Chapter 7
The bar as it was called, was a large room with windows down one wall and tables scattered around the room. He saw a dart board in the back and a couple of the tables had playing cards on them. A bar ran partway down one side with bottles of liquor on shelves behind it. It looked like they had at least two beers on tap. The room was empty of any occupants, so he had his choice of seats.
Sam walked further into the room deciding to sit at the bar to wait for the guy. He looked around the room, inspecting each wall, noting the pictures hanging on them. Some looked really old and others seem more modern. The dim light shone through the windows casting the room in a soft grey light.
Small bowls of peanuts and pretzels were spaced evenly along the bar. Sam absently twisted the bowl around as he picked up a pretzel and popped it in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully as he compiled all the facts he knew and listed the questions he needed answered. Where ever he was, he was sure it wasn't anywhere near West Virginia, where he had been checking out the disappearances.
It was nearly an hour before the guy from the front joined him in the bar. He strolled behind it and drew two drafts, sliding one in front of Sam.
"Thanks." Sam said accepting the beer. "I don't even know your name."
"Sorry 'bout that, name's Nathan." he answered introducing himself.
"Nathan, where the hell am I?"
"Well, you could call this a way station." Nathan started.
"Way station?" Sam puzzled.
"Yes, when a person dies, their soul crosses over, some go straight to Heaven or Hell, but some have a short stop here before they continue. Others may pass through other way stations, there are so many variables I can't explain them all. My job is to guide those that come here."
"I'm not sure I understand, why would some stop here in this place? And how do I have a body here, if only my soul came across?"
"Could be a number of reasons, some can't let go yet, some have not been let go from life there by family or friends and others have lost their way and need help moving on." he continued. "This place will generate your body as it was on the other side, it makes it easier for the souls to accept being here and to move on."
"So, if this is neither Heaven or Hell, is it Limbo?"
"Well, I guess you could call it that, in a way, but not exactly, there are more planes than you know that exist. The souls are not trapped here, they do eventually move on, some faster than others. What I don't understand is why you are here? You're not dead in your world, you should not have crossed over. You still radiate life. What is the last thing you remember?"
"I was in West Virginia working on missing persons case. I remember looking for information. I went out to some of the crime scenes looking for evidence. The last one was in the woods, I was hiking a trail to the site and nothing else." Sam said recounting what had happened.
"Can you tell me where you where when this happened?"
"I was staying in Clarksburg, West Virginia, the crime scene was in a state park, on one of the lesser traveled trails."
"Can you show me where?" he asked pulling a map from under the bar. He folded it out allowing Sam to look at it and find the spot.
"It was around this area." he said pointing to a spot.
Nathan took a red marker and marked an X on the spot. He then pulled another clear sheet out that had markings on it and laid it over the other, aligning certain marks.
"I was afraid of this." he said looking up at Sam.
"What is it?"
"Do you know what ley lines are?"
"Maybe, it seems I've come across some reference to them in my research."
"They are what you could call psychic railroads. They run around the world and in some places the mystic powers are very strong and bleed through. In those places there is a weakening in the wall, sort of a thinning. It allows passage through your plane and time to this one. They are few and far between. I thought all of them had disappeared over the millennium. I'm surprised that you somehow stumbled into one."
"And I came through this thinning?"
"I would assume so, but only your soul, your physical body stayed on the other side."
"Wait! Am I still alive?"
"Your body is alive, but it's in a fugue state or trance like state."
"Crap." Sam muttered. "So how do I get back to my body?"
"That may take some time to figure out, you're the first that this has happened to. These flaws are few and far between and positioned where they're usually inaccessible."
"Are you saying I'm trapped here?" Sam exclaimed as his voice got louder. "Why can't I go back to where I came through, this thinning place and just go back?"
"Not really trapped, but visiting until we can figure a way for you to leave. The thinning that allowed you passage into this plane has closed. Once the atomic structure was dispersed with your crossing, the wall healed itself and the thinning disappeared." Nathan explained. "Look, why don't you take a room and rest for a while. Then we will research this and see if we can find a solution."
Sam looked at the key he pushed across to him and picked it up. He wasn't happy with the information so far, but if he could cross over once, there had to be a way to cross back.
"It's on the second floor room 217. I'm sure you'll find it to your liking." he assured him.
Not knowing what else to do at the moment, Sam stood and started walking toward the door. He turned back before go through and said, "There's got to be a way and I'm going to find it."
Nathan watched the young man walk out the door and looked sadly out the windows. He didn't have the heart to tell him the truth, he might be stuck here for good. Nathan wiped the bar and washed the glasses before heading back to the front desk to await the next traveler.
spn
Sam walked up the steps to the second floor. As he stepped onto the landing a wave on nausea and dizziness struck him causing him to grab the railing before falling. He leaned over slightly waiting for the feelings to pass. Sam drew in a deep breathe as the dizziness passed. He continued down the hall to room 217 using the key to open the door.
He stepped into the room and glanced around at the decor. The room was shades of soft brown, with a queen size bed stacked with pillows against one wall. End tables and lamps sat on either side of the bed and a comfortable looking chair and ottoman sat in front of the window that looked out onto a garden of flowers. A writing table and chair sat at another wall that also had a bookcase full of books and soft mute prints adorned the walls. There was a change of clothes laying on the bed ready for him. He looked down at his torn, dirty clothes thinking a shower would be nice.
Another door opened to a bathroom fit for a king, much nicer than most he had used over the years. There was a large walk-in shower suitable for his size, big, soft towels and bathroom articles lined up on the counter. Everything he needed was in the bathroom ready for him to shower away the strenuous activities of the day.
What felt different, was not really being tired. He had hiked for a long time, yet his body didn't show the strain and stress of it. When he thought about it, he had not eaten or drank anything until the beer downstairs, but he didn't feel hungry or thirst. Maybe it was a side effect of being here in this place. It seemed time and space were moving at a different rhythm here. He'd have to remember to ask Nathan about that.
Sam picked up the clothes and headed for the bathroom and a hot shower. He stripped off his dirty clothes and turned on the water letting steam fill the room. After a slight adjustment to the water, Sam stepped into the hot spray letting it beat on his naked body. He felt like he was being treated like a king. Never had a shower felt this good, with strong water pressure, just the right temperature, and to actually be able to shower without stooping.
Man would Dean be envious. That one thought brought him back to reality. He wondered if Dean and Oree knew something was wrong? If they did find his body, what would they think and do? He could be laying out in the woods, animals eating at his body. Then a chilling thought crossed his mind, what if there wasn't a body to go back to? What then? Sam turned off the water and grabbed a towel, all happy thoughts erased from his mind as different scenarios ran through his mind.
He dried himself on the softest towels he had ever felt and slipped on the clothes. Sam didn't know how, but they fit him perfectly. After towel drying his hair, he combed it back and headed into the other room. He walked over to the bookcase and looked over the titles seeing a wide range of book titles from fiction to non-fiction. Sam pulled a book from the shelf and moved to the bed taking some pillows off and pulling down the covers. He turned on a lamp and made himself comfortable in the bed so he could read. This day had been a very unusual one and he just wanted to clear his mind and let it rest. He had to be positive about this, there was always a solution to a problem.