PART 3: The Line Between
She had said
Debating about his next course of action, he settled on driving towards the southern state hoping that maybe just once luck would be on his side. As the sun began to set on the horizon he decided he should probably stop and take a nap. After getting a hotel room and grabbing his duffle bag from the trunk he walked into the room suddenly crumpling as his head began to pound. Drawing in a hissing breath he forced himself to stand grappling haphazardly for something, anything that would help him regain his balance. The pain began to ebb and he felt able to breathe again, but the relief was only short-lived as another crippling wave of pain struck slicing deeply into his skull projecting an image of a dirt-covered floor and the eerie sounds of incessant whispering off in the distance.
Shaking his head he tried to clear his mind of the image, confused and afraid of what it might mean. When he opened his eyes it was only to see pitch blackness before him and nothing else. He nearly panicked again reaching for something, anything that would stay him. His hand struck something hard and he automatically lowered over it waiting out the pain, panting as it began to subside. As it abated he forced his eyes open again relieved to see the faint outlines of a table and chair in the fading light before him. He could see. He wasn’t blind. Thank God he wasn’t blind…but someone was, and he couldn’t help but feel that someone was his very own brother.
Reaching for the lamp on the table he shook his head again unable to ignore the memories of the dirt floor, the pitch blackness and the unsettling whispers he had heard while experiencing his most recent vision. He hadn’t had them in so very long that he had almost forgotten what one felt like. He was afraid of what the sudden return of them could possibly mean. His visions were back but this time they were apparently connecting him to his very own brother, or so he hoped. If not then just who the hell was he tuned into this time?
Shrugging quickly out of his coat he decided to head for the shower halting when his phone began to ring. He picked up immediately beginning to say Dean’s name before catching himself and saying hello instead. Bobby was on the other end asking where the hell he was and where the hell he had been. He had been trying to call him all evening.
“I must have had my phone turned off. Sorry Bobby. I’m in
“
“Following a lead…”
“The bar, they saw him?”
“Have his cell phone right here, Bobby. One of the waitresses said he came in a few weeks ago, battered and nervous, acting like he was trying to get away from something. She saw him in the parking lot speaking with a group of men. He disappeared again shortly after that. The only thing left behind was his cell phone lying on the ground where she’d seen him standing moments before.”
“Damn! She tell you anything else?”
“
“So you hopped in the Impala dead set on driving to
“Aren’t they all, Bobby?”
“Well yeah but…”
“That’s not all I…I had another of those visions.”
“Thought they stopped?”
“They had. I haven’t had any since before Dean… I haven’t had any in months then tonight I get hit with one.”
“Well’d you see anybody, anything?”
“I think I saw Dean.”
“WHAT?”
“Or rather where he’s being kept… I saw a dirt floor Bobby, heard some freaky whispers and then…blackness.”
“What the hell kind of a vision is that? How’s that supposed to be a vision of Dean?”
“I don’t know but it felt like…I don’t know Bobby, like he was there, his presence you know and well… I don’t know.”
“So you’re headed to
“No Bobby, in fact, I’m beginning to suspect that Dean’s not
in
“Then why’re you heading there, Sam?”
“He might have been, but he might’ve been moved again.”
“Moved again? Sam you’re getting all hopeful when there’s…”
“The place was cold
Bobby, cold and damp, dark, dreary…that’s not
“Back to your vision being a connection to your brother?”
“Well, why else would I be having them again after so long?”
“I don’t know, Sam, but you know where those visions came from, where that ability came from. I wouldn’t trust it. It could be bad news, and you’re no good to Dean if something happens to you.”
“I know, Bobby, I know and I’ll be careful.”
“You’ll be dead!”
“Bobby, I’m fine. I’m driving to
“And then…?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll just keep hoping something turns up.”
“Maybe you should start praying again too, while you’re at it, Sam.”
“Already started, Bobby, I already started…”
“Good to know you found your faith again.”
“Not in angels…”
Bobby’s voice took on a warning tone as he spoke, “Sam…”
Tensing Sam reacted to the warning by replying, “Look Castiel should be helping us find Dean. Instead we’ve heard nothing, Bobby, nothing. He should have found Dean already and let us know…something.”
“Sam angels aren’t all knowing, you know. There’s only one who is. They’re warriors, guardians…they do what they can and when they can’t they…”
“Bail…?”
“No they do what they can.”
“Yeah, what’s Castiel doing while Dean’s in trouble? Nothing…”
“Maybe he’s doing all he can right now, maybe he’s with Dean as we speak, maybe he has a plan. Don’t criticize him when you don’t know everything, Sam, just keep going and when he decides to show his divine ass he will.”
