Chapter 12

It was a few days later that I observed something very strange in Pastor Jim's church. A pretty young woman entered it. I frowned for I knew she was possessed. I saw her enter the church and I did as instructed, which was nothing. I felt when it happened but could still do nothing. She left the church a few minutes later and I entered the building. I found him lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He was already gone. I knelt next to his body. He hadn't stood a chance against that one.

"Why?" I asked.

"It must unfold," Michael answered.

I stared up at him. "It's not right to do this."

"We each have our instructions and we are told not to interfere," he answered.

"This was a man who was good," I argued. "He fought the battle the way that we expect them to and this is his reward? To die at the hands of a possessed?"

"Life is fleeting," Michael stated.

"This is not right," I repeated.

"It is what must be," he knelt next to me and handed me the phone that was still in my pocket. "Call John and tell him about Pastor Jim."

"Why?" I asked.

"He must know," Michael said.

"John's number isn't in there," I said.

Michael pressed a button and scrolled down the address book. I was stunned for I had no idea that Michael was proficient with human technology.

"Michael?" I asked.

"Yes," he turned his head sideways.

"When did you? How did you? Why did you?" I stopped.

"There are times when we must investigate these things," Michael shrugged.

"Now, you're just showing off," I retorted.

Michael pressed the button and handed the phone to me, "Tell him."

I listened to the ringing sound on the other end.

"Yes," John answered.

"It's Kelsey," I said.

"You're using a cell phone?" John asked.

"Blame Sam," I said.

"What happened?" his voice changed. "I'm last person you would call."
"It's Pastor Jim," I said.

"What about him?" John demanded.
"I'm sorry, John," I whispered.

"How?" John shouted.

I closed my eyes. "It looks like a demon did it."

The line went dead. I heard footsteps running into the basement, I frowned at Michael. "Stay," he said.

I was puzzled but I stayed.

The doors flew open and Bobby stood there in horror.

"Kelsey!" he exclaimed.

"I didn't do this," I said.

"No one said you did darling," Bobby frowned at me.

"I found him like this," I said. "I was outside and I saw a woman and then she came out and then I wasn't paying attention."

"It's all right Kelsey," Bobby pulled me to my feet. "It's not easy these things."

I nodded. He was treating me as though I were human and for now that was perfectly fine.

"I'll call John," he said.

"I already did," I told him.

Bobby stared at me for a second and then grabbed the phone out of my hand. He dialed then the number and spoke to John. Their conversation was along the same lines as mine had been. They were stunned and shocked by Jim's death. I was more disturbed than they were.

I waited for Bobby to finish his examination of the scene and then he tugged on my arm, so I followed him out of the church. He stopped by his truck and placed his hands on the hood. He blinked furiously several times while I remained silent.

"You're not crying," Bobby said.

"I'm too upset," I replied.

Bobby spun and faced me. "Kelsey, what's going on?"
"I wish I could tell you," I answered.

"You should tell me," Bobby insisted.
I stared at him sadly. He leaned against his truck and lolled his head backwards.

"Ah, damn it Kelsey!" he groaned.

I shook my head and sat on the ground.

"Why?" he asked.

"It's war and the Winchesters are in the middle of it," I told him.

Bobby moved from beside the truck and knelt in front of me. He placed his hands over mine.

"Kelsey," he said quietly. "What war?"

"The war that never ended," I whispered.

"How much time do we have?" he demanded.

"Not much time," I told him.

"Damn!" he shook his head. "Are they going to survive this?"

"I don't know," I stared at him.

"Can't you do anything?" Bobby's voice reflected his anger.

"I've done enough," I replied.

Bobby studied me for a moment, "Look, now's not the time to beat yourself up about something."
"Really?" I scoffed. "You've no idea Bobby. You really don't."

"Tell me," he said.

"I can't," I stood. "I have to go."
"Where the Hell are you going?" Bobby stood as well.

I wanted to laugh at that moment. He had no idea that he had come so close to the truth. I was to wait until I was called. I had to obey so I simply smiled at Bobby.

"I have to go," I repeated.

"How long will you be gone?" Bobby asked.

"Until, it's time for me to return," I offered.

Bobby frowned at my response. I couldn't blame him for being confused. However, he didn't seem to be that anxious to delay me. I walked away from him and quickly made my way to a cemetery as I figured it was a good place to wait for further instructions.

I cannot pretend that the time passed quickly. Yet I remained obedient, as I was to wait until I was called. That's what I was supposed to do and it was a few days before I sensed the call. It was an odd one that was sounded, which caused me to frown but I made my way to the origin of the call. I stopped suddenly when I arrived at the scene. There was no way that I was going to be present at another accident. I heard Sam's voice screaming his brother's name.

I ran forward and was pulled back. I turned and was face to face with Micah.

"You can't," he said.

"I was called," I explained.

"No," Micah said.

"You don't know my instructions," I frowned.
"I know that you're not to do anything until you are actually called," he tightened his grip.

I stared at them in the car. The car was completely ruined. It would take a great deal of work to restore it. Yet, I knew he was correct and therefore I didn't fight him. I could sense that both Sam and John were fine. It was Dean I was the most concerned about. Despite everything else it was heartening to hear the emotion in Sam's voice, perhaps he had grown to recognize the importance of his family after all.

There we stood and watched as the emergency crews came into view. They even had a helicopter take them to the nearest hospital. I followed Dean to his room and watched as they put him on life support. Sam was fine. He had minor cuts and bruises but he was the furthest away from the point of impact and the Impala unlike a lot of modern cars actually was made of metal. I hated to think that all three of them being killed by a driver in a semi. I examined Dean's face and his wounds seemed to have been inflicted before the accident. I placed my nose almost directly at his and could smell the trace of sulfur. They had confronted the Spawn and ended up on the wrong end of that event.

I saw Sam enter the room and then glimpsed the shadow of Dean. I was confused for part of his soul seemed to be roaming the corridors of the hospital. Sam was there staring at his brother. When the doctor told him that John was awake. That at least was a good sign I thought. So, I left Dean and walked behind Sam to see John. Sam kept stopping as though he sensed that something else was going on in the hospital.

Sam went in to see his father and it wasn't a good meeting. John Winchester had one son unconscious and the other one badly injured and all he seemed concerned about was getting something. I was distracted for a moment by something else that was going on, then, I saw her. She was a Reaper and I frowned at her.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I'm just visiting," I said.

"I don't like when your kind is here," she continued to show her displeasure.

"I'm not here to interfere," I explained.

"Good because I'm here to take the ones who are to be going on," she said.

"Is Dean Winchester on your list?" I asked.

"Yes," she was surprised. "You said that you weren't going to interfere."

"I'm not," I assured her. "I just wanted to know if he was on your list."

"He's going to be fine," she told me.

"I know," I smiled.

Sam left his father's room and he seemed upset.

"Warriors are always the hardest to go," she observed. "They fight when they should surrender."

"Surrender isn't in their vocabulary," I told her.

"I know," she said. "I just wish it was."

She looked at the time and moved away. I didn't stop her because I knew that she had a schedule to keep. Reapers assigned to hospitals usually did. In fact, all Reapers had to keep to their schedules. It was at this moment that I heard the call.

"Kelsey!" John called.