Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Dean, Bobby called” 

“Again? We just got off the last job Well this better be good, I was busy… doing research

“Doing research? On my computer? Doubt it”, Sam said with an exasperated look, 

“HEY! 

“Regardless of whatever “research” you were doing, we've got a job to do

“Alright Sammy alright, don't get your panties in a twist, What's the job?”

“Nothing much honestly,” Sam states as he falls to sit on his bed across from Dean ”Apparently there have been some talks of a “man who with skin so translucent could almost see his veins and blood-soaked hands” hanging around one of the condemned buildings a couple of towns over, he hasnt done anything to anyone yet, but…”

“ We're going in to make sure that he doesn't do anything” 

Dean looks over to sam with an over exaggerated sigh

“But if the ghost’s non malevolent How was it even found?”

“Quite honestly i don't know dean, the building is apparently a hotspot for teens and then one day their parents noticed they stopped going, eventually word got to Bobby as to why.”

“The ghost?”

“The ghost,” Sam supplied, “Some of the kids did eventually go to the police but with the things the building is used for, and the fact that he “appeared and disappeared” an official report was never made”

“So why are we believing them?” dean asked, “if they were on something then they easily could have hallucinated it”

“We don't have to believe them, But we're the only hunters in the area so it's on us to check it out. Now come on we're leaving,” Sam said, pushing himself off his bed, grabbing his computer from Dean's lap, and stuffing it into his bag as he heads to the door.

“We’re leaving now? Sammy we just got here,” Dean exclaimed as he scrambled after Sam and grabbing the keys from next to the door.

“If we go now we can get to town by nightfall so hurry up!”

~~

“Why would the FBI be interested in some drugged out teens hallucinating?”

“Well how are you so sure it was a hallucination?” Sam asked “according to my sources no report was ever officially made”

“Of course you have sources,” the sheriff muttered leaning forward in his chair and pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, 

As soon as the Winchesters had touched ground in Jonestown they headed straight for the local police station to interrogate the officers, despite the late hour.

“Yeah we never made an official report but one of my officers wanted to check it out so I let him,”

“ And?” Dean questioned.

“And he didn’t find anything, just your classic “teen hotspot.  no man covered in blood, just graffiti on the walls and a vague smell of weed.”

“So no blood? Nothing at all?”

“He did report back the smell of blood but searched the whole place and found nothing, at least nothing evident of enough to get someone covered in it like the man described. I don’t doubt some dumb kid thought it a good idea to “shoot up” there and went too deep.”

“So you're going all in on the hallucination theory then? Did you even do a drug test?” Sam asked

“We didn’t need to,” Replied the sheriff, in far too energetic of a tone for the situation, “the ones who came in all had prior arrests for possession, it’s obvious” 

“Yeah, obvious,” Dean muttered to himself.

“Well would it be alright if we went and checked the property out for ourselves? Just to be sure.”

“Why not,” replied the sheriff to Sam's request, “No skin off my back. just be careful, there's a reason the house got abandoned, damn thing near burnt down ’bout a decade ago.”

“Will do,” Dean said, saluting the man.

~~

Slamming Baby's doors behind them Sam and Dean started walking up the drive towards the house. The house itself had obviously gotten on in years, ivy creeping up the siding, overgrown lawn, and faded blue paint cracking. Just like the sheriff had said it was clear that the house had been in a fire, with pretty severe burn marks on the window frames and around the door. The windows had been boarded up and it appeared that the door had been as well, planks thrown haphazardly to the side on the porch. The day had gotten away from them, By the time they had reached the house it was already nearing on nightfall.

“You got your EMF,” dean asked

“Yep” Sam replied, “so how are we going to do this?”

“I was thinking we should split up. The house only has one floor but its still pretty big”

“Got it.”

As they searched throughout the family home it was clear how decrepit it had become. The fire damage was much worse inside with practically the whole thing being coated in charcoal. Cigarette butts littered the floor and blankets were bunched up in corners. As expected there was no one else there, all having been scared away by the rumors.

“You find anything Dean?”

“Nada, you?”

“Same here,” Sam confirmed, “Not even a blip on EMF and the only cold spots I felt were near broken windows.”

“And you checked every room?”

“Yes Dean,every room”.”

“What about that one?” Dean asked, pointing to a door that was trying very hard not to be noticed.

“Well- uhh… well that ones on your side.”

“Um no it isnt? It clearly on the side you were supposed to search,” Dean stated, certain.

“Well I didn't check it.”

“Neither did I. Cause it was on your side,” Dean muttered.

“Well then I guess it didn't get checked,” conceded Sam.

“I guess not,” Dean confirmed back, “Well, after you, your majesty.”

“Yeah after me,” Sam said, rolling his eyes.

