𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧

Chapter 85-Digging Deeper

An hour into mine and Sam's research his phone rings as he picks it "hey. How's the kid?" Sam asked. (...) "we're at the library. We've been trying to find out as much as we can about this shtriga."(...) "well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there?" (.) "same deal. Before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every fifteen to twenty years, it hits a new town. Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitchburg. In all these other places, it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the shtriga finally moves on. The kids just......languish in comas, and then they die."

(...) "uh, I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called 'Black River Falls' back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show....whoa." (.) "hold on...I'm looking at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the Doctors is Hydecker." (.) "and this picture was taken in 1893." (...) "yeah.
Yeah, absolutely." (.) Sam said as he hung up and I leaned forward and looked at the picture on the screen "so, that guy is the pediatric doctor at the hospital now?" I asked him "yup." He replied "wow, that's just so wrong." I said shaking my head.

[......]
Arriving back at the motel we begin packing our things as the front door opens "we should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted. You can control the whole thing." Sam said as he shook his head in disgust "that son of a bitch." Dean said as he threw his jacket off and started pacing "I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there." Sam said "yeah, well...first of all, I'm not going to open fire in a friggin' pediatrics ward." Dean replied putting his hands up.

"Good call." Sam said "second, wouldn't have done any good because the bastard's bulletproof unless he's chowing down on something. And third, I wasn't packing, which is probably a really good thing 'cause I probably would have just burned a clip in him on principle alone." Dean said "you're getting wise in your old age Dean." Sam said "damn right. 'Cause now I know how we're going to get it." He replied "what do you mean?" Sam asked him "Shtriga work through siblings, right?" Dean asked "right." Sam said "well, last night-." Dean said "it went after Asher." Sam replied.

"So, I'm thinking tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael." Dean said "well, we gotta get him outta here." Sam said "no. No, that would blow the whole deal." Dean replied "what?" Sam asked irritated "yeah." Dean muttered "you wanna use the kid as bait? Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question." Sam snapped "it's s not out of the question, Sam. It's the only way. If this thing disappears, it could be years before we get another chance." Dean replied.

"Michael's a kid. And I'm not going to dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook!" Sam yelled "I can do it!" I yelled, louder than I intended as they both turned their attention to me "no. Definitely not." Sam said "why? Michael would never even have to know this kind of stuff exists, and I know you guys would be right there to take it out." I said "Addie , it's a nice thought, but it's been working through siblings and Hydecker doesn't even know that you exist. Dad did not send me here to walk away." Dean said "send you here? He didn't send you here...he sent us here." Sam said.

"I'm the one who screwed up, all right. It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me." Dean said as he sat down on his bed while Sam sat down next to him "what are you saying, Dean? How is it your fault?" Sam asked him "Dean. You've been hiding something from the get-go. Since when does Dad bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something get away? Now talk to me, man. Tell me what's going on." Sam questioned.

"Fort Douglas, Wisconsin. It was our third night in this crap room, and I was climbing the walls. Man, I needed to get some air. I made sure you were tucked in for bed, and then I split. Went to an arcade for a few hours while Dad was out. But when I got back, something wasn't right...I walked into the bedroom and saw the shtriga leaning over you. I grabbed the shotgun by the door, but when I cocked it, the thing backed up...hissing at me. I hesitated...I was terrified. Then Dad came running in, he shot at it, but it was useless. The ugly bastard jumped out the window and got away. After that, Dad just...grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but by the time he got back to Fort Douglas, the shtriga had disappeared. It was just gone. It never surfaced until now. Ya know, Dad never spoke about it again. I didn't ask. But he...uh...he looked at me different, ya know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order, and I didn't listen. I almost got you killed." Dean said.

"You were just a kid." Sam said softly "don't. Don't. Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it." Dean said "but using Michael...I don't know, Dean. I mean, how bout one of us hides under his covers, ya know, we'll be the bait." Sam said "no, it won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed...it'll see us. Believe me, I don't like it, but it's gotta be the kid." Dean replied "well, we could get Michael outta here, and I could be the one hiding, then at least it's still a kid, and maybe it won't get freaked-out." I suggested.

"He's coming here for Michael. If he pulls the covers back and sees you, he'll know something's up." Dean said.