We had spent a week in Palto Alto, looking for the thing that killed Jessica and found nothing so we decided to check out the co-ordinates that Dad gave us. Sammy was asleep next to Dean, when he jerked awake, "You okay?" Dean asked glancing at Sam out of the corner of his eye "Yeah, I'm fine" Sam lied, "Did you have another nightmare?" I asked Sam cleared his throat but otherwise didn't say anything "You wanna drive for a while?" Dean said, Sam laughed, "Dean, your whole life you never once asked me that." Sam said "Just thought you might want to. Never mind." Dean said, "Can I drive?" I asked "Not a chance" Dean said looking at me through the rearview mirror, "Boo, how come Sammy can and I can't" "Cause he's worried about me, andI get it, and thank you, but I'm perfectly okay." Sam said as he reached for the map that was on the dash bored, as Dean hummed "All right, where are we?" Sam asked "just outside of Grand Junction." I said grabbing my journal flipping it to the picture I was in the middle of drawing, "Maybe we shouldn't have left Stanford so soon." Sam said, I rolled my eyes, he really thinks we would have found something "Sam, we dug around there for a week. We came up with nothing. If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica-" Dean said "We gotta find dad first" I muttered at the same time Sam said it to Dean, "Dad disappearingand this thing showing up again after twenty years, it's no coincidence." Dean said "I agree with Dean, It's not.Dad will have answers. He'll know what to do" I said "It's weird,These coordinates he left us.This Blackwater Ridge." "What about it?" Dean and I asked, I dropped my journal on the seat as I sat up resting my elbows on their seats "There's nothing there. It's just woods., why is he sending us to middle of nowhere" Sam asked "I don't know Sammy, Dad has his reasons" I said, What those reasons are we'll probably never no.
"Stay in the car, we'll be out in a minute" Dean said pulling to a stop in front of the ranger station, "Why do I always have to stay in the car?" I asked as he and Sam got out, "Because I'm the oldest and I said so, I promise once we figure out what's going on you can come with" Dean said shutting his door "Liar" I said watching them as they walked into the station, I groaned I hate being stuck in the car or the motel room, its why I started my journals, the earliest ones are full of stories from Dean, Dad and Sam since I was too young to join in but the last couple are full of my own experiences. I picked up my journal and flipped to the tab that holds all the sketches I draw on the road, If I'm stuck in the car might as well colour a few while I wasted the battery on my Ipod, I'll charge it in the motel before we leave. I jumped when the car door opened "Jesus Sammy you scared me" I said, as Dean got in the driver seat, "Sorry Kiddo" Sam said "What did you find out?" I asked as Dean drove out, "A girl thinks her brother went missing when he was camping and Dean wants to go talk to her" Sam said "you don't sound convinced" I said "I'm not, it sounds like a whole lot of nothing" Sam said "I say you talk to her, see if we can figure out what we're walking into before we do" I said "See Ely gets it" Dean said looking at Sam who rolled his eyes and sulked looking out the window.
"that's really good" Sam said looking over my shoulder, "Eh, its nothing" I shrugged as Dean walked over to us, "Tell me about Blackwater Ridge" Dean said sitting down beside me across from Sam, "So, Blackwater Ridge doesn't get a lot of traffic. Local campers, mostly. But still, this past April, two hikers went missing out there. They were never found." "Any before that?" Dean asked "Yeah, in 1982, eight different people all vanished in the same year. Authorities said it was a grizzly attack." "So we're hunting a grizzly bear?" I asked with a roll of my eyes. "Not exactly it happenedagain in 1959 and again before that in 1936." Sam said getting his laptop out of his bag "Every twenty-three years, just like clockwork. Okay. Watch this. Here's a clincher. I downloaded that guy Tommy's video to the laptop. Check this out." he hit play a video of a guy started playing, "Play it again" Dean said, I watched the shadow in the back ground what ever there it can move fast "That's three frames. That's a fraction of a second. Whatever it is, it can move and fast" I said looking between my brothers "Maybe it isn't a bear" I said jokingly as Dean looked at Sammy triumphantly "Told you something weird was going on" he said as he hit Sam's chest, "I'm going to go get a soda" I said getting up and walking to the bar. I watched them talk when I heard the bar tender ask "What can I get you" "A can of cola please" the bartender got me my cola and I walked over to my brothers after I paid for it, "Grab your stuff we're leaving" Dean said "But I just...Fine".
