Wendigo
"Look, Rangers, I don't know why you're asking me about this." The older man turned and walked back through his dark apartment, the three of us following. "It was public record, I was a kid." he continued as Dean shut the door. "My parents got mauled by a--"
"Grizzly?" Sam filled in. "That's what attacked them?"
I felt Dean's hand on my waist as we walked through the room. We came to a stop as Mr. Shaw turned, nodding his head hesitantly.
"The other people that went missing that year, those bear attacks too?" Dean asked. "What about all the people who went missing this year? Same thing? If we knew what we were dealing with, we might be able to stop it."
"I seriously doubt that." Mr. Shaw tells him.
"You know, I've had a lot of people doubt me, Mr. Shaw. But I proved 'em wrong..." I was going to be truthful and add a sometimes, but that probably wouldn't convince him to trust us.
"Anyways, I don't see what difference it would make." Mr. Shaw sat down. "You wouldn't believe me. Nobody ever did."
Sam stepped forward. "Mr. Shaw," he began, sitting down on the other chair, "what did you see?"
Mr. Shaw hesitated, looking between us. "Nothing."
"You can tell us, Mr. Shaw." I reassure him, smiling a little. I felt eyes on me, Dean's eyes.
"It moved to fast to see." Mr. Shaw continued. "It hid to well. I hear it though. A roar. Like no man or animal I ever heard."
"It came at night." Sam says. Mr. Shaw nodded his head. "Got inside your tent."
"It got inside our cabin." Mr. Shaw corrected. "I was sleeping in front of the fireplace when it came in. It didn't smash a window or break the door." he looked up at us. "It unlocked it. You know of a bear that could do something like that? I didn't even wake up till I heard my parents screaming."
"It killed them."
"Dragged 'em off into the night. Why it left me alive, been asking myself that ever since." Mr., Shaw shook his head.
I knew that feeling. When you lived through something that felt like you shouldn't have. "I'm so sorry." I whispered.
"Did leave me this though." Mr. Shaw pulled the neckline of his shirt over to reveal three long claw like scars going from his shoulder to his chest. "There's something evil in those woods. It was some sort of a demon."
___
"Spirits and demons don't need to unlock doors, if they want inside, they can just go through the walls." Dean stated as we walked down the dimly lit hall. His hand was still on my waist, distracting me a little.
"It's probably something else, something corporeal." Sam replied.
"'Corporeal.'" Dean repeated. "'Suse me, professor."
I laugh a little. "Well, don't you have a wonderful vocabulary, Sam?"
"Shut up." Sam tells us both. "So what do you think?"
"The claws, the speed that it moves, could be a Skinwalker. Maybe a Black Dog." Dean suggested. "Whatever we're talking about, we're talking about a creature. And it's corporeal. Which means we can kill it."
___
Dean unlocked the trunk of the car, pulling it open. He lifted the hideaway lid, glancing over his shoulder before using a shotgun to prop the arsenal open. He started shoving things into the duffle bag, packing anything that could help us kill whatever this monster was.
"We cannot let that Hailey girl out there." Sam stated as he walked up to the car.
"Oh, yeah?" Dean asked. "What are we gonna tell her? She can't go into the woods because of a big, scary monster?"
"If you want to be sent to the nut house, sure. Sounds like a plan." I shrugged.
"Yeah." Sam answered Deans question.
"Her brother's missing, Sam." Dean replied, looking at Sam. "She's not just gonna sit this out. Now, we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy, predator friend."
"So finding Dad's not enough?" Sam asked as Dean grabbed the bag. He moved the shotgun, letting the lid fall before shutting the trunk. "Now we gotta babysit too?"
Dean just looked at Sam for a moment. I cross my arms over my chest, stepping back.
"What?" Sam asked.
"Nothing." Dean shrugged before throwing the bag at Sam, who caught it.
"You know, that was a little too aggressive to be nothing." I tell Dean, keeping my voice low as he walked past me.
Dean shot me a look.
___
Dean killed the engine as I open my car door, stepping out. Hailey and Ben were already here. I tug at the hem of my white tank top, pulling it down slightly. I grab the backpack, slinging it over my shoulder as the two brothers get out of the car.
"You guys got room for three more?" Dean asked as Sam grabbed the duffle.
