Monster in the Pine Barrens

With boots planted firmly in the nutrient filled dirt beneath them, (y/n) let her (e/c) eyes gently sweep across the forest before her, heart swooning over the beautiful songs of life that filled the sweet silence of the cool evening. The sun's warm glow cast vibrant light across the deep greens and pastel pinks of the low growing plants covering their paths, dew drop covered leaves glistening beneath the setting star from the ocean's salt filled air blowing in from the east. (y/n) couldn't help but smile as she walked, heart filled with a deep respect for the pines around her, giant's who's ancient souls whisper to one another through their roots that hug the earth. It reminded her of a time in which she chose to shield herself from the claws of humanity, abandoning her form to reside in the warm embrace of the jungles in Borneo. It's then that her gaze suddenly gravitates towards the group of hunters walking a little ways ahead of her, lips all pulled into smiles as they chat about their childhoods, eyes practically glowing with sentiment as they reminisce. Her heart warms. (y/n) realizes, in that exact moment, that she would never be able to give them up. They were hers now, just as much as she was theirs. The thing about this though, is that she knew she wouldn't have it any other way. Her thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a strong scent, metallic aroma filling her nostrils as she breathes in the cool air around her. Bobby, noticing this, stops the pair of boys beside him, all of their eyes watching the girl carefully

"Let me guess...blood?" Bobby asks, now familiar to her keen sense of smell. (y/n) nods slowly

"Human-" She explains, still trying to pinpoint the direction it was coming from, (e/c) eyes narrowing as she scans the surrounding area, "-and a lot of it."

"How can you tell?" Dean asks, genuinely curious. (y/n) is hesitant to answer, knowing the group may find her response a tad unnerving.

"Every child of Eve was created with the intent of harming humanity. The smell of your guy's blood and flesh has been ingrained in our minds since day one. Thankfully, I was built with a few loose screws"

"What does that mean?" Sam chuckles lightly, earning a playful smirk from the Phoenix

"The others believe your kind is irresistible. It's why monsters are always trying to feed on your species. I, however, was not built with that urge because your scent is unpleasant to me. Luckily, I can use that to my advantage. It's this way."

Finally able to pinpoint the direction the strong aroma was blowing in from, (y/n) motions for the group to follow after her, boots crunching down the dried pine needles and dense vegetation blocking her path. Her gaze instinctively sweeps the foliage above her, head craned to look towards the darkening sky. Suddenly, she freezes, body stopping abruptly as her (e/c) eyes land on something abnormal. Hanging lifelessly from one of the towering branches above her, was a man whose flesh was barely hanging onto his bloodied bones as his shredded skin swayed through the hauntingly cool breeze passing through. The group of hunters follow her frozen gaze

"Well-" Dean sighs, running his fingers through his spiked hair, "-looks like we found Phil."

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Now plunged into darkness, the group of hunters all huddle together beneath the tree currently holding onto the shredded body of the missing Ranger, the sound of his scarlet colored blood dripping onto the dirt path beneath him the only sound to fill the night air before the low hum of a jeep suddenly breaks the silence. Yellow lights pouring out from it's glass casings illuminate the small wooded area, vehicle stopping just before the group as they squint through the harsh headlights. Ranger Rick, the man who originally noticed his missing assistant, hops out of the car and makes slow steps towards the hunters.

"Special agents-" he greets them with a light smile, "-I got your call, but I'm not sure I got what you were saying."

Deciding the Ranger to be a more visual learner, Dean points his gun up towards the hand hanging lifelessly through the pine's branches, flashlight illuminating the now coagulated blood dripping down from the man's fingertips in gross clumps. (y/n), expecting the usual screams and cries of a person who finds a dead body, is surprised to see Rick reacting strangely calm as he tiredly gazes upon the mangled flesh hanging from the tree

"Hey. I think we found Phil"

"That's what I said!" Dean replies, a goofy smile making it's way across his face as the pair share a light chuckle.

"Uh, I should probably call this in" Ranger Rick announces with a sigh, almost as if indifferent to the entire situation. Sam scoffs

"Yeah, solid move, Rick"

The group watches as the man leisurely strolls over to the drivers side of his vehicle, hands grasping onto the small walkie talkie on his dashboard. The air is unnervingly still as the Ranger clicks onto a few buttons, clearing his throat to begin making his call to home base

"Uh, this is Ranger Evans up at Archer's point. Come in." He pauses for a moment, listening to the sizzle of the static before clicking the button on the device again, "Uh, repeat. This is Chief Ranger Evans"

Suddenly, (y/n)'s ears pick up on the faint crackle of leaves a few feet away, goosebumps rising on her skin as she nudges Bobby next to her. Meeting his gaze, she finds the older hunter sharing the same worry filled expression. Something was moving through the dense underbrush and it was moving fast