Dean drove us to the house as Sam gave me the low down on what I missed, "You want to see if he rembers anything okay, Guess I'm staying in the car then" I said leaning back in the car "Yep sorry kiddo, you're a bit young to be a ranger" Dean said "It could be bring your daughter to work day" I said with a grin, "And who's daughter would you be stay in the car", "Sure thing Dad" I yelled as he shut the door, Sam laughed and dragged Dean up the drive way,
"that means we can kill it right" I asked as Sam and Dean packed their duffle bags "Yes, once we figure out what it is," Dean said "All I know is wecannot let that Haley girl go out there." Sam said, "Is that the chick who's brothers missing?" I asked Dean nodded as he asked Sam "Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can't go into the woods because of a big scary monster?" "Yeah" "He's her brother Sam It's not going to work, she's not just going to stay at home I'd dothe same if either of you went missing in the woods," I said " Now we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend." Dean said "So finding Dad's not enough, We've got to babysit too" Dean didn't say a word to him, "Okay what the hell is wrong with you" I asked "What?" Sam said "You heard me Sammy, since when do you not care?" "Ely drop it" Dean said "No Dean I won't he's not acting like himself" "How would you know, you've never been with me when I was hunting" Sam said, "Yeah because you left" I yelled, Sam closed his mouth and looked at me, "Forget it, I'll just stay in the motel" I went tomove passed Dean, "No you're not" he said catching me, "We are going to sleep, and in the morning we're heading to the wood's together the three of us" he said.
We pulled into the forest where three people were standing each carrying backpacks, "The girls Haley and the boy behind her is her brother Ben" Sam said, I nodded as Dean cut the engine and got out asking "You got room for three more" as Sam opened the back door and pulled out his duffle then helped me out of the car, I shut the door behind me and followed Sam passed everyone as Hailey and her guide Roy questioned Dean, "And who's she?" Roy said "I'm just tagging along, I won't get in the way" I said smiling at him, then glanced at Sam pretending like I didn't see the guilt in his face. I had woken up to Sam and Dean arguing about weather or not I should come with them.
I zoned out for most of the hike, the memory of Sam leaving played around in my head "Els?" Dean said "What?" I asked jumping slightly, "We're here", I walked over to Sam, Dean following, "You guys hear that?" I asked "Yeah. Not even crickets." Sam said "I'm gonna go take a look around." Roy said, "You shouldn't go off by yourself." Sam said "that's sweet, Don't worry about me" Roy said waving his gun, "Arrogant ass!" I muttered "Everyone stays together, let's go" Dean said and we followed after, we found a campsite, the tents were ripped there was blood and supplies everywhere "Tommy" Haley yelled dropping her pack on the ground. Sam shushed her, "Sam, Ely" Dean called "What?" we asked as we at almost the same time crouched on either side of him "The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here, the tracks just vanish. That's weird" Dean said fingering the soil "I'll tell ye this, that's no skinwalker or black dog." "Then what is it?" I asked "I don't know sweetie" Dean said as we walked back to the campsite, Dean crouched next to Haley as some one yelling for help caught our attention and of course like Idiots we all ran towards the voice, "This is where it came from right?" Haley said "Everybody back to camp." Sam said at the same time I said "We need to get back", all the packs were gone, "So much for my satellite phone and GPS" Roy said crouching by where the bags were. "What the hell is going on?" Haley yelled, "It's smart. It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help." Sam said "You mean someone, some nutjob out there just stole all our gear." Roy said, "Sammy said what he said" I muttered walking over to my brothers, Sam was looking through Dads journal "Please tell me you know what we're dealing with cause if it's what I'm thinking then we're screwed" I said as Sam turned Dad's journal towards Dean and I "All right, check that out." "Oh come on, wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or, or northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west." Dean said "Hate to say this but Sammy does have a point, the claws mimicking a human voice to lure us away from the campsite," I said "Great" Dean pulled his gun from his waist band "This is useless". I swung my bag around my body and pulled my rose gold Colt M1911A1 out and tucked it into my waist band, "Then how the fuck are we suppose to kill it?" I asked as Sam tried to get Roy Haley and Ben to leave, "Light it on fire" "Yeah D, but how?" I asked as Roy got into Sam's space which is when the Mama bear or Papa bear I suppose, in Dean came out. He shoved Sam away. I'm telling you Sammy's not in the right head space, maybe Dean should have left him at the motel. "It's getting late. This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark. We need to settle in and protect ourselves." Dean said.
