Chapter 4: Into the Woods We Go
"Coventry Woods used to be a summer camp back in the day, Camp Fernbrook. Started out as a camp for a bunch of Methodist churches, then it went independent and became a public summer camp in the 1960s. After defaulting on the payments it went up for auction before being bought by the Hill School-a rich kid college prep school across the river. They owned it until the 1990s, then suddenly decided they wanted nothing to do with it and donated the land to the township as a tax write-off. Township kept it gated off until the Parks and Rec board decided it was time to expand and realized they already had land. So the township demolished a few old cabins, put in a parking lot, and bam! Coventry Woods was a thing." Mike was driving Sam and Dean to the woods where he suspected the wendigo lived. He was nearly shouting over the air ripping past the car as he sped through the country lanes toward their destination. "There's a good reason no sane person ever wanted to build out here, land's toxic-literally. Groundwater's been contaminated for decades, something to do with mining in the area back in the 1920s. Apparently there's one uncontaminated spring in the dead center of the park, and that's where the camp used to get their water from-and where I suspect the wendigo goes for water."
Mike pulled through a set of stone pillars which bore a wooden sign, "Welcome to Coventry Woods". He parked his car in the gravel parking lot before getting out, being shortly followed by Sam and Dean. The park appeared near enough to being normal. A small field with a basketball hoop sat beyond a bridge which crossed a wide creek. The woods started shortly afterward, with part of a lodge building poking out from the edge.
"That's the lodge where Nancy's having her party in a few days. Given everything that happened in this place I guarantee there'd be at least one fatality by the end of the night." Mike paused for a moment before pulling out a thick stack of papers printed off the county missing person website. "This thing has been hunting in the area since at least the 1950s, with a bunch of kids going missing from the camp year after year. It got to the point that it was almost normal to expect at least one kid to vanish each summer. Then in '74 this thing goes nuts. In one week half the camp-like twenty campers and counselors-go missing. Police come in and find nothing. At that point the place closes for a few years, then reopens as a retreat for a bunch of rich kids during the summer months. That doesn't go well after three boys go missing on a hike and the fourth one comes back bloody and bruised, claiming that a monster got his friends. So the camp shuts down and the land eventually ends up with the township, who decides despite the dozens of missing people, it would be a good idea to make it a public park and rent out the lodge for parties. This year is the first time the land's been open to the public in close to a decade. I know this thing is hungry and probably pissed off that no one's been around. I suggest you guys get it before it decides to get desperate and start hunting in one of the surrounding neighborhoods." Mike solemnly looked at the two. "Are you sure you'll be alright, just the two of you? I could at least wait here with the car if you wanted."
"No, once we get this thing we'll call you to pick us up. If something goes south we want you as far away as possible. You have a family to take care of, we'll manage this on our own." Dean sternly looked at Mike.
"Alright. Don't forget your gear, and I also packed you guys some food-I don't know how long it'll take so I made you guys lunches and dinners. If it goes south and you need a ride, call me. Use the codeword so I know it's you-these bastards are too good at mimicking voices otherwise." Mike handed Sam and Dean two large backpacks.
Sam unzipped his to check everything, then satisfied, zipped it back up. "Don't worry, we will. Stay safe Mike."
"You're telling me to stay safe? You do realize you're the one about to go up against a wendigo, right? I'll be back when you call. Good luck guys." Mike got back in the car and waved as he pulled back onto the road.
After his car pulled away Sam pulled out a large map of the park he had gotten off the official website as well as satellite images of the area with probable sighting marked. "Okay, so it looks like we should start off on the red trail then branch off to the double yellow in order to get to the old spring house. Since this thing needs clean water it'll have to show up there eventually. We just stake it out while in Anasazi ring and when it shows up we shoot it with a flare gun."
"Really, is that all?" Dean muttered, hoisting on his pack.
"Well, compared to all the other nightmares we've had to take on I think this should be a nice break. And we know the flare gun works, its how we got the last one."
"Yeah Sammy, the flare gun worked great-right after we didn't almost die the last time we fought one of these things."
"I remember-but still, compared to Lucifer, this shouldn't be too bad."
Sam folded the map up and stuck it in his jacket pocket, then looked around at the park. "Come on, we've got a hike ahead of us."
Six miles of uphill rocky trails later the pair arrived at the old spring house. The small stone building was far from the trail, up a small unmarked path barely visible through the dense undergrowth. The woods were completely silent, without a single chirping bird or animal rustling about. Sam quickly staked out a spot next to the spring house where he could see the broken-in basement door that led to the well. He and Dean drew the Anasazi ring, then covered themselves with undergrowth to hide from the wendigo when it would arrive.
It had been eight hours and the sun was beginning to set. The wendigo hadn't yet shown up and Dean had to pee like a madman. "Sam, where is this thing? I have to piss again and I've run out of Gatorade bottles."
Sam frowned in disgust. "Okay, first, that's disgusting. Second, you're a big boy, you can go without telling me. And third, if you're really that desperate pour one out-away from me-and reuse it. No leaving the circle until we see this thing."
"Ugh, fine." Dean crouched over to get a bottle when his blood ran cold.
"Uh, Sammy?"
"I am not interested in how long it takes. For God's sakes, if you really want to see if you can break your record time yourself!" Sam angrily whispered, intentionally averting his eyes from Dean's direction. He remembered the last time Dean had set a record, triumphantly holding up a stopwatch as he exited a gas station bathroom in Fresno- one minute and sixteen seconds. He shuddered at the fact that he remembered that number so well.
"Sam… it's here. And I'm pretty sure it knows we are." Dean grabbed Sam's arm and turned him around. The wendigo was standing about twenty feet outside of their ring, staring at them. Its dark eyes pierced through the night air and it was clear that if not for the circle the two would have already long been dead.
"Well. Looks like I have company." The creature spoke, using what sounded like the voice of a small child. "And it looks like you know about Anasazi symbols."
Sam reached slowly into his bag to grab a flare gun before the monster disappeared back into the thick undergrowth. Its voice seemed to come from all sides as it spoke.
"It's been a while since I had something to eat. Even longer since I had hunter." The voice morphed into a wheeze before shifting to a man with a twangy accent, "But that doesn't matter much. You have to leave that circle sometime. In fact, I believe I feel rain on the wind. Once that happens… well, your circle won't do much good if it's been washed away."
A rock suddenly flew through the air and hit Dean in the back. He coughed, the wind knocked out of him.
"I could easily kill you now, but why bother? I'm always up for a game."
"You son of a bitch! Show yourself and we'll kick your ass!" Dean angrily shouted, rubbing his tender back as he got up from all fours.
"I'd rather not. But feel free to panic in your last few minutes. It makes the meat test better."