Fight, Boy, Fight

Chapter 48

I was staring at myself in the mirror at Bobby's, my eyes glowed, I tilted my head, sighing. I blinked and they went back to normal, I yawned then rubbed my eyes while walking.

I tripped, catching myself before I could actually fall, I yawned and blinked a few times before continuing to walk. I walked into the living room,
Dean said" How are you doing? And do not say okay."
Sam said" I'm not okay."
" You think?"
Bobby said" Hey. Go a little easy."
" There's nothing easy about it, Bobby, okay? We acted like he had everything under control."
Sam said" I get it. I'm sorry. Look, I-I didn't exactly want to crack up, you know?"
" What the hell happened back there?"
" Well, it's not just flashbacks anymore."
" Well, then what?"
" It's more like... I'm seeing through the cracks."
" What does that mean?"
" It means I'm having a difficult time figuring out what's real."
" Hallucinations?"
" For starters."
" Well, for starters, if you're trippin' hell's bells, why would you hide that?"
" I wasn't hiding it, Dean. I-I was just not talking about it. I mean, it seemed like you two had enough going on as it was. Look, I-I just figured try to hold on to the safety bar and ride it out, you know? I... But it's getting more specific."
" As in, specifically what?"

Dean said" What the hell, Sam?"
Sam said" I told you."
" No, I mean, seriously, how do you-how do you argue with that?"
" I know. I-It's a problem."
" Well, now, wait. I got it. Why would the devil holodeck you a whole new life when he could just kick your ass all over the cage?"
" 'Cause, as he puts it... you can't torture someone who has nothing left for you to take away."
" Okay, fine. But this Malibu dream mansion that he-he-he makes for you to take away is this post-apocalyptic mess?" Sam stared at nothing," Wait, are you seeing him right now? You know that he's not real, right?"
" He says the same thing about you."
Bobby said" I'm going back to work."

I was holding Rexxy in my arms, watching Sam field-strip his gun, I slumped a little then fell off the couch. I huffed but crawled behind the couch, wrapping my blanket tighter around me. I still don't feel good, but they've got enough on their plates right now. Especially Sam. So, I'm okay, I'll be okay, I'm gonna be okay, because they need to focus on one thing at a time and if they knew I didn't feel good that's all they're gonna worry about. I started falling asleep...

I woke up when I felt the couch move, then I was lifted up, I whined loudly, squirming.
I heard Dean whisper" Shh, you're alright, you're alright." I relaxed against him, digging my face against his neck," He's still cold to the touch. His heart is pumping a mile a second."
Bobby whispered" You just woke him up, he was probably having a nightmare." I was.
" Yeah, but still... he's a kid."
" River is a lot tougher than you think, Dean."
" I know, I know, believe me. I watched this kid grow up before my eyes. But he can only handle so much, then he just... slips through."
" He'll be fine. He said his energy was drained, who knows what that means to him. Who knows that that means at all."
" Yeah." Dean kissed my head before I couldn't stay awake anymore.
———
Dean walked in,
Bobby said" Hey, there, Gunga Din. Buck up."
Sam said" So, it looks like we got some bad news for a change. Stockville, North Kansas- most of a high school swim team got mangled to death in their locker room."
" Cop talk on the wire's kind of garbled- sayin' it looks like some kind of wild animal attack. They're saying that whatever attacked them was about the size of a linebacker."
" It's a lead, Dean."
Dean said" All right, but if you think you're going out on a hunt..."
" No, I know. I'm not. But you are. Look, Bobby's running the hub, I'm 5150'd, which leaves you to follow this thing up."
" Sam, you're in the middle of a psychotic break and River looks like he could drop dead any minute."
" It's a couple hours' drive, Dean, and it could be a leviathan thing."
" No, if you think I'm leaving you here alone..."
Bobby said" Hey, what am I, chopped brains on toast? I can eyeball the kids. Go. Work off some of these nerves on something useful."
" Fine."

I woke up, screaming, gripping at whatever I was holding as tight as possible. My eyes glowed, black smoke swirled around me...