Dean was drawing the Anasazi symbols in a circle around us while explaining to the other three that they're to protect us from the Wendigo, of course they probably think we're insane. I was sitting next to Sam as Dean walked over, "You want to tell us what's going on in that head of yours?" "Dean-" Dean cut Sam off "No, you're not fine. You're like a powder keg, Ely's right, it's not like you. I'm supposed to be the belligerent one, remember?" "Dad's not here. I mean, that much we know for sure, right? He would have left us a message, a sign, right?" I looked between them, "He has to be, why would he send us here?" I asked, Dean frowned and ruffled my hair "Sammy's probably right. Tell you the truth, I don't think Dad's ever been to Lost Creek." he said "Then let's get these people back to town and let's hit the road. Go find Dad. I mean, why are we still even here?" Sam asked, I nodded in agreement woods king of creep me out also "This is why?" Dean said pulling Dads journal from his coat, "This book. This is Dad's single most valuable possession—everything he knows about every evil thing is in here. And he's passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, saving people, hunting things. The family business." he said "Why doesn't he just call" I said my question not heard since Sam talked over me "That makes no sense. Why doesn't he just—call us? Why doesn't he—tell us what he wants, tell us where he is?" Dean glanced at me and said looking back at Sam, "I dunno. But the way I see it, Dad's giving us a job to do, and I intend to do it." "I gotta find Dad. I gotta find Jessica's killer. It's the only thing I can think about." Sam said "We'll find them Sammy" I said putting a hand on his shoulder "Listen to me. You've gotta prepare yourself. I mean, this search could take a while, and all that anger, you can't keep it burning over the long haul. It's gonna kill you. You gotta have patience, man." Dean said.
"How do you do it? How does Dad do it?" Sam asked looking down, Dean nods to Haley and Ben, "Well for one, them, I mean, I figure our family's so screwed to hell, maybe we can help some others. Makes things a little bit more bearable." Dean said, I smiled my hand not leaving Sam's shoulder, "I'll tell you what else helps." Sam looked at Dean as he said "Killing as many evil sons of bitches as I possibly can." with a cocky grin, Sam and I laugh at him. "You'll be alright Sammy" I said as a twig snapped which got the three of us bolted up as someone kept calling for help, Dean was holding his gun as Sam and I flashed our lights about trying to see the thing "He's trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put." Dean said "Inside the magic circle?" Roy asked skeptically "Help, Help me" the wendigo was yelling "Okay, that's no grizzly." Roy said, I walked over to Haley who was talking to her brother "It's okay. You'll be all right, I promise." "My brothers won't let anything happen" I said as something rushing past made Haley scream, Roy shot at it, Nooo he'll only piss it off, "I hit it!" Roy said and took off, "Roy, No Roy" Dean yelled after him then turned to look at me, Haley and Ben "Don't move" He said and he and Sam took off after Roy, I picked up two sticks and put one in the fire "Here," I held one out to Haley who took it.
