A/N: I am so so sorry this took so long. I had horrible writer's block with this, I now realize one should have at least some idea of where a story is headed before posting it :)I did spend a lot of time doing research and found absolutely nothing about possessed bears, except for a book that is more of an allegory, so this is uncharted territory. Thanks for reviewing and hanging in there, I have a general outline now so the updates will hopefully be faster. Have a good day!
Sam blinked, and then shook dirt out of his hair. Dazed, he looked around the hole he'd fallen into when he'd reached the backpack. He realized it must have been a trap-anything heavier than the backpack would break through the concealing dirt and twigs.
He heard Dean calling for him, and yelled back, "Down here!"
Dean's shape appeared at the edge of the hole. The sun was going down, and it almost appeared as though his brother had a halo around him. Sam grinned at the thought.
"You okay?" Dean asked, shading his eyes and looking down at Sam.
"Yeah, fine. Be careful, though." Sam said, attempting to rise from his sprawled position on the ground. He winced in pain when he put weight on his left foot. Before he could tell Dean or even look around the hole he heard a distant roaring, soon getting closer.
"What is that?" he called out to his brother.
"I think your bear friend is back and it isn't happy!" Dean yelled down to him.
Sam looked around desperately for a way out of the hole, but the sides were steep, several feet above his head and soft-it looked like if he tried climbing out the dirt would cave in on top of him. He pulled a flashlight out of his pack for better visibility. The hole was roughly rectangular-shaped and three of those bears would be able to fit comfortably. Sam's attention was jerked back toward the surface when he heard a shot ring out, then two. Dean's body no longer blocked the fading light and Sam called to him, concerned.
"Dean!"
The name had barely left his mouth when abruptly his brother jumped lightly into the opening next to him. Startled, Sam dropped the flashlight.
He could still see Dean's white smile when his brother turned to him, and asked, "Miss me?"
"What are you doing down here!" Sam hissed, hearing an angry-sounding roar above their heads.
"Well I didn't feel like being the main course for Smokey up there and the bullets didn't seem to affect it, so I opted for door number two."
Sam shook his head and retrieved the flashlight. Hearing a loud growling above their heads, he clicked it off. His eyes met Dean's in the shadows and as one they pressed back against the dirt walls of the hole, trying to be invisible. It seemed to work, as the bear gave a long, frustrated-seeming cry and then lumbered off, the ground shaking then leveling off as it went further away. Sam heaved a sigh of relief and then groaned as he put weight on his ankle. Dean's attention was immediately drawn to him.
"You okay?" his brother asked.
Sam nodded, and then realized it was getting too dark for Dean to see the gesture.
"I'm fine." He replied, turning the flashlight back on.
He shined it around, seeing nothing but bare dirt walls and packed ground with dirt and twigs lying upon it, along with the ubiquitous red backpack.
"Nice digs you've discovered." Dean said dead-pan.
"What were you thinking, though?" Sam asked him. "I'm pretty sure we didn't bring climbing equipment. You could have run, and come back for me later with some rope or something. Now we're both stuck here."
Dean made a show of looking around. "I dunno. A TV, some chips, this could work." He shook his head. "I didn't exactly have all the time in the world, y'know. I hit that thing dead center twice and it just charged faster. I don't think I could have outrun it."
Sam shrugged, conceding the point.
"Think we should use silver bullets next time?" he asked.
"Worth a try." Dean replied, snagging the backpack. "Maybe this could tell us something."
Unfortunately, the flashlight's batteries chose that moment to start the light flickering.
"Uh, I think it might be a good idea to get out of here first, before the bear comes back." Sam said.
Dean gave a nod. He looked up then back at his brother.
"Come here and I'll give you a boost up and when you're out you can pull me up."
"Okay." Sam replied, and Dean slung the red backpack over a shoulder and cupped his hands.
Sam put the flashlight back in his pack and placed his right foot in Dean's hand, steadying his own on his brother's shoulders.
Dean lifted him, grunting. "This was a lot easier when you were younger."
"Nag, nag." Sam replied, reaching upward and trying to heave himself over the edge of the hole.
His left leg flailed and hit one of the walls hard. He screamed at the sudden jolt of pain, lost his balance and toppled backward.
"Sam!" Dean yelled, doing his best to catch him.
One of Sam's out flung hands clawed dirt from a wall as he went down.
Soon he was sitting on the ground, Dean's worried eyes gazing at him.
"Well," he swallowed, "That went well."
"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" Dean asked him. He sounded angry.
"I didn't think it was that bad."
Dean shook his head, then gently probed Sam's ankle. He yelped when his brother pressed too hard.
"It's sprained." Dean said shortly.
"I kinda guessed that." Sam replied, getting the flashlight out again.
"Maybe I can boost you up and you can get to the Impala and get some supplies." Sam ventured.
"And leave you down here alone in the dark and wounded after alerting half the forest? Are you nuts?" Dean almost yelled at him.
"Um, maybe that's a bad idea." Sam agreed, playing the flashlight around the walls again, hoping to find something that would help them get out of there. Maybe some tree roots to hold as they climbed-his hands still worked. Then he stiffened.
"Uh, Dean? I think we have bigger problems."
Dean was still berating him but stopped at Sam's tone of voice. He looked where his brother was pointing the flashlight. In the flickering beam he could see where Sam had uncovered something as he'd fallen. They gleamed white in the intermittent light. Bones. A lot of them.
To be continued.
Applegrape8910, thanks for the praise. Here (finally!) is more :)
Solus Nemo, I haven't read that book but I know of it. They are actually in production for a movie of it now, internet movie database has details.
Thanks for saying you like my poor little story, I hope the wait is worth it :)
A-blackwinged-bird, I'm always partial to Sam angst, though Dean is cool too. We'll see where this goes.
Ghostwriter, thanks for reviewing, sorry this took so long. Luckily Sam didn't need too much saving, this time (grin).