For a moment, Karen couldn't stop screaming. The sound just kept coming, tearing at her throat, leaving her breathless and weak. Desperate to get away, she began edging herself backward from the corpse she knew must belong to those fingers. Finally unable to go any further, she rolled so she faced away from what she knew must lie under the blanket of leaves.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she panted through her mouth, trying to ignore the smell she now knew wasn't caused by any animal. Broken and battered, Karen could do little but pray, pray for the soul of the girl that lay close by, pray for the strength to survive and most of all she prayed Sam would find her before Frank.
As she lay, the screams of the riders seemed to fade into the background. In fact, everything began to fade as she began to slip away.
888
Frank's hard grey eyes focused on the narrow wooden gate across the way. He studied the gate for only a moment before returning his attention to the open panel before him. He had no doubt that his secret was safe. He'd been careful to stay within the shadow of the Twister and so far, as he'd expected no one had noticed anything amiss. Everything was going according to plan, once nightfall fell, he'd be able to finish off the girl and leave a trail back to the short-haired man that was currently hunting him. If he was really lucky, the taller young man would also be considered an accomplice. By the time anyone could prove otherwise, Frank would be long gone and off the cops radar. Frank's mind wandered to this morning as he continued his repairs.
After knocking the young girl out, he'd carefully laid her on the living room rug. The rug though long past worn had been sturdy enough for what he needed. It had been harder than he'd expected rolling her up in the rug, but well worth it. Staring down at the bundle he'd made, he was sure no one would suspect what was inside.
With a heave and a grunt, he hefted the bundle up and onto his shoulder. Though the girl couldn't weigh more than one hundred and twenty pounds, Frank quickly realized he wouldn't be able to carry her far. Determined to get the girl gone, he amended his earlier plan and headed for the shadow of the Twister. He knew he could leave her at the base of the ride with confidence. He was the only one of the maintenance workers that had keys to the picket fence that surrounded the ride. The Twister was temperamental at best and Frank was the only one able to handle repairs on the big coaster.
Careful to avoid the main thoroughfare, Frank skirted the park arriving at the coaster in record time. The hardest part was juggling the weight of the girl on his shoulder while unlocking the padlock that hung from the gate. Frank was running out of time and he knew it, he'd been given a full list of work to be done today and if he didn't complete it, people might become suspicious. Frank had won employee of the year, three years running. He couldn't afford to all the sudden change his ways. He needed to be exactly what people expected or he risked turning the attention, from the two men he intended to frame, to himself.
888
"You got it," Sam asked, standing as his brother emerged from the main office.
Dean waved a folded up map in his hand and nodded. "Got it."
Sam didn't even bother with a retort, he simply took the map from his brother and dropped down onto the bench he'd been waiting by. "Alright, it looks like from the coordinates we got from her cell, she's somewhere near the here."
Dean watched as his brother took a red marker and carefully circled the map that was normally reserved for the park's security. Rather than the generic park map handed out on every corner, this map listed everything in detail, from buildings used by the park employees to every path and access point. Dean looked up in surprise as the circle Sam made included the base of what was obviously the roller coaster in front of them.
Already up and moving, Dean called out to his brother, "I'll take the coaster, you take the out-lying area."
Sam didn't waste time arguing, instead he took off across the park his destination the point farthest from the roller coaster.
Dean ran through the crowd pushing people out of his way without a care. As he ran, he kept his eyes out for the bastard that had taken Karen. Though he had only a grainy employee ID photo to go by, Dean was sure he'd recognize the man by his dark-eyed stare alone.
He was certain he was going to be the one to find Karen, that was the main reason he'd decided to search the coaster area himself. Deloris had been very forth coming about Frank, however, the only truly interesting piece of information she'd offered was that he was the only maintenance men to have full access to the Twister.
Now the only question in Dean's mind was whether he'd find Karen alive or not. If she was still alive, Dean would contact Sam immediately. If she wasn't, well, if she wasn't Dean was sure the bastard that killed her would be doing his best to set them up.
