Tunnel Monster

Sam read his laptop by the glow of its screen as he and Dean drove across yet another deserted road. They were following a new demon that lived in Glennridge, about twenty miles from where they were.

“I’m not sure that this is a demon; Dean.” Sam said to his brother; scanning over another internet page.

“Whaddya mean?” Dean asked, tapping his fingers on his steering wheel of the Impala along with the beat to the song on the radio.

“Well; everything I’m finding on this Tunnel Monster says it wasn’t violent.” Sam sighed; shutting his laptop. Car sickness tended to hit him later than most people; but he’d been looking down for almost an hour now. “So maybe it’s just a pissed off dog or something.”

“You kiddin’ me, Sammy?” Dean scoffed. “You saw that picture; it ain’t no dog.”

Sam retrieved a crumpled piece of paper from the dashboard. “You mean this? It’s an artist’s rendering; it’s just what someone claims it looked like.”

“No; it’s what someone claimed it looked like and ten other people agreed.” Dean corrected him.

“Ok.” Sam sighed. “How far away are we?”

“’Bout ten minutes.” Dean told him. “Should get there right before dinner if this weather holds out.” It seemed as if the sky was listening to Dean – and picking on him – because a second later heavy rain started to pour down.

Sam slapped his brother on the shoulder. “You’re a jinx.”

xxx

Dean parked the Impala out the front of a rundown General Store when they arrived in Glennridge about fifteen minutes later. Despite the rain; there was no one in the store running for cover. In fact; it was empty except for the elderly man behind the counter thumbing through a newspaper.

“Evening.” Dean greeted the man as he and Sam walked up to the counter.

The man peered at them over his paper; his nametag read Larry. “Can I help you boys?”

“Yeah; we’re after some information.” Sam started.

Larry ducked back behind his paper. “Gotta buy something.” He grumbled.

Dean chuckled. “You want us to pay you to talk?”

“I’m trying to earn a living, here, boys.” Larry said to his paper. “Buy somethin’ or shift it.”

“Alright, fine.” Dean said grabbing a handful of candy bars beside him and tossing him on the counter. “There.”

“What do you know about something called a Tunnel Monster?” Sam asked.

Larry scoffed. “Lord; seems like every other week I get some twenty-something idiot comin’ in here wanting to ‘prove the theory’. Had a girl with an accent come in yesterday” He shook his head. “Waste of time.”

“Tell us what you know.” Dean leant his hands on the counter. “Come on; you know you want to.”

Larry sighed and folded up his paper. “Town drunk, Ronny, comes stumbling outta the brush about three years ago claiming he saw some 3 ft monkey thing in a storm tunnel, said it spoke to him. Whole bunch of people went in there lookin’ for it; found nothing. It’s a gag. And now every coupla months someone comes out claimin’ they’ve ‘seen the monster’”

“Monkey thing?” Sam raised his eyebrows.

“It spoke?” Dean asked.

Larry shook his head. “Ronny holds the record at the bar down the street; 22 beers in two hours. He said the thing kept sayin’ ‘go away’.

“When was the latest sighting?” Sam asked.

Larry reached down under the counter and retrieved another newspaper. “Three days ago.” He opened the paper and pushed it over towards Sam and Dean. “Every new sighting gets its own article. Everyone in town’s lookin’ for their 15 minutes, y’know?”

“And where is this tunnel?” Dean asked.

“Forest behind the old fire station.” Larry jabbed his thumb to the outside of the store.

“Thanks.” Dean removed a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and dropped it on the counter while Sam scooped up the old paper and the candy.

“Waste o’time, boys.” Larry called after them as they left. “Waste o’time.”

xxx

Dean pulled his car up out the front of the rundown fire station. It had obviously been disregarded by the community; planks were missing, graffiti was everywhere and the roof had half caved in.

“So much for town pride.” Dean muttered.

“This article pretty much just says what we already know about the Tunnel Monster.” Sam told his brother as he read the newspaper by torchlight. “Big teeth, about 30lbs, grey fur and orangey-red eyes.”

“Well, let’s go get this thing.” Dean said; reaching for his shotgun from the backseat.

“Happy to.” Sam agreed.

Moments later they were treading water in the deep puddles behind the fire house. The rain wasn’t letting up; heavily falling down the back of Dean’s shirt as he led the way to the open drain pipe tunnel ahead of them. It had a weak, chicken-wire fence surrounding it that had obviously been trampled over repeatedly by members of the community who had gone in after the monster.

Dean looked back to his brother. “Ready?” He mouthed; his voice drowned out from the sound of the rain. Sam nodded so the two brothers headed into the drain. At first the sound was even more deafening but as the brothers walked deeper into the tunnel; the sound of the rain became fainter and fainter.

“Ok; so where is this thing?” Sam had clicked on his torch as soon as they’d gotten out of the rain and so far had seen nothing demonic or even out of the ordinary.

“I dunno.” Dean sighed; lowering his gun. “Let’s keep going.” He pushed on and heard Sam’s footsteps follow. Not too long later a foul smell crept into Dean’s nostrils and mouth so fast he almost threw up.

“Jeez; what is that?” Sam asked; covering his mouth.

