Fitchburg, Wisconsin
Inside, Surburban House
June 14, 2006
A little girl is kneeling by her bed and praying. "Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep, may angels watch me through the night and keep me safe til morning light. Amen." the little girl prays.
Her dad helps her into bed. "Amen. Night Monkey Puss." her dad tells her, praying as well.
"Daddy, is Mommy coming home?" the little girl asks.
"No honey, she's spending the night at the hospital with your sister. You sleep tight now." her daddy tells her.
Outside a tree branch scratches against the window. The girl sits up in bed, afraid. She gathers her courage, races to the window and pulls the curtain across, then hides back under the covers. The scratching tree branch turns into a long spindly fingered hand and the window is slowly pulled open. A shadow approaches the bed. The girl is wide-eyed and terrified under the covers. The hand is placed on her shoulder - she is turned and sees someone in a hood, only their mouth and chin visible. The skin is deeply wrinkled, the mouth opens, and a bright light is emitted. The little girl begins to scream.
Inside, Impala
June 16, 2006
Sam POV
The Impala cruises down a country road.
"Yeah. You probably missed something, that's what." Dean tells me, as Hadraniel's 1996 Impala SS follows with Harry and Harry and Laila in it, apparently Razzie wanted Lorelai to rest for a week after Mordechai.
"Dude, I ran LexisNexis, local police reports, newspapers, I couldn't find a single red flag. Are you sure you got the coordinates, right?" I ask Deano.
"Yeah, I double checked. It's Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Dad wouldn't have sent us coordinates if it wasn't important Sammy." Dean tells me.
I am getting frustrated. "Well, I'm telling you I looked and all I could find was a big steamy pile of nothing. If Dad's sending us hunting for something I don't know what." I tell Dean.
"Well maybe he's going to meet us there." Dean tells me.
"Yeah. Cause he's been so easy to find up to this point." I tell Dean.
"You do realize I and Lore are pregnant? Which means attacks on dad, through us would be fatal fo the baby? Laila asks through the open cell phone, Yeah, Harry and Laila were in on the call.
"You're a real smart ass you know that?... Don't worry I'm sure there's something in Fitchburg worth killing." Dean tells me.
"Yeah? What makes you so sure." I ask Dean.
"Cause I'm the oldest, which means I'm always right." Dean tells me, and I hear Lailaa snort over the phone.
"No, it doesn't." I tell Dean.
"It totally does." Dean tells us.
Dean glances at me then looks back at the road back at the other Impala with a little grin. The impala cruises past the sign for Fitchburg, population 20,501.
Outside, Fitchburg Main Street
Laila POV
Sam, Harry, and I lean against the Impalas staring ahead. Dean crosses to the road to us, holding three coffees, and an orange juice. Glasow's Diner can be seen in the background.
Dean hands Sam and Harry a coffee and gives me my juice. "Well...the waitress thinks the local freemasons are up to something sneaky but other than that no one's heard about anything freaky going on." Dean tells us.
"Dean you got the time?" Sam asks Dean.
Dean looks at his watch. "Ten after Four. Why?" Dean asks Sam.
Sam is indicating ahead. "What's wrong with this picture?" Sam asks Dean, while I already know.
Sam has been watching a playground. It is deserted, only one child climbing around.
"School's out, isn't it?" Dean asks Sam.
"Yeah. So where is everybody? This place should be crawling with kids right now." Sam says.
A woman sits on a park bench reading a magazine. Dean approaches.
"Sure is quiet out here." Dean says to the woman.
"Yeah, it's a shame." the woman says.
"Why's that?" Dean asks the woman.
"You know, kids getting sick, it's a terrible thing." the woman tells us.
"How many?" Dean asks her.
"Just five or six but serious, hospital serious. A lot of parents are getting pretty anxious. They think it's catching." the woman tells him.
They both watch the little girl playing by herself.
Inside, Dane County Memorial Hospital
Sam, Dean, Harry, and I enter and approach the reception desk.
"Dude. Dude I am not using this ID." Sam tells Dean.
"Why not?" Dean asks Sam.
"Cause it says bikini inspector on it!" Sam tells Dean, I bust out laughing.
Dean is grinning. "Don't worry she won't look that close alright? Hell, she won't even ask to see it. It's all about confidence Sammy." Dean tells Sam.
He spins Sam to face the desk and keeps walking. The receptionist looks up.
"Hi. I'm Doctor Jerry Caplin, Centers for Disease Control." Sam tells the receptionist.
"Can I see some ID?" the receptionist asks Sam.
Further down the corridor Dean sniggers.
