Leaning in the hospital doorway I watch him stare outside. Like the answer lies there and he is just waiting it out of hiding. One hand in his lap, the other laid on the wheel of his wheelchair. Bobby's knuckles bruised from where he tried to punch out a doctor but lost his balance. Fell right out from the chair and onto the tiles. The way the fire ignited in his eyes I would say his pride was more wounded than his body.
Thumbing the yellow envelope in hand my gaze drifts to peak into the X-Ray folder. Displayed on my ribs are hundred of Enochian sigils. From the markings and what I know of Enochian, they're old- far older than anything I've ever seen. For Castiel to have laid something on me this powerful I would have to say we're knee-deep in some pretty dark shit. And the Devil... there are hundreds and thousands of old lore depicting how to ward him off or chain him up but nothing-nothing- on how you kill him. I have my doubts the Demon pig-sticker Dean's carrying will do the trick.
Your lassy here would have a better chance if she wasn't on lock up. No Angel wants to release that kind of power and it's in every Demon's interest not to touch it.
The vibration of Bobby's phone draws me out of my thoughts. Bobby spares it a glance before averting his stare back out the hospital window. Rolling my eyes, I sashay into the room "Why don't I take over crisis management for you for the minute."
"My mind works just fine."
Snatching the phone I hold it extended to Bobby, "Then pick it up." When I only get stared back at I roll my eyes. Should have seen that one coming. Flipping the phone open, I hold it to my ear "Hello?"
"El! E-Dam it! C-an you he-ar m-e!"
Furrowing my brows trying to make out the broken words over the line, I recognise the voice "Rufus?" Catching unmistakable gunfire my heart skips a beat, "Rufus you're cutting out what's happening?"
"I need help. Seems up to my ass-Demons. Town-infected."
Waving off Bobby's stare, I voice as clear as possible "Location?"
"Pass-Lorado"
"Lora-Colerado?"
"Col-Ado"
Turning to Bobby, I question "What's a Pass in Colorado?"
Pausing for a second, Bobby tries "Riverpass? Little town?"
"Riverpass Colorado?" I repeat to Rufus, repeating myself when I only receive more static "Riverpass Colorado?"
"RIVER! PASS!"
Flinching at his yelling, I call his name but all I hear are gunshots. Understanding there's no point talking further I snap shut the phone, quickly collecting my jacket "Rufus is in trouble. Riverpass Colorado- sounded like heavy Demon fire."
"Go" Bobby assures me, taking back his phone "I'll call the boys but you move your ass over now." Whilst the back-up assures me I hesitate on Bobby. Catching my watchful eye, Bobby scoffs "Do I look like a damsel in distress to you woman-go!"
That's all I needed to be on the brink of sprinting out his hospital door.
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Swinging my leg off the motorbike I hijack from the hospital I stare carefully at the broken bridge. Demons destroyed the only way to drive in and out of town. Cut their town off from the rest of the world as well as any chance of escaping. Like a pack of wolves isolating their prey. "Cool", I lean over the edge, surveying the dried-up polluted river "Demon's with a brain. Love that for me." Crouching down I take a long look at the dried-up underpass. Noting the greenery, I furrow my brow at the abnormal plant. Wormwood. Certainly not strange to be growing but to span the entire river bed? That's not exactly picture-perfect.
Long road ahead of me I backtrack to walk across the dried-up river. Thanking every god out there that I haven't needed to swim it. I would take a Demon over a river or ocean any day. Why? Because at least I know what to expect from a Demon. You don't know what the hell could grab you in an ocean or river and better yet- you won't even see it coming. 80% of our oceans are unexplored because it goes so damn far down. When you think about it, there are creatures living down there that we may have never seen before who are strong enough to live with that much pressure on their anatomy. I think I'll keep my feet firmly on the ground.
Approaching the town through the trees there is one thing I notice first before anything. Powerlines. On one side of the road the powerlines wave freely, the other side having been completely torn down. No signal. Rufus must have called from his ancient army phone the size of a brick. Maybe all that paranoia paid off for once. However, easing into the town I'm quickly realizing he's right. Demons have torn this town apart. Windows in homes and small shops have been shattered, cars broken or flipped- a beautiful red mustang spared from the carnage thank the owner's stars- and there isn't a soul in sight.
That doesn't bod well for me.