As Sam neared the door, the hall they were in quickly dropped in temperature. Noting that, Sam marched on. The closer he got to the door the weirder he felt, he felt… alone? He felt more alone than he'd felt in years. As he walked closer he could hear dean faintly calling out to him. How long had he been walking? It felt like ages. Walking towards this door, Why was he going to the door? There wasn't going to be anything behind it for him. He walked ever closer to the door finally he reached for the knob, as it turned in his grasp he heard-

“SAMMY”

Sam bolted upright, he was sitting out on the front lawn of the house with Dean leaning over him with a concerned look on his face.

“SAMMY! Are ok?”

“ yeah im fine… What happened?”

“What happened?? I should be asking you that!” Dean replied, exasperated, “you were going towards the door just fine but when you reached it you just… froze. I tried to snap you out of it but you wouldn't respond, then you suddenly went pale and collapsed. I figured it was whatever's in this house that did it so I dragged you out.”

“... I don't remember any of that, I do remember walking all the way to the door and almost opening it before you woke me up.”

“That's it? No weird feelings, no ghost possession, nothing?” questioned Dean.

“No, I just felt…cold? But not cold spot cold, like I was cold. Inside. I don't even know how to describe it.” Sam said.

“Well try.”

“It felt like i was alone, I think? That's really the best description you're going to get Dean, It wasn't like any ghost interaction i've ever had.” 

“Well alright then, and you're sure you're alright?”

“I feel fine dean. Now come on,” Sam pushed himself to his feet with surprisingly little difficulty for someone who'd just been out cold a minute ago.

“Where are we going?” Dean asked, following him towards the Impala.

“It's about time we find a motel to stay in, hopefully one with wifi.” Sam replied, walking around the car to the passenger side door.

“And why do you need Wifi in the middle of the night?” Dean questioned

“It's for research Dean.”

“Sure sure, always the research with you.” Dean said teasingly.

Chapter Text

“Uugh, Sammy we went at this case for hours last night with nothing, I barely got my allotted four hours of sleep,” Dean said, gripping the steering wheel to stay awake while yawning through the sentence, “the only thing about that damn house online is the fire, and even that wouldn't cause a ghost with no deaths. I'm starting to think this might be a bust.”

“I know what I felt Dean. Something has to be in that house.”

“Yeah yeah i trust you” Dean says as he pulls over the Impala, “alright were here, have fun reading i'm gonna go find those witnesses”

Dean had pulled up in front of the town's library, which was surprisingly empty for a Saturday. The two had figured if they couldn't find what they needed online Sam would check the libraries database for things that hadn't been digitized while Dean tried to get more info about their supposed ghost of the people who had actually reported it. 

While the names of those people hadn't been written down in any capacity, the town was small enough that the local “delinquents” weren't hard to find. With their typical smoking grounds occupied the teens had taken to gathering in a drainage tunnel under the highway. As Dean had approached them, dressed in a suit and tie that screamed “cop”, they started to scatter.

“Hey i just need to ask some questions” dean yelled after them as they scrambled up the sloped sides of the drainage canal 

Targeting one that was slower than the others, Dean was able to grab him by the hood of his jacket and pull him back to flat ground.

“H-hey man, I'm clean, don't have anything on me!” the kid stuttered as he attempted to put on a trustworthy smile, but with the amount of weed in his system it looked more like he was constipated. 

“Yeah sure kid.” Dean said with obvious disbelief in his voice, “and I'm sure I'll continue to believe that if you answer my questions.”

“Heh-heh-heh-... yeah, sure, what do you need to know?” The kid answered laughing in an attempt to hide his discomfort

“You know that boarded up house over on Third Street ? The one you kids used to hang out in?”

“The old Hill Top house? Yeah… what about it?”

“Well I heard a rumor about why you all left and I need to know more about it,” Dean said, keeping a tight hand on the kids hoodie, “which one of yall actually saw what happened?”

“Oh uh i don't really know,” the kid said sheepishly, trying to wriggle out of his too big jacket, “heard it from a friend of a friend is all…”

“Oh well, if that's all, I'm sure the sheriff would love to hear about your new hangout.”

“Ooohhhh that rumor, hee yeah that one, yeah uhh that must've been uuhh–”

“Oh spit it out,” Dean pressured, grabbing his jacket that much tighter.

“MICK, uhh it was Mick or, well Mckinlay, Mckinlay Longsdale but no one calls her that. She was at the house with her newest “boytoy” Kyle,” the kid said, rolling his eyes.

“Well kid–”

“My names chase.”

“Well Chase. Do you know where this “Mick” lives?? She's not in trouble, I just have some questions about what happened.”

“Why?” Chase asked Dean “do you believe her? The cops didn't so why would the feds?”

“Listen kid–”

“Chase.”

“Listen. I have reason to believe that what your friend saw might not have been a  hallucination like the sheriff thinks. I can help, but only if you tell me where she is, I'm sure you don't want anyone's blood on your hands” Dean said. This kid was his only link to what was happening in that house and he doubted that any of the other kids would let him get close enough again to ask any questions.

