I'm sorry to leave this chapter at a cliff hanger, but I've got to go.
Chapter 7: More Questions than Answers
Dean pulled the car into the parking lot of the general store. About five older men sat around outside watching them as they got out of the car. Dean looked at each of the men in turn and smiled. Sam leaned over to him, wondering what he was smiling about.
"Why are you smiling, Dean?" Sam asked as Dean started walking towards the store. Dean just smiled at him and kept walking.
When he reached the stairs leading up to the store one of the men came down the steps and blocked his way. Dean tried to go around the guy, but he was huge and wouldn't move. Dean sighed, "All we want to do is go into the store and get some supplies." He started walking up the stairs again, but the big guy pushed him down. He landed hard on his back side and looked up to see Sam offering him a hand and the men on the porch laughing at the whole affair.
"Look, dude." Dean said as he got up off the ground. "Why don't you tell your buddy here to let us through so we can get some supplies for the road?" The men on the porch kept laughing. Dean folded his arms across his chest. "What is so funny?"
One of the men leaned over the railing after he had stopped laughing and looked them over. "So what's yer name son?" he asked as he leaned back into his chair on the porch. He looked from Sam to Dean. Sam was wondering if they should tell this guy their real names or grab one of the many fake ID cards from the car. He was hoping he wouldn't have to be a bikini inspector again. Luckily Dean spoke first.
"This is Sam and I'm Dean." he said as he took a step towards the porch. "My brother and I just want some supplies, and some answers." Dean looked at the men on the porch one by one and waited for the big guy to move out of their way.
The men looked at one another, fear showing on their faces. The guy who had asked them their names spoke first. "My name is Earl, this is Bud, Harry, Bob, Sloan, and the big guy is Max." he pointed to each of the men in turn. Then he turned back to Dean. "What kind of answers are you looking for?" He looked at them suspiciously and waited for their answer.
"I want to know about the banshees." Dean said matter-of-factly. The men exchanged more nervous glances. Finally Earl spoke, "We are being watched. Anyone of us could be next. They took my wife just last week… and now she's one of them!" The men bowed their heads in mourning and got up off the porch. They motioned for Max to follow them and they left.
Dean stood there a moment, puzzled by what they had said. Sam looked at his brother.
"Dean, who is watching these people, and what did he mean that his wife was one of them?" Dean shook his head in confusion. He had no idea.