A/N: Okay, this is the real deal. The hunt begins. I've done dome research on folklore and stuff, and actually found a couple of things. I added my own little touches to add some details to the story, I hope you like it. I'll try to make my chapters longer, and I'll be as creative as possible. But give me some credit, schools and stuff rot my mind x_x Anyways, I'll start writing now, sorry for the ranting. xD
P.S: The VD aspect won't be as direct as the SPN, though it will be present.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot and Mara, until now.
Chapter Four:
Dean's POV:
I glanced to Sam who sat asleep in the passenger's seat beside me. I chuckled and resisted the urge to put that spoon in his mouth again. I looked back at the back seat through the rearview mirror, where Jay was curled into a tight ball; her head leaned against the window as she slept.
I looked forward at the horizon, where the first signs of a new day were appearing. I didn't really pay attention to the signs so I didn't know where we were, I just drove. I was thinking…yes I was thinking. I was thinking about Hell. I was thinking about what happened to Sam when I left. I was thinking about what we are going to do when we arrive to Virginia. My mind was so messed up right now.
I pulled over at the side of the road, and stared out of the window. Outside were clear plains, so I guessed that we were probably in Nebraska or something. I got out and walked to the front of the car, leaning against it. I sighed and looked up at the sky, shoving my hands into my jacket's pockets.
I heard the passenger door open, Sam was awake.
"Ah…Good morning, Dean." He said and came forward towards me, stretching his neck. He frowned lightly, and nudged my arm. "Dean? Hello…You okay, man?"
I looked at him and shook my head, "Yeah, yeah."
"Liar, don't lie to me Dean. Something is wrong. You look like you've been…thinking about something." He stated as he moved to the trunk. I heard glass clunking against each other. Good ol' Sam, breakfast beer. I sighed and shook my head, "You don't seem curious about how it was…down there."
He handed me the bottle, "Dean, I'm damn curious. But you're not talking about Hell, and I ain't pushing it." He had said as he leaned against the car beside me, opening his bottle. I opened mine, "Cheers to that" I said, and we tipped the bottles together. Both of us drank from it and stood there.
There was a moment of silence. I knew I needed to talk about it…because I can't keep it a secret for long. He has to know. "It wasn't four months, you know."
"What?" He seemed surprised as he turned and looked at me.
"It was four months up here but down there…I don't know; time is different. It was more like forty years." I said, frowning deeply. The worst forty years of my lifetime.
"My God…" I heard his mortified whisper.
"They sliced and…carved and…tore me in ways that you can never…" I took a deep breath as I recalled the memories, the pain. "Until there was nothing left…and then suddenly, I would be whole again, like magic. Then it would start all over again. And Alistair," I closed my eyes, calming myself, "at the end of every day, everyone…He would come over, and make me an offer."
I sucked in a raspy breath from the cold air, and watched the air in front of me. Sam waited, he was patient. He didn't stress over my delay. I had to find words…I had to say it right, "It was…to take me off the rack, if I put souls on, if I started the torture. And everyday I'd told him to stick it with the sun don't shine." I chuckled darkly.
I hadn't noticed that Sam was on his feet now, standing in front of me, studying my face. I kept my face down as I went on, "For thirty years I'd told him…But then I couldn't do it anymore Sammy…I couldn't." My eyes stung...My voice cracked…But I had to let it out.
"And I got off that rack…I got right off it…And I started ripping them apart." I heard Sam's silent intake of breath. I blinked as I felt my vision go blurry, and felt the warm drops slide down my cheeks slowly. "I lost count of how many souls…The things that I did to them…" I felt Sam's hand on my shoulder; I just kept my face down.
"Dean…Dean…you have held yourself for thirty years…that's longer than anyone would've." He said…soothing me. I came to realize that I was crying, sobbing silently, as I had heard the echoes of their screams in my ears. I could see their pained, agonized faces as they looked at me, one question written on their faces…Why?
I shook my head at his words, and wiped the tears from my face, sniffling. "How I feel…inside me…I wish I couldn't feel anything, Sammy. I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing." And I just couldn't hold back anymore. I let the tears flow freely. I let the silent sobs out.
"Dean...Dean, look at me." Sam said as he lifted my face to meet his, "It's not your fault. If it were me, I'd have given up in the first few days. You're strong, stronger than me, stronger than Dad. Don't let a memory of what happened torture you; learn that from me."
I nodded slowly, "Thanks man." I wiped my palm over my face again, and smiled at him. "Sorry…I sounded pathetic."
"No way, Dean. It's okay, you kinda needed it." He said, smiling and patted me on the back.
