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[gavemea_45]

It's the middle of the night; everyone else in the bus station's asleep. He assumes they are, anyway, although the only person he can see sleeping is Meg, leaned up against her bags.

Although all things considered he thinks they might be the only people sleeping there. Everyone else has gone home to their beds. Everyone in the world, maybe, except for him and, on the other end of the phone, Dean.

"The scarecrow climbed off its cross?"

Comments

[hopeitsworthit]

"Yeah, I'm telling you, Burkitsville, Indiana: fun town."

His hand rubs nervously, anxiously at the top of the steering wheel as he drives, the phone held to his ear by his right hand.

[gavemea_45]

"It didn't kill the couple, did it?"

His voice is soft, and he glances over at Meg to be sure she's still asleep.

[hopeitsworthit]

Dean makes a face; even though Sam can't see it, the annoyance is in his voice. "No. I can cope without you, ya know."

[gavemea_45]

Easily ignored.

"... so something must be animating it."

[hopeitsworthit]

"No, it's more than a spirit, it's a god. A pagan god, anyway."

[gavemea_45]

"What makes you say that?"

[hopeitsworthit]

"The annual cycle of its killings. And the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman, like some kind of fertility rite." A small pause. "And you should see the locals, the way they treated this couple: fattening them up like a Christmas Turkey."

[gavemea_45]

"The last meal," he says, nodding. "Given to sacrificial victims."

[hopeitsworthit]

"I'm thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some pagan god."

[gavemea_45]

"... so a god possesses the scarecrow ..."

It sounds like the beginning of some horrible joke.

[hopeitsworthit]

"... the scarecrow takes its sacrifice and for another year the crops won't wilt and disease won't spread."

[gavemea_45]

"You know which god you're dealin' with?"

[hopeitsworthit]

"Nope, not yet."

[gavemea_45]

"Well, you figure out what it is, you figure out a way to kill it."

[hopeitsworthit]

Flat: "I know. I'm actually on my way to a local community college; I got an appointment with a professor."

After a pause he says, a bit lighter than before, "Ya know, since I don't have my trusty sidekick geek boy to do all the research."

[gavemea_45]

Grin.

"You know, if you're hinting you need my help ... just ask."

It's sincere.

[hopeitsworthit]

He puts on his tough guy voice, but it falters a little. "I'm not hinting at anything." There's a long pause and he can feel his face going soft, his hard exterior giving way.

"Actually... uh..." a very small nervous laugh escapes; he clears his throat. "I want you to know... I mean, don't think..." Words fail him.

[gavemea_45]

"Yeah," Sam says, the grin gone. "I'm sorry too."

[hopeitsworthit]

He swallows hard; shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "Sam," another small pause. "You were right. Ya gotta do your own thing, ya gotta live your own life."

[gavemea_45]

He's smiling, but it's confused. "You serious?"

[hopeitsworthit]

It's clear by his tone that he is.

"You've always known what you want... and you go after it. You stand up to dad, you always have. Hell, I wish I..." he stops himself. "Anyway, I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy."

[gavemea_45]

"I, uh."

This is -- he doesn't know what this is.

"Don't know what to say."

[hopeitsworthit]

"Say you'll take care of yourself."

[gavemea_45]

"... I will."

[hopeitsworthit]

"Call me when you find dad."

[gavemea_45]

"'kay."

Pause.

"... bye, Dean."

[hopeitsworthit]

He doesn't say anything back, he just slowly slides the phone down his face and closes it.

And he keeps driving.

[gavemea_45]

He closes the phone and just looks at it; after it's down he just watches the empty space.

Meg's moving -- she's awake. Picks up one of her bags and walks over to sit next to him, asking "Who was that?"

"My brother," he says, still in shock. He had to swallow first, almost feels like he's -- no. He isn't.

"What'd he say?"

"Goodbye."