"I have a situation out at Archer's point regarding our assistant Chief Ranger-"

"Rick..." (y/n) calls out to the man hesitantly, voice as gentle as she can get it to avoid drawing attention from the thing creeping through the bushes as the men beside her ready their weapons, "...I think we've got company"

"Yeah? Who's that-?" His voice is cut off suddenly, scream tearing at his throat as he is violently dragged from his car. His body disappears in the darkness at humanly impossible speeds, his fingers leaving chilling scratches through the dirt. The group is quick to react

"Ranger!" Sam is the first to call out to the now missing Ranger, his body rushing to follow after the man's faint cries of terror with the group on his heels. Boots digging up dried leaves and dirt, the hunters make a mad dash for a small clearing, weapons raised as their fluorescent lights illuminate the area. (y/n) finds herself sniffing the air instinctively, head craning to stare up through the darkness towards the towering pines above. Fresh human blood

"The trees-" She whispers to the group, (e/c) eyes trying to search the branches for any sign of the Ranger, "-it's got him up in the trees"

The men all point their lights up towards the sky, silence falling upon the group as they listen to the rustle of leaves above. Whatever it was, it was moving too fast for them to see. Bobby, upon realizing this fact, uses his hands to slowly lower the other's weapons

"Lights off"

"What?" Dean hisses

"Wait, Bobby, you think that's really a good idea?" Sam asks, voice shaking slightly, eyes never taking themselves off of the pine above.

"Shut up, shut off, and listen" Bobby demands, the group only hesitating slightly before finally obeying, guns lowered as the older hunter shuts his eyes. (y/n) watches through the darkness as Bobby furrows his eyebrows, now blinded and only going off of sound. Above, the group listens as the thing begins to feast upon the Ranger, the man's flesh squishing between it's jaws. Sam, Dean, and (y/n) all cringe at the sounds while Bobby stays intensely focused

"Man, I liked Rick..." Dean states, voice laced with a puppy like disappointment. The group glance in disbelief at the man who avoids their judging gazes. Something was up with him, but that would have to be a discussion for later. Bobby, closing his eyes once more, let's his body respond to the sounds. His gun slowly sweeps the trees before landing on a spot, finger steady on the trigger. Just as the thing seems finished with his meal, the hunter shoots. The creature falls into a pathetic heap on to dirt below, group all staring down at it's mangled form in shock

"Wow. Nice shot, Bobby" Dean scoffs, Sam and (y/n) agreeing quickly. Bobby shrugs in response, leaning down to examine the strange looking thing before them

"We all got our gifts. Now, help me haul this thing back. It's time to play doctor..."

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With the creature's body messily hanging over her shoulders, her hands sinking into it's graying flesh as she tries to hold onto it, (y/n) is quickly rushed into the small cabin style home by the pair of hunters behind her. Bobby, taking the lead, clears off the splintered wooden table in the kitchen. She throws the body down onto the surface, roughly shoving the creature so that it's sprawled out nicely before the group. They all stare down at the thing

"Built like a supermodel, but the thing was strong...carried a full-grown man up a tree in nothing flat" Bobby states, recalling the events from earlier.

"But it only took one bullet to bring it down" Sam replies, eyes never leaving the creature before them

"And not even a silver bullet, just a...bullet-bullet-" Before Dean is able to fully respond, the creature lying lifeless on the table suddenly leaps up from his lying position, crouching on top of the smooth wooden surface like an ape as a haunting cry escapes it's bloodied mouth. (y/n), body responding instinctively to the movement, finds herself lunging forward to grab hold of the creature's arm. Fingers grasped tightly around it's wrist, she twists around so that she can roughly toss it over her shoulder, it's mangled body landing hard onto the floor beneath her. Before the thing is able to react, the force of the impact stunning it for a brief moment, (y/n) lifts her boot up into the air. With one swift movement, she brings her foot down onto the creature's neck, successfully severing its head from it's body with a sickening crack. The group of hunters all stare down at the monster in shock, still in disbelief at what just happened.

"How to hell did you know that'd work?" Bobby asks. (y/n) shrugs, running her fingers through her disheveled (h/c) locks

"I didn't..." She explains, chuckling awkwardly, "...Just figured the thing wouldn't be able to move if it's body wasn't able to receive the messages. Sever the brain stem, sever the connection."

"Good thinking" Sam scoffs in response

"Like a Mortal Kombat fatality...awesome" Dean giggles, his usually hidden dorkiness on full display before the group. Bobby rolls his eyes

"Just get the damn thing back onto the table-" He sighs, "-we need to figure out what the hell it is still."

