" You've been a good boy. I want to thank you personally for that."
A calm, cold voice echoed throughout the room. He could hear her footsteps come closer and he didn't have the strength to even try to struggle against the chains on his hands and legs.
The slab he was chained to was cold to the touch and he shivered on contact. The room was dark and he didn't remember what had occurred to bring him to this situation.
"Always the protector, aren't you? Never thanked for what you do. I'm going to change that." An almost skeletal hand caressed his cheek. He shuddered and tried to turn his head. Two hands placed on the sides of his head and held him still.
"I hear you have quite the caustic tongue. Shame I had to gag you. You see dear, I know what it's like to be the protector, to shield the ones you love from pain. You are always forgotten and never appreciated. You'd even sacrifice yourself without hesitation. You hurt don't you?
I know the pain. I know what rejection can do. I see what it does to others like you and I won't have it. I won't let you or anyone else live through that. The pain and rejection ends here."
The old woman removed her hands and calmed herself down. She moved away from Dean and in the background he heard some scratching, She was looking for something. When she found it, she returned to his side.
" This ritual has more than one use. I've been giving this gift for quite some time. I watch the potential recipients. That way I know how to attract their attention. It worked for you." She laughed.
The old woman raised the object, a knife, and smiled at anger and fear in Dean's eyes.
"Now dear boy, enjoy your gift."
As the knife came down Sam woke up screaming.
Sam sprung back to life as he was jolted awake. Nightmares were an understatement at this point. He wasn't exactly having visions per say but these still were freightingly more real than Sam would have liked. He stood up and strecthed out his arms and chekced the bed next his. Empty.
Sam didn't have to reflect on his current dream as his door was pounding. My wasn't he getting popular. He shook unpleasant images out of his mind and answered the door.
Mona almost fell to floor at the sudden opening of the door but managed to catch herself in time. She went inside the room without a proper invite. Sam shut the door and shrugged. So much for manners.
" Sammers, that freak of a hag is evil! We must kill her."
He really needed to talk to her about that nickname. Before he could say anything, Mona thrusted a small white piece of paper in his face. It resemsbled a bill of some kind. Sam took it respefully and Mona turned her head up and began tapping her foot impatiently.
"A bill? You're leaving the motel?" Mona hit him the stomach. She wasn't entirely sure why but it felt good. Sam disagrees but that's besides the point.
"NO. You remember her though? That lady who, wanted us to help her move those "bibles" Yeah, well she won't give me a new TV. No, she wants me and my sister to pay for it. Pay for it. Her TV that broke. Yours broke too, tell her Sammers, then we could win."
This girl defiantly had some issues.
"Maybe you won't have t pay for it if you let it go. Look I have things to do right now we'll-"
"I bet that tattoo is fake."
Further comment and conversation was stilted as Dean opened the door and looked quite surprised by his brother's company. Dean had no idea how much his awkward interuptions had saved him from . .the awkard known as Mona. All hail intrusions.
"Gee Sammy, if you keep inviting the same girl over she'll think you like her."
"She's my friend Dean."
Mona looked between the two and took it as her cue to leave. But before she exited the room and turned and faced Sam.
"Later then. But I'm telling ya she's evil."
With that she fianlly left the room. At least she didn't call him "Sammers" in front of Dean. He shuddered at the thought.
"So what did you two talk about?" Sam went over to his laptop and picked up the newspaper that was on top of it. He opened up to the page he marked and pointed to something he had circled in red ink. It was Laney's wrist.
"On Laney's wrists are these symbols and she recognized them from a book we found. We were looking it up."
"What book? Were you investigating without me? With her? You told what we do? Sam-"
Sam waved his and shook his head. Okay maybe he should have told him that. He was withholding infomation about Mona for awhile now.
"No. She sort of told me she and her sister--she said she was joking but I think she was serious."
"Told you what?"
"They hunt demons. At least I think she does. Anyway the owner of the motel asked us to move some boxes for her and we found this weird . . . for lack of a better word, spell book. And in it was the same symbol on Laney's wrist. I think whoever killied those people-"
"You mean, you two think. You know, why don't you and her work the rest of this. You two already have done so much."
"What? Are you jealous Dean?" Sam laughed.
"I am not jealous." Dean turned away.
