A Hard Road Ch. 8
Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable in this story.
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John couldn't imagine his day getting any more eventful than it already was. He had taken his first real steps in learning to become a hunter with Daniel teaching him how to draw and carve the protective sigils that could someday save his life or the life of his children. Top that off with Sammy taking his first steps and Dean speaking his first sentence since the night Mary had died, well let's just say it made for an exciting day.
He peered over at his sons who were sleeping after their own exciting day of playing in the snow. He relished the memory of watching them being so carefree and rolling snowballs around on the ground. He marveled at the way that Dean was so attentive of Sammy and enjoyed playing with the tyke even though he wasn't even a year old yet. He could already see the strong bond that was forming between his boys and knew it would become even more solid over time. He was drawn from his musings as Sammy began to toss about in his sleep. Not wanting him to wake Dean, he stood up and started towards the couch to pick Sammy up only to see Dean throw a comforting arm over Sammy and pull him close. John watched amazed as his youngest snuggled into the warm embrace and plopped his thumb in his mouth, suckling on it lightly. Within minutes, his baby was soundly sleeping again.
Knowing that Daniel was waiting on him, he stood up and walked into the kitchen where the older man had prepared a fresh pot of coffee saying that they would need it to stay awake for their salt and burn tonight. John was nervous thinking about going on his first actual hunt, but Daniel had said that it would be the best thing for him to start off with. The man was a seasoned hunter so John figured he knew best. He had no sooner sat down at the table than Daniel started telling him about what to expect when they went to the graveyard tonight.
"Before we leave, there are a few things you need to know about vengeful spirits. A vengeful spirit sometimes comes about when somebody dies in an unnatural way. Their spirits aren't able to move on because they feel as if they have unfinished business left here on earth. Over a period of time, they become angry at being caught in limbo and not being able to move on. Once they become disturbed, they start having childlike temper tantrums and start throwing around objects using a telekinetic force. When these spirits become severely pissed off, then they become lethal.
John listened very intently as Daniel explained how spirits became vengeful and to be honest, he wasn't all that surprised that spirits would become angry over time being stuck in limbo, hell he knew he would go crazy himself. The prospect of Mary being stuck in a place like that and becoming vengeful scared the hell out of him. He prayed that she had been able to move on and that they could someday be together again. He didn't want to even think about her being hunted down to be salted and burned by some unforgiving hunter.
After Daniel had finished his monologue, John asked "So how do we recognize when one of these vengeful spirits are near, I mean is there something we should be looking for?"
Daniel smile and said "I thought you'd never ask. The first sign that tells you that a vengeful spirit is about to make itself know is a sudden drop in temperature, and by sudden I mean it will get freaking cold in a matter of seconds. After the temperature drop, a breeze will begin to swirl about and you should see a shimmering haze as the spirit tries to take corporeal form. That's when you need to shoot at the spirit with shells loaded with rock salt. Once the spirit takes corporeal form, they can be a bitch to deal with as the fling you about with their telekinetic energy."
"Wait a minute, salt rounds? " John asked in surprise. He knew that salt was used to line the windows and doors, but shooting it too, what would that accomplish?
"Hell yes, salt is what scatters the form and keeps it from coalescing" Daniel replied. "Now go in there and get some sleep yourself, you're gonna need it. We're leaving at midnight to do a salt and burn on old Harry Dimwittle. He's been terrorizing the residents of the house where he committed suicide almost seventy years ago. His body is interred in Gravel Hill Cemetery."
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Midnight that night found John following Daniel's cobalt blue '65 Chevelle with both of his boys sleeping in the back seat of the Impala. Sammy had never awoken as he carried him out and placed him in his car seat and buckled him in. He had tucked Sammy's blue baby blanket with the bears on it securely around him. It was the only thing that had survived the fire since he had wrapped Sammy up in it when he grabbed him out of his crib the night his wife had died. Dean had woken up on his own and staggered out behind him stumbling over his feet a few times since he was still so sleepy. After taking care of Sammy, he had made sure that Dean was buckled in also before covering him up with another blanket that he kept in the trunk. They weren't even on the road five minutes before Dean had fallen back to sleep.
John was looking forward to the upcoming salt and burn, but he was still nervous at the same time. He couldn't help but feel some trepidation knowing that his boys would be there. He prayed that they would sleep through the whole thing safely. Upon arriving at the cemetery, he and Daniel would be drawing a the variation of the devils trap on the car that would turn it into a virtual lockbox, which should keep them safe.
After they arrived at the cemetery, John parked his shiny black muscle car behind Daniel's Chevelle and turned around to check on his boys. He was surprised to see Dean had awakened. "Hey champ, what are you doing awake?" John asked as he smiled at his oldest. Looking a little sheepish, Dean replied "I have to pee Daddy."
