Bobby put down the phone, turned around and looked at Dean and Sam, his face so solemn that it looked like it was dripping with water. "Rufus is in trouble. It's in the River Pass town of Colorado."
Dean immediately grabbed the leather jacket placed on the chair and threw it on his shoulders. "Let's go. Let's set off now."
"Wait a minute," Bai Haorui shook his head, walked to Bobby, reached out and put his hand on his shoulder, "You go first. Bobby's treatment has reached the most critical stage, I can't leave.. I have connected most of his necrotic nerves just now. As long as I consolidate it for two more hours, his legs can regain some feeling. If it is interrupted now, all the previous efforts will be in vain, and the nerves will completely atrophy later, and it will be even more difficult to cure it."
Dean frowned and looked at Bai Haorui's pale face and the blood oozing out of his chest - those were old injuries he had sustained when he had resisted seven waves of angel and demon wars before, because he had not rested for three consecutive days and nights. Xi, who has been treating Bobby, the wound has opened again. "But your injury... you haven't slept for three days in a row, and you have been treating him. If you continue like this, you will collapse. You can't even stand still."
"I'm fine." Bai Haorui smiled and patted Dean's arm. There was a hint of exhaustion in his smile, but his eyes were extremely firm. "When I calm down Bobby's nerves, I will drive over and meet you immediately. It will take up to four hours, I promise. I drive very fast."
He looked at Sam. Sam was lowering his head, and his fingers began to pick at the holes in his jeans unconsciously. Bai Haorui walked to him and patted his shoulder gently. "Sam, don't think too much. The past is in the past, and there's no point in blaming yourself. Be careful on the road and take good care of Dean. If you need anything, call me. No matter when, no matter what happens, I will answer."
Sam raised his head, looked at Bai Haorui's gentle eyes, his nose felt sour, and he almost couldn't help but shed tears. He nodded, his voice was very low, with a hint of choking. "Well. You should also be careful. Don't work too hard."
"Okay, let's go." Bai Haorui pushed Dean, "Rufus is still waiting for you. Remember, don't be impulsive. You two should discuss everything more. If you encounter something that cannot be solved, wait until I get there."
Dean took a deep look at Bai Haorui and nodded. "Okay. Be careful yourself. If anything happens, call me immediately. Even if the sky falls, I will rush back."
He and Sam turned around and walked out of the ward. The moment the ward door clicked shut, the smile on Bai Haorui's face immediately disappeared. He covered his chest and coughed violently several times, coughing up some light red blood foam, which splashed on the white floor.
"You idiot." Bobby looked at him, his eyes were red and his voice was choked with sobs. "I told you not to work so hard. Even if I sit in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, it won't be a big deal. I'm just not used to sitting in a wheelchair. It's not like I can't survive."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Bai Haorui wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled, showing his white teeth. "You are Bobby·Singer. How can you sit in a wheelchair all your life? You still have to teach me how to repair cars and make apple pie for us. The apple pie you make is the most delicious in the world. Come on, let's continue."
He half-knelt behind Bobby's wheelchair again, with his palms pressed against his lower back. The purple-gold True Gang lit up again, dimmer than before, like a candle that was about to go out, burning stubbornly in the darkness.
The black Impala was speeding on the empty highway, and the wheels made a monotonous roar as the wheels rolled over the road. There was dead silence in the car, except for the radio that intermittently broadcast disaster news from various places, and the host's voice carried a trace of panic that could not be concealed.
"... Southern Florida was hit by Category 8 Hurricane Gabriel, which has killed at least 1,200 people and left tens of thousands homeless... A 7.2-magnitude earthquake occurred in central Texas, and many buildings collapsed in downtown Houston... The World Health Organization announced that a new swine flu epidemic has broken out worldwide, and more than 50 countries have reported confirmed cases..."
Dean held the steering wheel and stared at the road ahead. There was no expression on his face and his eyes were empty. Sam was sitting in the passenger seat, leaning his head on the car window, looking at the scenery passing by quickly outside the window, his eyes were equally empty.
They didn't say a word during the two-hour drive.
Sam's choice was like a thorn, deeply piercing the hearts of both of them. Dean's words "I can no longer trust you" were like a cold knife, cutting off the brotherhood between them for more than 20 years. They were sitting in the same car, only a few dozen centimeters apart, but their hearts were separated by thousands of rivers and mountains.