"Oh my god. Yes you are!" Sam walked over to his brother and reached for his shoulder but, Dean brushed him off.
"Get off me. I am not jealous."
"Dean, look I'm sorry for not telling you. We'll do the rest together. I think we should start with the owner. Her name is Cecilia."
Dean shook his head annoyed and began for the door. He was not in the mood to deal with this. Not now.
"No. Why don't you and your little girlfriend do it? I'm going out."
"Dean, come on."
Too late for talking. Dean walked out without another word. That did not go well at all. Sam sighed and went back to his laptop.
Outside
Dean chose to cool off by hitting random doors as he walked by. He showed no mercy. He was carful to avoid the windows. Windows were not his friend at all. He learned that from expericene and had the scars to prove it.
Someone spotted him and chose to intervene before someone from behind said door, shows him the same courtesy.
"Are you upset or do you have a lot of friends?" Cecilia walked over to him and smiled kindly.
"Um. I got locked out and my dog ran way. Stupid yorkie." Cecilia grabbed his arm and lead him away from the rooms.
"Wherever I'm upset tea always seems to help me calm down. Do you like tea?"
"Do you have coffee? Never really was tea man." Cecilia laughed and nodded.
"I have some of that too."
Elsewhere
"'Sacrifice of the vessel' Yeah I've heard of it. Why are you reading about that, kid?"
"Davvy, don't call me that. You know the darkest dark right? How dark are we talking?"
Davan dropped the book she was reading and gave her sister the serious look.
"The darkest and I don't want you to be reading it. Lay off okay?" Mona crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue. Davan rolled her eyes and picked up her book again. Mona was a rather immautre 22 year-old.
"No. Besides I found the book and I want to know why an old lady would have it." Davan dropped her book again.
"What old lady?"
"She owns the motel. Me and Sammers found it. Then this jerkoff took it before we had a chance to really look at it."
Davan paled slightly and slowly put her book down. Mona noticed her sisters new mood and became confused and quite fearful herself.
"Davvy, is something wrong?" Davan nodded her head slowly.
"The end of the world."
Lavish Motel suite
Dean lounged on Cecilia's black leather couch. Cecilia's room was lavish and more like princess suite than an office as she claims they were in. The walls were a light pink, she had a love seat to go with her couch and at the far end of the room was her desk.
In front of Dean, was clear coffee table with tea, coffee, and cookies. The refreshments were placed on a sliver tray. The tray itself, though somewhat elegant, needed some serious polishing.
Cecilia sat across from Dean on her peach relciner and offered him more tasty treats. He declined kindly. This nice thing had perks.
"So, would you like to explain why you were attacking my motel?" Dean snorted and smiled.
"I wouldn't go as far as attacking but, " Cecilia took a sip of her tea and continued for him.
" You were upset. Not about dog though. Tell me what really caused you grief." She placed her cup down on the tray and placed her hands in her lap.
" I-my brother and I had a argument.."
"Siblings can have a certain affect on you. I have three younger sisters. There were many times we had disagreements. It's never easy being the older one is it?"
Dean nearly jumped at the last comment. He should have actully. Something wasn't right here.
"How did you know I was older?" Cecilia laughed at his suspicions tone and stood up.
"I can always tell. It's like a sixth sense you get. Dean. Can you hand me that plate?" Dean didn't move. He felt a chill go up and down his spine.
"Good. It's working."
Everything faded to black.
"What do you mean end of the world?"
Of all the things that Sam had to deal with on a day to day basis, saving the world was not one of them. In fact there was never a time he ever heard of anything was capable of ending the world.
Mona had dragged her sister to his room and the first words that came out of her mouth were "we're all going to die."
Davan chose to stay near the door whereas her sister decided to take a nap. Mona was actually helping by doing that, but no one would admit it.
"Someone going to answer me?"
"Davan." Mona didn't need to say anything else.
"That book you found, with the page about the rite of sacrifice. It involves the summoning of a demon. When it is summoned the demon will destroy the world. The details are vague, but that's what said to happen."
" How do we stop it?"
"You don't. Once it starts you can't stop it. We have no idea if anyone is even performing this. We could be fine."
Sam shook his head.
"Those deaths? The symbols on Laney's wrists?" Davan cocked her head to the side
"What symbols? The sacrifice is one person and you don't mark them." Mona sat up. So much for sleep.
