The Devil You Know - Blues Saraceno
Roy's eyes shot open and he gasped for air. He stayed lying down in the dingy motel bed, trying desperately to catch his breath. A few seconds pass, before his breathing begins to slow down. Roy could feel the sweat dripping from his face and back.
"Damn," Roy mutters, sitting up and placing his feet on the stained carpet floor. Even though he had stopped hyperventilating, Roy was still breathing through his mouth. He looked back at Walt, still laying down beside him, asleep. How could he sleep?
Roy looks down at his own feet, before slowly standing up and trudging to the bathroom. The door creaked loudly as he gently shut it behind him. Very slowly turning on the cold water, he ran his hand under the falling water and splashed it onto his face. Roy stared into the mirror above the sink and watched the water drip from his beard into the bowl below. Just focus on this next hunt.
The night was soon over and Roy stepped out of the shower, towel wrapped around his waist, and began to get dressed. He buttoned up his flannel shirt, zipped up his jeans, laced his boots, but then was suddenly stopped. The sleeve of his jacket. The sleeve of his jacket still had blood on it. It wasn't much, just a couple of specks. Roy didn't move an inch, almost frozen as he looked at the stains.
Roy nearly jumped back out of his boots when he heard a loud knock on the bathroom door. "Are you coming out of there anytime soon?" Walt yelled from the other side.
Roy sighed, letting out the tension, "Yeah, yeah, didn't think you were gonna wake up." He gave his jacket a quick glance before putting it on and opening the bathroom door.
"Shuddup, you ready? I want to get a head start on that werewolf."
"Oh, uh, yeah, ready whenever you are. You get our stuff packed?" Roy asked, walking over to one of the two duffel bags lying on the bed.
"Yep, did it while you were takin' a couple years on the toilet." Walt said very quickly as he grabbed his duffel bag and walked out the door.
Roy followed him outside the motel room and to "their" car. They had stolen it a couple weeks back. It was a beat up, black, 90s era mustang. He threw his duffel bag into the back and slammed the trunk down. One last sigh, then he climbed into the passenger seat next to Walt.
Walt turned the key, and the vehicle roared to life. "I'm not saying this girl is without her flaws, but boy oh boy, I do think I'm in love with this car."
Roy smiled faintly, "So, are you breaking up with me? Or is this some kinda poly thing?"
"Hey, just saying, the car can play music and doesn't snore. We have a day to get there, please find out exactly where our heartless vic was, I do not wanna get caught in that God awful Chicago traffic."
"Will do." Roy said, opening up his laptop.
Hours went by, as day turned back into night. Music had changed stations several times on the radio, and even to an audiobook version of "Travels with Max." Before Walt pulled into a pretty rundown gas station. The pumps looked covered in dirt and grime, and the building itself looked like paint was peeling off the outside walls.
"Nice place. Alright, I need to fill up, why don't you go get some road food, eh?" Walt said, opening up his door and stepping out.
"Yeah, yeah, jerky and soda, got you." Roy followed suit and began walking into the station building.
"Hey, get me some gum too!" Walt yelled at Roy's back.
Without turning around, Roy did a thumb's up to Walt and pulled open the door to the gas station. At the counter was a middle-aged balding man watching a very small TV on the counter. "Hey, where's your restroom?" Roy asked. The man, without looking up from his TV, pointed at a door in the back.
"Thanks," Roy quickly said, before entering the bathroom. It was dismal. The tile floor was stained. One of the two urinals were very clearly broken, and the only stall was fully missing its doors. Roy rubbed his eyes but continued over to the sink. The sink bowl, and the mirror above it, were covered in dirt and grime. The sink creaked to life as he turned the knob and water spurted out at first, before calming down to a soft pour.
Roy ran his hands under the water, letting the cold run along his skin. He cupped the water to his hands, and brought it up to his face, letting the water run down. Everything is fine. Walt isn't thinking about it, and neither are you. The blood on his jacket sleeve caught his eye again, and he gently ran it under the water, to no avail. It was stained and may not ever come off.
Roy sighed and looked back up at the mirror to see his reflection. Except, he wasn't alone in the mirror. Behind him was the middle-aged gas station clerk right behind him. He jumped and turned to look at him.
"Hey, can I help…." His words stopped as he looked at the man. The man's eyes were frozen in fear, and his throat had blood pouring from it, drenching his shirt in a crimson red. But soon, his face turned from fear to a very large smile spreading across his face. His eyes were still fearful, but it was obvious that the man was not in control of his body.
Roy tried to run past him, but the man grabbed Roy by his jacket and threw him against the mirror and held him there. The glass cracked against his back and his head had bounced against the mirror. Blood began to run down Roy's face.
"Really? You guys killed Sam Winchester? I am so curious at how you pulled that one off." The man spoke.
Roy's vision began to get blurry, but he felt the man's tongue against his forehead, lapping up the blood that was spilling out from atop his head. "Who the hell are you?" He managed.
"Oh, baby, it doesn't matter much, but you can call me Belial. Boss sent me here because a pair of hunters offed our little golden ticket. Where's your lover boy, Roy?" The man spat out; the words almost sounded more like a growl than actual words.
Roy let out a little laugh, "I would say eat me, but you beat me to it." He looked into the man's eyes, still full of fear. Desperate for any kind of stalling, Roy asked, "Why did you slit his throat? Why are you keeping him alive?"
Belial chuckled, "Cause he feels it. Every second I'm puppetting his body around, he can't breathe, he feels like his blood is still pouring out, like he's dizzy, but can't make the sensation go away. And even with that pain, he still gets to feel me rip you apart, piece by piece. You see, Big daddy Morningstar doesn't let me out to play much, so I really gotta do all I can to have fun."
"But you killed our 'boy wonder.' Now that is surprising. How'd ya do it? You the coward that shot Jesse James in the back?"
Roy opened his mouth to say something, but just smiled instead, showing his bloodstained teeth. The demon looked only very slightly taken aback, before turning around and seeing the barrel of Walt's shotgun against his face.
"Nice to meet ya." Walt said, spitefully, before pulling the trigger. Roy ducked his head to the side as the rock salt hit Belial and sent him flying into the wall across from him. Walt grabbed Roy's hand and yanked him off the sink and out of the bathroom. They ran into the station and Walt began to pour a bag of salt in front of the door. "We gotta get out of here, this ain't holding 'em for long."
Suddenly the bathroom door swung open and on the other side of the salt line stood Belial. "No, it will not hold me long. Run. Run as fast as you can." Walt and Roy stole a quick glance at each other before running out of the station. "I will find you! I will tear the skin from your bones! No second will you ever be safe! I am your end!" The demon's voice rang throughout the station and even outside as Roy and Walt jumped into their car.
"Jesus, are you okay?" Walt questioned, looking at Roy's head.
"I'm fine for now, just get going!" Roy swatted his hands away.
"Don't gotta tell me twice." Walt turned the ignition key and slammed his foot onto the gas pedal. The back wheels spun for a couple of seconds before the mustang took off down the road.
Roy looked in his side mirror at the gas station. The entire building was shaking. Suddenly, every wall, pump, door, and ceiling were lifted up into the air, spinning around in a vortex. The entire building was in pieces, circling a lone figure standing in the middle.
Roy wiped the blood from his forehead and leaned back into the seat. He glanced over at Walt, still driving frantically. Roy opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He turned back and stared at the long road ahead.
Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.