𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲

/ 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 /
XXX. Eight

—

                    "YOU BOYS PICKED A HELL OF a time to join up," Mr. Cooper pronounced as he walked over to his desk.

The Winchester siblings followed closely behind him as Sybil cleared her throat. The man looked down at the younger child, not even realizing she was there the whole time.

"Oh, hello, missy," Mr. Cooper greeted. "We haven't opened yet!"

"Uh, no, she's with us," Sam corrected, prompting Mr. Cooper to give the two men a look of disapproval.

Rather than lecturing the two, he continued with the conversation. "We got all types of local trouble."

Dean and Sam examined the office, realizing that there was one regular chair and one clown chair next to each other. Without hesitation, the two of them raced towards the regular chair. Dean sat triumphantly in the chair as Sam attempted to look for alternatives. Seeing that he had none, he finally sat in the clown chair. This interaction caused the young girl to laugh before sitting on Sam's lap.

"What do you mean," Dean asked, smirking at the fact that Sam sat in the clown chair.

"A couple of folks got themselves murdered. Cops always seem to start here first," Mr. Cooper explained, sighing at the tragedy. "I'm sure a little young lady isn't fit to hear sad stuff such as this."

"Don't worry! I'm used to it."

Mr. Cooper raised an eyebrow at the two, his disapproval revealing itself once again. This induced Dean to chuckle awkwardly before stating that she watched too many actions and thriller movies behind their backs. Clearing his throat, Mr. Cooper continued.

"So, you two ever work the circuit before?"

—

                    AS SAM AND DEAN PICKED UP trash encompassing the carnival, Sybil roamed around, playing games or going on rides. She learned that because of a thing called child labor, she isn't allowed to have a job. She, however, didn't mind if it meant playing at a carnival all day long.

As she strolled by the funhouse, she sensed an eerie presence that produced the hairs on the back of her neck to stand. Turning over her shoulder, she stared at this creepy looking clown who was peering right back at her. Sybil glanced at her surroundings to ensure that he was watching her, and he was.

Feeling the need to confront the disturbing clown, a hand clutches her shoulder, causing her to gasp and launch her cotton candy at the assailant. Finally realizing who it was, she let out a sigh of relief. 

"Why'd you scare me like that," Sybil exhaled.

Sam chuckled. "Sorry, bubs. I didn't mean to."

"Whatever. Aren't you suppose to be picking up trash?"

"I wanted to check this place out," Sam admitted. "What were you staring at earlier?"

Sybil thought about telling Sam but ultimately decided not to. Maybe it wasn't the killer clown. A lot of people at this carnival were freaks anyways.

"Nothing," Sybil answered, earning a look from Sam. "I was just thinking about how everything would be if we were normal."

Sam's face softened. He couldn't help but feel bad for his sister. Crouching down to her eye level, he smiled at her softly. "Why don't we check out this funhouse together?"

Sybil nodded in excitement. "Okay!"

Entering the funhouse, they were immediately greeted by a couple of kids giggling and squealing. Sam jumped, making Sybil laugh into her hand. After a couple of twists and turns, the two siblings somehow got separated. 

Not thinking much of it, Sam proceeded to sweep the place with his EMF. Right as he was inspecting a small skeleton that hung on the wall, Sybil came out of hiding and yelled. Sam let out a gasp, dropping his EMF.

Sybil burst into laughter, unable to stop. Sam put his hand on his chest, breathing heavily. Realizing it was just his little sister, he gave her a stern look before laughing himself. The two made their way out of the funhouse to contact Dean. 

"What'd he say," Sybil asked, looking up at her brother.

"He says he's on his way to us."

Sybil just nodded as the two of them began to play the waiting game. After what seemed to be almost twenty minutes, Dean finally made an appearance. 

"There you are," Sybil emitted. 

Sam walked toward the eldest Winchester with his hands up. "What took you so long?"

"Long story," Dean explained. 

Before he could continue, a girl around Sybil's age grabbed their attention as she talked about a clown that had disappeared. The three of them looked at each other, realizing that the little girl was the clown's next target. 

—

                    SAM SLID THE DOOR TO THE minivan shut as he threw his bag over his shoulder. Dean was gathering both his and Sybil's stuff as Sam confronted him. 

"You really think they saw our plates?"

Dean looked at his younger brother before slamming the trunk door. "I don't want to take the chance. Besides, I hate this freaking thing anyway."

The three of them trod on the empty road, lugging their bags along. Sybil grew weary of the weight of her spellbook, so she muttered a spell that made it significantly lighter.

"Well, one thing's for sure," Dean began. "We're not dealing with a spirit."

"I knew that going to that girl's house was a bad idea," Sybil muttered.

Dean and Sam looked over their shoulders to face Sybil.

"What do you mean by that," Dean challenged, an eyebrow perked in curiosity.

"We thought it was going to be a spirit when I couldn't feel a spirit," Sybil elaborated. "I felt something else instead."

The three of them stopped in their tracks. Sam came to a realization of what the young girl was staring at earlier.

"You saw the clown, didn't you."

Sybil remained quiet as Dean became enraged.

"Dammit, Sybs. What if the clown got to you instead? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't say anything because I didn't think that that was what we're looking for. I thought it was just some creepy guy!"

"Dean," Sam interfered, "she's only seven. Calm down."