"Wait, you wanna come with us?" Hailey asked.
"Why not?" I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
"Who are these guys?" A man, who stood a few feet behind Hailey asked.
"Apparently, this is all the parks service could muster up for the search and rescue." Hailey answered.
Well, you could be a little more grateful we're not letting you get eaten by psycho Yogi, but whatever.
"You're rangers?" The man asked.
"That's right." Dean nodded as Sam walked off.
"And you're hiking in biker boots and jeans?" Hailey asked. Her eyes then turned to me. "A crop top and jeans?"
Dean looked down at himself, then back up. "Oh, Sweetheart, I don't do shorts."
I look down at myself. These were my favorite jeans. I had a white tank top, that, sure it did show off some of my stomach. I wore an unzipped camo jacket over that and combat boots. I'd be fine.
"What, you think this is funny?" The man asked as Dean walked toward him. "It's dangerous backcountry out there. Her brother might be hurt."
"Believe me, I know how dangerous it can be." Dean assured him. "We just wanna help her find her brother, that's all." he then turned his eyes to me. "You comin', Angel?"
"Yeah." I move to catch up with Dean, falling in step with him. "I look good....right?"
I liked the outfit I'd picked out. I'd had it since forever. I'd worn it many times before.
Dean nodded his head. "Yeah. I think you look great."
I nod my head, letting his reassure calm me.
___
"So, Roy, you said you did a little bit of huntin'." Dean began as we all walked through the forest.
"Yeah, more than a little." Roy, the guide Hailey hired, answered.
"Mm-hm." Dean hummed. "What kind of furry critters do you hunt?"
"Mostly, buck. Sometimes bear."
"Tell me, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?" Dean asked, continuing on in front of Roy.
Suddenly, Roy grabbed Deans shoulder, pulling him back.
"Whatcha doin', Roy?" Dean asked calmly.
Roy let go of him, grabbing a stick and bringing it down onto the ground where Dean was about to step. A bear trap sprung up, breaking the stick. "You should watch where you're stepping, Ranger."
Roy walked off.
Dean glanced over his shoulder at us. "There's a bear trap."
"You think so?" I ask as he set an arm around my shoulder.
"Yeah, Angel, I do."
I never quite understood where Dean got the nickname. Not that it bothered me. I loved it, actually. It made me feel special. Dean had that effect on me. Sometimes I wondered if he had that effect on all women.
"You didn't pack any provisions." Hailey was suddenly beside us. "You guys are carrying a duffle bag. You're not rangers. So," Hailey grabbed Dean's shoulder, turning him to face her. "who the hell are you?"
Ben walked by. Sam hung back for a moment as if he were asking if Dean had this under control. Dean nodded his head and Sam walked by.
"I'll, uh, I'll...Yeah." I lift Dean's arm from around me, walking away.
I tried not to listen in. I really did. But one sentence that fell past Dean's lips made a small smile cross my face.
"This is probably the most honest I've ever been with a woman. Well, you know, besides Saige," Dean muttered that part, so I almost didn't catch it. "So we okay?"
I felt a pang of pride in my chest at what Dean had said. I look over when I felt an arm around my shoulder again. Dean held a bag of peanut M&M's out to me, offering me one.
___
"This is it." Roy stated, slowing to a stop. "Blackwater Ridge."
"What coordinates are we at?" Sam asked.
"35-111." Roy answered.
There was nothing really around here. Just forest.
"Did you hear that?" Dean asked Sam and I.
"Yeah." Sam replied. "Not even crickets."
"Something' s definitely here." I state.
"I'm gonna go take a look around." Roy says.
"You shouldn't go off by yourself." Sam tells him.
"That's sweet. Don't worry about me." Roy walked past us.
"Sir, it's really not a--" I began. My voice died off as he walked further and further away.
"Alright, everybody stays together." Dean states. "Let's go."
"Yes, sir." I mutter, following behind Dean.
___
"Yeah, but it was--" I was cut off by a yell.
"Hailey! Over here!" Roy yelled, making Hailey run off.
Dean and I follow, abandoning our conversation.
Once reaching the spot where Roy was, Hailey stopped. "Oh, my god."
The tent was torn to shreds, blood smeared across it and almost everything else.