Sam throws Dean a dirty look. "Yeah of course." Sam tells the receptionist.
Sam quickly flashing the ID, holding his thumb over part of it. "Now could you direct me to the pediatric ward please?" Sam asks.
"Okay well, just go down that hall, turn left and up the stairs." the receptionist tells Sam.
Sam approaches a grinning Dean, giving major bitchface.
Dean is still grinning. "See. I told you it would work." Dean tells Sam.
Sam glares at Dean and shakes his head irritably. "Follow me. It's upstairs." Sam tells Dean, Harry and me.
The Singer Household
Bobby POV
I shake my head as my boys managed to become teen fathers by not using protection.
I look at the live in babysitter, who's been my lover for five months with lust and, as the babes are sleeping, I lead her to my room, and we have a real good time, about five times, she manages to conceive Singer children, unknowingly to me my babysitter is a witch.
We marry and I stay oblivious for nine months.
Inside, Hospital, Upstairs
Hadraniel POV
Sam, Dean, Laila, and I walk down the corridor. Dean looks into a room they pass. An old evil looking woman sitting in a wheelchair slowly turns her head to look at him. An evil symbol was on her wall.
"Dean!" Sam calls him.
Dean follows Sam, Laila, and me, glancing back toward the room.
Corridor
Sam, Dean, Laila, and I walk to a hospital corridor with a doctor.
"Well, thanks for seeing us, Dr. Hydecker." Dean tells Hydecker.
"Well, I'm glad you guys are here. I was just about to call CDC myself. How'd you find out anyways?" Hydecker asks us.
"Oh, some GP, I forget his name, he called Atlanta and, uh, he must've beat you to the punch." Dean tells the Doc.
"So, you say you got six cases so far?" Sam asks Hydecker.
"Yeah, five weeks. At first, we thought it was garden variety bacterial pneumonia. Not that newsworthy. But now..." Hydecker tells us.
"Now what?" Sam asks Hydecker.
"The kids aren't responding to antibiotics. Their white cell counts keep going down. Their immune systems just aren't doing their job. It's like their bodies are ... wearing out." Hydecker tells us.
"Excuse me, Dr Hyecker." a nurse tells Hydecker.
The Nurse hands him some forms to look over and sign.
"You ever see anything like this before?" Sam asks Hydecker.
"Never this severe." Hydecker tells us.
"And the way it spreads...that's a new one for me." the nurse tells us.
"What do you mean?" Sam asks the nurse.
"It works its way through families. But only the children, one sibling after another." the nurse tells us.
"You mind if we interview a few of the kids?" Dean asks the nurse.
"They're not conscious." the nurse tells us.
"None of them?" Laila asks the nurse.
"No." the nurse tells her.
"Can we, uh, can we talk to the parents?" I ask the nurse.
"Well, if you think it'll help." Hydecker tells us.
"Yeah. Who was your most recent admission?" Dean asks the doctor.
Inside, Hospital Waiting Room
Dean POV
A man sits on a chair against the wall, Sam, Laila, Harry, and I stand in front of him.
"I should get back to my girls." the man tells us.
"We understand that, and we really appreciate you talking to us. Now you say Mary is the oldest?" Sam asks him.
"Thirteen." he tells us.
"Ok. And she came down with it first, right? And then..." Laila asks.
"Bethany, the next night." the father says.
"Within 24 hours?" Harry asks, hugging Laila close to him since, as she's pregnant, it might be harmful to the baby.
"I guess. Look, I, uh, I already went through all this with the doctor." the father tells us.
"Just a few more questions if you don't mind. How do you think they caught pneumonia? Were they out in the cold, anything like that?" I ask him.
"No. We think it was an open window." the dad tells us.
"Both times?" I ask him.
"The first time, I, I don't really remember but the second time for sure. And I know I closed it before I put Bethany to bed." he tells us.
"So, you think she opened it?" Sam asks the dad.
"It's a second story window with a ledge. No one else could've." he tells us.
Sam, Harry, Laila, and I walk back down the corridor.
"You know this might not be anything supernatural. It might just be pneumonia." Sam tells me.
"Maybe. Or maybe something opened that window. I don't know man, look, Dad sent us down here for a reason. I think we might be barking up the right tree." I tell Sam, Harry keeping an eye on Laila.
"I'll tell you one thing." Laila tells us.
"What?" Sam and I ask.
"That guy we just talked to? I'm betting it'll be a while before he goes home." Harry finishes for Laila.
Inside, Bethany's Bedroom
Sam, Harry, Laila and I check the room with EMF.
"You got anything over there?" Sam asks me.