The Impala braked suddenly, its tires screeching on the road, and stopped in front of a broken bridge. Dean and Sam got out of the car and walked to the edge of the bridge. Dean kicked a stone down, and the stone fell into the rushing river below, and was instantly swept away by the raging river without leaving even a ripple.
The water in the river was turbid, yellowish-brown, and the current was rapid, swirling, and seemingly unfathomable. The bridge deck was blown to pieces, and the steel bars were twisted into strange shapes, like a withered hand reaching toward the sky. There was a river surface of more than ten meters wide between the broken bridge decks, making it impossible to pass.
"This is the only way in and out of this town." Dean frowned and looked at the broken bridge deck, "It looks like it was blown apart intentionally."
Sam took out his mobile phone, raised it and shook it. The screen showed "No Service". "No signal. It seems they want to turn this place into an isolated island. An isolated slaughterhouse."
"Rufus is right," Dean nodded, his eyes solemn, "The devil has sealed this place. It seems that the matter is much more serious than we imagined."
"Looks like we have to go in on foot." Sam sighed, turned around, walked to the trunk, and opened the lid.
Dean also walked over. The two took out their backpacks from the trunk and loaded them with salt bullet guns, silver daggers, holy water, amulets, Ruby's Knife, and enough ammunition. Dean also deliberately took a few more bottles of holy water and stuffed them into the side pockets of the backpack.
"It's true that misfortunes never come singly." Dean shook his head and threw his backpack on his shoulders, "First Lucifer ran away, then Bobby was injured, and now a town occupied by demons appeared. I've had enough. When can I live a normal life for a few days?"
Sam did not speak, but silently put on his backpack and walked first towards the path next to the broken bridge. The path was winding and extended along the river bank. It looked like no one had walked on it for a long time and was overgrown with weeds. Dean looked at his back, sighed, and followed.
At 5:47 pm, they finally reached the entrance of River Pass town.
Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" came from a blue car parked on the roadside. The cheerful music seemed particularly eerie in the dead town, like a requiem. Dean and Sam were carrying backpacks and holding loaded salt shot guns in their hands, walking cautiously on the deserted streets.
The streets were full of messes. The blue car overturned on the side of the road, the glass was shattered on the ground, the door was open, and there was no one inside. A sprinkler was still spinning, and the water sprinkled on the lawn, forming small puddles. Obviously, the disaster happened so suddenly that people didn't even have time to turn off the sprinklers.
The shop windows on the roadside were smashed, and goods were scattered everywhere. There were pools of dark red blood on the ground, which had dried and turned black. Occasionally, you could see a few stray dogs nibbling on something. When you saw them coming, you immediately ran away with your tail between your legs.
Dean and Sam walked to the car that was playing music. The driver's door was open, the engine was still running, and the indicator light on the dashboard was flashing. Sam reached out and turned off the engine. The music stopped suddenly, and the whole town fell into complete silence. Even the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves could be clearly heard.
A red banner hung above the street, which read, "Welcome to River Pass Town's 75th Pioneer Day Celebration." The photo above was still fluttering in the wind. The people in the photo were smiling brightly, holding balloons and hot dogs in their hands, which formed a dazzling contrast with the blood stains on the ground, overturned vehicles, and broken windows.
A bright red 1967 Ford Mustang sports car was parked on the side of the road. The car body shone in the afterglow of the setting sun, like a burning flame. The paint was as bright as new, and it looked like it had just been bought. Sam took a glance and continued to move forward. Dean stopped, whistled, and showed a hint of appreciation in his eyes.
"Wow, it's such a good car." Dean walked around the Mustang sports car and couldn't help but reach out and touch the smooth body. "It's just a little worse than my Impala, but it's not bad. Look at the lines and the hood, it's simply a work of art."
He admired it for a few seconds before reluctantly following Sam.
They walked to the gas station. There was still a pool of dark red blood on the ground that was not dry. Parked next to it was Rufus's familiar silver van with several bullet holes in its body. A silver four-door car was parked not far away, with the driver's door open and a blue baby stroller next to it. A large blood stain extended from the car door to the alley in the distance. There was a big hole in the windshield of the car, as if it had been hit hard by something.
Dean and Sam looked at each other and saw heaviness in each other's eyes.
