Sam and Samuel's journey in spititland Chapter 5 (5/5)
Chapter 5
Night was falling. The bus was mostly empty and Ruby and the puppy were asleep, the little girl drooling on Sam’s lap. He gently shook her awake when the driver stopped and announced they were at the Roadhouse stop. It was just the start of a path, with an old rusty sign where you could barely read anything anymore. Sam kept his eyes on the bus as it drove away, not so sure anymore if his idea had been a good one. They were alone with the sounds of the frogs and the soft hoot of an owl and the path of the Roadhouse led to a dark forest. Ruby crowded next to Sam and he took her hand in his. They stayed there a moment, looking at the wood, and then Sam straightened himself. “Nothing’s gonna happen,” he murmured as he started walking.
Nothing happened. They crossed the wood, breathing easier when they got out of it and could see a house at the end of the road. Light was coming from the windows and the name Roadhouse was painted in bold letters on a sign over the door. Two beat up cars were parked on the side and a broom rested on the wall next to the door. Stopping in front of it, Sam hesitated, not knowing if he should knock or not. His dilemma was resolved when the door opened to reveal Ellen Harvelle. Sam stuttered some words and he felt Ruby and the puppy hide behind him but the witch just smiled. “It’s okay kid, I’m not going to eat you. Or your young charges. Come on in y’all, we don’t want you to catch a cold.”
They went inside, following Ellen Harvelle through the bar and into her own kitchen. It was a bar like any other bar Sam had seen his father walk into. Tables, pool tables, dart board, jukebox, the few patrons barely glanced at them and kept drinking their beers. The kitchen was homier, golden yellow walls, a door leading to a garden, some kids drawing and notes on the fridge. The witch made them sit down at the table and produced a large plate of fries. Ruby went all starry eyes and squealed in delight when Ellen Harvelle put ketchup and drinks on the table. Sam looked as the little girl emptied the ketchup in a small dish and attacked the fries, only tearing his eyes away when the witch sat next to him.
“Err… ma’am…”
“It’s Ellen, kid. You’re not hungry?” Sam looked at the fries. He was hungry now, but he had something else to do. Putting the seal on the table, he pushed it toward Ellen.
“I came to bring you this.” The witch put her hand on her seal, gently stroking it.
“That’s really nice of you, kid. Wasn’t it too hard? Uncomfortable?” Sam frowned and looked at the small gold stick.
“No… is it about the worm that was attached to it? I stomped on it.”
“Black worm? Stomped…?” Ellen burst into laughter. Sam, Ruby and the puppy, who had been gnawing at a fries, all jumped at the sound.
Ellen laughed and laughed, her laughter so loud at one point that the lamp above them and the bottle on the table started to shake. When she calmed down, she wiped her eyes and patted Sam shoulder. “Kid, the worm, that was Crowley’s doing. Something to keep that friend of yours in line. You did by yourself what you came to ask me. Now eat or your little friend won’t leave you anything.” The little girl had two fries in her ketchup-covered mouth and some other in her hand. Sam smiled and picked some fries.
“Will you turn them back?”
“The spell is already broken; they can turn back if that’s what they want.” But Ruby wasn’t paying attention, feeding the pup instead.
When they finished the fries, Ellen brought out an apple pie. The sight of it made Sam’s insides squeeze. Dean loved pie. When he was in the mood, his father often joked that pie had been Dean’s first word. The first mouthful almost made him weet and he found himself babbling his story while Ruby picked at her slice and Ellen sipped a beer. When he was finished, the witch cast a quick look at Ruby now sitting on the ground and sleepily playing with the puppy before speaking. “Crowley is a damn s.o.b. if you want my opinion. He’s been trying for years to buy my land. Better magic wave or something. What a dick. His place would have better mojo too if he stopped doing such dark stuff. But even if he’s doing funny business, I can’t intervene. That’s the goddamn rule ‘round here and I’m sorry I can’t do anything to help your family. But I’m sure you’ll end up saving them, I have faith in you, kid.” Sam nodded sadly, collecting the crumbs from his slice of pie with his finger.
“A penny for your thoughts.” Ellen was smiling at him and Sam had the feeling his mom would have smiled at him like that too.
“It’s Cas… I feel like I know him, like we already met long before I came here… but I can’t remember.”
“Everything that happens to us is carved inside us. The both of you can’t remember where you first met right now, but it will come back.” The witch gave Sam a one armed hug and the teen smiled softly. On the other side of the table, Ruby had stood up and looked at them with sulky eyes. “I think it’s time to give this little one a wash. Would you mind tidying the table for me?” asked Ellen as she stood up and guided Ruby to the sink. Sam was cleaning the table with a sponge, Ruby playing with the pup again in a corner of the room when Ellen turned toward the door leading to the garden. “Seems like your ride is here.” she announced and Sam frowned at her. The witch smirked and opened the door.
