Sam leans against the Impala staring ahead. Dean crosses to the road to him, holding coffees. Glasow's Diner can be seen in the background.
"Well...the waitress thinks the local freemasons are up to something sneaky but other than that no one's heard about anything freaky going on." Dean hands them their coffee.
"You two got the time?" Sam asks.
"Ten after Four. Why?" Dean looks at his watch.
"What's wrong with this picture." Sam indicates ahead.
Sam has been watching a playground. It is deserted, only one child climbing around.
"School's out isn't it?" Dean asks.
"Yeah. So where is everybody? This place should be crawling with kids right now." Sam says.
A woman sits on a park bench reading a magazine. Dean approaches.
"Sure is quiet out here." Dean says.
"Yeah, it's a shame." She says.
"Why's that?" He asks.
"You know, kids getting sick, it's a terrible thing." She says.
"How many?" He asks.
"Just five or six but serious, hospital serious. A lot of parents are getting pretty anxious. They think it's catching." She explains. They both watch the little girls playing by herself.
|| Dane County Memorial Hospital ||
Sam and Dean had gone to get information on the sick kids coming back with nothing.
|| Bethany's Bedroom ||
Sam, Dean and Lottie check the room with EMF.
"You got anything over there?" Sam asks.
"Nah, nothing." Dean says.
"Yeah, me neither." Sam says. They keep checking. Sam moves to the window.
"Hey guys?" Sam says.
"Yeah." Dean says.
"Whu." Staring at the windowsill "You were right. It's not pneumonia." Dean and Lottie comes over and they stare at a handprint rotted into the wood.
"It's rotted. What the hell leaves a handprint like that?" Dean asks.
Lottie places her hand on the claw and she sees the figure in the robe, she shivers.
"It's definitely a something, it had a robe on." She shivers in disgust.
|| Flashback Motel Room ||
Young Dean is around 9-10 is staring at a photo of the same handprint. John comes out of the bedroom, loading his sawn off.
"All right. You know the drill, Dean. Anybody calls, you don't pick up. If it's me, I'll ring once, then call back. You got that?" John says.
"Mm-hmm. Only answer the phone unless it rings once first." Dean says.
"Come on, dude, look alive. This stuff is important." John says.
"I know, it's just...we've gone over it like a million times and you know I'm not stupid." Dean says.
"I know you're not, but it only takes one mistake, you got that?" John continues gathering his things. "All right, if I'm not back Sunday night...?"
"Call Pastor Jim." Dean says
"Lock the doors, the windows, close the shades. Most important...." John says.
"Watch out for Sammy." Dean says. They both look to Sammy, sprawled on the couch watching cartoons on TV.
"I know." Dean says.
"All right. If something tries to bust in?" John asks.
"Shoot first, ask questions later." Dean says.
John taking his shoulder "That's my man."
|| Flashback Over ||
Dean standing at window, looking a little sick "I know why Dad sent us here. He's faced this thing before. He wants us to finish the job."
|| Night ||
The Impala pulls up to a motel office and they get out. "So what the hell is a shtriga?" Sam asks.
"It's ... kinda like a witch I think. I don't know much about 'em." Dean says.
"It's an offense to witches." Lottie says.
"Well I've never heard of it. And it's not in Dad's journal." Sam says.
"Dad hunted one in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin, about 16, 17 years ago. You were there. You don't remember?" Dean asks.
"No." Sam says.
"And I guess he caught wind of the things in Fitzburg now and kicked us the coordinates." Dean says.
"So wait, this..." Sam says.
"Shtriga." Dean says.
"Right. You think it's the same one Dad hunted before?" Sam asks.
"Yeah, maybe." Dean says.
"I'll call Ivory to check if she has information on it." Lottie calls her.
"But if Dad went after it why is it still breathing air?" Sam asks.
"Cause it got away." Dean says.
"Got away?" Sam asks.
Dean starting to get frustrated "Yeah Sammy it happens."
"Not very often." Sam says.
"Well I don't know what to tell ya, maybe Dad didn't have his wheaties that morning." Dean says.
"What else do you remember?" Sam asks.
"Nothin'. I was a kid all right?" Dean says defensively.
