Winchester Ghost Tours

Ghost Hunt

It's early, but still dark and chilly when Castiel arrives at the Winchester house.

"Oh, Mr. Novak, good evening," says Sam, opening the door wearing several layers of clothing. "Did you bring any equipment?"

"Please, call me Castiel," he says, stepping into the house while Sam holds the door open. "Dean had not specified that I should bring anything, my apologies."

"Oh, that's okay," says Sam, walking to the counter and picking up a metal flashlight, "you can borrow a flashlight, and if you have a phone, the camera on there is as good as any other."

"Thank you," says Castiel, smiling, "you're joining us for the hunt?" He keeps the disappointment out of his voice.

"Sure, it's been a while since I've tagged along with Dean on one of these things," says Sam, shrugging his massive shoulders. "Always good to have a few extra hands in these situations."

Loud steps on the stairs announce Dean before he appears. "Sammy's coming along, that way we can split up, cover the most ground, and bail the other out if something goes wrong."

Dean appears in the stairway wearing layered shirts, black cotton and plaid, beneath his usual brown leather jacket. His hair looks damp and his cheeks pink, as though freshly showered. It brings back pleasant memories from the night before.

"You often experience ghost trouble on these hunts, enough that you need to be bailed out?" asks Castiel.

"Bailed out of, uh, jail," says Sam, clearing his throat. "We, um, don't exactly always have permission to skulk around these properties at night on ghost hunts."

"It's been a while since we've had any legal trouble," says Dean, shrugging as he walks behind the bar and begins pulling out his own equipment. "Besides, that ain't the worst kinda trouble you can get into on these hunts."

"Ghosts?" asks Castiel, looking between the brothers. Sam looks bored at the mention of the supernatural, but Dean's face lights up with a mysterious quality.

"Vengeful spirits, poltergeists, demonic forces, you never know what's going to pop up," says Dean, shoving a flashlight, a camera, and the EMF detector from the night of the ghost tour into his pockets. "Best be prepared for anything."

"C'mon, Dean," says Sam, chuckling. "Quit trying to scare the rookie."

"You're not scared, are ya, Cas?" asks Dean, walking around the bar to stand uncomfortably close to Castiel.

"I look forward to a good hunt," says Castiel. Any excuse to spend more time getting to know Dean in his own environment.

"Nice enthusiasm," says Dean, smirking. "Hope you can keep it up when we get there because I'm taking you to the most haunted place in town."

——

"This looks like a good place to start," says Dean, pushing the window open further. He has to jump up to grab the ledge, and grunts as he hauls himself up. It's the back side of the building next to a deserted parking lot for employees. The window accesses the dark lower basement level of the old building.

"Be careful, it might be a long drop," says Sam.

"Don't worry, I've got great balance, I'm like a cat..."

...the last words before Dean falls through the window and lands with an umph.

"Dean?" asks Sam. Dean can see him above, framed by the evening street lamps from the parking lot.

"...like a cat," says Dean, voice strained.

Dean waits while Sam crawls through carefully and they both assist Castiel with stepping down into the basement level of the old hotel. All three take out flashlights and begin shining them around the empty storage area.