Obeying the older hunter, Sam and Dean reach down and quickly place the creature back onto it's original resting place, (y/n) clumsily setting its head down onto the counter. Hopping up onto it's marble surface next to it, she watches as the boys begin to examine the monster. Dean reaches down into the creature's hulk style pants, pulling out a wallet soaked in blood. He opens it up messily

"Oh, that is just going to ruin the leather..." Dean whines, examining the wallet with his nose scrunched up in disgust. Sam, rolling his eyes, is quick to snatch the pouch from the hunters hands. Examining the information inside, Sam furrows his eyebrows in confusion

"Gerald Browder-" He reads the I.D. out loud, the group listening intensely, "-lived here in town, 5'9'', brown hair and blue eyes...235 pounds"

The group all find themselves snapping their eyes to the decapitated creature on the table. Gerald, a man who was supposedly obese according to his I.D., was borderline skin and bones. Built like a barbie with the strength of a bull.

"Well, apparently, he's lost a little pudge."

(y/n), hopping down from the counter, walks over to take a peek at the I.D. still in Sam's hands. Her eyes, scanning the small card, finds the date it was issued to the man

"That's impossible..." She states, glancing back to the group as she continues, "-he's barely 100 pounds now and this I.D. is brand new. He couldn't have lost that much weight in the span of a couple months."

Just as she's finishing her observation, the open flesh of the creature's necks suddenly begins to ooze a disgusting smelling substance. Bobby, grabbing one of his knives off of the counter, gingerly pokes at the grey goo. The group watch in disgust as he pulls his blade back, strong smelling liquid leaving trails of thick webs across the table

"I think we better have a look under Gerald's hood..."

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"Whatever that grey goo was-" (y/n) scrunches up her nose in disgust, hands glowing to illuminate the open cavity of the creature's body as Bobby and Sam continue to poke through it, "-it's organs are swimming it."

"I've opened up dead bodies before, but it's never smelled this awful..." Sam breathes in sharply, opting to try and hold his breath while he digs around the creatures flesh. Dean, pouring himself a glass of alcohol as he leisurely strolls into the room, seems unaffected by the situation

"You guys getting hungry?" The group all turn, confusion written across their faces as the man pats his own stomach, "I'm hungry."

"Dean, you can't be serious" (y/n) scoffs, still trying to keep herself from gagging at the overwhelming smell invading her nose. Dean shrugs

"What? Dead body in his kitchen or not, a man's gotta eat-"

"Wait, what's that?" Sam interrupts his brother, gently grasping onto (y/n)'s hand to point the light towards a swollen looking organ near the creature's lungs. Bobby, following the glow, pokes gingerly at the flesh

"His stomach-" Bobby states, furrowing his eyebrows as he continues, "-for a guy on a diet, Gerry here packed it in pretty good"

"That's human..." (y/n) states softly, illuminating a bloodied piece of flesh peeking out from the incision Sam made in the organ

"That's fresh Rick-" Bobby signs, gloves hands digging into the pouch to pull out some more surprises, "-plus a...pine cone? Pack of gum in the wrapper and some more flesh...probably older"

"What's that?" Sam asks, using his own gloved hands to yank something still covered in fur, "Yeah, that's a...that's a cat's head"

"A glamper or two is one thing, but you gotta be damn hungry to eat a cat's head" Bobby sighs tiredly before his attention is caught by something slowly rising from the murky goo inside the creature. The pair watch as he slowly sinks his hands into the creatures chest, fingers grasping onto a large black mass

"Oh god, what is that?" (y/n) asks the man, almost too afraid to know the answer. Bobby, holding the lump up so that the glow of her hands illuminate it's slimy surface, examines it closely

"I'm no Dr.Oz, but I think that's his adrenal glands"

"Something about your voice is telling me this isn't normal for humans..." (y/n) sighs, biting her lip to keep herself from gagging

"They're meant to be the size of hotel bar soap-" Bobby explains, Sam and (y/n) staring at the mass in disbelief upon hearing his words, "-and bright orange."

"Well, that might help explain the strength-" Sam chuckles dryly, slowly yanking off his rubber gloves to throw in the trash, "-but whatever this thing is, it sure as hell ain't Gerald Browder anymore."

"Okay, guys, seriously-" Dean is suddenly whining from his seat on top of the counter, lips pulled down into a pout as he addresses the group, "-it's time for dinner, yeah?"

"You're not joking are you?" (y/n) scoffs, earning a confused shrug from Dean

"I'm hungry, what's so wrong with that?"

"There's a rotting body on the table and....you know what? Fine. Go start the car, we'll be out in a minute"

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"Gerald Browder, 35, self-employed-" Sam, fingers clicking lightly on his laptops keys, reads out a missing person's post about the decapitated creature currently laying in a ditch outside of their home, "-air conditioning repairman. Missing person number three. Says he disappeared eight days ago."

