A short while later they were sitting at the desks making salt rounds for the shotgun. Dean paused, looking up at Karoline, "See, this is why I can't get behind God," He said randomly and Karoline frowned.
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"If he doesn't exist, fine. Bad crap happens to good people. That's how it is. There's no rhyme or reason - just random, horrible evil - I get it okay. I can roll with that," He said and Karoline nodded. "But, if he is out there, what's wrong with him? Where the Hell is he while all these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself? You know, why doesn't he help?" She stared at him and then glanced at her Dad, who was talking with Axel.
"Oh, I'm not touching this one with a ten foot pole." He said with a smirk.
Karoline shrugged at Dean, having no answer. "I don't know, Dean," She said softly, running a hand through her hair.
"Found it," Tom said suddenly, looking at Axel. "You were right."
"Right about what?" Alayna asked.
"The symbol you three saw... the brand on the ghosts." Tom said.
"Yeah?" Sam prompted, standing up and walking toward him.
"It's the mark of the witness," Axel said, moving to sit on the cot with a groan.
"You said that, but witness? Witness to what?" Sam asked.
"The unnatural," Tom answered. "None of them died what you'd call ordinary deaths. See, these ghosts - they were forced to rise. They woke up in agony. They were like rabid dogs. It's not their fault. Someone rose them... on purpose."
"Who?" Karoline asked.
"No idea," Tom shook his head. "But, whoever it was used a spell so powerful it left a mark, a brand on their souls. Whoever did this had big plans. It's call 'The Rising of the Witnesses'."
"Yeah, it's part of an ancient prophecy." Axel said, looking at the four.
"Wait... wait, where's that from?" Karoline asked, trying to see what he was reading. Now that they were talking about it, she was sure she'd heard that term before.
"You know it," Axel said, looking at her. Again she frowned, thinking about where she'd come across that term. Dean stood up and wandered toward Tom as well, crossing his arms, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"The widely distributed version's just for tourists, you know," Tom complained. "But, long story short."
"Revelations," Axel filled in. Karoline's eyes widened in realization, feeling a sinking horror take root in her gut.
Tom nodded, "This is a sign." He said.
"A sign of what?" Alayna and the boys asked in unison.
Karoline swallowed, looking from Tom to Axel, "The apocalypse." She said softly, and Dean's eyes opened wide.
"Apocalypse?" Dean echoed incredulously. "The Apocalypse, Apocalypse? The four horsemen, pestilence, $5-a-gallon-gas Apocalypse?" Dean asked sarcastically.
"That's the one. The Rise of the Witnesses is a... a mile marker," Axel said with a grimace, stretching out his leg and for the first time Karoline noticed he had injured it.
"What do we do now?" Alayna asked with a deep frown.
"Road trip," Dean said quickly, nodding at her. "Grand Canyon, Star Trek Experience... expensive penthouse suite overlooking Vegas where we never leave the bedroom," He added as he sat down next to Karoline again with a weak smile. She smiled and shook her head, leaning in to kiss him quickly.
YOU ARE READING
Breathe ~ Supernatural Fanfiction
Fanfiction[Book 4 of 14] {Completed} "Dean is alive." They were only three words. Three simple words, but the effect they had on her was anything, but simple. Her voice caught in her throat at just the sound of his name. She inhaled sharply, almost forgettin...
