1.11
I think I hear ringing.
"Dean," I hear someone say. Then more ringing. "Hello….Dad?"
I open my eyes and look at Sam.
I'm staring at Sam when he says, "Are you hurt?"
I sit up in bed.
"We've been looking for you everywhere. We didn't know where you were, if you were okay."
I shove Dean who wakes slowly, looks at me, annoyed but then hears Sam.
"Dad, where are you?"
Dean sits up and scoots over. We both sit on the edge of the bed, facing Sam.
"What? Why not?"
"Is that Dad?" Dean asks.
"You're after it, aren't you? The thing that killed Mom…A demon? You know for sure?"
"A demon? What's he saying?" asks Dean.
"You know where it is?" Sam still talks on the phone. To Dad!
"Let us help…why not?"
"Give me the phone," says Dean, his hand out. Sam doesn't move.
"Names? What names, Dad—talk to me, tell me what's going on…"
"Sam…" I say. "Dad's not going to…"
"No. Alright? No way."
Dean takes the phone out of Sam's hand. Damn. Wish I'd thought of that.
"Dad, it's me. Where are you? … Yes, sir. …Uh, yeah, I got a pen," I pick up the pen and paper from the nightstand and hand it to Dean. "What are their names?" Dean takes them down. "Here," he says and hands the phone to me. He gets up and starts packing. Sam just stares at me on the phone.
"Dad?" I say.
"Hey sweetie," says Dad on the phone and I nearly cry. "I'm sorry I had to leave."
"I know, it's okay."
"Your brothers taking good care of you?"
"Yeah…Dad, I…I miss you," I manage to say.
"I miss you too, Janie. Look, sweetie I am sorry, but I gotta…" he trails off.
"It's okay," I say again. "I get it."
"You make sure those boys look after you alright?"
"Yeah I will."
"I love you, kiddo."
"Love you too."
He hangs up. I look at the phone and sigh. Sam frowns at me.
"What?" I ask.
He just shakes his head and gets up.
We get on the road and start driving. Sam's in a mood and Dean is still researching a few things so Sam drives. Dean refuses to not sit shotgun so again, I am relegated to the backseat of doom.
"Alright, so, the names Dad gave us, they're all couples?" asks Sam.
"Three different couples. All went missing," says Dean.
"And they're all from different towns? Different states?"
"That's right. You got Washington, New York, Colorado. Each couple took a road trip cross-country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again."
"Well, it's a big country, Dean. They could've disappeared anywhere."
"Yeah, could've. But each one's route took 'em to the Same part of Indiana. Always on the second week of April. One year after another after another."
"This is the second week of April."
"Yep."
"So, Dad is sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something before another couple vanishes?"
"Yahtzee. Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this?" Dean hands me back some clippings he was able to print out at the hotel and I flick through them "All the different obits Dad had to go through? The man's a master."
Sam suddenly slows the car and pulls to the side of the road.
"Sam?" I ask.
Sam turns off the car.
"What are you doing?" asks Dean.
"We're not going to Indiana," says Sam.
"We're not?" asks Dean.
"No. We're going to California. Dad called from a payphone. Sacramento area code."
"Sam," Dean and I say.
"Dean, if this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help."
"Dad doesn't want our help," says Dean.
"I don't care."
"He's given us an order."
"I don't care. We don't always have to do what he says."
"Sam, Dad is asking us to work jobs, to save lives, it's important."
"Alright, I understand, believe me, I understand. But I'm talking one week here, man, to get answers. To get revenge."
"Alright, look, I know how you feel."
"Do you? How old were you when Mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago. How the hell would you know how I feel?"
"Dad said it wasn't safe. For any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something that we don't, so if he says to stay away, we stay away."
"And we need to stop whatever this thing is in Indiana," I add.
"I don't understand the blind faith you two have in the man," says Sam. "I mean, it's like you don't even question him, Dean."
"Yeah, it's called being a good son!"
Sam's really mad. He gets out of the car. He goes to the trunk and starts unloading his things. Dean and I get out of the car and we just stare at him.
"You're a selfish bastard, you know that?" says Dean. "You just do whatever you want. Don't care what anybody thinks."
"That's what you really think?"
"Yes, it is."
"Well, then this selfish bastard is going to California," Sam pulls his bags on.
"Come on, you're not serious."
"I am serious."
I step towards Sam. "Sam, please don't," I say.
"I gotta," he says.
"Sam…you can't. Not again!"
"Then come with me," he says.
