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A scuffle of footsteps could be heard running along stones that littered the floor of the old run down path leading from the cabin. The loud house had soon gone silent, the father and son watching the youngest run out. This wouldn’t be the first time this would happen, but this time he would stay closer to home. A lot closer to home than was expected.
Sam held the keys tightly in his grasp as he rushed towards the car door, hastily pushing them in. When the click could be heard, the door was whacked open and soon pulled shut. A small sigh of relief coming from the boy. With all childlike manner, he threw himself over and onto the backseat. He lay flat against the leather seats, just breathing in the silence.
His Dad and brother had been arguing, something about moving again, but Sam had drowned it out. He’d grabbed the car keys and quickly slipped away before anyone could stop him. The child wasn’t a big fan of arguing, not yet anyway. All he knew right now was he had a project due, and his family was disturbing him.
It was a science project, his favourite kind. He got to make the solar system, which was his favourite thing he was learning about right now. His brother, Dean, had promised to help him build it together. They needed certain materials to make the planets and hopefully, if it was Sam’s choice, some shooting stars.
But then Dad came home, like he always does, at the worst time.
Sam fiddled with the keys in his hand as he enjoyed the calmness the car gave him. His eyes had teared up slightly, like they always did when he was scared. His brother always said they made his puppy eyes even more annoying, because it made him more likely to give in to what Sam wanted. It could be handy at times, like convincing a cashier to give them a discount to afford their food. But now? Now Sam looked like the child he was, the child who was hidden from the truth surrounding him. The monsters.
Right now though, Sam would stay safe in the car, like he always did. It was his escape, his home. It had been the only constant apart from his older brother and Dad that he’d always had. The rumble of the car could be a lullaby to send the child to sleep. It was always calm in the car, the atmosphere never tense. Or if it was, he chose not to notice. It was his safe place here, and it always would be.
A creak could be heard behind the noise of jingling keys in Sam’s hand. The quiet noise of the front car door shutting, before some more shuffling. A head popped up over the top of the seats “Hey kiddo, what happened in there?” Dean asked quietly, not wanting to startle the child.
“Loud.”
There was a nod from the teenager, and a sound of movement as he allowed himself to lie back and get comfortable. They both lay there in silence for a while, enjoying each other's company.
“I’m sorry about your project, Sammy. We can do it when we get to wherever it is we’re going. I’ll find somewhere to get the things we need. We can do it just for us, yeah? No deadline needed.”
A small smile came across Sam’s face “Thanks Dean.”
“No need to thank me, little brother.” He looked around the upholstery of the car. Dean loved the car more than anyone really, but it wasn’t exactly the best place to hide. The place was surrounded by windows and all sorts of ways to be exposed, it wasn’t exactly secluded. He poked his head over the seats again in curiosity “What is it about this car that makes you always run and hide in it anyway?”
A dimpled smile came out on the child as he looked up to his older brother “Don’t you see it Dean?” he asked, before whispering in childlike wonder “It’s home.”