Haunted {Dean Winchester 1}

Chapter 44

Nightmare

"Nobody's family is totally normal or happy." Dean remarked as we all walked back toward the car. "You see the way he was talking about his old house?"

"He seemed scared." Sam agreed. 

"Max isn't telling us everything. I say we go find the old neighborhood, find out what life was really like for the Millers."

"Sounds like a plan." I sighed, sliding into the backseat of the car. 

___

"Have you lived here long?" Sam asked the man who stood outside of his house across from where the Miller's used to live.  

"Uh, yeah, almost twenty years now." The man answered. "It's nice and quiet. Why, you looking to buy?" 

"No, no. We were just wondering if you might recall a family that used to live right across the street." Sam gestured to the house. 

I shifted on my feet, feeling a little lightheaded. I let the warmth of Dean's hand on my waist calm me, keep me grounded. 

"Yeah, the Millers, they had a little boy named Max." Dean added.

The man nodded. "Yeah, I know them. The brother had the place next door." 

"And?" I prompt, urging him to continued.

"Um, what's this about? That poor kid okay?"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. 

"All my life, I've never seen a child treated like that. I mean, I'd hear Mr. Miller yelling and throwing things from clear across the street. He was a mean drunk. Used to beat the tar out of Max. Brusies. Broke his arm two times that I know of." 

"This was going on regularly?"

"Practically every day. In fact, that thug brother of his was likely to take a swing at the boy. But the worst part was the stepmother. She'd just stand there, checked out. Never lifted a finger to protect him. I must've called the police seven or eight times, never did any good." 

"You said stepmother?" Dean asked.

"I think his real mom died. Some sort of accident. Car accident, I think. It... Are you okay there?" He asked Sam, who held his head in his hands and was wincing. 

"Uh, yeah." Sam nodded.

"Thanks for your time." Dean says, grabbing Sam's arm and leading him back to the car. 

As I walked around the car, my vision began to blur. My head spun, the houses around me going in circles. I stopped, setting a hand on the hood of the car. Then a scream rang through my head, followed by sobbing and jumbled voices. 

___

"Max is doing it. Everything I've been seeing." Sam shook his head. 

I rub my fingers against my temples, willing away the headache. My ears were still ringing slightly. 

"You sure about this?" Dean asked, not taking his eyes from the road.

"Yeah, I saw him." Sam rubbed his eyes.

"How is he pulling it off?"

"With the power of his mind..." I joke weakly. 

"I don't know. Like, telekinesis." Sam nodded. 

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah."   

"So he's psychic, a spoon-bender?" Dean glanced at his brother.