Sam is talking to the clerk at the bus station "Sorry, the Sacramento bus doesn't run again till tomorrow" She checks the schedule "Uh, 5:05 PM"
"Tomorrow? There's got to be another way"
"Well, there is. Buy a car" she states.
Sam, annoyed, leaves the ticket window. He takes out his PalmPilot, Elena notices he selects Dean's phone number.
Meg is sitting on the floor with her bags "Hey" Sam and Elena look at her, confused, and turns off his PalmPilot without calling Dean, Elena huffs.
"You again"
"What happened to your ride?"
"You were right. That guy was shady. He was all hands" Sam raises his eyebrows. "I cut him loose" Elena looks at her, she didn't seem like someone they could trust. Sam looks around, disappointed "What's the matter?"
"Just trying to get to California"
Meg looks surprised "No way" Sam nods "Me too" She stands up and walks toward Sam "You know, the next bus isn't until tomorrow"
"Yeah we know" Elena says looking at her up and down.
"Thats the problem" Sam says.
"Why? What's in Cali that's so important?"
"Just something I've been looking for. For a long time"
"Well, then I'm sure it can wait one more day, right"Sam laughs. Meg extends her hand and Sam shakes it. "I'm Meg"
"Sam" he introduces "and this is Elena" Elena fake smiles at her.
Scotty is serving the couple whose car broke down. He puts two plates of apple pie in front of them "We're famous for our apples. So, you gotta try this pie"
"Oh, no. It—please"
"It's on the house"
Dean and Brie walk in "Oh, hey, Scotty. Can I get a coffee, black?" Scotty walks away to get it "Oh, and some of that pie, too, while you're at it" He sits at a table next to the couple. "How ya doin'?" The couple waves and smiles "Just passing through"
"Road trip" the girl replies.
"Hm. Yeah, us too" They nod. Scotty walks over to refill their cider. "I'm sure these people want to eat in peace"
"Just a little friendly conversation" Brie says Scotty walks away
"Oh, and that coffee, too, man. Thanks" Scotty looks agitated. Dean keeps talking to the couple "So, what brings you to town?"
"We just stopped for gas. And, uh, the guy at the gas station saved our lives" the girl says.
Dean looks at Brie knowingly "Is that right?"
"Yeah, one of our brake lines was leaking. We had no idea. He was fixing it for us"
Brie looks concerned "Nice people"
"So, how long till you're up and runnin'" Dean asks.
"Sundown" the man replies.
"Really" He thinks about it for a minute "To fix a brake line?" The man nods "I mean, you know, I know a thing or two about cars. I could probably have you up and running in about an hour. I wouldn't charge you anything"
"You know, thanks a lot, but I think we'd rather have a mechanic do it"
"Sure. I know" Dean pauses "You know, it's just that these roads. They're not real safe at night"
The couple exchange a look "I'm sorry?"
"I know it sounds strange, but, uh you might be in danger" Brie says.
The man looks annoyed "Look, we're trying to eat. Okay?"
"Yeah" Dean looks disappointed. The couple seems worried by Dean "You know, my brother could give you this puppy dog look, and you'd just buy right into it"
The bell above the café door jingles and someone walks in. Scotty comes out from a back room "Thanks for coming, Sheriff"
Dean looks nervous and frustrated. Scotty whispers something in the Sheriff's ear, and they both look at Dean, who looks away. The Sheriff walks over to him "I'd like a word, please"
"Come on. I'm having a bad day already" Dean says.
"You know what would make it worse?" Dean nods slowly.
On the Interstate. The Sheriff's car is following Dean's car to make sure they leave. When he is gone, the Sheriff turns around and drives back to Burkitsville.
Elena, Sam and Meg are sitting at a table with beers and different foods around them "So, what, are you on some kind of vacation or something?"
Meg laughs "Yeah, right. It's all sipping Cristal poolside for me" Meg and Sam laugh "No. I had to get away from my family"
"Why?" Elena asks.
"I love my parents. And they wanted what's best for me. They just didn't care if I wanted it. I was supposed to be smart. But not smart enough to scare away a husband" Sam smiles. "It's just because my family said so, I was supposed to sit there and do what I was told. So I just went on my own way instead" Sam stares at her. "I'm sorry. The things you say to people you hardly know"
"No, no, it's okay. I know how you feel. Remember that brother I mentioned before, that we were road-tripping with?" Meg nods "It's the same deal"
"And that's why you're not riding with him anymore?" Sam shakes his head. Meg raises her beer bottle "Here's to us. The food might be bad, and the beds might be hard. But at least we're living our own lives. And nobody else's" Sam taps his bottle against hers and they both drink, Elena watches over the two staring down Meg as something didn't sit right with her.
On the interstate Dean is driving back to Burkitsville.
The couple's car has broken down and they are walking through the orchard "I can't believe it. We just got the car fixed"
"This way" They start walking towards a clearing. The scarecrow moves quickly behind them. The girl gasps and they turn around "Steve?" They hear more noises.
