#9 Hurt
You filled your lungs with another breath of that damp air. You could still feel a stinging sensation on the left side of your face where a bloody gash marked your cheek. You had wriggled out of the ropes just once, turning your wrists into a bloody mess. Though it was all in vain as you were recaptured the instant that you thudded to the ground. You fought against the being, though that only made your body weaker. The multiple wounds to your back had began to dry and it worked as an adhesive, sticking the cloth of your shirt to your skin. You wasn’t sure just how much time you had been in there, but as time slipped away it began to feel like weeks.
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“It’s been two days Dean” Sam sat at a worn wooden desk with his head in the palms of his hands.
Dean was pacing the floor in front of him, “Don’t you think I know that Sammy?”
“Have you tried Cas?”
Dean stopped in his tracks and turned to his brother, “Several times, Gabriel too. Heavens, they’re too damn busy to come and save the only freakin’ person who can stop Armageddon?”
“Maybe she’s not in danger. Maybe Cas and Gabe are with her already, or they think we can handle this” Sam mused.
“Or maybe Cas’ new angel friend Kushiel dropped by and decided to throw a party” Dean grunted as he flung himself back onto one of the beds in the motel room that the brothers were residing in for that moment.
“That is the more worrying theory” Sam muttered as he looked down.
It was sudden as Dean shot up from the bed, his eyes widening.
“What is it?” Sam questioned as he watched his brother with curiosity.
“Maybe we’ve been barking up the wrong tree” Dean pondered.
“What?” Sam seemed to grow even more confused.
“I mean, maybe we’ve been looking for the wrong thing,” Dean paused as he walked over to Sam “Maybe we’re not looking for a werewolf . We’ve ruled Skin Walkers and Black Dogs.”
“Your point?” Sam pushed.
“Remember Blackwater Ridge?”
“Wendigo,” Sam concluded “We need to search any old mines or caves in the area.”
“Anywhere damp and dark” Dean nodded as he climbed to his feet.
“Where are you going?” Sam questioned.
Dean looked back at his brother with a crooked grin, “To get a flamethrower. You stay, see if you can find any closed down mines or... creepy hiding places or whatever.”
Dean shook closed the door behind him before Sam turned back to the desk by his side. He rolled his eyes, booting up his laptop to begin his search.
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That smell, it made you want to gag. In fact you probably would have, had your stomach not been empty. The creature visited often, sniffing around you, checking that you had not died off. Each time you would fight just to keep your eyes open. You kicked out weakly, having no kind of impact at all on the monster. In fact all it had earned you was another few scrapes and bruises on your own body.
You had come to the brutal conclusion that you were to die there. You were done with sobbing. Done crying out Sam’s and Dean’s names. Your throat was too dry to even attempt screaming. Your eyes were dry from dehydration though you knew the salty tears that you had cried previously still tainted your cheeks, painting ridged lines through the dirt that dusted your face. Your lips had become cracked regardless of the damp air. So you waited there, in the dark, for your inevitable fate.
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“Are you sure that this is the place?” Dean kept his eyes fixated on the road.
“It’s the closest place. Closed in the 1970’s. It’s the perfect hideout” Sam answered his brothers question.
Dean didn’t say another word as he pulled the Impala to a halt. They could make it on foot from there. In fact, they’d have to.
“You get what we need?” Sam questioned.
Dean’s answer came with silence once more as he pulled two flare guns from the trunk of the car. He handed one over to Sam. Dean’s silence said more than anybody would decipher it to truly mean. He knew, just as well as his brother did, that they might not find you. They knew that if they do find you, it didn’t have to mean that you would be alive. But something deep down wouldn’t allow the Winchesters to give up on you. Something that pooled within the very core of their being.
The two ventured into the old mine. It took a while to find a way in, though they managed. Sam switched on a flashlight, illuminating their paths through the darkness of the musty dwelling.
The brothers ventured deeper, into the stomach of the old mine and it wasn’t long before the light washed over a figure.
“Dean” Sam hissed quietly. Dean turned his attention to the beam of light, following it down to the figure at the end. As recognition washed over his features he instantly began to sprint forward.
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You had began to give up. You had your eyes closed but you noticed the when light hit your closed lids. You opened your [colour] eyes slowly and your heart almost leaped out of your chest. Not in fear, not in anger or pain, but with hope, with relief. Your eyes washed over Dean’s features as he ran towards you. He reached you and took your face in his hands, looking you over.
His face was drawn with worry and you could tell that he hadn’t slept much. How long had you been tied there exactly? You tried to utter his name, but the words simply wouldn’t form.
“Are you okay?” Dean let his hands fall from your face, moving them to your arms next. You nodded weakly. Dean reached for the knife on his belt and used it to cut your wrists free. As your restraints came away you instantly fell forward, catching yourself in Dean’s arms where he held you firmly. “I thought I lost you” Dean murmured softly into your [colour] hair. You could hear his heart beating at an alarming rate. Sam approached the two of you and stood beside Dean.
“I- I thought you guys weren’t going to come” you finally found your voice, though as you spoke your throat felt as if you had had sandpaper for lunch.
Sam offered you a smile, “We couldn’t give up on you.”
You returned Sam’s smile whilst Dean refused to let you go. You were safe again, though it was short lived. You had seen it out of the corner of your eye at first, just staring at the three of you. It was back. It was watching. It was ready.
“Sam!” you shouted, causing Sam’s attention to snap towards the creature. He pulled what looked to be a flare gun from his belt, though it was far too late, the creature was already upon him. It swung out and knocked Sam out of the way before heading towards you and Dean. You watched as it lifted it’s thin arm. You reacted fast. In fact you hardly thought it through as you pushed Dean away.
The blow came down on you and you winced as four sharp claws dragged across your face. You attempted to grasp at your face as the sudden onset of pain hit, though the creature’s tight grasp fastened around your wrist and pulled it upwards, tearing your feet from the ground. It’s emaciated form seemed to ensnare you as it still hovered over your body with a grunt.
“Put her down, you son of a bitch” you Dean’s voice sounded from behind you, though it felt far away.
The creature took it’s eyes off of you to glance over at Dean. It let out a soft growl before dropping you to the ground. You let out a howl of pain as your arm hit the hard floor beneath you. A burning pain seemed to travel upwards and settle in your shoulder. The room was briefly illuminated before Sam’s face entered your frame of vision. You felt him lift you toward him and cried out again, weakly, as the pain heightened in your shoulder.
“You’re going to be okay,” Sam assured you. His face was full of panic as he rested your head in his lap and gently brushed some of the hair from your face. “You have to be okay” he repeated.
“Cas! Gabe!” you heard Dean’s screams. His voice only appeared to grow further into the distance. Sam said nothing, or if he did, you couldn’t hear it. Your body felt heavy as a boulder. Your vision was blurred once more, as if looking through somebody else’s glasses. You were still there, still alive. You knew this due to the pain that wracked your body. Due to the presence of Dean’s distant voice. Due to Sam’s fingers that lightly trailed against your face. So you just lay there, unable to move. You lay silent and listened to Dean’s calls.
“Cas.” Desperation.
“Cas.” Pain.
“Cas.” Anger.
“Cas.” Hopelessness...