Through Fire and Smoke
Sam stared out the bus window, barely seeing the bright Malibu landscape rolling by. The world seemed almost garishly colorful here, a sharp contrast to the weight inside his chest. Thoughts of Jess lingered, her smile flickering like a mirage just out of reach. No matter how much time passed, the feeling of her slipping through his fingers still haunted him. If only he’d been there, he could’ve saved her. The guilt gnawed at him, relentless and raw, churning in his gut.
But it wasn’t just Jess anymore. Dad was missing, gone off on some hunt. And even though Dean needed his help, whether he admitted it or not, Dean had insisted he take a break. “Clear your head, Sammy,” Dean had said, practically pushing him onto this so-called vacation. But Sam knew it was just Dean’s way of telling him to stop blaming himself, to let go of the guilt. Only, Sam wasn’t sure he could. Not yet.
And then there was… him. Sam’s eyes drifted to the man sitting near the front of the bus, a man he had found himself following almost unconsciously, like he was pulled by an invisible thread. Sam didn’t know why he’d gotten onto this bus, why he’d left his own route to follow some stranger and his massive black dog. He could have just brushed it off, called it curiosity, but the connection he felt when their eyes had met was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. This guy, whoever he was, didn’t just feel different. He felt supernatural.
And that should have been a reason to steer clear. But Sam couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that he needed to keep watching, keep following.
The man had untidy black hair that caught the light whenever he shifted. He looked haunted, shadows under his green eyes that spoke of sleepless nights and something deeper, a grief Sam recognized all too well. And then there was the dog, a massive black creature with intense, intelligent eyes, curled protectively against the man’s side as if it could shield him from whatever darkness lingered there.
Sam had been watching the man for almost the entire ride, unable to look away. There was a slight crease between his brows, like he was trapped in some memory or thought, and his fingers continuously stroked the dog’s fur as if grounding himself. Every now and then the man would glance out the window watching the palm trees, as if he were lost. Sam felt a pang of recognition, it was the same way he’d tried to hold onto reality after Jess died. The familiar habit of anchoring to something, anything, to stay present in the wake of loss.
The man’s lips moved, murmuring something Sam couldn’t hear. Sam’s pulse quickened when the guy glanced back over his shoulder, their eyes meeting briefly before the man looked away. There was a depth there that Sam couldn’t explain, something that stirred a strange restlessness inside him, leaving him sure of only one thing, this guy wasn’t normal. And Sam couldn’t shake the sense that whatever the man was here for, it wasn’t anything good.
The bus driver’s announcement jerked Sam out of his thoughts. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are now approaching Stark Mansion! Get your cameras ready, you won’t want to miss this!”
Stark Mansion loomed on the horizon, sleek and shining against the California sky, but Sam barely noticed. His gaze drifted back to the man and the dog, watching the way his hand stilled on the animal’s back, his whole frame tensing as if preparing for something.
And then the world went white.
An explosion tore through the air, a deafening roar that rocked the bus and made Sam’s ears ring. Heat and dust and shards of glass shattered around him, the screams of panicked tourists mixing with the thunderous noise. Instinct kicked in, and Sam threw himself low, his mind whirling as he took in the burning wreckage ahead. The mansion that had once gleamed like a beacon was now a blazing inferno, columns of smoke curling into the sky.
Sam’s gaze snapped to the man. He had twisted in his seat, fingers clenched in the fur of the dog on him, his eyes wide with shock, mirroring the same horror Sam felt. And as they locked eyes again, Sam’s heart raced, a strange certainty growing in his chest. This guy was involved. He had to be.
The bus trembled beneath them, but the man didn’t look away. Instead, he turned with a fierce determination, a kind Sam recognized well, his expression shifting from grief to resolve in an instant. Whatever he was up to, he was far from innocent.
Before Sam could process it, the man had kicked open the emergency exit, his dog leaping out beside him with the same agility and urgency. Without a second thought, Sam bolted to his feet and followed, his instincts overriding any remaining caution.
The stranger and his dog had already disappeared into the smoke and chaos, but Sam was right behind them, determination fueling his every step.