February 22nd, 2007
Sam and Dean had stumbled across a case about two spirits who had caused twelve accidents over fifteen years on Highway 41. Molly McNamara and her husband, David, had been traveling when they hit Jonah Greeley and then swerved and crashed on the side of the road. David had been the only one to survive the accident, so Sam and Dean had gone to talk to him about Molly. They had found out that Molly had been cremated. There was also no one they could talk to about Greeley because his wife had disappeared shortly after he died. So, the only choice we had was to drive down Highway 41 on the anniversary of their deaths to find some way to put an end to the haunting.
Suddenly, a woman ran out into the road right in front of us. "Stop! Stop!" she yelled as she waved her arms.
I quickly realized that the woman was Molly, the woman who had been causing the accidents.
Dean slammed on the breaks. "Holy!"
"You have to help me!" Molly yelled.
"I don't think she knows she's dead," Sam said softly.
Molly ran over to Sam's window and started banging on it. "Please! Open up! Please!"
"Okay, okay!" Sam rolled down his window. "All right, all right. Just calm down. Tell us what happened."
The three of us got out of the car to listen to her story.
"There was a man in the middle of the road, and I— I swerved, a— and we crashed," Molly stuttered, "And when I came to, the car was wrecked, and my husband was missing. I went looking for him, but that's when the man from the road, he— he started chasing me."
"Did he look like he lost a fight with a lawnmower?" Dean asked.
Sam gave Dean a sharp look.
Molly furrowed her brow. "How did you know that?"
Dean shrugged. "Lucky guess."
"Ma'am, what's your name?" Sam asked.
"Molly. Molly McNamara," she said.
The three of us exchanged looks because she was exactly who we had been looking for.
"I think maybe you should come with us. We'll take you back into town," Sam said.
Molly shook her head. "I can't. I have to find David. He might have gone back to the car."
"We should get you somewhere safe first. Then the three of us will come back. We'll look for your husband," Sam said.
"No. I'm not leaving here without him. Would you just take me back to my car, please?" Molly asked.
Sam nodded. "Of course. Come on."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The four of us piled into the Impala and drove down the road until Molly pointed to where she believed her car was. We got out and followed Molly into the woods.
"It's right over there." Molly pointed, but there was nothing at the bottom when we looked over the edge of the hill. "I don't understand. I'm sure this is where it was. W— We hit that tree right there. This— This doesn't make any sense." She walked down to investigate, we stayed behind, knowing she wasn't going to find anything.
"Dean, we got to get out of here. Greeley could show up at any second," Sam whispered.
"What are you gonna tell her?" Dean asked.
Sam shrugged. "The truth?"
Dean shook his head. "She's gonna take off running in the other direction."
Molly walked back up to us. "I know it sounds crazy, but I crashed into that tree." She pointed. "I don't know who could've taken it. It was totaled. Please. You have to believe me."
"Molly, listen, we do believe you," Sam said softly, "But that's why we want to get you out of here."
"What about David?" Molly asked. "Something must have happened. I have to get to the cops."
"Cops..." Dean nodded. "That's a great idea. We'll take you down to the station ourselves. So, just come with us. It's the best way we can help you and your husband."
"Okay." Molly nodded, and we headed back to the Impala.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Molly and I sat in the backseat as we made our way back to town.
"We're supposed to be in Lake Tahoe." Molly sighed.
"You and David?" Sam asked.
Molly nodded. "It's our five-year anniversary."
"A hell of an anniversary," Dean said sarcastically.
"Right before, we were having the dumbest fight." Molly sighed. "It was the only time we ever really argued... when we were stuck in the car."
Sam laughed. "Yeah. I know how that goes."
Dean and I snapped him a dirty look.
"You know the last thing I said to him?" Molly asked, "I called him a jerk. Oh, god. What if that's the last thing I said to him?"
Sam turned to face her. "Molly... we're gonna figure out what happened to your husband. I promise."
Suddenly, the radio started making noises and then played "House of the Rising Sun."
Dean looked over at Sam. "Did you—"
Sam shook his head. "No."
Dean nodded. "I was afraid you'd say that."
"This song..." Molly whispered.
"What?" Dean asked.
"It was playing when we crashed," Molly said.
The radio crackled and then skipped to another station, where a creepy man's voice came through. "She's mine. She's mine. She's mine."
"What is that?" Molly asked.
Greeley suddenly appeared in the middle of the road in front of us.
Dean floored it, heading straight for Greeley. "Hold on."
"What are you doing?!" Molly yelled.
As soon as we hit Greeley, he exploded into a puff of black smoke.
"What the— What the hell just happened?" Molly asked, shocked.
"Don't worry, Molly. Everything's gonna be all right," Sam said.
The Impala started to shudder and slow down.
"Spoke a little too soon, Sammy." Dean groaned as the Impala coasted to a stop on the side of the road. He tried to start it again, but the ignition just sputtered. "I don't think he's gonna let her leave."
We all got out of the car.
"This can't be happening," Molly said as she looked around, completely distraught.
"Well... trust me. It's happening," Dean said as he rounded the back of the Impala and started going through the trunk.
Molly walked around back and looked into the trunk, clearly startled by the small armory we had. "Well... okay. Thanks for helping, but I think I got it covered from here." She quickly turned and started down the road.
Sam went after her. "Wait. Molly, Molly, wait a minute."
"Just leave me alone," Molly said.
"No, no, no. Please. You have to listen to me," Sam pleaded.
"Just stay away." Molly continued walking.
"It wasn't a coincidence that we found you, all right?" Sam asked.
Molly quickly turned back. "What are you talking about?"
Dean turned toward Sam and Molly. "We weren't just cruising around when we ran into you, sister. We were already out here. Hunting."
"Hunting for what?" Molly asked.
"Ghosts," Dean said and then turned back to the Impala.
Sam looked exasperated. "D— D—Don't sugarcoat it for her."
"You're nuts," Molly said.
Dean quickly turned back. "Really? About as nuts as a vanishing guy with his guts spilling out? You know what you saw." He turned and continued going through the trunk.
"We think his name is Jonah Greeley. He was a local farmer that died fifteen years ago on this highway," Sam said.
Molly shook her head. "Just... stop."
"One night a year, on the anniversary of his death, he haunts this road. That's why we're here, Molly. To try and stop him," Sam said.
Molly furrowed her brow. "Now, I suppose this... ghost made my car disappear, too."
"Crazier things have happened, huh?" Dean asked as he walked up and smacked Sam in the arm.
"Ya know what?" Molly shook her head and backed away slowly. "I'm all filled up on crazy. I'm gonna get the cops myself."
"I don't mean to be harsh, but I don't think you're gonna get too far," Dean said.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Molly asked, now looking terrified.
"Means that plan A was trying to get you out of here. Obviously, that didn't go over too well with, uh, Farmer Roadkill," Dean said.
"Molly, we're telling the truth," Sam said calmly, "Greeley's not gonna let you leave this highway."
"You're— You're serious about this, aren't you?" Molly asked.
Dean nodded. "Deadly."
"Every year, Greeley finds someone to punish for what happened to him. Tonight, that person is you," Sam said.
Molly shook her head. "Why me? I didn't do anything."
Sam sighed. "Doesn't matter. Some spirits only see what they want."
"So, you're saying this... Greeley, he took my husband?" Molly contemplated that thought for a second. "Oh, god."
"Molly, look, we're gonna help, all right? But first, you gotta help us," Sam said.
"Help you? How?" Molly asked.
"Where did Greeley start chasing you?" Sam asked.
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