A/N: Hi! I hope you are enjoying my story. I thought I would wrap up this chapter for you. Me and my bff got caught in her parent's liquor cabinet last night. My dad is on his way home now from work and I don't know if I'll lose my chromebook for a while. :-(
Please review and let me know if you like this! Good news would make me happy right now.
The sheriff brought Brinley to the streets of Burkittsville where Stacy, Harley, and Scotty were waiting in the rain. He pulled Brinley out of his car with her wrists cuffed behind her back. "Let me go," Brinley threatened as she tried to pull away from him. "And you could've let me change out of these stupid pajamas first!"
"Enough," the sheriff ordered as he squeezed her arm tightly.
"If the man has to die, the man has to die. But why does it have to be this child? She's just a baby." Harley questioned. His words hit Brinley hard. She glanced around at all of them, but they said nothing, they only stared down at the ground disappointedly. She wondered if the man they were referring to was Dean.
"It's for the common good," Stacy finally replied as Harley opened the cellar door in front of him.
"No, no!" cried Brinley as the Sheriff forced her toward the opening. She felt tears fill her eyes as she peered down into the darkness. "Don't let it kill me!" she pleaded, terrified that the scarecrow was waiting for her in the darkness below. The sheriff unlocked her cuffs, and then shoved her down the stairs. Brinley tumbled down roughly and cried out as she hit the bottom. She could hear a rustling noise coming toward her and crawled into a ball. She buried her head in her knees and started sobbing. "Please, I don't want to die," she sobbed.
"Brinley," stated Dean's voice from beside her. She let out a sigh of relief and unwound herself to find Dean crouched down beside her. Without wasting a beat, she threw her arms around his neck and latched onto him tightly. She sobbed into his shoulder. Dean placed his arms around her. "It's ok," he said reassuringly, holding her tightly. "The scarecrow isn't down here."
"I'm so scared Dean," she sobbed.
"I know," he said gently. "But I won't let anything happen to you…..I promise." Brinley wouldn't let go of Dean, so he let her hold onto him as long as she needed. Brinley felt so childish but at the same time she was terrified. After a few minutes, she finally released her death grip on Dean and tried to compose herself.
"I'm sorry Dean," she said with a sob to her voice. "The sheriff said you were hurt in an accident, so I opened the door." She regretted her decision immensely and knew she should've listened to Dean.
"You didn't know," he replied.
"But you told me not to open the door to anyone!" she sobbed.
"Listen kid, you need to get yourself together," Dean said gently, but firmly. "What's done is done." Dean stood up and tried to force open the cellar door but failed.
"I don't understand. Why would they want to kill us?" Brinley questioned.
"Sacrifice us. Which is, I don't know, classier, I guess?" Dean replied. Brinley cringed at his response. She thought about her Mom and wanted to break down again, but instead she took a deep breath and composed herself. Her Mom was so strong, and Brinley wanted to make her proud. The cellar door opened, and the four elders stood at the opening.
"It's time," Stacy announced. Brinley grabbed Dean's hand nervously.
"Do what they say," Dean whispered to her. "We'll try to escape when they leave us at the orchard." Once they got to the orchard, the elders tied Dean and Brinley each to separate trees.
"How many people have you killed, Sheriff? How much blood is on your hands?" Dean demanded.
"We don't kill them," the sheriff replied.
"No, but you sure cover up after. I mean, how many cars have you hidden, clothes have you buried?" Dean demanded as the sheriff turned his back and walked away.
"Please let us go," Brinley pleaded.
"I am so sorry little girl. I wish it wasn't you," Harley said.
'Try to understand. It's our responsibility. And there's just no other choice. There's nobody else but you," Stacy said.
"You're murderers!" Brinley yelled. The elders walked away, leaving them alone and defenseless.
"I hope your apple pie is freakin' worth it!" Dean yelled after them.
"So, what's the plan?" Brinley asked worriedly, hoping her big brother had a plan.
"I'm workin' on it," Dean replied as he tried to untie his hands. He knew their time was limited since the sun had already set.
"You don't have a plan, do you?" Brinley questioned and panic started to set it. Tears fell from her eyes again.
