Chapter Twelve
After analyzing their available information they narrowed down their list of suspects to Stevens and Anderson who were both in the basketball practice and Dean's morning algebra class, and John formulated a plan that would end this nightmare. Whatever was controlling these nightmares would have to be aware of what happened in both areas so they were the only logical suspects.
John needed to stop this evil before it succeeded in killing someone. The evil would hide in its normalcy façade until it actually inhabited someone's dreams but if they could draw it out, they could kill it with a silver bullet to the heart when it was actively inside someone's nightmare.
The best tactic would be to use Dean to expose the dreamwalker for if it was truly after him it would come back to inhabit his dreams as soon as he was vulnerable. John hated the idea of using his son as bait to trap the dreamwalker but that appeared to be their best chance at success. It would be their only way to control when the dreamwalker inhabited someone's dream.
Dean was apprehensive about enduring his nightmares again but he knew it was the only way to protect his brother. He saw two possibilities: it could inhabit his dreams or it could go after Sammy and torment him. In a choice like that, he truly had no choice. John would only agree to this strategy if he could insure his son's safety.
Pastor Jim arrived and they reviewed their plan. Sam would wear the protection charm to keep him safe and out of any possible danger. Dean would be locked in the spare room with his brother watching over him armed with a stun gun so if the worst happened, he could disable his brother without causing permanent damage.
Pastor Jim and John would each stake out one of the suspects. Pastor Jim was a religious man, but he was also a warrior in the battle against evil. He was a powerful man who knew how to fight and protect the innocent. They would arm themselves with guns loaded with silver bullets and when the evil tried to possess Dean's mind they would be ready to eliminate it before it could cause him much anguish.
They all knew their roles and were ready to engage this dreamwalker. John spent a quiet moment with his son.
"Dean, I'm proud of you. I know this won't be easy."
"Dad, just do me a favor and kill the bastard. OK?"
"Will do, son."
John and Pastor Jim closed and locked the spare room door with Dean and Sam inside. They quickly took off to tail their respective suspects. John was tracking Stevens while Jim was on Anderson.
Dean waited until a prescribed time to give his dad and Pastor Jim ample time to move into position before he removed the amulet and placed it around his brother's neck. He felt better as soon as he did. He knew Sammy would now be safe. He lay down on the cot and closed his eyes. He was nervous but he knew this was the right thing to do, the only thing to do. He had complete confidence in his dad's ability to track down and kill this evil being.
The fire burned so bright if was blinding him. The heat was sweltering and seared his flesh. The pain seemed to engulf everything with flaming torment. Mommy, Mommy, he cried out. Mommy, come down from the ceiling, come tuck me in. Mommy, I'm so scared. Mommy, please don't leave me, I'll be good, I won't ever be bad again. Mommy, please don't leave me, I'm so scared. Mommy, Mommy, please don't die.
The fire was following him down the stairs, hot on his back as he carried Sammy out of the house. It was overcoming him, it was consuming him, he could feel it burning his flesh, he screamed out in total agony. Mommy, Mommy, save me. Mommy, Mommy, I'm on fire, make the pain stop, make the pain stop. Mommy, save me.
He looked into his arms and saw baby Sammy was on fire. For an instant, Sammy's screams drowned out his own, until the full horror of the situation impacted on him. His brother's agony was the worst pain Dean could imagine. It was beyond his endurance, it was totally unbearable. He was powerless to save his brother as Sammy disintegrated to ash in his arms. His grief was consuming him like a fire, he wanted to die. He couldn't bear to go on without his brother. How could he live with this pain? He was his brother's protector and he had failed. Sammy was gone, extinguished before he had a chance to live.
Dean was alone. A black hole of loneliness beckoned him. An abyss so deep and dark that he could see no light, no hope. His deepest, darkest fear had been realized. The emptiness encompassed him until a lone voice called out to him from the deepest regions of his mind. Join your brother, he needs you. Follow him into the darkness, there is light deep within.
Dean started to sweat as the nightmare commenced. He tossed and muttered as the terror took hold. As often as he had endured this nightmare, it still haunted him and caused him immeasurable pain. He felt the evil lurking in his mind, feeding off his torment. It was as if every repeat of the nightmare escalated his anguish, building his terror to a fever pitch.
John and Jim were in position when the amulet left Dean's neck. Jim watched Anderson and saw no sign of supernatural activity or evil. He prayed John would have more success with his suspect.
John noticed Stevens' abnormal behavior almost immediately. John had been correct in assuming the evil being could not resist the lure of inhabiting Dean's nightmare again. Stevens seemed lost in his sinister bliss as the hunter came upon him. He was lurking outside his home and had a wild look in his eyes as he whirled around when he sensed John's presence.
"You can't stop me, Winchester. I'm too clever for you. You're like an insect next to me." Stevens hissed.
"An insect that's going to blow you away, you evil bastard."
John pulled out his gun to fire but something was amiss. As he aimed his gun at Stevens' heart he struggled to pull the trigger. His finger hesitated, trembling on the trigger. As hard as he tried, he couldn't pull it back. He felt an evil force in his mind, a presence controlling his actions.
Evil was overpowering him. He struggled to regain his dexterity but it was no use, he couldn't control his actions. He was fighting an overwhelming impulse to kill himself. He turned the gun back toward his own head, his hand shaking, trying to regain control. Panic gripped him as he battled his urges.
Somehow Dean was connected to his dad's struggle: he saw all the action unfolding in his mind. He cried out to his dad to fight, to overcome this evil. He could see his dad pointing the gun at his head and he felt his dad's fear. Dean's terror was escalating higher as he witnessed this unimaginable sight. He had seen his mom die and now he was poised to witness his dad's death. How much more pain could he endure?
John's anguish at knowing his son was witnessing his struggle caused him unbearable pain that also nourished the famine this evil was feeding. Dean had already suffered so deeply at the hands of this evil dreamwalker and he had assured his son it would all be over soon. He had promised he would kill this evil and now, he was failing and Dean was being subjected to even more pain and torment.
Evil basked in the fear that enveloped them. Dean's pain had risen to new levels and the joy this evil felt from his anguish was feeding its insatiable hunger. It prolonged the tension so it could feast on his escalating torment. The anticipation of the coming pain was becoming more potent and satisfying than the pain that would come from the final act.
Dean's turmoil seemed to last forever. He felt himself falling deeper and deeper into that black abyss. His last chance at a family was disappearing before his eyes. He was drowning in his sorrow, swallowed by that cosmic black hole of loneliness. The weight of his suffering was pulling him ever deeper into the vast, infinite void.
When all hope seemed lost a single shot rang out and all the torment ceased. John dropped his gun back to his side and looked with relief at the dead form of Stevens. His grateful eyes gazed upon Pastor Jim.
"John, are you alright?" Jim asked.
"How did you know?" Relief flooded over John as he took in the enormity of the situation.
"I didn't. I just knew Anderson was no threat so I thought I would come give you a hand."
"Thank God you did. Dean was witnessing this. I would never want my son to see this."
"I told you before John, God is with you."
Writer's Note: My apologies for not posting this chapter as promised. I couldn't get logged on with all the site problems this past week-end and then when the site opened up I was preoccupied with my new black lab puppy that unexpectedly came into my life and demanded my full attention. LOL She is sleeping now so I'll get this posted. Please remember all reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!