"You want to tell me what the hell that was all about?" Dean sneered as he unlocked the door to the cheap motel room.
Sam pushed past his brother, glaring as he went, and flung a beat up duffel onto one of two standard-issue queen beds. "What all what was about?"
"Cut the crap Sammy. You've been wiggin' since we took this job. What's going on with you and Shelly?"
"Nothing. Trust me."
Dean was intrigued by the bitterness in Sam's tone and gently pushed for a little more info. "It didn't look like nothing."
Sam gave his brother a warning look to mind his own business, which caused Dean to shrug as if he would do so, but the look on his face and the way he cleared his throat as he fell onto the other bed caused Sam to explode. "Damnit Dean I'm not getting into this with you again!"
Dean shrugged as he rested himself against the headboard and tucked his hands behind his head. "It's ok. Shelly's hot. She's exciting and fun. Hell you know I like her. Why don't you go for it? I'll back off."
Sam unzipped his bag and began sifting through it for a clean change of clothes. "Not gonna happen."
"What's stopping you?"
Sam stopped what he was doing and stared down at his clothes. The answer to that question caused him a great deal of pain, pain that Dean could never fully understand. "That's complicated." He whispered and then zipped his bag shut.
"I guess so. You guys were like Days Of Our Lives back there with all the drama."
Sam gave his brother a peculiar look. "You watch soap operas?"
Dean was busted when he tried unsuccessfully to hide his guilty look and he frowned when Sam snickered. "Don't change the subject. Why was Shelly so pissed off at you when we dropped her off at her apartment?"
"It's a long story." Sam sighed.
"Try me." Dean said as Sam picked up the clean set of clothes and headed toward the bathroom.
"Dean! I'm not talking about this."
"Dude you've got to relax. I'm just trying to help like a good big brother."
"I didn't ask for your help." Sam said trying his best not to get angry. "Besides, you're the one who always says no chick flick moments."
"I'm not telling you to cry about it, I just thought that maybe I could help."
Sam stopped at the entrance to the bathroom and tried not to laugh at his big brother. "No offense Dean, cause you're my brother and I love you, but you are the last person I would come to for advice about girls."
Dean scoffed an offended, "What?" honestly confused as to what was wrong with him. As far as he was concerned there was no one better to ask about the subject.
Sam grinned at his brother and then disappeared into the bathroom. Dean waved him off with good riddance and then flipped on the old TV set. He glanced at the bathroom door to make sure that it was shut tightly and the water was running before he stopped the channel on an old episode of Oprah. When the water turned off thirty or so minutes later Dean quickly changed the channel to anything but the talk show he'd been absorbed in for the last half an hour. "Did ya leave any hot water for me Samantha?"
"Funny."
"Seriously, what was with the marathon shower?"
Sam dropped heavily onto his bed and let his eyes fall shut. "I'm just tired."
Dean lost the playful attitude and dropped the subject altogether. He knew something was wrong with Sam, but he also knew that there was no man on the planet more stubborn than him; a trait he got from his father. The way those two used to go at it, Dean often felt like he was barely holding their messed up family together by a single thread.
Once their dad wasn't around anymore the fighting didn't happen as much, and at first it was a relief for Dean. Sam stopped pulling away and the brothers became a lot closer, which is what Dean wanted all along. But at the same time, Sam no longer had a way to vent all his feelings and not wanting to fight with the only family he had left, he bottled everything up. Dean didn't necessarily want to fight with Sam, but at least that way he knew what was going on inside that little head of his and he wouldn't worry so much. "Whatever dude." He finally muttered under his breath.
Dean pulled himself from his bead and before making his way into the bathroom for a marathon shower of his own, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tossed it onto the bed next to Sam. "You should at least call her. You might sleep better and we have a busy day of killing monsters tomorrow."
"It's a spirit." Sam called out sarcastically as Dean disappeared.
When he heard the door shut he reached out for his phone. After staring at it for a moment he realized his brother was right, he needed to talk to Shelly. He closed his eyes again and let out a deep breath as he listened to the phone buzz in his ear. "If you think you're talking me into letting you come over tonight, you're sorely mistaken." Shelly answered playfully.
"It's me Shell."
"Oh." Shelly replied in almost a sad tone when she realized it wasn't Dean. "Hey."
"Look, about earlier."
"Don't worry about it." Shelly stopped him, "It was a long time ago."
"Still, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" Shelly said letting her anger start to get the better of her, "Sorry for nearly kissing me today after you suddenly walked out of my life for no reason?"
"I had my reasons."
"None of which you would explain to me."
"I'm sorry Shelly, I really am. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Shelly mustered her temper. She'd promised herself the minute she saw him that she wouldn't let him see how much he'd hurt her. But he already knew, and he hated himself for it. "I don't want an apology Sam," Shelly said quietly, "I want an explanation."
Sam rubbed his now pounding head. "Shelly," he hesitated, "It's..."
"Complicated." Shelly offered, "I know. Everything always is with you."
Sam and Shelly vented their frustrations in unison with matching sighs and the line went quiet until Shelly heard a noise come from across the room. "What was that?" She wondered aloud.
"What was what?"
"Nothing." Shelly said shaking her head, "I just thought I heard… never mind."
"Thought you heard what?" Sam asked pulling himself to a sitting position.
"There it is again."
"What is it Shelly?"
"Don't worry, I think it's just a mouse."
"You should get out of the house just to be safe." Sam said as he slipped his shoes on his feet.
"Hu-uh!" Shelly laughed, "I'm not getting off this bed if there's a rat under it. I'm barefoot right now."
"It might not be a rat."