What exactly happened here? Dean thought silently in his heart. These people... are they all dead? Where is Rufus? Is he still alive?
There was a crisp sound of the gun being pulled.
Dean and Sam turned around suddenly, raised their guns, and pointed in the direction of the sound.
When they saw the man standing there, they all breathed a sigh of relief and put down their guns.
"Ellen?" Sam shouted in surprise.
Ellen Javier was standing at the door of the church with a Remington shotgun in her hand. She was in her forties, with short blond hair, neatly cut. Her face was full of exhaustion and vigilance, with a faint line on her face. There were shallow scratches and a bit of mud. She was wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. There was a hole in the knee of the jeans and there was dried blood on it. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had obviously not slept for a long time.
"Hello, boys." Ellen's voice was hoarse, with a hint of happiness to see his relatives after a disaster.
Dean was about to speak when Ellen suddenly raised a bottle of holy water and splashed it on Dean's face without hesitation. The cold holy water flowed down Dean's cheeks and into his In the neck. Dean closed his eyes and let the holy water flow down his face. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, looked at Ellen, and said helplessly, "We are ourselves. We are not possessed. You see, there is no smoke and no screams."
Ellen put down the gun and breathed a sigh of relief. She walked up to Dean and first gave him a big hug, hugging him very hard, as if she wanted to rub him into her body. Then she suddenly raised her hand and slapped Dean hard.
The sound of "pop" was clear and loud, and it could be heard far away in the quiet town.
Dean was hit to the side of his head, and a clear slap mark immediately appeared on his face. He touched his red face, but he was not angry, and just lowered his head in guilt.
"I really want to give you a good beating," Ellen's eyes were full of anger and worry, and his voice was trembling with excitement, "Can't you just answer the phone? Are you allergic to reassuring me? I called you no less than a hundred times, but no one answered any of them! I actually wanted to hear from Rufus that you are still alive! Do you know how worried I am? I thought you... I thought you..."
She couldn't speak anymore, her voice was choked with sobs. She turned around and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry, Ellen." Dean's voice was low and full of guilt, "Our mobile phones have no signal. And... too many things have happened recently. Lucifer was released, Bobby was injured, Cas was expelled by Heaven. Everything is in chaos."
"You'd better be sorry." Ellen took a deep breath and tried to calm down his emotions, "You'd better put me on speed dial, kid. If you dare not answer my call next time, I will break your legs. Keep your word."
"Yes, ma'am." Dean nodded obediently.
Ellen took a deep breath, turned and walked towards the church. "Follow me. It's not safe here. There are demons everywhere."
Dean and Sam looked at each other and followed.
A huge Devil's Trap was painted on the ground at the door of the church, and the white powder shone in the setting sun. A thick line of salt was sprinkled on the threshold, extending to the walls on both sides. Ellen, Dean and Sam all walked over smoothly.
Ellen knocked on the basement door three times, paused, and knocked two more times. This was the code they had agreed upon.
"It's me. Ellen."
There was a rustling sound from behind the door, and then the small window on the door was opened. A man looked outside cautiously, and only opened the door after confirming that there was no danger.
This man's name is Austin. He is about thirty years old, tall and burly, with broad shoulders. He is wearing a camouflage uniform and holding an M16 rifle in his hand. His face is full of vigilance and exhaustion. There is a tattoo on his arm, which is the logo of United States Marine Corps.
Ten people were crowded in the basement, and the air was turbid, filled with the smell of sweat, blood and fear. In addition to Austin, there was an old man wearing a priest's uniform, with gray hair and wrinkles on his face, holding an old Bible tightly in his hand; an old woman with gray hair, sitting in the corner, holding her knees with her hands, her body shaking constantly; a young man and his eight-month pregnant wife, the wife tightly clutching her husband's hand Arms, face pale, eyes full of fear; a man with short hair, holding a kitchen knife in his hand; a man with a big beard, holding a shovel in his hand; a man wearing black-rimmed glasses (Roger), wearing a plaid shirt, unconsciously turning the silver ring on his hand; a young woman, holding a baseball bat in her hand; and a man with disheveled hair, huddled in the corner, eyes dull.
They were all holding various weapons, and their eyes were full of fear and despair.
"This is Sam and Dean," Ellen said to everyone, trying to keep his voice as soft as possible, "They are hunters who specialize in dealing with this kind of thing. They are here to help us."