"Nah, nothing." I tell him.
"Yeah, me neither." Sam tells me. We keep checking. Sam moves to the window. "Hey Dean?" Sam asks me.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"Whu..." Laila starts to ask. She is staring at the windowsill with Sam and Harry. "You were right. It's not pneumonia." Laila tells me.
I come over and we stare at a handprint rotted into the wood.
"It's rotted. What the hell leaves a handprint like that?" Harry asks me.
Flashback, Motel Room of the young Winchesters
I am around 10 and staring at a photo of the same handprint. Dad comes out of the bedroom, loading his sawn off.
"All right. You know the drill, Dean, Angel. Anybody calls, you don't pick up. If it's me, I'll ring once, then call back. You got that?" Dad asks us. Angel isn't going on this one.
"Mm-hmm. Only answer the phone unless it rings once first." I tell dad.
"Yes dear, I know the darn rules by now!" Angel says, wanting to cuss.
"Come on, dude, look alive. This stuff is important. And hey, temper, you're seven months, I can't lose you." dad tells Angel and me.
"I know, it's just...we've gone over it like a million times, and you know I'm not stupid." I tell dad.
"I know you're not, but it only takes one mistake, you got that?" John tells me.
"It would be me that would make the mistake John, I'm pregnant, new to hunting and yeah..." Angel defends me.
John continues gathering his things.
"All right, if I'm not back Sunday night...?" John asks us.
"Call Pastor Jim." I tell Dad, but I see Angel would rather hunt dad down.
"Lock the doors, the windows, close the shades. Most important..." Dad starts to finish.
"Watch out for Sammy, Angel, and the unborn babies." I tell him.
We all look to Sammy, sprawled on the couch watching cartoons on TV and then dad and I look at Angel, who huffs.
"I know." I tell dad.
"All right. If something tries to bust in?" Dad asks us.
"Shoot first, ask questions later." Angel and I tell dad.
Dad takes my shoulder. "That's my man." Dad tells me.
"See you later my Angel." Dad tells Angel, but, really, he's trying to love her, almost succeeding but mom has his heart and Angel knows that.
"See you later John." Angel tells dad.
End Flashback
Present, Bethany's Bedroom
I am standing at the window, looking a little sick. "I know why Dad sent us here. He's faced this thing before. He wants us to finish the job." I tell the others.
Outside, Night
June 17, 2006
Laila POV
The Impala pulls up and the 1996 Impala SS pulls up afterwards to a motel office and we all get out.
"So, what the hell is a shtriga?" Sam asks Dean.
"It's ... kinda like a witch, I think. I don't know much about 'em." Dean tells us.
"Well, I've never heard of it. And it's not in Dad's journal." Sam tells Dean.
"Dad hunted one in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin, about 16, 17 years ago. You were there. You don't remember?" Dean asks Sam.
"Around the time we were born?"" I ask.
"No." Sam answers Dean.
"And I guess he caught wind of the things in Fitzburg now and kicked us the coordinates." Dean tells us.
"So, wait, this..." starts to say.
"Shtriga." Dean says.
"Right. You think it's the same one Dad hunted before?" I ask Dean.
"Yeah, maybe." Dean tells us.
"But if Dad went after it, why is it still breathing air?" Sam asks.
"Cause it got away." Dean tells us.
"Got away?" Sam, Harry, and I ask.
Dean starts to get frustrated "Yeah Sammy, Laila, Harry it happens." Dean tells us.
"Not very often." Harry tells Dean.
"Well, I don't know what to tell ya, maybe Dad didn't have his Wheaties that morning." Dean says, being sarcastic.
"What else do you remember?" Sam asks Dean.
"Nothin'. I was a kid all right?" Dean says, defensively.
Dean and I enter reception and ring the bell. A boy of around 10-12 comes from the back room where a younger boy sits watching TV
"A king or two queens?" the boy asks.
Dean glances back at Sam, while I glance back at Harry. "Two queens." Dean tells the boy.
"King for me, as I will be in another room, with him, and Dean zip it." I say.
The boy follows our look and sniggers under his breath. "Yeah, I'll bet." the boy says, aimed at Deano.
"What'd you say?" Dean asks the kid.
The boy smiles. "Nice car!" He tells Dean.
A woman enters, smiling at us both. "Hi." the woman tells us.
"Hi." Dean says.
"Checking in?" the woman asks us.
"Yeah." Dean tells her.
"Ahh, do me a favor, go get your brother some dinner." the woman tells the boy.
"I'm helping a guest!" he tells his mom.
She gives him a look and he grimaces and turns to go.
