Rain began to fall again.
Slow at first.
Then harder.
The windshield wipers scraped rhythmically across the glass as the Impala tore through the dark highway.
Dean kept checking the rearview mirror.
Ben noticed immediately.
"You've looked back there like twenty times."
Dean didn't smile.
"Because something's back there."
Ben turned carefully in his seat.
At first—
Nothing.
Just darkness.
Wet asphalt.
Headlights reflecting off the rain.
Then suddenly—
A shape crossed the road behind them.
Fast.
Too fast.
Ben snapped back around.
"Okay, yeah, I saw that."
Dean pressed harder on the accelerator.
The Impala's engine growled louder.
Ben reached into the backseat and grabbed the shotgun.
"Tell me this thing can't catch a car."
Dean's eyes stayed on the mirror.
"I'm hoping."
Lightning flashed across the sky.
For a split second, the road behind them lit up.
And something was there.
Tall.
Black.
Almost human.
Running directly behind the Impala.
Keeping up with it.
Ben stared in disbelief.
"Nope. Absolutely not."
The creature's limbs bent wrong as it moved.
Smoke poured from its body like living shadow.
Its eyes glowed faintly white in the darkness.
Dean muttered:
"That's new."
The thing suddenly leapt forward.
It landed on the trunk of the Impala with a deafening slam.
BANG
The whole car shook violently.
Ben shouted:
"Dean!"
Clawed fingers scraped across the roof.
Metal screamed.
Dean fought to keep control of the wheel.
The creature crawled across the car like a giant spider made of smoke and ash.
Its glowing eyes appeared upside down against the windshield.
Ben raised the shotgun.
"Move!"
Dean ducked slightly.
BOOM
The blast shattered part of the windshield.
The creature was thrown backward off the car.
It disappeared into the darkness behind them.
Dean blinked.
Rain immediately poured through the cracked glass.
"…You shot Baby."
Ben stared at him.
"THAT'S your concern right now?"
Dean pointed angrily at the windshield.
"Do you have any idea how hard these are to replace?"
Ben opened his mouth.
Closed it again.
"…Fair point."
Dean smirked despite himself.
Then his expression changed instantly.
The radio turned on again.
Static filled the car.
Ben sighed loudly.
"Oh good. The ghost radio's back."
A voice crackled through the speakers.
Not Sam this time.
The demon.
"You should've kept the ash."
Dean's expression darkened.
"You."
The demon chuckled softly.
"You threw away the only thing keeping it asleep."
Ben froze.
"…What?"
Dean grabbed the radio.
"What the hell did we bring out of that church?"
The demon's voice lowered slightly.
Almost amused.
"Not what. Who."
Lightning flashed again.
And suddenly—
The creature slammed back onto the roof of the Impala.
The car swerved violently across the road.
The demon laughed through the radio.
"Sweet dreams, boys."
The radio died.
The creature's claws punched through the roof.
Ben barely avoided them.
"Dean, I'm running out of ammo!"
Dean looked ahead.
Then suddenly smiled.
Not a sane smile.
A Winchester smile.
"Good."
Ben blinked.
"Why is that good?"
Dean downshifted aggressively.
The engine roared.
Ahead—
An old bridge stretched across a deep river gorge.
Dean pressed the accelerator to the floor.
Ben realized immediately.
"Dean…"
Dean grinned.
"Trust me."
The creature crawled toward them across the roof.
Closer.
Closer.
Dean waited.
Three seconds.
Two.
One.
Then—
He slammed the brakes.
The Impala spun sideways violently across the wet bridge.
The creature lost its grip instantly.
Its claws scraped across the roof—
Then the thing flew off the car and smashed through the side railing.
It vanished into the darkness below.
Silence.
The Impala stopped inches from the edge.
Rain hammered the cracked windshield.
Neither Dean nor Ben moved.
Then Ben slowly looked at him.
"…You are completely insane."
Dean leaned back in the seat, breathing hard.
Then smirked.
"Yeah."
He restarted the engine.
The Impala growled back to life immediately.
Dean gently patted the dashboard.
"That's my girl."
Ben stared at the destroyed windshield.
Then at Dean.
"You and this car have issues."
Dean pulled back onto the road.
"You say issues."
He glanced at the Impala lovingly.
"I say relationship."
Far below the bridge…
In the darkness near the river…
Two glowing white eyes slowly opened again.