Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 9
Chapter 4: Love and Fair Food
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
The Thunderstruck arrived in Cordell Island's harbor as Merrick stepped out of his ship in which he was staring at the carnival fare that stemmed from rides to fair food. He loved the aspect of the fair, but he never liked dealing with clowns in which he wasn't a big fan of them when he spotted them painted on the posters that adorned the fence. When he saw the funhouse reduced to glass rubble, he spotted a cleanup crew taking the crystallized form of Mary Worthington as they were taking it away to their archives. He had a knack for looking into the lore of things as he was no stranger in dealing with monsters and spirits that lurked in hindsight. When he spotted me coming to the Singer House, he had a gut feeling that I wasn't safe as he got word of the Red Inquisition trying to abduct me on the spot, for this wasn't the first time they tried to do it.
"When it rains, it pours," he said to himself.
"Good morning, Merrick," said Reuben as he was on his way to the Singer House.
"I heard about what happened to Sam yesterday."
"Minara stepped in and took out the bastards who impersonated members of the Medical Corps in which his Nephilim abilities saved the day when Sam was in danger. Still, he hasn't let his guard down, but as for Sam's predicament, he didn't want to get out of bed after being discharged. According to Yavanna, he hasn't eaten since he only ate that cruller and drank the coffee."
"This isn't good. I read your report about your half-brother getting anxiety, but he can't just be staying in bed forever. He needs motivation while being protected or else he would be like a rotting vegetable that sprouts mold everywhere."
"I'll see what I can do…"
Reuben had an idea as he saw the food vendors brandishing their wares in which they consisted of the usual carnival fare being cooked. He couldn't let me be a rotting vegetable as he had to keep me calm when it came to the fear that I was suffering from, for it wasn't healthy for me at all at this time…
Dean was sitting next to the Impala as he was looking at the carnival fare that kept going all over Cordell Island. He was mainly wanting to have some breakfast as he walked over there to where the food vendors were. He spotted the sight of funnel cakes and Dutch babies cooking on the stove as he was wanting to have a meal, but he also missed Magda and how she made him and the children breakfast all the time. He was swearing that he would find justice for her as he was also finding it difficult to move on in which he wanted to shut down the Zenith Vectors as soon as possible. All he wanted was to put an end to Jacob Doran as he remembered how he dangled Rory over a cliff until Desna swooped in and saved the newborn. What dealt a bigger blow was that Magda was murdered by Doran in which he never forgot how she died, for he wouldn't stop until he put an end to the Zenith Vectors soon enough.
When he ordered a Dutch baby with apples and raisins, he tasted it as he also had some whipped cream dolloped onto it. Still, he felt sadness after what happened to Magda as he also didn't forget about how she would haunt him if he didn't get with Ravenna right away. When he finished up his Dutch baby, he saw Magda in the distance as she was dressed in the same white kimono. He wanted to have her with him again as it was too much to bear, but he had to move on in order to seek justice for her death, for he wanted it more than just the Impala and all the pie in the galaxy.
"Hello, Dean," she said to him.
"I know, but it's very hard to move on after what happened to you," he said. "All I want is to skewer the asshat who killed you and nearly killed our boy. I want justice for your death more than anything, but it's hard for me to accept the loss I got pelted with."
"I heard that you're trying your best to get with Ravenna."
"She likes classic rock, but she's not into the rest."
"Ravenna's like you when she hit a rough patch after her husband passed away from prostate cancer. It's a shame that Margo keeps hounding her just to keep her under foot, but I haunted her so you can have what you want just go get closure."
"It's not the same without you…"
"I know, but you can't be sad forever. Ravenna's a good pick for you because she's like you with your classic rock, pie, and the Impala. I may no longer be alive, but I want you to be happy. I need you to see that, Dean. You can't just wallow in sorrow because of my death. It's not healthy for you to be doing that in which you have to repair the love that you have. It's the most I can offer for you…"
"Magda, wait!"
