Chapter 10
Curling his fingers around the door Sam eased it open. He could feel Dean up close the pressure of his hand suddenly increasing as he steadied himself by hanging onto Sam's shirt.
"You okay?"
"Fine." The word snapped out but Sam ignored its abraded tone as his brother continued to cling on his action speaking much louder than his one word.
Outside the night was black, no moon, no stars showed from behind the high cloud cover and the eerie silence sent shivers down Sam's spine. He'd always loved being out in the woods at night but the allure was rapidly waning.
"Any sign?" He felt his brother's warm breath puff on his neck as he whispered.
"Can't see anything."
"Then let's get the Godamned hell out of here."
"No I mean literally I can't see anything, it's too dark." Sam once again scanned the immediate area outside the door and couldn't even see the nearest tree despite the glow of the fire spilling out through the doorway. Turning back his eyes met with his brother's and for a few seconds neither of them spoke.
"Don't tell me you didn't bring a flashlight…you got every damn thing else in that backpack." There was a distinct hint of resentment and Sam got the feeling that although Dean was mocking him he was angry at the same time.
He prickled "Yeah I got a flashlight but excuse me for not anticipating a full blown night hike and providing you with a Superbright LED headlamp flashlight in fetching black."
"A what?"
"Never mind."
Shaking Dean off Sam stomped back to the hearth, collected various articles and began stuffing them back into his apparently offensive rucksack, his mellow mood of earlier dissipating into an angry huff.
Silence yawned between them as Sam continued to ram things into pockets, zipping them in with ferocious efficiency. Inside he was seething about how ungrateful Dean could be, muttering to himself about how the contents of the backpack had probably saved Dean's life and at least one of them'd had the foresight to pack anything useful and not fill the thing up with candy bars and skin mags.
"Sam…." Dean had followed him and sitting himself down awkwardly was holding out the now empty billycan. Hesitating, Sam stared and then relented. The sight of his brother's obvious discomfort at holding up his arm for so long dispelled his anger. It was Dean's way of saying sorry without saying sorry and Sam was not about to make their situation any worse by falling out with his brother over a perceived slight on his efficiency.
"Thanks."
He also knew that his own annoyance and irritability stemmed from coming down from his earlier high. Fortunately the crash symptoms should be mild and nothing he couldn't handle but he made a mental note to keep a closer eye on Dean.
"Going somewhere?"
Both he and Dean, caught unawares, jerked in alarm and Sam cursed inwardly the damned thing always seemed to get the drop on them. He'd been so busy being mad at his brother that he hadn't heard the racoon return and now their chance of escape without detection or hindrance had gone.
"Yeah… it's been nice an' all but me and Sam gotta make tracks before they send out search parties."
Looking across Sam could see that Dean was smiling but he could also see the tension and danger in his sibling's eyes. He continued packing the last few items into the bag before pulling the drawstring and snapping the fastenings; acutely aware that his brother had risen to his feet.
"Dean…" Remaining on his knees Sam tugged at his brother's arm. Like this Dean was a powder keg waiting to go off. His brother would try to bluff his way so far but if things started to go south he would explode into action and Sam wanted to avoid that particular scenario. Dean wasn't anywhere near a hundred per cent fit; one twist or stretch too far and he'd collapse in a worse condition than he was now making it almost impossible for Sam to get him down the mountain by himself. There was also the racoon to consider, who although seemingly defenceless was still a deity and had, God knew, what kind of powers?
"They won't find you."
There it was, the menace implicit in creature's tone rather than what it said. Dean stepped forward and this time Sam rose to stand with him, hand circling the elder hunter's arm.
"Dean was just saying how nice it would be to sleep on a proper bed."
"I don't doubt he was." It sat back on its hind legs, its small front paws laced together resting on its ample stomach, so reminiscent of human posture that it was downright creepy. "I'm sorry that my humble abode is not to your liking."
Damn, Sam hadn't meant to offend the thing just calm the situation down. "No offence." He offered.
"None taken." The creature was looking straight at Dean, challenging his brother again and Sam felt his brother stiffen. He applied pressure with his fingers and prayed that Dean would get the message.
"It's fortunate that I'm in a good mood otherwise I might not be so charitable and forgiving at the disrespect you've shown my hospitality."
The fire spitting sparks from a sap filled log, suddenly blazed, flaring the creature's eyes red. Sam shifted away instinctively with a shiver of dread at the things demonic appearance but the reflection died and the racoon's own equally disturbing green eyes re-emerged.
