"So fire, huh?."
"The only way I found to kill these bastards, deep-fry them."
"Well, that sounds...horrifying," I muttered, checking the small flame-thrower I had brought in from the Impala, Dean and Travis doing the same to ones of their own, unable to ignore the feeling of uneasiness I was experiencing deep down in my gut.
Even though I know going after this Rougarou was the right thing to do, I can't help but feel the opposite. Jack hadn't turned yet meaning he was still more or less human meaning there was a chance he would never take that disastrous step.
Maybe if we left him alone then he would stay human, normal, no threat to any living person. But if we did that, if some innocent person ended up dead, possibly his wife, then I don't think I could ever live with that.
"That what you did to Jack's dad?," Dean asked not looking at Travis.
"Uh-huh."
"Not wasting any time, are you?," Sam said, walking into the motel room making me stop what I'm doing looking over at him.
"None to waste. The guy hulks out, we won't be finding bodies, just remains."
"Well, what if he doesn't hulk out?. I did a little homework. I've been checking out the lore on Rougarous."
"What, my 30 years of experience not good enough for you?."
"What?. No. No, I just wanted to be prepared. I mean, not that you didn't..."
"Sam loves research. Matilda as well though she doesn't geek out quite so much," Dean quipped making me flip him off, rolling my eyes. "He keeps it right under his mattress next to his K-Y."
"Eww, D," I cringed, smacking him on the arm making him jump a little.
"Look, everything you said checked out, of course. But I found a couple of interesting stories...about people who have this Rougarou gene or whatever. See, they start to turn, but they never take the final step."
"Really?," Dean asked, scepticism evident in his tone.
"See, they never eat human flesh...they don't fully transform."
"What, go vegan, stay human?."
"Basically. Or, in this case, eat a lot of raw meat just not..."
"Long pig."
"Right."
"Good for you on the due diligence, Sam. But those are fairytales. The fact is, every Rougarou I ever saw or heard of...took that bite," Travis answered.
"Look, I'm not...agreeing with Sam, Travis, but maybe he has a point. I mean, Jack hasn't took that final step yet," I shrugged.
"So, what do we do?. Sit and hope, and wait for a body count?."
"Course not. But let's at least go and talk to him. Explain what's happening. I just don't feel good about frying a guy when he's still more or less human."
"At least give him a chance to fight it," Sam said.
"Fight it?. Are you kidding me?. You ever been hungry?. I mean, haven't-eaten-in-days hungry?. Somebody slaps a bit, juicy sirloin in front of you, you walking away?. That's what we are to him now. Meat on legs. I'm sorry. I'm sure he's a stand-up guy. But it's pure, base instinct. Everything in nature's gotta eat. You think he can stop himself because he's nice?," Travis said, looking between me and Sam, those words making me start to question my own feelings.
"I don't know. We're not gonna kill him unless he does something to get killed for."
"What's up with your brother?."
"Don't get me started," Dean said, Sam having walked out making me sigh heavily, hating this more and more with every passing second.
-x
"We're gonna go have a little chat with this guy which, you know...i'm down. I just wanna make sure, if push comes, you're gonna shove. You too, AJ," Dean said, glancing at me in the rear-view mirror. "
"Meaning?," I muttered.
"Odds are we're gonna have to burn this guy alive."
"He has a name, Dean. He has a wife."
"Yeah, who we're probably gonna make a widow, okay?. You both heard Travis. He's gonna turn. They always turn."
"Well, maybe he won't. Maybe he can fight it off," Sam answered.
"Maybe he can't. That's all I'm saying."
"We'll just have to see then, okay?."
"See, this is what I mean, Sam. You sure your emotions aren't getting in the way here?."
"What are you talking about?."
"You know, nice dude, but he's got something evil inside him. Something in his blood. Maybe you can relate."
"Dean!," I cried, shaking my head.
"Stop the car. Stop the car or I will," Sam snapped, Dean pulling over to the side of the road.
"Fucking fantastic," I muttered watching them get out of the car climbing out myself straight after.
"You wanna know why I've been lying to you, to AJ?. Because of crap like this."
"Like what?."
"The way you talk to me. The way you look at me like I'm a freak. And don't try and deny you don't look at me the same way, Alex."
"Sammy," I sighed.
"I do not," Dean cried.
"Even worse, like I'm an idiot. Like I don't know the difference between right and wrong. What?."
"Do you know the difference, Sam?. You've kind of been strolling a dark road lately."
"You have no idea what I'm going through. None."
"Then enlighten me!."
"I've got demon blood in me, Dean...AJ. This disease pumping through my veins and I can't ever rip it out or scrub it clean. I'm a whole new level of freak. And I'm just trying to take this curse...and make something good out of it. Because I have to."
"Let's just go talk to the guy. I mean, Jack. Okay?."
I go to say something stopping, feeling something hit me making me stagger forwards, falling to the ground on my knees, my hands moving to my head.
"AJ?. Woah...are you okay?," Sam asked, moving forward fast, helping me up off the ground.
"I...I don't know. I feel a little...," I mumbled, everything suddenly going black around me.