Dean watched her leave as he clenched his fist in sadness. He missed her, but he couldn't live with the heartache that was put in front of him as he had no other choice but to move on, for he needed to be with Ravenna due to her compatibility with him. Still, he grieved over Magda's passing, but he also wanted justice for her death, for he would soon go up against Jacob Doran and his group one day. As for moving on, he had to make an effort as he had Ravenna on his mind, for she was someone who was on the same level as him.
"Don't worry, Magda…" he said to himself. "I won't let you down…"
I was resting in the Singer House as I was guarded round the clock after yesterday's attempt to kidnap me. Still, I nearly bit the bullet, but I also had to be kept under strict protection in which the Red Inquisition was still at large, but not as active much after the war ended six months ago. I couldn't be confined forever, but I had no other choice but to stay put after what happened to me. Sitting up in my bed, I was ready to get up after being discharged from the hospital in which I wanted to get dressed for the day. When I left for the laundry room, I noticed my clothes being washed and dried as I spotted Yavanna doing all the work in which she wanted me to stay in bed for the day, for she was also concerned about both my health and safety as well.
"I would've done the laundry today, but someone beat me to it," I said.
"Dean didn't want you to get out of bed today, Sam," said Yavanna.
"Where is he?"
"He's been driving with that car of his, but he feels uncomfortable driving it all over the island."
"I see what you mean, but he loves that car just as he loves his duty as a soldier."
"For the record, I heard that you nearly got kidnapped yesterday."
"If you're talking about some of the Red Inquisition masquerading as members of the Medical Corps, they're just as dangerous as the Executive Division and the Zenith Vectors. This isn't my first rodeo with them in which they've been set to one goal in mind and that is forcing me to become Lucifer's vessel. Their other atrocities are so severe that they even have an agenda into culling your people just like they did on the Doohan and in the Spillway on Shiganshina. They're evil and they won't stop until the Draaza are extinct. I hate them for what they're doing to your people in which most of them have been tortured and turned into Askradi. Their agenda is so sickening that I had no other choice but to put down the ones that were tortured to the extreme. They're animals and they have no shame in their actions."
I proved my point as I had a severe loathing for the Red Inquisition altogether. Their crimes against the Draaza were so vile in which I felt sorry for the ones being targeted by their oppressors. I hated the Red Inquisition for what they were doing as I remembered rescuing Nibori on the Doohan and putting a stop to their torture on the Draaza in the Spillway on Shiganshina three years ago. Still, I had to do what I can as I also didn't want to lose anyone who were Draaza themselves. When I left the laundry room, I saw Minara coming into the room as he was there to take me back to the room in which he didn't want me to go off alone, for he was concerned about my safety.
"And my movement is limited again," I said as I was getting testy.
"Don't be like that, Sam," said Minara as he escorted me out of the laundry room.
"Don't you have anything better to do than keep me on a short leash?"
"After yesterday's debacle with the Red Inquisition, I'm not letting my guard down in which I have Reuben breathing down my neck after he found the dead members of the Medical Corps who had their uniforms pilfered. When the bulk of them left for Cordell Island, a few of the Red Inquisition met their demises in which their hearts were removed and eaten."
"Werewolves… Whoever they are, we should be thankful that they stepped in and stopped our enemies. As for what the Red Inquisition are doing, they're sticking to their guns in which they still want me to be Lucifer's vessel. I won't forgive those people for what they've been doing to the Draaza in which seeing their atrocities in the Spillway was the final straw. We both fought the Red Inquisition in which one of their commanders met his end at the hands of Jolene and her rocket launcher."
I was aware of was the Red Inquisition and their dangerous tactics as I also bore a lingering grudge against them for what they were doing to the Draaza. Still, I had to worry about their presence for another day as I was being escorted back to my room the moment I laid back down in my bed. With Minara sticking to his guns and keeping me guarded, he wasn't about to let me out of his sight as he also went up against our enemies in the Spillway three years ago.
"So, I'm still under the microscope again," I said as I was feeling uncomfortable about being overprotected. "This is too much for me in which I hate the concept of being under a helicopter parent."