The racoon chuckled adding to the creep factor.
"What's so funny?" Dean had stepped in front of Sam protectively despite the fact that he was trembling. Sam hoped the tremor was due to angry tension but he suspected that unfortunately it was his brother's body showing its fatigue, laced with a good dose of pain. The effects of the marihuana would be wearing off and Dean hadn't had any top up pills for at least seven hours he had to hurting even if he was giving off no outward sign.
"Dean…"
"No Sam, I'm done with this, I'm done with being respectful and kowtowing to a rank flee ridden fur ball. I want to know what's so f***ing funny."
"You are…"
It might well have thrown something in Dean's face because the words had the same effect and before Sam could stop him Dean had bent catching up a loose branch from the floor and was advancing on the racoon.
"DEAN NO!" Sam grabbed his brother tripping him and pulling him down before he could reach the creature. They both went down in a mass of tangled limbs and Sam heard the breath woosh out of his brother's lungs in a huff of pain,
"Gerroff me …" Dean tried to roll but Sam's weight held him.
"Calm down." Sam had his lips right up close to Dean's ear so that only he could hear. "This is not the way to deal." Grunting Dean tried again to thrust upward. "It's trying to get a rise out of you … don't let it."
Feeling the fight go out of his brother Sam let up taking his weight onto his knees but keeping his hands on Dean's shoulders. He looked down, narrowing his eyes and gave an almost imperceptible nod mouthing, "We good?" He waited long enough to receive an equally imperceptible answering nod before turning to face the racoon.
The creature's beady eyes regarded him sullenly. "Spoilsport."
XXxxxxxxx
Dean laid out on his back was aware enough to hear the racoon grumbling and complaining about Sam ruining its fun but he couldn't find the energy to pay attention properly. He was so tired all he wanted was to close his eyes and sleep but something inside wouldn't allow him to take that last step, something fought and fought hard to keep him awake even though he was almost past caring what happened. Past caring until he heard Sam cry out.
"S…Sam…?"
The sudden shock of the pained yell robbed him of breath but brought him back to the reality of the hut with HD clarity surround sound and it was the sound of Sam in torment that galvanised his enervated body into action. Clawing at the earth, soil digging painfully under his nails he rolled over raising his upper body onto his elbows. Fear stuck through him clutching hard and bitter as he watched his brother's body arch tight with pain. The racoon, sitting high on its back legs, grinned madly eyes glittering with malice as it presided over its prize.
"Ssstop it…stop…" It wasn't the shout that he'd meant to make more of a choked rasp but the racoon heard him because it paused long enough to meet his eyes.
"Sam is learning a lesson."
It smirked mockingly at Dean before returning its attention to the now writhing hunter on the floor shaking its head in false sorrow.
"Even though I liked you Sam you should've understood that you could not deprive me of my little amusements…without consequence. You…" The rest of the racoon's explanation was drowned out by another agonised cry from Sam.
'Liked' 'should've.' It took a few seconds for the significance of the racoon's use of the past tense to sink into Dean's fatigued brain then comprehension flooded his conscious thought.
"Noooo."
It was as if the sound bursting from him had unlocked his frozen body. He forced his muscles to obey, rage and desperation driving him on as he launched himself at the creature. With violent explosive force he kicked the racoon solidly under the chin. Its head jacked backwards sharply with a sickening crack. The body followed rolling once before the thing lay motionless tongue hanging obscenely from its slack mouth.
Shaking Dean fell to his knees beside his brother tears of anger and fear streaming down his face. "Sam? Sammy?" He whispered hardly daring to touch the still figure in front of him. He waited what seemed like an age of time for some sign that Sam wasn't... he could bring himself to say it, to think it.
"D..D'n?"
"Sam, oh God Sam." Dean gathered his brother into his arms and held him tight. He'd been so frightened.
"Dean, its okay…I'm okay." Weakly Sam's arms drew around him and Dean allowed himself a small measure of comfort in them before he pulled back to examine his brother's face.
"Where are you hurt?" He pulled at Sam's shirt expecting to find some horrific injury. "Sam, tell me."
"I'm not…" His brother pushed him off wincing as he sat up unaided. Immediately Dean began re-examining his brother his initial relief pushed aside by his mounting anxiety.
"Dean, DEAN….stop... I'm okay." Feeling Sam's hands press over his own, press them down firmly, Dean, fingers entangled with Sam's shirtfront stilled over Sam's thumping heart as his brother continued. "I don't think it actually…broke anything…"
"You don't thin…." For some absurd, ridiculous, crazy reason Dean found that insanely funny and the mirth bubbled, building inside him as he stared at his brother until with a deep resonant laugh it erupted from his mouth.
