Currents

Chapter 21

Dean said" Are you kidding me? You're kidding me."
Kevin said" What? Is it too much to ask if we can swing by and check on my mom?"
" Swing by? It's a day's drive in the opposite direction. You know that, right?"
" Yes. I understand we're in a hurry."
" Okay, well, then, what's the problem?"
" Channing's broken neck is my problem! As in I'd rather not see my mom twisted into a corkscrew."
Sam said" Kid's got a point, Dean."
Dean said" Stay out of this. Kevin, your mom is fine."
Kevin said" How can you possible know that?"
" Because Crowley needs her to be, okay? In fact, he's probably got the place stacked with body guards right now, protecting her so that when you do show up, they'll pounce on you both."
" Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
" She's bait, man, plain and simple. And you want to swim right up and bite the hook? Look, we have got Crowley by the short and curlies, okay? All we need to do is find the tablet, whip up the spell, and- boom!- sunshine and sandy beaches."
" Dean, my mom's all alone. She's surrounded by demons. Can you really not understand why I want to make sure she's okay?" Dean glanced to me and Sammy, we raised our eyebrows, looking at him.
" Son of a bitch. Fine. Let's go."
——
We were outside Kevin's house,
Sam said" Tiger mom, 9:00." Kevin took the binoculars,
He said" Where?"
" Left window."
" She seems okay. Sad... but okay."
Dean said" Check out the mailman."
" Yeah, that's Carl. So what?"
" Yeah, well, Carl's filled your mom's mailbox three times since we've been sitting here."
" He's a demon?"
" And see the gardener? Think that plant needs any more water?"

Dean took care of the gardener, then the mailman came into the back gates, Dean waved at him. I snapped my fingers and the water in the meat suit turned holy. He burned from the inside, and died, Sam and Dean both looked at me... then exchanged looks, dammit! I made my eyes turn back to normal.
Kevin knocked on the door, his mom answered,
He said" Hi, mom."
She said" Kev-Kevin!" Dean and Sam sprayed her with holy water and borax.
Dean said" She's clean." Kevin and her started hugging,
Sam said" Do you smell that?" We went into the house, Sam and I saw a demon trying to smoke out, I shielded it with holy water while Sam said an exorcism. Dean came in and killed the thing, I dropped the shield,
Kevin's mom said" Eunis!"
Dean said" That's not Eunis."

Sam said" Mrs. Tran, your friend was possessed by a demon."
Kevin said" Have you ever seen The Exorcist?"
She said" Is that what you've been doing all year- watching television? Did you really have to kill her?"
Dean said" The demon would have warned Crowley where Kevin was if we didn't."
" And Crowley is the one who kidnapped you?"
Kevin said" Yeah. He needs me to translate his stupid tablet so he can take over the universe or something."
Dean said" Which is why we need to get it so that we can slam the gates of hell forever with Crowley inside."
Sam said" So that things like that don't ever happen again."
Mrs. Tran said" Prophet of the lord, huh? It does have a nice ring to it. I'll get packed."
Dean said" We're gonna need a safe house since Crowley's been to the cabin, so-"
" Safe house? I thought we were going to get the tablet."
" Uh, we are. You're taking a trip to a demon-free zone."
" And risk letting Kevin fall into the hands of this Crowley again? I don't think so."
Sam said" Mrs. Tran, all due respect, Dean's right. Crowley- he's not just a killer. He trades in torment. And if he can find a way to separate your soul from you, he'll take that soul to hell and-and roast it till there's nothing left but black smoke. Look, it's best if you let us handle this."
" I understand. But it's not my soul I'm worried about. It's my son's."
Dean said" Kevin, you want to back us up here? Came all the way down here to pull her out of the fire. Now she wants to jump right back in."
Kevin said" Like I can tell her what to do?"
" Keir, siren thing now." Mrs. Tran looked at me,
I said" I wanna see what happens, sorry." I took a step back, Dean gave me a glare, then turned his back to me.
" All right. Coming with us has conditions- uh, hex bags to stay off the bad guy's radar and, uh, you're gonna have to get inked up."
Kevin said" Do what, now?"
Sam said" Yeah, uh..." I covered his mouth, pulling the collar of my shirt down,
I said" You too, shortstop." I uncovered Sam's mouth,
" Keeps the demons out."
Mrs. Tran said" Fine."
Dean said" Really?"
" What, like it's my first tattoo?"