"For your information, this 'helicopter parent' will not budge," said Minara as he sat down in a chair by the window. "After what happened yesterday, I can't let you get taken away again in which we have the Red Inquisition still filling the shoes of our fallen foes."
"And you want me to be in a cramped space instead of wandering freely? This is the house arrest all over again! I won't be confined again, you go that!"
"You have every reason to be confined, Sam," said Merrick as he walked into the room. "One of the cops from the Intergalactic Space Police told me how the Red Inquisition impersonated a few members of the Medical Corps in which he contacted me on the spot. The team who were supposed to take you to the Order's main headquarters on Valinor were found dead with their throats slit. Some of the Red Inquisition put on the pilfered robes, but the ones who were slow to follow their lead ended up dead at the hands of werewolves due to the fact that their hearts were ripped out of them. Normally, werewolves have a knack for killing random victims, but the ones who took out our enemies came from the Fitzgerald Clan."
"Well, good for them…"
"This isn't all…" Merrick fishes out a piece of fabric that was similar to the one that most of the Zenith Vectors wore. "One of the perps who took out some of the Red Inquisition had a little midnight snack in which their strength barely withstood the clothes that their victim wore, only for one of them to collect a few diamond shards to take him out before having his heart removed. Even though we're part of the Order and keep the peace, we also know that monsters go their own way in which our two werewolf friends gave us the clothing that made our Zenith Vector foes impervious to our attacks. Their ringleader, Jacob Doran, is a dangerous man. He raided the attack on the base in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina just to send us a message in which the human race will rule all, be revered by all, and feared by all. One of the base's residents, Ben, wants to take him out by using Dean's diamond projectiles to rip at the fabric that those bastards wear."
"Dean's going through a rough patch after Magda's death right now. He still wants Doran's head on a stick after all that has happened at the base."
"The Zenith Vectors may hide behind their clothes, but they can't be protected from sharp diamonds. Like Achilles in the Trojan War being struck with an arrow in the heel, our new enemies also have a weakness with diamond weapons tearing at their clothes. For the record, we can't put our trust in those scumbags nor will we reason with them after carrying so many terrorist attacks. As for the Red Inquisition, they're just as dangerous as the Zenith Vectors in which the Order's higher-ups have issued security points to flush out the fakes, for we also have to protect you from those clowns who want nothing more than force you to become Lucifer's vessel."
"And Lucifer can't possess me, for I have that raw power within me."
I continued to curl up in my bed as I saw Merrick leave the room in which I was left alone with Minara watching over me. I wasn't comfortable with everyone watching over me as I was feeling more confined than what I went through with the house arrest four years prior. Just as I was about to go back to sleep, I heard the door open as I noticed Reuben coming into the room as he was concerned about yesterday's incident, for he wasn't too thrilled with the Red Inquisition dressing up as members of the Medical Corps just to kidnap me and be forced to become Lucifer's vessel. Still, he had to protect me from harm as the threat was taken a little more seriously than I thought. I didn't blame him for coming here as he was also aware of the Spillway mission three years ago in which the Red Inquisition were culling the Draaza. Like me and Minara, he wasn't too happy with either the Red Inquisition or the Zenith Vectors as he had to keep me protected from them, for they would also abuse the raw power that I had.
"I don't want any more visitors, Reuben," I said.
"For the record, I heard about the Red Inquisition trying to abduct you, Sam," he said to me.
"And I'm guarded round the clock just like the house arrest I endured…"
"Even though our enemies aren't there on Cordell Island anymore, that doesn't mean that you're out of the woods yet. Therefore, you should check out the food that's been served at the carnival. It'll keep your mind off of things for a bit before you go back to Skald Island. There are many booths filled with tasty morsels just for you to try so you won't be cranky all the time."
"I'm not hungry right now and I'd rather be in bed than go outside. It's better than getting captured by our enemies."
It wasn't long until I smelled the scent of funnel cakes and turkey legs cooking in the distance as I was trying hard to resist temptation. I didn't want to leave my bed as I also had to watch my back the moment I curled up in the blankets. Still, I wasn't hungry after what I went through, for I had to resist further enjoyment in order to steer clear from trouble. All I had to do was to stay in bed as I had to fend off hunger and temptation, for it wasn't worth my time getting into danger after what happened to me.
