When is a Ghost Town Not a Ghost Town Pt. 2

Dean paid for lunch and turned towards Garth.  He looked at the hunter and shook his head.

“What the hell are you supposed to be?”

“I thought I would fit in better,” the skinny hunter replied.  He was dressed in ragged shorts, a t-shirt cut off at the rib cage, ragged tennis shoes, and a Panama style straw hat.

“We’re going our separate ways, Garth.  If we’re tourists, we sure wouldn’t be with a native,” the hunter smirked.

“That’s okay.  I’m renting a place in Ghost Town.  See ya there.”

The brothers watched Garth get into his vehicle and drive towards Hwy 170.  Sam shook his head and turned towards his older brother.

“Let’s see what we’re getting into, Dean.”

The boys drove in the same direction as Garth.  They passed a sign that said ‘Terlingua Ghost Town.’  Driving a few miles they saw a cemetery on the left and stopped.

Sam had a camera he had dug out of the trunk, claiming he needed to look like a tourist.  The sign said the cemetery was a historical site.  Several of the graves looked vandalized.

“Shit!” Dean exclaimed.  “The bodies are covered with rocks.  There are no dug graves here.  Garth just removed the rocks and salted and burned.”

Sam just stood looking at the horrible mess in the cemetery.  He turned towards his brother, “I don’t think we should be in here right now, man.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

They passed a giant dragonfly made out of machine parts.  Dean slowed down and stared as he drove pass.  Sam couldn’t think of anything to say when he looked at it.

Soon, they saw a number or ramshackle shacks and rock buildings going up the side of a mountain.  There were gravel trails laid out.  A sign said that one could tour but don’t bother the natives.

They pulled into a strip mall.  A huge gift shop, a sign for a hotel that was a bar and a theater called the ‘Starlight’ made up the mall.  Dean parked the Impala and the two men walked up rock steps to the wooden platform that made up the sidewalk.

They saw two men sitting on a bench with a six pack between them.  They were talking about the mayor being moved from the gift shop to the Starlight.  One complained that the Starlight wasn’t always open and the attraction was a waste of time in the theater.  The older man responded that the mayor loved the theater and his beer so it was the perfect spot for him.

Sam couldn’t resist, “Is the mayor dead?”

“Yup, he died last year and the taxidermist stuffed him.”

“What the hell?” Dean whispered.

“That’s illegal, Dean.”

“You think?” was the older Winchester’s come-back.

The hunters walked towards the theater.  There was a covered opening and two German shepherds were asleep in it.  The dogs looked at the two brothers but neither moved.

Sam picked the lock and they eased into the theater, stepping over the dogs.  It was dark inside.  They could barely see.

“Where in the hell would you put a stuffed mayor?” Dean asked.

“I don’t know, Dean.  On one of the benches?” Sam answered.

Dean walked down the aisle towards the stage.  He climbed up on the platform and began to look around.  Sam searched the auditorium part of the theater.  Dean was backing up across the stage turning on a small flashlight he had put in his pocket earlier.  He backed into something and turned, looking up as he did.

Sam heard his brother scream and the words, “Son of a bitch!”

Dean was sitting on the floor, legs sprawled, and the flashlight on the column.  At the top of the column was a stuffed goat, head raised high, with a beer bottle in its mouth.

Sam starting laughing.  Dean stared at him.

“It’s not funny, Sammy.”

“Hell, yes it is, Dean.  You just met the mayor of Ghost Town.”

When is a Ghost Town Not a Ghost Town?

        Dean’s cell phone started ringing on the table between the beds he and his brother were sleeping on.  Sam heard it and called out his brother’s name and turned over, ignoring it.  The older Winchester groaned and slowly turned, reaching for the phone.

        “Hello?”

        “Hey, Dean.  This is Garth.”

        “Garth?  Do you know what time it is?”

        “Well, if you are in the time zone I’m in, it’s two in the morning. I’m in a ghost town, Dude.  Everyone here is acting crazy.  I’ve done salt and burns and it’s not helping.  I’m not sure what it is and I need help.”

        “Okay….okay.  Where are you?”

       “Terlingua, Texas.” 

        “Where the hell is that?”

        “The middle of nowhere, man,” the hunter replied and proceeded to tell the older Winchester how to find him.

        It took two days to reach the Big Bend country of west Texas.  Sam kept going over everything he could find on his laptop.

        “Dean, the only thing I can find is Terlingua is a very small town filled with ‘free thinkers’ and artists, and has a cemetery and ghost town that are historical.  He’s done salt and burns?”