“Something dead.” Dean told him as they continued on. About ten feet later they came across the still body of a thin-limbed, gray haired creature. There was a puddle of green liquid near its head but it had been dead for awhile.

“It’s dead...” Sam said unnecessarily.

“Well done, Sammy.” Dean said sarcastically as he knelt by the creature. “Someone beat us to it.”

Sammy knelt by his brother. “It doesn’t look like it was killed. I mean, there’s no blood. Maybe it just...died?”

Dean almost laughed. “Demons don’t-” he stopped when he heard the unmistakable sound of a foot hitting a puddle of water down the tunnel.

“What?” Sam asked his brother when he saw his face.

Dean snatched the torch out of his brothers’ hands, stood up and shone the light down the tunnel. “Hold it!” He yelled before he got a good look at who was there.

“Hey; I was here first.” A woman’s accented voice answered. She walked closer to the brothers.

“Who are you?” Dean asked as he saw her. She had long, brown hair, bright green eyes and very pretty features. Her denim jeans flattered her curvaceous build as well as her long-sleeved red shirt and black leather jacket; all of which were soaked from the rain.

“I’m Madison.” She replied.

“I’m Sam.” Sam nodded at her. “That’s Dean.” He gestured to his brother.

Madison looked down at the body. “Sad, right?”

“Sad? It’s a demon.” Sam corrected her.

“Not really a demon.” She told him. “A creature. A slightly demonic creature; but it’s never hurt anyone.”

“What’s that coming out of it’s mouth?” Sam inquired; shining his torch onto the green liquid by the creature’s large teeth.

“Oh; that’s my work. It’s a potion; keeps the poison from spreading.” Madison told them.

“Spreading where?” Dean asked.

“Anywhere.” Madison shrugged. “Anyway; I have to move it so...”

“Move it? Where?” Sam asked.

“It can’t stay here.” Madison told them. “Imagine the frenzy if people found out these things exist.”

“How’d you know we were after this thing?” Dean questioned her. “You just come in here saying ‘demon’...”

Madison smiled. “Well; you don’t exactly fit the profile of most people who come after this thing.” She said. “You’re not teenagers and you’re not drunk. Plus you have guns...I assume your hunters.” She pushed past Dean and stood on the other side of the creature. “Now; are you gonna help me move it or not?”

Dean and Sam did help her. The three of them carried the body out into the rain and further into the forest. Madison told them as they walked that she’d arrived the day before and found the creature and had spent the day digging a grave for it in a place where no one would find it.

The large hole was in the centre of a very small clearing with two shovels lying beside it. Madison had managed to dig almost under a large bush; no one would ever even see it. Dean and Sam tossed the creature’s body into the hole and then the brother’s threw off their jackets and helped Madison buried it. As the shovelled the dirt; the rain ceased to almost air-like drops.

“So.” Dean said to Madison as he leant against his shovel. “You give every creature you kill a funeral?”

“I didn’t kill it and no.” Madison said, rummaging in her bag on the ground. “Only the ones that aren’t bad. See creatures like this tend to be the last of a species that couldn’t survive here. And since people aren’t accustomed to it; they get scared and want it gone; even when it did nothing wrong.” She paused as she got to her feet, finding what she was after in her bag. “Why should it be treated like a demon if it’s done nothing demonic?”

Dean frowned and nodded; considering this thought. He noticed the small jar in Madison’s hands. “Another potion?” he guessed.

“Yes.” She nodded. “It’ll deter people from finding the grave.”

“How do you know all this potion stuff?” Sam asked as he took a break from shovelling dirt.

“You guys fight with weapons. I fight with potions.” Madison told them. “Just as effective; if not moreso.”

“You a witch?” Dean asked. He wasn’t fond of witches. Or potions and magic; that whole side of the paranormal he found almost laughable.

Madison laughed out loud. “Oh, God, no.” She said quickly. “No; I’m a hunter, too. Just different. Not every hunter is the shoot-em-up, cut-em-up kind that you two are.”

“Huh. The things you learn digging demon graves.” Dean said sarcastically. Madison opened her mouth to protest. “Not a demon; I got it.” Dean poked his shovel at her.

Sam finished filling the hole. “Done.” He said panting as he wiped his brow. He tossed his shovel to Dean who was still taking a break. “Thanks for the help, bro.” He said bitterly.

“Thanks, guys.” Madison said as she gathered up her things. “How long are you in town?”

“How many demons are here?” Sam shrugged.

“Well, if you include that one - which I don’t.” Madison pointed at the grave. “Then one. Glennridge isn’t exactly top of the list in demon sightings. Where are you two headed?”

“Depends.” Sam sighed as he slung his jacket over his shoulder. “Wherever the next demon pops up.”

“Well; apparently there’s something brewing a few towns over.” Madison told them. “I’ve got a place out that way; you’re welcome to join. Rumour has it it’s the kind of demon you guys are into; death, gore and all-round spookiness.” She raised her eyebrows. “You in?”

Sam and Dean looked at each other. Sam shrugged, where else did they have to go? “Demon’s a demon.” Sam said.

Dean glanced at Madison. She seemed harmless. Granted the whole potion thing had made him uncomfortable but she wasn’t threatening. “OK, sure.” Dean agreed. “Why not?”

Madison smiled at him. “Excellent.”

xxx