I don't answer. What do I say to that? I look back at Dean who looks really pissed now. I look back to Sam. "I can't," I say.
"Of course not," says Sam.
"Don't do this, please," I'm practically begging.
"I'm going," he says and turns and starts to walk away.
"It's the middle of the night!" says Dean. "Hey, I'm taking off, I will leave your ass, you hear me?"
Sam stops walking and turns back to us. "That's what I want you to do."
We all just stand there for a moment. I feel the tears coming but I can't bring myself to go.
"Goodbye, Sam," says Dean.
I hear him close the trunk.
"Bye," I whisper.
Dean and I get in the car and continue driving in silence.
Burkitsville. It's…in the middle of nowhere. Dean pulls over in town. He pulls out his phone but then closes it.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing," he says, "Let's go."
We go up to a café named 'Scotty's Café'. There's a man sitting on a chair on the porch.
"Let me guess," Dean points to the sign, then to the man. "Scotty."
He looks up at the sign and back to Dean. "Yep," he says flatly.
"Hi, my name's John Bonham, this my sister Zoe," says Dean. I smile at Scotty.
"Isn't that the drummer for Led Zeppelin?" asks Scotty.
"Wow," says Dean. "Good. Classic rock fan."
"What can I do for you, John?"
Dean takes out the missing person flyers of the last two victims of this area. "I was wondering if, uh, you'd seen these people by chance."
Scotty barely glances at them. "Nope. Who are they?"
"Friends of ours," Dean says, gesturing to me. "They went missing about a year ago. They passed through somewhere around here, and I've already asked around Scottsburg and Salem—"
"Sorry," interrupts Scotty. He hands the flyers back to Dean. "We don't get many strangers around here."
I look around. Seems like a tourist town to me. When I turn back, Scotty is staring at me.
"Scotty," says Dean, "you've got a smile that lights up a room, anybody ever tell you that?"
Scotty stares at Dean. Dean laughs awkwardly.
"Never mind. See you around," says Dean. I follow him away from Scotty.
We head to the general store to ask about the couple.
"Hi," says Dean. "I'm John, this is my sister Zoe, we're looking for some friends of ours that went missing last year."
The man smiles widely. "Well hi, I'm Harley, this here's my wife, Stacy," says Haley. "We're the Jorenensons."
"Your store is called Jorgenson General Store," I point out.
Dean looks at me.
I shrug.
"Yeah, well, makes sense doesn't it," says Stacy.
"Scotty named his café after himself too…" I say.
Harley laughs. "We're proud of our accomplishments here, dear."
I nod but I still find it weird.
"Anyway," says Dean. "Our friends, Vince and Holly? Young couple came through around this time last year." Dean hands Harley the flyers. "You sure they didn't stop for gas or something?" asks Dean.
Harley shakes his head and hands the papers to Stacy. "Nope, don't remember 'em. You said they were friends of yours?"
"That's right," says Dean.
A teenage girl come downstairs with some boxes. "Did the guy have a tattoo?"
"Yes, he did," says Dean.
She puts the boxes down and looks at the picture of the husband, Vince. "You remember? They were just married."
"You're right," says Harley. "They did stop for gas. Weren't here more than ten minutes."
"You remember anything else?"
"I told 'em how to get back to the Interstate. They left town."
"Could you point us in that same direction?"
"Sure."
-
Dean and I go back to the car. "Weird people, right?"
"Because they name things after themselves?" asks Dean.
"That's weird, right?!"
"Only a little," says Dean and starts the car. We head past the orchard which the town is apparently known for when there's a noise from the backseat.
"What is that?" I ask.
It gets louder.
"What the hell?" say Dean.
I undo my seatbelt to reach to the back seat.
"Don't do that!" yells Dean.
"It's fine," I say and reach into a bag, it's the EMF. It's beeping crazily.
"Jesus," says Dean. He pulls over to the side of the road.
"The orchard is haunted?" I ask.
"We'll see," says Dean.
We get out of the car and walk into the orchard. There doesn't seem to be anything overtly freaky here. Dean stops and looks out. "Check that out."
I look where he's looking. It's a freaky scarecrow. "Oh that's just creepy," I say.
Dean and I walk up to the scarecrow. He's even worse up close.
"Dude, you fugly," says Dean.
Dean gets a ladder from a tree.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"He's got something in his hand," he says.
"Oh yes, that's very important," I say sarcastically.
Dean scoffs at me. He brings the ladder over and climbs up to the scarecrow.
"And?" I ask.