"What?" Sam's bewildered expression only fuelled Dean's merriment and he fell back his body shaking this time with laughter. "Dean? What's so funny?"
Helpless to answer Dean shook his head and burst out anew holding his chest against the ache of the sudden spasm.
"Dude, you've really lost it."
Dean couldn't stop, tears tracked down his face as he gulped in air. Then he saw his brother's lips twitch and they were both laughing, hugging each other descending into hysterical giggles like a couple of teenage girls.
Eventually their hysteria subsided and they sat breathing heavily grinning stupidly at each other. It was the second time Dean had heard his brother giggle and he decided that he liked it for all the weird and wonderful reasons that were purely Sam. He had a sudden strong desire to share his thoughts with his brother but managed to suppress the urge before he blurted it right out. Man, he admonished himself, these chic moments sneaked up on you if you weren't careful.
Wiping his face and still smiling broadly Dean glanced round supposing that if Sam had packed the essentials as well as everything else in that bag of his that they ought to salt and burn the body of the racoon.
It was like cold water had drenched him as he gazed at the empty floor. A wild search produced the same result and again and Dean still found it hard to accept.
The body had gone.
XXXXxxxxxxx
Wind rushed in through the open door, roaring and whirling around Sam ripping at his shirt as leaves whipped and cut his exposed skin. He shouted his brother's name, felt for him collapsing twice pain shooting down his legs and up his back as he stumbled to his feet but Dean remained kneeling staring at the place where the creature had been.
"Dean…Dean." Blindly, squinting against the rushing air, Sam grabbed at his brother's arm trying to force him to his feet but Dean was a dead weight, "Come on." He pulled again, ignoring his own pained weakness, trying to drag his brother up. "Dean you gotta get up. We gotta get out of here." Those words seemed to penetrate his brother's fugue and Sam saw him blink slowly as if coming round and then he too was up on his feet hanging onto Sam's lapels shouting above the harsh discord of the wind's howling.
"Get the pack."
Banging in the increasing whirlwind, the door swung wildly, crashing loudly as it slammed shut, opened, slammed again and stayed shut. The gusting air died abruptly and the hut was suddenly, eerily, silent.
Sam was the first to move hitting the wooden door panels with a crunch before he gripped at the boards, digging the fingertips of one hand into the mossy surface while the other snicked the latch as he tried to rip the thing open. Muscles straining, pushing down the rising panic in his chest he heaved, jerking the handle then throwing his body backward to increase the pull but the door remained stubbornly shut. He changed his grip trying to gain more leverage and then Dean was there slipping a thin branch between the planks and the wall, trying to use its length to prise a gap.
It broke; Sam heard the snap and Dean fell back cursing with frustration as he flung the splintered wood from him in disgust. Sam renewed his efforts, blood oozing around the quick of his fingernails as he dug them further into the rotting wood.
"Come on, come on, come on, come on." Sam gritted his teeth repeating the litany again and again as if saying the words would add to his strength and his ability to pull, or magically split the wood apart underneath his hands. Neither happened and with an angry sob Sam pushed himself from the door, kicking it with the flat of his foot as he backed away breathing hard.
He found Dean, reaching out to grip his arm, reading his own anger and fear mirrored in his brother's eyes before turning away to look for another way of escape but there appeared to be no way out, no windows, no loose boards, no holes; they were trapped.
XXXXXxxxxxxxx
Dean hated the feeling, couldn't stand being hemmed in, caught, cornered. Everywhere he went the first thing he did was mark his escape route be it motel room, library, diner, he always had an out. Here he'd earmarked the door figuring he could smash his way through if necessary. He'd tried after Sam had given it all he had but the pain after one kick had been so intense that he couldn't continue and Sam had tried again but made little impression. Frantically he raked his gaze over the interior searching and seeking.
The hut had given him protection that first night, given him shelter and warmth but now he saw it with different eyes. The wooden walls more splintered and broken, the earthen floor gritted and damp and the fireplace a decaying tumble of cold stone. Now it was a prison.
In some way that fact gave Dean something to work with instead of being in a strange limbo where the enemy had blurred the lines of engagement. Up to now he'd felt that he owed the racoon something. It had given him water when he needed it and in its twisted way had tried to look after him and Sam but now, now it had shown its true nature he had no qualms or compunction in hanging the thing, deity or not, out to dry.