Dean enters reception and rings the bell.
"Ivory is at work but she'll call once she gets any news." Lottie informs.
A boy of around 11 comes from the back room where a younger boy sits watching TV
"A king or two queens?" The boys asks.
Dean glances back at Sam and Lottie, "Two queens."
Boy following his look and sniggering under his breath "Yeah I'll bet."
"What'd you say." Dean says .
"Dean." Lottie wraps her arm around his.
"Nice car!" He smiles. A woman enters, smiling at them.
"Hi." She says.
"Hi." Dean says.
"Checking in?" She asks.
"Yeah." Dean says.
"Ahh, do me a favor, go get your brother some dinner." She tells the boy. "I'm helping a guest!" He says. She gives him a look and he grimaces and turns to go. He tells his mother, while raising his eyebrow at Dean, "Two queens." emphasizing "queens'
"Funny kid." Dean fakes laugh.
"Oh, yeah. He thinks so. Will that be cash or credit?" She says.
"You take MasterCard?" He asks, She nods. Mm-hmm. "Perfect. Here you go."
Dean watches through the door as the boy pours a glass of milk for his younger brother.
|| Flashback Motel Room ||
Young Sam sits at the table. Young Dean pours him a glass of milk.
"When's Dad gonna get back?" Sam asks.
Dean grabs a pot from the stove "Tomorrow."
"When?" Sam asks.
Dean pouring from the pot into a bowl "I dunno. He usually comes in late though. Now eat your dinner."
"I'm sick of scabetti-ohs." Sam complains.
"Well -- You're the one who wanted 'em!" Dean says.
"I want lucky charms!" Sam say
"There's no more lucky charms." Dean says.
"I saw the box!" Sam says.
"Okay, maybe there is but there's only enough for one bowl and I haven't had any yet." Dean says. Sammy gives puppy dog eyes. Dean sighs, dumps out Sam's bowl in the trash and thumps the cereal box on the table instead. Sam reaches into the box and grabs the toy.
Sam holds it toward Dean, "D'you want the prize?" He asks.
|| End Flashback ||
|| Motel Room ||
"Well, you were right. Heh. It wasn't very easy to find but you were right. Shtriga is a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to Ancient Rome. They feed off spiritus vitae." Sams on the laptop.
"Spiri-what?" Dean asks.
"Vitae. It's Latin, translates to 'breath of life'. Kinda like your life force or essence." Lottie says, Dean raises an eyebrow at her and she shrugs.
"Didn't the doctor say the kids' bodies were wearing out?" Dean asks.
"It's a thought. you know she takes your vitality maybe your immunity goes to hell, pneumonia takes hold. Anyway, shtrigas can feed off anyone but they prefer..." Sam says.
"Children." Dean says.
"Disgusting bitch" Lottie says.
"Yeah. Probably because they have stronger life force. And get this. Shtrigas are '...invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man." Sam says.
"If she gets her hands on witch children it's over, they're magic is untouched, they're pure." Lottie says.
"No, that's not right. She's vulnerable when she feeds. We'll kill the bitch before she does." Dean says.
"What?" Sam and Lottie ask in sync.
"If you catch her when she's eating you can blast her with consecrated wrought iron. Ahhh... buckshots or rounds I think." Dean says.
"How do you know that?" Sam asks.
"Dad told me. I remember." Dean says.
"Oh. Huh. So uh, anything else Dad might have mentioned?" Sam asks.
"Nope, that's it." Dean says. Sam keeps staring at Dean.
"What?" Dean asks.
"Nothing. Okay. So, assuming we can kill it when it eats we still gotta find the thing first, which ain't gonna be a cakewalk. Shtrigas take on a human disguise when they're not hunting." Sam says.
"We usually aren't, but that hag isn't a nature witch." Lottie says, Dean nod his head.
"What kinda human disguise?" Dean asks.
"Historically, something innocuous. Could be anything, but it's usually a feeble old woman, which might be how the witches as old crones legend got started." Sam says.
"Hang on." Dean crossing the room.
"What?" Sam asks.
Dean grabs a map "Check this out. I marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now, these are the houses that have been hit so far and dead center?"