Dean goes to his hand but fiddles with his sleeve. "Hand me Vince's flyer," says Dean.
I pull out the flyer from my pocket, unfold it, and hand it to Dean. He looks at the flyer then to the scarecrow.
"Nice tat," he says to the scarecrow. He hands me back the flyer and climbs down. "It's Vince."
"What?" I say looking up at the scarecrow.
"It's him. Same tattoo on his arm."
We drive back into the main part of town for gas. And to figure out what the hell is going on here.
The girl from the grocery store is manning the gas pumps.
"You're back," she says to us.
"Never left," says Dean.
"Still looking for your friends?" she asks.
"You mind fillin' her up there, Emily?" he asks.
"Don't creep her out," I whisper.
"What?" he mouths.
Emily grabs a pump and starts filling up the tank.
"So, you grew up here?" asks Dean.
"I came here when I was thirteen. I lost my parents. Car accident. My aunt and uncle took me in."
"They're nice people."
"Everybody's nice here."
"So, what, it's the, uh, perfect little town?"
"Well, you know, it's the boonies. But I love it. I mean, the towns around us, people are losing their homes, their farms. But here, it's almost like we're blessed."
"Or cursed," I say under my breath.
Dean elbows me. "Hey, you been out to the orchard? You seen that scarecrow?"
"Yeah, it creeps me out," says Emily.
Dean and I laugh.
"Do you know whose it is?" I ask.
"I don't know. It's just always been there." Says Emily.
Dean nods to a car parked in the garage. "That your aunt and uncle's?"
"Customer. Had some car troubles."
"It's not a couple, is it? A guy and a girl?"
Emily nods. "Mmhmm."
Dean and I share a look.
We go into Scotty's Café. Scotty is serving a couple. They're young and…by god, is he fattening them up like the witch in Hansel and Gretel? He's serving them pie even though they don't seem to want it.
"Oh hey, Scotty," says Dean. "Can I get a coffee, black?" Scotty goes to get it and I glare at Dean. "Oh, and some of that pie, too, while you're at it for both of us."
We sit down next to the couple.
"How ya doin'?" asks Dean. "Passing through?"
"Road trip," says the girl.
"Hm. Yeah, us too."
The couple just nod.
"Smooth," I whisper.
"Shut up," says Dean.
Scotty comes over to refill their drinks. "I'm sure these people want to eat in peace."
"Just a little friendly conversation. Oh, and that coffee, too, man. Thanks."
Scotty scowls.
"So, what brings you to town?" Dean asks the couple.
Oh god. He's being so awkward.
"We just stopped for gas," says the woman. "And, uh, the guy at the gas station saved our lives."
"Is that right?"
"Yeah, one of our brake lines was leaking. We had no idea. He was fixing it for us," says the man.
"Well isn't that…nice," I say.
"Yeah."
"So, how long till you're up and runnin'?" asks Dean.
"Sundown."
"Convenient," I say.
"Really?" says Dean. "To fix a brake line? I mean, you know, I know a thing or two about cars. I could probably have you up and running in about an hour. I wouldn't charge you anything."
"You know, thanks a lot, but I think we'd rather have a mechanic do it," says the woman.
"Sure. I know. You know, it's just that these roads. They're not real safe at night."
I want to disappear into the table. Dean, shut up!
"I'm sorry?" asks the woman.
"I know it sounds strange, but, uh—you might be in danger."
"Look, we're trying to eat. Okay?" says the man, annoyed.
"Yeah…" he looks at me for help. But they don't want it so I shake my head. "You know, my brother could give you this puppy dog look, and you'd just buy right into it."
The bell rings above the door. It's a cop.
"Thanks for coming, Sheriff," says Scotty. He and the sheriff whisper for a bit. Then they look at us and the sheriff comes up.
"I'd like a word, please," says the sheriff.
"Come on. I'm having a bad day already," says Dean.
"You know what would make it worse?"
Dean nods.
"Great," I say.
We get an escort to the edge of the town. Which is a first and Dean actually smiles because he gets to legally drive so fast but as soon as we're at the edge of town the sheriff turns back.
"Those people are so doing something shady," I tell Dean.
Dean nods and turns back; driving slowly we loop back around the orchard. He parks as the sun is setting.
"This isn't going to be good, is it?" I ask.
"Nope," says Dean and he gets out of the car. He shuffles around in the trunk to get stuff. As darkness progresses Dean tells me to 'stay put'. Which I think is rude, but the scarecrow of Vince is creepy enough for me to not push the issue.
