1.18 Something Wicked (transcript)

SUPERNATURAL

1.18 Something Wicked

Written by: Daniel Knauf

Directed by: Whitney Ransick

Air Date: 6 Apr 2006

TEASER

FITCHBURG, WISCONSIN

INTERIOR. SURBURBAN HOUSE

LITTLE GIRL
(Kneeling by her bed) Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep, may angels watch me through the night and keep me safe til morning light. Amen.

DAD
(Helping her into bed) Amen. Night Monkey Puss.

LITTLE GIRL
Daddy, is Mommy coming home?

DAD
No honey, she's spending the night at the hospital with your sister. You sleep tight now.

Outside a tree branch scratches against the window. The girl sits up in bed, afraid. She gathers her courage, races to the window and pulls the curtain across, then hides back under the covers. The scratching tree branch turns into a long spindly fingered hand and the window is slowly pulled open. A shadow approaches the bed. The girl is wide-eyed and terrified under the covers. The hand is placed on her shoulder -- she is turned and sees someone in a hood, only their mouth and chin visible. The skin is deeply wrinkled, the mouth opens, and a bright light is emitted. The little girl begins to scream.

ACT ONE

The Impala cruises down a country road.

INTERIOR. IMPALA.

DEAN
Yeah. You probably missed something, that's what.

SAM
Dude, I ran LexisNexis, local police reports, newspapers, I couldn't find a single red flag. Are you sure you got the coordinates right?

DEAN
Yeah, I double checked. It's Fitchburg, Wisconson. Dad wouldn't have sent us coordinates if it wasn't important Sammy.

SAM
(getting frustrated) Well I'm telling you I looked and all I could find was a big steamy pile of nothing. If Dad's sending us hunting for something I don't know what.

DEAN
Well maybe he's going to meet us there.

SAM
Yeah. Cause he's been so easy to find up to this point.

DEAN
You're a real smart ass you know that?.... Don't worry I'm sure there's something in Fitchburg worth killing.

SAM
Yeah? What makes you so sure.

DEAN
Cause I'm the oldest, which means I'm always right.

SAM
No it doesn't.

DEAN
It totally does.

DEAN glances at Sammy then looks back at the road with a little grin. The impala cruises past the sign for Fitchburg, population 20,501.

.......................

EXTERIOR. FITCHBURG MAIN STREET.

SAM leans against the Impala staring ahead. DEAN crosses to the road to him, holding two coffees. Glasow's Diner can be seen in the background.

DEAN
(handing SAM a coffee) Well...the waitress thinks the local freemasons are up to something sneaky but other than that no one's heard about anything freaky going on.

SAM
Dean you got the time?

DEAN
(looking at his watch) Ten after Four. Why?

SAM
(Indictating ahead) What's wrong with this picture.

SAM has been watching a playground. It is deserted, only one child climbing around.

DEAN
School's out isn't it?

SAM
Yeah. So where is everybody? This place should be crawling with kids right now.

A woman sits on a park bench reading a magazine. DEAN approaches.

DEAN
Sure is quiet out here.

WOMAN
Yeah, it's a shame.

DEAN
Why's that?
WOMAN
You know, kids getting sick, it's a terrible thing.

DEAN
How many?

WOMAN
Just five or six but serious, hospital serious. A lot of parents are getting pretty anxious. They think it's catching.

They both watch the little girls playing by herself.

...............................

INTERIOR. DANE COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

SAM and DEAN enter and approach the reception desk.

SAM
Dude. Dude I am not using this ID.

DEAN
Why not?

SAM
Cause it says bikini inspector on it! (READ the ID in Trivia 1.18 Something Wicked)

DEAN
(Grinning) Don't worry she won't look that close all right? Hell, she won't even ask to see it. It's all about confidence Sammy.

He spins SAM to face the desk and keeps walking. The receptionist looks up.

SAM
Hi. I'm Doctor Jerry Caplin, Centers for Disease Control.

RECEPTIONIST
Can I see some ID?

Further down the corridor DEAN sniggers.

SAM
(Throwing DEAN a dirty look) Yeah of course.

SAM
(Quickly flashing the ID, holding his thumb over part of it) Now could you direct me to the pediatrics ward please?

RECEPTIONIST
Okay well, just go down that hall, turn left and up the stairs.

Sam approaches a grinning DEAN, giving major bitchface.

DEAN
(Still grinning) See. I told you it would work.

