Hollowing Souls

Clap Your Hands if You Believe

It was after lunch, and Alex spread back out on the picnic table again, eyes closed. She heard the Winchester's approach, and she crossed her arms across her chest and drew her legs up, protecting her abdomen. She wouldn't put it past Dean to poke her in the stomach, and his jabs could hurt. She let out a snort. Hunters didn't know how to be gentle.

However, her stomach remained untouched. Sam pushed her legs father out of the way, and Alex heard a soft clunk as he set his laptop down. She let out a wordless question, and he explained. "Looking for cases."

"Coolio." Alex reached up to scratch her head, and let out a cry as two fingers were poked beneath her ribs. "Dean!"

Dean grunted in amusement. "Comfy?"

"Quite." Alex returned her arms to across her chest. "Are we looking for any type of case in particular?" she asked Sam. "Like, something for Crowley?"

"Maybe." Sam's voice was distant, telling Alex he was barely paying her any attention.

Alex fell silent.

...

"Got something." Sam's voice made Alex open her eyes. "I think."

"You think?" Alex felt the table shift as Dean moved. "What does that mean?"

"Uh, Elwood, Indiana. Four people have gone missing in the past month."

"And? Sounds like our kind of thing."

"Except there's also been reports of bright lights in the sky and crop circles." Alex heard the sound of Sam spinning his laptop around. "Rumors say it's aliens."

"Aliens?" Dean let out a scoffing noise. "Aliens don't exist."

"I know."

Alex heard Dean stand up. "Well, let's go."

"Wait. Seriously?"

"Well, something's taking those people." Alex felt hands on her shoulders, and suddenly she was hauled to her feet. "Up and at 'em, kitten."

"You're not going to let me live this down."

"Nope." Dean let go of her. "Come on. Indiana's about five hours out. We can get there by dinner and ask around a bit before we find a place to crash."

Alex nodded. She followed the Winchesters into the Impala, and they drove away.

...

September 26th, 2011

Elwood, Indiana

Alex followed Sam and Dean down the street, hands buried in her pockets. They had been walking around town for the past hour, and Alex was officially bored. Everyone they had talked to said the same thing; aliens. Patrick was the first one to go missing; they had talked to his girlfriend, who had been the last to see him. She said there had been a bright light, and Patrick had just vanished. Every other account after that had been the exact same.

They passed a bald old man, and Alex gave him a wide berth. He had been one of the first people they had talked to. "Aliens," he had said. "I have personally recorded dozens of eyewitness accounts, strange lights in the sky, mysterious presences attempting contact." Alex had snorted in disbelief. "We are right in the middle of what we in the field like to call a 'UFO flap,' " the man had insisted, "and I am as happy as a pig in shoes."

"Of course it's not UFOs." A woman's confident voice brought Alex back to reality. Sam and Dean were stopped in front of a plump, white haired woman. "It's fairies."