"Eight," Sybil corrected. "I'm eight."

The two brothers looked down at her, shock across their faces.

"Why didn't you say anything," Sam searched, feeling guilty for not celebrating her birthday.

Sybil just shrugged. "What's the point if I don't even have a dad to celebrate it with?"

With that, Sybil continued up the road before her brothers followed after her.

—

                    AS THE CARNIVAL WAS CLOSING UP, the three siblings split up to try and find the serial clown killer. The original plan was to have Sybil accompany either Sam or Dean, but she wanted nothing to do with them at the moment. So, while Sam and Dean went to Mr. Cooper and Barry's room, Sybil wandered the empty carnival.

You know you're going to give in to me.

Sybil jumped and frantically scanned her surroundings. Unable to see anyone nearby, she growled, "where are you?"

Oh, Darling. Don't you know? I'm in your head.

"Well, get out of it then!"

It's not that simple. I need to make sure you're on the right track.

"Right track? Right track for what?"

For my masterplan. For when you become my ultimate weapon. For when you give in to me.

"NO!"

Right as Sybil screamed, Dean tumbled out of Barry's trailer, bumping into Sybil.

"Sybil, what are you—"

As he looked down, he could tell she was in distress, but he didn't have time to question it. Instead, he just picked her up and ran as far away from the trailer as he could before meeting with Sam.

Sam explained how Mr. Cooper isn't the man or creature they were looking for. Dean revealed that it was the blind guy, Barry, and how he wasn't able to obtain any of the blades.

"What happened with Sybil," Sam asked.

Dean looked at the young girl in his arms before shrugging. "I don't know. When I ran out of Barry's trailer, Sybil was outside crying."

Sam looked at Sybil with concern in his eyes. "Sybil, what happened?"

Sybil remained quiet, inducing the boys to change the topic. This wasn't the time and place to have a heart-to-heart. Sam exhaled sharply before turning his attention back to Dean.

"I have an idea."

The three of them walked into the funhouse with Sam leading. The moment Sam entered another room, the door closed, separating Sam from his siblings. 

"Sam!"

"Dean! Find the maze, okay?"

Dean studied the different paths and doorways that were in front of him. After deciding which direction he was going to go, he looked down at his younger sister. "C'mon, Sybs. Hold my hand."

Without protest, Sybil grabbed her eldest brother's hand and followed him throughout the funhouse. After walking around for a few minutes, they eventually bumped into Sam, who was trying to rip off the brass pipes from an organ. 

"Hey," Dean called out, grabbing Sam's attention. 

Sam looked up from the instrument. "Hey, did you find it?"

As the two conversed, Sybil could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. It was the same feeling she felt when she first saw the clown. She looked at her two brothers. 

"It's here."

Before either one could respond, a series of knives were thrown at Dean, restraining him onto the wall. Sam finally tore the brass pipe of the instrument and inched toward the origin of the blades. Sybil followed closely behind only for a knife to be thrown at her level. 

"Sybil, no," Dean cried, pushing his hardest to be set free. 

Sybil gasped as the knife stopped an inch away from between her eyebrows. A tear rolled down her cheek as she slowly turned the knife in the opposite direction and launched it back where it came from. A groan was heard from a distance, grabbing Sam's attention.

"Dean, where is it," Sam exclaimed, growing angry at the man. 

"I don't know," Dean groaned. 

He looked up, seeing a lever that activated the steam in the funhouse. Pulling it downward, the amount of steam pouring into the room increased, revealing Barry's hidden figure. 

"Sam! Behind you!"

Sam stabbed the air behind him with the pipe, penetrating Barry's stomach. Sam turned around and twisted the tube deeper into his lower abdomen before he just disappeared. Dean was finally able to free himself from the knives that restrained him and pulled Sybil into a hug. 

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Sybil didn't respond. Instead, she cried, gripping onto Dean as if her life depended on it. Dean looked up at Sam. 

"I hate funhouses."

—

                    THE WINCHESTERS WERE BACK AT HARVELLE'S roadhouse. Ellen placed two bottled beers and a cupcake with a candle in front of the Winchesters. The young girl furrowed her eyebrows.

"What's this for?"

Ellen leaned over the counter. "Two little birdies told me that it was your eighth birthday a couple of days ago."

"It's not a big deal," Sybil whispered, slightly embarrassed that she was given a cupcake at a hunter's pub. 

Jo laughed slightly. "Uh, yes, it's a big deal! Your two years away from reaching double digits."

"C'mon," Dean chimed, using his lighter to light the cupcake. "We'll save you the embarrassment of singing you happy birthday with people around. Just go on and make a wish."

Sybil stared at the cupcake for a couple of minutes before closing her eyes and blowing out the candle. Everyone cheered and giving the young girl hugs. 

"What'd you wish for," Ellen asked. 

Sybil beamed. "For everything to just stay like this."

Everyone looked at the girl, feeling guilty that this was the life that was given her. Feeling the vibe everyone was giving off, Sybil just smiled her gummy smile. 

"Thanks for the cupcake, Ellen!"

Ellen just smiled back. "Happy Birthday, kiddo."

Ah, young dreams. So cute and naive. You know that'll never come true. Don't you?

—

Thank you so much for reading! The next chapter will be up after I get home from work!