Yanking out my daggers to protect myself I survey the small town. If I was Rufus, where would I go to be safe from a town infested with Demons? Not a store. Too many windows and points of entry. Momentarily, my gaze latches onto the church at the head of the street I pass by. I debate it for a moment before deciding he wouldn't be barricaded in a church. Good walls but there aren't enough exits to give yourself the chance to flee. It would have to be a house. That's where I would bunker down. Although with as many homes as I am seeing-even for a small town- I don't have the manpower to clear them all to find Rufus. Right now it's a town swarming with Demons. It would be a lot safer to search once the demons are out of the way. I could turn on the sprinklers but there's only so much ground that would cover. If I commandeered a firetruck I'd have to work the hose and drive which just isn't an option here. Passing an electronic store I drop my shoulders in a deep sigh. If the electricity was still running would've been able to blast an exorcism at maximum volume. Alas, that is a no-go. Not a lick of electricity insight.
However, stepping across the street a nice shiny newscaster van snags my attention.
A deviant idea captured, my lip curls slyly "Bingo." Slinking off down the street I keep watching for any eyes in the rafters of homes or behind counters of stores. None of which I find only piquing my curiosity further. If this town was swarming with Demons... where are all the Demons? Reaching the white van I holster my blades and launch into the back of River pass Local News. It is only when I slam shut the door of the newscaster van that I realise, "How do I work this shit?" Scanning her the computer monitors, hard drivers, and a bunch of blinking units I find myself quickly cussing under my breath. Easing into the black stool, I hesitantly hover my finger over a blinking blue circle "On?"
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It took hours and a singular emotional breakdown, but I finally got a hang of the casting tech in the van. Squeezing between the dual front seats I hoist myself into the driver's seat. Briefly glancing beside the wheel, I smile at the key still hot in the ignition, "Yahtzee." Twisting the ignition I feel the van spur to life. "Excorcizamatus te, omnis immundus-" My voice sounding through the siren atop the newscasters van I kick the vehicle into gear and slowly ease myself through the town. However, the deeper I go the more my mind turns its gears. Normally there's more discomforted screaming. Black smoke. Fleeing and flinching bodies. But it's silent. I can't see a soul in sight.
Turning down the street of the church I ease on the breaks. In the middle of the street stand Ellen and Dean. Ellen's hoisted a shotgun over her shoulders whilst Dean dangles from his hand. Although the weapons aren't what caught my attention. No, it's the black soulless eyes watching me in the van. "Eleanor!" Ellen calls out to me, hand fanning to the side "Cut it off!"
Possessed.
Ellen and Dean are possessed- and the Demons aren't in any pain. Suddenly my mind is swarming with the possibilities of what's been unleashed. Stepping closer, the Demon yells in Dean's voice "El cut the ignition! Someone is going to hear us!" Ellen mutters something to him but I can't care to make out what it is. My sights are set on Dean's black eyes. Something I never wanted to ever see again in my life.
I need to regroup- I need to figure out a way to save everyone. Looking across the street an idea suddenly perks at the sight of the grocery store. Salt. If I weaken them with salt maybe the exorcism could take effect. Averting my gaze down the street the Demons seem to have grasped an understanding of what I'm about to do. Hand outstretched, the souless-eyed Demon in Dean yells "No!"
I'm out of the van before he can even finish the word.
Punching it across the road I hear them moving from down the street. Gravel crunching under my boots I leap onto the sidewalk and almost haul the store door off its hinges. Running around the counter I erratically scan the aisle numbers searching for salt. Sight snagging on spices I zip down aisle eight for the salt. Snatching two shakers off the shelf I make quick work of untwisting the caps. The consistent question of what could be inside them baffled my mind.
The squeak of a boot causes my hands to pause, curling slowly around the salt shakers. They're close. If they were smart they would have separated to case the joint quicker. Going off that hope I scramble silently to the end of the aisle, pressing up against the cans behind me as stealthily as possible. Clenching the salt I try to ease the rapid beat of my heart and the sweating of my hands.
The second the pointed tip of a gun inches around the aisle I move into action. Like liquid lightning, I launch forwards. Leaning out of the gun's eye line I drive my knee into the gut of the Demon possessing Ellen. Her gun goes off as she loses balance and I drive it home with my boot slammed into her chest. Her body propelled backward and splattering into a tower of tomato sauce cans. In a matter of seconds before she can gather her footing I dump the content of a salt shaker over her. Dowsing the Demon in white salt. She coughs under the salty white content but that is it. Only a shake of her head and a splutter of salt-coated spit. Dark eyes glaring up at me, the Demon looks through me "She doesn't know Dean."