Standing in the centre of the rough shelter Dean's skin crawled, the walls seemed to draw inwards and it felt like something was squeezing his heart. Swallowing he tried to control his breathing, jeez what was he some kind of amateur? Why was this affecting him so much? A sudden flush of anger raced the blood through his veins and raised his head.
"WE'RE LEAVING… DO YOU HEAR ME YOU FREAKING SONOFABITCH. I'LL F**KING DIG MY WAY OUT IF I HAVE TO...AND THEN…THEN I'M GONNA GANK YOUR FUGLY A**."
XXXxxxxxxxx
Dean's body made a sickening thud as it hit the stone of the chimney and he fell slumping onto the ground like a rag doll.
"DEAN." Sam shouted his brother's name but knew with a sinking feeling, from the awkward way Dean was laid, that his sibling must be unconscious. Calming himself, ignoring the dragging ache in his own body and pushing down harshly the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him Sam scrambled forward and once again allowed his training to come to the fore as he bent to check Dean's inert form.
He could see slight movement as the chest rose and fell, so Dean was breathing but only shallowly; Sam needed to make sure the airway was clear. Carefully he checked for any blockages in Dean's mouth and then avoiding putting any undue tension on the neck he placed his fingers under his brother's chin and behind his lower front teeth and gently lifted upwards. Satisfied that his brother's breathing had improved he moved on.
Blood soaked the side of Dean's head. Sam shifted so that he could see better and confirmed what he had suspected. The bleeding was coming from the same area of the skull that had earlier impacted with the rock. Biting his lip Sam probed with his fingers and let out a sigh when he found no depression.
"Guess you just got a thick skull bro." Talking to Dean helped, it seemed to make things not so awful as with trembling hands he pressed two fingers onto the carotid artery underneath his brother's jaw line feeling for the beat; it was faint. Counting under his breath Sam checked the second hand on his watch. Dean's pulse rate was within acceptable limits if a little on the slow side.
"Dean." Leaning over directly above his brother's face Sam called again. "DEAN." He was rewarded with a small moan. "That's it come on Dean talk to me. Tell me where it hurts, that you're hungry, that I'm a bitch."
"S'my?"
Pain waved and washed, rising and rising in a tight encompassing rhythm. Dean hugged in its black molasses went with the flow, uncaring of where he was or how he'd got there.
Gradually through the thickness he became aware of the uncomfortable attitude of his body. Stones dug sharply into his back and thigh, a wet slickness covered the side of his face and his arm bent, was pinned down underneath him by his weight but he could do nothing to ease the strain everything was too heavy, too difficult and f***ing hurt too much and so he lay breathing and waiting.
Something, no someone was touching him. His consciousness frayed and fragile, understood the fingers, the gentle but firm touch on his skin, entering his mouth moving his head. He welcomed them until the pain seared into his skull and then he wanted to pull away, cry out, moan anything to stop the torture but then it all receded wrapped in smoothing dark velvet; sound and sensation falling away to …
"Dean….DEAN."
His mind puzzled over the word trying to grasp onto the threads of its meaning but the pain kept getting in the way increasing in its throbbing intensity the more he struggled to unravel the sense. A moan broke loose from his throat escaping with his breath.
"That's it come on Dean talk to me. Tell me…" Dean lost the next part in the roaring rush in his ears. "…that I'm a bitch."
His brain suddenly slammed into sharp relief. Sammy, it was…
"S'my?"
"Yeah I'm here."
Rocks shifted with a grating sound as Dean tried to find enough purchase to sit himself up.
"Woah, woah Dean hey man take it easy." One of Sam's large hands on the chest kept Dean in place as he struggled weakly; Sam didn't want his brother moving until he'd finished his exam.
"Wwwhhaaaa?" Dean gazed vaguely up at him pupils not quite focusing.
"I think you pissed it off."
"I did? …What?" Dean looked dazed, confused all mixed inside out at the same time and then his face crumpled, brow frowning as Sam's exploring hands found a tender spot. "Oww!" He squirmed away.
"Don't move."
"Bitch."
"Dean you got flung against a very hard stone wall with your very breakable body which I might add was already broken in several places." Sam had ignored the familiar insult but then smiled remembering that he'd asked for it. Stopping he met Dean's gaze silently for a moment, "Jerk…S**t." His brother's eyes had rolled back. "Dean…DEAN," but the elder hunter had slipped back into unconsciousness.