Saving Grace

Lazarus Rising -- Awake Again

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Dean's POV

I gave a sharp intake of breath, my chest heaving violently as I come out of what felt like a never ending nightmare. It's dark around me, and I suck in sharp breaths as I pat my pockets down, searching for anything. The familiar chill of my lighter brushes against my finger, and I pop it open, gazing around at the container I'm in. "Help--" I manage to choke out. God, my throat felt like sandpaper. It's hard to breathe in here. I call out for help again.

My palm slaps against the wood, desperately shoving and pushing until it gives in, pouring dirt into the container. I claw, and scratch, until I feel the warm sun stinging at my skin as I tug myself out of the dirt with a harsh gasp. It's hard, God, it's hard to pull myself free. The only thing making it worth it was that sun.

When I get to my feet, I gaze around at the dense forestry that's been blow away-- like a bomb hit. I glance at the crappy cross before me, the odd trinkets attached to it shining in the sun as if time left it untouched. I grasp at the ring hanging from the cross and gaze at it, my gut turning painfully. I'd given Lottie this ring when my time was almost up. Christ, that look on her face made dying so much more peaceful. Some beautiful woman like her actually loving a man like me. God, I couldn't wait to get back to her, and our... our kid. I tugged off my flannel after shoving the ring into my pocket and started walking, to... I don't know. Anywhere.

My throat still felt like ash when I found an empty gas station. I swallowed thickly and pounded on the door. "Hello?" I called out, my voice still hoarse and strained. I grunted irritably before tugging my flannel from around my waist, wrapping my fist, and breaking in. My throat involuntarily convulsed at the sight of the cooler filled to the brim with ice cold water.

Cold water felt amazing going down my parched throat. God, did it feel good. I chugged the rest of the bottle and stepped towards the newspaper stand. I grabbed one of them and gazed at the date.  "September..." I hum softly.

I scrubbed at my face irritably before searching for the bathroom. I splashed my face with water, relishing in the cool water hitting my skin. I glanced up as I dab at my face with my shirt, gazing at my torso. Flashes of those hell hounds tearing into me kept burning through my mind.

I tugged my shirt up, gazing at the undamaged skin. I grunted irritably before tugging my sleeve up as a strong tingling sensation dug at my shoulders. Dark, vivid, blistered skin appeared underneath the sleeve. Like I'd been grabbed by a pair of hot iron gloves.

"First things first." I grumble to myself after tugging my flannel on. My growling stomach seemed to agree.

I hummed impishly as I lifted up a copy of Busty Asian Beauty's. "Nah, got a better girl at home." I mention to myself before going to raid the register. My skin flinched as the TV cut on, white noise echoing off of the walls for a second before I turned it off. The radio cut on, and then the TV again. I grabbed the salt and started lining the windows and doors frantically until the high-pitched buzzing got too much for me to handle. I barely registered the windows shattering from the intensity of it until the ringing dwindled down to a constant throbbing in my skull.

I grimaced and rubbed at my pounding head. I went back to the register and grabbed the change.

"We're sorry. You have reached a number that has been disconnected." The operator chirped when I put in Sam's number. I grumbled before trying Lottie's.

"Hello?" Her beautiful voice. God, how I missed it.

"Lottie, it's me." I say happily.

"Who the hell is me?" She snaps back.