"The hospital." Sam says.
"The hospital. Now when we were there I saw a patient, an old woman." Dean says.
"An old person huh?" Sam asks.
"Yeah." Dean says.
"Just because she's old doesn't mean it's her." Lottie says.
"In a hospital? Phew." Sam shakes his head and sniggering "Better call the Coast Guard." Lottie laughs.
"Well listen, smart-ass, she had an inverted cross hanging on her wall." Dean says.
Sam and Lottie quickly looks up, serious. Dean raises an eyebrow at them.
|| Motel Night ||
The camera pans across the owners sons sleeping in twin beds, and onto the window. The Shtriga's arm appears and slides the window open.
|| Library ||
Sam and Lottie sit at a microfiche machine. He picks up his phone.
"Hey." Dean whispers.
"Hey. How's the kid?" Sam ask.
"He's not good. Where you at?" Dean asks.
"We're at the library, we've been trying to find out as much as we can about this Shtriga." Sam says.
"Yeah, what have you got?" Dean asks.
"Well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there?" Sam says.
"Yeah?" Dean asks.
"Same deal. Before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years it hits a new town. Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitzburgh. In all these other places it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the shtriga finally moves on. The kids just ... languish in comas and then they die." Sam says.
"How far back's this thing go?" Dean asks.
"Ah, I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called "Black River Falls" back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show... Whoa" Sam says.
"Crap." Lottie says.
"Sam? Doll?" Dean asks.
"Hold on... I'm looking at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the Doctors is Hydecker." Sam says.
"And?" Dean asks.
"And this picture was taken in 1893." Lottie says.
"You sure?" Dean asks.
"Yeah. Yeah absolutely." Sam says.
Dean hangs up and turns to watch Hydecker sitting on Asher's bed.
"Don't worry. Your son's in good hands. I'm going to take care of him." Hydecker tells Asher's mom.
Hydecker moves toward Dean standing in the doorway. Dean looks ready to slit his throat.
"So what's the CDC come up with so far?" Hydecker asks.
"Well, we're still working on a few theories. You'll know something as soon as we do." Dean says.
"Well, nothing's more important to me than these kids. Just let me know if I can help." Hydecker says.
"I'll do that." Dean says.
|| MOTEL ROOM ||
"We should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing. " Sam says.
Dean throws off his jacket, pacing agitatedly "That son of a bitch."
"I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there." Sam says.
"Yeah well, first of all, I'm not going to open fire in a freakin' pediatrics ward." Dean says.
"Good call." Lottie says.
"Second, wouldn't have done any good, because the bastard's bullet proof unless he's chowing down on something. And third, I wasn't packing, which is probably a really good thing cause I probably would have just burned a clip in him on principle alone." Dean says.
"You're getting wise in your old age Dean." Sam says.
"Damn right. Cause now I know how we're going to get it." Dean says.
"What do you mean?" Sam asks.
"Shtriga, works through siblings right?" Dean asks.
"Right." Sam says. "Yes." Lottie says.
"Well, last night..." Dean says.
"It went after Asher." Sam finishes.
"So I'm thinking tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael." Dean says.
"Well, we gotta get him outta here." Lottie says.
"No. No, that would blow the whole deal." Dean says.
"What?" Sam asks, Lottie looks at him confused.
"Yeah." Dean says.
"No, you're crazy. He's a child, no we have to find another way." Lottie says.
"You wanna use the kid as bait? Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question." Sam says.
"It's not out of the question Sam it's the only way. If this thing disappears it could be years before we get another chance." Dean says.
"Michael's a kid. And I'm not going to dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook." Sam says.
"Dad did not send me here to walk away." Dean says.
"Send YOU here? He didn't send you here -- he sent us here." Sam says.
"This isn't about you, Sam. I'm the one who screwed up, all right. It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me." Dean says.
"What are you saying, Dean? How is it your fault?" Sam asks.
"Dean. You've been hiding something from the get-go. Since when does Dad bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something getaway? Now talk to me, man. Tell me what's going on." Sam sighs.
