Chapter 27

The Beast was hungry; it felt a surge of exhilarating power and adrenaline pump through its newly formed body to give it an extra boost onto its feet. Once the animal was on four paws, it instantly began stalking around the circular room slowly in search of food. Its claws clicked on the cement floor as it moved with a certain graceful stealth, until it stopped dead in its tracks lifting its snout and sniffing at the air excitedly.

Blood…fresh blood…two meat donors just standing on the other side of the heavy door – it tilted its head in the general direction of the door, and instantly realized it was his now subordinate Human-Side's brother, and the man whose house they were in.

Strange how the father wasn't there, the Beast pondered for a moment before heading toward the door intently.

It chuckled a moment, but it came out more like a light growl. The Beast felt his Human-Side scratching away at its tiny prison in the back of its mind…like it had been since the curse began. But that box was a distant memory now, the monster decided. It was out, and free – and that's all that mattered…besides feeding time.

The Beast approached the door, and stood up on its two legs to get a better look through the slot-like peephole at the Human-Sides brother and friend. It wondered for a moment, that if it were to kill them – the father too – would its Human-Side just give up trying to get back to the surface? Would the nescience submit?

It was an interesting thought to toy with, indeed.

But first things first, it had to get out of this physical prison now.

Dean looked into the monsters' eyes as it stared intently at him through the peephole, and didn't even flinch. He knew this wasn't his brother, but he knew his brothers' soul was trapped in there somewhere. Could he hear what was going on around him? Could he see through the Beasts' eyes? Dean decided it was worth a shot to try and test out.

"Come on, Sammy." Dean whispered brokenly, "I know you're in there, man. Fight this thing. You're stronger than it is, I know you are."

The Beast pulled its black lips back into a snarl, showing off its impressive set of sharp dagger-like teeth with its golden eyes directed straight at Dean.

A tear broke free of Dean's guard and slipped down his cheek, at the same time as the basement door slamming open, and a loud series of stomping down the stairs following suit.

Dean whirled around in time to see his father standing on the bottom step. John looked breathless and wide-eyed as he looked between Dean and Bobby back and forth rhythmically for a short moment.

"S-Sammy?" He asked in a near whisper.

Another tear found its way past Dean's guard, and he had to close his eyes and released a long jagged breath in order to straighten himself out before facing his father again. How could he tell his father that he was just moments too late?

But John seemed to get the message as a tear of his own snaked down his chin leaving a shiny moistened trail behind as the bead disappeared into his chins stubble.

Quickly, John pushed his way past Dean and Bobby to get a peek in the panic room and almost completely broke down at the Beast that stared back at him.

It looked almost pleased to see him, John decided as the monster that was once his youngest son licked its chops relaying its hunger. It snarled at him when he didn't flinch, and the stalked away to the other side of the room with its ears plastered to its head – John decided it looked annoyed.

Getting a better look at the room the Beast was in; John noticed the pool of blood around the cot that was still seeping forward, painting the gray cement floor red. But in the pool of blood, John say shreds of clothing which he knew belonged to Sam…seeing them discarded and torn apart like that sent another wave of melancholy through him, and fresh tears slid down his cheeks.

"W-where um…" John's voice trailed off brokenly as his light sobs killed his words, "where did the blood…come from?"

"It's Sam's." Bobby explained in a voice which sounded almost too small to be his own, "When he was changin', he started upchuckin' blood."

John nodded in understanding, and instantly wished he hadn't gone and saved the kid. If he had been here, he would have been able to see Sam one last time. But no, Sam was now locked away inside that monster somewhere thinking his father hates him.

He needed to know he didn't, John decided.

"Sam?" John called weakly, only succeeding in getting the Beasts' attention, "Sammy? It's dad."

The Beast growled a deep throated growl as it ducked its head low and positioned itself into a crouch – eyes intent on John.

"Dean?" John whispered as he turned his head to face his oldest son, "Could you and Bobby…just go upstairs for a minute to check on Ellen and the kid? I'd like to have a few words with…Sam."

For a moment Dean looked like he was about to argue, but instantly backed down the moment he caught a glimpse of the complete and utter defeat in his fathers' eyes. It was apparent how hard he was taking this.