Sam was looking at Dad's journal as Haley was asking about the supernatural "I don't...I mean, these types of things, they aren't supposed to be real." she said "Wish we could tell you different" Dean said as I sat down Indian style on the ground, "How do we know it's not out there watching us?" she asked "We don't but we should be safe for now" I said "How do ye know about this stuff?" Haley asked. Dean and I shared a look and he said "It, runs in the family" "Hey" Sam said coming over, "So we've got half a chance in the daylight. And I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch." he said "Well, hell, you know I'm in." Dean said, I stood "Me too" I said.
Sam showed Haley and Ben the page about Wendigo's, in Dad's journal, I sat down by a tree just listening, Sam seemed a little more like himself after our little chat last night which is great, Sam walked over and helped me up, "We're going to look for the wendigo" he said. after a good bit of walking we came upon a cluster of trees, the claw marks and blood way too easy to find, "Is it just me?" I asked Sam "No, Dean" Sam answered calling Dean over "You know, we were thinking, those claw prints, so clear and distinct. They were almost too easy to follow." he said, I nodded as the wendigo started to growling, "Where is it?" I whispered as Haley jumped out of the way of Roy's dead body "His necks broken" Dean said as Sammy helped Haley up as the growling got more intense "we need to run" I said right as Dean said "Yep run, run, run, run, go, go, go!" we all took off, Ben and I were at the back while the others were ahead of us Ben fell and Sammy came back to help him up as I skidded to a stop, "Come on" Sam said as Haley screamed, "Haley?" Ben yelled, Sam picked up the bottle Dean had been carrying, "Dean" We yelled.
"This can't be happening" I muttered over and over as we were walking "If it keeps its victims alive, why would it kill Roy?" Ben asked "Honestly? I think because Roy shot at it, pissed it off." Sam said stopping in front of me putting his hands on my shoulders "You all right Kiddo" he asked "No, Dean's missing Sammy, I can't...We can't loose him, especially since we don't even know where Dad is" I said, "Hey, It's Dean...He's probably got a million ways to get out he'll be fine, We'll find him okay" he wiped the tears that were threating to fall from my eyes "How?" I asked as ben said "They went this way." we jogged to catch up to him where a trail of Peanut Mms that I'm pretty sure Dean had brought with him "See, better then breadcrumbs", Sam said tossing the Mm away. The trail led, to a rundown mine,Sam shines his flashlight ahead of us. we could hear growling coming towards us he turned off the light and pulled Ben and I against the wall. The Wendigo's passed us and Sammy covered Ben's mouth before he could scream and give us away. when the Wendigo took a different tunnel we keep going. The floorboards creaked underneath us and we fell through the floor, I hit my head on the ground and blacked out.
When I came to, I was lying on a stretcher in an ambulance "Sir you and your brother can refuse treatment, but your sister is unconscious and may need medical treatment" I sat up and saw Sam outside with a paramedic, I shoved everything off of me and ignored the pounding in my head, "I'm fine don't need to go to the hospital" I said as I tried to get out of the ambulance "Are you sure miss" the paramedic said "Yes, I'm fine nothing a little sleep won't fix" I mumbled my eyes closing as Sam helped me down and wrapped his arms around me, "Man you scared us Ely" Sam said leading me to the car where Dean was talking to Haley, "You fell and hit your head Dean tried to draw it out while I got you Haley and her brothers out of course the thing came after us and Dean fried the thing with a flare gun" Sam whispered as he opened the back seat of the car and helped me in. I reached for the pillow I stole from a motel a couple years ago which I keep in my rucksack and popped in under my head, "Is Sammy driving?" I asked when the two got in, "Yes Kiddo he is, are you okay?" Dean asked as Sam started the car, "Yeah, could use some aspirin, my heads killing me" I said "We'll stop at a pharmacy and get some kay" Dean said, I gave him a thumbs up as we drove away.