SAM
(Glares at Dean and shakes his head irritably) Follow me. It's upstairs.

---

INTERIOR. HOSPITAL. UPSTAIRS

SAM and DEAN walk down the corridor. DEAN looks into a room they pass. An old evil looking woman sitting in a wheelchair slowly turns her head to look at him. An inverted cross hangs on her wall.

SAM
Dean!

DEAN follows SAM, glancing back toward the room.

.................................

SAM AND DEAN WALK TO A HOSPITAL CORRIDOR WITH A DOCTOR.

DEAN
Well, thanks for seeing us, Dr. Hydecker.

HYDECKER
Well I'm glad you guys are here. I was just about to call CDC myself. How'd you find out anyways?

DEAN
Oh some GP, I forget his name, he called Atlanta and, uh, he must've beat you to the punch.

SAM
So you say you got six cases so far?

HYDECKER
Yeah, five weeks. At first we thought it was garden variety bacterial pneumonia. Not that newsworthy. But now...

SAM
Now what?

HYDECKER
The kids aren't responding to antibiotics. Their white cell counts keep going down. Their immune systems just aren't doing their job. It's like their bodies are ... wearing out.

NURSE
Excuse me, Dr Hyecker.

The Nurse hands him some forms to look over and sign.

SAM
(to HYDECKER) You ever see anything like this before?

HYDECKER
Never this severe.

NURSE
And the way it spreads...that's a new one for me.

SAM
What do you mean?

NURSE
It works its way through families. But only the children, one sibling after another.

DEAN
You mind if we interview a few of the kids?

NURSE
They're not conscious.

SAM
None of them?

NURSE No.

DEAN
Can we, uh, can we talk to the parents?

HYDECKER
Well, if you think it'll help.

DEAN
Yeah. Who was your most recent admission?

........................

INTERIOR, HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM

A man sits on a chair against the wall, SAM and DEAN stand in front of him.

MAN
I should get back to my girls.

SAM
We understand that, and we really appreciate you talking to us. Now you say Mary is the oldest?

MAN
Thirteen.

SAM
Ok. And she came down with it first, right? And then...

MAN
Bethany, the next night.

SAM
Within 24 hours?

MAN
I guess. Look, I, uh, I already went through all this with the doctor.

DEAN
Just a few more questions if you don't mind. How do you think they caught pneumonia? Were they out in the cold, anything like that?

MAN
No. We think it was an open window.

DEAN
Both times?

MAN
The first time, I, I don't really remember but the second time for sure. And I know I closed it before I put Bethany to bed.

SAM
So you think she opened it?

MAN
It's a second story window with a ledge. No one else could've.

............................

SAM and DEAN walk back down the corridor.

SAM
You know this might not be anything supernatural. It might just be pneumonia.

DEAN
Maybe. Or maybe something opened that window. I don't know man, look, Dad sent us down down here for a reason. I think we might be barking up the right tree.

SAM
I'll tell you one thing.

DEAN
What?

SAM
That guy we just talked to? I'm betting it'll be a while before he goes home.

.............................

INTERIOR. BETHANY'S BEDROOM.

Sam and DEAN check the room with EMF.

SAM
You got anything over there?

DEAN
Nah, nothing.

SAM
Yeah, me neither.

They keep checking. SAM moves to the window.

SAM
Hey Dean?

DEAN
Yeah.

SAM
Whu. (Staring at the windowsill) You were right. It's not pneumonia.

Dean comes over and they stare at a handprint rotted into the wood.

SAM
It's rotted. What the hell leaves a handprint like that?

...................................

FLASHBACK. MOTEL ROOM. YOUNG DEAN AND SAM.

YOUNG DEAN (around 9-10) is staring at a photo of the same handprint. JOHN comes out of the bedroom, loading his sawn off.

JOHN
All right. You know the drill, Dean. Anybody calls, you don't pick up. If it's me, I'll ring once, then call back. You got that?

YOUNG DEAN
Mm-hmm. Only answer the phone unless it rings once first.

JOHN
Come on, dude, look alive. This stuff is important.

YOUNG DEAN
I know, it's just...we've gone over it like a million times and you know I'm not stupid.

JOHN
I know you're not, but it only takes one mistake, you got that?

JOHN continues gathering his things.

JOHN
All right, if I'm not back Sunday night...?

YOUNG DEAN
Call Pastor Jim.

