Desert Song: Chapter Fifteen

        By midmorning of the next day, Sam saw the opening to the canyon.  He kept talking to his brother, urging him to keep going.   Dean was faltering, barely able to stay on his feet.

        “There’s the end of the canyon,” the younger man sounded excited.

        The green eyes squinted in the sunlight and Dean Winchester took a shallow, stuttering breath as he spoke, “I didn’t think we’d make it, man”

        “We did.  The car isn’t far from there, Man.  There’s water and air conditioning in your baby.  We’re almost there.”

        “Okay, let’s go find her,” the hunter spoke in a hoarse voice.

        “I’ll drive you to the nearest hospital, Dean.”

        “No…we find that son of a bitch first,” Dean started choking and was back on his knees, coughing up more blood.

        “Hold on, Dean.  Please.  Hold on.”

        The older brother nodded and tried to rise to his feet.  Sam could hear the moans and almost whimpers as the smaller man fought to regain an ability to stand he was on the verge of losing completely.

        The taller man cried out in pain after leaning over, putting his arms under his brother’s armpits, and lifting the man to his feet. The younger brother stumbled slightly and regained his footing, keeping most of the weight on his good leg.  Dean leaned back against his brother’s chest, sobbing slightly.

        “Damn it, Sammy.  We’re in a bad mess here,” he murmured.

        “I know, Dean, but at least we’re alive.  Let’s go.”

        After an hours walk, the boys reached the spot where they left the Impala.  The car was gone.  The older man collapsed to the ground, “No!  The bastards stole my baby!   Sammy, they got my car!”

        The taller brother knelt in the sand and held the seriously injured man and closed his eyes, trying to decide what to do.  They were in the middle of the desert, the water was gone, and their car was nowhere in sight.

        “I’m thinking, Dean.   Give me some time to figure out what to do.  Close your eyes and rest a bit.  I’ll find a way.”  Dean was on his knees, his head leaning against his brother’s chest, his arms hanging loosely by his side.  Sam knew that the man was at the end of his ropes and would be no help to him at the moment.