I pull out my phone and flick it open.
"Hello?"
"Hey Sam," I say.
"Is everything okay?" he asks.
"Yeah, I just…Dean's off making sure some couple doesn't get…whatever it is that's happening."
"He left you behind?"
"I'm in the car," I say.
"Huh, and you're staying put?"
"Hey sometimes I listen!"
"Sure you do."
"How's the journey going?" I ask.
"Waiting on a bus."
"It's a waiting game, the nomad lifestyle."
Sam laughs a little. "Yeah, I guess it is."
"If you do find Dad…" I start but can't seem to find the end of the sentence.
"You'll be my first call, Janie."
I roll my eyes. "Thanks, Sammy."
"I'm sorry," says Sam. He takes a breath. "I just couldn't…I had to, have to do something."
"I get it…kind of."
"If Dean gives you any crap-"
"You'll be my first call."
"Good."
"Sam?" a voice says down the phone.
"Ooh who's that?" I ask.
"No one."
"No one sounded very feminine!"
"I'll talk to you later, Janie."
"But-" he hangs up.
I laugh.
Dean comes back a little while later. "They okay?" I ask him as he gets in.
"Yeah they'll be fine," Dean throws the gun on the backseat, tired.
"What was it?"
"Scarecrow comes alive."
"That's…ugh. Awful. It animates dead bodies?"
"Yeah…same time every year…"
"That's very ritualistic."
"Pagans liked rituals."
"They don't really look like pagans," I say.
Dean shrugs. "You'd be surprised. Anyway, pagans had gods."
"The scarecrow is a god?"
"The god is using the scarecrow…I think."
"To take its annual sacrifice?"
"Something like that…you see what Scotty was feeding them earlier?"
"He really is like the witch…"
"What?"
"I thought it looked odd, feeding them like Hansel and Gretel."
"The townspeople are definitely in on…well, whatever it is."
In the morning Dean is up ridiculously early given the time we went to bed. He has papers out and is using my laptop for something.
"Dean what are you doing?" I ask.
"It's a pagan god, I think…" he says. "I called the local university, going to meet with a professor in a bit to help me figure out which one."
"That's great," I say flatly, rubbing my eyes.
"You right there princess?" he asks finally looking at me.
"This is the first time in ages, I've had a bed to myself. Excuse me for enjoying it."
"It's not my fault hardly any hotels have family rooms available."
"I wasn't blaming you. I was stating a fact, sheesh," I say getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom.
"Hurry up in there, we need to leave soon!" calls Dean as I close the door.
Dean practically drags me out to the car to get going as soon as I'm out of the shower. I actually have to tie my laces in the car.
"Jeez, how far away is this university?" I ask.
"Community College," says Dean. "Two towns over."
"Didn't realize that was 500 million miles away."
"Haha."
"You're in a mood."
"No I'm not."
"I think you should call Sam."
Dean looks at me. Then back to road, swerving a little. "What? Why?"
"Get over yourself, Dean."
"You get over yourself."
"I called him last night."
"You did?"
"Yes. Because I'm the bigger person here."
"You're the smallest person here."
I stare at him.
"Oh shut up," he says but pulls out his phone.
He fills Sam in on the fun times here in Indiana.
"The scarecrow climbed off its cross?" I hear Sam say.
"Yeah, I'm tellin' ya. Burkitsville, Indiana. Fun Town."
"It didn't kill the couple, did it?"
"No. I can't cope without you, you know."
"Ahem," I say.
"We can cope without you," Dean says.
"So, something must be animating it. A spirit." Says Sam.
"No, it's more than a spirit. It's a god. A Pagan god, anyway."
"What makes you say that?"
"The annual cycle of its killings? And the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman. Like some kind of fertility right. And you should see the locals. The way they treated this couple. Fattenin' 'em up like a Christmas turkey."
"The last meal. Given to sacrificial victims."
"Yeah, I'm thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some Pagan god."
"So, a god possesses the scarecrow..."
"And the scarecrow takes its sacrifice. And for another year, the crops won't wilt, and disease won't spread."
"Do you know which god you're dealing with?"
"No, not yet."
"Well, you figure out what it is, you can figure out a way to kill it."
"No we were just going to stay here forever and fight it off every April," I say into the phone.
I can hear Sam's eyes roll from here.
"We're actually on my way to a local community college," says Dean. "I've got an appointment with a professor. You know, since I don't have my trusty sidekick geek boy to do all the research."
"You know, if you're hinting you need my help, just ask," says Sam.
