Summer Camp Sucks
Dean hated this place and not because the food sucked (it was pretty good by the way) and not because there were no girls (the chicks were hot). It was because well… he was bored. He was bored out of his mind because the other ass wipes in his age group just didn't have the same skill set he had. He wondered if his dad was on something when he brought him and Sam here for the summer. So far this place sucked in terms of what they were doing.
It was a summer camp for, believe it or not, hunters and hunter wannabes. Dean thought it hilarious when John mentioned that he was sending them to the place for the summer. He had never heard of anything like it and it sounded like a big joke. It wasn't and now he was stuck here for the better part of two months?
John said that he had heard of the place from another hunter and that it was a training ground as well as a place to have fun. Yeah they taught hunting but they allowed the kids to have fun and the place was secured by hunters. To Dean it sounded a whole lot like school except the old biddies knew how to use a shotgun salt rounds or no.
What Dean didn't know was that John had heard rumors of the demon that killed Mary and that he was making a rampage of some sort. This was a means of protecting both his children and it would leave Dean free to look after Sam. So Dean protested while Sam, for some odd reason, kept quiet about the whole thing. As it turned out, Sam was more curious than reluctant and was willing since the enticement was the fact that the program was not all about hunting.
So now Dean was stuck there and he quickly learned that the other kids in his age group hadn't even bagged their first werewolf yet. He had done a couple already and he was well into being seventeen. They had done salt and burns but those were easy. It made him wonder if this place was like a training wheel set or something. He did get a good kick out of the sparring. He had a reputation for his brawling tactics. That was about it for this place.
Dean looked around since it was his free period so he decided to see what Sam was doing. Being a devout follower of the high standards he gave himself, he memorized Sam's schedule so if anything happened, he would be there at a moment's notice and he didn't care if it was in the middle of his own activity. He checked his watch and the time told him where Sam was supposed to be so he double timed his jog to the place.
Sam wasn't on the field playing whatever soccer game that was the invention for the week. Dean narrowed his eyes as he checked and double checked the field. Sam's group was no longer on the field since there were a bunch of little squirts running around. Something didn't seem right and his big brother senses were hitting overdrive.
It was no secret that there were kids and asses there that didn't like him or Sam. Dean figured it was because they came from a long line of hunters like it was some fancy pedigree or something. They looked at him and Sam as if they were wannabes and should be hauled off to the nearest shelter and dumped. Then there were those that singled them out because they were different. The one block of free time that he and Sam both had, they spent it together. People thought they were weird for it. It was like being in school all over again.
The rules in this crummy joint though were lax. Fist fights were common but mostly were sparring sessions. No one was ever seriously hurt and it seemed like the instructors or whoever the hell they were called thought that everything should be considered a test. However they were strict on the use of weapons. It was all plain skin. That was is and also there was this thing about honor like no low blows or that sort of shit.
Dean made a systematic search for his little brother thinking that Sam decided to wander off with that one kid he had made friends with… Hakim it was. He spotted Sam's soccer group having fun cooling off near the lake and he stopped to ask, "Any of you guys see Sam?'
"Nah. He didn't show up today."
"Neither did Hakim."
Dean could care less about his brother's friend. Something was telling him that things were not all right. "Thanks." He took off running hearing 'codependent' and 'freak' in his ears. Whatever you little bastards, he thought as he raced looking for his brother.
~0~0~
Normally Sam was one to follow rules. It was ingrained in him since he was raised in the hunting life. Dad's rules were established for his and Dean's safety. If you didn't follow them, then you risked serious injury and possibly death. It sucked but it didn't help to complain. That is until Dad mentioned that he and Dean were going to summer camp.
For a camp that served to train the kids of hunters, it was about as close to normal, aside from school, that Sam could get. True he had to go through the regimen of training but there were games that made them like normal kids. The various games of soccer proved that and he had a new friend that came from a wealthy family but just wanted to be normal.
Hakim told him about his father and about his trainer during the school year. Sam was treated to an overblown vision of a woman who was like an angel. It was funny but kind of cool because she could beat up a guy like it was nothing. Sam told Hakim about Dean and how he was the best brother and that he once took down a werewolf.
Today though, Hakim told Sam that he found out about an old cabin in the forest and that supposedly it was where a bunch of old time stuff was and where the corpse of the founder of the camp was since he died and no one ever found the remains. He suggested that they skip soccer to go look for it and maybe they might find something good. They could have a hunt of their own.
It sounded tempting and even though Sam liked being around Dean and felt safe when they did hunts, he liked the idea of working with another hunter. So deciding to be a rule breaker, he agreed and they took off to where the cabin was. He felt bad that he hadn't mentioned anything to Dean and he knew his brother was going to be worried. That meant a lecture from mini-Dad aka Dean. He wanted to have fun though.
They found the cabin and it was kind of a disappointment. Though really very old, it looked fairly well kept up. Someone was living there. Sam let out a sigh of disappointment. "I think somebody lives here."
"Nobody lives here," Hakim protested. "Look." He pointed and noted the rotting wood on the shutters and the old stuff outside. "See that shed. I bet that has something neat and it isn't even locked."
Sam wasn't so sure but he followed Hakim's lead. They opened the shed and were greeted by a bloodied clown mask and knife. Sam couldn't help but scream out in fright. He tried to run but was startled by another clown mask and he fell down on his butt. There were other guys around wearing different masks but his eyes were on the clown mask with blood. He got stiff with fright and he willed himself to stand.
"All alone Winchester."
Sam recognized the voice and it was coming from the clown mask with the knife. He knew who it was but all he could see was the clown. He took a step back and bumped into Hakim who was scared too. He jerked back when the clown swooped at him and started, to his shame, feel tears. It had been years since he had been that close to one of those things and it still made him jump.
