The force of the explosion blew out all the living room windows. Serena was hit with a hail of glass she barely had time to cover her eyes for. She was swept off her feet, flying back several inches before she hit the floor hard. Outside, the explosion propelled several cop cars into the air. They hit the ground, the sound of metal and concrete meeting. Serena lay on the floor, eyes wide in shock. Dean, Seth and Roman practically fell out of their seats when the house shook from the explosion outside. They rushed out into the living room. "Serena!"
"Oh…" she murmured. Her ribs hurt. "Roman, go get Wade…" she managed.
"Jesus, what the fuck caused that?" Seth asked, staring down at all the broken glass. He moved carefully to the window, his eyes widening at the sight of the overturned and flaming police cars. Unconscious and several potentially dead bodies were strewn about the yard. Roman was making his way up the stairs two at a time, calling out for Wade. Seth and Dean helped Serena to her feet. She had a cut above her left eyebrow and on her right cheek. Dean noticed her right arm had a big piece of glass embedded in her skin. She grunted as Dean pulled it out. It was a deep wound that Dean was sure required stitches. He ripped a chunk of his shirt and tied it around her arm, tying it tight to apply pressure to the wound. She was dazed, her eyes vacant and wide. Dean could see that she was out on her feet.
"Serena, we need to get you to the hospital," Dean told her gently. She shook her head, looking towards the stairs. They could hear another small explosion and the sound of flames licking at the cop cars.
"Not without Wade and Roman…" she trailed off.
"She might have a concussion," Seth told him. There was another loud thump above them. "What the fuck?"
"I don't like the sound of that," Dean agreed. Seth looked at Dean and reached into his pocket, thrusting the keys into Dean's hand. "Take the car and get Serena to the hospital. We'll take her car and meet you there, all right? We can't be wasting time while she's bleeding out." Dean nodded.
"Come on, Serena," he coaxed. He tried to gently pull her towards the front door, but she planted a weak foot. Dean looked at her incredulously. "Serena!"
"Don't leave them behind," she whispered. She was shaking like a leaf.
"They're going to meet us at the hospital," Dean told her. She planted her feet. "Don't do this now, Serena. So help me God, I'm not afraid to pick you up and carry you."
"Dean's right, Serena," Seth told her. "Go get looked at. We'll meet you at the hospital."
"I'm scared," she told them. She began to cry. Seth lifted her gaze to his.
"Everything will be fine, Serena. I promise. Just go with Dean. We'll meet you at the hospital."
"My car keys are on the hook in the kitchen…" Serena started. She buckled. Dean picked her up.
"Get her out of here, Dean. I'm going to look in on Roman and Wade." Dean nodded. Seth opened the door and let Dean out of the house. The smell of burned flesh and gasoline hanged heavy in the air. He could hear sirens in the distance, but it was a small town. He had no idea if the local police department was equipped to deal with whatever was going on. Dean wasn't an idiot; he knew that New Jersey wasn't a far drive from New York. Dean knew there was a chance the Staten Island Slasher made it there before they did. He was just hoping it wasn't the case, but the carnage was telling him different.
Dean stopped, realizing the car was blocked by several overturned police cars. Fire was making its way towards the underside of the car. "Serena, can you walk?" he asked. Serena was half out of it, but she nodded. He put her down and together they moved swiftly, getting out of the yard in record time. He turned back towards the house. For a moment he contemplated running back to help the guys, but he knew he needed to get Serena to the hospital. Grabbing her wrist, he practically dragged her. They moved down the sidewalk as fast as she could manage.
"Serena, where's the hospital…?" Dean asked, but he realized quickly that Serena wasn't in any shape to give directions, let alone do much of anything. They were on the roadside, by a small hill that led down to a wooded area. He stopped, grabbing Serena by the face. "Serena, I need you with me. Are you with me?"
"I'm sorry…I'm trying…" she told him, but it was very clear she was in shock. Dean held onto her and they walked as fast as they could, clearing block after block. Dean wasn't even sure if he was going in the right direction. Cars drove past them, ignoring them. Dean was questioning his faith in humanity, watching people ignore Serena, who was obviously injured and bleeding.
Behind them, they heard the unmistakeable sound of a police siren. Dean turned with Serena in time for the car to come barreling at them. Without a second thought, Dean threw himself at Serena, the two of them tumbling down the small hill. Serena grunted as she hit the soft earth. The car narrowly missed them, stopping at the top of the hill. Dean scrambled to his feet in time to see the man get out of the car. It was very obvious he wasn't a police officer. Serena sat up, her eyes resting on her tormentor.
"Oh, God, no!" she whispered under her breath. She started moving backwards.
"Serena, run!" Dean told her.
"I don't think I can," she said. He was coming down the hill.
"Serena, you have to," Dean told her. "I'll fight him off. Just get up and run."
Serena scrambled back until she got herself in a standing position. "Come with me," she begged.
"I'll be right behind you," he promised. "Serena, I'm not going to tell you again: run!"
He was close. Serena turned, running towards the wooded area, hoping the trees would provide her cover. She turned in time to see Dean do a running lunge. "No!" she screamed. There was the sound of a grunt. She watched in horror as Dean slumped to the ground. He looked at her and smiled, walking towards her with purpose.
Turning, Serena began to run through the woods. Her shock had turned into a will to survive again. The branches and brambles tugged and tore at the clothing she wore, but she continued to run. He was coming, hot on her heels. She could hear him calling her, taunting her. She ran in a zigzag pattern, hoping to throw him off her trail. Her mind kept going back to Dean. Was he dead? He couldn't be. She wondered about Wade, Seth and Roman. She hoped they were safe. She wished she had never dragged them into her complicated web of an existence, but she knew that wishing and complaining would get her nowhere. She kept running, deeper into the woods. She could hear his voice in the air. He taunted her about Dean, about the others in the house. He said they were dead, but until she saw it, she refused to believe it. She kept running, hoping the other side of the woods would give way to the main road, but it wasn't happening.
She tripped. She got up right away, not wasting any time. Her arm throbbed and her knee hurt from the fall, but she continued to run. Her speed was cut drastically, the pain in her knee giving her a very visible limp. She kept moving, wishing for civilization to emerge from the other side of the woods, but it wasn't happening. The thought and fear of being lost was the furthest thing she was thinking about, instead focusing on how she was going to get out of this new situation alive. Her breathing was hitching and she knew a panic attack was imminent. But she continued to run.
"Come out, come out wherever you are, Serena," his voice rang clear in the darkness. "You can run, but you can't hide."
She kept moving, jumping over roots and branches. It was cold; she wasn't sure if it was from the night or the fact that the makeshift bandage Dean had made for her was stuck to her arm from all the blood she had lost. "Come on, Serena," she whispered to herself. "You're not chained this time. You can escape." She tried to force herself into positive thinking. She refused to think about the worst case scenario.
Serena tripped over a branch. With a small shriek, she fell, rolling down the steep incline she had been trying to avoid, coming to a stop in an ice-cold ravine.
She didn't move.