JOHN
Lock the doors, the windows, close the shades. Most important....

YOUNG DEAN
Watch out for Sammy.

They both look to SAMMY, sprawled on the couch watching cartoons on TV.

YOUNG DEAN
I know.

JOHN
All right. If something tries to bust in?

YOUNG DEAN
Shoot first, ask questions later.

JOHN
(taking his shoulder) That's my man.

END FLASHBACK

................................

PRESENT. BETHANY'S BEDROOM.

DEAN
(standing at window, looking a little sick) I know why Dad sent us here. He's faced this thing before. He wants us to finish the job.

END ACT ONE

ACT TWO

EXTERIOR. NIGHT.

The Impala pulls up to a motel office and they get out.

SAM
So what the hell is a shtriga?

DEAN
It's ... kinda like a witch I think. I don't know much about 'em.

SAM
Well I've never heard of it. And it's not in Dad's journal.

DEAN
Dad hunted one in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin, about 16, 17 years ago. You were there. You don't remember?

SAM
No.

DEAN
And I guess he caught wind of the things in Fitzburg now and kicked us the coordinates.

SAM
So wait, this...

DEAN
Shtriga.

SAM
Right. You think it's the same one Dad hunted before?

DEAN
Yeah, maybe.

SAM
But if Dad went after it why is it still breathing air?

DEAN
Cause it got away.

SAM
Got away?

DEAN
(starting to get frustrated) Yeah Sammy it happens.

SAM
Not very often.

DEAN
Well I don't know what to tell ya, maybe Dad didn't have his wheaties that morning.

SAM
What else do you remember?

DEAN
(Defensively) Nothin'. I was a kid all right?

DEAN enters reception and rings the bell. A boy of around 10-12 comes from the back room where a younger boy sits watching TV

BOY
A king or two queens?

DEAN
(Glancing back at SAM) Two queens.

BOY
(Following his look and sniggering under his breath) Yeah I'll bet.

DEAN
What'd you say.

BOY
(smiling) Nice car!

A woman enters, smiling at them both.

WOMAN
Hi.

DEAN
Hi.

WOMAN
Checking in?

DEAN
Yeah.

WOMAN
(To boy) Ahh, do me a favor, go get your brother some dinner.

BOY
I'm helping a guest!

She gives him a look and he grimaces and turns to go.

BOY
(To his mother, while raising his eyebrow at Dean) Two queens. (emphasizing "queens')

DEAN
(fake laugh) Funny kid.

WOMAN
Oh, yeah. He thinks so. Will that be cash or credit?

DEAN
You take MasterCard? (She nods. Mm-hmm.) Perfect. Here you go.

DEAN watches through the door as the boy pours a glass of milk for his younger brother.

..........................

FLASHBACK. MOTEL ROOM.

YOUNG SAM sits at the table. YOUNG DEAN pours him a glass of milk.

YOUNG SAM
When's Dad gonna get back?

YOUNG DEAN
(Grabbing a pot from the stove) Tomorrow.

YOUNG SAM
When?

YOUNG DEAN
(pouring from the pot into a bowl) I dunno. He usually comes in late though. Now eat your dinner.

YOUNG SAM
I'm sick of scabetti-ohs.

YOUNG DEAN
Well -- You're the one who wanted 'em!

YOUNG SAM
I want lucky charms!

YOUNG DEAN
There's no more lucky charms.

YOUNG SAM
I saw the box!

YOUNG DEAN
Okay, maybe there is but there's only enough for one bowl and I haven't had any yet.

SAMMY gives puppy dog eyes. DEAN sighs, dumps out SAM'S bowl in the trash and thumps the cereal box on the table instead. SAM reaches into the box and grabs the toy.

YOUNG SAM
(holding it toward DEAN) D'you want the prize?

END FLASHBACK

..............................

PRESENT DAY. MOTEL RECEPTION.

WOMAN
(Holding out his card) Sir?

DEAN
(Coming back to reality) Thanks.

........................

INTERIOR. MOTEL ROOM.

SAM (on laptop) Well, you were right. Heh. It wasn't very easy to find but you were right. Shtriga is a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to Ancient Rome. They feed off spiritus vitae.

DEAN
Spiri-what?

SAM
Vitae. It's Latin, translates to 'breath of life'. Kinda like your life force or essence.

DEAN
Didn't the doctor say the kids' bodies were wearing out?