Dean had no intention of putting his brother into that kind of danger. Sam's record was still clean and Dean had every intention of keeping it that way. As he approached the ride, Dean slipped off his coat and hung it over his arm, concealing the gun that was now in his hand. Slowing a bit, he began to merge with the crowd, slowly but steadily making his way toward the access gate that surrounded the ride.
Eyeing the gate and the lock, Dean slipped out of the crowd and followed the fence line. He continued around the fence trying to look as if he belonged there whenever he passed people. The majority of the people he passed were employees in uniforms, but some were also casually dressed making him feel a bit less conspicuous.
Eventually the path along the fence line veered off, and Dean found himself alone at last and in a wooded area. One glance at the fence before him and he judged it was too tall to climb. He'd need a boost.
Following the perimeter a bit more, he noticed a scraggly half-dead tree hanging over the fence. It took only a moment for Dean to catch hold of the lowest limb and to swing himself agilely into the tree. Grateful that the decrepit tree was stronger than it appeared, he continued to climb, angling toward the fence. At last Dean found himself with one foot on the branch that extended over the fence.
Knowing he had little choice in the matter, he began edging his way out onto the branch, using the one above it for balance. Dean felt the branch give way before he heard the loud crack of wood snapping. One minute his feet rested on the branch and the next he was dangling in the air.
Dean could pull himself up, but really then he'd be no closer to the ground. A quick glance down showed him that he was well over the fence line. Not seeing any other choice, Dean let go and dropped inside of the fence. Thanks to a rise on the other side of the fence Dean only fell about five feet, landing in a tuck and roll he came to his feet with a wince.
Now that he was inside the fence, he took the time to really study his surroundings. The roar of the coaster overhead threatened to shake his teeth loose and the never-ending screams of the riders only increased the ache in Dean's head.
The rollercoaster supports blocked most of Dean's view and provided any number of hiding spots. It really didn't help that the ground was covered in a layer of dried leaves and debris. Afraid of the time he might waste searching randomly, but unable to find another alternative Dean began his search.
888
It was pure luck that Frank saw them. The older man had emerged from the main office only feet from where he stood. He was furious with himself for not noticing the younger man, even though the lanky youth had been sitting. Keeping his back to the pair as they conversed in low tones, Frank waited to see what they planned.
He had to admit he was surprised when the two split from each other and with only a moment to decide, Frank chose to follow the shorter man. He didn't have to follow him far. It was obvious the man was headed for the Twister. Frank was sure the lock on the gate would deter him, and he wasn't disappointed. He was however surprised when the man began to walk the fence line, his gaze intent on the barrier.
Frank didn't need to see anymore, he had no doubt the younger man was looking for a way in. Not bothering to follow him any longer, Frank headed for the gate with keys in hand.
888
Sam was halfway to his starting point when a feeling of foreboding hit him. The feeling was so strong he stopped dead in his tracks. As he stood, battered on all sides by a crowd of people, Sam concentrated on the feeling. Up until this point, he'd been widely afraid for Karen. Her disappearance was yet another helping of guilt in a long line of servings. He was beginning to think he'd be better off becoming the monk that Dean always alluded to. After all, he already had the celibate part down, how much more could there be to it.
Now, though his feelings of fear weren't centered around the pretty brunette. Instead, Dean was the focus of his anxiety. Something was wrong with this brother, he had no doubt. The only question was whether it would risk Karen's life if he turned around and headed for Dean. Unable to shake the feeling, Sam turned on the spot and broke into a trot. Chances were that whatever trouble his brother was in involved Frank or Karen in someway.
Thanks to the crowd that continued to grow despite the setting sun, it took him nearly fifteen minutes to reach the Twister. As he stood in the shadow of the massive wooden coaster, he found himself wondering what his next step should be. Sam forced himself to remain calm and focused on the problem at hand. Whatever was going down would be out of sight. That ruled out the entrance to the ride and the surrounding area. Sam's gaze continued to scan the base of the coaster, coming back time and again to the white fence that surrounded the mechanics of the ride.