"Yeah, you're probably right." I smiled a bit and shoved him away lightly. He rolled his eyes and smacked the back of my head. Yeah…our brotherhood is deep. I grabbed his arm and twisted it lightly behind his back, kneeling down to set my bottle on the ground. He laughed, "That all you got, Dean?"
He slipped beneath my grip and twisted my own arm behind my back, I grinned. "You're getting better, Sammy."
"I've always been better." He said, letting go of my arm, I punched his playfully and picked up my bottle. He rolled his eyes and went back inside the car, searching for something. Then he got out and looked at me alert, "Where's Mara?"
I frowned, "I don't know. She was asleep in there." I gestured to the car. "She couldn't just leave."
"Of course, I can't do that." I heard her say behind me and I turned quickly. She was smiling.
"Where were you? How did you leave?" Sam said, pacing towards her.
She shrugged lightly, "You guys were talking about something…It seemed private, so I left." She smiled at me and turned to look at Sam.
"How did you leave? How didn't we notice you?" He asked.
"Sam…I opened the door and left, just like that." She tapped her forehead. "Gifted, remember."
"Yeah, you said something about creating illusions and stuff." I said, recalling her saying that once.
"Exactly." She nodded. "See, even Dean remembers." I nodded proudly…
"Hey!" I frowned at her and she laughed as she shook her head. I rolled my eyes. "But you said it made you weaker." I eyed her skeptically. Sam frowned and looked down at her as she was shifting her weight uncomfortably.
"Mara, are you okay?" Sam asked, putting his hand on her shoulders.
"I'm fine, Sam." She said, rolling her eyes and shrugging his hands off her shoulders. She walked over to the car. Sam looked at me and shook his head, I shrugged. If she says she's fine, then she's fine. Though, I have to admit that I'm worried about her too. She spread the map on the car's trunk, "We're here." She placed her finger on…
"Sarpy County?" Sam said, and then he looked at me, "Man, what speed we're you driving at?"
"You don't wanna know" I grinned and he shrugged.
"I went to a motel, somewhere close to Bellevue." Mara said, tracing her finger over the map towards Bellevue, "And I have some news; I think you guys would be interested in it." She folded the map and looked at both of us.
"Well?" I said eager for the info. Sam elbowed me. I stepped on his foot; this could be our big comeback.
"There has been a disappearance in Bellevue, by the Fontenelle Forest, last night." She said.
"That sounds normal to me, maybe whoever that was, they're just lost." I said, shrugging.
"No, it's not normal. I asked around, there are disappearances happening 3 days, every 2 months this year…and all the people who disappeared are children under 8." She exhaled heavily.
Sam looked at me, "Yeah, that's not normal at all. We gotta check that."
I smirked, "Hell yeah." I quickly climbed into the driver's seat and turned up the music; Sam and Mara got in and I sped down the road as fast as I can to Bellevue.
Mara's POV:
Dean threw my key towards me and I caught it. "We start searching tomorrow." He yelled as he got into his and Sam's room. I rolled my eyes and got into mine. So we went back to the motel I visited earlier and checked in for 3 days. As Dean had said though, we'll start digging around tomorrow.
I put my backpack on the chair and fell onto the old motel sheets, closing my eyes, I needed some rest. All of us did. I drifted slowly to sleep.
I woke up and looked around at the old alarm clock on the night stand, 9:45 PM. Hell, I slept a lot. I shook my head and dragged myself to the bathroom, splashing my face a couple of times before deciding on taking a shower.
After I was done with the shower and with washing my clothes, I figured that a walk around town wouldn't be bad, might pick up something. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see Sam closing their room's door, his laptop bag in hand. "Sam!" I said, smiling.
He turned and walked towards me smiling, "Hey Mara. What are you doing awake?"
"Ah, I slept when we arrived. Just woke up." I laughed lightly then looked at him. "Where to?"
"Any diner around, was gonna try to pick up any kind of signal I could to do some research. Wanna come?" He said as he started walking, looking back at me. I started walking by his side at a quick pace in the beginning to catch up with him before we both slowed down. We walked silently, our teeth chattering and our feet moving were the only sounds we heard…he heard. I tried as much as I can to block out thoughts, heartbeats, movements, everything. Peace and quiet wasn't too much to ask for, right?
We found a small diner and we quickly entered it, sighing in relief at the warmth we felt as soon as we entered. I looked up at him and he was grin down at me, I laughed lightly and moved to the window-table, sitting down. He sat in the seat opposite of mine and pulled out his laptop, "Ah, okay…what exactly are we researching?" He asked.
"Disappearance of Rosalia Walch." I said, recalling the name I read earlier. He tilted his head and typed it in anyways.
"Aha…here it is…Rosalia Walch, 7 years old, disappears on the night of November 15th. Walker mentions seeing a shadow kidnapping her to Fontenelle Forest. After 911 arrived and they scanned the forest, they only found her necklace." He quoted as he sat back on the backrest. "That's a start."
