"He'll be here soon." Little Dean said.
After a while, Little Sam ran over. His eyes were red.
"What's wrong?" Little Dean asked.
"Nothing." Little Sam shook his head, "Let's go."
Little Dean glanced at the door of the teaching building, and he saw Barry standing there, waving to them. Little Dean also waved to Barry, and then started the car.
The car slowly drove away from the school. Little Sam sat in the back seat and kept looking out the window until the school disappeared from sight.
Little Dean looked at Sam in the rearview mirror without saying a word. He knew that Sam felt very sad. But he could do nothing. Their fate was like this, always running around and never having friends.
"You were just a kid. You couldn't do anything. Don't take all the responsibility on yourself."
Sam lowered his head, covered his face with his hands, and his shoulders shook slightly. Bai Haorui and Dean stood beside him, accompanying him quietly without speaking.
After a long time, Sam raised his head and wiped the tears on his face. He took a deep breath and his eyes became firm.
"Let's go to the women's room and take a look." He said, "I want Barry to rest in peace."
The toilet was empty. The white tile walls were covered with yellow water stains and graffiti. The air was filled with a strong smell of disinfectant and musty water. Dirty water accumulated in the sink, and the faucet was dripping with water, making a monotonous "tick" sound.
Sam, Dean and Bai Haorui walked into the toilet. Sam walked to the innermost cubicle and stopped. He put his hand on the cubicle door, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly opened the door.
The cubicle is very clean. The toilet seat is covered. There is a piece of fresh paint on the wall, which is obviously different from the surrounding color.
"This is it." Sam's voice was hoarse, "This is where Barry committed suicide."
"How do you know?" Dean asked.
"Mr. Wyatt told me." Sam walked into the cubicle and gently touched the fresh paint on the wall with his hand. "When I left, I told Barry that I would write to him. I told him that we would go to Michigan State University together. But I didn't. I didn't write a letter. I never came back."
"Hey, given the situation at that time, it would be good if you could take care of yourselves." Bai Haorui stood at the door of the cubicle and said softly, "At that time, your father always took you here and there, and you didn't even have a fixed place to live. How could you possibly write to him?"
At this moment, the light in the toilet suddenly flickered, and then went out with a "pop" sound. The entire toilet fell into darkness. There was only a faint light coming from the window, and the outlines of each other could barely be seen clearly.
"Sam? Haorui?" Dean immediately took out his gun and looked around warily.
"I'm here." Sam said.
"I'm here too." Bai Haorui said, "Be careful, he's coming."
Suddenly, the door of the compartment slammed shut. Sam was locked in the compartment.
"Damn it! Sam!" Dean kicked the door hard, but it didn't budge.
A low, angry laughter came from outside the door. The laughter was very young, but it was filled with endless despair and pain.
"You are finally back, Sam." Barry's voice came from all directions, bone-chillingly cold.
"Barry? Is that you?" Sam shouted through the door.
"You promised me." Barry's voice was filled with tears, "You said you would write me a letter, you said we would go to college together."
"I know." Sam's voice was choked with sobs, "I'm sorry. Barry, I'm really sorry."
"What's the use of being sorry?" Barry shouted angrily, "After you left, they bullied me even harder. Dirk pushed my head into this toilet, again and again. He said no one would come to save me. He was right. You didn't come."
Things in the toilet began to shake violently. The soap dish on the sink fell to the floor and shattered. The mirror cracked with spider web-like cracks. Dust on the ceiling fell rustlingly.
"I know." Sam said, "I know I let you down. But now I'm here. Let me help you."
"Help me?" Barry sneered, "How can you help me? I'm dead! I can never go to college! I can never be a veterinarian!"
"That's enough, Barry!" Dean shouted into the air, "This is not the way to solve the problem! You can't keep killing people! It will make you a monster!"
"Monster?" Barry's voice was full of ridicule, "I am originally a monster. In their eyes, I have always been a monster. A waste who can only be bullied!"
Suddenly, the door of the compartment was suddenly opened. A powerful force knocked Dean out. Bai Haorui moved and appeared behind Dean in an instant, catching him steadily. A faint purple-gold light lit up under his feet, which relieved most of the impact.