Though the gate sported a large and sturdy looking lock, Sam wasn't overly concerned. If he was right Dean was inside that fence right now, and if his older brother could pick the lock than Sam would have no trouble with it. Feigning indifference, Sam approached the maintenance gate. Trying to figure out how to pick the lock without drawing attention to himself, Sam moved to lean against the gate. As he put pressure on the entry he stumbled sideways barely stifling his cry of surprise. Well, that was easier than he'd expected, he thought as he carefully shut the gate behind him. He wondered if Dean was responsible for the easy entry.
A shiver of fear snaked up his back urging him to hurry. As he drew his gun, he focused on the area before him. A narrow macadam path made it's way from the gate deeper into the shadow of the Twister. Unsure of where to go, Sam opted to follow the fence line for a bit. He needed to get a feeling for the enclosure before he risked being seen.
888
Karen forced her eyes open at the sound of footsteps. Despite the sunny day earlier, dusk was fully upon them and with it absence of sunlight the air was growing cooler by the minute. Unable to keep from shivering, Karen clenched her teeth hoping to cut down their chatter. Not that she thought Frank would have forgotten where he put her but for some reason it just seemed like a smart idea to make as little sound as possible. Tension rising along with an urge to vomit, Karen bit back a scream as a shadow stepped out from the nearest pillar and approached her.
"Karen, calm down."
At first the voice didn't even register with Karen, she was simply too afraid. It was only as the figure approached and repeated himself once again that Karen really listened.
"Dean?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of cold and fear.
Dean knelt in the damp leaves and gently touched her face. "Yeah, honey, it's me."
Karen closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, taking just a moment to thank God for miracles. Finally, the fear of Frank finding them forced her to respond with a shaky laugh, "I guess this isn't quite what you meant when you wanted to use me as bait."
Dean's deep throated chuckle sent a shiver of warmth through her. "Yeah, not quite kid. Now, on your feet."
Karen felt a tug at her wrists and then legs, and suddenly she was free. She couldn't help but moan in pain as the blood returned to her arms in a rush of fire. Dean lifted her in one smooth motion and set her on her feet. He kept one strong arm around her shoulders, offering her the strength she needed to get control. Finally, once she stood under her own steam, she shifted away slightly. Her voice cracking only a little, she said, "There's a body under the leaves." She pointed to where she'd seen the fingers. Though, the light was too dim to actually see them, Karen would never forget the spot.
Dean looked to where she pointed and then seemed to commit it to memory. "We'll take care of it, for now the only thing that matters is we get you out of here."
"Yeah, that would probably be best."
Karen froze as the voice behind her continued.
"Shame you didn't do it twenty minutes ago, you might actually have made it out of here alive."
Karen felt Dean stiffen, his entire body seemed to thrum with intensity. He turned to face the older man, a slight smile on his face.
"You going to stab me in the chest and bury me in the park, Frank?" Dean asked as he turned to face the man and made a come on gesture with his hand.
"Stab you? Now, why would I wanna stab you. I need you alive so you can take the fall for Karen here's death." Frank moved a step closer, the knife in his hand gleaming in the early evening moonlight.
Dean wanted to attack at the sight of his knife held in the hands of a murderer. Problem was, he knew that's what Frank expected. Shifting slightly to block Karen from the other man's view, he waited for Frank to make the first move.
A move was made all right though it wasn't what Dean expected. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow suddenly take shape as it launched itself toward the killer. Dean swore as he saw his brother tackle Frank to the ground. The two wrestled on the ground both fighting for the knife. Sam had the upper hand in size, but Frank mad with rage was fighting like a fiend.
Dean drew his handgun and waited with the weapon trained on the two combatants. He was afraid to fire for fear of hitting his brother. Worried that Sam might lose the struggle, Dean called out, "Sam, roll."
Sam released Frank and rolled, receiving a nick on the arm from the older man as he tried to get clear of him. Frank apparently realized what Sam was doing and clung to him. Dean satisfied that Sam was in the clear, took the shot, catching Frank in the shoulder
The force of the bullet knocked Frank off Sam, allowing the younger Winchester to gain his feet. Dean glanced toward his brother to ensure that he was okay. His moment's inattention was all Frank needed to gather himself. The killer whipped out his leg, catching Dean in the knees and knocking the other man to the ground. The force of the fall knocked Dean's gun out of his hand and into the blanket of leaves that covered the ground.
