As It Was - Dean Winchester

Part 72

It was getting dark by the time Sam and I got to the last cabin on our map, and the anticipation of the hunt buzzed in my nerves. This had to be it.

Checking the map to ensure we were on the right location, I shot Sammy a look, conveying my mixed feelings about this whole thing. One thing was certain, though, we needed to find Dr. Benton and stop him one way or another. If Sam thought I was going to be okay with Frankenstein 2.0 walking around and killing people, he was out of his mind.

Stepping out of our rental and locking it, we walked silently up the narrow forest path to the run-down cabin.

Sam picked the lock, and it was a silent agreement between us not to make any sound. I handed him one of the flashlights we brought, and before he opened the door, he shrugged, his eyes conveying the message that this was it.

The inside of the cabin was dark and filled with dust and cobwebs. It was in serious need of some TLC for anyone actually to be able to stay there, but that was not what I was there for.

Sam walked left, and I walked right, holding my gun and flashlight together in order to see where I was shooting if I needed to. The old furniture was littered with books and old gadgets that I didn't even want to know what they could be used for. Other than that, the cabin was seemingly empty. I did my sweep, stopping by a hatch in the floor.

Sam flickered his light to me, gaining my attention and holding up a leather-bound book with less dust than the others and a symbol carved into the leather. I gave a short nod before he pocketed it and joined my side. He gave the hatch a calculating look before he bent down and opened it.

I was half expecting someone to stand on the other side and was relieved when darkness greeted me. My gun was still firmly in my hands as I descended the steep steps into the basement. Even before my feet touched the floor on the lower level, I saw the dead body on the operating table. A white sheet was pulled up over his chest, but blood had seeped through, making it easy to understand that his chest had suffered severe damage.

Intent to continue my routine sweep, I turned right, noting Sam going over to the man to check his pulse. Even the basement was covered in old surgical equipment, and torn sheets were used as drapes between different rooms. That's why I didn't immediately notice the other operating table or the woman strapped to it.

"Sammy," I whispered, drawing the younger Winchester's attention my way as I investigated further.

The woman's arms were strapped away from her body, and large parts of the skin on her wrists were peeled back, displaying the sinew beneath. I had to hold back a gag because the entire open wound was covered in maggots.

I noticed a tear rolling down the side of her face toward the hairline and placed a hand over her mouth to keep her silent as she woke up. My hand startled her awake with a gasp, and Sam immediately began to shush her. Her head was held down using a leather strap, and even though she strained against it, she couldn't get anywhere.

"Shh! Shh! Shh! It's okay. We're here to help you. We're here to help you. We're gonna help you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"I'm gonna let you go now," I whispered. "You need to keep quiet. Okay?" She silently nodded while more tears escaped her eyes. I slowly removed my hand while Sam found a cloth to bandage her wound temporarily.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Sam repeated while she tried to hold back her cries. I clamped my hand back over her mouth as the door upstairs opened.

Sam and I exchanged a glance, silently communicating.

I drew the knife that was tucked into one of my boots and quickly cut through her bonds. Sam hoisted her into his arms,princess-style, and followed me as I made my way across the room to the narrow window that ended just above the ground.