A vague, translucent figure appeared in the center of the toilet. It was the ghost of Barry. He was wearing a plaid shirt and jeans, and his face was covered with blood. His eyes were full of anger and pain, and black ectoplasm was lingering around him.
"You don't understand anything!" Barry pointed at Dean and shouted angrily, "You have never been bullied! You have never been treated as a monster! You will never know the feeling of despair!"
"I understand." Bai Haorui took a step forward, stood in front of Dean, and looked at Barry calmly.
Barry was stunned for a moment and looked at Bai Haorui: "What do you know?"
"I have also been bullied." Bai Haorui said, "I know the feeling that the whole world has abandoned you and no one will come to save you. I know the feeling of hiding in the corner and crying secretly, hoping that someone can stand up and help you."
The anger in Barry's eyes faded a little. He looked at Bai Haorui with a trace of doubt in his eyes.
"But revenge can't solve any problems." Bai Haorui continued, "It will only make you trapped here forever, living in anger and pain forever. Look at what you look like now. You have become the kind of person you hate the most. You are hurting those children who were bullied like you, and you are making them become monsters like you."
Barry lowered his head, looked at his hands, and his body trembled slightly. The black spiritual essence was undulating around him.
"Then what else can I do?" His voice trembled, full of helplessness, "I'm already dead. I have nothing left."
"You still have me." Sam walked up to Barry, his eyes full of sincerity, "Barry, I will never forget you. I will remember that you like animals, remember that you wanted to be a veterinarian, remember the days when we picked up books in the corridor together, and remember the way you looked when you showed me the photos of your cats."
"Let it go, Barry." Sam said, "Rest in peace. I will go to Michigan State University for you. I will fulfill your dream for you. I will tell everyone that there once was a boy named Barry Cook. He was very kind and brave. He should not be treated like this."
Barry looked at Sam, the anger in his eyes gradually faded away, replaced by sadness and grievance. Transparent tears shed from his eyes.
"I really want to go to college with you." he said.
"I know." Sam burst into tears, "I want it too."
Barry smiled. It was a heartfelt, warm smile.
"Then when I finish the last thing, I will go where I should go."
After saying that, his figure instantly disappeared into the air. The light in the toilet lit up with a "pop" sound.
The parking lot was full of cars. The sun was shining and the breeze was blowing, making the leaves rustle. Dirk·Mai Gray Ge was leaning on his black pickup truck and chatting with a few friends. He was fatter than in 1997, had a beard, and looked more fierce. He is now a physical education teacher at this school.
"Then I pushed his head into the toilet!" Dirk laughed and patted the shoulder of his friend next to him, "That kid cried like a baby! You don't know how funny it is! I tell you, this is the way to deal with such a coward!"
His friends also laughed. No one noticed that in the corner not far away, Colby was standing there. There was no expression on his face and his eyes were empty. A trace of black ectoplasm penetrated from his ears.
Colby walked towards Dirk step by step. His steps were light, like a ghost.
"Hey, four-eyed boy!" Dirk frowned when he saw Colby and said in a bad tone, "What are you doing here? Go back to the classroom!"
Colby said nothing. He continued to walk towards Dirk.
"I'm talking to you, are you deaf?" Dirk stretched out his hand impatiently, trying to push Colby.
Just when his hand was about to touch Colby, Colby grabbed his wrist. His strength was amazing, and Dirk grimaced in pain.
"Ah! Let me go! You little bastard!"
Colby twisted Dirk's wrist back. There was a crisp "click" sound, and Dirk's wrist was broken. Dirk let out a heartbreaking scream.
Dirk's friends were all stunned and stood there without daring to come forward.
Colby pushed Dirk to the ground. He sat on Dirk and punched Dirk in the face. Blood flowed from Dirk's nose and mouth and splashed on Colby's clothes.
"You like to bully people, don't you?" Barry's voice came, "You like to push other people's heads into the toilet, don't you? You like to watch others cry, don't you?"
"Who are you?" Dirk looked at Colby in horror, "Who are you?"
"I am Barry Cook." Barry said, "Don't you remember me? Dirk. Eleven years ago, you hit me like this. Time and time again."
Dirk's face instantly turned pale. His eyes were wide open, full of fear.
"No... impossible... you're already dead..."
"Yes." Barry said, "I died. It was all because of you. It was you who forced me to death. Now, I want you to taste the suffering I suffered back then."