"Two queens." the boy tells, his mother, while raising his eyebrow at Dean. He emphasizes "queens. "And a King." the boy tells, his mother, while raising his eyebrow at me.
Dean fakes a laugh. "Funny kid." Dean tells the mom.
"Oh, yeah. He thinks so. Will that be cash or credit?" the woman asks us.
"You take MasterCard?" Dean asks her. She nods. "Mm-hmm." she tells him. "Perfect. Here you go." Dean tells her.
"I'll pay with cash." I tell the woman, giving her enough cash.
Dean watches through the door as the boy pours a glass of milk for his younger brother.
Flashback, Motel Room
Past Angel POV
Young Sam sits at the table. Young Dean pours him a glass of milk, and I am pouring myself a glass of orange juice.
"When's Dad gonna get back?" Sam asks us.
Dean grabs a pot from the stove. "Tomorrow." Dean tells Sam.
"When?" Sam asks
Dean is pouring food from the pot into a bowl. "I dunno. He usually comes in late though. Now eat your dinner." Dean says.
"I'm sick of scabetti-ohs." Sam tells Dean.
"Well - You're the one who wanted 'em!" Dean tells Sam.
"I want lucky charms!" Sam tells Dean.
"There're no more lucky charms." Dean tells Sam.
"I saw the box!" Sam tells Dean.
"Sammy!" I start to say.
"Okay, maybe there is but there's only enough for one bowl and I haven't had any yet." Dean tells Sammy.
Sammy gives puppy dog eyes. Dean sighs, dumps out Sam's bowl in the trash and thumps the cereal box on the table instead. Sam reaches into the box and grabs the toy.
Sam holds the prize toward Dean. "D'you want the prize?" Sammy asks Dean.
End Flashback
Present Day Motel Reception
Dean POV
The woman is holding out his card. "Sir?" she asks.
I am coming back to reality. "Thanks." I tell the woman.
Inside, Motel Room
"Well, you were right. Heh. It wasn't very easy to find but you were right. Shtriga is a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to Ancient Rome. They feed off spiritus vitae." Sam tells me, looking it up on his laptop.
"Spiri-what?" I ask.
"Vitae. It's Latin, translates to 'breath of life'. Kinda like your life force or essence." Laila finishes for Sam.
"Didn't the doctor say the kids' bodies were wearing out?" Harry asks.
"It's a thought. you know she takes your vitality maybe your immunity goes to hell, pneumonia takes hold. Anyway, shtrigas can feed off anyone but they prefer..." Sam says and he goes to finish.
"Children." I say, finishing for Sam.
"Sh**" Laila says.
"D***" Harry says.
"Yeah. Probably because they have stronger life force. And get this. Shtrigas are '...invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man.'" Sam tells us.
"No, that's not right. She's vulnerable when she feeds." I tell Sam.
"What?" Sam asks me.
"If you catch her when she's eating you can blast her with consecrated wrought iron. Ahhh... buckshots or rounds, I think." I tell them.
"How do you know that?" Sam asks me.
"Yeah, how do you know that?" Laila, and Harry ask me.
"Dad told me. I remember." I tell them.
"Oh. Huh. So uh, anything else Dad might have mentioned?" Sam and Laila ask.
"Nope, that's it." I tell them.
Sam Laila, and Harry keep staring at me.
"What?" I ask them.
"Nothing. Okay. So, assuming we can kill it when it eats, we still gotta find the thing first, which ain't gonna be a cakewalk. Shtrigas take on a human disguise when they're not hunting." Sam tells me.
"What kinda human disguise?" I ask Sam.
"Historically, something innocuous. Could be anything, but it's usually a feeble old woman, which might be how the witches as old crone's legend got started." Sam tells me.
I cross the room. "Hang on." I tell Sammy.
"What?" Sammy, and Laila ask.
I grab a map. "Check this out. I marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now these are the houses that have been hit so far, and dead center." I tell them.
"The hospital." Sam says.
"The hospital. Now when we were there, I saw a patient, an old woman." Dean says.
"An old person huh?" Sam asks.
"Yeah." I say.
'In a hospital? Phew." Sam says, shaking his head and sniggering. "Better call the Coast Guard." Sam says.
"Well listen, smart-ass, she had an evil symbol hanging on her wall." I tell Sam.
Sam quickly looks up, serious. I raise an eyebrow at him, and Laila and Harry get their game faces on.
Inside, Night, Hospital
Sam, Harry, Laila, and I come down a hallway, quickly ducking back when we see Dr. Hydecker.
"Good night Dr. Hydecker." the nurse tells Hydecker.