“Fine. *huff* fine, But if she figures out I'm the one who told you I will get you.”

“Alright alright I believe you, I won't tell a soul, pinky promise.” Dean said flashing his most trustworthy smile and holding out his pinky for chase to take.

Rolling his eyes Chase to the pinky and they shook on it. Only after the full ritual had taken place did Dean finally let go of his hood.

“So where is she? You pinky promised.” dean said with a wink.

“Ugh fine, she lives at 1206 Long Street. She got grounded after her parents heard about why she went to the cops so she should be home right now. And remember not a word about this conversation to her or anyone else, I can't have this messing up my street cred.”

“I won't, I keep my promises don't worry,” Dean said reassuringly “now get outta here kid.”

As Chase attempted poorly to scramble up the side of the canal to where he hoped his friends would be, Dean started back the way he came to get to Baby. when he had reached the Impala his phone began to ring. Reached into his pocket, pulled out his personal and checked the caller ID before answering.

“Hey Sammy, how's it going on your end?”

off the curb and into the small library Sam started to take in his surroundings. The small main room was almost claustrophobic with how tightly packed the bookshelves were. There were small tables dotted around, some of which held students cramming for exams. The front windows were mostly covered by haphazardly stacked books so a few simple chandeliers lit the space. Off to the right there was a round desk manned by a librarian who was thoroughly engrossed in her book.

“Excuse me Miss? I’m agent Lee.” Sam says, pulling his badge from his blazer. “My partner and I are investigating a case in the area and I was hoping your library could provide some insight?” The librarian looked up from her book and pushed her round glasses up her nose bridge. The glasses were attached to a long glasses chain and her long braids were pulled back in a loose bun with a patterned handkerchief, pinned to her blouse was a decorated name tag that read “Hi my name is Anneliese!”

“Of course!” She replied in a chipper tone, “ is there anything in particular you're looking for?”

“Uh yes there is. Do you have the newspaper for the past couple weeks? My partner and I were having trouble finding anything online.”

“Oh of course! I keep telling them to digitize them but you know how us old folk can get, never wanting any sort of change.” She said as she got up from behind her desk, “if you want to follow me we have an old microfilm reader in the back, she hasn't seen a lot of use in recent years but If the geezers at the press aren't going to keep their news accessible I might as well do it. Don't worry though she still runs a dream.”

Once Sam had set himself up at the machine he started to look through any recent articles of interest. All the articles from the past week were useless, all gossip columns, help wanted ads, and the “front page news” was all cats getting rescued from trees. The only time anything about the only time the Hill Top house was mentioned at all was in the paper at all was in a five year memorial of a fire where there were no fatalities.

“Well no ghost from that,” Sam muttered to himself.

  As he went further back in the papers one caught his eye, a paper from two days before the teens reported the ghost with the title, “AFTER FULL TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF TERROR, STORM FINALLY LETS UP”.

“There we go, finally.” Sam muttered again before digging into the article.

“After half a day of hard rain, lightning and thunder the freak storm finally stopped in the afternoon of March 25. The mayor has now lifted the warning to stay indoors but advises to be careful on any roads as the high winds blew over trees onto the streets. All experts we contacted about the matter were baffled, as this storm came completely out of the blue. The day having been sunny and clear until midday when dark clouds began forming in the sky. 

Despite the severity of the storm it was quite small in size, with only reaching approximately a mile from the town borders. The center of the storm appeared to be in the Hill Top area as it took the brunt of the damage. Please be careful when traversing through this area as multiple large trees were uprooted and some roads have not been fully cleared.

Although there are no reported fatalities from the storm and from a house check it appears that everyone is alive and well our cleaning crews found a large amount of human blood in one of the heavily affected areas so we would like to remind you all that if you or anyone you know is injured because of the storm that you should head to a hospital to get the proper care. Please be safe in the coming days as the cleaning crews return our town to its former glory!”

“Well that's definitely something, but if someone got caught in the storm and got turned into a ghost then it probably wouldn't be at the stage for malevolence yet, and they certainly wouldn't have been strong enough to do… that. But it's really the only thing that could have killed somebody in that area?”

Before Sam could get back to his research his phone started to ring loudly. Rushing to answer it before he bothered anyone else in the library he pulled it from his jacket pocket and flipped it open.

“Hey Sammy, how's it going on your end?”

“Hey Dean, it's definitely going. As far back as I've read so far there haven't been any deaths near that house, nothing in any of the censuses or obituaries either. Surely there was something that happened in a storm last week but as far as i can tell no body was ever found.”

“Well that's something. I found out where the kid who reported the ghost lives, I'm coming to pick you up now to go interview her.”

“Alright I'm almost done here, see you then.”

“Welp see you then.”

*Click*