Dean then nudged Bobby's shoulder giving a silent nod of confirmation which Bobby returned before the both of them headed upstairs without saying another word.

Once John heard the basement door close, he turned his attention back to the Beast in front of him – and instantly, more tears began to fall.

The Beast wanted to curl up into a ball and die right there. It didn't want to smell its Human-Sides fathers' sour sadness! It wanted the man to cower in fear of it, not pity it! It wanted the sweet smell of fear to blind all its other senses, until the man was dead!

But still…the man cried, making its Human-Side thrash harder against his prison, giving The Beast a splitting headache.

"Sam?" John called again pathetically, "Sammy – son…I am so sorry I wasn't here for you."

The Beast growled as an answer as it hopped up onto the cot and lay down, putting its head on its front paws. These stupid humans weren't going to let it out, it knew. Would they go so far as to starve it though?

"I know you're in there Sammy." John said bluntly before he sniffled and rubbed his nose with his sleeve.

Its Human-Side bucked against his enclosed walls so violently, the Beast had to shake its head to clear its thoughts. It gave a tiny snarl, just flashing its teeth – a warning to its Human-Side to behave because it was still stronger than that pest.

"I'm so sorry for everything, Sam." John continued as the cracks in his emotional armor threatened to break completely, "I'm sorry for not ever letting you do what you wanted to do. I'm sorry for yelling at you when you said you wanted to go away to college. I'm sorry you don't agree with ninety percent of my orders. I'm sorry you got pulled into this life, Sam. I'm so, so, sorry."

Suddenly the Beast got to its four feet and roared angrily, loud enough to shake the walls. John looked upon the Beast in surprise as it made a lunge for the door – scratching at it with its claws, and biting at it with its large jaws.

It needed to get out of this room! Its Human-Side heard his fathers' words, and began fighting against the prison with everything he had, which was surprisingly a lot, The Beast noticed. Not so much for him to gain control, but enough to drive The Beast crazy!

It needed to get out of this man's range. It couldn't be near him right now, couldn't smell him, feel him, or hear him. It would cause his Human-Side to fight again. So The Beast charged at the door, and began to try and tear the door apart itself!

"I should have respected you more, Sammy." John continued as an open sob escaped his throat, "I should have been a better father to you and Dean."

The Beast tossed back its head and howled, not knowing what else it could do. Somehow it had to drown out the man's words; it was driving it nuts by giving its Human-Side the ammunition he needed to fight – no matter how fruitless his battles were. All its Human-Side had been reduced to was a shell of his former self shoved forcefully in a tiny box in the back of The Beasts' mind.

It knew that it's Human-Side – or Sam as the brother and father continuously refer to him as – couldn't regain control. But what he could do was pound on its skull like an echo of a conscience that is no longer present, or whisper to The Beast.

John listened to The Beast in its cage howl loudly, enough to cause his eardrums to vibrate irritably. He wanted desperately for Sam to break through The Beasts hold and relay some sort of message that he was there. If John could get even that little bit of reassurance, it would fuel his need to save his youngest son – knowing that there still was a youngest son to save.

And after a few minutes and The Beast hadn't yet calmed its howls down – John knew that there was his little ray of hope.

Sammy was in there with that monster fighting it – listening to his fathers' words of pitiful apology and despair – and fighting it tooth and nail for control, which was why The Beast began to sing its annoying and seemingly endless song. It wanted to drown out John's words, so Sammy wouldn't fight as hard.

When the thought went through to John, a tiny knowing smile crossed his face as he watched The Beast as its attack on the heavy iron door turned into mindless scratching every couple of seconds.

"I'll be back with something for you to eat soon, okay Sammy?" John asked with a certain confidence which sounded eerily too much like the usual John Winchester for The Beasts liking.

As if it understood John's words and the confidence weaved through the message, The Beast gave an infuriated growl, showing off its impressive set of teeth in warning.

John ignored the monsters' growls, and turned toward the steps leading up to the house with a bit more hope to cling to.