"See you tomorrow, Betty." Hydecker tells the nurse, now known as Betty.
"Try to get some sleep." Betty tells Hydecker.
Sam, Harry, Laila, and I hide until Hydecker passes, then continue on to the old woman's room. We open the door and sneak in, I am taking the front, Sam is hanging back, guns drawn. The woman is in her wheelchair facing toward the corner. She seems to be sleeping. I slowly lean in closer and closer to her face.
The old woman turns her heads. "Who the hell are you?!" the old woman asks.
I freak, leaping back against a wall cabinet, pulling my gun up.
"Who's there? You trying to steal my stuff?" the old woman asks; the old woman grumbles to herself. "They're always stealing around here." she says.
Sam turns the light on. We can see she has cataracts. "No! Ah, ma'am, we're maintenance. We're sorry. We thought you were sleeping." Sam, and Laila say.
"I was bringing you water as well miss." Laila tells the woman.
"Ahhh, nonsense. I was sleeping with my peepers open. And thank you for the water young one." She laughs, then gestures at the wall. "And fix that crucifix, would ya? I've asked four damn times already!" She tells us.
I, still looking slightly freaked out, jogs the crucifix and it swings the right way up.
Inside, Motel, Night
Third Person POV
The POV pans across the owner's sons sleeping in twin beds, and onto the window. The Shtriga's arm appears and slides the window open.
Outside, Motel, Day
June 18, 2006
Harry POV
The two Impalas pull up to the motel parking lot and Sam, Dean, Laila, and I get out.
Sam is laughing. '"I was sleeping with my peepers open?"' Hahahaha." Sam says.
"I almost smoked that old girl, I swear. It's not funny!" Dean tells Sammy as Laila and I laugh quietly.
Sam is still sniggering. "Oh man, you shoulda seen your face." Sam says, and then Laila gets a certain look on her face as she quickly sends out a text to dad, Lore, and Razi, accidently sending it to Dean and John as well.
"Yeah, laugh it off. Now we're back to square one." Dean tells Sam, before he gets the text, the pic of his face, when the old woman started talking.
Dean sees the owner's son sitting behind the office looking forlorn. "Hang on." Dean tells us.
"Hey what's wrong?" Dean asks the boy.
"My brother's sick." the boy, who we'll get to know as Michael tells us.
"The little guy?" Dean asks Michael.
Michael nods. "Pneumonia. He's in the hospital. It's my fault." He tells us
"Ah c'mon, how?" Dean asks Michael.
"I shoulda made sure the window was latched. He wouldn't've got pneumonia if the window was latched." Michael tells us.
Dean looks away for a moment. Sam, Laila, and I watch him, frowning thoughtfully.
"Listen to me. I can promise you that this is not your fault. Okay?" Dean tells Michael.
"It's my job to look after him." Micha tells Dean.
Sam looks back and forth from Dean to the kid.
His mother hurries out of the motel toward her car.
"Michael, I want you to turn on the no vacancy sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service so don't bother with any of the rooms." Michael's mom tells him.
"I'm going with you." Micha tells his mom.
"Not now, Michael." his mom says.
"But I gotta see Asher!" Michael tells his mom.
"Hey Michael. Hey. I know how you feel - I'm a big brother too - but you gotta go easy on your mom right now, ok?" Dean tells Micha.
Michael's mom drops her handbag in her haste. "Dammit!" she says.
"I got it." Sam tells the mom.
"Thank you." she tells Sam.
"Listen, you're in no condition to drive - why don't you let me give you a lift to the hospital." Dean tells her.
"No, I couldn't possibly..." the mom says.
"No, it's no trouble. I insist." Dean tells Michael's mom.
Dean takes her keys.
"Thanks." Michael's mom tells Dean. "Be good." she tells Micha.
Dean helps her into her seat then turns to Sam, Laila, and I.
"We're gonna kill this thing. I want it dead; you hear me?" Dean tells us.
"Sir yes sir!" Laila mock salutes.
"Yes Dean." I say.
Inside, Library
Sam and I sit at a microfiche machine. Sam picks up his phone.
"Hey." Dean whispers.
"Hey. How's the kid?" Sam asks Dean.
'How's Laila?" I ask him.
"He's not good. Where you at? And Laila is fine Harry." Dean tells us.
"We're at the library. I've been trying to find out as much as I can about this Shtriga." Sam tells De.
"Yeah, what have you got?" Dean and Laila ask.
'Well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there?" Sam tells Dean.
"Yeah?" Dean and Laila ask.