"There's a bunch of funnel cakes calling to you, Sam," said Reuben.
"I'm not hungry right now," I said as I refused to budge.
"When was the last time you've eaten?"
"The only thing I had yesterday was a cruller and a can of coffee. After that, I ended up being surrounded by the Red Inquisition and their insatiable thirst to make me become Lucifer's vessel. It made me uncomfortable in which I stayed here after I was discharged from the hospital. When I came here to the Singer House, I didn't want anything to eat or drink after what nearly happened to me. I hate the Red Inquisition not just for trying to cull the Draaza to the verge of extinction, but for forcing me to say yes to Lucifer. They know that I have godlike abilities due to my raw power, but they're still dead-set on forcing me to be something that I don't want. I'm afraid of them and I nearly bit a bullet when they tried to make me say yes to Lucifer, but the latter was blocked due to the raw power that I have."
"You're scared to death of the Red Inquisition, aren't you?" I nod sincerely. "They aren't here on Cordell Island after Minara saved your life by taking them out, but you can't let yourself be cooped up forever."
It wasn't long until I was being yanked out of bed as I spotted Reuben getting me away from the safe space that I made for myself. He wasn't budging as he refused to let me get back into bed in which he didn't want me to become a vegetable of my own making. He also didn't want me to sulk, but he also had to contend with Minara's sense of caution after yesterday's debacle in the hospital. In such a hasty move to keep me from falling apart, Reuben was in a stiff quandary as Minara was there to tag along in which he couldn't let me out of his sights, for I nearly got kidnapped after all that has happened yesterday.
"You're really taking a serious risk," he said.
"Sam can't be sulking in bed forever," said Reuben.
"Yesterday, I had to use my Nephilim abilities to take out Sam's kidnappers in which I also had to contend with Captain Wickham, who arrived in the Thunderstruck over here on Cordell Island. We can't let our guard down not for a second."
"I'm in no further danger, but I can't trust myself to be going outside right now," I said as I was trying to get back into bed. "There could be members of the Red Inquisition hiding in plain sight just like what happened in the hospital yesterday."
"There's no further threat when the Thunderstruck came here yesterday because the Red Inquisition are afraid of Merrick and his crew," said Reuben. "Why are they afraid of them? It's because Merrick prevented them from opening a Hell portal on Alecrast in which he was steeped in lore after Seto saved his life from a Jefferson Starship once. The Red Cardinal himself went up against him and lost. That is why the Red Inquisition are afraid of Merrick's presence. Now, if you don't mind, I suggest that you get dressed and enjoy the carnival."
I reluctantly agreed as I went to the changing stall and took off my nightclothes and put on some fresh ones for the day. When I was fully dressed, I made up my bed as I left my room the moment I had Reuben and Minara following me downstairs to where the front room was. By the time we went outside, we saw the food vendors crafting their finest wares in the form of corndogs and funnel cakes. Still, I was looking all around me as I wasn't safe from the Red Inquisition and their scare tactics. I was afraid of going anywhere as I kept picturing my old foes staring at me just to force me to become Lucifer's vessel, which I didn't want. I was shaking as I was trying to remain calm the moment I went towards a vendor that was selling turkey legs to eat. Still, I stopped myself from going for the fair food that was there as I wasn't hungry right now. All I wanted was to return to my room until I returned to Skald Island, but Reuben refused to let me do so, for he didn't want me to suffer in the "safe space" that also doubled as a mental prison.
"The turkey legs are cooking nicely," he said. "You should try one, Sam."
"I'll do it later," I said. "I feel uncomfortable going for the fair food right now."
"You can't be stuck in your room all the time, Sam. It's unhealthy to do so."
"I'd rather be in there than making a fool out of myself."
"It's better than becoming a vegetable." Reuben ushers me towards the turkey leg vendor as he wasn't having it. "Now, it's best that you stop worrying and start living. You can't be rotting in bed forever."
