Not Until We Are Lost

Lately, Mary had been going over a lot of things in her mind. There had been a lot of memories of Johnny from her time that were now called into question. She wanted to tell herself that it didn’t matter what was and wasn’t true now, but she couldn’t just let it go. She knew that the Johnny that was in the present couldn’t answer all of her questions-certainly not her most urgent ones. But she still had questions that he could answer.

She hadn’t seen him in a few days because she’d been busy looking into aliens and trying to give the suspicion that her parents were throwing her way time to die down. She thought that it would just draw more attention if she was visiting him on a daily basis. But enough time had passed that she thought it couldn’t hurt too much to drop in and maybe ask a few things.

Mary brought the burgers because she knew that they were one of his favorites and she figured that playing twenty-one questions might be a little bit more palatable if done over dinner. She didn’t bother with drinks this time. It felt a little pointless anyway, unless she was prepared to buy out another liquor store.

She found her way to his motel room and juggled the bags of food enough so she could knock.

( Q&A Session )

Jo’s dreams hadn’t been pleasant since her return from the dead. Then again, she’d had nightmares before then too. What hunter didn’t? Though these dreams were worse. It was getting to the point where she could almost predict them. They almost always started out with her parents. With sunshine and happiness and everything they’d had on their best days when her dad wasn’t out hunting. And she’d always been ripped away from all of that by chanting creatures that felt... demonic, even if they weren’t like any demons she’d ever seen in her time awake.

She knew now that the dreams were just reenactments of being ripped out of Heaven. She knew exactly what she’d lost, and why sometimes she woke up crying.

This dream was different. She was yanked out of Heaven as always. Saerian was there, which happened sometimes.

What was different was that there was an escape route. She didn’t care where it went, as long as it was away from them. She let herself into the doorway and ran down the stairs, paying very little attention to what they looked like.

In fact, she didn’t pay much attention to anything until she’d found herself in the middle of a forest. She felt a slight breeze and looked down. She was naked from head to toe.

“So it’s one of those dreams now,” she murmured with a sigh.

After all, who didn’t have those “whoops, I went to class/work/the DMV and realized I was naked?” dreams?

She would have covered herself, but she was trying to stick with the idea that this was a dream as she moved through the forest. She thought longingly of her favorite pair of well-worn, faded jeans. And her Misfits t-shirt. Those didn’t magically appear, but slowly-slowly, clothing began to form.

There was the amulet that had once been Dean’s. Though a part of her wondered if that had been there throughout the entire dream. It was one of those things that was a part of her now that Mary had done the blood ritual to anchor her and keep the things that had brought her back out of her head.

She was wearing her mom’s jean jacket. Jo swallowed the tears as she looked down at the jacket, which seemed to fit like a glove. It covered the black dress that she’d worn the night before she’d died. It was simple, elegant, and everything she might have wanted to be and wear if she could ever get a day off.

The boots that she sometimes wore hunting topped off the strangely paired ensemble.

Jo was confused, but she decided to just go with it. It was better than being chased by Saerian, wasn’t it?

( Follow me down... )

Simon watched the woman walk away from him, annoyed by her. Annoyed that she stank of Evan Vang. Annoyed that once again, the puppy was involved in his life somehow without an invitation to it. The Tower had caused the intrusion before, and now it was due to some woman. A stranger. Somebody that Simon had no connection to and no obligation toward.

He decided that he was going to seek out the infant, if nothing else than to let him know that there was knowledge about an illicit meeting with somebody who was not Niklas Wright. It was a tidbit that Simon enjoyed quite a lot. Considering that he knew how Evan felt about Niks and how she felt in return. This would be a weapon against the boy. He still would not tell Niks, but Evan didn't need to know that fact.

All Simon really wanted to do was hurt the artifact hunter.

It was easy to find the lad, holed up in his office. Right where he should be. His desk covered in busywork. Things that the fairy had sent down to him. Not that the boy would ever know. He didn't have any clue that Simon had that kind of pull in the Tower. The fairy didn't knock, just went in, closing the door behind him. He moved through the space, looking at the objects within.

( Evan sighed )

There's a bite in the air that speaks of Autumn. Cool breezes that snake by, hinting at the winter that's on its way. The trees sport leaves of fire, red, yellows, browns, and everything in between. They fall on the wind and drift lazily to the ground. Some days the sky is bright and some it has a cloudy menace. The rain that falls is cold, almost threatening to be snow. There's even that certain fall smell lingering over everything. Spiced pumpkin pie, hot toddies, everything that signifies the first big holiday of the season, Halloween, is on its way. But look closer. The grass is bright green, flowers are in fresh bloom everywhere. The twitterpation of Spring can be seen in the butterflies and dragonflies that flit about here and there. Hummingbirds dart about, looking for sweet nectar. Baby birds can be heard chirping in nests, their parents busily worrying about their food and shelter. Children can be heard playing outside, seen running around in shorts and cute light weight dresses. Some days, they can even be found swimming and playing in sprinklers in the front yards of the neighborhoods.

This isn't the only strange juxtaposition happening. Houses are decorated with grand displays for Easter and Halloween. Some houses have both. There are costume stores that are always open, harboring frightening masks and fiendishly elaborate outfits. Stores have fantastic displays of plastic grass, egg dyeing kits, and selections of little toys made to fit in baskets. They have those, too. But there isn't always a clear divide for the two holidays. Pastel bats and skulls, black candy in the shape of little flowers, there's a great jumble, it seems as if any combination can be found alongside the traditional.

The people, outside of their devotion to this odd mixture of holidays that seems to occur year round, are fairly normal. Average folk who go to school and work. Who dress like average folk do. With, maybe, a little more in the way of sundresses and bonnets, costumes and black clothing, black bonnets... slightly creepy bunny masks...

One thing that they will all relate the same, however, is that one should not walk the streets at night. When the sun goes down, nobody can be found. Doors are securely locked - a bit more securely than even a paranoid shut in would think normal, curtains are drawn tight. Everything in the entire town shuts down. Not a soul can be seen before the first light of dawn cuts through the darkness, and all resumes as if nothing happened.

For you see, when the night comes, is when they appear. The monsters that inhabit the whole planet. Restricting residents to their towns and cities. Keeping them from fun overnight camping trips. Creepy animals that stalk any foolish enough to set foot outside of their homes after dusk. There are four that have to be watched for. Blood thirsty vampire ducks, ravenous zombie rabbits, horrifyingly persistent malevolent ghost chickens, and perhaps the worst and most confounding at all, the sheep that become monstrous wolves.