Tail switching back and forth, Cas was waiting outside. Sam ran to hug him. “You’re here, you’re healed. Cas, I’m so happy…” The angel purred, rubbing his face against Sam’s head before stilling. Sam turned around and saw Cas fixing Ellen with an apprehensive look. The witch just smiled and walked closer
“Angel, I hope you’ve learned a thing or two from stealing a witch, don’t you?” Cas looked down. “You have a good heart. You’ll find your way back,” added Ellen, softly scratching the angel behind an ear. The angel leaned hesitantly under the touch and looked warily at Ruby standing near Ellen’s leg. The little girl looked back at him and Cas shook himself and flapped his wings. He bumped into Sam then, silently asking him to climb on his back. “Seems like it’s time to go,” said Ellen. “But before you leave, I’ve got something for you.” Sam stepped away from Cas and closer to the witch. She passed a necklace over his head, letting a small golden horned head rest on his torso. Sam fingered it, feeling it smooth and warm. “It’s a simple amulet, not really powerful, more like a lucky charm.” The teen looked up and suddenly hugged Ellen. The witch laughed and petted his hair.
“I’m Sam by the way, Samuel Winchester.”
“Well Sam, it had been a real pleasure.” Sam stepped back with a smile and trotted to Cas, climbing carefully on his back. The angel then pointed at Ruby who shook her head no. It took some coaxing but Ruby had finally climbed behind Sam, the puppy secured between them and, as Sam waved at Ellen, Cas reared back and ran. When he had picked enough speed, he spread his wings, flapped his wings once, twice and took off.
* * *
They were high in the sky, basking in the almost full moon light, the wind lashing at their faces. The stars were shining above them and they could see the earth beneath them, all small houses and thin roads. It was then that Sam felt it again, this strange sensation of déjà-vu. Memories flooded his mind. The house in fire, the screams, his screams, his father pushing him to Dean, his brother lifting him, carrying him outside. And suddenly, Cas’ face above Dean’s shoulder, scooping them up in his arms and flying them to the street away from the house. He had surrounded them with his wings, shielding them from the explosion, and then disappeared. No one had believed Sam when he talked about the angel that had saved him and his brother. Doctors talked about coping mechanisms. His father and brother looked at him with eyes full of anger and sadness every time he talked about it. Only Missouri, who had taken them in, had accepted it, showing him books and books about angels. Sam had looked through them until he had found his own.
Sam felt tears gather in his eyes and he tightened his hold on Cas. He had found him again. “Cas? I remember Cas. I remember. Our house was on fire, my mom died but you saved us, my brother and me, took us away from the fire and the explosion. You saved us. And I remember your name now. It’s Castiel! Castiel!” Sam felt Castiel freeze then. The angel’s fur shone brightly and scattered away revealing Cas in his human form. It was so sudden that Sam didn’t realize he wasn’t holding his friend anymore immediately. But Ruby let go of him with a gasp and Sam took in that they were falling. “Castiel” yelled Sam, and it seemed enough to wake up the angel.
Wings appeared on his back and Cas flapped them, pirouetting and catching Sam by the waist, turning him around so that the teen could put his arms around his neck. The teen exhaled and looked for Ruby but the little girl seemed fine, flying on her own. She stuck her tongue out and cradled the yipping puppy closer to her chest. Cas’ soft laugh caught Sam attention and he looked up at the angel. “She is a witch too Sam. She was just being lazy and wanting attention.” Sam snorted and held tighter onto Cas, looking at the stars above him. “Sam?” murmured the angel and the teen hummed softly. “Thank you, for reminding me of my name.”
“You’re welcome Cas, it’s what friends are for, isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry for your mother… she prayed for you to be saved, that’s why I was sent. But I wasn’t able to go back in time to save her too.”
“It’s okay Cas.”
“I felt so powerless, so angry and lost…”
“Cas?”
“I went to Crowley. I had heard that he was powerful and I thought I could learn more and…” Sam put a hand on Castiel’s face to make him look at him and smiled
“Cas, really, it’s okay. ‘s not your fault. I miss her, a lot, and I wish she was still alive but it’s not your fault.” Cas stayed silent, just looked at Sam with eyes full of sadness. The teen smiled a little bit more and the angel finally smiled too. It was the moment Ruby choose to bump into them before speeding up. Encouraged by Sam, Cas gave her chase and they pirouetted into the sky as it was getting lighter.