"Who's there?" They look around and the scarecrow comes out from behind the trees. It begins walking towards them, and they start running away. They are almost at the clearing when Dean and Brie run in front of them
"Get back to your car, Brie go with them" Dean shouts as the couple looks behind them and sees the scarecrow getting closer "Go! Go!" The couple runs away. Dean cocks his gun and shot the scarecrow, which stumbles but keeps walking. Dean begins running, cocks his gun again, and shoots. Again, the scarecrow keeps going. Dean tries one more time, but the scarecrow keeps moving. Dean keeps running "Go! Go!"
Finally, Dean and the couple reach the clearing along with Brie. Dean cocks his gun and looks around, but the scarecrow has disappeared
Steve is panting "What the hell was that?"
"Don't ask"
Meanwhile Meg is sleeping on the floor. Sam is sitting by his bags next to Elena, on the phone with Dean. "The scarecrow climbed off its cross?"
"Yeah, I'm tellin' ya. Burkitsville, Indiana. Fun Town"
"It didn't kill the couple, did it?" Sam asks.
Dean shakes his head "No. I can't cope without you, you know"
"So, something must be animating it. A spirit" Sam says.
"No, it's more than a spirit. It's a god. A Pagan god, anyway"
"What makes you say that?" Sam asks.
"The annual cycle of its kill? And the fact that the victim are always a man and a woman. Like some kind of fertility right. And you should see the locals. The way they treated this couple. Fattenin' 'em up like a Christmas turkey"
Sam thinks "The last meal. Given to sacrificial victim"
"Yeah, I'm thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some Pagan god" Dean says.
"So, a god possesses the scarecrow..."
"And the scarecrow takes its sacrifice. And for another year, the crops won't wilt, and disease won't spread" Sam says. "Do you know which god you're dealing with?"
"No, not yet but Brie and I will figure it out"
"Well, you figure out what it is, you can figure out a way to kill it" Sam says.
"I know. I'm actually on my way to a local community college. I've got an appointment with a professor. You know, since I don't have my trusty sidekick geek boy to do all the research"
Sam laughs "You know, if you're hinting you need my help, just ask"
"I'm not hinting anything. Actually, I want you to know I mean, don't think"
"Yeah. I'm sorry, too" Sam apologises as Elena smiles next to him.
Dean sighs "Sam. You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life"
"Are you serious?" Sam asks surprised
"You've always known what you want. And you go after it. You stand up to Dad. And you always have. Anyway I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy" Dean says.
"I don't even know what to say" Sam says.
"Say you'll take care of yourself" Dean says sadly.
"I will"
"Call me when you find Dad"
"OK. Bye, Dean" Sam says sadly, Elena puts a hand on his shoulder. They hang up.
Meg wakes up and moves next to the other side of Sam "Who was that?"
"My brother"
"What'd he say?" Meg asks.
"Goodbye" They exchange a look as Elena looks down at the ground, not knowing if she's going to see Brie again.
Dean and Brie are with the college professor "It's not every day I get a research question on Pagan ideology"
"Yeah, well, call it a hobby"
"But you said you were interested in local lore"
Dean nods "I'm afraid Indiana isn't really known for its Pagan worship"
"Well, what if it was imported? You know, like the Pilgrims brought their religion over. Wasn't a lot of this area settled by immigrants?"
The professor thinks "Well, yeah"
"Like that town near here, Burkitsville. Where are their ancestors from?"
"Uh, northern Europe, I believe, Scandinavia" the professor says.
"What could you tell us about those Pagan gods" Brie asks.
"Well, there are hundreds of Norse gods and goddesses" he says.
"We're actually looking for one. Might live in an orchard." Dean says.
The professor puts a large book down on a table and opens it "Woods god, hm? Well, let's see" He leafs through some pages.
On one page, Dean notices a picture of a scarecrow on a post surrounded by farmers in a field "Wait, wait, wait. What's that one"
"Oh, that's not a woods god, per se"
"The V-Vanir?" The professor nods "The Vanir were Norse gods of protection and prosperity, keeping the local settlements safe from harm. Some villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Other villages practiced human sacrifice. One male, and one female" Dean points to the picture "Kind of looks like a scarecrow, huh?"
"I suppose"
Dean continues reading "This particular Vanir that's energy sprung from the sacred tree?"
"Well, Pagans believed all sorts of things were infused with magic"
"So what would happen if the sacred tree was torched? You think it'd kill the god"
The professor starts laughing "Son, these are just legends we're discussing"
"Oh, of course. Yeah, you're right. Listen, thank you very much" He shakes the professor's hand.
"Glad I could help" Dean and Brie walk to the classroom door. When Dean opens it, the Sheriff hits him on the head with the end of his rifle. Dean falls to the ground.
Brie gawks "Oh my god" the Sheriff turns to her and knocks her out as the sheriff and the professor exchange a knowing look.