I had no other choice but to agree in which I was ready to get a turkey leg from the vendor. What I saw was that the food was no threat, but I couldn't put myself to buying it the moment I took off from the food court near the harbor. I didn't want to eat anything after what nearly happened to me yesterday in which I fled further into the Grand Hill district. I never asked to go out and about like that as I felt more worried than normal, for it was too much for me when it came to running from the Red Inquisition. What I saw among the crowds of people were members of the Red Inquisition standing in with a bunch of innocent bystanders as I was scared to death from what was happening to me. The attempt to kidnap me was the worst of all in which I had to find somewhere to hide, for I was also suffering from the anxiety that flared up from the start. It was too much for me as I was overwhelmed by what was happening to me, for this was too much for me.
"They're here," I said breathlessly as I ran towards the Happy Boar Meadery. "They're coming for me! I can't stay here on Cordell Island! They're here and not stopping!"
It wasn't long until I rushed inside of the Happy Boar Meadery as it was still empty from the drowner nest that I cleared out a year ago. I had to hide away from everyone as I was feeling the fear that was building up inside of me. I couldn't take it anymore as my anxiety was starting to flare up even further, for I was not doing too well right now...
Merrick was busy looking into the files in which they were mainly about how I was doing while he was in the Thunderstruck's sickbay. He was aware of my raw power as he also had a gut feeling that the Red Inquisition would come and steal me without warning. He was no stranger into dealing with them as he remembered how he went toe-to-toe with the Red Cardinal at the time in which he even gave the latter a scar on his face. Still, he had his work cut out for him as he also had to check up on me in which I wasn't out of the woods yet, for this was just the beginning of my further woes at present.
"This is never a dull moment for Sam, is it?" he said to himself as he continued to look into the files.
"Something's eating at you, isn't it, Captain?" said Agni as she came into the sickbay.
"It's been six months since the Second Galvanic Uprising ended and there are still common foes going after Sam like flies attracted to horse manure."
"Reuben told me that there would be days like this and I was right…"
"Don't let it get to you. Besides, we had our fair share with both the Executive Division and the Red Inquisition in which they were causing so much mayhem in that war."
"There's never a dull moment, is there?"
"Sam's still gonna have to watch his back when it comes to the Red Inquisition. As for the new threat on the block, the Zenith Vectors know how to be top dog to the selected humans they come across, but their leader has blood on his hands when it came to him killing Magda at the base in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina." Merrick clenches his fists as he wasn't too thrilled with our new foes. "Jacob Doran and his group are heartless fiends to the bitter end. There's no shame when that bastard rolls into town, but sooner or later, he'll meet his demise when his back is turned."
Merrick made his point clear as he was ready to fight alongside the rest of us when it came to dealing with both the Red Inquisition and the Zenith Vectors. He hated both groups for what they stood for as they were nothing more than terrorists in sheep's clothing, for he had a stake in protecting his crew on the Thunderstruck so far. He had a responsibility to maintain as he also didn't want to put his crew at risk, for they were a group of humanoids in the Order of Letters like him...
I was still hiding in the Happy Boar Meadery as I was still feeling concerned about the presence of the Red Inquisition coming all over the place. I was scared out of my mind as I didn't want to eat or drink anything right now. All I had was to flee from everything as I hid in the abandoned Happy Boar Meadery in which I once destroyed a drowner nest a year ago. I also remembered the surge of raw power that I had as I saw the hole in the ceiling in which I was reminded of how I was goaded to flush out the drowner nest to begin with. When I sat down at the fountain, I was starting to have a panic attack as I never expected to be under so much stress, for it was too much for me.
"No matter what I do, I'll always be bogged down with what's put in front of me," I said to myself.
