#5 Sweet Nostalgia
You found yourself in the old bedroom from your childhood. You knew what this was. You knew as you watched the younger versions of yourself and your sister sleeping that this was a scene from the memory that haunted you on a regular basis. You looked at your former self, eyes shut tightly and your [colour] hair a mess on the pillow beneath her head. You heard that all too familiar scratching noise. Feeling sick to your stomach you noticed the girls eyes fluttering open.
“No. Stay asleep” your pleas fell short as the young girl climbed out bed, dragging her feet over to her sister. She shook the older girls shoulder gently.
“Laney, I heard a noise...”
You waited a while longer and, as you expected, a shrill scream penetrated to the very depths of your ears, causing you to cover them and squeeze your eyes shut. You forced your eyes open and choked back the tears that threatened to brim over as realization hit you hard. You knew what was coming next and although you didn’t want to, you pushed yourself to follow the two girls out of the room and down the beckoning hallway.
“Mummy. Daddy.”
You stood behind your younger copy as she turned to sob into her sisters shoulder. The two girls stood there, holding one another and sobbing furiously. You forced your gaze upwards to where your mother and father lay lifeless in their bed. Fresh claw marks covered their entire bodies. Your mothers [colour] hair was disheveled and clung to her face where it dried in bloody clumps. Deep gashes stretched across your fathers fleshy cheeks. His left eye was sealed shut though the right one was open, infused with horror and staring into your very soul.
“Who are you?” a sweet voice caught your attention. The little version of you was now alone. She stared right as you, finally acknowledging your presence. “Did you hurt my Mummy and Daddy?”
N... No” you stuttered.
“Did,” she paused as more tears brimmed at her eyes “Did I?”
You stared in shock for a moment before kneeling before her and placing your hand on her shoulder “No. Something else did this. Something evil.”
The little girl kept her gaze on the floor as she began to sob. Her sobbing became louder and louder, until it turned to a dark chuckle. She snapped her head back and let out a sinister laugh in your face. Her eyes began to glow a deep crimson.
“You did it. You did it. You did it,” she began to chant.
You fell onto your back, trying to scramble away as she began to walk towards you. You shook your head “No... I... I didn’t do this.”
“Liar!” she screamed “Abomination! Liar! We were not supposed to be born! We were not supposed to live! Liar!” her voice trailed off as you forced your body to turn and sprung to your feet. You reached a standing position just before she lunged forward. You turned on your heel and began to run.
Three words circled your mind. ‘Use the doors.’ You turned a corner on the balcony before scrambling down the stairs. There it was, sitting in front of you, pulling you forward. The white front door was within your reach. The entrance to your old home, the exit leading to whatever awaited you on the outside. You grasped the handle and pulled the door open before stumbling through the walkway.
Your crumpled landing was cushioned. You breathed in the smell of sea salt and grasped at the warm grainy substance beneath you with your fingertips. As your pupils adjusted to the change in light you noticed a pair of black polished shoes before you. You traced upwards with your eyes. The shoes were attached to a slender physique, long legs, torso, arms and neck. His face was thin, his features soft and clean shaven. A nest of curly brown hair sat upon his head and his caramel eyes were friendly and welcoming. He wore a charcoal button up shirt over blue jeans.
“Castiel said you would come” he offered you his hand and helped you to your feet. His voice was as smooth as velvet, almost melodic to your ears.
“Are you Azrael?” you questioned, your breathing was still slightly erratic, though had calmed with his presence.
He nodded in reply before offering you a looped arm, “Walk with me?”
You hesitated for a moment before reaching out and resting your hand in the crook of his arm, adjacent to his elbow. You glanced around your surroundings as the two of you began to walk. Beneath your feet was a carpet of golden sand. It rolled out into a crystal clear ocean where waves crashed, not with war, but in symphony. Above the horizon the blue sky mirrored the sea, emitting a bright light and illuminating anything that it’s beams washed over with a state of serenity.
“These were happier times for you” Azrael noted.
“The happiest” you concluded. You thought back to your life with your mum, your dad and sister by your side. Your mother was an opportunist and she thrived to make you and your sister happy. She would often rise from bed and swoop the entire family off to some new exotic location. Your father didn’t mind. His love for her was overwhelming, from what you remembered. He was happy to take a back seat and allow her the leading role.
“Your memories are beautiful” he commented.
You glanced over at him, looking directly into those caramel eyes. You shrugged off his comment, “Castiel... I didn’t come to talk about my memories. I think Castiel sent me for information.”
“Please excuse my small talk,” Azrael smiled. He didn’t seem offended by you brushing him off at all “It’s in my nature. Though you do not have to worry. Castiel is a great soldier. He will be fine.”
“How did you know that I was worried?” you questioned.
“That too is my nature. It is my job in heaven to ease those who have passed on. I must know what they are feeling to assist with the pain.”
“Can you tell me,” you paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue. “Kushiel, he called me an abomination. What did he mean?”
Azrael tensed, “I cannot tell you.”
“But he...”
“I need to tell you why Castiel sent you to me,” he forced the topic “[Name] you are more than you believe.”
You looked up at him as he stopped walking and turned to you.
“You have a mission. You are chosen” he placed his hands on your shoulders.
You stared at the angel in confusion, “Chosen how?”
“To be a warrior” he clarified.
“You’re not making any sense” your head began to swim.
“The chosen one of light, warrior of heaven. The script writes of two humans, of light and darkness, heaven and hell. You must battle with the dark one [Name],” he paused as he looked deeply into your wide eyes. “And you must not lose.”
