We were at a motel, they asked the vic's wife questions, and found a hex bag hidden. I was sitting behind Sam, watching him research, Dean walked in, he was eating candy.
Sam said" Really? After that guy choked down all those razor blades?"
Dean said" It's halloween, man."
" Yeah. For us, every day is halloween."
" Don't be a downer. Anything interesting?"
" Well, we're on a witch hunt, that's for sure. But this isn't your typical hex bag."
" Hmm. No?"
" Goldthread- An herb that's been extinct for 200 years. And this is Celtic, and I don't mean some new age knockoff. Looks like the real deal- like 600 years old real." Dean sniffed the charred bone," And, uh... that is the charred metacarpal bone of a newborn baby." Dean put it down,
" Oh, gross."
" Relax, man. It's, like, at least 100 years old."
" Oh, right, like that makes it better? Witches, man. They're so freaking skeevy."
" Yeah. Well, it takes a pretty powerful one to put a bag like this together. More juice than we've ever dealt with before, that's for sure. What about you- find anything on the victim?"
" This Luke Wallace- he was so vanilla that he made vanilla seem spicy. I can't find any reason why somebody would want this guy dead."
Once they got back from another victim, which they found another hex bag, they started researching.
Dean said" I'm telling you- Both of these vics are squeaky-clean. There was no reason for wicked-bitch payback."
Sam said" Maybe because it's not about that."
" Wow. Insightful."
" Maybe this witch isn't working a grudge. Maybe they're working a spell. Check this out. Three blood sacrifices over three days- The last before midnight on the final day of the final harvest. Celtic calendar- The final day of the final harvest is October 31st."
" Halloween?"
" Exactly."
" What exactly are the, uh, blood sacrifices for?"
" Uh, if I'm right, this witch is summoning a demon. And not just any demon- Samhain." No. That's not good, that's really bad, really really bad!
" Am I supposed to be impressed?"
" Dean, Samhain is the damn origin of halloween. The celts believed that October 31st was the one night of the year when the veil was thinnest between the living and the dead. And it was Samhain's night. I mean, masks were put on to hide from him, sweets left on doorsteps to appease him, faces carved into pumpkins to worship him. He was exorcised centuries ago."
" So even though Samhain took a trip downstairs, the traditions stuck."
" Exactly. Only now instead of demons and blood orgies, halloween is all about kids, candy and costumes."
" Okay, so some witch wants to raise Samhain and take back the night?"
" Dean, this is serious."
" I am serious."
" We're talking heavyweight witchcraft. This ritual can only be performed every 600 years."
" And the 600-year mark rolls around..."
" Tomorrow night."
" Naturally."
" Well, it sure is a lot of death and destruction for one demon."
" That's 'cause he likes company."
" Once he's raised, Samhain can do some raising of his own."
" Raising what, exactly?"
I said" Dark, evil crap and lots of it."
Sam said" And they follow him around like the friggin' pied piper."
Dean said" So we're talking ghosts."
" Yeah."
" Zombies?"
" Mm-hmm."
" Leprechauns?"
" Dean."
" Those little dudes are scary. Small hands."
" Look, it just starts with ghosts and ghouls. This sucker keeps on going, by night's end, we are talking every awful thing we've ever seen, everything we fight all in one place."
" It's gonna be a slaughterhouse."
Everything was too hot, I was scared, I wanted my brothers! I wanted Dean! I wanted Sammy! I rammed at the door again, trying to get out but it wasn't budging. I breathed heavily, and slid down the wall, I fell to my side, whimpering. I wanna go home! I wanna go home! I want my brothers and I wanna go home! I started crying, then the door opened, I scrambled back and hit the other wall, I stared at the man.
He said" Your brothers would be so disappointed in you, River, not being able to get out of a simple room." I glared at him," And still not talking! You know... I was in your father, I saw all his thoughts... he knew you were this broken little toy, wanted to leave you somewhere no one would ever find you, somewhere you'd never find your way back. At least he treated Sam and Dean with a little care, but you... oh, no, no, no, he didn't care about you, never will. Didn't even shed a tear when Sam told him you'd died. Just told him they should worry about other things." I started crying more, he smirked," Why are you crying? He didn't care about you! Never wanted you! You were a mistake!"
I screamed" No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!"
" There it is! That got you talking." He walked to me, crouching down, he grabbed my chin tightly, holding my face up." What else makes little baby brother tick?" Pain tore through me, I started to scream...
I fell off something, crying, I hit the ground, I was stuck, I was stuck, I screamed. Trying to get out. Trying to get free. Then I heard my brother,
Dean said" River! River!" I opened my eyes, breathing heavily, I was on the floor, tangled in a sheet. The ground was shaking.
Sam said" River!" They both untangled me, Dean lifted me up and held me on his lap as he sat down on the bed." You're okay, River, you're okay, you're okay." His hand rubbed my back, I clung to Dean, whimpering loudly.
