Chapter 8. Creepy Orphanages and Uncle John
/Okay now we are officially in the middle of nowhere/ Dean thought as their bus turned onto another dirt road that looked like it lead to nowhere. He couldn't understand what could be so magnificent out here that Sam would want to come on this stupid camp.
He couldn't stop his thoughts from wondering what his Dad and Caleb were doing right now. He was pretty sure that they were planning on leaving Jim's as soon as Caleb got back from dropping him and Sam off at the school. He caught himself wondering if they had gotten to their destination yet. If he remembered correctly they were going to a place called Rose Creek. Caleb had said that it was nearly an hour and a half away from Jim's place which means more than likely they were already there.
He had been keeping, what he hoped was, an inconspicuous eye on his little brother periodically just to make sure that all was well in Sammy-land. Sam for the most part was chatting away happily with his friends and seemed to be having fun just sitting and talking.
Dean had noticed that especially since Sam had become a teenager he seemed to strive to fit in with all the other normal kids. Dean didn't understand what was so special about being normal. What was normal anyway? In Dean's opinion everybody had their own definition of what normal was, so he didn't quite get why Sam thought he should act a certain way.
He looked outside his window at the wide open spaces and then looked down at his watch. It was nearly 11 am. They should be getting there anytime now. Or at least Dean was hoping so anyway. He had been sitting in that damn bus for long enough and he really needed to get out. He looked back out the window and he was surprised to see that he could see a building in the distance that he hadn't seen before. He thought it was strange that he hadn't noticed it before now but then being on the bus for so damn long had probably put him in a semi coma.
He turned to look at Jay and saw that the guy was almost nodding off.
"Looks like we'll be there soon," Dean said giving his friend a little nudge with his shoulder.
Jay came awake with a start and looked at Dean confused for a moment, "what?"
"I said it looks like we'll be there soon."
Jay leaned across Dean to take a look out the window and then sat back, "looks like."
"Hey I've been wondering," Dean began, "Do you have any idea what they have in store for us?"
"No idea but I'm sure they're gonna have lots of fun activities to do, "Jay said sarcastically.
"Oh I'm sure they do but I can tell you one thing. They can stick there stupid camp songs where the song don't shine and that's being polite about it."
Jay laughed, "I'm with you there but don't you think having a camp sing a long is a bit cliché?"
"Honestly … I have no idea what to expect. I've never been on one of these things before."
"I've been on a few but that was when I was younger. This is the first one I have been made to come on in years."
"How come?"
"Well long story short, my dad left when I was little and my mum doesn't really like having us around during school holidays. She used to send us to our grandmother's but she died last year so it looks like its back to being sent off every summer."
"Don't you have any other family you could stay with?"
Jay shook his head, "Nah it's just my mum and my sister and me now that my grandma died and I think the only reason mum sticks around because she feels obligated."
"Dude, that sucks."
"Yeah aint it great to be loved," Jay joked.
The conversation was stopped short when they felt the bus slow down before eventually stopping. Dean looked out his window again and saw that they had stopped outside humongous gates. Mr. Graham got out of the bus and proceeded to ring the buzzer on the gate. Dean watched as he appeared to be talking to someone on the intercom. Moments later the old man came back on the bus and stood standing to address the students.
"Okay people we're here. Once we get inside the gates I want you all to come inside the building and wait in the foyer area where you will receive further instructions," Mr. Graham told them, still scowling, "Is that clear?"
A bunch of 'Yes Sir's' could be heard coming from numerous students on the bus.
"Is that clear Mr. Winchester and Mr. Dalesfed?" He asked rather loudly to Dean and Jay who hadn't bothered to answer.
"Yes Sir," Jay answered and nudged Dean when he didn't say anything.
"Yes," Dean said quietly.
"Good," Mr. Graham said and then sat back down as the big front gates were starting to open.
Dean's eyes narrowed at what had just happened. Why did he suddenly feel like he had enlisted for boot camp? He didn't need boot camp; he got enough of that at home from his father. And he knew he wasn't the perfect student but what the hell had he done to get the man so pissed off with him. He was starting to get the feeling that the next month was going to be hell. Damn it! He should be in Rose Creek right now on a hunt with his Dad and Caleb not sitting in a cramped bus getting chewed out by a teacher when he hadn't done anything wrong.
"Wow Dean he really doesn't like you," Lynda piped up, her attention back on Dean.
/State the obvious sweetheart/ he thought but just replied with a "Ya think?"
"You think we're gonna have to put up with that for the whole month?" Jay asked.
"With my luck," Dean sighed.
Once the gates were fully open the bus driver followed the first bus onto the property. From what Dean could see it was a fair enough distance between the front gates and the actual Orphanage.
When they finally reached the building their bus driver pulled up next to the first bus and came to a stop, killing the engine.
Mr. Graham, the only teacher that seemed to have a voice so far, stood up and ordered everyone to exit the bus slowly. Dean and Jay stayed seated and waited for the rush of students to get off the bus before making a move themselves.
Once stepping off the bus Dean breathed in a breath of fresh air. It had become stuffy on the bus and his window hadn't budged when he'd tried to open it. He looked over at where they had come and saw that the groundskeepers or whatever they were, were closing the gates. Dean didn't know why but he wasn't entirely happy about that. Maybe it was just because he didn't like to feel caged in.
He tore his attention away from the gates to look around at his surroundings. The hunter in him was always at work even at times when it didn't need to be. He liked to know exactly what was around him and it was always smart to have an escape route already planned out incase things went south.