"I'm not hinting anything. Actually, uh—I want you to know….I mean, don't think…."
"Yeah. I'm sorry, too."
"Sam. You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life."
"Are you serious?"
"You've always known what you want. And you go after it. You stand up to Dad. And you always have. Hell, I wish I—anyway….I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy."
"I don't even know what to say."
"Say you'll take care of yourself."
"I will."
"Call me when you find Dad."
"OK. Bye, Dean, bye Jane."
Dean hangs up.
"Aww," I say, "look at you, growing up."
"Shut up."
"I'm proud of you, Dean."
Dean whacks me lightly on the shoulder.
The college professor seems nice, if a little awkward over the whole thing.
"It's not every day I get a research question on Pagan ideology," says the professor.
"Yeah, well, call it a hobby," says Dean.
"But you said you were interested in local lore?"
"Mmhmm."
"I'm afraid Indiana isn't really known for its Pagan worship."
"Well, what if it was imported? You know, like the Pilgrims brought their religion over. Wasn't a lot of this area settled by immigrants?"
"Well, yeah."
"What about Burkistville?" I ask. "The town near here? Where are their ancestors from?" I ask.
"Uh, northern Europe, I believe, Scandinavia."
"What could you tell us about those Pagan gods?" asks Dean.
"Well, there are hundreds of Norse gods and goddesses."
"We're actually looking for one. Might live in an orchard."
The professor nods and takes us into a classroom. He finds a huge old book and brings it over to a table for us and opens it.
"Woods god, hm? Well, let's see." The professor turns the pages.
"Wait, wait, wait. What's that one?" Dean asks, going back a page.
"Oh, that's not a woods god, per se."
I look. Ick. Ugly.
"The V-Vanir?" Dean reads. "The Vanir were Norse gods of protection and prosperity, keeping the local settlements safe from harm. Some villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Other villages practiced human sacrifice. One male, and one female. Kind of looks like a scarecrow, huh?"
"I suppose," agrees the Professor.
"Quite a bit really," I say.
"This particular Vanir that's energy sprung from the sacred tree?" asks Dean.
"Well, Pagans believed all sorts of things were infused with magic."
"So what would happen if the sacred tree was torched? You think it'd kill the god?"
The professor laughs. "Son, these are just legends we're discussing."
"Oh, of course. Yeah, you're right. Listen, thank you very much," says Dean and shakes his hand.
"Yeah, thanks," I say.
"Glad I could help."
We go to the door and Dean opens it. Then falls to the floor. I scream. But the professor shoves a hand over my mouth. The sheriff is standing in the door his rifle up.
"Did you ask her?" asks the sheriff.
"Not yet," says the Professor.
"Kid, are you a girl, or have you become a woman yet?" asks the Professor.
The question throws me off. What? But the sheriff is looking at me with crazy eyes and his rifle butt is up, I really don't want to be knocked out like Dean. I shake my head.
"Damn shame," says the Sheriff and then I'm in darkness.
When I wake it's dim. Barely any light. I'm on dirt...? I groan and try to sit up.
"Janie?" it's Dean. He helps me to my feet. "You alright?"
I feel my head. It's throbbing. "I think so."
"Damn crazies!" yells Dean.
"Are we…are they going to use us as bait?"
"They're gonna try."
The cellar door opens and Emily, the girl, is being brought down by Stacy and Harley. She's crying.
"Aunt Stacy. Uncle Harley, please," she begs. They just dump her with Dean and I and go up the stairs. "Why are you doing this?"
"For the common good," says Stacy.
"You only need two, why Emily?" asks Dean. "Seems a bit excessive."
"Unfortunately your sister doesn't count a full sacrifice," says Harley.
"Why not?" asks Dean.
"She's not a woman yet," Stacy says and her smile is sad and creepy all in one.
"What do you mean-" he starts, glacning back at me, then it must dawn on him. I look at my shoes. "Oh."
Harley and Stacy close the cellar doors. We hear a chain and padlock lock.
Dean goes to the door, shaking it. But it won't budge.
"I don't understand," says Emily. They're gonna kill us?"
"Sacrifice," I say.
"Which is, I don't know, classier, I guess?" says Dean. He gives up on the door and walks over to us. "You really didn't know anything about this, did you?"
"About what? The scarecrow god? I can't believe this," says Emily.
"Well, you better start believing, cause we're gonna need your help."
"Okay."
"Now, we can destroy the scarecrow, but we gotta find the tree."