" Just breathe, Riv, just breathe. Slowly. In and out." His chest rose and fell slowly, I started to copy him, my fingers loosened their grip after a few minutes." That's it, good job, buddy. Just keep breathing like that, okay?" I nodded slowly, Sam kept rubbing my back, my face nuzzled more against Dean's chest. The ground stopped shaking.
" Wanna tell us what the nightmare was about?" I shook my head quickly, starting to whimper again," Shh, shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay, you don't have to, you don't have to, River." I stopped whimpering, shaking and sweating instead, Dean kissed my head and started rocking slowly.
" Shh, River, you're okay. You're okay. Big brothers got you. De and Sammy's got you." I calmed down, my eyes started to close," That's it, just go back to sleep, buddy, you're okay, we're right here." He kissed my head," We aren't letting you go."
——
I was sitting on the bed, Sam called Dean,
Sam said" How's it going? Look, Dean, someone planted those hex bags, someone with access to both houses. There's got to be some connection. Quit whining." I rubbed my eyes, really sleep, I couldn't really get back to real sleep last night. I was too scared, even with Dean holding me the rest of the night.
Dean came in, I was curled up against Sam's back, playing with his shirt.
Sam said" So? Our apple-bobbing cheerleader?"
Dean said" Tracy?"
" Mm-hmm."
" The Wallaces' babysitter. She told me she'd never even heard of Luke Wallace."
" Huh. Interesting look for a centuries-old witch."
" Yeah, well, if you were a 600 year old hag and you could pick any costume to come back in, wouldn't you go for a hot cheerleader? I would. Mmm."
" Well, Tracy's not as wholesome as she looks. Did some digging. Apparently, she got into a violent altercation with one of her teachers." He handed Dean the laptop," Got suspended from school."
I was in the car as they went to talk to a teacher about Tracy, I wrapped my arms around my legs and rocked a little on my feet. I don't want my brothers messing with Samhain, he's strong, very strong, and they're killable, very killable. I closed my eyes, starting to get too sleepy to stay awake.
I started waking up when I was lifted up, I wrapped my arms around Dean's neck.
I heard him say" So?"
Sam said" Tracy was nowhere I could find. Any luck with her friends?"
" Luck is not our style. Friends don't know where she is. It's like the bitch hopped a broomstick."
" She could be making the third sacrifice any time."
" Yes, thank you, Sam."
I heard a kid say" Trick or treat."
" This is a motel."
" So?"
" So we don't have any candy."
Sam said" No, we have a ton in the, uh-"
" We did, but it's gone. Sorry, kid, we can't help you."
The kid said" I want candy."
" Well, I think you've had enough."
Sam said" Who are you?!"
" Sam, Sam, wait! It's Castiel... the angel. Him, I don't know." Dean tried to put me down, but I clung to him, squeezing my eyes shut, ignoring them.
I came back,
I heard Castiel say" Because we're about to destroy it."
Dean said" So, this is your plan- you're gonna smite the whole freaking town?"
" We're out of time. This witch has to die. The seal must be saved." I was in Sam's arms now,
Sam said" There are a thousand people here."
The other angel said" 1,214."
" And you're willing to kill them all?"
" This isn't the first time I've... purified a city."
Castiel said" Look, I understand this is regrettable."
Dean said" Regrettable?"
" We have to hold the line. Too many seals have broken already."
" So you screwed the pooch on some seals, and now this town has to pay the price?"
" It's the lives of 1,000 against the lives of 6 billion. There's a bigger picture here."
" Right... 'cause, uh, you're bigger picture kind of guys."
" Lucifer cannot rise. He does and hell rises with him. Is that something that you're willing to risk?"
Sam said" We'll stop this witch before she summons anyone. Your seal won't be broken, and no one has to die."
The other angel said" We're wasting time with these mud monkeys."
Castiel said" I'm sorry. But we have our orders."
Sam said" No, you can't do this. You-You're angels. I mean, aren't you supposed to- you're supposed to show mercy."
Other angel said" Says who?"
Castiel said" We have no choice."
Dean said" Of course you have a choice. I mean, come on, what, you've never- Never questioned a crap order, huh? What are you both, just a couple of hammers?"
" Look, even if you can't understand it, have faith the plan is just."
Sam said" How can you even say that?"
" Because it comes from Heaven. That makes it just."
Dean said" It must be nice to be so sure of yourselves."
" Tell me something, Dean. When your father gave you an order, didn't you obey?"
" Sorry, boys, it looks like the plans have changed."
Other angel said" You think you can stop us?"
" No. But if you're gonna smite this whole town... then you're gonna have to smite us with it because we are not leaving. You went to the trouble of busting me out of hell. I figure I'm worth something to the man upstairs. You want to waste me? Go ahead. See how he digs that."
" I will drag you out of here myself." I got angry, the ground started shaking, I breathed heavily.