Dean shook his head at himself. He sounded like he was heading into battle. Focusing once again on his surroundings, his attention was brought to the massive building in front of them. Calling it massive was an understatement. It was a like mini mansion, but a very old mansion. In fact to Dean it looked like an old creepy mansion that you would see in those lame horror movies that they showed on TV.
When Dean had been told they were going to be at an old restored orphanage he had pictured a smaller run down house but now he thought he obviously watched a little bit too much TV.
The building was a dark and gloomy colour and was covered by lots of overgrown vines. The garden looked like it had been tended to but didn't hold a lot of colour either. Looking around at the actual grounds he realized that it was definitely on a big piece of land and he could only see the front half at the moment.
He looked over at Sam and saw that he and the boys were looking up at the old orphanage in awe. Sam had seen plenty of old houses and mansions that had been haunted but he was obviously impressed and knowing Sam, happy because he knew for once that this time he was walking into an old house where wouldn't have to deal with ghosts or anything else supernatural for that matter.
He was brought back to the hear and now when he felt his duffle bag being dropped at his feet
"There ya go," Jay said slinging his own bag on his back.
"Thanks," Dean replied.
"I thought that this place was supposed to be restored or something," Jay asked as he himself looked up at the building.
Dean shrugged, "That's what Sammy told me. Though he neglected to tell me how long ago it was restored."
"Well let's go shall we?" Jay said.
"Yeah let's," Dean replied reaching down to pick up his bag and followed after Jay into the building.
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"Rose Creek," Caleb said out loud as the past the towns sign.
"Not very big," John observed as Caleb continued to drive. He rolled his eyes as Caleb picked up his singing again.
Caleb saw the look on John's face out of the corner of his eye and looked sidelong at his friend.
"What?"
"You know I thought that Dean sang off key but I don't think I'll ever complain again."
"Just think … you could have had both of us in the one car," Caleb joked.
"Thank god."
"No thank Sammy."
John laughed and then looked down at Caleb's notes before looking up again, "So where do you want to head first?"
"Well I have a list somewhere of some of the victim's. That's a good a place as any to start I guess," Caleb said as he turned down the volume on his new car stereo.
John started flipping through Caleb's notes to find the paper he saw with a list of victim's. He noticed that Caleb's method of note collecting was just as unorganized and messy as his own.
"How many did you find?" he asked as he continued to leaf through the papers on his lap.
Caleb glanced at John and then back at the road, "Um ten I think, it's in there somewhere."
"That's helpful," John sniped.
"I try."
"You're very trying … ah huh!" he exclaimed when he found the page with the list of supposed victims on it.
"Told you it was there," Caleb said smirking, "Which one did you wanna go see first?"
John read the list. All up there were ten people two adults and eight children, "Well … I guess we'll go the closest one."
Caleb pulled up at the first pay phone he saw and stopped the car, "We can look them up in the phone book."
John opened the car door and got our taking his piece of paper with him. Caleb followed suit, opening his car door and following John to the phone booth.
John opened the phone book and then began to search for the names that were down on the sheet of paper. He began going through the pages but then all of a sudden stopped when he felt Caleb trying to read over his shoulder. He turned his head to look at Caleb, the younger hunter giving him a 'what?' expression in return.
"You know that's very annoying."
"Okay … okay, I'll just wait by the car," Caleb surrendered.
John smiled and then looked back down at the telephone book. It didn't take him long to go through the whole list and once he was finished he walked over to where Caleb was leaning against the Charger.
"Okay, five out of the ten people are still in Rose Creek. As far as the phone book is concerned anyway." John told him as he leaned on the car next to Caleb.
"Who's first on the list?"
"Bradley Kearns, 17, moved to Rose Creek from Texas about five years ago according to your notes."
"What's the number?" Caleb asked pulling out his cell phone.
John handed Caleb the piece of paper with the number on it and watched as the younger man dialed.
Caleb put the phone to his ear and listened as the phone rang a few times before a female voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Uh hi ma'am, are you Mrs. Kearns?"
"That's me, who's calling?"
"My name is Caleb Brown. I'm actually looking for Brad is he in?"
"No he's not in, what is this about?"
"I went to school with Brad back in Texas and thought that since I was in Rose Creek I would look him up," Caleb lied.
"Oh I'm sorry son but Bradley won't be able to catch up with you."
"Why's that?"
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this but Bradley is in the hospital … he's in a coma."
"Oh I'm really sorry to hear that ma'am … umm … do you think he'd mind if I came in? You know to give him some well wishes … we were pretty tight back then."
"I suppose that would be okay. I'm heading back there myself now."
John watched as Caleb took down details of where the kid was and said his goodbyes to the kids mother.
Caleb pressed the end call button on his phone and leaned back on the car next to John.
"So?" John asked.
"Well, it turns out Bradley Kearns is in a coma in the hospital. I told her that we'd come in to visit him."
John looked at Caleb skeptically, "I think she's gonna realize you're not 17."
"So I'm an older friend. I'm only 26; I could pass for 18 or 20."
"Maybe,"
"Well I'm gonna have to because I said we would meet her there," he replied walking around to the drivers side and hopping into the drivers seat.
John swung the passenger side door open and sat down in the seat then closing the door.
Caleb started the car and took off down the road in the direction of the local hospital, eyes on the road.
Suddenly he turned to John with a slight smirk spreading across his face, "Oh and by the way I told her I was road tripping with my Uncle. Okay Uncle John."
"Pfft Nephew my ass, more like pain in my ass," John joked.
"That hurts," Caleb said in mock sadness, dramatically putting a hand to his chest.
"Just drive," John said shaking his head at his young friend's antics.
TBC ...
I hope everyone liked this chapter. At least we have finally gotten to camp now :-) seeya soon :-)