One More Time

54

As I'm standing outside Lori's house, I notice her and her father having an argument. I take a seat on a bench, sighing.

A few minutes later, Lori speaks. "Hey, Callie,"she greets, walking over to me.

"Hi," I smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm... keeping an eye on the place," I admit. "I was worried."

"About me?"

"Yeah, you seem like a nice girl. Sorry."

"No, it's cool. I already called the cops," she jokes, chuckling. "No, seriously. You seem nice too, which is probably why you should run away from me."

"Why would you say that?"

"It's like I'm cursed or something. People around me keep dying," she sighs.

"I know how you feel. I've seen a lot of people in my life die too. It sucks."

"You know, people won't even talk to me anymore... The sheriff thinks I'm a suspect. And you know what my dad will say? "Pray, have faith." What does he know about faith?"

"I heard you guys fighting before," I admit.

"He's seeing a woman, a married woman. I just found out. She comes to our church with her husband, I know her kids, and he talks to me about religion, about morality? It's like, on one hand, you know, just do what you want and be happy, but he taught me-- raised me to believe that if you do something wrong, you will get punished. I just don't know what to think anymore."

"I'm sorry, Lori. That's tough," I sigh, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her.

"Lori," I hear her Dad say from the doorway. "Come inside, please."

"I'll come in when I'm ready." Suddenly, the Hookman appears behind him and stabs him in the shoulder with his hook. The thing pulls him inside and shuts the door. I quickly grab the gun from my bag and rush toward the house. I run inside, halting to a stop, as I look around. I hear a scream come from upstairs, making me rush up the stairs. I make it to the top when the door at the end of the hall slams shut.

I run toward it, kicking it in. I see him standing over the Reverend with his hook ready. I shoot it in the back, and I shoot the gun again, but it disappears.

Lori runs in and over to her Dad.

I take a deep breath, sighing.

~ ~ ~

"We were just talking. Then Lori's dad came out, and then he appeared," I answer.

"A big man carrying a weapon, some kind of hook?"

"Yes, sir," I nod.

"Ever seen him before?"

"No, sir," I shake my head.

"You know, Miss, it seems like every time I turn around, I see you. I suggest you and your friends try and stay out of trouble."

"Yes, sir."

"It's all right, I'm with her. We're her friends. Hey, friend," Dean calls.

"Let 'em through," the sheriff nods.

"Thanks," Dean nods at them. Sam and Dean walk toward me.

"Go ahead," the officer nods at me. I rush toward them, and Sam engulfs me into a hug.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," I sigh.

"What the hell happened," Dean asks.

"Hookman," I answer.

"You saw him?"

"Damn right. Why the hell didn't you guys torch the bones," I question.

"We did. Are you sure it's the spirit of Jacob Karns," Dean sighs.

"Sure as hell looked like him and that's not all. I don't think the spirit is latching on to the Reverend."

"Yeah, the guy wouldn't send the Hookman after himself," Dean says.

"I think it's latching on to Lori," I admit. "Last night she found out that her father is having an affair with a married woman."

"So what," Dean shrugs.

"So, she's upset about it. She's upset about the immorality of it. She was raised to believe that if you do something wrong, you get punished," I explain.

"Okay, so she's conflicted, and the spirit of Preacher Karns is latching onto her repressed emotions and doing the punishing for her," Sam says.

"Right. Rich comes on too strong. Taylor tries to make her into a party girl. Dad has an affair," I say.

"Remind me not to piss this girl off," Dean says.

"But we burned those bones. We buried them in salt," Sam sighs. "Why didn't that stop him?"

"You must've missed something," I sigh.

"No, we burned everything in that office," Dean shakes his head.

"Did you get the hook," I ask.

"The hook?"

"It was the murder weapon, and in a way it was part of him," I nod.

"So, like the bones, the hook is a source of his power," Sam says.

"So, if we find the hook...," I start.

"We stop the Hookman," they finish.