The Winchester Child

Chapter One ~ 2 years ago

I lay down in the back of the black '67 Chevy Impala. Highway to Hell plays softly on the radio, Daddy sits in the front seat and Uncle Sam sits in the passenger seat. I sit up and stretch, causing Uncle Sam to turn around. "Oh, Mary, you're awake," he says, nudging his older brother. My father reaches over and turns off the stereo.

"Where are we," I ask, leaning forward.

"New Haven, Connecticut," Daddy replies. "Sit back, you might hurt yourself." Scooting back, I cross my hands over my chest, bottom lip out.

Uncle Sam smiles at me, "he just wants you to be safe, Mare."

I just sigh and gaze out of the window. Soon, Daddy pulls into a motel and carries me inside. Uncle Sam gets our bags and I just sit on one of the beds, swinging my legs back and forth.

Daddy and Uncle Sam have what they believe to be hushed conversations, but I hear them. "Should we bring Mary with us on the stakeout? I mean, I don't want her to grow up as we did, but Dad did leave us alone when he went on hunts. I don't want to leave Mary alone, but if one of us stayed, the other one would be on the stakeout by ourselves."

Uncle Sam and Daddy walk into the room, I stop swinging my legs. "Daddy," I ask.

"Mary," he replies with the same questioning tone.

"Do you and Uncle Sam love me?"

Both men look shocked, Daddy seems slightly mad. "Of course we love you. Why do you ask?"

"Mommy left me, and I heard you say you'd leave me..."

Uncle Sam hugs me, "you must have heard wrong."

I shake my head, "I heard every word!"

Daddy ruffles my hair, "we'll never leave you, I promise."

"Then what was that?"

"We were just talking. Actions speak louder than words." Daddy boops my nose, "love you, Mare Bear."

"Love you too, Daddy."

Uncle Sam pulls out his laptop, while his brother gets them beers and me a water. I start swinging my legs again, playing with a cloth doll that's between the boards and the mattress. "Mary, where did you get that," Uncle Sam asks a little too harshly.

I look up, startled, "I found it between the boards and the mattress, why?" Daddy and Uncle Sam exchange looks.

"Give it to me," Uncle Sam says.

I shake my head, "no!"

The man grabs the doll's arm, so I hold on tighter. "You're going to tear it," Daddy says. "Let go, Mary."

"Finders keepers, losers weepers," I yell.

Then Uncle Sam and I go flying because the arm is ripped off, "you just ripped some guy's arm off!" Daddy yells.

"What?"

"That was a voodoo doll, Mary!"

My bottom lip starts trembling, "I didn't know!"

Uncle Sam grabs the doll off the floor. "So there was a witch doctor here?"

Daddy sighs, "looks like it. You could've let it go too, Sammy."

"But then Mary would still have it."

"True," he turns to me, "you should have just let go, listen to us next time we tell you to do something, alright?"

I look down, "okay." He plants a kiss on my head.

Daddy looks at Sam then back at me, "it's bed time for you, little one."

Even though it was only eight o'clock, I knew what he meant. He meant he and Uncle Sam would be going on a hunt, and I couldn't go with them.

"Wait. She's old enough to go with us," Uncle Sam says, looking at Daddy.

"She's six, not eight like you were."

"Dean, you were technically four."

"Don't you think I might want my daughter not to be scarred for life?"

The man's younger brother sighs, "come off it. Is that why you left Lisa?"

I look up, surprised at the mentioning of my mother. "I thought Mommy left you, not the other way around."

Daddy looks furious, "look what you've started, Sam!"

"I didn't start anything," Uncle Sam yells.

"You had to mention Lisa. Causing her to question why her mother isn't here!"

"Then answer!"

"Sammy, I'd advise you to shut up, now," Daddy growls. Then he picks me up, my legs wrapped around his waist. "You're a good girl, Mary. Your mom and I love you very much. You'll learn about her soon, I promise."

I rest my head on his shoulder, "I know."

"Are you tired?" I nod so Daddy places me onto the couch and leaves with Uncle Sam.