On Shadow.

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie's accustomed by this point in her career in Milliways with bringing people through to her house.

Sometimes however, she does forget to mention that her door leads to the back end of her walk-in pantry.

"Mind the rice bags, please," Sallie throws out behind her. "I haven't had a chance to put them away yet."

'Them', here, meaning 'a stack of burlap bags waist high that restricts the narrow walkway of actual living space to about half of its original width'.

Sallie's concise like that; even she has issues navigating it all.

Comments

[realmrsreynolds]

"You could just let me go. What am I gon' get into in this old hag, anyhow?"

It's a valid question, for Her Him It.

[hopeitsworthit]

"Want's kind of a strong word, Sammy."

Dean musters up a smirk, hauling Sallie up off the floor.

"Upsy Daisy, psycho freak. And I'm pretty sure whatever answer you're gonna give to that question, I don't wanna know."

Seriously, now.

Give him a second to nab rope and a solid chair.

[gavemea_45]

"Cantate Deo, psallite Domino," Sam calls out.

It had taken him some time to try to modify the ritual so that it didn't call specifically on anything related to Earth, and he can't be sure he's gotten it all right, but he's got to try.

"Qui fertis super caelum caeli--"

[realmrsreynolds]

He's got to try, just as Sallie has to try and fidget against the gorram fucking (what a good word that is -- Dean is educational) ropes she's tied up in.

Other than Sallie looking more and more pissed off, there's nothing new going on as of yet.

[hopeitsworthit]

"Yeah, like that's gonna work, sweetheart."

Dean's shoulders are tense, but he sounds like they're spendin' a day trading drinks at the bar.

"Give it up."

[gavemea_45]

"...Ab insídiis diáboli, libera nos, Dómine!
Ut Ecclésiam tuam secúra tibi fácias libertáte servire, te rogámus, audi nos!"

It's not working. They'd know by now if it were.

There's real alarm in the look he throws Dean.

[realmrsreynolds]

"Take your own advice, smartass son of a whore."

To Sam:

"Don't know what you're workin' so hard to save this one for. It's not like with her bein' this old she's going to miss out on that much." Heavier. "Stop tryin' to help. Need me to spell it out for you?"

Almost a giggle follows, Sallie staring at her own forearm, a tiny sliver of a cut forming out of nowhere. "Lemme get some ink on."

[gavemea_45]

"No--"

The paper falls as Sam moves to grab Sallie's arm as if to prevent any further injury. As he looks down at the wound, the shock on his face gives way to sudden, horrified recognition.

[realmrsreynolds]

"Such concern."

What little light there is in the room finds the hard objects first -- the furniture, belt buckles, countertops, and tables.

And pendants.

"How novel."

[hopeitsworthit]

Dean's reflexive question 'Sam, what--' Is cut off by two things.

One, Sallie opening her goddamn mouth to be a bitch, and two--

"Novel my ass." He takes a step forward, snagging what's around Sallie's neck.

"Sammy?"

He'd look to his brother right now, but taking his eyes off the freaky-ass spirit (and Sallie) is low on Dean's priority list.

[gavemea_45]

"I know what this is-- I read it in that book of ghost stories she gave me."

Sam looks into the eyes of the older woman in front of him.

"It's you, isn't it, Sallie?"

[hopeitsworthit]

Dean spares a moment to give Sam a 'what are you on? look.

Because--when did Sallie turn into a crazy as fuck psycho freakshow?

Did he miss a memo?

[realmrsreynolds]

"For someone from Earth-that-Was, sure took you awhile."

She's smiling, here, just as she would if she were inviting her son to dinner with her.

"Always been me, sweetheart. Now if you really want to help -- " the cut lengthens under Sam's palm, " --- you'd let me go."

[gavemea_45]

"Oh, we're gonna let you go."

It's harshly said, tight with anger.

"But first you're gonna let her go. She's not the one who hurt you, and you don't get to use her like this."

Sam glances to the side, and only then spots the amulet his brother's holding up.

"Get that thing off her. Fast."

[hopeitsworthit]

"I hope you know this hurts me more'n it hurts you."

Dean lies.

Right now, to get that thing out of Sallie before she ends up bleeding out on the floor, he doesn't really give a damn.

snap

One good yank gets the pendant off Sallie's neck, and it only takes a second to toss it on the table with the scalpels.

You know.

Just to be thorough.

[realmrsreynolds]

With Sallie still tied to the chair, it's an unnatural crane of the neck up to Dean, with all teeth and no smile and --

"You know nothing of me," her words coming rapidly -- her voice changing octave and pitch bending downward to gravel,

Everybody dies alone

" -- You call your way helping." Then, Sallie's eyes are only for her necklace that's far too far away to grab.

[gavemea_45]

"Actually, yeah. We do."

Salt first, covering the pendant that's become the focus of the spirit's grasp on the world and on so many murdered people down through the years.

Then accelerant.

(A lot of it.)

Sam flicks a quick look at Dean, then focuses levelly on Sallie.

"See, helping save people from things like you? It's a family business."



The match hisses as it falls to the table.

[hopeitsworthit]

Dean works to keep the startled expression off his face. Just in case, you know, this doesn't take the ghost bitch down.

But he and Sam are gonna have a talk, later.

Or maybe not.

[realmrsreynolds]

The old woman's face contorts
Woomch
in flashes of gray and red, with a mirage of herself floating over top of Sallie's body, blurring edges and reason when the mirage rushes toward the ceiling and dissipates into the tiles.

Whatever screams are offered are short.






In the end of it, the fact the woman is tied to the chair so steadfastly is the main fact behind her not falling sideways to the floor.

[gavemea_45]

"Sallie? Sallie!"

Sam ignores the dying flames on the now-ruined table in favor of rushing back to crouch down in front of her.

"It's okay, you're okay-- Dean, help me get her loose--"

[hopeitsworthit]

"Jesus, Sammy."

Dean knocks into Sam's shoulder, maybe trying to push him out of the way.

"You get yourself killed now and so help me God--"

He'll take care of checking Sallie over, thank you very much.

"Never mind. Pass me a knife, willya?"

[gavemea_45]

Sam gives him a sharp look, but leaves it at that.

"Here."

He hands over the knife and goes to work on loosening the rope holding Sallie's other arm.

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie's coming to, now, eyes squinting shut and flying open again in a one-two count, seeing Sam then Dean in turn.

Her eyes are big and bright.

And scared.

She keeps her teeth clenched, and absolutely does not utter a sound.

[hopeitsworthit]

"Hey, uh, Mrs. Reynolds."

Dean waves a little.

Too bad it's the hand with the knife in it.

"Uh. You feelin' all right?"

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie tries out the experience of inhaling, then exhaling. She nods 'yes' to Dean after flinching at the knife's movement.

Once she's free, Sallie presses downward on her feet, thinking of standing -- she doesn't get very far.

"I remember falling -- "