Dean himself was panicked. "I'm workin' on it," he said reassuringly. He could hear her sobs and felt terrible. This wasn't fair to her, and it pissed him off that his Dad just assumed they could handle hunting and a kid. "Keep it together kid," he said firmly. "This isn't the time to fall apart." Brinley took a few deep breaths. "Is he moving yet?" he asked her.
"I can't see," she gulped as she tried to look over her shoulder. A moving shadow near the trees caught her and Dean's attention. "Oh my God!" she screamed. As it moved closer, Dean tried frantically to untie his ropes. Suddenly, Sam came out from behind the trees.
"Dean?" Sam questioned.
"Oh! Oh, I take everything back I said. I'm so happy to see you. Come on," Dean said with relief. Sam quickly untied Dean from the tree, and immediately went to Brinley.
"You're safe now," Sam said reassuringly to her. "Thank God you called me." Brinley nodded her head without saying a word. Sam could tell she wasn't doing well.
"How'd you get here?" Dean asked.
"I, uh—I stole a car," Sam replied.
"Haha! That's my boy! And keep an eye on that scarecrow. He could come alive any minute," Dean said.
"What scarecrow?" Sam questioned. Dean looked and saw the scarecrow's post was empty. He exchanged a nervous look with Sam. Sam reached down and grabbed Brinley's hand.
"We have to run," he said to her. Brinley climbed to her feet and flinched as she put pressure on her right food.
"Ow," she sighed. "I can't run. You guys can just leave me here."
"Like hell we will," Sam replied as he reached down and scooped her up into his large arms. He and Dean started running.
"Alright, now, this sacred tree you're talking about…..," Sam questioned as they made their way through the orchard.
"It's the source of its power," Dean replied.
"So, let's find it and burn it," Sam stated.
"Nah, in the morning. Let's just shag ass before Leather Face catches up," Dean replied. The three of them reached a clearing. Waiting for them were the elders and a few other townspeople. "This way," Dean urged, but they turned around to find they were blocked in all directions.
"Please. Let us go," Brinley pleaded.
"It'll be over quickly, I promise," Harley replied. All of a sudden, the scarecrow stuck his sickle through Harley's stomach. Brinley screamed and buried her face against Sam's chest. Then, Stacy is captured by the scarecrow. The scarecrow dragged Harley and Stacy away while the rest of the townspeople ran away in fright.
"Come on, let's go," Dean ordered as they started running toward Sam's stolen car. They arrived at the car and Sam placed Brinley in the backseat, and then climbed in beside her.
"You drive, I'll stay with her," Sam said. Dean nodded and hopped into the driver's seat.
"What made you come?" Dean asked as they headed back to the motel.
"Brinley was worried about you and called me," Sam replied, "I was on the phone when they took her."
"Thanks kid," Dean said as he looked at Brinley though his rearview mirror. She nodded in response. She looked down and noticed her sleeve was pulled up and yanked it down. She looked quickly at Sam to see if she thought he had noticed, but his eyes were on the road ahead. "When ya headed back toward Cali?" Dean asked Sam.
"I'm not," Sam replied. "I belong here with you and Brinley." Dean smiled, and was relieved that his brother was staying. Brinley fell asleep on the way back to the motel, so Sam carried her inside the room and tucked her under the covers.
The next morning they headed back to the orchard to find the sacred tree. They decided it was best to leave Brinley in the locked car and she agreed. "So Dean," Sam said as they wandered through the woods with gasoline and a lighter. "I noticed something on Brinley's arm yesterday."
"Yeah?" Dean questioned.
"I think she may cut herself," Sam replied.
"Cut herself?" Dean questioned.
"Yeah, I did some research last night," Sam replied, "And it says people may do it to make themselves feel better after a traumatic experience."
"Oh man," Dean sighed. "How do we help her?"
"I don't really know," Sam replied, "But I think love, understanding, and structure would be a good start."
"I agree, but she also needs some consequences," Dean added. "I'm not going to allow her to say and do whatever she pleases anymore. She's disrespectful and impulsive…..and she thinks the rules don't apply to her and it needs to stop."
"Yeah," Sam agreed. "Dad would never allow it." As they were talking, they came upon a tree with Vince's tattoo on it.
"This must be it," Dean announced. Sam went to the tree and poured gasoline on it while Dean picked up a long branch and lit it. He threw the burning branch onto the tree and they watched it go up in flames.