"So then we aren't going to die? Good cause when Laney died I thought it was weird because we're here for the missing person thing. Hey Davvy, if we don't die we can see Hars movie flop!" She laughed and fell back down.
"Missing person thing?" Now this was new. She never mentioned missing people. And who was this "Hars?" Wait it wasn't . .
"Wait. You and your brother are here for supernatural things right? And you didn't know about the missing people?" Davan asked incredulous.
Sam chose to sit down on thr bed too. Two minutes ago the world was ending and now he was getting yelled at for not knowing about missing people. What next?
"Now I'm confused."
"Sam why are you here?" Davan asked quietly.
"Laney. And you're here because people have been missing?" Davan and Mona nodded.
"Yes. Siblings. They're usually the older ones and are never found again."
"They go back as far as fifteen years?"
"Maybe further but we didn't look-"
Sam ran back to his trusty laptop and began typing. He motioned for the sisters to follow.
"This motel was founded twenty years ago and the first person who went missing was . .Dana Huey. Her sister went to police and after a year they closed the case. Said Dana was a runaway and was not their problem."
" . .And the motel fits in because?"
"Because Cecilia said this motel was dedicated to her missing sisters. She was 10 years older than them and according to her "they just vanished one night."
"So what? We ask her what happened and hope we find a lead?"
"No. I think she did something. It doesn't sound right, her response."
"So what then, kid?" Davan was really in the mood to kill something now.
"We find her. Then maybe we can figure out what's going on a and stop it."
"Sammers, that's a great idea but how do we find Ceci? She could be anywhere."
Meanwhile
The room was dark and the air was cold. The only light source was coming from under the door. When Dean finally came to, he found himself chained to an examining-esque table. He was also gagged with a scok.
How original. He thought bitterly.
His arms and legs were chained and strapped down. He had no idea how long he was here and no way to get in contact with Sam. He was screwed and not in the good way. He tried to bring his up so he could look around but, it was no use. He was too weak.
Cecilia fianlly decided to make her entrence. Her hand were behind her back. She chose to let the door stay open. Perhaps so she could see better too.
Several vile things ran through Dean's head. Some of what he wanted to do her and some of what he thought she would do to him. He didn't need this. He wasn't supposed to be in this kind of situation. He saved people who werein this situation. It was how it works, not the other way around.
And just who did the socks in his mouth belong to anyway? They had aserious case of athletes foot. Some people. Dean was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear Cecilia come to his side.
"You've been a good boy. I want to thank you personally for that." She smiled at his digust and discomfort.
"Always the protector, aren't you? Never thanked for what you do. I'm going to change that." Her almost skeletal hand caressed his cheek. He shuddered and tried to turn his head. Two hands placed on the sides of his head and held him still.
"I hear you have quite the caustic tongue. Shame I had to gag you. You see dear, I know what it's like to be the protector, to shield the ones you love from pain. You are always forgotten and never appreciated. You'd even sacrifice yourself without hesitation. You hurt don't you?" She laughed and leg go of him.
"I know the pain. I know what rejection can do. I see what it does to others like you and I won't have it. I won't let you or anyone else live through that. The pain and rejection ends here." She snarled the last part and her voice raised drastically. What happaned to the sweet old lady who gave him coffee and cookies?
Cecilia rubbed her hands and calmed herself down. She moved away from Dean and in the background he heard some scratching, She was looking for something. When she found it, she returned to his side. Dean did not like that smile. He knew that smile. It was the, " I'm going to kill you and enjoy every minute of it,"smile. He used that smile.
" This ritual has more than one use. I've been giving this gift for quite some time. Twenty years to be exact. I watch the potential recipients. That way I know how to attract their attention. It worked for you." She laughed.
Cecilia raised the object, a knife, and smiled at anger and fear in Dean's eyes.
"Now dear boy, enjoy your gift."
As soon as the knife entered Dean's chest, a black suge of dark energy engulfed him. Cecilia's hair blew in absent wind and Dean beagan convulsing. After a minute Cecilia was thrown backwards. Dean's body slumped back down, motionless.
TBC
I hate cliffhangers too. And the Fresh Prince of Bel-air theme song, oddly catchy.