I was seeing things as I saw the Red Inquisition standing in front of me. They had knives in their hands as they were ready to kill me in which they would stop at nothing to force me to become Lucifer's vessel. I wanted to get rid of that image as I noticed the abandoned meadery become a panic room in which I saw everything plastered all over the place including a Devil's Trap on the ceiling. I was done for as I was trying to maintain my sanity the moment I was also trying to block the illusory image from my mind, but to no avail. The image of the Red Inquisition was all over the panic room as they were wanting me to say yes to Lucifer, for they were wanting me to do it against my wishes.
"You can't say no to us, Sam," said the Red Cardinal as he appeared in front of me.
"Leave me alone!" I yelled as I was trying to maintain my sanity. "You're not real! You can't do this to me! I am my own person, not Lucifer's vessel or a weapon for the Sol Project! My body is my own! No one will take it!"
"We're not taking no for an answer, Sam! Surrender and say yes to Lucifer or else you will face consequences!"
"It's my life and choices, not yours! You can't make me choose and I won't fall victim to your schemes! I have my own life! Why can't you leave me alone for once?!"
"We'll never leave you alone, Sam. We won't stop until you say yes to Lucifer. It's the only way for you to do so in which you'll be twice as revered than being in the Order all the live long."
"Not today! I'm not your puppet or sacrificial lamb! I am me and no other! You can't force me to do this because I have a family and friends! I have a role as part of the Destiny of Worlds, for I will have my say instead of being a tool for your machinations!"
I was desperate to call for help as there was no one there. I was not doing too well as I wanted to ask for what was there in which I was stuck in the throes of my anxiety. The images of the Red Inquisition continued to plague me as I felt sweat coming down my face. I was ready to call for hope, for I feared that my message would end up falling on deaf ears. I was out of options as I wanted to fall into a coma after that, for my anxiety ended up getting the upper hand so far.
"Minara! Reuben!" I cried as I was on my knees. "I beg of you! Help me! They're here!"
"No one will help you, Sam!" yelled the Red Cardinal as he was standing in front of me. "The only way you can get out of this mess is that you say yes to Lucifer and no other!"
"Minara! Reuben!… DEAN!"
"Your pleas for help will always be on deaf ears, Sam! No one will help you! No one will find you! No one will save you! All you need to do is to say yes to Lucifer and everything will be over with!"
"Somebody…, help me!"
"Are you ready to say yes or do we have to torture you a little more?"
"Help! Please, someone help me!"
"There's no one here, Sam. There's no one there to protect you from us, so I suggest that you throw in the towel and say yes to Lucifer. Otherwise, there will be trouble from us if you don't obey us."
"Someone please… help me… I'm pleading for you to help me… I'm scared to death and I can't take it anymore… Someone help me!"
I felt tears streaming down my cheeks as I was backed in a corner. I wanted everyone's help so badly as I began to pray for what I wanted. I needed help and support in which as I was trying to return to reality as soon as possible. Sadly, I was ready to say yes to Lucifer until I heard footsteps approaching. The terror within me reached a fever pitch as I felt a squeezing feeling in my chest, for I had to do my best to calm myself down before help got here. I was starting to hyperventilate as the anxiety that built up inside me began to boil over as I was fearing for my life. I felt the fear swelling up in me as my heart kept pounding in such a critical panic. The pressure that I had gripped me like a vise as I felt like falling asleep forever until Minara caught up to me. He never expected me to suffer from a panic attack as he knew the signs of it in which he had to calm me down before it was too late.
"They're here!" I screamed as I was about to go into shock.
"There's no one here, Sam," said Minara as he was desperate to keep me calm. "You're suffering from an anxiety attack all because you fear the Red Inquisition that aren't there."
"Did you find him?" asked Reuben as he entered into the abandoned meadery.
"He's alright, but his anxiety has reached a boiling point."
"Let's get him out of here. He can't be out and about like this with his anxiety reaching up to critical at this point."
"Good answer..."
I was about to collapse until I realized that the Red Inquisition weren't there on the island after Minara stopped them yesterday. What I never expected was that Dean burst into the meadery as he saw me to be a nervous wreck. He saw me scared to death as I was clutching at my chest the moment my panic attack became unbearable. When he grabbed my hand, he felt me shaking as my anxiety got the better of me, for I was also overwhelmed with fear after all that has happened.