Suddenly I'm shoved to the side before I can even think about it. Colliding against the store counter I scramble to hoist myself over when two solid hands grab my shoulders and slam my body hard against the counter, yelping when the surface's edge collides with my ribs. "Listen El- nobody is possessed by Demon's", Dean's voice carries over my thrashing body, his weight leaned over to hold me down "The towns not infested! Someone is messing with these people's heads!"
Humourlessly laughing, I yank against the restraint held over me "Oh sure! Shift the blame you fucking parasite!"
Throwing back my foot I catch Dean's boots leap to stand either side of my bent legs, "Okay- not the legs El-"
"If you insist", gaining a steady foothold on the ground, I use my other leg and drive it upwards between his legs.
Hard.
Rolling my shoulder when his hard grip loses from the hit taken I shift the game around. Clutching his shirt I whirl use around. Shoving him back over the counter I yank out my iron knife, pressing the cool metal to his throat. Brows furrowed I glare into the eyes of the Demon who's once against stolen Dean from me. Yet the Demon doesn't fight back. His hands are up and watching me and my every move. Trying to pre-empt the calls running through my mind. Shotgun pumped behind me, the Demon possessing Ellen growls "You let that boy go and I won't blast a hole in you."
"You get that gun off me and your Demon boy won't have a hole in his trachea."
"Let's all not put holes in anyone", staring at his partner, the Demon holds out his hand "Back off. I've got this." I don't know what the Demon does behind me. My knife remains pressed against his through and my brows narrowed like death. Watching me intently, the Demon rushes "Eleanor you have to listen to me- I'm not possessed. Ellen's not possessed. Nobody in this town is possessed. It's all one giant hallucination."
"Maybe I should remove those black eyes of yours and find out?"
"Maybe you should use that brain of yours and stop usin it for decoration", tightening the knife he flinches back on the counter, hands flying back up "Baby you're smart. We've had our ribs engraved and have anti possession tattoos- just like Rufus and Sam. Ellen and Jo wear charms. What could've possessed us? Huh?" That admittedly causes my resolve to falter. There's no way a Demon could get through the anti possession we've inked ourselves with. It's a powerful, foolproof symbol that's spans thousands of years. As if noticing the hesitation, he takes my silence to push "The exorcism, salt-that iron knife at my throat. A Demon would've been squirming out of its skin! You saw the mustang right? That cherry ride when you can into town? Oh- the lake! You would cross that polluted lake when you came into town? Saw all the pollution? El Rufus was following those omens- followed them right to this town with a polluted lake and a red mustang whose symbol is a literal horse." My lips parting, he chuckles under the knife "Come on- I'm laying it out for you!"
For a beat of my heart, I watch those black eyes meticulously. "A red horse went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him" I murmur, falling into place "Revelation 6:3." Slowly, a hand comes to rest over the knife I tightly hold to his throat. Then as if the light was shone on them the darkness disappears to reveal those bright green rises I love so much. My lips parting my hand un-knots from Dean's shirt, "Oh my god." Shredding the knife from my grip, Dean leans up with a small smile "Thanks for not cutting my throat." However, taking a step Dean doubles over with a sharp breath. "OH boy", he sharply inhales "I'm going to need an apology for my greatest asset though."
Shrinking to my knees, I draw my hands soothingly through his locks of greasy hair "Whoever called it your greatest asset is lying."
"I don't think you were the other night-"
"Alright that's enough", Ellen cuts in, striding past with a chest clap on my shoulder "Glad you're seeing the light, Eleanor."
Rising back to my feet, I scoop my iron knife off the floor "Either of you wanna fill me in on where Rufus or Sam is?" Noting Ellen, I add "And Jo I presume?"
"Good news is they're all together", Dean chirps, his smirk faltering when Ellen sends him a hard glare "Bad news is they're probably trying to de-possess Sam."
Sucking hard on my bottom lip, I dare to ask "And our Horseman of War?" Watching Dean and Ellen sharing looks I get a quick grasp on the fact we are in a shitty situation. We have a Horseman of War making a town tear each other apart. Twisting my blade, I breathlessly shrug
"Well on the bright side... it's certainly not the worst thing to ever happen to us."