"You mean the bogeyman? But I thought you said that thing couldn't leave the house."
Sam's heart began to race as he scrambled to find Dean's keys. "I don't think so, but we don't want to find out do we? Please, just wait for me outside. I'm coming right now."
"Ok." Shelly agreed and then gasped into the phone.
"Shelly?"
"Sam!" Shelly screamed into the phone and then the line went dead.
"Shelly!"
Sam continued to scream into the phone as he raced out the door leaving it hanging wide open behind him. Seconds later a dripping-wet Dean wrapped in a towel poked his head out the bathroom door. "Sammy?"
Dean scanned the room and walked over to the open door just in time to see his Impala burn rubber on the pavement as it screeched out of the parking lot. "Crap!"
Dean reached for his gun and the first pair of shorts he could find and then went running down the street after his brother.
Minutes later Sam grabbed the loaded shotgun from the trunk of the car and burst into Shelly's apartment. "Shelly?"
"Sam! I'm back here!" she screamed.
Sam ran to the bedroom to find things flying about in a whirlwind. "Help me!" Shelly screamed.
Sweat was dripping down Shelly's face as she used every ounce of muscle she had to hold the closet door closed. Whatever was behind it was fighting desperately to escape. "I can't hold it much longer!"
Sam stood in front of her and took aim at the closet. "On the count of three, jump!"
Shelly nodded as she continued to hold back the monster. "One." Sam cocked the shotgun. "Two."
Shelly prepared herself to leap out of the way but before Sam could say three she lost her footing and the closet door flew open throwing her across the room. She hit her head on the corner of the dresser and fell to the ground unconscious as Sam blasted the shotgun into the closet.
Shelly was right about the creature being small. Sam's aim was too high and the rock salt flew over its head blowing tiny holes into the back of the closet. The creature laughed its sinister laugh as Sam cocked the gun again and then it grabbed his foot sending him crashing to the ground.
The monster laughed as it dug its claws into Sam's leg. Sam screamed out in pain as he felt his skin being torn open. He let go of the gun to grab his throbbing leg and the creature began pulling him into the closet, laughing as he recited his eerie poem.
"Baby,
baby, naught baby,
Hush! you squalling thing, I say;
Peace this
instant! Peace! or maybe
Bonaparte will pass this way."
Sam let go of his leg and reached for the shotgun that was just out of his grasp. He stretched his arms its direction and the tips of his fingers could almost grasp it. He struggled to gain just one more inch when he felt the creature's claws climb up his leg and he screamed out again trying to wrestle the creature off him.
"Baby,
baby, if he hears you
As he gallops past the house,
Limb from
limb at once he'll tear you
Just as pussy tears a mouse."
Sam looked into the fierce glowing eyes and balled up his fist. "The hell you will!" he grumbled and then swung with all his strength.
For a split second the creature lost its grip and Sam grabbed the gun. As he pulled it into his arms the monster squealed in anger and jumped at Sam sinking its claws into Sam's shoulder. Sam felt the warmth of fresh blood as the creature slashed through his shirt and left it's mark across his chest. Seeing Sam's pain brought the laugh back to the monster.
"And
he'll beat you, beat you, beat you,
And he'll beat you all to
pap:
And he'll eat you, eat you, eat you,
Gobble you, gobble
you, snap! snap! snap!"
"Eat this!" Sam growled as he struggled to aim the gun.
He pulled the trigger, missing the creature and blasting the shelf above his head. The shelf collapsed sending a pair of boots, a hat and other miscellaneous items crashing down on him. Something very hard and heavy fell on Sam's head leaving a small gash above his eye and knocking him out cold.
The creature suddenly jumped off of Sam and squealed again, this time as if he were in pain. In a flash of light the wind in the room stopped blowing and all went quiet. All signs of the bogeyman were gone.
Sam awoke minutes later to the sound of Dean's voice calling his name as she shook him. "Sam! Sammy wake up!"
He looked startled at first until his eyes rested on Shelly. She was sitting on her bed holding a towel to her head. "I'm fine." She smiled.
"How about you?" Dean said wiping away the blood that was trickling into Sam's eye.
Sam took a second to get his bearings. His entire body hurt, but he knew he would be ok. "I've been worse off." He said attempting to sit up.
He winced in pain and Dean immediately pushed him back down. "Just hold up for a minute little brother. You took a pretty bad beating."
"What took you so long?" Sam laughed and then coughed when it hurt.
"Dude, how fast can you run two miles? And what were you thinking leaving without me? If you hurt my car you're gonna wish that creepy little bitch killed you."
"So how'd you get rid of it?"
Dean looked at his brother wondering if that blow to his head knocked his brain lose. "What are you talking about?"
"The bogeyman. How'd you get rid of it?"
"I didn't. I came in and found the two of you napping like its Sunday morning."
"Then where'd it go?"
Dean looked down at the gun on the floor. "Didn't you shoot it?"
Sam shook his head and looked around trying to figure out what happened until he found the horseshoe that had fallen on his head sitting in his lap. "What is it?" Dean asked as he stared at the old trophy.
"Horseshoes." Sam whispered as his brain wheeled a million miles a minute.
"What about 'em?"
"They're good luck." Sam explained, "A lot of European folklore says that they can repel evil. People used to hang them over the doors to their homes so that evil spirits couldn't cross the threshold."
"Do you think that really works?"
"It would explain why it disappeared."
Dean grabbed the horseshoe from Sam. "Well then, we'll just take this back with us." Dean said as he helped Sam to his feet. He noticed a Shelly's old cowgirl hat and lasso lying on the floor. He grinned as he put the hat on his head and held out the lasso. "Maybe we should bring this with us too."