        “Yeah, Sam.  What’s a ‘free thinker’?”

        “I’m not sure.  Maybe it’s something like a beatnik from the 1950’s.”

        The older hunter sighed, put his foot on the gas, and looked put out in a big way.   Sam stared at him and remained quiet after answering the question.

        Dean had followed his brother’s instructions and took highway 90 outside of San Antonio.  When they reached Marathon he headed south.  They pulled into the only motel they could find in Terlingua.  Stepping outside of the Impala, Dean swore, taking off his jacket and long sleeved shirt.

 

        “I wonder what the temperature is,” Sam murmured as they entered the motel.  The got a room with two beds and walked down the gravel road towards their room.

 

        Once inside the western style room, Dean threw his duffel on his bed and called Garth.  Hanging up, he turned towards his brother.

        “Looks like we’re eating ethnic food.  He’s at some place called India’s.”

        The boys drove down the highway and saw the restaurant in an ancient strip mall.  Garth was sitting on the porch, eating a pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, and beans.  He had a huge slice of apple pie beside his plate.

        Noticing the pie, Dean sighed in relief.  He didn’t like ethnic food. The brothers climbed the steps to the porch and sat down next to Garth.

        “Why are we eating outside in this heat?”

        “She cooks inside and it’s hotter than hell in there,” the skinny hunter replied, taking a large bite of his sandwich.

        “Is that barbecue?” Dean asked.

        “Yeah, and it’s good.”

        Sam ordered a salad and Dean asked for what Garth was having.

        After the food was brought out to them, the brothers ate their meal while Garth filled them in on what was happening.

        “I don’t know if the place is really haunted or if it’s a major possession problem, but it’s insane in that place.  I would suggest you go as tourists.”

        “Tourists?” Dean queried, talking around a large bite of the barbecue sandwich.

        “Yeah, the place draws them in.”

        “Tourists will be a nice change, Dean.  No suits and ties in all this heat,” Sam commented.

        “Yeah, we’ll head on up and take a look after we finish eating.  This is good.”

Snippets Eighty-Two: Anahuac

The Impala pulled into the rural town of Anahuac, Texas at 2:00 in the afternoon.  The only motel was up for sale but was still renting rooms.  Dean frowned at the size of the rooms.  The child had been in bigger bathrooms. 

John and the boys walked over to the Dairy Queen and had a fairly decent lunch.  The children’s menu was a good one.  The boys talked quietly as John listened to the conversations.  No one spoke of any evil or hauntings in the area.  He was surprised by it.

Most of the conversation was about the bad weather coming in.  Weather meant omens to the older Winchester.  People were buying rock salt and stocking up on wood for their fireplaces and wood burning stoves.  He heard talk of oil lamps, water, and extra blankets.

Interrupting a conversation, he explained they were new in town and asked about the preparations everyone was making.  The Gulf coast was subtropical but every so often the area was hit with ice storms.  No one was prepared for it.  John realized he was not up north.

 

As soon as the boys had finished eating, the hunter took them back to the hotel and left them while he went to the area stores.  There wasn’t much choice.  He had two Dollar Stores, two grocery stores, a Christian used items store, and two lumber yards.  It took a while to gather up what would be needed.  Realizing the boys would not be able to go outside, he bought some games and books for them.

After dropping off all of the supplies, John started driving around, visiting places, and listening. 

Dean and Sam played games until it started getting darker than usual.  Dean looked outside and saw rain.  He turned up the heat.  Castiel sat on the other bed in the room and watched.  The boy fix sandwiches for himself and his brother. 

By 6 in the evening the temperature dropped to 28 degrees Fahrenheit and the rain had turned to sleet.  The wind began to pick up.  Castiel watched the boys dress in their winter coats, hats, and gloves and go outside.  It was almost dark. 

They were sliding on the ice when the Impala pulled up.  John got out of the car and walked towards his sons.

“Dean!  What the hell are you doing?”

“It’s not snow, Dad, but ice is almost as good.”

John stood there and watched boy boys sliding on the ice and falling on their butts.  Their laughter rang through the air, drowned out by the wind.  A large branch on a tree down the road fell with a large resounding thud and the lights in the entire area went out. 

Grabbing two half frozen little boys, John entered the house.  He turned on the hot water in the shower, knowing it wouldn’t last long.  He told both of his sons to strip and get in the hot shower to warm up.

