Supernatural... But Better (Vol. I)

Chapter Thirty Eight

I woke with a start, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was lying in a bed I'd never been in before, in a room I didn't recognize. The window was open, drapes flapping in a light breeze. Looking outside, I saw nothing but sand and the sea, the sun washing everything in its intensely bright light. I was a long way from Kansas, that was for sure. Just looking at the waves lapping over the shore, I could tell I wasn't on the edge of a river, which meant I'd somehow made my way to a beach. Maybe Florida, even California was possible, I supposed, but the fact that there seemed to be no one else anywhere near me, even in such amazing weather, made that unlikely. And there weren't very many bright, sunny, private beaches... well, anywhere, really. It looked like a good beach, and the only good beaches were tourist destinations, which meant you had to be really rich to be able to close one off for your own, personal use.

Which meant I was most likely in the home of someone really rich.

Shaking my head, I stopped worrying about where I was, and started worrying about where everyone else was. Sam and Dean. Their mother had given me a message, one that I had to deliver to them. And not only that, but— did they know I was okay? Were they okay? I didn't really know if we'd actually gotten rid of the poltergeist, I'd passed out before I was able to make sure— but, then, I hadn't really passed out. I'd been so close to death, I'd expected that I was going to die... I wasn't in heaven, was I? Because that would make sense, but that would've meant I was dead, and I couldn't really have died, because that would have meant Sam and Dean were on their own, and besides, I could still smell the ocean, and feel the warm breeze on my skin and the bed beneath me, and so I couldn't be dead if I was still in full control of all my faculties—

Just then, the door opened, an unfamiliar girl walking in and giving me a look. "Oh, thank God. I was beginning to think I was too late."

Shaking my head to try to calm my racing pulse, I looked at her. "Who are you?"

Stepping a little closer, she smiled at me. "I am the Oracle of not-Delphi," she began dramatically, waving her arms around as if she was performing an interpretive dance. "I was blessed with the gift of prophecy by the God Apollo, son of the great Zeus, Lord of Archery, Lord of Music, Lord of Prophecy, Lord of Healing, Lord of Poetry, and Lord of the great Sun," she continued, acting out each one in a separate way. "He saw fit to bestow upon me his greatest favor, that of the third eye, which is able to see things no one else can. All things that have ever happened, and some that have not happened yet. I have used this gift to protect the world, and in that quest, it has led me to you."

I raised an eyebrow at her whole charade, becoming increasingly agitated by the minute. "I'm sorry, I don't really care. Where am I? Why am I here? Where are Sam and Dean? What happened to the poltergeist? How am I alive? I mean, I am alive, right? What—"

She shushed me a whole bunch, coming back to stand right next to me. "Okay, okay, okay. You can call me Camden. I took you away from your life in order to protect you, because I had a vision that you were going to die, but you can't die, because you need to save the world."

I blinked at her. "You... took me? So I'm still alive? But what about Sam and Dean? Where—"

Camden shook her head, cutting me off. "They're not important anymore. They'll be fine on their own. I'm more concerned about you."

"No," I said immediately, beginning to get out of bed. "No, I can't— I can't leave them behind. I have to go back for them. You have to take me back."

She shook her head. "I can't do that. Your life is too important. Much more important than theirs."

Standing, I gave her the most intimidating glare I could possibly give — which seemed to work pretty well. "That's bullshit. I need to go back. My friends—"

"You're more important than—"

Grabbing her by the shoulder, I walked her backwards until her back hit the wall. "I'm sorry, maybe you're not understanding me. I'm not asking. This is not a discussion. You will take me back, or I will make sure you regret it."

Camden's eyes widened, and she raised her hands. "I'm sorry for this."

"Sorry for what?"

Swallowing, she gave me a sheepish smile. "I'm going to have to erase your memories."

I furrowed my brows at her. "Excuse me? You can't just—"

Suddenly, she muttered something really quickly under her breath, and a bright light burst out of her palms, hitting me in the chest.

Startled, I stumbled backwards, trying to regain my footing, and remain upright. Looking down at where the light had hit me, I neglected my surroundings, and my leg hit the bed, enough of a surprise to upset my balance and knock me to the ground. Falling on my butt, my pulse began rising irrationally, my breath coming in quick, short gasps. A sort of hysteria was coming over me, one that I had no power to control or stop. A pressure started growing in my head, becoming worse and worse, along with the overwhelming panic. I pressed my fingers against my temples, trying to relieve the feeling, but it didn't work. I applied more pressure, then more, then more, until I was practically shoving the two sides of my head together, but it still didn't help. The pressure became so strong that I was genuinely afraid that it was going to explode.

There came a point. A peak in the pain. The moment when it became so much that it was just numb. My vision went white. All other senses melted away, as if I was floating in... nothing. There was nothing. No thoughts, no feelings, no emotions, nothing. It was bliss.

Moments passed. And a little more time. Then, even longer....

Letting go of my head, I looked up at the girl, confused. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

She extended a hand to me, and I took it, letting her help me to my feet. "My name is Camden. I'm a prophet."

I nodded, brushing myself off. "Right. And... who am I?"