"Fort Douglas, Wisconsin. It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls. Man, I needed to get some air." Dean says.
|| Flashback Motel Room ||
Young Dean sits watching TV. He turns it off and goes to the front door, looking back at Sammy asleep in the other room before he leaves, locking the door behind him. He plays arcade games in reception until the owner tells him they're closing for the night. "Kid. We're closing up." the owner says.
Returning to the room he sees a strange light coming from Sammy's room. He moves closer and sees the shtriga leaning over Sammy. Dean reaches for the rifle by the door but the shtriga hears him cock it and rears up hissing.
Dean hesitates, terrified. As he does John bursts through the front door, gun raised.
"Get out of the way!" John shouts.
Dean ducks and John shoots the shtriga multiple times with his handgun. The shtriga jumps through the bedroom window, glass shattering. John rushes to Sam's bed and pulls him close, cradling him.
"Sammy. Sammy. Sammy. You ok?" John asks.
Sammy confused and sleepy "Yeah Dad, what's going on?"
"You all right?" John asks. John holds Sammy close while turning to glare at Dean.
"What happened?" John asks,
"I -- I -- I just went out." Dean hesitates.
"What!?" John asks.
"Just for a second. I'm sorry." Dean says.
"I told you not to leave this room. I told you not to let him out of your sight!" John says.
Dean watches sadly as John cradles Sammy.
|| Flashback Over ||
"Dad just ... grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but by the time he got back to Fort Douglas the shtriga had disappeared, it was just gone. It never surfaced until now. You know, Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he...ah...he looked at me different, you know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, I almost got you killed." Dean says.
"You were just a kid." Sam says softly.
"Don't. Don't. Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it." Dean says.
"But using Michael -- I don't know Dean. I mean, how 'bout one of us hides under the covers, you know, we'll be the bait." Sam says.
"No, it won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed -- it'll see us. Believe me, I don't like it, but it's gotta be the kid." Dean says.
"I can give him a protection spell." Lottie looks up with watery eyes. "It was made by Ivory, it's powerful, I can make more if needed to, it's powerful when a mother makes them." Lottie says the boys nod their heads.
|| MOTEL ROOM ||
Dean had spoken to Micheal who didn't agree.
"Well, that went crappy. Now what?" Dean asks.
"What did you expect? You can't ask an adult to do something like that, much less a kid." Sam says.
There's a knock at the door. Dean opens it to see Michael.
"If you kill it, will Asher get better?" Micheal asks.
"Honestly? We don't know." Dean says.
"You said you were a big brother." Micheal says.
Dean nods "Yeah."
"You'd take care of your little brother? You'd do anything for him?" Michealnasks.
"Yeah, I would." Dean says.
"Me too. I'll help." Micheal agrees.
• • • •
"I'm giving you a protection spell charm, it'll protect you from it," Lottie tells Micheal.
"How?" Micheal asks.
"Well I created it, I had a baby boy not so long ago and he sadly passed away. I had made this for him but now I want you to use it." Lottie says.
"But it's your baby's," Micheal says.
"He's not here Micheal and you are, If I can take away what happened to me and his dad that night I will, So use it," Lottie says, Dean is behind the door listening.
"Wait you're a witch?" He asks.
"Yes, but my job is to keep the balance on earth, protect the people. Let me show you something." She places her hands over the bushes outside and they bloom beautiful red roses. Micheal smiles.
"That was cool." He says, she laughs and nods her head. "Thank you."
"No problem Micheal." She smiles. They went to his room and the brothers explained everything to him.
|| Motel Room ||
Sam, Dean and Lottie sit watching the security camera feed.
"What time is it?" Dean asks.
"Three. You sure these iron rounds are gonna work?" Sam asks.
"Consecrated iron rounds, and yeah it's what Dad used last time." Dean says.
"Hey Dean I'm sorry." Sam says.
"For what?" Dean asks.
"You know, I've really given you a lot of crap, for always following Dad's orders. But I know why you do it." Sam says.
"Oh, god, kill me now." Dean says, Lottie smacks him in the arm. Sam laughs softly. They sit in silence for a moment.
"Wait, look." Dean says. There is movement outside the window. It slides open. Sam and Dean pick up their guns. The shtriga is inside Micheal's room.