Sam was definitely in there somewhere – fighting the thing, trying to talk to his father. But of course the curse made The Beast stronger than the man inside, so Sam was reduced to nothing more than a whisper in the back of the creatures mind, John knew.

But still, John thought to himself as he climbed the steps slowly – if he, Bobby, Dean, and Ellen managed to keep The Beast confined just long enough until they found some sort of cure or counter-curse, then they'd be fine, right? They wouldn't have to put Sam down if the monster behind the wheel of his mind didn't kill anyone.

It was worth a shot, John decided as he reached the doorway into the house and turned the knob with a new determination colored clear across his face.

xXx

The Beast paced around the small prison with its head hung low and its eyes nothing more than slits the moment its Human-Sides' father left. It would pause every so often so sniff at a corner in the room, only to growl in frustration and resume its pacing.

It was trying to find a weakness in its iron prison, a chink in its armor. But so far it was unsuccessful, and was now beginning to grow impatient of its surroundings.

It wanted to hunt, and kill – not just other animals, but it knew instinctively that the best meat was by far human. Its mouth watered at the thought of tearing into its Human-Sides fathers' legs before working its way up to his more vital organs.

An annoyed thrum passed through the Beasts' mind at these thoughts, meaning the thoughts had upset its Human-Side.

The Beast only growled and licked its chops as emphasize how serious it was to Sam – only to be rewarded by a sharp consistent pain to shoot through its head. Sam fought against the thoughts with everything he had, but still The Beast was stronger.

You've lost, Human-Sam. The Beast thought with certain giddiness. This body is now mine…and you…you have been torn down to nothing.

I'm still here you son-of-a-bitch! Sam snapped back at The Beast that seemed to be surrounding him in the dark corner of his mind that he had been shoved in. I'm not gonna let you kill my family!

You don't really have much say in the matter. The Beast taunted with a snarl as it stopped its pacing to sniff at another corner. Once I get outta here…and I will – my first kill will be Human-Dad.

Leave my dad alone, you bastard! Sam spat with another mental kick at The Beast that surrounded him, knowing that his lashing out was causing it at least a little pain.

Human-Brother will be next. The Beast promised with a flash of its fangs.

Sam wrestled with The Beast for only a second before it got the drop on him and hurled him back into the dark corner he had just come from.

The Beast knew Human-Sam would be back sooner or later, but at the moment it had sent him to sleep. It needed a moment to think of how it was going to escape.

Suddenly, there was a loud 'CLICK', and the large iron door that held it in that tiny room opened slowly. Cautious, The Beast lifted its head and perked its ears as it sniffed the air eagerly.

It smelled human…a human was releasing it.

But why? The only humans that lived here were the ones that wanted Human-Sam back and The Beast to die. Hunters, it understood.

"C'mon doggy." The deep voice taunted, though the owner of said voice was just out of eyeshot, "C'mon out."

The Beast lowered its head and plastered its ears back as a snarl ripped through its chest, showing off its sharp and deadly teeth to its rescuer.

As a silent reply, though – the human tossed something heavy and wet into the room with the monster. It slapped the ground upon landing just to The Beast's right, and its attention was drawn to the heavy wet red mass.

It was a raw steak, The Beast noted pleasurably as it turned its head toward it curiously as it sniffed at it.

After a while, The Beast determined there was nothing amiss about this offering as it finally began to eagerly tear into its food with content little grumbles.

Whoever had given the monster the food was now laughing while it ate. Admittedly, The Beast found it to be disconcerting but ignored it. It got free food from the Human-Stranger, maybe it would let the mongrel live…if only a little longer than Human-Dad, and Human-Brother.

Now the laughing seemed to be growing distant as the Beast continued eating. Then suddenly, there was a loud 'CLICK' from the other side of the basement causing the monster to tear its head away from its food to resume its cautious stance.

Then it understood with grim excitement. The Human-Stranger had released him.

It was free to leave its prison, and kill its Human-Sides' connections to the world.

Sooo...how was everyone's weekend? Hahaha. :D

Oh - and I have a favor to ask whoever is up for it, more specifically a challenge. I have the details posted in the forums, but its also on my author profile if you think you might be interested. Just take a look at it. ;)

Another update soon, guys!