SAM
It's a thought. you know she takes your vitality maybe your immunity goes to hell, pneumonia takes hold. Anyway, shtrigas can feed off anyone but they prefer...

DEAN
Children.

SAM
Yeah. Probably because they have stronger life force. And get this. Shtrigas are '...invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man.'

DEAN
No, that's not right. She's vulnerable when she feeds.

SAM
What?

DEAN If you catch her when she's eating you can blast her with consecrated wrought iron. Ahhh... buckshots or rounds I think.

SAM
How do you know that?

DEAN
Dad told me. I remember.

SAM
Oh. Huh. So uh, anything else Dad might have mentioned?

DEAN
Nope, that's it.

SAM keeps staring at DEAN.

DEAN
What?

SAM
Nothing. Okay. So, assuming we can kill it when it eats we still gotta find the thing first, which ain't gonna be a cakewalk. Shtrigas take on a human disguise when they're not hunting.

DEAN
What kinda human disguise?

SAM
Historically, something innocuous. Could be anything, but it's usually a feeble old woman, which might be how the witches as old crones legend got started.

DEAN
(crossing the room) Hang on.

SAM What?

DEAN
(grabbing a map) Check this out. I marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now these are the houses that have been hit so far, and dead center?

SAM
The hospital.

DEAN
The hospital. Now when we were there I saw a patient, an old woman.

SAM
An old person huh?

DEAN
Yeah.

SAM
In a hospital? Phew. (shaking his head and sniggering) Better call the Coast Guard.

DEAN
Well listen, smart-ass, she had an inverted cross hanging on her wall.

SAM quickly looks up, serious. DEAN raises an eyebrow at him.

............................

INTERIOR. NIGHT. HOSPITAL.

SAM and DEAN come down a hallway, quickly ducking back when they see Dr HYDECKER.

NURSE
Good night Dr Hydecker.

HYDECKER
See you tomorrow Betty.

NURSE
Try to get some sleep.

SAM and DEAN hide until HYDECKER passes, then continue on to the old woman's room. They open the door and sneak in, DEAN taking the front, SAM hanging back, guns drawn. The woman is in her wheelchair facing toward the corner. She seems to be sleeping. DEAN slowly leans in closer and closer to her face.

OLD WOMAN
(Turning her head) Who the hell are you?!

DEAN freaks, leaping back against a wall cabinet, pulling his gun up.

OLD WOMAN
Who's there? You trying to steal my stuff? (Grumbling to herself) They're always stealing around here.

SAM
(Turning the light on. We can see she has cataracts) No! Ah, ma'am, we're maintenance. We're sorry. We thought you were sleeping.

OLD WOMAN
Ahhh, nonsense. I was sleeping with my peepers open. (She laughs, then gestures at the wall.) And fix that crucifix, would ya? I've asked four damn times already!

DEAN, still looking slightly freaked out, jogs the crucifix and it swings the right way up.

.................................

INTERIOR. MOTEL. NIGHT.

The camera pans across the owners sons sleeping in twin beds, and onto the window. The Shtriga's arm appears and slides the window open.

END ACT TWO

ACT THREE

EXTERIOR. MOTEL. DAY

The Impala pulls up to the motel parking lot and SAM and DEAN get out.

SAM
(Laughing) "I was sleeping with my peepers open?" Hahahaha.

DEAN
I almost smoked that old girl, I swear. It's not funny!

SAM
(Still sniggering) Oh man, you shoulda seen your face.

DEAN
Yeah, laugh it off. Now we're back to square one.

DEAN (sees the owner's son sitting behind the office looking forlorn) Hang on.

DEAN
(To the boy) Hey what's wrong?

BOY (MICHAEL)
My brother's sick.

DEAN
The little guy?

BOY (MICHAEL)
(Nodding) Pneumonia. He's in the hospital. It's my fault.

DEAN
Ah c'mon, how?

BOY (MICHAEL)
I shoulda made sure the window was latched. He wouldn't've got pneumonia if the window was latched.

DEAN looks away for a moment. SAM watches him, frowning thoughtfully.

DEAN
Listen to me. I can promise you that this is not your fault. Okay?

BOY (MICHAEL)
It's my job to look after him.

SAM looks back and forth from Dean to the kid.

His mother hurries out of the motel toward her car.

MOM
Michael, I want you to turn on the no vacancy sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service so don't bother with any of the rooms.

MICHAEL
I'm going with you.