"Same deal. Before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years it hits a new town. Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitzburgh. In all these other places it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the shtriga finally moves on. The kids just ... languish in comas and then they die." Sam and I tell them.
"How far back's this thing go?" Dean asks.
"Ah, I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called "Black River Falls" back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show... Whoa." Sam says, I look and see what he sees.
"Sam?" Dean asks Sam.
"Hold on... I'm looking at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the Doctors is Hydecker." Sam says to Dean.
"And?" Laila and Dean asks.
"And this picture was taken in 1893." I tell them.
"You sure?" Dean asks us.
"Yeah. Yeah absolutely." Sam tells Dean only to get the monotone of the phone having hung up.
Hospital
Dean POV
I hang up and turn to watch Hydecker sitting on Asher's bed.
"Don't worry. Your son's in good hands. I'm going to take care of him." Hydecker tells Asher's mom.
Hydecker moves toward me standing in the doorway. I know I look ready to slit his throat.
"So, what's the CDC come up with so far?" he dares to ask me.
"Well, we're still working on a few theories. You'll know something as soon as we do." I tell him.
"Well, nothing's more important to me than these kids. Just let me know if I can help." Hydecker dares to tell me.
"I'll do that." I tell him.
Inside, Motel Room
"We should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing." Sam tells me.
I throw off my jacket, pacing agitatedly. "That son of a bitch." I say, growling.
"I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there." Sam tells me.
"Yeah well, first of all, I'm not going to open fire in a freakin' pediatric ward." I tell Sam.
"Good call." Sam says.
"Second, wouldn't have done any good, because the bastard's bullet proof unless he's chowing down on something. And third, I wasn't packing, which is probably a really good thing cause I probably would have just burned a clip in him on principle alone." I tell Sam.
"You're getting wise in your old age Dean." Sam tells me, Laila just rolls her eyes as she paints for the kids.
"Damn right. Cause now I know how we're going to get it." I tell Sammy.
"What do you mean?" Sammy asks.
"Shtriga, works through siblings, right?" I ask Sam.
"Right." Sam tells me.
"Well last night..." I start to say.
"It went after Asher." Sam tells me.
"So, I'm thinking tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael." I tell Sam.
"Well, we gotta get him outta here." Sam tells me.
"No. No, that would blow the whole deal." I tell Sam.
"What?" Sam asks me.
"Yeah." I tell Sam.
"You wanna use the kid as bait? Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question." Sam tells me.
"It's not out of the question Sam it's the only way. If this thing disappears it could be years before we get another chance." I tell Sam.
"Michael's a kid. And I'm not going to dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook." Sam tells me.
"Dad did not send me here to walk away." I tell Sam.
"Send YOU here? He didn't send you here - he sent us here." Sam tells me.
"This isn't about you, Sam. I'm the one who screwed up, all right. It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me." I tell Sam.
"What are you saying, Dean? How is it your fault?" Sam asks me.
There is a long pause.
Sam sighs. "Dean. You've been hiding something from the get-go. Since when does Dad bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something get away? Now talk to me, man. Tell me what's going on." Sam tells me.
"Hear hear." Laila and Harry say.
"Fort Douglas, Wisconsin. It was our third night in this crap room, and I was climbing the walls. Man, I needed to get some air." I tell them.
I morph into my younger self.
Flashback, Motel Room
I sit watching TV. I turn it off and goes to the front door, looking back at Sammy and Angel both of whom are asleep in their rooms before I leave, locking the door behind me. I play arcade games in reception until the owner tells me they're closing for the night. ("Kid. We're closing up.")
Returning to the room, I see a strange light coming from Sammy's room. I move closer and see the shtriga leaning over Sammy. I reach for the rifle by the door but the shtriga hears me cock it and rears up, hissing.
I hesitate, terrified. As I do, Dad bursts through the front door, gun raised.
"Get out of the way!" Dad shouts.
I duck and dad shoots the shtriga multiple times with his handgun. The shtriga jumps through the bedroom window, glass shattering. Dad rushes to Sam's bed and pulls him close, cradling him.
"Sammy. Sammy. Sammy. You ok?" Dad asks Sammy.
"Yeah Dad, what's going on?" Sammy asks, confused and sleepy.
"You alright?" Dad asks Sam.
Dad holds Sammy close while turning to glare at me.
"What happened?" Dad asks me.
"I - I - I just went out." I say, after hesitating.
"What!?" Dad yells.
"What's with the yelling, John? I've been asleep since I put Sam and Dean down, and now you wake me?
"Just for a second. I'm sorry." I tell them.
