Al Nightmare Long Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
"Here. It's this one" Sam pointed to a small mausoleum. "He should be in there"
Dean shouldered his shovel. "Well, our lives just got a whole lot easier. No digging"
"Small mercies" Sam walked up to the chained gate. "Let's just make sure he's in here"
Dean picked the lock, though it took time and effort, the old padlock was rusted and uncooperative.
It took both hunters to tug the gate open, the loud screech setting their teeth on edge.
The mausoleum was dark and filled with sticky old spider webs that clung to anything that came within inches of them, coating Sam's hair as he near brushed against the ceiling.
Both men had their flashlights out, searching the plaques in the walls and on the free standing marble coffins.
"This one. Found him"
Dean rushed to his brother who was standing beside a pale grey marble coffin, its intricate carvings now covered in dust and webs, the mummified bodies of beetles and small birds cluttering the edges and head piece.
Together they prized the top off to find the dusty, rag coved skeleton of Simon Bradmere.
"Bit of a runt, wasn't he?" Dean looked at the small frame. "Can't have been more than four and a half feet tall. You sure this is him?"
Sam shone his light over the name plaque. "Yeah. Dates are right. It's him."
His bones so brittle, his clothes not more than pieces of tinder dry rags, he burned brightly and quickly.
The Winchesters stood by the coffin until he was finished, then poured holy water over the ash before sliding the lid back in place.
"One down" Dean sighed as he turned to leave. "Let's hope Daniel is as easy to put to rest"
"Jinxing us much there, Dean?"
"No, no, not at all. Just hoping. You never know, this could be the end. I mean, after tomorrow"
"Yeah. Well. Let's see"
"So, um, no one slept?"
Mark shook his head. "We all stayed up all night. I think, even after the funeral, that we're gonna have trouble sleeping. I mean, wouldn't you?"
Sam nodded. "I hear yah" He stepped back as more family entered the church. "I'm going to go sit with my brother"
Mark nodded. "Yeah. My mom is waving at me to come and sit. Dude, really, thanks again. This coulda been my funeral" the boy turned and walked over to his mother as Sam took a seat beside his brother on the last pew at the back of the funeral home.
"Funerals. Dude. This is something I don't really care if I don't do again"
"Right with you there, Dean. Just pretend it's an elaborate salt and burn"
Music started and the low hush of vices stilled.
Alison entered, holding her little sister's hand tightly, a lace handkerchief in the other as she gently dabbed her eyes.
Her parents followed close behind, and then the coffin, covered in white flowers, was wheeled behind them.
The service was mercifully brief and non religious, and as the crematorium was on site the coffin was wheeled away as they lowered their heads in a silent prayer.
Afterwards Alison found Dean in the crowd at the front, standing under a blossom tree, his hair already covered in soft, misty pink petals.
She walked up to him and brushed them aside, feeling a tight stab in her stomach as she did so.
She liked this man. He was nice.
Protective.
Strong.
And really good looking.
"Is this it? Is it over?" she asked.
Dean looked down on her, noting for the first time how she had a line of blonde hair at her part, the sun highlighting the difference in her natural color and the bright red she'd chosen to honor her brother.
"Dunno. Yeah. Should be. Sam and me, we took care of the, ah, the other one. Earlier today. So, yeah, we're thinking this is it"
Alison sighed. "I can't believe it was my brother. This is so, you know…just…" she waived her hand, searching for the perfect word but coming up empty.
"Yeah. I know"
"So, what now? We just go back to our normal lives and you and your brother take off after the next restless spirit?"
Dean gave her a gentle smile. "Something like that. We'll hang around for another night, just to be sure, but, yeah, then we're off again"
Alison nodded. "Well, it's going to be a nightmare at my house. Relatives, casseroles, home videos. If you want, we could, maybe, grab something to eat tomorrow? Before you leave?"
Dean touched her arm before letting his hand fall. "Yeah. We could. I'd like that, Alison"
She smiled at him and nodded, then turned and walked back to her family.
Sam walked over and smiled at him.
"What?"
"You look like you're wearing candy floss" he pointed to Dean's fresh coating of blossoms.
Dean wiped at his head and realized he's been talking to the girl while wearing the soft pink adornments.
"Stop grinning. You look like an idiot. This is a funeral" Dean turned and stormed off to the car.
"So, it's over? We can sleep?"
Jason looked over at Amanda and nodded. "I think so. I think those guys took care of everything. And they were like, they knew everything. So, yeah, it's over"
Mark leaned back against the kitchen bench. The four remaining teens were in the kitchen at Daniel's house, the wake was slowly drawing to a close.
"I don't think I'll ever sleep properly again. Well, at least not for a while" Shell ran a hand through her hair. "But I am sooo tired. And, you know, not just sleep tired. You know what I'm saying?"
Mark nodded. "We lost four friends this week. And I nearly died. So, yeah, we know what you mean"
Amanda looked up as her mom leaned in the kitchen door. "Okay, guys. Gotta blaze. Talk tomorrow, 'kay?"
The grass was longish, covering her shoes as she walked.
The trail was over grown, hard to see. She could only tell the way to go as there were no flowers on the green path, though they thickly lined either side.
It was so pretty, the leaves were turning like it was fall, but all the wild flowers were blooming like it was spring.
She walked for a while, enjoying the feel of the sun on her cheeks, the smell of the green grass and the soft perfume of the blossoms.
Butterflies in impossibly bright colors flickered around the bobbing daisies and roses, and there, up ahead, was that a doe?
It was, and she had twin fawns at her heel, both tiny, spotted wide eyed creatures with thick, long, black lashes.
The doe didn't run from her a she approached, instead she turned and waited for Amanda to draw closer and allowed her to pat her, scratching behind her large, soft ears.
The fawns were a little more cautious, peering out from behind their mother as they blinked their wide, brown black eyes.
Amanda watched as the doe finally turned and walked off into the red and gold trees, then she continued down the path.
She wasn't sure where she was, or how she got here.
She just knew it was lovely, and she felt peaceful.
Happy, even.
She could hear the gentle sound of running water as she walked, before long she came to a clear bubbling stream.
She followed it until it ran into the lake.
The lake.
Amanda stopped.
The lake.
There was something…
But she couldn't remember.
She frowned. When had the day gotten so grey?
Where were the flowers, and the bright butterflies?
She turned around and smiled as she saw the doe had followed her. She reached out to pat her again, but this time the doe looked, well, mean.
She lowered her head, and before Amanda could react the doe rushed at her, head butting the girl square in the chest and sending her over the bank.
Into the lake.
Into the frigid, dark, brackish water.
[ Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Epilogue]
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