Roads of Reckoning

Scarecrow

April 8, 2006
I sit up on the bed and stare at Sam.
"Dad are you hurt?" Sam's voice shakes a little.
The conversation alternates back and forth and Dean sits up.
"Is that Dad?"
I nod at him.
"Give me the phone."
Sam turns away from him but Dean stands up and snatches the phone from his brother.
Dean asks a few questions but falls silent. "Yes sir."

•———————————————————————•
"Alright, so the names Dad gave us, they're all couples?" Sam questions Dean as he drives.
"Three different couples. All went missing." Dean confirms.
"And they're all from different towns? Different states?" I ask.
"That's right. You got Washington, New York, Colorado. Each couple took a road trip cross country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were heard from again."
Sam shrugs.
"Well it's a big country Dean. They could've disappeared anywhere."
"Yeah could've." Dean mutters. "But each one's route took em to the same part of Indiana. Always on the second week of April. One year after another."
"This is the second week of April." I point out.
Dean nods curtly.
"So Dad's sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something before another couple vanished?" Sam asks.

"Yahtzee. Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this? All the different obits Dad had to go through? The man's a master."

Sam huffs and pulls over, turning to his brother. I sink back in my seat. Here we go...
"What are you doing?"
"We're not going to Indiana." Sam says, crossing his arms.
"We're not?"
"No. We're going to California. Dad called from a pay phone. Sacramento area code."
Dean stares at his brother.
"Dean, if this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help."
"Dad doesn't want our help."
"I don't care."
"He's given us an order."
Sam narrows his eyes. "I don't care. We don't always have to do what he says."
"Sam, Dad is asking us to work jobs, to save lives. It's important."
"Alright, I understand, believe me, I understand. But I'm talking one week man, to get answers. To get revenge."
"Look, I know how you feel."
"Do you?"
Dean and I are both shocked by this.
"How old were you when Mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago. How the hell would you know how I feel."
I wince at this.
"Dad said it wasn't safe, for any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something that we don't, so if he says stay away, we stay away."
"I don't understand the blind faith you have in that man." Sam seethes, throwing up his hands. "I mean, it's like you don't even question him."
"Yeah, it's called being a good son."

Sam gets out of the car, slamming the door. Dean and I follow. Sam stalks around to the trunk and starts unloading things.
"You're a selfish bastard, you know that?" Dean spits.
"Dean~" I start but he cuts me off.
"No Demi. He just does whatever he wants. Doesn't care what anyone thinks."
"Is that what you really think?" Sam asks.
"Yeah, it is."
"Well then, this selfish bastard is going to California." He slings on his backpack and starts walking.
"Come on. You're not serious."
"I am serious."
"It's the middle of the night! Hey, I'm taking off, I will leave your ass, you hear me?!"
Sam turns around.
"That's what I want you to do."
They stare at each, waiting for someone to make a move. Dean moves to the car.
"Goodbye Sam."
"Sam come on!" I plead, but he continues to walk. I turn to Dean and give him a wait a second look. He rolls his eyes and gets in the car, starting the engine.

I catch up to Sam.
"Sam come on. You can't be serious. Just get back in the car."
He doesn't look at me when he replies. "No Demi. I'm sick of his crap, him and Dad, telling me what to do. I'm going to find Dad and find what killed Jess and Mom."
I clench my fists before grabbing his arm and stopping him in his tracks. He looks down at my hand and then back up at me.
"Demi let go."
"Sam please. You can't just walk away! We need you!"
He shakes his head.
"You can either stay with Dean, or come with me. Pick a side."
I freeze.
"Sam you're my best friend~"
"Great. So prove that."
I don't move.
"Fine. See you around Dem." And without a second glance at me he walks off, leaving me standing on the side of the road.