Warm pajamas with extra warm undergarments were on the boys’ bed.  They dressed in these and a sweater.  John set up a camp stove and made instant coffee and hot chocolate.  He played Candy Land with his boys by candlelight.  Castiel watched the scene with a smile, but had trouble figuring out the reason behind the game.

Hell Has No Fury Like an Angel Scorned

Sam Winchester sat in the booth across from his brother, wondering when the angel who sat next the older Winchester had lost his heart to him.    Yes, Cas was his guardian, but it had become more.  Sam watched the faces of the two men and came to the conclusion that Dean had no idea what was happening. His brother was flirting with a blond waitress, setting up a date.

The angel looked miserable as Dean smiled at the woman and went to 

 pay for their breakfast.  Sam decided to help his brother’s feathery guardian.

“You know, Castiel, you won’t win him by moping and looking unhappy.  If you want him, fight for him.”

“How?”

“Show your feelings.”

The angel was quiet for a moment and nodded.

That afternoon, as Dean got ready for his hot date, the angel arrived with a bouquet of roses and a card with a  letter in it.  Dean grinned and thanked his friend, saying that Debbie would love the flowers.  The card was left on Dean’s bed, unopened.

“Dean, I would like you to sit down, read the card, and talk to me.”

“Can’t, Cas.  This one requires a nice dinner before I can have the dessert.”

The hunter grabbed the flowers and was out the door, leaving an angry angel behind him.

Sam, passing his brother, saw the flowers.  He walked inside and saw the unopen card on the bed and an angry angel standing by the bed.

“Fight for him, Cas,” Sam asserted.  The angel nodded again and disappeared.

Debbie liked the flowers, but a bee flew out of one of the buds and stung her on her neck.  Hazel eyes widened and the hunter tossed the flowers into the back seat, not knowing he had invisible company.  He got the First Aid Kit out of the trunk and tended Debbie’s neck.  He leaned in and kissed her, apologizing.  Cas found himself grinding his teeth.

The restaurant was a nice one.  Dean seated his date and they ordered their meal.  As he reached across to caress her hand, he knocked her water glass into her lap.  She jumped, screaming, as the cold water soaked through her sheer dress.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I’m sorry.  I don’t know what happened.”

The waiter brought towels and cleaned up ther water and helped sop the water out of the woman’s dress.  Dean was standing behind her trying to calm her down when his watch caught on the lace strap of her dress.  The dress ripped, baring the top half of her body.

“Shit!” Dean cried, taking off his jacket to cover her.  The waiter covered his mouth by this time, shoulders shaking.  Debbie stood up, slapped Dean hard across the mouth, and asked for a taxi.

Dean tried to follow her out, but he tripped, grabbing the table and pulled off the table cloth.  Everything on the table crashed to the floor. The waiter handed him his jacket and told him Debbie had left the restaurant.

Not understanding what had happened, Dean drove back to the motel.

Cas appeared inside and Sam looked up with a question.

In his usual monotone, Cas mentioned, “His date did not go well.  He is home.”

Sam snickered, got up, grabbed his jacket, and walked outside.  His brother was sitting on the car.  Sam managed to keep a straight face as he was given the gist of the date or lack on one. 

“I’m taking the Impala and going out for a beer, Dean.  Cas is inside.  By the way, those roses were for you not the blond.”

“What?”

Sam didn’t respond.  He drove to the nearest bar.

Dean walked inside and found the angel sitting on Sam’s bed.  He took off his jacket and tie and sat down on his bed across from his friend.  He saw the card still on the bed. Looking into the intense blue eyes, he opened the card.

On a sheet of vellum was a poem.

        I look into your hazel eyes and see an eternity of tenderness and joy.

        Your lips would be like honey to kiss and I so want to taste them.

        To hold you would fulfill a million dreams.

        To run my fingers through your crisp hair would give me happiness.

        To feel the roughness of your unshaven face against my face, my neck

        And all of my body would satisfy a longing I never knew I could have.

        I want to spend eternity with you

        I love you.

Dean read the poem three times, shook, and looked back into the intense blue eyes.

 

“You were at that restaurant tonight?”

“Never scorn an angel, Dean.”

“I’ll remember that,” the hunter murmured as the angel’s lips touched the ones the waitressed had bruised.  For a second, he stiffened.  As the angel’s kiss deepened, Dean relaxed, and thought, ‘Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned?  Hell, no.  NEVER scorn an angel.’

Snippets Eighty-One: Dean's Private Hunt

After the incident in the store bathroom, John bought the food, loaded up the boys and drove until he hit Texas.  He found a small town outside of Dallas and pulled into the first motel that had a vacancy sign. 

