Chapter 4

Two Weeks Ago

Serra

I can't believe you talked me into this, I thought towards my sister, knowing very well that she would be able to hear me from her place in her giant farmhouse with her perfect, not-still-destroyed kitchen.

Grace's voice answered me as I stood in front of the school bus, watching the dozens of kids wander aimlessly to the adults in charge. I didn't talk anyone into anything. You would have just had to pick up the littles from daycare. You picked this option. This is your fault.

Rolling my eyes, I took a deep breath and let it out as slowly as I could. I was so uptight because after yet another phone call to the insurance company, my house was still in shambles, waiting for another inspector to come and evaluate what parts of the damage to my house could have been prevented. I already knew the answer, since the damage was caused entirely by the evil bitch of an angel, Delilah, but it wasn't like I could say anything about the supernatural knocking my brick chimney through the roof of my house and into my kitchen. I had to go through the motions and pretend it all was a legit tornado and it was getting harder and harder for me to bite my tongue about the bitch that was at fault.

The bottom line was that I was tired of having bricks just hanging out on my stairs and stacked up in my entry way. I was tired of the giant tarp that covered the hole in my roof. I was tired of having a beat up, falling-apart house.

We'll get it taken care of, came my nosy sister's voice once more. If nothing else, the boys can make repairs when you get the check from the insurance company.

Your house got fixed up right away! You moved into a perfect house.

I could almost see Grace roll her eyes. Yeah, and Dean and Sam worked their ass off on it, back before we had six kids between us, before Sammy was working full time. Back when I had a job and we had extra money just laying around.

Once again, I rolled my eyes at my sister's logic. I'm done talking to you, I thought, turning my attention towards Lib and all her little friends walking towards me. "Hey, Meatloaf," I greeted, using Dean's old nickname for my niece.

She smiled happily and leaned to one of her friends, "She's my auntie. She has a gun."

Watching the little girls turn and drop their mouths in surprise, I fake-smiled, showing none of my teeth. "Actually, I have lots of guns," I whispered. "Just not with me."

Libby narrowed her eyes at me, shaking her head in disapproval, just like her mother would. I took a deep breath and tried to remind myself that she was seven, not thirty-six, like my sister. You are on this trip with me, I grumbled in my head. I swear, Lib is just like you.

I thought you were done talking to me? Grace's reply came, predictably snarky, and I rolled my eyes as the teacher approached.

"Hello, Mrs. Winchester!" she greeted. "I'm not Liberty's teacher, but I'm here to give you your pass and your badge, along with a group of youngins to care for."

"Awesome," I replied, trying my best to stay upbeat.

…

Two weeks ago

Serra

The bus ride was Hell on Earth. I had been to literal Hell and I would have taken it again over riding in a school bus with sixty loud, sweaty, excitable kids any day. I don't know how Grace used to do this professionally.

Everyone's got their strengths.

I sighed audibly, though it was much too loud for anyone else to notice. Don't you have something to do?

Grace laughed in my head and answered, I'm actually on my way to the shop. Tony called in and they need someone to answer the phones.

Good, I replied. Stay out of my melon.

Grace was silent after that, and I finally had some peace and quiet in my head. Though, I couldn't enjoy it because of all the children. So many children.

The farm wasn't far away. We pulled into the wide-open gravel parking lot after about twenty minutes. The bus parked, we corralled the second graders into two semi-straight lines, and we headed towards the barn where three farmers dressed in overalls and straw hats were there to greet us. It was sickening.

"Hey there, kiddos!" the taller, older farmer greeted jovially. "You're in for a real treat today!"

I glanced over at my niece and I couldn't help but smile at her excitement. She and her friends were pointing to the dairy cows that grazed in the pasture and then began chattering quietly when they saw the horses in the paddock across the way. Liberty was in her element: the outdoors, surrounding by animals.

Taking out my phone, I snapped a photo of Lib as she grinned, staring at the horses. I knew Grace would be able to see anything I saw, but Dean wouldn't until later. I typed out a text and sent the photo to my brother-in-law, knowing it would make him weak in those bowed-ass knees.

I followed along behind the group of kids, watching Liberty and supervising what I needed to. It was going well until we ventured into the milking barn. There were workers hooking the dairy cows up to the machinery and there were farmers explaining everything to the kids, but in the background, a man made eye contact with me and I got a feeling—the same feeling I would get when we were hunting full time. There was a tingle up my back, and it seemed like I had goose bumps in my scalp.

There was something up with that guy.

I watched him out of the corner of my eye as the kids watched the milking presentation. There was a video, and at one point, the farmer sprayed milk into a bucket to demonstrate. The kids were stoked and Lib glanced back at me to make sure I was watching. I tore my eyes away from the man that meandered back and forth from a cow to another man, nodded and gave my niece the thumbs-up, and by the time my eyes flicked back up to the man in question, he had disappeared.

What the hell?

I scanned the room over and over, but he was gone.

Automatically, my senses were into overdrive and I moved closer to Liberty protectively. No one else was making a big deal about anything, there were no kids missing, and everyone seemed to be getting along well…but there was something wrong, I knew it.

Grace, I thought, searching mentally for my sister.

She ignored me.

Oh, now that I need you, you're nowhere to be found? I thought, still scanning the barn. The teachers were leading the kids out into the horse paddock now, and I trailed behind, keeping Liberty in my constant peripheral. Grace, come on.

I am busy, she thought back, rather short with me.

There's someone here that gives me the heebie-jeebies.

I. Am. Busy. Grace replied, repeating herself in a rather harsh tone.

I ignored her irritation with me and continued as if she hadn't been mad, He's big, Grace. He has short, black hair, a dark complexion, and he's really tall. He's built like a body builder. He's—

Grace cut me off, Serra, shut up! I am with a customer. I can't deal with you or your paranoia right now. Not everything is a monster.

I've just got a feeling—

Stop. Grace continued, I will talk to you tonight. Go away.

I clicked my tongue and rolled my eyes, not getting my way with my big sister. Didn't she realize that I only wanted to talk to her when I needed her?

Begrudgingly, I followed the second graders around to the rest of their activities without incident and eventually, boarded the bus to go home without seeing the man again.