Survive, Boy, Survive

Chapter 54

I teleported into the library and saw white eggs on plates, I continued to eat my pop-tart.
Sam said" You made egg-white omelettes?"
Dean said" Yeah. Breakfast of champions- You know, if you're a dork like you."
" And you slept past 7:00?"
" Yeah, well, until we get answers on this mark of cain, I am on a 12-step program not to backslide."
" 12 steps?"
" Yeah. Hey, if Cain found a way to live with it after going dark side, then I just got to find a way to keep it in check. So... haven't had a drink in a week, eight hours of rack time every night, and... now this masterpiece."
" That's 3 steps."
" Shut up and eat." They took bites of the blob,
" Wow, that's awesome."
" It's crap. Ugh. God. Soon as we get rid of this demonic tramp stamp, I am back on the booze, burgers, and... more booze. Tell me you got something." Sam lifted his hands, shrugging, nope. We gotta keep looking. I stared at the blob on Dean's plate, Dean snapped his fingers in front of my eyes, I jumped.
I said" What was that for?!"
" Try it, River."
" I'd rather die again." Sam scoffed, Dean rolled his eyes.
" Come on, one bite." The fork moved and a piece was mashed off, the fork came to my mouth. I took the bite, then grimaced, shaking my head," You wanna spit it out?" I swallowed it,
" How is that awesome?! It tastes like nothing! I need flavor! I need real taste! Bleh!" I scarfed down my pop-tart," So, s'thing is wrong with Sammy's tastebuds."
" Definitely, Riv."

We've been searching through books and files all day, Dean almost threw up green juice, and tried to get me to try it but I said no, then he gave me 10 bucks to drink some and I gagged.
Sam said" What the hell?"
Dean and I said" Cain or Crowley?"
" Charlie." I looked up from the book I was going through, 
Dean said" Is she back from Oz? She didn't call?"
" Yeah, uh..." He motioned us over to him, I walked over," She's been busy." Then played a video,
" What the hell am I looking at?"
" So, you know, I was looking into the news, checking for anything weird, right? I found this story about a torture vic. Apparently, some kid videotaped this at his next-door neighbor's house."
" What are you saying, Charlie tortured someone?"
" Uh..."
" Our Charlie? Yea high, wouldn't hurt a hobbit, practically sparkles? Come on, Charlie, pick up."
" The guy she went all jack bauer on- Uh, Peter Harper."
" She's not answering."
" District attorney in Topeka. According to this article, he wasn't the only person in town that was hit. Uh, a court stenographer was assaulted the night before."
" Well, you know, Charlie wouldn't go off on someone without a reason."
" Yeah, I wouldn't think so either, but look at the video."
" Oh, I'm looking at it. But you know what we do, taken out of context, it doesn't look that much different. She could be hunting. Why don't we go talk to this asshat and see what's going on?"
———
They've talked to two victims, and now we're headed somewhere else. We got another name.
Sam said" Celeste Middleton. Celeste- That's Charlie's real name. Guess she's looking for the person who, uh, destroyed her family."
Dean said" Can you blame her? You know, we just got to find her before she does something nobody can walk away from."
———
We were staking out a house,
Dean said" What the hell is kale?"
Sam said" Anti-authority disorder, clinical depression, violent outbursts. Charlie was, uh..."
" Dude. If a shrink interviewed us at that age, you think the report would be all kittens and rainbows? Come on. She's a good kid. There's got to be an explanation for this, man. There's just gotta be." Then I heard a woman scream and glass shattering." We jumped out and ran for the house...

We busted in, and walked slowly, looking around, we walked around a corner and saw Charlie holding back the woman with a knife to her neck.
Charlie said" Should have known Rocket and Groot would track me down."
Sam said" Let her go."
" Who? Oh, her?" She punched her,
" Don't do this."
" I just want answers."
Dean said" Yeah? Since when do you start pounding on people for those? What the hell happened to you in Oz?"
" Everything I wanted. An adventure. Even got my own little sword."
Sam said" Charlie-"
" Oh, Sam, you're adorable. You're not gonna hurt me. In fact, that's your problem- all good-guy code, no bite. What a waste. And you- Always letting this albatross hold you back."
Dean said" Okay, all right, you know what? I don't know what's going on here, okay?" He put his gun away," But this-this is not you." Sam put his gun away,
" Oh, it's me, all right."
" Charlie, put the knife down. Let her go. We don't want to hurt you, kiddo, but we're not gonna let you do this." She pushed the woman into Sam and took off, Dean chased after her. Then I heard Dean getting punched, I ran out to him and we chased after her.