"What tree?"
"Maybe you can help us with that. It would be really old. The locals would treat it with a lot of respect, you know, like it was sacred."
"There was this one apple tree. The immigrants brought it over with them. They call it the First Tree."
"Is it in the orchard?"
"Yeah, but I don't know where."
The cellar door opens and a whole bunch of the townspeople are here to escort us to our doom.
"It's time," says Stacy.
They take us to the orchard and tie us to trees, each next to each other.
"Making it a convenient feast for your god?" I ask Scotty who's tying me up.
He says nothing.
"How many people have you killed, Sheriff? How much blood is on your hands?" asks Dean.
"We don't kill them."
"No, but you sure cover up after. I mean, how many cars have you hidden, clothes have you buried?"
The Sheriff doesn't answer him and walks away.
"Uncle Harley please," Emily begs.
"I am so sorry, Em," says Harley. "I wish it wasn't you. I wish that girl would be enough. But we know from past mistakes…it's not."
"Try to understand," says Stacy. "It's our responsibility. And there's just no other choice. There's nobody else but you."
"There's you," I point out.
Harley and Stacy glare at me.
"I'm your family," Emily says.
"Sweetheart, that's what sacrifice means. Giving up something you love for the greater good. The town needs to be safe. The good of the many outweighs the good of the one."
They're all satisfied we're tied up and they walk away.
"I hope your apple pie is freakin' worth it!" Dean yells at them.
"So, what's the plan?" asks Emily.
"I'm workin' on it."
We sit, tied to our trees and it is now completely dark. Fantastic.
"You don't have a plan, do you?" says Emily.
"I'm workin' on it." Dean says. "Can you see?"
"What?"
"Is he moving yet?"
"I can't see," Emily says. I try and look too but I see nothing. "Oh my god. Oh my God!" she yells.
"Dean?"
I know that voice.
"Oh! Oh, I take everything back I said," said says. "I'm so happy to see you. Come on." Sam unties Dean from the tree. "How'd you get here?"
"I, uh—I stole a car," says Sam.
"Haha! That's my boy! And keep an eye on that scarecrow. He could come alive any minute."
Sam looks around as he comes to me to untie me. "What scarecrow?"
"Oh crap," I say.
Dean unties Emily and we start running.
"Alright Alright, now, this sacred tree you're talking about—" says Sam.
"It's the source of its power."
"So let's find it and burn it."
"Nah, in the morning. Let's just shag ass before Leather Face catches up."
We run out of the woods but there are the creepy ass townspeople.
"This way," Dean says and we turn but there are too many people. We're blocked.
"Please. Let us go," Emily begs.
"It'll be over quickly, I promise," says Harley.
"Please."
"Emily, you have to let him take you. You have to—" the scarecrow stabs Harley.
"Serves you right," I say as Emily and her Aunt scream. Her aunt is then taken by the scarecrow.
The other people run away and I'm pulled back. At first I think it's Dean but it's Sam who's pulling me away from the woman.
"Come on," says Dean, "Let's go."
We start running and hear a noise…but there's nothing.
We find the sacred tree in the morning and Sam and I douse it in gasoline. Dean grabs a branch of the tree and lights it.
"Let me," says Emily and takes the branch.
"You know, the whole town's gonna die," says Dean.
"Good," says Emily. She throws the burning branch onto the tree. It takes a little, but then it suddenly goes up in flames.
We take Emily to a bus to Boston. She smiles down at us and Dean waves.
"Think she's gonna be alright?" asks Sam.
"I hope so," says Dean.
"And the rest of the townspeople, they'll just get away with it?"
"Well, what'll happen to the town will have to be punishment enough." We start walking to the car and Dean pulls me to the side so he's next to Sam. "So, can we drop you off somewhere?
"No, I think you guys are stuck with me."
"Why'd you change your mind?" I ask when we reach the car.
"I didn't. I still wanna find Dad. And you're still pains in my ass," I scoff but Dean nods. "But, Jess and Mom—they're both gone. Dad is God knows where. You, Janie, and me. We're all that's left. So, if we're gonna see this through, we're gonna do it together."
I raise my eyebrows.
"Hold me, Sam. That was beautiful," Dean says, he puts his hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam hits him away. We laugh.
"You should be kissing my ass, you were dead meat, dude."
"Yeah, right. I had a plan; we'd have gotten out."
"Right…" says Sam.
I go around to the other side of the car and get in the front seat.
"Are you serious?" asks Sam.
"You forfeited it," I say.