Maddison Winchester: Journal 1 {Supernatural}

11 Scarecrow: Part 3

In the morning, we packed up our stuff and hit the road to a local community college. Dean had made an appointment with a professor to see if he could give us a clue about what we were dealing with. Dean called Sam on the drive over, and he actually answered. Dean explained what had happened with the couple and how the town was acting weird.

"Yeah, I'm tellin' ya. Burkittsville, Indiana. Fun Town." (...) "No. We can cope without you, you know." (...) "No, it's more than a spirit. It's a god. A Pagan God, anyway." (...) "The annual cycle of its killings. And the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman. Like some kind of fertility right. And you should see the locals. The way they treated this couple." Dean shook his head. "Fattenin' 'em up like a Christmas turkey." (...) "Yeah, I'm thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some Pagan God." (...) "And the scarecrow takes its sacrifice. And for another year, the crops won't wilt, and disease won't spread." (...) "No, not yet." (...) "I know. I'm actually on my way to a local community college. I've got an appointment with a professor. You know, since I don't have my trusty sidekick geek boy to do all the research." (...) "I'm not hinting anything. Actually, uh... I want you to know... I mean, don't think—" (...) "Sam. You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life." (...) "You've always known what you want. And you go after it. You stand up to Dad. And you always have. Hell, I wish I—" He sighed. "Anyway... I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy." (...) "Say you'll take care of yourself." (...) He looked over at me. "Do you wanna talk to Sam?"

"Nope," I said.

Dean furrowed his brow. "Uh, well, that was a no, sorry, Sammy." (...) "Call me when you find Dad." (...) Then he hung up and looked over at me. "You know, you have to forgive him at some point for everything."

"Don't know what you're talking about," I said quickly.

"He's family," Dean said.

"Yeah, exactly." I scoffed.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

I looked over at him. "Dean, you're the only family member I have that has never left me behind. I think I'm allowed to be mad at him for a little longer."

Dean looked at me sadly. "Maddison, I—"

"I don't really want to talk about it, so do we have to?" I asked with sad eyes.

He shook his head. "No, we don't have to... but I do want you to know one thing. No matter what happens, I will never leave you behind."

"Promise?" I smiled weakly.

Dean nodded. "I promise."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dean pulled into the community college parking lot and got out, and then peered in at me.

"You coming?" he asked.

"I can?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, why not." He shrugged. "You've been my partner for this long."

I smiled and walked up to the building entrance with him, Dean held the door open for me, and we walked in together. He led us to the professor's office, and he knocked on the door.

An older man answered the door. "Yes?"

Dean smiled. "Hi, I'm Dean. I made an appointment with you this morning."

"Ah, yes. Come in." The professor waved us into his office.

He sat behind his desk, and we sat down in the chairs across from him.

"It's not every day I get a research question on Pagan ideology," the professor said.

"Yeah, well, call it a hobby." Dean laughed.