Dean struggled to keep the knife Frank wielded away from his face. With the other hand he searched the nearby area trying to find his gun. He had a knife in his boot, but with Frank lying on top of him there was little chance of reaching it.
At last, Frank must have decided that stabbing Dean wasn't going to happen. In one swift motion, he kneed Dean in the groin, gained his feet and took off. Dean felt a red haze of pain take over him as he folded in on himself. He knew he had to get up, to get the bastard before he could escape. Problem was he couldn't convince his legs to function quite yet.
"Dean?" Sam questioned as he dropped beside Dean, his one hand clenched to the wound on his arm.
"Gotta get him, Sam," Dean ground out before struggling to his feet. Forcing his body to move, Dean ran for the gate. There was only one way out, of that he was certain. As Dean stumbled out onto the fairway, he glanced left and right searching for any sign of the maintenance man. The crowd though hindering his progress was actually working in his favor. He could just make out Frank shoving and pushing his way through the crowd.
Dean set off to follow unsurprised when Sam appeared at his elbow. "We gotta get him, Sam. If he gets free, we'll never find him."
Sam nodded in agreement his gaze pinned to Frank. "We'll get him."
Dean and Sam ran slowly but surely closing the gap between them and the killer. Frank seemed to be having difficulty weaving his way through the crowd. The blood that covered his overalls was beginning to panic the crowd, plus he looked unsure of just where he could run to. His meandering path began to lead back toward the stream.
At last, he reached the creek bed, running down the side, he stumbled a couple times and fell to his knees in the shallow water. With a clear path through the campground before him, Frank seemed to catch his second wind. He was halfway across the water when he suddenly stopped.
Illuminated by the lampposts on the bridge, the brothers could clearly see just what had caught Frank's attention. The Rusalka floated between Frank and his path to freedom. Gone was the beautiful dark-haired woman that had approached Dean. In her place was an avenging spirit in full fury. Her face contorted by rage was splattered with blood and the stab wounds that had killed her seemed to be leaking blood. In a blink, the Rusalka was at Frank's side. The older man screamed in fear and tried to shrink back from the spirit. She was having no part of it, she grasped his head in her hands, forcing the man down, she pressed his face to the creek bed.
Frank struggled for what seemed forever as the spirit showed him no mercy. Hell, the man didn't deserve any as far as Dean was concerned. He and Sam stood on the riverbank watching until Frank's feeble movements stopped completely. Dean's eyes were then drawn back to the woman that hovered above the body. Her face was once again clear and serene, her body no longer riddled with stab marks. With one last glance toward the man that had killed her she faded out of existence.
"Damn," Dean breathed at a loss to say anymore.
"Yeah," Sam sighed, wincing as he glanced down at the wound on his arm.
"You okay?" Dean asked as he approached Frank's motionless body. A gleam of silver shined up from the shallow water. Dean bent over and picked up his knife. As he tucked it into his boot, he noticed Karen who stood slightly behind his brother, her expression grim.
"Yeah, I'll be fine, but you need to get out of here."
Dean nodded, his brother was right. He needed to be free and clear of the park before the cops showed. And after that display it was only a matter of time before they arrived. "Let's go then."
Sam seemed to hesitate a moment, glancing over his shoulder at Karen. Dean couldn't help but grin at the sight the two of them made. Both were filthy bruised and in general a real mess. He figured he probably wasn't looking much better himself.
"Listen, Sam. Why don't you stay and help Karen deal with the cops. She's going to need a story, and a good one at that" Dean reached into the pocket of his coat and extracted his keys. "I'm gonna take my baby and get the hell out of Dodge. Call me when you're ready to be picked up." Dean didn't give Sam a chance to disagree but headed for the path leading back to the campground.
"I may hang around for a bit, Dean. I mean if we've got no where else to go."
Dean turned on a dime searching Sam's expression. His brother's faint blush and the way he stood so close to Karen was a dead give-away. If that wasn't enough of a hint, Karen was staring up at Sam as if he were a drink of water after a long hot day. Dean grinned and nodded, "Fine by me brother means more hot water for me."
The end.