"You gave us a scare, Sammy," he said to me as I calmed down.
"I was being goaded again by the Red Inquisition, Dean," I said as I had tears in my eyes. "They wanted me to say yes to Lucifer again!"
"I heard you yelling in the meadery in which I caught up to you, but you should also be careful when it comes to your anxiety bogging you down."
"It's all too much."
"It's only too much if your anxiety isn't under control," said Minara.
"Let's get out of here," said Reuben as he helped me up to my feet. "Seeing you panicking like that isn't good, Sam. As soon as we go outside, the better you manage your anxiety."
I was finally calmed down as I was being escorted out of the abandoned meadery altogether. After what happened to me, I was under strict guard in which I didn't mind it at all. All I was thankful for was that I had help calming me down as my anxiety was the worst thing that happened to me. Still, I need a different change of atmosphere as we all went into a different food court where we noticed more of the carnival fare being cooked for the customers. After what I went through, my anxiety wasn't done with me as the panic of it all made me lose my appetite altogether while I avoided the food that was there. The smell of it made me guard myself as I also had a reason to fear everything after what happened to me yesterday. What I didn't expect was that I was being ushered to a table as I noticed everyone enjoying their food without any worries, but I wasn't convinced in which I also had my reasons not to let my guard down. The further temptation of the fair food around me ended up getting the better of me as I was also trying to resist it due to the hunger reaching a boiling point, for I also didn't want to eat anything right now.
"Enough! Stop torturing me!" I yelled as I pounded at my stomach.
"It's the hunger telling you that you need to eat, Sam," said Reuben as he got out a plate of food for me. "You can't let your fear get the better of you. It's not healthy or wise to let it rule you or ruin your life."
"You don't know what will happen next if the Red Inquisition catches up to me! They could be hiding in plain sight poisoning my food!"
"There is no more Red Inquisition here after Minara flushed them out yesterday," said Dean as he didn't want me to stew in my anxiety. "You worry over nothing, Sammy. Besides, you can't just let yourself get your ass handed to you by fear. It's not healthy for you to do so."
"And it's okay for me to be stuck with the fair food?"
"It's better than having an anxiety attack," said Minara.
"C'mon, Sammy," said Dean as he wasn't about to let me get out of my predicament. "You ought to try this stuff! There's even some turkey legs that are better than fried chicken right now."
I reluctantly agreed as I saw the plate of food that stemmed from the smoked turkey leg to other things like poutine, tamales, and corndogs. What I also noticed was something known as "butt fries" in a bowl as it consisted of French fries, beef brisket, cheese and sour cream complete with chives for garnish. It wasn't long until my metabolism got the better of me as I began to eat what was in front of me. The taste of the turkey leg kept my stomach quiet as I tasted the smokiness and care that was put into it. When I finished off the turkey leg and tasted the tamales, I noticed that the meat in it wasn't shredded pork or beef as it was none other than lamb that was seasoned with Mediterranean spices that were put into it instead of the ones that were similar to Spanish and Mexican cooking. Dean never expected to see me regain my appetite quickly as the food I ate began to replenish the raw power that I used up in which I needed to stay focused. By the time I got to the poutine, I ate it in which I never tasted anything like it before in which I later went for the corndogs that were made from smoked sausages and corn meal. By the time I got to the butt fries, I tasted everything that was put into it in which I was finally full after finishing it, for I was good to go after trying to avert temptation the first time.
"I never expected you to eat so much, but at least you're full," said Dean.
"I was so worried first in which I was scared about the Red Inquisition coming towards me," I said.
"You can't let fear ruin your life, Sam," said Minara. "Besides, it could do more harm than good if you're not careful."
"At least I'm not a vegetable…"
"Hey, vegetable; after this, you should check out the dessert," said Dean. "They got all the pie all the time."