I tilted my head as I thought. "Search on previous attacks…two months ago."
"Okay…" He said and starting typing in, murmuring as he did, "Disappearances in Bellevue on September." He pressed enter and leaned in, reading. I stood and peeked over the laptop's screen; he turned it to show me. I scanned the screen, "Elliot Counter…check that one."
He clicked at it and I started reading the article, "Elliot Counter, 8 years old, lost in Fontenelle Forest on a family camping trip on the night of September 15th. Mother says she heard him yell for help. After the forest was scanned for days, nothing had been found." I looked back at Sam as he opened another article,
"Margaret Linion, 3 years old, disappears at the night of September 16th. Brother stated that he found the door of the house opened and he trailed after her to the entrance of Fontonelle Forest, then he called 911. After multiple scans, including Elliot Counter's search, nothing had yet been found."
And Another Article,
"Another tragic disappearance in Bellevue. Layla Young, age of 5, disappears after wandering off from a school field trip group. A student says that they had seen her walk into Fontonelle Forest but after searches, neither she nor other children have been found."
Sam looked at me, still reading articles…."It's happening every 4 years…since 2002"
"Every leap year…" I whispered and frowned. Why since 2002?
"Every 2 months, 3 nights of the same date…1 child disappears into Fontenelle Forest and is never back." He said looking up at me. I sat beside him, sighing as I thought about it. "You're the expert with the legends, what could it be?" I said, looking at him.
"Well…I know as much as you do, so let's do some research on folklore in this town." Sam said as he closed the laptop screen, placing it back into his bag. I nodded slowly and rose up to my feet. We exited the diner together and stood in the middle of the pavement, looking around.
"Any idea on where we could find an old library?" He said, probably talking to himself. I scanned the narrow street, spotted a library just a few feet away. I tugged at Sam's sleeve, "There." He looked towards where I gestured and nodded before he started walking again. I walked beside him silently…but there was something wrong. I looked backward once, twice…
"Are you okay?" I looked up quickly; Sam's face was fixed on mine. I frowned a bit and nodded. He tilted his head slightly and pulled the door open, smiling at me sheepishly. I laughed lightly and went through the door, him coming after me.
"Go talk to the librarian." I said, "I'll take a look around."
"Take care." He said.
"It's a local Library, the worst that could happen is a book cabinet falling on me, and you know it wouldn't even bruise." I stated matter-of-factly.
"That's not funny." He lifted his brows. I rolled my eyes as he turned and started talking to the old librarian. I looked through the old shelves, reading titles of books. What was this, a legend Wikipedia? All books here are about witches, demons, legends…all literature arts though, but who knows what's true and what isn't?
Help Us.
I frowned and turned around quickly. I looked sideways, trying to find the source of the whisper. Help us, please!My breathing hitched as I turned around nervously. I looked beneath the shelves and tables. Nothing….I stood silently…
You can save us! Please, help us!
That wasn't one person…it wasn't even an adult; the voice belonged to a bunch of children. My eyes widened.
Please, don't let her hurt us! Please!
Their voices were silenced by a screech; I gasped and squeezed my palms against my ears. A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped forward lightly, turning around. Sam was staring at me, his expression skeptical. I let my hands fall to my side slowly and I blinked a couple of times.
"Mara, seriously, are you okay?" Sam asked again.
"Yes, Sam. I'm perfectly fine." I said hesitantly, looking around.
"I got a few books; we could read them later. Let's just go back, it's almost one."
"In the morning?" I asked.
"Yeah." He nodded lightly as we exited the library, walking on the pavement.
This time, the walk was silent. No rush, no voices, everyone was asleep in their houses. I heard something, though…a small fluttery heartbeat. Not like mine, like normal fluttery, child-like fluttery. I looked across the street and I saw a little girl. She was looking at me with wide blue eyes. "Help us, please." She whispered. I stopped and stared at her, but she faded away, like she was never there.
"Mara!" Sam shook my shoulder lightly, I looked at him. "What's wrong?"
"I thought I saw something." I said, and blinked again, shaking my head.
"Well, what is it?" He said, literally dragging me as I moved my legs stiffly.
"I'm sure it's nothing, I just need some rest." I said, but I didn't know if it was him I was trying to convince or myself.
We stopped again, and I looked around to realize that I was in front of my room. I got out my key and looked up at Sam who was looking at me. "I'm fine, Sam. Maybe I'm hallucinating or something like that…"
"You need blood, don't you?" Sam sighed.
"I guess." I frowned and unlocked my door, "Look, let's not talk about that today. We have tomorrow, but now, seriously let's get some rest."
