The hunter from Uni.

Sleeping with my peepers open.

Sam was on his laptop researching while Kat was finding all the peoples houses on a map.
"Well you were right. It wasn't very easy to find but you were right. Shtriga's is a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to ancient rome. They feed off spiritus vitae." Sam read.
"Spiri-what?" I questioned
"Vitae. It's Latin, translates to 'breath of life'. Kinda like your life force or essence."
"A soul basically?" Kat asked.
"Exactly."
"Didn't the Doctor say the kids bodies were wearing out?" I asked.
"It's a thought. You know she takes your vitality maybe your immunity goes to hell, pneumonia takes hold. Anyway, shtriga's can feed off anyone but they prefer..."
"Children." I told cutting him off.
"Yeah, probably because they have stronger life force. And get this. Shtriga's are '...invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man.'." He explained.
"No, that's not right. She's vulnerable when she feeds." I corrected.
"What?"
"If you catch her when she's eating you can blast her with concecrated wrought iron. Ahhh...buckshots or rounds I think." I explained.
"How do you know that?" Sam questioned.
"Dad told me. I remember."
"Oh. So uh, anything else Dad might have mentioned?"
"Nope, That's it." I told and I could feel Sam and Kat kept starting at me. "What?"
"Nothing. Okay. So, assuming we can kill it when it eats we gotta find the thing first. It ain't gunna be a cakewalk. Shtriga's take on a human disguise when they're not hunting." Sam explained.
"What kinda human disguise?"
"Would make sense." Kat stated.
"Historically, something innocuous. Could be anything, but it's usually a feeble old woman, which might be how the witches as old crones legend got started." Sam explained making me cross the room.
"Hang on."
"What?" Sam and Kat questioned as I grabbed the map Kat had.
"Check this out. Me and Kat marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now these are the houses that have been hit so far, and dead centre?" I asked making them see what I've realised.
"The hospital." They both said as one.
"Yeah. Now when I was there I saw a patient, an old woman." I stated.
"An old person huh?" Sam asked.
"Yeah."
"In a hospital?"
"That's suspicious." Kat added into the joke.
"Phew." Sam told his head and snickered with Kat. "Better call the coast guard."
"Well listen smart ass, she had an inverted cross hanging on her wall." I told making them look up with a serious look and I raised an eyebrow at the two.

We waited till night to go into the hospital and as we went down a hallway, we quickly ducked back when we saw Dr. Heidecker.
"Good night Dr Heidacker." A random nurse told.
"See you tomorrow Betty." He told her.
"Try and get some sleep." She stated.
We stayed hidden till Heidecker passed and when he did we continued into the old woman's room. We quietly opened the door and snuck in, with me taking the front and Sam and Kat were hanging in the back, and we all had guns drawn. She sat in her wheelchair facing towards the corner, and she seemed to be sleeping. I began to slowly lean in closer and closer to her face when she suddenly turned her head.
"Who the hell are you!" She questioned freaking me out and jump back against a wall cabinet, pulling my gun up. "Who's there? You trying to steal my stuff? They're always stealing around here."
Sam turned the light on and on closer inspection, we could see she had cataracts.
"No! Ah, ma'am, we're maintenance. We're sorry. We thought you were sleeping." Sam told.
"Ahhh, nonsense. I was sleeping with my peepers open." She told making herself laugh before she gestured at the wall. "And fix that crucifix would ya? I've asked four damn times already!"
I was still looking freaked out and gave the crucifix a tap, making it swing the right way up.
'Well this went poorly.'

I pulled up to the motel we were staying at and Sam and Kat couldn't stop laughing at what happened as we left Baby.
"I was sleeping with my peepers open?" Sam repeated before the two laughed more.
"My sides hurt!"
"I almost smoked that old girl I swear. It's not funny!" I pointed out.
"It's a lil funny Dean." Kat stated before she continued to giggle.
"Oh man you shoulda seen your face." Sam added.
"Yeah, laugh it off. Now we're back to square one." I informed before we saw the owners son sitting behind the office looking upset.
'This might not be good.'
"Hang on." I told the laughing two making them stop as we walked over. "Hey what's wrong?"
"My brothers sick." He admitted.
"Little guy?" I asked making him nod.
"Pneumonia. He's in the hospital. It's my fault."
"Oh c'mon, how?"
"I shoulda made sure the window was latched. He wouldn't have got pneumonia if the window was latched." He explained.
"It's not your fault, kid." Kat told as she crouched down so he wasn't looking up at her.
"Listen to me. I can promise you that this is not your fault. Okay?" I added.
"It's my job to look after him." He told before his mother hurried out of the motel and towards her car.
"Michael, I want you to turn on the no vacancy sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service." She told.
"I'm going with you." He told standing up.
"Not now Michael."
"But I gotta see Asher!" He pleaded making me put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey Michael. Hey. I know how you feel, but you gotta go easy on your Mom right now ok?" I told before his mother dropped her handbag in her haste.
"Damn it!"
"I got it." Sam told as him and Kat went and picked her things up for her.
"Thank you."
"Listen, you're in no condition to drive, why don't you let me give you a lift to the hospital." I told.
"No I couldn't possibly..." she began till I cut her off.
"No, I insist. It's no trouble." I told before taking her keys.
"Thanks." She told before turning to Michael. "Be good."
I helped her into her seat before turning to Sam and Kat and made sure she or her kid hear what we were saying.
"We're going to kill this thing. I want it dead, you hear me?"
"We hear you." Kat told before I gave a nod and headed to the drivers seat.