MOM
Not now, Michael.

MICHAEL
But I gotta see Asher!

DEAN
Hey Michael. Hey. I know how you feel -- I'm a big brother too -- but you gotta go easy on your Mom right now, ok?

MOM
(Dropping her handbag in her haste) Dammit!

SAM
I got it.

Mom
Thank you.

DEAN
Listen, you're in no condition to drive -- why don't you let me give you a lift to the hospital.

Mom
No, I couldn't possibly...

DEAN
No, it's no trouble. I insist.

DEAN takes her keys.

Mom
Thanks. (To Michael) Be good.

DEAN helps her into her seat then turns to SAM.

DEAN
We're gonna kill this thing. I want it dead, you hear me?

.......................................

INTERIOR. LIBRARY.

SAM sits at a microfiche machine. He picks up his phone.

DEAN
(Whispers) Hey.

SAM
Hey. How's the kid?

DEAN
He's not good. Where you at?

SAM
I'm at the library. I've been trying to find out as much as I can about this Shtriga.

DEAN
Yeah, what have you got?

SAM
Well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there?

DEAN
Yeah?

SAM
Same deal. Before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years it hits a new town. Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitzburgh. In all these other places it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the shtriga finally moves on. The kids just ... languish in comas and then they die.

DEAN
How far back's this thing go?

SAM
Ah, I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called "Black River Falls" back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show.... Whoa.

DEAN
Sam?

SAM
Hold on.... I'm looking at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the Doctors is Hydecker.

DEAN
And?

SAM
And this picture was taken in 1893.

DEAN
You sure?

SAM
Yeah. Yeah absolutely.

DEAN hangs up and turns to watch HYDECKER sitting on ASHER'S bed.

HYDECKER
(To Asher's Mom) Don't worry. Your son's in good hands. I'm going to take care of him.

HYDECKER moves toward DEAN standing in the doorway. DEAN looks ready to slit his throat.

HYDECKER
So what's the CDC come up with so far?

DEAN
Well, we're still working on a few theories. You'll know something as soon as we do.

HYDECKER
Well, nothing's more important to me than these kids. Just let me know if I can help.

DEAN
I'll do that.

.................................

INTERIOR. MOTEL ROOM.

SAM
We should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing.

DEAN (throwing off his jacket, pacing agitatedly)
That son of a bitch.

SAM
I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there.

DEAN
Yeah well, first of all, I'm not going to open fire in a freakin' pediatrics ward.

SAM
Good call.

DEAN
Second, wouldn't have done any good, because the bastard's bullet proof unless he's chowing down on something. And third, I wasn't packing, which is probably a really good thing cause I probably would have just burned a clip in him on principle alone.

SAM
You're getting wise in your old age Dean.

DEAN
Damn right. Cause now I know how we're going to get it.

SAM
What do you mean?

DEAN
Shtriga, works through siblings right?

SAM
Right.

DEAN
Well last night....

SAM
It went after Asher.

DEAN
So I'm thinking tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael.

SAM
Well we gotta get him outta here.

DEAN
No. No, that would blow the whole deal.

SAM
What?

DEAN
Yeah.

SAM
You wanna use the kid as bait? Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question.

DEAN
It's not out of the question Sam it's the only way. If this thing disappears it could be years before we get another chance.

SAM
Michael's a kid. And I'm not going to dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook.

DEAN
Dad did not send me here to walk away.

SAM
Send YOU here? He didn't send you here -- he sent us here.

DEAN
This isn't about you, Sam. I'm the one who screwed up, all right. It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me.

SAM
What are you saying, Dean? How is it your fault?

Long pause.

SAM
(Sighing). Dean. You've been hiding something from the get-go. Since when does Dad bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something get away? Now talk to me, man. Tell me what's going on.

DEAN
Fort Douglas, WIsconsin. It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls. Man, I needed to get some air.

DEAN'S face morphs into YOUNG DEAN

FLASHBACK. MOTEL ROOM.

YOUNG DEAN sits watching TV. He turns it off and goes to the front door, looking back at SAMMY asleep in the other room before he leaves, locking the door behind him. He plays arcade games in reception until the owner tells him they're closing for the night. ("Kid. We're closing up.")

Returning to the room he sees a strange light coming from SAMMY's room. He moves closer and sees the shtriga leaning over SAMMY. DEAN reaches for the rifle by the door but the shtriga hears him cock it and rears up, hissing.