“Yeah, thanks Bobby, thanks a lot.”
“Sure. Now you get some sleep. You have a brother to find.”
Nodding into the phone Sam said goodbye before opting to lie down instead of shower, within moments of his head hitting the pillow he was fast asleep.
* * * *
He could hear her approach, had actually been waiting for her knowing it would only be a matter of time before she visited him again. When she stopped beside him he didn’t react only continued to gaze longingly out the small window that became a comfort to him, only today it wasn’t.
She glanced out of the window herself softly saying, “No kids today. It’s raining out, Dean. They’ll be back tomorrow. You’ll see.”
Sadness swirled around him hovering like a dark cloud, the blank expression back, his head lowered towards the floor, fingers lightly brushing the very edge of the window sill. She swallowed hard her pain for him becoming apparent in the tightness of her chest. She had felt she was making progress with him…until now. Now he was back in his shell the sadness mounting in him nearly overwhelming. She forced a smile as she spoke again, “They’ll be back. You’ll see. I promise you they’ll be back, Dean.”
He lifted his head ever so slightly turning towards her, but did nothing else. She waited hoping to get more of a reaction from him, disappointed when she didn’t. She wanted to reach out to him feeling the overwhelming urge to brush a hand through his hair, to guide him to the bed and urge him to seek much needed rest. Instead she cleared her throat and quietly asked, “Won’t you please tell me about Sam?”
The briefest of smiles tinged his lips before he shook his head and retreated into the nearest corner, his arms now drawn protectively across his chest as he lowered his head and slid to the floor.
As tears pierced her eyes she quickly dashed them away before approaching him and lowering before him. She tugged at his left arm wanting to hold his hand in hers, but when he refused to budge she chose to place her own hand on his left leg offering him what little she could in the way of comfort. Her reaction drew more movement from him as he settled further into the corner, lifting his head as he offered her a despairing look, his eyes brimming as he fought to maintain control over his now floundering emotions. She softened her voice as she said, “It’s not your fault, Dean.”
Jerking his head up, he stared at her in shock before nodding his head then drawing further back from her. She swallowed hard forcing herself to draw in a calming breath before stating, “You blame yourself though. Don’t you?”
He tightly squeezed his eyes shut hearing the sharp demand of “Where is he, Dean?” echoing in his mind. Tensing he began to draw in haggard breaths as he re-experienced the physical blow that proceeded the question. He cowered now covering his face as the next statement seared his mind, “Tell me where he is, boy!”
“No, no, no…” he whispered so softly, so quietly his words were barely audible but Eleanor heard the slightest noise escaping Dean’s now parted lips, whispers so quiet she had sworn she was only imagining them. As Dean released a tense whimper she immediately called his name aware that he was experiencing a flashback, one that from the looks of it was causing him quite a bit of anguish. She had to get him back, had to draw his attention or she just might lose him.
Slowly opening his eyes he gazed around him wildly nearly panicking as blackness filled his vision. He tried to see where he was, tried reaching out, grabbing for something, anything but his arms wouldn’t move. It was as if they were presently immobile and the inability to move them nearly pushed him over the edge. He heard voices then, whispers, thousands of whispers crashing down around him confusing him, tormenting him, making him open his mouth to cry out but as he did so he again realized there was no sound. He couldn’t speak and nearly tumbled into an all out panic.
He kicked out grunting as his foot struck a solid mass, confusing him further as he tried to recall just what in his room would be there. He tried to twist onto his back, hissing in pain as the movement sent momentary dead nerve endings to life. His body beginning to flood with the pins and needles sensation that indicated numb nerves awakening once more. The pain made him groan deep in his throat.
Managing to turn onto his stomach he jolted violently away from the floor as the overpowering scent of damp earth swamped his senses, burning his nose and triggering a spasm of coughing as he inhaled some of the dust in the small room. As the spasm subsided he heard laughter, ice cold laughter that sent every hair on the back of his neck standing on end. The laughter became loud, piercing into his fog-laden mind, digging at the barriers set in place around him threatening to pull away a veil he feared being removed. He tried to fight struggling to cover his ears as the laughter grew more sinister ripping and tearing into him threatening to shred him into pieces. As he opened his mouth to release a scream of outright terror he stumbled grunting as he fell back against a solid wall hearing her voice again as she spoke his name. Forcing his eyes to open he began to relax when he saw her there and recognized the room he was in. He was back and he was safe, for the moment he was safe.
Next:
PART 4: DRIFTING
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