* * *
It was bright morning when they landed. They set down before the bridge, Crowley standing on the other side in front of two lines of bears. Sam took a sharp breath as he watched the animals but looked away when Ruby started running toward her father. The latter first looked at her with disgust before realizing who she was and took her in his arm. The little girl chose this moment to turn back to her fully grown form and almost sent the falling to the floor. Crowley managed to stay upright but the puppy had charged after his mistress and turned back too, becoming invisible once again. And big, and so father and daughter hit the ground quite violently. Laughter erupted and Sam looked at the employees massed on either side of the bears and waved at Jo before focusing again on the bears.
“When I woke up at Bobby’s, Crowley was here, searching for Ruby. I swore to bring her back if he promised to free you and your family,” said Cas next to Sam.
“And that’s what I’m going to do,” interrupted Crowley now standing up slightly ruffled. “But only if you pass this little test,” he added wriggling his finger in direction of the bears. Sam felt Cas tense beside him and put a hand on his friend’s arm. “Oh, you thought I’d let him go so easily? My dear Cas tt-tt… I fix the rules around here.” Sam sighed and, after smiling at Castiel, walked up to Crowley and looked at him in his eyes. His boss smirked and held up a piece of paper. “This is your contract. Now, all you have to do is find your brother and father and you’re all free. It should be really easy so you only have one chance. And if you lose, well…” Sam clenched his teeth and turned to the bears.
He looked at each animal carefully, and then once again. They all looked almost the same but he knew he could recognize his brother and father. Ellen had said that everything that happened to us was carved inside us and he had remembered Castiel in the end, hadn’t he? If his family was here, he should know, but he felt nothing. Where were… Sam turned to Crowley. “They’re not here.” Crowley raised an eyebrow.
“Is that your final answer??”
“Yes,” said Sam without hesitation. The contract exploded like a firecracker then, all the bears turning back into employees that cheered and applauded with the rest of them. Even Ruby clapped her hands lazily while her father looked livid. Sam waved and smiled at them, running to Cas. The angel started running too, leading Sam down the stairs to the main street of the village. “Your father and brother have already left, they are waiting for you further away,” said the angel as they sprinted down the street.
They stopped at the top of the last stairway. There wasn’t water anymore; it was just the meadow Sam had crossed when he had first arrived. It looked peaceful, the wind drawing patterns on the grass. Squinting his eyes, he could even see the backs of his brother and father walking away. Sam looked at Cas, a big smile on his face and his friend smiled back at him.
“I can’t go any further.” Sam lost his smile and opened his mouth but Cas stopped him. “I still have matters to take care of here. But we will see each other again.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” They stayed immobile for a moment before looking back at the meadow. “There is one more thing before you go.” Cas voice was a soft murmur. “Until you cross the tunnel, you can’t look back.”
“Like Orpheus?” Castiel smiled and nodded.
“I am sure you will be wiser than him.” Sam laughed softly and brushed his hair back behind an ear. “I think you humans shake hands in this kind of situation.” Sam looked at Cas and then at the hand his friend extended toward him and bypassed it to hug him. Stepping back, he smiled at Cas one last time and turned, fixing his eyes in front of him and going down the stair.
He stayed focused, crossing the dry riverbed, following the path in the meadow and then… “Sammy!” Sam looked up at Dean. He was waiting with their father next to the tree tunnel. Sam jogged and almost bumped into Dean. He looked at them, his brother, his father. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Dean punched him in the shoulder, bringing him back to reality. “Hey Sammy, back with us again? Did you fall asleep or something?” Sam frowned at his mocking brother but said nothing. He suddenly felt like it had been just a dream and he almost turned his head to look behind. He stopped himself when Dean called again. Their father was already walking into the tunnel, Dean right behind him and Sam sprinted to catch them up. “Watch out, Sammy,” hissed his brother when he almost ran into him. Sam stayed close to his big brother and, when they walked out of the tunnel, it felt like going out of the water.
“The car!” yelled his father, immediately echoed by Dean who ran to the vehicle. Sam looked around him. The Impala was covered by dust and dead leaves and the grass was much taller than when they had left. The trees’ foliage looked thicker and the forest itself denser.
The darkness of the tree tunnel shocked him when he turned around and he raised his hand to the amulet Ellen gave him. He could feel it in his hand and the reality of it made him breathe easier. The rumble of the Impala at his back startled him and he ran to it when Dean yelled another “Sammy!” Sitting in the middle of the back seat he looked at the tunnel disappearing as his dad made his way back in reverse. He slumped on the side when they were finally back on the road, looking at nothing. He heard Dean asking him something, concern in his voice, surely if he was fine. He nodded vaguely, batting away the hand that mussed his hair and opened the window. The wind on his face reminded him of flying and he closed his eyes.
“We will see each other again.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
The End
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