He picked up a brick from the ground, raised it high, and was about to hit Dirk on the head.
At this moment, Sam, Dean and Bai Haorui ran over. Dean hugged Colby from behind and pulled him off Dirk.
"Barry! Stop!" Dean shouted.
Sam took out a salt shaker from his pocket and sprinkled the salt on Colby's face. Colby let out a painful scream. His body twitched violently, and then fell softly to the ground.
A black smoke came out from Colby's mouth and condensed into the figure of Barry in the air. He looked at Sam and Dean angrily.
"Why did you stop me?" he shouted, "He deserves it! He deserves it!"
"Killing him won't bring you back to life, Barry." Sam said, "It will only make you trapped here forever, living in anger and pain forever. Moreover, if you kill someone after becoming a ghost, you will get Hell. Trust me, you don't want to know what it's like inside."
Dean nodded with a serious expression. "I have been to Hell. It is ten thousand times scarier than the most terrifying place you can imagine. You will suffer there forever and never have peace. It is not worth it for a scum like Dirk."
"Then what else can I do?" Barry's voice was filled with tears, "He ruined my life! He made me become what I am now!"
"You can let it go." Sam walked up to Barry, his eyes full of sincerity, "You can rest in peace. Hatred will only devour yourself. Let it pass, Barry."
"I know you are in pain. I know you are angry." Sam said, "But believe me, revenge can't solve any problems. I tried. It will only make you emptier and lonelier. Moreover, Dirk will get the punishment he deserves. He will be expelled from the school for abusing students and will be punished by law. But it will not be carried out by you."
At this time, Bai Haorui said to Barry through Gang Qi: "I will let him live in fear and guilt for the rest of his life, have nightmares every night, and have no peace. This will relieve his anger more than killing him."
Barry looked at him and nodded.
Barry looked at Sam again, the anger in his eyes gradually fading away. He glanced at Dirk who was lying on the ground wailing, and then looked at Sam.
"Will you remember me?" he asked softly.
"I will never forget you." Sam nodded vigorously, "I will always remember you, Barry Cook."
Barry smiled. It was a relieved smile. His figure began to become transparent and gradually disappeared into the air. Before disappearing, he glanced hard at Bai Haorui, and Bai Haorui nodded slightly.
The sun shines on the parking lot and everything returns to calm.
Before the medical staff arrived, an undetectable wisp of purple-gold Gang Qi emerged from Bai Haorui's fingertips. It penetrated Dirk's body like a small snake and eventually entangled itself in his heart. This Gang Qi would not harm his life, but would make him dream of Barry every night and live in fear forever.
Medical staff are examining Dirk and Colby. The police have also arrived at the scene and are interviewing witnesses. There is a lot of noise in the corridor.
Sam, Dean and Bai Haorui leaned against the wall and looked at everything in front of them.
"He left?" Dean asked.
"He's gone." Sam nodded, with a trace of sadness in his eyes, "He finally rests in peace."
"Are you okay?" Dean patted Sam on the shoulder.
"I'm fine." Sam said, "Just... a little sad. If I had..., maybe he wouldn't have died."
"You did a good job." Bai Haorui patted Sam's other shoulder, "You made him let go of his hatred and get relief."
At this moment, Amanda came over. She is now a mathematics teacher in this school. She was wearing a black professional suit, her hair was cut short, and she looked capable and gentle. When she saw Dean, she was stunned for a moment.
"Dean? Dean·Winchester?"
Dean was also stunned for a moment. He recognized Amanda.
Sunlight shone into the room through the gaps in the curtains. Little Dean was lying on the bed, looking at Amanda who was sleeping beside him. He gently stroked her hair, his eyes full of tenderness.
He knew that he had to go. John and Sam were waiting for him. They were leaving here today.
Little Dean carefully got up from the bed and put on his clothes. He walked to the bed and kissed Amanda gently on the forehead.
"Goodbye, Amanda." he whispered.
He picked up his coat and quietly walked out of the room.
What he didn't know was that at the moment he closed the door, Amanda opened her eyes. She looked at the door and shed tears. She knew that Dean would never come back again.
"Amanda?"
"It's really you!" Amanda smiled, revealing two shallow dimples, "Long time no see."
"Yes." Dean also smiled and scratched his head in embarrassment, "Long time no see."
