Stranger

Chapter 11

"So," Sam walks in the motel room, pulling Nevaeh and Dean's attention, "i think it's safe to say we can rule out Nessie."

"What do you mean?" Dean asks.

"I just drove past the Carlton house. There was an ambulance there. Will Carlton is dead."

Nevaeh lifts her eyebrows. "He drowned?"

"Yep."

"So how does that rule out Nessie?" Nevaeh asks.

"Because, he drowned in the sink."

"What the hell?" Dean says. "So you're right this isn't a creature, it's something else."

"Yeah, but what?"

"I don't know." Dean says.

Nevaeh thinks about it. "Water wraith, maybe? Some kind of demon? I mean, something that controls water."

The three continue to ponder. "Water that comes from the same source," Nevaeh nods with a look on her face that says 'duh.'

'The lake," Dean and Sam say in unison, catching on. "Yeah," she says, "which explains why it's upping the body count, the lake is draining, it'll be dry in a few months. Whatever this thing is, whatever it wants, it's running out of time."

"And if it can get through the pipes... it can get to anyone, almost anywhere," Dean confirms. "This is gonna happen again, soon."

"And we do know one other thing for sure," Sam adds. "We know that this has got something to do with Bill Carlton."

"Yeah, it took both his kids," Dean starts putting on his boots.

"And I been asking around. Lucas's dad, Chris? Bill Carlton's godson," Sam tells them.

"It wants the whole family," Nevaeh attests and pulls her coat on. "Let's go pay Mr. Carlton a visit."

••••••••••••••••••

The three approach a despondent Bill Carlton staring out at the lake that's taking everyone away from him. "Mr. Carlton?" Sam says, and the sullen man looks up as if not hearing their footsteps. "We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."

"We're from the Department—" Dean starts, before the man cuts him off. "I don't care who you're with. I've answered enough questions today," he says quietly.

"Sir," Nevaeh tries, "your son says he saw something in that lake. What about you? You ever see anything out there?" The man doesn't say anything, and Nevaeh persists. "Mr. Carlton, Sophie's drowning and Will's death... we think there might be a connection to you or your family—"

"My children are gone," he finally says, his voice cracking. "It's... it's worse than dying."

"I understand, sir, but—"

"Go away. Please."

The three linger for a moment, before turning on their heels and walking back to the car. "So, what do you guys think?" Sam asks when they're out of earshot.

"I think the poor guy has been through hell," Dean answers.

"I think he's not telling us something," Nevaeh adds.

"So now what?" Sam poses and Nevaeh shrugs and looks around before her eyes fix on a particular house. That house looks oddly familiar. "What is it?" Sam asks her. She reaches into her jacket pocket and unfolds the drawing that Lucas had gave her. "Huh. Maybe Bill's not the only one that knows something." She holds the paper up in front of the house so that the other two can see the identical house drawn on the paper.