I was snapped awake when I was shaken, I saw Sam,
He said" Hey, hey, you're okay, you're okay, River." I breathed heavily, then hugged his neck," Hey, shh, shh, you're okay." He rubbed my back," Nightmare again?" I nodded quickly," Copy my breathing, remember?" I copied his breathing till I calmed down, he sat down, and waited for me to talk.
I mumbled" It-It wasn't like the others."
" What wasn't?"
" Nightmare."
" It wasn't from Hell?" I shook my head, shivering," What was it?"
" I woke up... I was screaming, my eyes glowed and black smoke was swirling around me. What's it mean?" He looked at me,
" Buddy, I think this was your regular kid nightmare, I mean, you've been through so much and you're still a kid. Try and get some more sleep, okay?"
" But what if it wasn't a regular nightmare?"
" Uh, let's just say it was for now, okay?" I nodded," Try to go back to sleep, okay?" I gulped, but nodded," Want a pillow to ground you?" I shook my head, and laid down on the couch again, I squeezed my eyes shut, making my hands into fists tightly. I heard him sigh but get up and walk away from me, I started to drift off again.

I woke up to Dean shaking my shoulders, I whined,
He said" Hey, River, wake up, come on. Where's Sam?"
I whined" I dunno, field-stripping his gun."
" No, he's not." I opened my eyes to look at him," Come on, get your shoes on, we gotta go."
" Okay." He walked away from me, I got up, wobbling then falling, I cried out as my body went deadweight against the ground.
" Dammit, River.." He lifted me back up and put me on the couch," Okay, okay, stay here, all right? I'll be back soon, Bobby's at the hospital, okay? I gotta go find Sam."
" Okay, De." He kissed my head then ran out, I reached for my shoes and pulled them on, holding my bag in my arms, staring out the window.

I woke up to flames, I gulped then tried to pull myself up but I couldn't, I breathed heavily.
I mumbled" It's a dream, it's a dream, it's a dream..." I started coughing, I got dizzy, I gulped," It's..." I screamed as a flame burned me," Not a dream! Dean! Sam! Sammy! Dean! Help! Help!" I tried to get up, I wobbled, then crashed to my knees, I whimpered. My eyes glowed, I breathed quickly, then pushed myself onto my feet again. I took a step and crashed to the ground, I screamed," No, no, no! Help! Someone! Dean! Bobby! Sam! Sam! Deean! No! Help! Ahhh!" I started coughing, trying to move again but couldn't. Then a black smoke surrounded me, I cried out, then I felt energy ball up inside me. I screamed as pain seared through me, then my bag zoomed against my chest. I gripped my bag with Rexxy in it, everything went black.

I woke up, coughing, gasping for air,
I heard Sam say" River? River!" I heard running, then I saw his face," Take it easy! Take it easy! Dean! I found River!" He lifted me up, I whimpered, he hugged me to him. I don't feel good." You're okay, I've got ya, I've got ya."
I heard Dean scream" He okay?!"
Sam screamed" He's alive!" Sam put me down on my feet, he said" Can you walk, huh, bud?" He started walking, I clutched his jacket and walked against him, pressed into his side." Okay, deep breathes, we've gotta find Bobby, okay? The house was burnt down."

We turned a corner in the yard, I was still clinging to Sam.
Sam said" Bobby!" We got onto the road again, and saw a man,
The man said" Winchester. Congratulations. Apparently, you three are competent enough to warrant annihilating. I'd take it as a compliment." Then Dean shot him straight in the side of the head, black blood... the guy looked at Dean, not even phased, then he was monster face. What the hell is that? He threw Dean's gun, then threw Dean, Dean hit the hood of a car, my eyes glowed, I got really dizzy, then started coughing again. Sam let go of me and punched the monster, I saw Dean go for the remote to the car lifter.
Sam said" Dean! Now!" Dean let a car go and squashed the monster but not before the monster could hit Sam. I dropped to my knees, coughing, I couldn't catch my breathe.
Dean said" Sammy?! Hey, come on, now. Come on, I'm the one with the broken leg. You got to carry me! Sam?!" I gasped for air, going to my side, my eyes started closing," River! Hey! River?!" Then it felt like my body exploded, I tried to scream but I couldn't. My body squirmed and moved weirdly before everything went black...