"Oh, um okay, just wait a minute sport." John climbed out of the car and walked around to the passenger side to help Dean out of the car, He instructed Dean to go over by a bush just outside the cemetery gates and do his business while he stood by the open door to listen out for Sammy. Dean did as instructed and returned as soon as he had finished. Seeing that his dad was drawing something on the car, Dean said "What are you doing daddy?"
Knowing that he now had to tell Dean something, he said, "Dean, Daniel needs my help with a hunt. I am going to be just right over there." He pointed to the area of the grave with his finger. "I want you to stay in the car with Sammy. These pictures that I am drawing will keep you both safe. I'm going to lay Sammy down on the seat so he can sleep better and I want you to lay down with him okay. Make sure you snuggle up close to him so Sammy won't get cold. Can you do that for me champ?"
"Okay Daddy" Dean said with a big yawn as he covered his mouth with his little hand. He climbed into the back seat and lay down while his daddy took Sammy from his car seat and then lay him against Dean's chest before tucking them both in.
John closed the car door and took one last look at his boys before walking over to help Daniel carry the equipment to the grave sight. John got an eerie feeling as he forced the shovel into the hard ground to remove his first spade full of dirt, he couldn't help but think that he was committing grave desecration. As he dug, he glanced over at the car every so often to make sure that the boys were doing fine. It took him and Daniel a little over two hours before they heard the solid thump of their shovels hitting wood.
He watched as Daniel used his shovel to break open the pine coffin lid. He unwittingly glanced into the pine box and gagged at the sight of the skeletal bones laying there in the wooden coffin. His body gave off an involuntary shudder as he poured salt all over the skeleton. He watched as Daniel uncapped the gasoline and prepared to pour the volatile liquid into the grave. John tensed as he suddenly felt the air temperature around him plummet.
Remembering what Daniel had said, John pulled his gun up and prepared to fire as he searched the surrounding area knowing the spirit was about to make its presence known. As he scanned, he noticed a shimmering form coming together off to his right. Just before he could pull the trigger however, he felt himself lifted off of his feet and thrown backwards towards a concrete monument. He hissed in pain as his back collided with the unyielding stone before slumping awkwardly to the ground. Goosebumps speckled his skin as he raised his head to see the corporeal form of Harry Dimwittle pointing an accusing finger at him.
"Adulterer" Harry spat out in venom. "How dare you sleep with my wife?' he asked before wrapping his cold hands around John's throat and beginning to squeeze. John gasped in vain trying to draw in air while trying to pry the spirits fingers from his throat. He wasn't prepared for the spirit to attack him bodily. He had to get himself free before the damn thing strangled him to death. His fear ratcheted up knowing that if he didn't, his two young sons would be left as orphans to be raised by the state. No way in hell was he allowing that to happen.
Just as he saw the blackness beginning to encroach on his vision, John felt the hands suddenly disappear and drew in large gulps of air. As he struggled to make it to his feet on weak legs, he looked over to see the conflagration dying down within the grave sight. Daniel had finished the salt and burn and kept him from possibly being killed by the vengeful spirit.
Daniel walked over and helped John to his feet. "You did good Winchester, for a first time anyway. Now you know what to expect when a salt and burn goes bad. We'll have to work on that speed of yours if your going to keep yourself from being thrown through the air again."
"Yeah, thanks" John muttered as Daniel pulled him to his feet. "Don't think I want to ever experience that feeling again" John said as he helped Daniel refill the grave after the fire had died out. His back hurt like hell when lifting the shovels full of dirt and he knew he would most likely have some pretty impressive bruises by morning.
After gathering all the evidence that they had ever been there, they carried the gear back to Daniel's car and put it in the trunk. Walking over to his own car, John glanced into the Impala thankful to find that both boys of his boys were sleeping peacefully in the back. He didn't want to disturb them, but he knew he had to make sure they stayed safe on the ride back. He reached in and scooped Sammy up and placed him in his car seat once again and then buckled Dean in before heading back to Daniel's cabin.
Once they arrived at the cabin, John carried Sammy in and placed him on the couch, tucking a pillow beside him to keep him from rolling off and then returned to the car for Dean. He removed the pillow and placed Dean beside Sammy knowing that the boys slept better when they felt a connection between them. After both of his boys were securely tucked in, he thought about taking a hot shower to relax his aching muscles and back but he was just too damned tired. He stripped off his jeans and lay down on the cot on his stomach to keep from putting any pressure on his back. His last thought, "Damn I sure hope they boys decide to sleep late."
TBC