"You crying?" The clown leader looked at him. He then said, "Hey, we made the Winchester boy cry!"
Sam though didn't like being made fun of. Yeah he was scared of clowns and while it was okay for Dean to make fun of him with that on occasion, he didn't like it when other people did. Brushing the tears angrily aside and letting anger, rather than fear take control, he charged and drove his shoulder into the taller kid's stomach and tackled him.
Sam landed on top of the bully and began hitting him. For once he was glad that fighting was somewhat allowed even though he would rather avoid them and not be the freak. He didn't swing blindly but aimed and hit the clown in the face. Of course they were outnumbered and he was pulled off and was being pounded on by the others.
Hakim managed to get away to find help after giving a nice one to the shins. That was when he recognized Sam's older brother Dean. He had never met him before but he recognized the description well. He ran up to him and said, "Sam's in trouble."
~0~0~
Dean had been about to lose hope when he got the strange idea to head to the old abandoned cabin. It was a story to make the kids get all excited about. He had checked out the stories himself and none of them were true. He figured though it was a place that Sam would have gone just to have that normal kind of fun that he had been adamant about craving.
He picked up the pace and made a beeline. His big brother instincts were ringing that something wasn't right with Sam. He spotted the cabin when he saw Sam's friend come out shouting that his little brother was in trouble. He said, "Okay. I got it from here. Just go back and pretend everything is normal okay?"
It was stupid advice but he figured he'd be nice and let the kid with getting away with wandering off. Right now his priority was Sam and he headed towards the sounds of scuffling like a predator on the prowl. He saw a bunch of kids beating up on his little brother and two had on the thing that terrorized Sam the most. That was just wrong.
Dean charged and leapt onto the two that held Sam. Now that Sam was free, he had a partner. He took immense pleasure in hitting the punks that tormented his little brother. He looked at Sam who was kicking his way through the other guys while avoiding the two with clown masks. Dean took on those freely but he knew that some day Sam was going to have to face that particular fear.
Suddenly Dean heard a painful yelp and turned to see Sam holding his arm and it was bleeding. The leader had a knife, one of those small ones, and was swinging it at Sam. Dean charged but was tackled from behind and he fell. A rock hit his stomach and it winded him. He got a hit to his back on the shoulder blades before the guy was ripped off him suddenly.
Dean was still winded and he rolled off the rock to catch his breath. That was when he saw the guy with the knife get his wrist grabbed and twisted behind him. The rescuer was wearing a dark hoodie and looked like a chick but whoever it was knew their stuff. In the end the group of punks was scared off by the rescuer saying in a feminine but firm voice, "Don't try this again or there will be hell to pay."
Dean knew a threat when he heard it and thought it to be cool. He looked up to see the stranger kneel to take a look at Sam and his arm. In his protective mode, he stumbled to his feet and slurred slightly, "Back off." That was before he saw spots and then black.
Dean woke up to find himself in a room that was clean. He sat up suddenly and winced as the headache came through. He heard Sam say, "Easy Dean. You got a concussion."
Dean didn't remember getting hit but that was because his mind was focused on protecting Sam. He replied, "Yeah whatever Sammy." He looked over his brother and saw that he was sporting a black eye and there was a bandage where the knife got his arm. "You okay Sammy?"
"I'm fine. She fixed us up," Sam replied pointing at the lady who was busy by the fire that had been started.
It was then that Dean realized that it was getting dark. They wouldn't be able to make it back in time. The lady then said, "Don't worry about it. You can stay here and then go back in the morning. I'll have it squared with Mr. Garrett."
"You work here?" Dean eyed the back suspiciously.
"I help out on occasion. You need to rest since that was a nice clonk to the head you got."
"Yeah well I think," Dean started to get up. He was stopped when another wave of dizziness hit. "Sonofabitch."
"I told you that you needed rest. I'll finish this and you'll both have a meal and get some sleep. The headache will be gone by morning."
Dean looked at Sam who shrugged his shoulders. They both got the idea that this woman was someone that you didn't dare disobey. So they obeyed, sharing in a pot of rather filling stew and went to bed with full stomachs. For one, Dean didn't mind that Sam cuddled against him. The poor kid had a fright today. At least he was okay now. He fell asleep and didn't feel the slight combing on fingers through his hair and then Sam's like a mother would.
They were hauled in front of Garrett's desk the next day after they got back. They gave their case and managed to keep Hakim from getting into trouble. They however got stuck with cleanup duty in the mess hall for the rest of the week. The other punks were punished to after it was revealed that 'one decided to introduce a sharp object into the fight and swung at his opponent with intent to do serious harm.'
Dean thought it was a light sentence since it was cleanup. At least Sam was okay and that was what mattered. He looked over at Sam who was mopping the floor and he looked a little happy. He thought it strange but it was Sam. He then looked at the plate he was picking up and he knew whose plate it was and they had left a mess purposely. Well he'll do something about that.
"Thanks Dean."
Dean looked at his little brother who was giving him that dimpled smile of his. "Hey you're my pain in the ass little brother."
"Still."
"Hey, Rule Number One Sammy," Dean replied. He didn't have to go into detail with that one. He had explained it ever since Sam was old enough to go to school.
"Yeah I know," Sam replied with a grin. "It was a bit fun." He continued with his mopping looking ridiculous since the mop was longer than he was.
Dean smiled back. It may have been fun for Sam but for Dean it was a pain in the ass. Yeah his number one job was to look after Sammy but seeing his little brother cowered like that in fear. It rubbed the wrong way.
Dad sent them to this camp to have a little fun while still in training. Yeah there was some fun and not Sam's idea of it. Still there was one thing that Dean could honestly admit: Summer camp sucked.
A/N: A summer camp for hunters in the making? Weird but as always, the Winchester brothers had someone looking out for them.