"I told you not to leave this room. I told you not to let him out of your sight! And Angel, love, apparently Dean faked the sleep." Dad tells Angel.
Young me watched sadly as Dad cradled Sammy. My face morphs back into present me.
"Dad just ... grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but by the time he got back to Fort Douglas the shtriga had disappeared, it was just gone. It never surfaced until now. You know, Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he...ah...he looked at me different, you know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, I almost got you killed." I tell them, cuz I included Angel and the twins as collateral.
"You were just a kid." Sam tells me softly.
"Don't. Don't. Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it." I tell Sam.
"But using Michael - I don't know Dean. I mean, how 'bout one of us hides under the covers, you know, we'll be the bait." Sam tells me.
"No, it won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed - it'll see us. Believe me, I don't like it, but it's gotta be the kid." I tell Sammy.
Inside, Motel Reception
Laila POV
Micha holds the phone up. "You're crazy! Just go away or I'm calling the cops." Michael tells us
"Hang on a second. Just listen to me. You have to believe me, ok? This thing came through the window, and it attacked your brother. I've seen it. I know what it looks like. Cause it attacked my brother once too." Dean tells Michael.
Michael slowly hangs up the phone. "This thing...is it...like...it has this long... black robe?" Michael asks Dean.
"You saw it last night, didn't you?" Dean asks Michael.
"I thought I was having a nightmare." Michael tells us.
"I'd give anything not to tell you this, but sometimes nightmares are real." Dean tells the kid.
"So, why are you telling me?" Michael asks Dean.
"Because we need your help." De tells Micha.
"My help?" Micha asks De.
"We can kill it. Me and him, that's what we do. But we can't do it without you." Dean ells the kid.
"What? No!" Micha says.
"Michael, listen to me. This thing hurt Asher. And it's gonna keep hurting kids unless we stop it, understand me?" Dean tells Micha.
Michael stares at Dean, horrified.
Inside, Motel Room
"Well, that went crappy. Now what?" Dean asks.
"What did you expect? You can't ask an adult to do something like that, much less a kid." Sammy tells Dean.
There's a knock at the door. Dean opens it to see Michael.
"If you kill it, will Asher get better?" Micha asks Dean.
"Honestly? We don't know." Dean tells the kid.
"You said you were a big brother." Michael says.
Dean nods. "Yeah." Dean tells Micha.
"You'd take care of your little brother? You'd do anything for him?" Micha asks.
"Yeah, I would." Dean tells Michael.
"Me too. I'll help." Michael tells us.
"Michael? Here's some paintings for all the kids. Don't worry. It has their names and faces. Put it in their rooms and they'll be protected.
"Yes ma'am." Micha says and we went to the hospital, putting the paintings up, even for the old woman.
Inside, Motel, Michael's Room
Sam POV
Dean completes hooking up a security camera in the corner of the room, staring into the lense. Michael is behind him in bed. Sam is watching the security feed in the other room.
"This camera has night vision on it, so we'll be able to see clear as day." Dean tells Michael. "Are we good?" Dean tells me.
"A hair to the right.' I tell Dean. Dean adjusts the camera. "There, there." I tell De.
"What do I do?" Micha asks us.
Dean and Laila move to sit on his bed) "Just stay under the covers." They tell him.
''And if it shows up?" Micha asks us, well more them.
"We'll be right in the next room. We're gonna come in with guns. So, as soon as we do you roll off this bed and you crawl under it." Laila tells Michael.
"What if you shoot me?" Michael asks Dean and Laila.
"We won't shoot you. We're good shots. We're not going to fire until you're clear, ok?" Dean tells Micha. Michael nods tentatively. "Have you heard a gunshot before?" Dean asks Michael.
"Like in the movies?" Michael asks Dean.
"It's gonna be a lot louder than in the movies. So, I want you to stay under the bed, cover your ears, do not come out until we say so. You understand?" Dean asks Michael.
Michael nods slowly, looking scared.
"Michael, you sure you wanna do this?" Dean and Laila ask. Michael doesn't answer for a long moment.
"You don't have to, it's ok, we won't be mad." Dean says for him and Laila, who's preparing her bow and arrows, and spear.
"No, I'm ok. Just don't shoot me or stab me." Michael tells Dean.
"We're not going to let anything happen to you. I promise." Dean tells Michael.
Inside, Motel Room
Dean, Harry, Laila and I are sitting watching the security camera feed.
"What time is it?" Dean asks me.
"Three. You sure these iron rounds are gonna work?" I ask Dean.
"Consecrated iron rounds, and yeah, it's what Dad used last time." Dean tells me.
