Marked (Supernatural) [Rogue Trilogy] {2}

34. The Werther Project (Part 2)

34. The Werther Project (Part 2)

They're only holding onto you so that they don't lose sight of you. When they do, and they will, you'll wish you were back in Hell. You'll want that. Because, let's face it, Josette, you're not good. You're Hellspawn, and that's all your brothers see you as. Worthless, just an animal to keep on a leash.

Let the darkness eat away at you until you don't even recognize yourself!

They know you deserve to be down here. Pay for everything you've done.

"Oof, must've been a nasty bugger you released if it messed your sister up like this."

I barely feel like throwing a comment back at Rowena. I didn't feel any suicidal tendencies, but those words don't leave me. They soak into my brain.

"How did you find us?" Sam asks Rowena.

"Same way I just saved you—magic. Had a feeling you might be in over your head."

"Yeah, well you can't be here. If Dean sees you..." Sam and I look at each other and run out of the office, back into the living room, where we find Dean at a standstill.

"Dean!" I say. He doesn't acknowledge me, or Sam, or even Rowena. "Hey." I snap my fingers. Being even more obnoxious, I clap my hands loudly. "Wake up! Dean, whatever you're seeing, it's not real."

"Real enough to him," says Rowena, who's entered the living room.

"What are you doing?" The witch is moving herself around obnoxiously.

"He can't see me, Josette." She peeks into Dean's direct line of vision. "Yeah, he's too far gone."

"Can you wake him up?" asks Sam.

"I only brought enough dispelling magic for two. Maybe if you'd told me we'd have company..."

"There is no we," I snap.

"Fine, take this all on by yourself. But the odds are totally stacked against you."

"You're not real," says Dean. But he's stuck in his own world, because his eyes aren't focused on the present reality in front of him.

"Oh, the spell's got its hooks in deep. If you want him woken up...You're gonna have to rip this enchantment out by the root."

"The box!" I exclaim. "If we can figure out the fail-safe, we can break the spell and get the codex. Suzie's hallucinations drove her to suicide. Same thing happened to her family. Werther's illusions tried to do the same to us."

"And so?"

"So we can't leave Dean alone like this."

"Well then, we'll just have to tie up the bonny lad. Could be fun."

"I'll do it," I volunteer. "I'll catch up with you two soon."

Sam gives me a parting worried look before he shows Rowena downstairs. Dean's extremely compliant as I lead him to sit in a chair and get him secure in it. My head hurts, and I feel sweat on it. That wasn't real? It felt quite the opposite. I need to clear my head after this. I don't care how, I just need it. Bad.

Figuring that Dean's gonna be fine on his own, I join Rowena and Sam in the basement, through the hole that leads to the Werther box.

"Any luck?" I poke my head in.