DEAN hesitates, terrified. As he does JOHN bursts through the front door, gun raised.

JOHN
(Shouting) Get out of the way!

DEAN ducks and JOHN shoots the shtriga multiple times with his hand gun. The shtriga jumps through the bedroom window, glass shattering. JOHN rushes to SAM's bed and pulls him close, cradling him.

JOHN
Sammy. Sammy. Sammy. You ok?

YOUNG SAM
(Confused and sleepy) Yeah Dad, what's going on?

JOHN
You all right?

JOHN holds SAMMY close while turning to glare at DEAN.

JOHN
What happened?

DEAN
(Hesitating) I -- I -- I just went out.

JOHN
What!?

DEAN
Just for a second. I'm sorry.

JOHN
I told you not to leave this room. I told you not to let him out of your sight!

YOUNG DEAN watches sadly as JOHN cradles SAMMY. His face morphs back into present DEAN.

DEAN
Dad just ... grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but by the time he got back to Fort Douglas the shtriga had disappeared, it was just gone. It never surfaced until now. You know, Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he...ah...he looked at me different, you know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, I almost got you killed.

SAM
(Softly) You were just a kid.

DEAN
Don't. Don't. Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it.

SAM
But using Michael -- I don't know Dean. I mean, how 'bout one of us hides under the covers, you know, we'll be the bait.

DEAN
No, it won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed -- it'll see us. Believe me, I don't like it, but it's gotta be the kid.

..................................

INTERIOR. MOTEL RECEPTION.

MICHAEL
(holding the phone up) You're crazy! Just go away or I'm calling the cops.

DEAN
Hang on a second. Just listen to me. You have to believe me, ok? This thing came through the window and it attacked your brother. I've seen it. I know what it looks like. Cause it attacked my brother once too.

Michael
(Slowly hanging up the phone) This thing...is it...like....it has this long...black robe?

DEAN
You saw it last night didn't you?

MICHAEL
I thought I was having a nightmare.

DEAN
I'd give anything not to tell you this, but sometimes nightmares are real.

MICHAEL
So, why are you telling me?

DEAN
Because we need your help.

MICHAEL
My help?

DEAN
We can kill it. Me and him, that's what we do. But we can't do it without you.

MICHAEL
What? No!

DEAN
Michael, listen to me. This thing hurt Asher. And it's gonna keep hurting kids unless we stop it, understand me?

MICHAEL stares at DEAN, horrified.

................................

INTERIOR. MOTEL ROOM.

DEAN
Well that went crappy. Now what?

SAM
What did you expect? You can't ask a adult to do something like that, much less a kid.

There's a knock at the door. Dean opens it to see Michael.

MICHAEL
If you kill it, will Asher get better?

DEAN
Honestly? We don't know.

MICHAEL
You said you were a big brother.

DEAN nods. Yeah.

MICHAEL: You'd take care of your little brother? You'd do anything for him?

DEAN
Yeah I would.

MICHAEL
Me too. I'll help.

END ACT THREE

ACT FOUR

INTERIOR. MOTEL. MICHAEL'S ROOM.

DEAN completes hooking up a security camera in the corner of the room, staring into the lense. MICHAEL is behind him in bed. Sam is watching the security feed in the other room.

DEAN
(To Michael) This camera has night vision on it so we'll be able to see clear as day. (To SAM, lifting his voice) Are we good?

SAM
A hair to the right. (DEAN adjusts the camera) There, there.

MICHAEL
What do I do?

DEAN
(Moving to sit on his bed) Just stay under the covers.

MICHAEL
And if it shows up?

DEAN
We'll be right in the next room. We're gonna come in with guns. So, as soon as we do you roll off this bed and you crawl under it.

MICHAEL
What if you shoot me?

DEAN
We won't shoot you. We're good shots. We're not going to fire until you're clear ok? (Michael nods tentatively.) Have you heard a gunshot before?

MICHAEL
Like in the movies?

DEAN
It's gonna be a lot louder than in the movies. So I want you to stay under the bed, cover your ears, do not come out until we say so. You understand?

Michael nods slowly, looking scared.

DEAN
Michael, you sure you wanna do this? (Michael doesn't answer for a long moment).

DEAN
You don't have to, it's ok, I won't be mad.

MICHAEL: No I'm ok. Just don't shoot me.

DEAN: We're not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.

.............................