"Why are you here?" Amanda asked.
"Oh, I... I'm here to substitute." Dean said, "Physical education teacher."
"Physical education teacher?" Amanda opened his eyes in surprise, "I didn't expect that. You used to hate physical education class the most."
Dean coughed. "People always change."
"Where is Sam? Is he okay?" Amanda looked in the direction Dean pointed and saw Sam and Bai Haorui. She waved to them. Sam and Bai Haorui also waved to her.
"He's fine." Dean said.
Amanda looked at Dean with a hint of understanding in his eyes.
"Are you... still doing what your father did?" she asked softly.
Dean was stunned for a moment. He looked at Amanda and smiled bitterly, "Yes, how do you know?"
"I know, I looked at your notebook one night when you were asleep." Amanda nodded, "I have read a lot of news over the years. Those strange deaths. I know it is you people who are dealing with it. I have always known it."
She looked at Dean, her eyes full of understanding and distress.
"This must be very hard."
"Sometimes," Dean said, "But it's our job."
"Will you stay?" Amanda asked, with a hint of expectation in his tone.
"No." Dean shook his head, "We are leaving tonight. There are still many things waiting for us to do."
Amanda sighed. She took out a pen and a piece of paper from her bag and wrote down her phone number.
"If you pass by here anytime, give me a call." She handed the paper to Dean, "We can have a cup of coffee together."
"Okay." Dean took the paper and carefully put it into his wallet, "I will do it."
"Goodbye, Dean."
"Goodbye, Amanda."
Amanda turned around and left. Dean looked at her back, thoughtfully. His eyes were full of complex emotions, including regret, reluctance, and a hint of helplessness.
Bai Haorui stood not far away, watching this scene, and sighed softly in his heart. He knew that Dean would never have such a normal life. Their fate had been doomed since Sam·Winchester was not born.
The sun was setting, and the sky was dyed a brilliant orange-red. Impala was driving on the empty road, and the wheels rolled over the road, making a steady sound. Soft rock music was playing in the car.
Dean was driving the car. Sam was sitting in the passenger seat, looking at the passing scenery outside the window. Bai Haorui was lying on the back seat with his eyes closed, adjusting his breath and recuperating. True Gang in his body was slowly recovering.
The carriage was very quiet. After a long time, Dean was the first to break the silence.
"You know, I used to hate transferring schools." He said, "I hated being the new kid all the time, I hated having to meet people all over again, and I hated never having friends. But now that I think about it, those days were actually pretty good."
"Really?" Sam turned his head and looked at Dean.
"Yes." Dean nodded, "At least then, we still have a father. At least then, we don't know what will happen in the future. At least then, we don't have to worry about being killed by demons or angels every day."
"Yes." Sam also smiled.
"Do you regret it?" Dean asked, "Do you regret living such a life?"
Sam was silent for a while. He looked at the sunset outside the window, his eyes full of complex emotions.
"Sometimes," he said, "Sometimes I wonder what we would be like now if we had not embarked on this road. Maybe I would really go to Stanford University, become a lawyer, and solve divorce cases for Haorui if I have nothing to do. Maybe you would open a car repair shop, marry a beautiful wife, and have a few children. We would live an ordinary life."
"But most of the time, I don't regret it." Sam turned his head, looked at Dean and Bai Haorui, and smiled, "Because I am with you. You are my family."
Dean turned his head and glanced at Sam. He smiled, with tears in his eyes.
"Me too." He said.
Bai Haorui opened his eyes in the back seat and looked at the sunset outside the window, with a faint smile on his lips. Yes, they are family.
Impala continues to drive on the road, heading towards the sunset in the distance.
1997
Little Sam and Little Dean are walking in the corridor carrying schoolbags. They are leaving here. John·Winchester is waiting for them at the school gate.
"Dad is waiting for us at the door." Little Dean said.
"I know." Little Sam nodded.
He turned his head and looked towards the end of the corridor. Barry stood there and waved to him. Little Sam also waved to Barry.
Not far away, Amanda was leaning on the locker, looking at Little Dean's back, his eyes full of reluctance.
"Let's go." Little Dean pulled Little Sam's arm.
"Okay."
They turned and walked out of the school gate. The sun shone on them, leaving two long shadows.