Bless the Broken Road

10. Faith

Sam and Dean helped Zach to a chair. "I've been scouring the Internet for the last three days. Calling every contact in Dad's journal."

"For what?" Zach and Dean wondered.

"For a way to help you. One of Dad's friends, Joshua, he called me back. Told me about a guy in Nebraska. A specialist."

"You're not gonna let me die in peace, are you?" Zach asked.

"I'm not gonna let you die, period. Dean won't either. We're going."

---

Sam drove them to Nebraska and they drove along a rutted gravel road towards a large white circus tent set up in a field.

People made their way towards the tent on the muddy ground, many on walking frames or helped by others.

Sam and Dean got out and ran around to help Zach. Zach opened his door and looked around. There was a sign next to the tent that read 'The Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer. Witness The Miracle.'

Zach grimaced and started pulling himself from the car and Sam and Dean tried to help. "I got ya."

"I got it," Zach replied angrily, pushing Sam and Dean away. "Man, you are a lying bastard. Thought you said we were going to see a doctor."

"I believe I said specialist. Look, Zach this guy's supposed to be the real deal."

Dean frowned. "You really brought our brother here to see a man who heals people from a friggin' tent?"

An elderly woman with an umbrella passed by. "Reverend LeGrange is a great man."

"Yeah, that's nice," Zach muttered.

They walked past an angry man remonstrating with a cop. "I have a right to protest. This man is a fraud. And he's milking all these people out of their hard-earned money."

"Sir, this is a place of worship," the sheriff said. "Let's go. Move it." They walked away.

"I take it he's not part of the flock," Dean noted.

"But when people see something they can't explain, there's controversy," Sam explained.

Zach frowned. "I mean, come on, Sam, a faith healer?"

"Maybe it's time to have a little faith, Zach."

"You know what I've got faith in? Reality. Knowing what's really going on."

"How can you be a skeptic? With the things we see everyday?"

"Exactly. We see them, we know they're real."

Sam looked between them. "But if you two know evil's out there, how can you two not believe good's out there, too?"

Dean glanced at Sam. "Because Zach and I've seen what evil does to good people."

A young woman overheard them. "Maybe God works in mysterious ways."

Dean checked her out and smiled. "Maybe he does. I think you just turned me around on the subject."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Dean held out his hand. "I'm Dean. This is Sam. That's Zach."

The young woman took Dean's hand, then Zach's whose was also outstretched. "Layla. So, if you're not a believer, then why are you here?"

"Well, apparently my brother here believes enough for the three of us," Zach said.

An older woman approached them and put her arm around Layla. "Come on, Layla. It's about to start."