I got up as I was calmer after what happened to me earlier. Still, my anxiety got the better of me as I tried not to think about the Red Inquisition and their futile attempt to force me to say yes to Lucifer. When I got towards the desserts that were made in the booths, I saw the presence of churros being cooked and dusted with cinnamon as I wanted to try one. Just as I was about to do so, I felt my hands shaking until Dean spotted it in which he wanted me to do something about my anxiety. He wasn't about to give up on me as he refused to let me fall under the cracks. Even though he lost Magda and nearly went down a downward spiral of grief and pain, he wasn't about ot let me go down the same path as he refused to leave my side right now, for I was caught in the grip of what was ailing me.
"We're all fragile people here," I heard him say to me. "We think we're perfect, but we're all the same when it comes to what comes next. Perfection happens with animals, food, housing, and everything else, but the only things that could never perfected are us in general."
"I know what you mean," I said. "I also know that losing Magda took a toll on you."
"Yeah, but the bastard who killed her is still at large. Still…" Dean feels his voice breaking as I was there to comfort him so he wouldn't have a breakdown. "I know that Ravenna's a widow and all, but she's also a Draaza who lost her husband to prostate cancer. I just hope to the gods that nothing bad happens to her. I lost Magda in which her death caused me to spiral out of control and even go around in bars to drink my sorrows away. It's a godsend that you found me and even got pissy at me for not cleaning up the Impala."
"You're lucky that I found you in time or else you would've been beyond hope. We're both flawed despite the fact that we help those in need, for we can't lose what we have right now."
I stopped as I was trying not to cry in which I wanted to hug Dean. He was hurting like everyone here as he was still grieving over losing Magda in which he decided to hug me first. We had to have each other's backs in this time of crisis as we also had to pull together after all that has happened. We had to get through this as we also had to contend with the Red Inquisition and the Zenith Vectors after the Second Galvanic Uprising ended six months ago.
When we went towards the dessert area, we ordered up some churros as we began to eat them without having any more hesitation on our part. The taste of the cinnamon and sugar sprinkled all over them were great with the caramel sauce that it came with. By the time we finished up with the churros, we decided to go towards the Impala as we noticed a courier with a letter in his hands. When I took it, I opened it up as I saw it to be a summons in which I had to go towards the Order's main headquarters on Valinor, for it was yet another medical assessment after all.
"Once again, they have nothing better to do than to make me the resident guinea pig again," I said.
"Don't you dare say that," said Dean. "Those words are a slap in the face of the Medical Corps and I'm not gonna let you put 'em down like that."
"Well I am the Order's resident guinea pig after all."
"That's an understatement, Sam," said Minara as he was standing next to us. "Just because you're the resident guinea pig, doesn't mean that you're all the way bogged down with tests and assessments."
"Well, I get the full brunt of it…"
It wasn't long until Reuben caught up to us as he was happy that I didn't have another anxiety attack right now. He couldn't let me out of his sight as I suffered the worst in which I had to take everything slowly so I wouldn't let myself suffer another mental breakdown. All four of us went towards the picnic table next to the Impala as we spotted an apple pie on it the moment we spotted paper plates and plastic forks near it. Without further hesitation, we got into the pie as we ate a piece of it to ourselves. It was a comforting moment as I also had everyone with me instead of being alone, for it was a lot better than having my anxiety getting the better of me.
"This is a silver lining for today," said Dean as he took another bite of his pie.
"It's better than my anxiety acting up," I said.
"You can worry about that later," said Minara. "Besides, we all have to lean on each other for support from time to time."
"It's better than the alternative," said Reuben. "Still, we can't let our mental health take a backseat right now after all that has happened."
"I hear you there," I said. "I can't let my anxiety get the better of me again. At least I called for help instead of going the stoic route. Having help is important right now, for it saved me from a cruel fate of my own psyche."
I was hopeful for what was there as I also had to make sure that my anxiety didn't flare up again. When I looked at Dean, he was looking more hopeful for himself as he vowed not to either go dark or wallow in sorrow, for he needed my help and support just as much I needed his own. We had to have each other at this time as we were at a crossroads due to our mental health and the other challenges that were tossed in front of us, for we had to brave the storm ahead so far…
To be continued...