“What if I lose?” you asked quietly.
His eyes appeared to lose their smile for the first time since you had met, “Then chaos will consume the Earth. ‘Your dead will live; their bodies shall rise.’ Isiah, twenty six, nineteen, twenty” his voice slowed towards the end of his sentence.
“So you’re saying that if I lose, what? I’ll start the zombie apocalypse?” you scoffed though held back when you noticed that Azrael’s expression did not change.
“And so it is written,” he breathed. He gave your shoulders a squeeze, “Do not fail [Name]. You must unlock your full potential. That is why we have placed you in the hands of the Winchesters. They must train you. You must be able to fight.”
“Tell that to Dean” you rolled your eyes.
“Make him understand that this is what needs to be done,” Azrael shook your shoulders slightly. “He must understand. I will do what I can. I can not leave my post but I will watch over you. Castiel will fight by your side for as long as he can. He is a good and loyal angel. But be careful, there are more like Kushiel. More angels that want to punish humankind by kick starting the apocalypse. They will try to kill you. Do not trust easily and do not be led by naivety. But most importantly, do not lose this war.”
“Wait!” you wanted more. You wanted answers but as Azrael placed his fingers upon your head the scene around you began to fade to black. You felt nothing but the cold air around you and an uncomfortable tightness in your chest.
[Name], [Name] wake up” a hushed tone sounded in your ear, muffled as if from far away. You opened your eyes to see that you were back in the basement of Bobby’s house. Your vision was hazy but you could recognize the blurred outline of the man hovering over you.
“Castiel,” you acknowledged. You tried to sit up but your body was weak. Castiel placed a hand on your back and wrapped the other around your arm to help you. “Kushiel he... are you okay?” You lost your balance but Castiel’s strong hold kept you upright.
“I got away,” Castiel replied. You could see the clear undertone of concern in his blue eyes, “Can you stand?”
“I think so,” your vision was becoming clearer but at a deathly slow pace. “What did Azrael do to me?”
“It’s the phasing between Heaven and Earth. It is a great task for a human” Castiel explained. You finally pulled yourself to your feet with Castiel’s help.
“Well it sucks” you huffed.
Castiel’s eyes narrowed in confusion, “I’m fairly sure heaven doesn’t suck anything. It does not possess that ability.”
You shook your head, brushing off his comment, “Never mind.”
“Do you feel strong enough yet?” Castiel questioned.
You brushed yourself off before looking at him, “For what?”
“Sam and Dean. They’re not here. I sense that they went looking for you, they’re in trouble. I need to know that leaving you will be safe before...”
“No Castiel,” you stopped him “You can’t brush me off. I’m coming with you.”
He stared at you a moment studying your expression, “Dean?”
“I’ll deal with him” you asserted.
Castiel sighed after a few moments of silence, “Fine.”
He pulled you into him but you pulled back hastily, “No more angel travel. We’ll drive.”
“My way will be faster” Castiel returned.
“Yeah, but my way ensures that I hold onto the contents of my stomach.”
“We have no time to argue. Besides do you really want to alert Bobby?” Castiel had a point. In fact you were almost certain that if the Winchesters did leave Bobby here it was to ensure that you stay put if you did turn up again.
“Fine,” you agreed “just go easy on me okay?”
“You have my word” Castiel replied as you allowed him to pull you back into his arms again. That feeling consumed your body once more as you dug your fingers deep into the fabric of the angels coat.
“I will never get used to that. Ever” you breathed. Castiel had released you once you reached your destination. You looked around. You appeared to be outside an old farmhouse standing in a large field. The house itself was large and white in colour whilst a plain oak barn sat off to the side.
“Are you okay?” Castiel narrowed his eyes on your form.
“I keep my lunch down. So yeah, I’m good” you replied.
Castiel nodded, “Okay.” He reached inside his long overcoat and pulled out that same silver blade that you had seen him use during his battle with Kushiel. You finally had chance to study it properly. The handle that Castiel had his hand wrapped around was long, rounded and smooth. From it’s top sprouted four sharp blades that met at the very tip in a sharp point. “Take this” he offered.
Your hand hovered over the blade for a moment, “What about you?”
“They’re demons. I have other ways” he explained. You nodded and accepted the blade, weighing it in your hand for a moment.
“How do you know that they’re here anyway?”
“They’re warded from angels. So I can’t search for them. I simply searched for the demon I know to be involved instead” Castiel seemed confident as he looked towards the door to the farmhouse.
........................................................
“I’m not telling you nothing” Dean clenched his teeth as another fist came down hard against his face. He was strapped to a chair in an empty room.
“On the contrary Squirrel,” Dean knew that voice. He recognized that face as it entered his line of vision. “I think we’re going to share our secrets like besties tonight.”
“You can suck it Crowley” Dean sneered.
“You know I like it when you tease me, Dean Winchester.”
“Where’s Sam?” Dean ignored Crowley’s reply.
“I wouldn’t worry about Moose. I’ve got a few of my guys to keep him company” Crowley smirked, turning to the demon in front of Dean. His smirk faltered and an angry stare took its place. “Am I paying you to torture him or give him a romantic back rub?” The demon looked confused for a moment causing Crowley to roll his eyes, “Hit him” he yelled. The demon obeyed, his black eyes staring into Deans as he leveled another punch. Crowley offered another quick smirk in Dean’s direction before slipping out of the door.
“Crowley! Come back here you son of a bitch!” Dean called behind Crowley’s retreating form. His cries were cut short as the cool steel tip of a blade caressed his cheek before biting into his skin.