The Fifth Archangel

16: Finding My Way

Now was the hard part: getting to Wilmington. It's not like I could just walk, as it's about 1,400 miles. I didn't have a car without going back to the bunker and taking the Impala. I could hitchhike, but as an ex-archangel, that could be potentially dangerous.

Instead I left Lebanon and began to wander. That is, until the sun went down. I couldn't keep my eyes open, my stomach was constantly growling, and the scars on my back throbbed.

There was a little hotel on the side of the road. It advertised free continental breakfast- which I assumed was good- and the cheapest prices in Lebanon.

I went into the inn, to see the clerk watching a little, boxy TV. She took one look at me, and decided the ragged, homeless girl in front of her wasn't worth the work.

"Um, I'd like a room, please." I said cautiously. I'd never really been in a business, except supply runs with the Winchesters and trips to the bar with Dean, and I never handled the money then.

"You got money?" She asked, annoyed at my very presence.

I threw down two 100s. "Will this cover it?"

She suddenly became interested, "More than enough." She grabbed the money and handed me a key, "Here ya go. Room 104."

I nodded, "Thanks." My room was just down the hall. I opened the door with some difficulty, but once I did, I practically fell on the bed and closed my eyes.

I was instantly teleported to the top of a mountain. The ground was split in two, and I had one foot on one side and one foot on the other. The left side of the ground was tinged red, with many black cracks. The right side was light grey, with white cracks. I somehow knew that they were symbolic. Heaven and Hell, blue and red. And I was in the middle.

On the Heaven side, I saw Cas, Sam, Dean, and Gail. On Hell's side, I saw Crowley, Lucifer, my wings, and a swirly bluish light, presumably my Grace. Heaven's sky was like Earth from the atmosphere. Hell's was red with flames and a Devil's Gate.

Cas, Gail, Crowley, Lucifer, and the Winchesters began to beckon me to their respective sides.  They shouted and pulled at my clothing. It was overwheming- to say the least. It was about to get ugly, until Chuck- God, that is- appeared in front of me. He took my hand.

The yelling was muted. I could see their mouths moving, but no sound was coming out. I looked at Chuck in awe. I breathed, "Dad?"

He nodded, his face solemn, "Do you realize what this is?" He gestured around him.

"Um, a metaphor?" I guessed.

He nodded again, "What does it mean?"

"I- I don't know, Father."

"It's a choice."

"A choice? I don't understand."

"Think about it." He pressed.

I have to pick a side. Heaven or Hell. Friends or destiny."

"Correct."

"But- but why?" He looked at me, and was gone. I stared at the sky, "C'mon, Dad! Would it kill you to give me a straight answer once in awhile?!" I stomped on the ground, and it began to crumble. I whirled around, confused. My stomping wasn't that powerful. Suddenly, Heaven and Hell fell away, and I fell with them. I blacked out.

I suddenly sat up in my hotel bed, breathing heavily. Dreaming. That was the sensation humans called dreaming. Of course, I had never experienced it before. Quite a sensation, and I didn't think I liked it very much.

But did that mean that my father's advice wasn't real? Or was He reaching out to me somehow?

But I had once heard that it's better to think about something on a full stomach, not to mention the fact that my stomach felt like it was folding inward, so I went down to the lobby.

I smelled sausage and bacon fat before I even made it to the front desk, so instead of asking the clerk, I followed my nose. I entered the dining area, and was immediately overwhelmed by the different foods and smells.

There was sausage, bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes, multiple cereals, four different types of milk, and fruits. I didn't know where to start, so I grabbed a little of everything. Two sausage links, a couple bacon strips, a poached egg, a mini waffle, three silver dollar pancakes, a bowl of mixed cereal, a cup of 2% milk, and a green apple went on my plate.

I sat down on a chair and began to eat. Bacon was crispy and greasy, sausage was meaty and spicy, and the egg was slimy and runny. At that point, my stomach resisted. I took that as a call for carbs. The waffle was doughy, the pancakes were cakey, the cereal hurt my mouth, and the apple was sour. I swished it all down with the milk. My stomach now hurt, and felt like it was bulging.

Humanity sucks.

I stood up and looked at the other people in the dining area. The was a few couples, a few biusness-y looking people, and a few homeless-looking guys. I needed directions from the people who would understand me, so I naturally went to the homeless-looking guys.

I sat down in front of a guy with a red beanie on and a scraggly beard. "Hi." I said. He looked at me and smirked.

"If you're a hooker, go away, pretty girl."

I was shocked. No one had ever called me pretty. "Thanks." I smiled, "But I'm no hooker."

"What do you want then?"

"Help." I said, "Specifically, help with getting across the country."

"Across the country, you say? Where to?"

"Wilmington."

"Ah, you're a North Carolina girl."

"Yeah, sure. What would be the best way to get there?"

"Depends on what you lay down on the table," He said, obviously wanting pay for his information.

I laid a hundred on the table, "Here. Now, how do I get to Wilmington."

He swiped the bill and pocketed it. "Assuming you don't want to hitchhike, Amtrak is the fastest way to Wilmington. Closest station just in Lebanon." He leaned away from me, "And if anyone asks, I didn't talk to you."

"What? Why?"

He blinked and his eyes flashed black. Caught by surprise, I panicked and tried to scramble away, but he grabbed my hand. "No, I'm trying to help you. Crowley's coming. You've got maybe 20 minutes."

"What? Why are you telling me?"

"Does it matter?" He passed me a small backpack and let go of my hand, "Go. Quickly."

I got up from the table, "Thank you." I grabbed some fruit from the food tables, filled the backpack, and quickly left the motel.

The train wasn't very crowded, but I was still nervous. Without my Grace, I couldn't see who was a demon, who was an angel, and who was a normal person.

I hadn't gotten any word about the Winchesters or Castiel, so I assumed they were still looking for me in Lebanon. I silently thanked Cas for his advice, a long time ago, to carve Enochian into my ribs so angels couldn't find me.

The train started to slow down and a voice come on the loudspeaker, "Ladies and gentlemen, we will now be stopping in Nashville, Tennessee. We will be back and moving in about ten minutes. Thank you for your cooperation."

When the train stopped, I looked out the window. I scanned the passengers about to get on the train, and my eyes landed on three guys wearing black suits. The middle one looked directly at me and smirked. Only one person could smirk that haughtily: Crowley.

Oooh, cliffhangers, how I love them. This is my coping with every cliffhanger ending that an author (*cough* Rick *cough* Riordan *cough*) has trolled me with.

Also, how's about that back-to-back updating? Thanks for reading!! Please vote and comment; it would be fantabulous!