The Family Business [Supernatural] {1}

8.2 Beetles

After a little while, we arrived at the scene of Dustin's death. We got out of the car and approached to the sinkhole, that was surrounded by police tape. "Huh. What do you think?" Dean asked me and Sam.

"I don't know," Sam said. "Me too. But if that guy, Travis, was right, it happened pretty damn fast," I said. Both Dean and Sam shot me a look when I said 'damn' and I just shrugged before we duck under the police tape and we looked into the hole with Dean pointing it with his flashlight.

"So, what? Some sort of creature chewed on his brain?" Dean suggested. "No, there'd be an entry wound. Sounds like this thing worked from the inside," Sam said. "Huh. Looks like there's only room for one," Dean said and turned off the flashlight. He duck under the police tape, "Sam, you wanna flip a coin?"

"Wait, what?" I asked. "Dean, we have no idea what's down there," Sam said as Dean picked up a nearby coil of rope. "All right, I'll go if you're scared. You scared?" Dean challenged. "Flip the damn coin," Sam said and I rolled my eyes.

Dean chuckled and pulled a coin out of his pocket. "All right, call it in the air . . . Chicken," He said. He flip the coin, and I catch it. "I'm going," I said. "No," Sam and Dean said at the same time. I rolled my eyes. "I said, I'm going. Let's get over with it," I said and they sighed.

"You sure?" Sam asked and I nodded. "Yep," I said and Dean begin tying the rope around my waist. "Don't you dare drop me," I said, glaring at Dean and he just chuckled.

...................

We were back at the car. While Dean was driving, Sam was examining a dead beetle that I found in his hand. "So you found some beetles," Dean said to me. "In a hole, in the ground. That's shocking, Scar."

I rolled my eyes. "Dean, there were no tunnels, no tracks. No evidence of any other kind of creature down there. You know, some beetles do eat meat. It's usually dead meat, but . . ." 

"How many did you find down there?" He asked. "Ten," I replied. "It'd take a whole lot more than that to eat out some dude's brain," Dean said. "Well, maybe there were more," Sam suggested. "I don't know, it sounds like a stretch to me," Dean said. "Well, we need more information on the area, the neighborhood. Whether something like this has ever happened before," Sam said.

As we drive through town, we pass a sign for an open house, decorated with red balloons. "What?" Sam asked. "I know a good place to start," Dean started. We past another sign reads, 'Models Open. New Buyers' BBQ Today!' "I'm kinda hungry for a little barbeque, how 'bout you two?"

Sam and I looked at each other before we looked at Dean and gave him a knowing look. "What, we can't talk to the locals?" He asked. "And the free food's got nothin' to do with it?" I asked. "Of course not. I'm a professional," Dean said. "Right," Sam said sarcastically as I rolled my eyes.

We pulled over and got out of the car. We begin walking down the street to the open house. "Growin' up in a place like this would freak me out," Dean said. "Why?" Sam asked. "Well, manicured lawns, 'How was your day, honey?' I'd blow my brains out," Dean said. "There's nothing wrong with 'normal'," Sam said. "I'd take our family over normal any day," Dean said.

We approach the house and knock on the door. The homeowner answered. "Welcome," He greeted. "This the barbeque?" Dean asked. "Yeah, not the best weather, but . . . I'm Larry Pike, the developer here. And you are?" The man, Larry asked.

"Dean," Dean introduced himself as they shake hands. "This is Sam." He pointed at Sam as they shake hands. "And this is Scarlett." He pointed at me as we shake hands.

"Sam, Dean, Scarlett, good to meet you. So, you three are interested in Oasis Plains?" Larry asked. "Yes, sir," Dean said. "Let me just say -- we accept homeowners of any race, religion, color, or . . . sexual orientation," Larry told Sam and Dean.

I looked up at my brothers and grinned evilly. Dean shot me a glare before looking back at Larry, "We're brothers." Larry looked slightly embarrassed and then he looked at down at me, "And you are?" He asked. "Their sister," I replied with a grin and he nodded.

"Our father is getting on in years, and we're just lookin' for a place for him," Sam said. "Great, great. Well, seniors are welcome, too. Come on in," Larry said and we walked inside.

He took us outside to the backyard and we saw a lots of people walking around, chatting and eating. "You said you were the developer?" Sam asked Larry. "Eighteen months ago, I was walking this valley with my survey team. There was nothing here but scrub brush and squirrels. And you know what, we built such a nice place to live that I actually bought into it myself. This is our house. We're the first family in Oasis Plains," Larry explained.

We followed him to a blonde woman. She smiled at us. "This is my wife, Joanie," Larry introduced. "Hi there," She said. "Hi," Dean said as they shake hands. "Hi, nice to meet you," Joanie said. "Sam, Dean and Scarlett," Larry introduced us. Sam shaking her hand, "Sam."

"Pleasure," Joanie said. "Hey," I said, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you, sweetheart," She said. "Tell them how much you love the place, honey. And lie if you have to because I need to sell some houses," Larry joked and Joanie laughed. "Right."

"Will you excuse me?" Larry said and walked away. "Don't let his salesman routine scare you. This really is a great place to live," Joanie said. Then, a very energetic woman approached us. Her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun. "Hi, I'm Lynda Bloome, head of sales."

"And Lynda was second to move in. She's a very noisy neighbor, though," Joanie said and she walked away. Lynda laughed. "She's kidding, of course. I take it you three are interested in becoming homeowners."

"Well . . ." Dean started. "Y-yeah, well . . ." Sam started. "Yep," I said and she smiled down at me before looking at my brothers. "Well, let me just say that we accept homeowners of any race, religion, color, or . . . sexual orientation," She said.

I bit back a chuckle and looked up at my brothers again, grinning before I looked back at Lynda. "My parents do look cute together, don't they?" I said and she smiled down at me before Sam gave me a small hit on the back. "Ow," I whispered.

"Well, um . . . I'm gonna go talk to Larry," Dean said, giving a small chuckle and then he turned to Sam, "Okay, honey?" He walked away, smacking Sam on his ass and I hold back my laugh.