"How long have we got?" Dean asked.
Sam glanced at his watch.
"About two and a half hours." He replied.
"Shit." Dean cursed running a hand down his face. "We're cutting this a bit fine."
"I know but we have to be close."
Dean kicked at a loose stone in the path and watched as it skittered along. He sniffed, then sniffed again.
"Ugh! What's that smell? Was that you?" He asked his brother.
"What? No! Besides, he whole smelt it dealt it."
"No, that was not me! If that was me you'd be dead!" Dean covered his mouth and nose. "Jeez, Sammy! It's getting worse! You gotta got to a doctor or something!" He said waving his hand around.
"It wasn't me!" Sam declared covering his own mouth and nose. "Look, it's coving from over there."
Dean turned in the direction Sam was pointing and saw a long patch of bubbling bog water taking up their pathway.
"Don't touch it!" Sam cautioned his brother as they stopped just feet from the disgusting smelling sludge. "You'd probably stink like that forever!"
"So how do we get past?" Dean asked.
"Look, there's a small pathway on each side. We're going to have to use those."
Dean examined the pathways.
"They're tiny. We're going to have to be really careful. You get any this shit on you and you're never riding in Baby again!"
Dean was right. The tracks were tiny. The paths were just big enough for the brothers to move along sideways.
"Alright. Move your pack to your front and keep your back pressed against the wall. Take your time and we should be alright." Dean instructed.
"As long as we don't pass out from that stench!" Sam said retching into his sleeve.
Dean rummaged through his pack and came up with a couple of bandanas. He handed one to Sam.
"Don't know it this will do any good, but it couldn't hurt." He said.
Sam took it and wrapped it around his nose and mouth while Dean did the same.
"Okay, let's get rolling, we don't have time to waste."
Sam nodded and they each took a side and slowly began to inch their way along the small ledges. Shuffling sideways with their hands pressed flat against the rock wall behind them as if that was going to provide them any help.
Sam had one close call when he stumbled and began to topple forwards.
"Sammy!" Dean reached out a hand just as Sam managed to regain his balance and press back agains the wall.
"I'm okay." He said with a nod to his brother as he took deep controlled breaths to slow his racing heartbeat.
Dean stood in place until Sam was calm enough to carry on.
"Slow and steady Sammy, we got time." Dean encouraged him.
Sam couldn't risk lifting his arm to check his watch but he knew that it was rapidly draining away and they, in fact, did not have time, but still they inched slowly towards the end of their ledges. Finally they were drawing nearer to the other side and the urge to rush built up in each of them.
"Don't rush it Sam." Dean warned.
Sam looked up and caught his brothers eye. He nodded and looked back down at his feet. The end was there.
Three.
Two.
One.
And a final step to safety and the brothers collapsed on the ground panting, with legs shaking from the exertion.
"Well done Sam. Looks like you get a ride home after all." Dean smiled as he clapped his brother on the shoulder then removed his bandana.
"Yeah, thanks jerk." Sam nodded as he sat back to rest as he used his own to mop the sweat from his face and neck.
"Any time bitch."
Dean pulled his pack off his chest and dumped it on the ground, then lay back on it for an exact count of sixty.
"Okay, breaks over. Let's get moving." He said sitting back up.
The brothers helped each other to their feet and reset their packs on their back.
"This way." Sam said pointing out the obvious, because there was no way Dean was going back anywhere near that excruciatingly stinky bog!
…
The pathway ran more or less straight, no twists or turns and no offshoots to see.
"This is encouraging. I think we're on the right path." Sam said as they hurried along.
"That doesn't look so encouraging." Dean said pointing to a dark tunnel that was looming up ahead.
The brothers stopped at the mouth of the tunnel, Sam brushing away some stray cobwebs so the could look inside.
"Well, after you." Sam said gesturing.
"Why do I have to go first?"
"Because you're the big brother." Sam replied.
"So? I mean, there could be anything in there. There could be spiders. There could be the spiny blade things…snakes. Spiders!" Dean argued pointing to the webs still hanging from the wall.
"You are such a baby!" Sam huffed with a roll of his eyes.
He went to step forward only be stopped by a hand on his chest.
"Wait!" Dean held up a hand.
"For what?"
"Spiny blade things." Dean said as if that explained everything.
He picked up a large chunk of rock that was nearby and threw it into the tunnel. He waited for a moment and when nothing deadly shot out of the walls, or scurried toward them, he relaxed and motioned for Sam to go ahead.
"I got your six." He said pulling out his gun.
Sam shook his head and stepped into the tunnel clicking on his flashlight.
"Abandon ye hope, all who enter here!" An ominous voice rang out in the dim light.
The brothers looked around and couldn't see anyone. They shrugged at each other and continued on their way.
"Turn back before it is too late!"
"You're going the wrong way!"
"Beware! Each step leads you further from your path!"
The warnings rang out around them.
"What the fu..?" Dean looked around the beam of his own flashlight bouncing off the walls.
On closer inspection Sam and Dean could see faces carved into the rocks. They leaned in to get a closer look.
"The one you seek is not this way."
"Argh!" They stepped back and Dean raised his gun.
"Ignore them. They're false warnings." Sam said. "Just means we're on the right path, come on, let's go."
Sam gave Dean a gentle tap on the chest and they began walking again, the warnings echoing around them as they went. The tunnel lightened as they approached the other end and the brothers could clearly see the rock faces as they passed. Dean was getting more than annoyed with each and every false warning and they were beginning to send an itch down his spine. He pulled his gun again and pointed it to a face that he could see was getting ready to speak.
"Don't even think about it!" He warned.
"Oh please? I haven't said it in such a long time." It pleaded.
Dean sighed and lowered his weapon.
"Fine go ahead, but don't expect us to believe you." He said.
"Oh I won't!" The rock face cleared its throat. "This path you follow will lead you to certain dOoOm!"
"Better?" Dean asked.
"Oh yes, thank you!"
"Dean? What are you doing? Stop messing around and hurry up!" Sam called back to his brother.
Dean nodded once then hurried to catch up to Sam.
…
a/n so I'm posting this earlier than I normally would for entirely selfish reasons and also because I'm not sure if I will be able to post on Sunday night/Monday morning like I normally would. This could also be me sucking up for the fact the last chapter or two might be delayed several weeks.