" Yeah, but you'll have to kill me. Then we're back to the same problem. I mean, come on. You're gonna wipe out a whole town for one little witch? Sounds to me like you're compensating for something." Sam's arms tightened around me," We can do this. We will find that witch. We will stop the summoning."
" Castiel, I will not let these-"
Castiel said" Enough. I suggest you move quickly." The groynd stopped shaking, am I causing the ground to shake? How would I even do that? I don't have powers and I'm only a human kid.
I looked at the car, it was egged, Sam put me down,
Dean yelled" Astronaut!" I opened my door and climbed in, Sam closed my door, while he opened his. He got in, then Dean did. He said" What?"
Sam said" Nothing. I thought they'd be different."
" Who, the angels?"
" Yeah."
" Well, I tried to tell you."
" I just- I mean, I thought they'd be righteous."
" Well, they are righteous. I mean, that's kind of the problem. Of course, there's nothing more dangerous than some a-hole who thinks he's on a holy mission."
" But, I mean, this is god and heaven? This is what I've been praying to?"
" Look, man, I know you're into the whole god thing and Jesus on a tortilla and stuff like that. But just because there's a couple of bad apples doesn't mean the whole barrel is rotten. I mean, for all we know, god hates these jerks. Don't give up on the stuff is all I'm saying. Babe Ruth was a dick, but baseball's still a beautiful game." Who's Babe Ruth?," Well, are you gonna figure out a way to find this witch, or are you just gonna sit there fingering your bone?"
" You know how much heat it would take to char a bone like this, Dean?"
" No."
" A lot. I mean, more than a fire or some kitchen oven."
" Okay, Betty Crocker, what does that mean?"
" It means we make a stop."
They found out it was the art teacher, and it's night now, they went in a few minutes ago. Then I saw him come out, Samhain, I ducked under the window. Where's Sam and Dean?! I peeked back up and saw him walking away. I sat up, and pressed my hands to the window, staring at the yard, come out, come out, come out... after a few more minutes, I saw them walking across the street.
Dean said" A cemetery."
Sam said" Yeah." They got in and Dean started driving," So, this demon's pretty powerful."
" Yeah."
" It might take more than the usual weapons."
" Sam, no. You're not using your psychic whatever."
" But-"
" Don't even think about it. Ruby's knife is enough."
" Why?"
" Because the angel said so, for one."
" I thought you said they were a bunch of fanatics."
" Well, they happen to be right about this."
" I don't know, Dean. It doesn't seem like they're right about much."
" Look, forget the angels, okay? You said yourself, these powers- it's like playing with fire. Please." Sam took the handle of the knife, I looked at them, confused.
We ran into the crypts, I saw a bunch of teenagers trapped,
Sam said" Help them."
Dean said" Dude, you're not going off alone."
" Do it." He ran off,
" River, go! Stand back! Stand back!" I looked at him then ran after Sammy.
I found him fighting Samhain, I got angry, the ground started shaking, I ran to them. Samhain looked at me, he raised his hand,
Sam screamed" River, hide!" A bright light beamed out of Samhain's hand, I squinted my eyes," River!" Then opened them as it went away, I breathed heavily, I looked at Sam, he breathed heavily. Then I was flung against the wall, I yelped and everything turned black.
I woke up to someone rubbing the side of my face, I whined and tried to move away but they wouldn't let me.
Dean said" Stop moving, buddy. Just trying to get the blood off your skin."
Sam said" Is he okay?"
" He'll be fine." I fell back to sleep.
——
I woke up, to the other angel's voice, the ground started shaking. I started breathing heavily,
The other angel said" It must be difficult to bear, yet you brazenly use the power he gave you, his profane blood pumping through your veins."
Sam said" Excuse me?"
" You were told not to use your abilities."
" What was I supposed to do? That demon would have killed me and my brothers and everyone."
" You were told not to."
" If Samhain had gotten loose in this town-"
" Been warned twice now."
" You know, my brother was right about you. You are dicks." I sat up, and watched as the other angel was right at Sam.
" The only reason you're still alive, Sam Winchester, is because you've been useful. The moment that ceases to be true, the second you become more trouble then you're worth, one word- one- and I will turn you to dust. As for your brother, tell him that maybe he should climb off that high horse of his. Ask Dean... what he remembers from hell." Then he was gone, I tilted my head, Sam looked at me. The ground stopped shaking.
He said" Hey, Riv, you okay? You took a pretty bad hit last night."
I said" I'm okay."
" Uh, what do you remember?"
" The light beam, then I looked at you, then Samhain flung me into the wall."
" Did anyone stand in front of you, or... did you do anything when you saw the light beam?" I shook my head, tilting it,
" No, why?"
" Uh, no reason. Just asking."
" Why does the ground shake when I'm scared or mad?"
" Uh... I don't know, buddy, I don't know. Guess you don't know either, huh?" I shook my head,
" It's scary."
" Yeah, yeah, I bet."