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Dean found Sophie a pair of hiking boots, a crucifix, and a fake National Park Service ID.
"We're investigating," he said over breakfast. They were back at a diner, with Sophie still too wiped out from her seizure to cook that morning.
"I got that part," Sophie assured him.
"The incidents are occurring on the Mantario Backpacking Trail," Sam said, pulling out a map, "All close to this trailhead."
He'd circled the relevant location.
"Tonight get me the summary files and I'll run a model on it and see if it gives any insight," Sophie offered happily, "This feels like a great time for some fun code."
"You're cheery this morning," Sam commented.
"I had a bad day yesterday, but a good night," Sophie said, putting her head on Dean's shoulder. To Sam's surprise, his brother didn't shrug off the affection, but reached over and squeezed Sophie's hand.
"So where to first?" Dean asked.
"Hiker's hostel," Sam said, "Then two local clinics that triaged some of the injuries."
The interviews at the hiker's hostel went surprisingly well. Consistent stories of through hikers being attacked by the trees about five miles out from the trailhead, in a clearing known as Barton's Meadow. The attacks typically happened at dawn and dusk. Never midday and never in the middle of the night. Most hikers had escaped missing an arm or a leg, but two had died. The clinic told a similar story, with an a little less flamboyant gore and a little more clinical sterility.
"They keep saying they were attacked by a tree," Dean said once they made it back to their hotel room, "Not something in the trees. A tree."
"Except that one nurse at the clinic," Sophie put in, "She said that the hiker reported being attacked by a skeletal deer."
"Because that is exactly the same thing as a tree," Sam added, sarcasm heavy in his tone.
"We've got a clear lead with an extremely specific location and circumstances," Dean said, "I say we go to bed early and get on the trail by what five o'clock?"
"That'll give us time to get to the clearing and get set up by dawn," Sam confirmed.
"So we're going out there?" Sophie asked.
"Yep," Dean replied.
"To provoke the thing and…"
"Hopefully kill it," Sam finished for her.
Sophie swallowed hard.
"We're gonna look after you," Dean assured her.