The next half hour was spent examining both boys.  Dean tried to tell his father that the door barely touched him when it landed.  Castiel was turning shades of yellow.   He watched his charge closely, wishing the child wasn’t quite that smart.

John left early in the evening to visit a bar.  Dean looked into his father’s journal and a couple of old books the man carried in his duffel.  By late evening, several traps were set beneath rugs or in the window.  Castiel watched with a smile of relief on his face.  Dean was hunting demons and a few other creatures, but the boy had no understanding of angels.

 

A layer of salt was spread on the floor around the bed the boys shared. Dean had to crawl under the bed to make sure the entire bed had a circle. 

Cas watched the older boy read a warding spell out of a book. 

‘Father?’

‘Yes, my Son?’

“He will be seven in less than three weeks.  If he ever thinks angels exist, I may be in trouble.  He has set a trap for everything in the books he has the materials to use.’

‘It is good practice, my Son.’

‘Father, he set up a ward against succubi and incubi!’

The angel heard laughter, ‘That might disappoint his father, but they are not interested him.  At least, not yet.’

‘What?’

Castiel heard laughter from Heaven and knew he had just been made the butt of a joke.  He shook his head and watched the innocent face smiling as the last trap was set. 

‘Father, help us.  You are going to be dangerous, Boy.’

Snippets Eighty: On the Road

The day after New Year’s Day, John packed the boys into the Impala and hit the road.  It was early morning and both boys fell back asleep in the car.  For their father this was good.  It meant no stops for food or other things.

 

Castiel sat in the front seat watching the road, turning every so often to check on the older boy.  Dean slept fitfully, head against the door.  He would wake with a start, check on his brother, and go back to sleep.  His father never noticed.

John was heading to Texas.  There was a little town spelled, ‘Anahuac,’ and a community south of it called Oak Island.  There were problems in both communities. 

By midmorning, both boys were awake and hungry.   John pulled into a small store and gave Dean the money, telling him to buy breakfast and lunch for both boys.  He asked for coffee for himself.  Sam started yelling that he had to potty.  Dean ducked his head and grinned.  John cursed and got out of the car, taking the money from Dean.

The blond took his brother’s hand and they went to the bathroom.  Castiel followed, not liking the idea of two young boys by themselves in a strange restroom.

Everyone in the store heard the crash and screams.  The manager began screaming as he ran towards the bathrooms.  John beat him to the door and rushed in.  The door of a stall had fallen.  Sam was yelling because Dean had thrown himself on top of his brother to protect him.  Castiel had slowed the door’s fall to prevent injury to his charge. 

John was swearing.  The manager was apologizing.  He thought a sign had been placed on the door.  There was no sign in sight.

 

The food, drinks, and gasoline were free.  Dean kept looking around him for something.  Castiel realized the boy had noticed how the door fell.  He smiled to himself, wondering what the boy would do about it. A thought occurred to the angel and the smile left his face.  Would Father consider this interference or his job?

Snippets Seventy-Nine: John's Reaction

John Winchester spent the remainder of New Year’s Day packing.  Bobby tried to convince the man to let him have the boys.

“No, Bobby.  It’s my job to protect Sammy.  Dean seems to be failing at that.”

“That boy has bent over backwards protecting his brother, John!”

“He was salting a snowman with yellow, marble eyes, Bobby.”

“It proved something to that boy that he needed to see, John.  The snowman melted when the salt hit it.  Dean needed to know that this creature, whatever it is, can be destroyed. I think that someone or something led that boy to do that.”

Castiel, standing in the corner, whispered, ‘Me.  It was me.’

“Well that may be, but I’m taking  the boys away from here.  I need to get back to hunting and training Dean.”

“John, promise me you won’t let your son think he’s not capable of watching his brother.”

“No.  I’m not gonna do that, but I’m gonna drill it into him so deep, he’ll never shake it off.  Secrets are not a good thing, Bobby.”

“You have a new clue, John.”

“I should have known that two and half years ago.”

Bobby walked away, muttering, “What an ass.”

Castiel went looking for his charge.  Dean was sitting on the bed next to a napping Sammy.

“It’s okay, Sammy,” he whispered.  Dad doesn’t understand and he doesn’t know what I know.  I’ll keep you safe.  I promise.  I’d die for you, Sammy.  I love you and I believe in you.  I won’t let the man with the yellow eyes have you.”

The angel’s eyes widen and he all but sobbed, ‘Father!’  Heaven was silent.  Father knew the angel was already aware of this what his duty was.