and blood.'
'You had better …' The officer looked down at the dropped cell phone on the seat and then let his gaze lift up to the older man's face, 'I'll give you an escort and see what's going on for myself.'
'Certainly officer, but please I think we need to hurry.'
The two cars pulled up outside the building in a cloud of dust and stones, the police officer kept Pastor Jim behind him as they entered through the open front door.
'Sam?' Jim called out, stopping suddenly he stared around in horror at the carnage, 'Sam?'
Officer Grant West thought he had seen just about everything in his twenty years on the force but when he stepped inside that place, smelt the blood and saw … he ran outside and immediately threw up his lunch and breakfast.
'Sam?' He could hear the pastor calling for his nephew, 'suck it up Grant and get back in there.' He chastised himself aloud wiping the spittle from his mouth he braced himself and went back inside.
'Here officer, over here.' Pastor Jim called him over to a far corner, hurrying over there Grant found the cleric crouching over a young man, covered in blood and gore and obviously traumatised beyond description.
'Is he?'
'He's alive.' Pastor Jim looked up at the officer, 'we need an ambulance.'
'I'll go and radio for one and, and a team to come out here and oh shit.' The officer felt his stomach lurch again and he ran from the room.
'Hang on Sam, please hang on we're going to get you help.' Jim spoke softly to the young man lying on the floor.
'Please don't touch me.' Sam whispered, 'who are you?'
'It's me Pastor Jim.'
'P-pastor Jim?' Sam lifted his head slightly and turned his sightless eyes towards the voice, 'is it you or a trick?'
'No son it is really me.' Jim said unable to mask his horror when he saw Sam's eyes.
TBC
