The Chilling Adventures of Steve Rogers: Book One (Magical Hydra Horror AU)

Fifty-Nine

The wind bustled around them as they raced out of the Carter's house. Hand-in-hand, Bucky opened the passenger door to his truck for Steve, and only let go of Steve's hand when he had to. Steve quickly buckled as Bucky closed the door to rush around to the driver's side. Reaching up, Steve started the truck while Bucky climbed in behind the steering wheel and buckled his seat belt.

"You okay?" Bucky asked, glancing over at Steve.

Steve's breathing erratic, he nodded and lied, "Yeah."

Of course, Steve wasn't. There was something wrong. Extremely wrong. It was in the air as it harshly whipped around them. The clouds dark as if predicting a storm. Only, this didn't feel like regular weather. No, this felt more ominous. Darker. Magical in the worst way.

Even the truck was having a difficult time at staying up-right as Bucky drove down the road. Steve wondered if Bucky could feel the thickness and danger in the air. With one look over at him and the way he was cautiously looking around, Steve could assume that he did. And that was --

"Fuck!" Bucky exclaimed as he slammed on his brakes, causing them both to jerk forward while their seat belts held them back.

Turning his attention forward, Steve stared out the window wide-eyed and slack-jawed. There, standing in the middle of the road was the pregnant spirit. Her wispy blonde hair matted to her sweaty forehead while her eyes bore into Steve and Bucky. Her hands were grasping her ballooned abdomen and she shook her head. Mutely warning them. Of what though, Steve didn't know for sure. But he could guess: she didn't want them to go to Bucky's house.

Steve couldn't just not go to save his friends though. So, clenching his jaw, Steve made the decision to keep going. Ordering Bucky, "Drive."

"Steve --"

"Drive," Steve repeated more fiercely as he interrupted Bucky's protests. When Bucky glanced over at him, Steve returned the look, but kept his voice firm as he sternly demanded, "We can't just sit here and do nothing."

So, Bucky pushed down on the gas. Before the truck could hit the spirit, she disappeared. All the while, the wind pushed against the sides of the truck. Almost as though the wind was trying to flip them over and stop them from reaching their destination. And Steve would be damned if he didn't do everything in his power to help those he loved.

Placing his hands on the dashboard, palms down, grip firm, Steve started quietly casting, "It came fast; it came easy. Make this wind less fierce; more breezy."

"Um, amen?" Bucky questioned, taking a sharp left. Trying to lighten the mood, Bucky joked, "Do you try to make all your prayers rhyme?"

"Not a prayer," Steve answered, glancing over at Bucky. Considering all the things they had witnessed -- even with Steve gone at the academy -- and knowing that he'd do anything to protect them, Steve decided that he couldn't keep it a secret. So, he figured, why the Maveth not, and admitted, "It was a spell."

Bucky quirked a brow and took his eyes off the road before him to look over at Steve, "A spell? Like magic?"

"Yeah," Steve confirmed.

The silence that fell over them as Bucky returned his gaze to the street was unusual. Nothing like what Steve had assumed and had nightmares over. No, this was definitely different than those. In those, Dream Bucky would lead the mob with pitch forks as they took Steve and his family to the forest where they would tie them up and set them on fire. And not that Steve wanted that to happen, it was just not what Steve had feared.

"Stevie, not to sound like an insensitive ass, but I think you might've hit your head back there."

"I didn't," Steve argued.

Only, he didn't have to try and convince Bucky for long as the clouds started to clear and the wind settled. Steve smugly smirked over at Bucky, who looked over at Steve in shock.

Bucky's brows remained high on his forehead as he pulled into his driveway. Steve kept his smug smirk, until he realized that he should probably explain himself and the way the world was. Which could be a bit of a shock. Especially when you grow up in a world that only shows half of what it's really like.

However, they didn't have the time now. Now, they needed to get rid of the dybbuk and keep everyone safe. So, instead of sitting in Bucky's hand-me-down truck, the pair headed for the house.

Although Steve had lessened the storm, it didn't mean that it was over. The house was dark and eerie as they crossed the porch and entered the home. Only then did Steve wish that they hadn't.

With furniture overturned and black smoke billowing out from the kitchen, Steve knew that they were too late to keep everyone safe in the Barnes' home. Still, Bucky called out, "Mom? Dad? Ted?"

Steve's chest clenched, "They're not here."

Turning around to face Steve, Bucky's eyes were glassy with unshed tears, and he helplessly asked, "Where do we go now?"

Nightmares and sleep-wandering episodes flashed through Steve's mind like a montage. He knew where they had to go. And he hated it. Gathering all the evidence from his apparent prophecies, and mustering up all the strength that he could, Steve concluded, "Out by Stark Orchards."

Swallowing thickly, Bucky nodded, "What's there?"

Remembering the ghost stories that kids shared at sleepovers and around bonfires, Steve answered, "Sunny Meadows Asylum."