He shrugged and kissed my forehead, just like always. "Night, Mara." Then he left, pacing to his room and locking his door. I entered mine, and locked the door as well. But I was in no mood for sleeping. I just stood by the window, staring out at it as I watched the rain start to fall, one drop after the other.
Then I saw the little girl again, but her face was frightened. Her blonde waist-long hair had streaks of red, blood. Her face and clothes were smudged with mud. She screamed at me, "Please, you have to help us! You're the only one that can save us! Please!"
I didn't hesitate for any other thought. I grabbed my jacket and ran out of the motel room. I looked around as I stood in the middle of the road, soaked now from the rain. Cold air brushed my face and I looked to the direction it blew, the little girl was standing there. "From here, please follow me! Please help us!"
Then it was like she disappeared and reappeared, cold winds blowing with every movement. I followed her, not thinking of what I was doing but the wheels in my head started working again. Attacks…every 2 months in three special days; the 15th, the 16th, and the 17th. If it was a pattern, which I was one hundred percent sure of right now, then another disappearance will happen tonight. I wouldn't let another child disappear, not when they asked me for help.
I was in front of Fontonelle Forest now, probably in it because I was surrounded by trees. I looked down at the little girl; she touched my hand lightly…it was warm, like she was alive, but I knew she was a spirit…a lost soul, trapped here. That's what Sam had told me; when a person dies violently, their spirit stays here, to fulfill something.
"Please, don't tell her you are here. You have to help us." She said, looking at me, her eyes wide. I was speechless, but I held her hand and nodded. She started walking quietly, getting us deeper and deeper into the forest. She stopped and kneeled down, holding up a baseball cap for me, "Can you save him?" She asked. "Please, save him if you can. Please make it stop."
"I will, I'll try." I whispered, and then I heard a sudden cry. Suddenly, the small girl wasn't beside me anymore, but she was in a tree, a few feet ahead. She looked back at me and whispered, "Please come."
I was beside her in a second. She pointed ahead, and I looked where she had pointed. I had to cover my mouth to prevent my choked scream. Oh God….
Sam's POV:
I blinked a bit and looked up at the ceiling, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light. I reached and rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I sat up. I looked beside me; Dean was still sleeping on his bed. I shook my head as I got off the bed before shoving him lightly. "Wake up, Dean…"
"What? Let me sleep." He groaned as he rolled away, pulling the pillow over his head. I removed the pillow as I glanced at the clock, 10:34 AM. "Dean, you've been sleeping for twelve hours; that's a lot, seriously dude."
"Oh come on, I've been dreaming of this." He sighed, and I hit him lightly. "Okay, okay, I'm up." He literally 'stomped' to the bathroom. I shook my head and laughed. Of course and as always, I'll be arranging the room while he takes his 10 minute nap in the bathroom.
"Sammy, you'd make some cash if you were a nanny." Dean laughed as he exited the bathroom.
"Hilarious, Dean. Really." I rolled my eyes and snatched the towel from him.
"I'll go get us something to eat." He said. Dean always puts his stomach first. I laughed and washed my face, wiping away the sleep marks of my face. I brushed my teeth and I was finished when I heard Dean yell, "Sam, Mara ain't in her room!"
"What?" I exclaimed as I dried my face and threw the towel on the bed. I quickly grabbed my jeans and shirt as I started getting dressed, "What do you mean she's not in her room."
"What you heard, the window and the door were open. The room is one hell of a mess, but no one's in there. I looked around the whole place, no one has seen her." He said.
"Where could she be, then?" I exclaimed as I put on my jacket. Dean shrugged.
"Well, all I know is that we're definitely going to search for her." I said defiantly as I slammed the door behind me.
I sat on the bed tiredly, throwing my wet jacket and the flashlight on the ground. Dean and I have been searching the whole day, but we hadn't found any sign of Mara anywhere. Dean came through the door after me, collapsing on the bed after slamming the door shut.
"We still have to search." I said, swallowing. It was 6:30 PM now; we had been searching for a long time.
"No way, Sam. No way, we're searching again." Dean sighed, huffing.
Before I could answer him in any way, someone banged on the door. I got up and opened it; exclaimed, "Mara! Where the hell have you been?"
She gasped and shivered as she was covered in rain and mud. Her face was tearful as the tears on her face mingled with the rain she was covered in.
"I know what's going on, I've seen it."
A/N: SORRY! For the very long delay. I've been working my ass off these past 2 weeks. Sorry again. Please review, I mean, I haven't written all of this for nothing. Pretty please :3? PM me on any suggestions for the story. Thanks to Dark-Supernatural-Angel for Beta-ing the chapter. She didn't take long. I'll try to update faster, promise, don't forget to review.