"Well, that explains all the people who got eaten in the last eight days..." (y/n) states softly, leaning back in the wooden chair she sat in next to Sam.

"Question is, what happened to him?" Bobby replies, sipping on his small cup of coffee. Suddenly, a low groan catches the group's attention, all of their eyes snapping to watch Dean as he messily munches on his second turducken sandwich that day. (y/n) finds herself scrunching her nose up at the foul smell invading her nose, a strange familiarity to it's odor this time around.

"Dean?" Sam calls out hesitantly, light eyes wide in concern as his brother looks up lazily from his meal, "Uh, so...what do you think?"

"I'm not that worried about it" Dean's voice is muffled as he speaks through his massive bite, shrugging his shoulder in indifference. (y/n), furrowing her eyebrows glances worriedly towards the pair seated around her

"Excuse me?" Bobby scoffs, eyes carefully watching the man as he takes in another mouthful of his sandwich

"That's funny, right?" He chuckles, swallowing down the disgustingly huge bite of meat stored in his cheeks like a hamster, "I could give two shakes of a rat's ass! Wait, is that right?"

"Is what right?" (y/n) asks, watching as the man seems to go in and out of a daze

"Do rats shake their ass, or is it something else?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sam scoffs, but Dean has completely checked out of the conversation. Scarily turning his full attention onto the abomination on his plate, Dean continues to emit an almost animal-like groan as he eats. Sam, (y/n), and Bobby all find themselves glancing over at the tables around them, eyes widening upon noticing the way the other customers seem completely out of it. All of them chowing down on the turducken slammer.

"Give me that" (y/n), quick to react, reaches over and snatches the sandwich from Dean's hands. He whines like a child, puppy like eyes staring at the girl as if she had just beaten him.

"There's some funky chicken in that TDK slammer, ain't there?" Bobby asks, watching as (y/n) passes the half eaten sandwich to Sam who sits beside her, carefully examining the meat hidden behind a mess of lettuce and tomatoes

"Guess we'll have to take it home and see...."

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"This is stupid-" Dean whines from his hunched over spot on the counter, lips pulled down into a pout as he throws hurt filled glares towards the 3 standing around the foil swan placed elegantly in the middle of the table, "-my sandwich didn't do anything! I don't know what you think you're gonna find."

"There is something wrong with you, Dean" Bobby states plainly, voice laced with frustration as he watches Sam slowly unwrap the sandwich from it's silver shell. Dean scoffs

"Are you kidding? I'm fine!" He argues, leanin lazily back against the cupboards as he scratches the back of his neck, "I actually feel great...the best I've felt in a couple months. Cas? Black goo? I don't even care anymore! And you know what's even better? I don't care that I don't care!"

"Do you even hear yourself?" (y/n)'s asks in disbelief, earning an eye roll from the man still slumped over in his seat on the counter

"Yeah, that's how ears work, princess" Dean replies snarkily, pointing to his half eaten sandwich like some toddler who can't get his way, "I just want my damn slammer back, alright?"

"Dude, you're completely stoned!" Sam fires back, finally able to release the sandwich from it's foil prison to place it on top of a small plate they stole from the diner, "Just like Ranger Rick was and just like the dinner rush back at Biggerson's."

"Everybody's loving the turducken-" Bobby is suddenly interrupted by the foul smell spreading across the small room, a familiar odor invading everybody's nose as they slowly look down. The sandwich, once beautiful in color and somewhat appetizing to look at, was now laying a pool of thick grey goo. Disgusting smelling liquid seeping through the fried patty sitting atop a melting bun.

"I think you pissed off my sandwich..." Dean finally speaks, slowly climbing down from the counter as he stares at the bubbling mess of goo in disbelief, "That...that's in me?"

"O-Only half of it?" Sam chuckles awkwardly.

"The question now is...what the hell is it?" Bobby asks, glancing to the other for answers. Luckily for her, (y/n)'s memory was impeccable

"It's the same stuff that we found in Gerald Browder-" She states, slightly covering her nose to try and block out the overwhelming odor, "-I recognize the smell"

"Okay, so whatever turned gerry into a pumpkin head-" Sam glances over at Dean who still seems a bit dazed, "-and is currently turning Dean into an idiot-"

"I'm right here. Right here, man"

"-Is in the turducken slammer at biggerson's" Bobby finishes, the group ignoring the older brother as he fiddles around with a couple forks near the sink

"It has to be in the meat" (y/n) adds, the pair agreeing as they stare down at the sandwich slowly turning into a mass of grey goo. Dean chuckles lightly to himself, hands crossing themselves over his chest as he speaks

"If I wasn't so chilled out right now, I would puke"

"Dean. Do you need a bucket?"

"...No..."

"Dean"

"...Yes, please..."