"Now?" Sam and Lottie ask.
"Not yet." Dean says. The shtriga moves closer and leans over the bed, Micheal is terrified but frozen, unable to move. The shtriga leans closer and opens his mouth, starting to draw Micheal's energy. The three burst in.
"Hey!" Sam says.
"Michael, down!" Lottie says.
Michael rolls off and under the bed and Sam and Dean open fire, shooting the shtriga multiple times each. It falls to the ground.
"Mike, you all right?" Dean asks.
"Get the charm now." Lottie says.
Micheal from under the bed says "Yeah."
"Just sit tight." Dean says, Lottie gets under the bed with Micheal and holds his hand.
Dean approaches the shtriga, gun at the ready. There is no movement. He relaxes slightly and glances at Sam. The shtriga suddenly rises, grabs Dean by the throat and throws him against the wall.
"Dean!" Sam says.
The shtriga moves and throws Sam to the wall, he hits the ground, and the shtriga comes on him and forces his mouth open. Sam struggles to reach his gun. The shtriga begins drawing his energy and Sam stills and starts going grey.
"Hey!" Dean says.
The shtriga looks up and Dean shoots it between the eyes. He falls backwards and Sam lies gasping for breath.
"You ok little brother?" Dean asks.
Sam nods and unsteadily holds up two thumbs-up. They both pull themselves to their feet and look to the shtriga. The energy the shtriga stole begins to escape from its mouth. Dean raises his gun, shooting it three more times at point blank range. More energy escapes. The shtriga falls in on itself, disintegrating.
Michael and Lottie peek from the side of the bed.
"It's ok, Michael, you can come on out." Dean says. Lottie comes out and helps Micheal.
Dean places his hand on Micheal's shoulder and smiles.
|| Motel ||
The three are packing the Impala ready to head out. Micheal's Mom comes out of the back of reception.
"Hey, Joanna. How's Asher doing?" Dean asks.
"Have you seen Michael?" She asks.
"Mom! Mom!" Micheal runs.
"Hey!" She hugs him.
"How's Ash?" Micheal asks.
"Got some good news. Your brother's gonna fine." Joanna says.
"Really?" Micheal grins.
"Yeah. Really. No one can explain it -- it's a miracle. They're going to keep him in overnight for observation and then he's coming home." She says.
"That's great." Dean says.
"That's good news." Lottie says.
"How are all the other kids doing?" Sam asks.
"Good. Real good. A bunch of them should be checking out in a few days. Dr. Travis says the ward's going to be like a ghost town." Sam says.
"Dr. Travis? What about Dr. Hydecker?" Sam asks.
"Oh he wasn't in today. Must have been sick or something." Joanna asks.
"Yeah. Yeah must have." Dean says.
"So, did anything happen while I was gone?" Joanna asks Micheal.
Micheal glancing at Dean and Lottie "Nah, same old stuff."
"Ok. You can go see Ash." Joanna says.
Micheal excited "Now?" Michael looks to Dean who nods slightly.
"Only if you want to." Joanna says. Micheal runs to the car. "I, ah, I'd better get going before he hotwires the car and drives himself." She laughs. Smiling goodbye, she leaves, Sam, Dean and Lottie turn back to the Impala.
"It's too bad." Sam says.
"Oh, they'll be fine." Dean says.
"Yeah, they will." Lottie smiles Micheal and her exchange a thumbs up.
"That's not what I meant. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark -- he'll never be the same, you know" Sam takes a pause "Sometimes I wish that..."
"What...?" Dean asks.
"I wish I could have that kinda innocence." Sam says. They watch at they drive away.
"If it means anything, sometimes I wish you could too." Dean says slowly.
"All I had to worry about was getting home to play with Vicki, Care, and Tyler." Lottie nods.
They exchange a look. Dean climbs in the car and starts the engine. Sam and Lottie follows and they pull out of the motel car park and back onto the freeway.
|| Words 3856 ||
It's my little sister's birthday happy birthday bish. Well hope you enjoy don't forget to vote, comment and share if you love. I'd appreciate thank you!
|| Updated December 14, 2019 ||