Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters.

I pulled my prettiest, so here it is! Chapter sixteen is up!

This chapter's a bit rushed, since I'm hard-pressed for time. So….it might be a bit….iffy.

The name of this chapter is borrowed from the band 'Cannibal Corpse'. Funny how most of their song names fit Supernatural, and yet the song itself is just plain….. creepy. And not in a good way.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

On with it, shall we?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN- THE UNDEAD SHALL FEAST

"Where do the coordinates lead again?" Sam's voice tugged at my sleepy brain, successfully rousing me.

There was something…off about his voice. Perhaps a bite of frustration, maybe even anger?

"Lost Creek, Colorado," was Dean's short answer.

I already knew not to argue with Dean at times like these. Apparently, Sam didn't.

I shook off my blanket. It was only now that I realized it smelt of leather and ash.

An odd combination, but pleasant, nonetheless.

I glanced at Castiel, who occupied the extreme right side of the Impala's backseat.

He stared back at me fixedly. I averted my gaze at once, unnerved.

Sensing my movement, Sam looked back at me.

"Good, you're up. We've almost reached."

I blinked slowly. "Another case."

"Yes," came Dean's abrupt voice.

I wanted to ask how they'd found one so fast, but staring at Dean's tight-lipped expression, I decided against it, and thought of a safer question.

"What's this one about?"

Dean's hands tightened on the steering wheel.

It was Sam who answered me.

"Campers have been disappearing for a pretty long while now in Black Ridge. Everyone thinks it's a bear attack, but it just might be something more. Worth checking out."

By this time, Dean had driven into Lost Creek and parked the car near the Ranger's Visiting Centre in Black Ridge.

Sam got out and opened the Impala's trunk, fishing out fake ID's.

Castiel chose to speak, then.

"Do you require my assistance on this case?"

Dean scowled. "No we don't, angel."

Sam was more polite. "Thanks for asking, Castiel. We'll call if we need any help."

Dean scoffed behind me.

"Very well." Castiel glanced at each of us impassively, and promptly vanished.

We moved inside.

"Wait here." Dean ordered.

"Let's quiz Ranger…. ah," Dean read the nameplate over the nearby room, "Wilkinson, shall we?"

He grinned at Sam, looking a lot less forbidding than he had a second ago.

"First time we're playing park rangers," Sam commented, as they went further down the hall.

I sat on the hard metal chair, massaging my head with my fingers.

This was going to take some getting used to.

A curl of uneasiness unfurled in my stomach. I barely knew Dean and Sam, and I'd placed my life in their hands.

Them and Castiel. The angel's stern face flashed through my brain, and my fingers started trembling.

I was afraid.

To distract myself, I listened to the Ranger's conversation with the brothers.

"Say, are you friends with that Hailey girl?" Wilkinson's gruff baritone sounded wary.

"Uh…..yes, that's right! We're friends of Hailey." Dean was quick on the uptake.

"Came in here half an hour ago, demanding a search for her brother," he grumbled.

"I'm sure he'll turn up in a couple of days," he continued.

"Well, we'll be sure to tell her that," Sam assured him. "Thank you for your time."

They moved out into the hallway.

I stood up and followed them outside, slipping into the Impala.

"To Hailey's house we go," Dean said with a flourish.

"You got the address?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Yes, Dean."

I suppressed a smile.

We reached a nondescript house, painted a creamy yellow and white.

Dean rang the doorbell twice, in quick succession.

A red-haired, sallow-skinned girl opened the door.

"Yes?" She looked at Dean and Sam curiously, sparing only a glance for me.

"Are you Hailey Collins?"

She nodded, quirking an eyebrow.

"The Ranger's Visiting Centre sent us to help. Your brother's missing, I believe."

The lies dripped off Dean's tongue smoothly, and without a pause.

She opened the door.

"All right, come on in."

We trooped inside. Hailey led us into her dining room, where a lanky, dark-haired boy sat, pale and unkempt.

"Hailey, did your brother seem in any way scared or alarmed before he went missing?"

Sam started his questioning immediately.

"No, he didn't. He was completely fine. He sent me emails, videos, and then three days ago, he just disappeared."

The circles under her eyes were very apparent at that moment.

"Miss. Collins, is it possible that your brother just didn't want to email you? Maybe he's just having fun and forgot to call, or something."

"No!" She said a little more forcefully. "Tommy would never do that. He called me everyday."

"Look." She brought out her computer and played her brother's video.

Sam's eyes narrowed as we watched.

He'd obviously seen something.

Dean interpreted his expression for what it was and finished the interrogation.

"We'll be out in the woods tomorrow."

"So will I. I have to find him." Hailey answered.

We left the Collins' home and reserved two rooms at the nearest decent hotel.

Sam replayed Tommy's video once we reached our rooms, frame by frame.

"Look. Can you see it?"

Dean and I both leaned closer to the screen and watched as a dark, shadowy creature flitted across the canvas of the tent.

Dean grunted. "Well, isn't this a tricky one. I say we go to a bar and ask all the people here about these supposed 'bear attacks'."

"You," he pinned me with his stare, "will stay here."

I nodded rapidly.

Sam looked at me apologetically. "We'll be back pretty soon. Dean doesn't like going to bars in the daytime, anyway."

He smiled at me, gently closing the door after him.

I stared at the empty room, not knowing what to do.

I decided to research. It had helped with the previous case, and it would be a useful way to pass the time.

I had a lot of time on my hands.

Too much time for a person who was desperate to forget.

I logged on to my computer, searching out the deaths in Lost Creek.

I was almost finished when Dean walked in, making me twitch nervously.

It would be even more awkward without Sam as a buffer.

He gave a cursory look at my Mac.

"Researching again?"

His tone was indecipherable.

"Yeah."

I breathed out in relief when Sam returned.

He too, looked at my computer.

"I found out about the deaths."

I started lamely.

"Here."

I pulled out a sheaf of newspaper articles.

"People have been disappearing, and I suppose dying, every 23 years in Blackwater. There haven't been any survivors, except this guy," I pulled out his picture, "Mr. Shaw, back in 1959."

"Huh." Sam huffed in surprise.

Dean continued to examine the newspaper clippings.

I chewed my lip.

"Well, we'd better go see him, then," Sam grinned at me.

"Nice work."

I relaxed.

Dean said nothing, but swiped the car keys from the table and stalked outside.

I could hear the Impala's engine roar.

~Supernatural~

I looked at Mr. Shaw's decrepit cabin with some trepidation.

I elected to stay in the car while Dean and Sam questioned him.

I huddled into a corner in the backseat.

Castiel suddenly reappeared, making me squeak in alarm.

"Uh, hey, Castiel," I greeted him, tongue-tied, as usual.

"They have the right man," he said in return.

I blinked at him.

"You'll find what's hunting these people."

He studied me gravely.

"Be careful. The woods here have led many astray. See that you don't become one of them."

Castiel disappeared as abruptly as he'd arrived, leaving me with my own thoughts and his grim statement.