Hold Me While My World Falls

Chapter Twenty

The Brooklyn Children's Museum was crowded with small children running from exhibit to exhibit. Dean walked swiftly beside Castiel as Sam lead them through the corridors.

"Marylyn used to work here before the disappearances started happening." Sam explained quietly, quickly sidestepping to avoid trampling a six year old. Dean chuckled, inwardly gloating he didn't have that problem because he wasn't a giant like his little brother.

"Shouldn't we question a current worker?" Castiel asked.

Sam nodded. "Usually, we would, but Marylyn quit after three weeks."

They walked up to an older lady standing at a Neanderthal exhibit with a long braid down her shoulder. Sam waved slightly to catch her attention, then flashed his badge. "Ma'am? Would you mind if we asked you a few questions?" He asked with a businesslike air.

The lady, Marylyn, shook her head. "If it'll be short; I'm meeting somebody here any minute."

Sam nodded. "Of course. I understand you used to be an employee here at the museum. We wondered if you had any information on the disappearances that have been happening."

Marylyn bit her lip, something Dean instantly recognized as a habit people had for when they didn't want to say something. "I don't think anything I have to say would interest you."

"We assure you, it would." Dean smiled encouragingly.

Biting her lip again, Marylyn shrugged. "Alright, but don't tell me I'm crazy. I've heard it before." She looked pointedly between them. "I worked here for a short time. They put me on the night shift and I took it. I was... in a bad place. But after two weeks I was cleaning hall B. Some kid had gotten sick just before closing. While I was down there, this man appeared all of a sudden. I tried to ask what he was doing here, but he wouldn't talk to me. He lunged at me and started strangling me! I don't know what I did, but I swung at him with the metal mop handle, and he just... disappeared." She ended the conversation as she waved to someone behind them. "If you'll excuse me, the person I'm meeting is here." With that, she walked away.

Sam turned to Dean and Castiel. "How much you wanna bet that mop has iron in it?" He grinned.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we should check it out. Alright, I'll take Cas, and you go get some EMF readings in hall B." He nodded at his own plan, and then he walked off with Castiel in tow.

Sam smiled at the couple before going the other way, narrowly dodging another kid.

"Just what I thought." Dean smirked.

Castiel from his squatting position beside the mop, asked, "what?"

"Your ass looks great in a suit." Dean replied smoothly.

"Dean, while I highly enjoy your viewing my ass, I would also appreciate some help identifying this metal." Castiel replied, unimpressed.

Dean laughed shortly as he moved to squat down on the soft dirt next to his partner. "It's iron." He stated.

"How the hell-"

Dean held up a magnet. "Iron attracts magnets. Plus there's rust on the base."

"Now that's tetanus waiting to happen." Castiel shook his head at the violated health codes. "Let's get back upstairs and see what Sam found. I feel like I'm getting asbestos just standing here."

Dean smiled, and with his hand resting on Castiel's back, they made their way upstairs.

Sam was just about to go down to the basement when the door opened. "Oh, hey, guys. Iron mop handle?"