𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐈𝐌

『13』

      Riley sighs and flops into the chair in the hotel room she and Jo are staying in. She takes a sip of the beer she picked up on the way back from the house. Jo still hasn't woken up. Riley laid her on the bed and when she attempted to wake her up didn't work she decided to wait.

      For what exactly? Ellen. Riley knows she's coming. It's only a matter of time before she shows up pounding on the door.

      Riley's phone chimes and she grabs it. It's a text from Peter.

Peter:
I'm so sorry for ghosting you.
I got caught up with something and our plan completely slipped my mind.
Are you still out of town?

Riley:
Yeah, I'm still gone.
I'm not sure for how much longer though.
I got called in for a job and it's turning out to be harder than I anticipated.

Peter:
You have a job?
That's so cool!

Riley:
I wouldn't call it a job. More like the family business.
I'll talk to you later.

      Riley sets her phone down and right on cue someone begins pounding on the door. "Right on time." Riley says as she stands up. She walks over to the door and pulls it open. Ellen Harvelle stands on the other side and freezes when she sees Riley.

      "Riley?" Riley smiles and nods. Ellen jumps forward and pulls her into a hug. She laughs and hugs her back. "Hey aunt Ellen." Riley says as she struggles to breath. "Man, you Harvelle's are stronger than you look." Ellen instantly pulls out of the hug. "Where is she?"

      Riley jerks her thumb into the room and Ellen pushes past her. Riley closes the door and turns to Ellen. "What happened?" She asks worryingly. Riley leans against the wall as the looks at the two of them. Ellen brushes a piece of hair out of Jo's face. "It was a spirit. I think he uses people's fears to kill them."

      Ellen raises an eyebrow at Riley. "He got Jo?" Riley shakes her head and gestures to the blonde sleeping on the couch. "No, I blasted him before he could hurt her. She was pretty out of it though. I had to drag her out of the house as the spirit chased us."

      Ellen breathes a sigh of relief. "Good." She pulls herself to her feet and Riley prepares herself for what she is about to get. "Riley Winchester you idiot!" Riley looks down. And here comes the lecture. "Everyones been worried sick about you! You don't call, you don't answer! Bobby Singer is about this close to having a stroke!"

      Riley purses her lips to stop herself from smirking. She's pretty sure Ellen is closer to a stroke than Bobby. "First Sam takes off, then you-" Ellen sighs heavily and runs a hand through her hair. "You haven't been doing anything stupid have you?"

      Riley purses her lips. "Define stupid." Ellen gives her a stern look. "Hunting by yourself, trying to sell your soul in return for your father's..." Riley looks down and Ellen softens. Riley shakes her head. "Then no, I haven't been doing anything stupid." Ellen looks at Riley with sad eyes.

      "You haven't been hunting?" She confirms. Riley shakes her head and meets Ellen's eyes. "No. This is my first time doing it and I only came because it was Jo that called for help." Ellen nods and looks at Jo. She stirs in her sleep.

      "So what do you have on this spirit?" Ellen asks stiffly. Riley smirks and walks over to the table. She figured Ellen would be staying. Riley grabs a few pieces of paper she printed from the front of the hotel and hands them to Ellen. "I knew after you called her you would be here in a matter of hours."

      Ellen smirks and looks over the papers. "I also did a bit of research. The plot of land that all those connect to used to be covered in maple trees. They were used for making maple syrup until a fire burnt them all down. The dead trees were cleared out and houses were put in."

      Ellen raises an eyebrow and puts the paper stack down. "What's that got to do with anything?" Riley puts up a finger and takes a sip from her beer. Ellen got used to her drinking a while ago. "When we were in the basement, it reeked of maple. It almost smelt like it was burning." Ellen nods her head.

      "You think it's connected." Riley nods. "I was going to head out to the archives to find who the owner of the maple farm was, but I didn't want to leave Jo alone." Ellen nods and smiles in thanks. "You go on then. I've got to talk to her anyway." Riley smirks and nods. She grabs her bag and heads out the door to Bumblebee.

△

      Riley pulls Bumblebee to a stop outside the city archives. She tries to open the doors, but Bumblebee locks them. RIley lets out a breath. "Bee, let me out." Bumblebee revs his engine. "-You got some splainin' to do!-" Riley sighs and sits back in her seat.

      "Bee-" Riley tries to tell him she doesn't want to talk, but he revs his engine louder, this time drawing attention. "Fine." Riley says through gritted teeth. "You know I was into the family business before I found you, but I never told you what it was."

      Riley takes a deep breath. "We were hunters. And I'm not talking deer, and other animals you find in the woods, I'm talking the things that go bump in the night." Riley pauses. "Monsters."

      "-Werewolves - moon - howling!-" Bumblebee says through the radio. Riley nods. "Yeah, like werewolves. Vampires, demons, hellhounds, and just like we saw at the house, malevolent spirits." Riley looks down. "My dad- He uh, sold his soul to save my uncle. One year later, hellhounds came for him."

      Riley pauses. "They ripped him to shreds right in front of me. I wanted out. I couldn't hunt anymore. Not without him." Riley lifts her head and looks at Bumblebee's stereo with a small smile. "And then I found you." Bumblebee buzzes sadly and Riley sighs. "Can you let me out now?"

      Bumblebee unlocks the doors asn Riley steps out. "I'll be right back." She shouts before walking towards the building. Telling Bumblebee somehow made her feel better. Like one of the many weights in her shoulders had been lifted. She feels lighter.

      She's healing.

AWW RILEY...🥺