INTERIOR. MOTEL ROOM

SAM and DEAN sit watching the security camera feed.

DEAN
What time is it?

SAM
Three. You sure these iron rounds are gonna work?

DEAN
Consecrated iron rounds, and yeah it's what Dad used last time.

SAM
Hey Dean I'm sorry.

DEAN
For what?

SAM
You know, I've really given you a lot of crap, for always following Dad's orders. But I know why you do it.

DEAN
Oh, god, kill me now.

Sam laughs softly. They sit in silence for a moment.

DEAN
Wait, look.

There is movement outside the window. It slides open. SAM and DEAN pick up their guns. The shtriga is inside MICHAEL's room.

SAM
Now?

DEAN
Not yet.

The shtriga moves closer and leans over the bed, MICHAEL is terrified but frozen, unable to move. The shtriga leans closer and opens his mouth, starting to draw MICHAEL's energy. DEAN and SAM burst in.

SAM
Hey!

DEAN
Michael, down!

Michael rolls off and under the bed and SAM and DEAN open fire, shooting the shtriga multiple times each. It falls to the ground.

DEAN
Mike, you all right?

MICHAEL (from under the bed)
Yeah.

DEAN
Just sit tight.

DEAN approaches the shtriga, gun at the ready. There is no movement. He relaxes slightly and glances at SAM. The shtriga suddenly rises, grabs DEAN by the throat and throws him against the wall.

SAM
Dean!

The shtriga moves and throws SAM to the wall; he hits the ground, and the shtriga comes on him and forces his mouth open. SAM struggles to reach his gun. The shtriga begins drawing his energy and SAM stills and starts going grey.

DEAN
Hey!

The shtriga looks up and DEAN shoots it between the eyes. He falls backwards and SAM lies gasping for breath.

DEAN
You ok little brother?

SAM nods and unsteadily holds up two thumbs-up. They both pull themselves to their feet and look to the shtriga. The energy the shtriga stole begins to escape from its mouth. DEAN raises his gun, shooting it three more times at point blank range. More energy escapes. The shtriga falls in on itself, disintegrating.

Michael peeks from the side of the bed.

DEAN
It's ok, Michael, you can come on out.

MICHAEL comes to stand beside them, smiling tentatively. DEAN places his hand on MICHAEL's shoulder and smiles.

END ACT FOUR

ACT FIVE

EXTERIOR. MOTEL

DEAN and SAM are packing the Impala ready to head out. MICHAEL'S Mom comes out of the back of reception.

DEAN
Hey, Joanna. How's Asher doing?

JOANNA
Have you seen Michael?

MICHAEL
(Running up) Mom! Mom!

Joanna.
(Hugging him ) Hey!

MICHAEL
How's Ash?

JOANNA
Got some good news. Your brother's gonna fine.

MICHAEL
(Grinning) Really?

JOANNA
Yeah. Really. No one can explain it -- it's a miracle. They're going to keep him in overnight for observation and then he's coming home.

DEAN
That's great.

SAM
How are all the other kids doing?

JOANNA
Good. Real good. A bunch of them should be checking out in a few days. Dr. Travis says the ward's going to be like a ghost town.

SAM
Dr. Travis? What about Dr. Hydecker?

JOANNA
Oh he wasn't in today. Must have been sick or something.

DEAN
Yeah. Yeah must have.

JOANNA
(To MICHAEL) So, did anything happen while I was gone?

MICHAEL
(Glancing at DEAN) Nah, same old stuff.

JOANNA
Ok. You can go see Ash.

MICHAEL
(Excited) Now?

Michael looks to Dean who nods slightly.

JOANNA
Only if you want to.

MICHAEL runs to the car.

JOANNA
(Laughing) I, ah, I'd better get going before he hotwires the car and drives himself.

Smiling goodbye, she leaves, SAM and DEAN turn back to the Impala.

SAM
It's too bad.

DEAN
Oh, they'll be fine.

SAM
That's not what I meant. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark -- he'll never be the same, you know? (long pause) Sometimes I wish that....

DEAN
What...?

SAM
I wish I could have that kinda innocence.

They watch JOANNA and MICHAEL drive away.

DEAN
(Slowly) If it means anything, sometimes I wish you could too.

They exchange a look. DEAN climbs in the car and starts the engine. SAM follows and they pull out of the motel car park and back onto the freeway.

END ACT FIVE

END EPISODE

TRANSCRIBED BY TMATEOTB