"Hey Dean, I'm sorry." I tell Dean, I see Laila face palm.
"For what?" Dean asks me.
"You know, I've really given you a lot of crap, for always following Dad's orders. But I know why you do it." I tell Dean.
"Oh, God, kill me now." Dean says.
I laugh softly. We sit in silence for a moment.
"Wait, look." Dean tells us.
There is movement outside the window. It slides open. SDean, Harry, and I pick up their guns, while Laila gets her bow and arrows and spear. The shtriga is inside Michael's room.
"Now?" I ask Deano.
"Not yet." Dean tells us.
The shtriga moves closer and leans over the bed, Michael is terrified but frozen, unable to move. The shtriga leans closer and opens his mouth, starting to draw Michael's energy. Dean, Harry, Laila, and I burst in.
"Hey!" I shout.
"Michael, down!" Dean tells Michael.
Michael rolls off and under the bed and Dean, Harry, Laila and I open fire, shooting the shtriga multiple times each. It falls to the ground.
"Mike, you alright?" Dean and Laila ask Michael.
"Yeah." Michael says from under the bed.
"Just sit tight." De tells the kid.
Dean approaches the shtriga, gun at the ready. There is no movement. He relaxes slightly and glances at me. The shtriga suddenly rises, grabs Dean by the throat and throws him against the wall.
"Dean!" I cry out.
The shtriga moves and throws me to the wall; I hit the ground, and the shtriga comes on him and forces my mouth open. I struggle to reach my gun. The shtriga begins drawing his energy and I still and starts going grey.
"Hey!" I hear De shout.
The shtriga looks up and Dean shoots it between the eyes. He falls backwards and I lie gasping for breath.
"You ok little brother?" Dean asks me, seeing not only it was shot by Dean, but by Laila as well.
I nod and unsteadily holds up two thumbs-up. We both pull themselves to our feet and look to the shtriga. The energy the shtriga stole begins to escape from its mouth. Dean raises his gun, shooting it three more times at point blank range. More energy escapes. The shtriga falls in on itself, disintegrating.
Michael peeks from the side of the bed.
"It's ok, Michael, you can come on out." Dean tells Michael.
Michael comes to stand beside them, smiling tentatively. Dean places his hand on Michael's shoulder and smiles.
Outside, Motel
Dean and I are packing his Impala ready to head out while Harry and Laila are packing his Impala to head out. Michael's mom comes out of the back of reception.
"Hey, Joanna. How's Asher doing?" Dean asks Joanna.
"Have you seen Michael?" Joanna asks us.
Michael runs up to her. "Mom! Mom!" Michael says.
Joanna hugs him. "Hey!" she tells Michael.
"How's Ash?" Michael asks his mom.
"Got some good news. Your brother's gonna be fine." Joanna tells Mike.
Michael is grinning. "Really?" Michael asks.
"Yeah. Really. No one can explain it - it's a miracle. They're going to keep him in overnight for observation and then he's coming home." Joanna tells her son.
"That's great." Dean tells Joanna.
"How are all the other kids doing?" I ask her.
"Good. Real good. A bunch of them should be checking out in a few days. Dr. Travis says the ward's going to be like a ghost town." Joanna tells us.
"Dr. Travis? What about Dr. Hydecker?" I ask, to look innocent as we shouldn't know about him about disappearing, aka being a monster we had to kill.
"Oh, he wasn't in today. Must have been sick or something." she tells us.
"Yeah. Yeah, must have." De tells her.
"So, did anything happen while I was gone?" Joanna asks Michael.
Michael glances at Dean. "Nah, same old stuff." Michael tells his mom.
"Ok. You can go see Ash." she tells Mike.
"Now?" Mike asks, excitedly. Michael looks to Dean who nods slightly.
"Only if you want to." Joanna tells her son.
Michael runs to the car.
Joanna laughs. "I, ah, I'd better get going before he hotwires the car and drives himself." Joanna tells us.
Smiling goodbye, she leaves, Dean, Harry, Laila and I turn back to the Impalas.
'It's too bad." I tell Dean.
"Oh, they'll be fine." Dean tells me.
"That's not what I meant. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark - he'll never be the same, you know?" I say. There's a long pause. "Sometimes I wish that..." I start to say.
"What...?" Dean asks me.
"I wish I could have that kinda innocence." I tell Dean.
We watch Joanna and Michael drive away.
"If it means anything, sometimes I wish you and the twins could too." Dean tells me, slowly.
We exchange a look. Dean climbs in the car and starts the engine. I follow and we pull out of the motel car park and back onto the freeway, followed by Harry and Laila and Harry.