"Looks like a grizzly." Dean says.
"Tommy?" Hailey called out, dropping her backpack. "Tommy!"
"Angel." Dean looked over his shoulder at me. "Stay close."
"Yes, sir." I give him a smile, following behind as he walks around the tent. Dean then grabbed onto my hand as I step over a large fallen tree branch.
He released my hand, kneeling to the ground. "Sam!" He called out.
Sam appeared at his brother's side, kneeling as well.
"The bodies were dragged from the campsite." Dean stated, pointing to the marks on the forest floor. "But here, the tracks just vanish. It's weird." he straightens up, Sam following. "I'll tell you what. It's no Skinwalker or Black Dog."
"You know, none of my camping trips ever took a turn like this." I sighed as we walked back to camp. "I used to go camping all the time. You hardly ever see a deer much less some weird creature."
"Good for you, Si." Dean nudged my side.
Once reaching the campsite, Dean knelt by Hailey, how held her brothers broken, bloody phone.
"You know, he could still be alive." Dean tells her.
"Help!" A voice yells in the distance, making us all stand.
Roy ran off first. I pull my gun from the waistband of my jeans, taking off behind Dean. We all ran, trying to find where the yell came from. I slow to a stop, gun gripped tight in my hand.
"It sounded like it came from around here, didn't it?" Hailey asked.
It wasn't a person, I realize. Crap.
"Everybody back to camp." Sam says. He must have caught on too.
___
Once reaching the campsite, I slide my gun back into the waistband of my jeans.
"Our packs." Hailey points out. "They're gone."
"So much for my GPS and my satellite phone." Roy muttered.
I look around, clicking my tongue. "Eh, we don't need that. I could survive out here."
"What the hell's going on?" Hailey asked.
"It's smart." Sam stated. "It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help."
"You mean someone. Some nutjob out there stole out gear." Roy corrected.
Well, sorry, but you're wrong. I wasn't going to say that out loud though.
"I need to speak with you." Sam tells Dean. "Private."
Sam walked off, Dean followed. I trail behind the two brothers.
"Okay, let me see Dad's journal." Sam tells Dean once we stop.
Dean pulled it from his jacket, handing it over.
Sam flipped through a few pages before turning the book for Dean and I to see. "Alright, check that out."
"Wendigo." I muttered to myself.
"Oh, come on." Dean looked at Sam. "Wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or northern Michigan. I never even heard of one this far west."
"Think about it, Dean." Sam says. "The claws, they way it can mimic a human voice."
"Great." Dean scoffed. "Well, then this is useless." Dean held up his gun.
Sam handed Dean the journal back before walking off. "We have to get these people to safety."
We walk back to camp. "Alright, listen up, we have got to go. Things have just gotten more complicated." Sam tells everyone.
"What?" Hailey asked.
"Kid, don't worry." Roy tells Sam. "Whatever's out there, I think I can handle it."
"It's not me I'm worried about." Sam replied. "If you shoot this thing, it'll only make it mad. We have to leave now."
"For one, you're talking nonsense. Two, you are in no position to give orders."
"Relax." Dean demanded.
"We never should have let you come out here in the first place, alright?" Sam continued. "We're trying to protect you."
"You protect me?" Roy scoffed at the notion.
"Sir, we really are--" I spoke up, trying to help Sam out.
"Oh, shut up." Roy cut me off.
"Hey, don't talk to her like that." Dean began to move toward the man, but I grabbed his arm.
"It's alright, Dean." I told him.
Roy turned back to Sam. "I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you goodnight."
"Yeah? It's a damn near perfect hunter." Sam stated. "Smarter than you. And it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid, sorry ass out of here."
Roy simply laughed.
I scoffed quietly. This man was asking to be eaten by the Wendigo.
"You know you're crazy, right?" Roy asked.
"Yeah?" Sam replied. "You ever hunt a Wen--"
Dean cut Sam off by shoving him backward and away from Roy. "Hey, chill out."
"Stop. Stop it." Hailey says. "Everybody, just stop. Look, Tommy might still be alive...and I'm not leaving here without him."
"It's getting late." Dean sighed. "This thing is a good hunter in the day, and an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark. We need to settle in and protect ourselves."
"How?" Hailey asked.