Chapter 19: Time and Space

Point Meadows Elementary School was built in 1957 as the newest building in the Greater Beaver Valley School District. While the town of Point Meadows wasn't terribly large, the new building had been designed to accommodate growth-as the area was projected to nearly double in population in the coming decade with the new interstate spurring numerous new subdivisions sprouting along the outskirts of the town. The building was fairly typical in appearance and architecture, a three story brick affair with rows of double hung windows neatly arranged into groups of three moving outward from the two sets of tall oak doors that were in the center of the structure. The front lawn was a tidy green plot with a short hedge by the front curb, a large flagpole gleaming proudly in the afternoon sun, and a brass statue of George Saunders-the founder of Point Meadows-set on a granite plinth.

However, the attention of the agents was not on the front lawn of the building, but rather on the back playground. Until 11:38 am on April 7th, 1959 the blacktop behind the school had seen little in terms of remarkable events. The fresh asphalt had only been in place for the last week and a half (as the school had been finished in the fall and due to particularly cold weather it hadn't been able to have it spread until the spring thaw), and with the exception of an impressive home-run by Bobby Kilmer on the Friday before, its existence had been unremarkable.

Despite being perceived as quite hard, asphalt is actually not a terribly durable material. Averaging between and 1 and 2 on the mohs hardness scale, it is comparable to gypsum in an isolated environment. If not for the presence of tar and the even spread and thickness necessary to its application, its comparative weakness would be more evident. That point may be moot, however, when factoring in the effect of falling onto asphalt from the roof of a three story building.

By the time the agents arrived it was too late. The seal had been broken. 56 of the 57 fifth grade students from Point Mills Elementary were lying motionless on the blacktop behind the building. I will not go into detail the remaining events of that day, nor the reactions of those present beyond saying this: when God goes into hiding, the demons can truly show how terrible they are.

**SPN**

As Dean wiped the vomit from the corner of his mouth he shook his head, trying to remove the images from the folder that had been irreparably etched into his mind. Sam was shaking visibly from his bearing witness to the images, and even Cas-normally visibly unperturbed by the disturbing-was notably pale as he sat down. R bore dark lines under his eyes and the slight frown at the corner of his mouth indicated that he knew on a near personal level how disturbing the images were.

"I knew demons were fucked up bastards…" Dean finally spoke, "…even they don't normally do that kind of thing to kids."

"Yes. And moreso, that was the second-to-final seal." R added, "If they manage to succeed, this will seem tame in comparison to the hell they intend to unleash on earth."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Sam asked, pushing the closed manila envelope away from his, as if its mere presence made him ill.

"What every other agent is doing. Get to that convent and stop the last seal from breaking."

"But we don't even know what the last seal is; all we know is that they want to release the devil." Sam replied. And given how that yellow-eyed freak seemed to want me to be his next host I want to stay as far away as I can from anywhere he might be.

"If I knew I would tell you, but for the time being the end is nigh. All agents currently available are going to that convent. It might seem barbaric, but we have nothing but a numbers advantage right now-hopefully with enough people we'll stop whatever it is they're planning." R morosely replied.

"And what of my brethren?" Castiel asked.

"The other angels working with us will also be joining you there; hopefully the heavenly consort in favor of ending the world doesn't get involved. If they do, well…" R glanced at his desk drawer for a split second, "…we have a contingency plan."

The three exchanged confused and worried looks before R stood up and ushered them out. It was a quiet walk to the elevator and an even more silent descent to the parking structure below. It wasn't until they were leaving Manhattan that one of them spoke.

"So…" Sam mumbled.

"…so." Dean breathed, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel and trying to maintain a façade of calm.

"We're totally fucked." Sam said, leaning back into the vinyl seat as he drug a hand across his face.

Dean was silent a moment as he chewed on his lip, "It is pretty bleak. I mean, shit, I don't think we've ever faced anything like this-a bunch of demons doing God-knows-what to try and summon the actual devil and start the end of the world." Dean paused, "But at least we aren't alone, right? R's sending every available agent-if there's a couple hundred of us there, along with the angels we convinced, maybe we have a shot…" Dean shrugged, trying to release some of the tension in his shoulders, "Plus you're getting better with your powers."

"Yeah, but I'm barely managing against any of the lower-level demons we go against, there's no way I can manage to take down any higher ups-and I'm pretty sure that yellow eyed bastard is gonna be there."

"You have been progressing, and need not forget, I will be there as well." Cas reassured him from the back seat.

"Well, let's hope we don't have to worry too much, after all, with all of the other agents there it should be okay, right?" Dean asked rhetorically, knowing well that no one in the vehicle knew the answer.

**SPN**

As the Impala pulled into the road leading to the convent it struck Sam just how quiet it was in the early spring evening. It was silent, not even the sound of insects or birds broke the stillness that seemed overwhelming as they approached.

"It's way too quiet." He commented, glancing at the window into the thick woods.

"Now that you mention it, it does seem weird…" Dean replied. "Hey Cas, mind sending out a quick radar ping to see what's around?"

The angel nodded and stared into the middle distance for a moment before he creased his brow, "There are no living beings that I can sense… And the convent appears unable for me to discern."

"Wait, I thought R said some of the other agents were close, shouldn't they have gotten here by now?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

As if in answer to his question the three pulled into sight of the building and were greeted with a horrific sight. Nearly a dozen cars were wrecked, flipped, and crushed-their inhabitants, the other agents, were littered throughout the surrounding field. A few lucky ones appeared to have been killed in the accidents, the others were ripped limb from limb or seemingly atomized into a fine red smear on the tender grass of the lawn.

"Holy shit." Dean said as he immediately slammed on the brakes.

"We need to get out of here, there's no fucking way we can handle this on our own…" Sam swallowed dryly.

As Dean was about to put the car into reverse a little girl with pale skin and dark brown hair stepped out of the convent. She was wearing a blood-soaked green plaid dress with a white sweater overtop-the uniform of Point Mills Elementary. "Boys… Please come out and play… I've been waiting so long and I want to have my fun…" She grinned viciously as her eyes flashed white and her neck unnaturally cracked to the side, hanging limply as if it were a slinky halfway into its descent down a stair.

"Wait a moment, is that-" Cas spoke as he drew his blade. Before he could conclude the girl slapped her hand against a mark on the side of the building and Cas glowed a hot white for a moment before he disappeared, leaving a black burn mark on the vinyl of the backseat.

"Sorry, but no angels allowed." She bared her teeth in a vile approximation of a smile.

Sam and Dean exchanged a horrified stare before turning back to the girl, who at this point continued her unnatural head tilt as she beckoned with a finger for them to join her, then giggled as she skipped into the building.

Dean grabbed Cas' blade and flung the door open.

"Dean, what are you doing?! It's suicide going in there!" Sam shouted, stumbling out of his own door.

"That bitch just killed Cas." Dean's eyes flashed with an intensity that made Sam take a half-step back, "I'm gonna make sure she and all those other demon bastards pay."

"But it's clearly a trap-and we have no idea what the final seal is, or how to stop it, and aside from the blade you're holding we have nothing to kill them…" Sam pointed out.

Dean looked again at his brother, "You don't have to go in there, but I'm avenging Cas." He smiled grimly as he adjusted his jacket and threw off his tie, "I always figured I'd end up dying one of these days… let's see how many sulfur coated assholes I can take with me."

Sam grabbed his arm, "I'm going with you. They seem to want me for something, might as well prove they can't have it."

Dean nodded as the brothers looked one last time at the night sky before they walked toward the heavy wood doors that would lead to the worst night of their lives.