"Do you also know about demons?" Austin asked vigilantly, without putting down the M16 rifle in his hand, and the muzzle of the gun was still pointed at Dean and Sam.
"Yes," Dean nodded and put the salt gun on the ground, "We have been dealing with demons for many years. What about you? How did you find out?"
"My wife's eyes turned black," Roger touched the beard on his chin, still turning the silver ring on his finger, "She rushed towards me with a brick and shouted that she was going to kill me. After something like this happened, it's hard not to believe in supernatural phenomena."
When he spoke, there was a faint smile on his face, but his eyes were extremely cold, like a bystander telling someone else's story without a trace of sadness.
"Okay, tell us about the current situation." Dean turned to Ellen, his expression becoming serious.
"I don't know much," Ellen shook his head, "Rufus called me three days ago and said he had discovered some strange signs in the town - the river water suddenly turned smelly, many domestic animals went crazy, dogs kept barking, and chickens flew everywhere. Then yesterday morning, he suddenly called me The phone call said that the whole town was possessed by demons and asked me to come and help. Joe and I were nearby at the time and drove there for two hours. After we got here, we saw what it is like now. We couldn't find Rufus, and then Joe and I got separated. I was looking for her outside when I met you."
"Don't worry, we will find her." Dean comforted, "We will also find Rufus. They must still be alive."
"No matter what, we can't let these people stay here forever," Sam said, "The basement is not a long-term solution. Food and water are limited, and it is not absolutely safe here. We have to rescue them and leave now."
"It's not that easy," Ellen sighed, with a look of pain on his face, "I tried. We tried to break out once yesterday afternoon. At that time, there were twenty of us, holding weapons, thinking we could rush out. But... we encountered a large group of 'demons'. They rushed over like crazy, biting and slashing everyone they saw. Ten of us died, and the rest ran back. Now there are only three of us hunters, and these ten civilians."
Dean and Sam looked around the basement. Apart from the three of them, there were exactly ten people left. The pregnant woman clutched her husband's arm tightly, her body trembling. "Devils are everywhere. We can't protect everyone. They will kill us one by one. We will all die here."
"Then how about we equip them all with guns?" Dean suggested, "The more salt bombs we can fire, the more demons we can block. As long as we can rush to the car, we can get out of here."
"Are you going to equip this pregnant woman with a gun?" Ellen raised his eyebrows and glanced at the pregnant woman, "She can't even hold the gun steady. Besides, not everyone dares to shoot and kill, even if the other person is a demon."
"We passed a Quick-Mart convenience store when we came in," Dean said, "I bet there are guns there and a lot of salt. We go there to get supplies and then figure out how to break out."
"Okay," Ellen nodded, "Stay here, don't open the door, no matter what sound you hear, don't open it. We'll go back as soon as we go."
"Wait a minute," Dean said, "If Joe and Rufus are there, we'll bring them back."
"Wait a minute," Sam suddenly said, "Why don't you let me go alone?"
"What? Alone?" Dean frowned and immediately objected, "Someone has to stay and teach them how to use guns and how to set up defenses. It's too dangerous for you to go alone. There are demons everywhere."
"Yes," Sam nodded, looking into Dean's eyes, "It will be faster if you stay and help. You are better at teaching others this than me."
"You went to get the gun and salt, and you asked Joe and Rufus by the way? This is so stupid." Dean said, "I'll go with you. The two of us have to look after each other."
"It's enough for me to go alone, I can handle it." Sam said with a firm tone.
"You don't want me to go out, right?" Sam's voice suddenly turned cold, "You don't want me to get close to the devil, right?"
"I didn't say that." Dean avoided Sam's gaze, his tone a little unnatural.
"That's what you think." Sam's tone was very sure, "After you came out of the monastery, you have been looking at me with that look. As if I will turn into a devil at any time."
"Okay, let's go together." Dean said, not wanting to argue with him anymore.
"I'll get the salt and you get the gun. We'll split up and it'll be faster." Sam said.
"No, let's go together." Dean insisted. He couldn't let Sam go alone, he was worried.
"Dean, the store is right there, less than 500 meters away from here." Sam became a little impatient, "Can we be more professional? Now is not the time to get into trouble. There are still more than a dozen people waiting for us to rescue."