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2.3 Bed Bugs Don't Make A Good Bed

It was night time as we were keeping an eye on the family's house, I was sitting in the passenger seat with Dean in the driver's seat with Sam in the back. "Dude, I cannot believe you told Papazian about the homicidal phantom clown," I said to Dean, sighing as Sam leaned over the front seat.

"Well, I told him an urban legend about a homicidal phantom clown," Dean corrected and pulled out a gun, cocks it. "I never said it was real,"

"Keep that down!" Sam said, pushing the gun down.

Dean shook his head but did as he was told before turning to look back at me and Sam, "Oh, and get this. I mentioned the Bunker Brother's Circus in '81 and their, uh, evil clown apocalypse? Guess what,"

"What?" Sam and I asked at the same time.

"Before Mr. Cooper owned Cooper Carnival, he worked for Bunker Brothers. He was their lot manger," He explained.

"So you think whatever the spirit's attached to, Cooper just brought it with him?" Sam asked. "Something like that," Dean said as he turned back to the window. He shook his head, "I can't believe we keep talking about clowns."

💽

Dean and Sam fell asleep after I told them I would wake them up if something happened. Suddenly the lights in the living room turned on and I frowned, quickly waking them up.

I shook them, "Guy's," they didn't wake. I slapped the back of their heads. They bolted up as I pointed to the living room to see the little girl passing by the window towards where the front door was.

"Let's go," Sam said and we quickly climbed out of the car.

The door was unlocked so we sneaked in, quietly following the girl as she led the clown through the house. We rounded a corner of the hallway, hiding behind the walls so we were in front of them, weapons ready.

"Wanna see Mommy and Daddy? They're upstairs," The little girl said to the clown with a smile.

I quickly grabbed the little girl and she started to scream as Dean and Sam lifted their shotguns, firing into the clown's chest. It fell back as I covered the little girl's body with mine.

My brothers quickly began to reload their weapons when the three of us saw the clown started to slowly rise.

"Carmen, watch out!" Dean warned as the clown got to its feet.

The clown turned around and jumped out the window, the glass shattering to the floor as it turned invisible. 

"What's going on here?" A man's voice called and we all froze as the girl's parents showed up, "Get away from my─"

"Oh my god, what are you doing to my daughter?!" The mother yelled. "Who the hell are you? Get out! Get out of my house!" The father shouted and we all backed away. Sam grabbed my arm before the three of us took off.

"Mommy, Daddy, they shot my clown!"

💽

It was morning by the time we ditched the minivan by the side of the road, hidden behind some trees. We grabbed our bags and I looked over to see Dean pulled off the license plates, shoving them into his duffel bag.

"You think they saw our plates?" I asked.

Dean slammed the trunk hood down and looked at me, "I don't wanna take the chance," He said before the three of us started to walk away. "Besides, I hate this friggin' thing anyway."

I looked down and started moving my necklace side to side. We started walking down the road, swinging our duffel bags on our shoulders. "Well, one thing's for sure," Dean spoke soon after.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"We're not dealing with a spirit," I stated as Dean nodded, "Exactly," He agreed. "I mean, that rock salt hit something solid."

"Yeah, a person? Or maybe a creature that can make itself invisible?" Sam suggested. "Yeah, and dresses up like a clown for kicks?" Dean comment. "Did it say anything in Dad's journal?"

"Nop," Sam answered.

I rummaged through my jacket packet's, looking for my phone. I found it and pulled it out, searching through my phone feeling someone's eyes on me.

"Who are you calling?" Dean asked. "Ellen," I replied. "Maybe she or that guy Ash will know something."

Sam cleared his throat, "Hey….you guys think, uh, you think Dad and Ellen ever had a thing?" I huffed as I looked up the road, "She's nice but I don't think so," I said. "No way," Dean said.

"Then why didn't he tell us about her?" Sam asked. "I don't know, maybe they had some sort of falling out," Dean said. "Yeah," Sam agreed. "You ever notice Dad had a falling out with just about everybody?"

Dean nodded but didn't say anything else and we continued to walk. Sam stared at Dean before he shook his head and looked forward, "Well, don't get all maudlin on me, man," He mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked finally looking at him.

"I mean this 'strong silent' thing of yours, it's crap," Sam said. "Oh, god," Dean groaned. "I'm over it," Sam said. "This isn't just anyone we're talking about, this is Dad. I know how you felt about the man."

"You know what, back off, alright? Just because I'm not caring and sharing like you want me to," Dean said. 

"No, no, no, that's not what this is about, Dean. I don't care how you deal with this. But you have to deal with it, man," Sam said. Dean gave a small chuckle, shaking his head.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes before looking at Dean, "Dean, we just wanted to make sure you're okay," I said.

"I'm okay!" He snapped, raising his voice. 

"I'm okay, okay? I swear, the next person who asks me if I'm okay, I'm gonna start throwing punches." He glared at both me and Sam, "These are your issues, quit dumping them on me!"

We stopped walking, "What are you talking about?" Sam asked, frowning.

"I just think it's really interesting, this sudden obedience you have to Dad," Dean told him. "It's like, oh, what would Dad want me to do? Sam, you spent your entire life slugging it out with that man. I mean, hell, you, you picked a fight with him the last time you ever saw him. And now that he's dead, now you want to make it right? Well, I'm sorry Sam, but you can't, it's too little, too late."

"Why are you saying this to me?" Sam asked, trying to stay calm unlike a sorten brother of ours. "Because I want you to be honest with yourself about this," He snapped. "I'm dealing with Dad's death! Are you?" He glared at me, "Are you?"

I stared at him in disbelief before looking down shaking my head, "If this is how you are dealing?" I spat looking up at him. "It's complete bullshit!"

"Carmen, watch it," Sam warned.

"No!" I snapped at him before looking at our older brother, "They way your acting is bullshit. I'm dealing with Dad's death just like you and Sam...What is wrong with you? Huh?"

"Calm down," Dean warned.

"Calm down? You throw things at us and now your telling me to calm down after that? After everything? Ever since we got out of the hospital and burned Dad's body you, your different Dean!" I raised my voice. "Hell, the only people you've talked to for a week was Sam and Bobby! You look at me the way I'm looking at myself, like I killed Dad!"

When I said that, I noticed Dean's eyes slowly grow soft as if he realized I was right. "Carm─"

"Listen I'm sorry that Dad did what he did. And I'm sorry I couldn't stop him, but believe me when I say I didn't have any say in the opinion. So please, stop acting like I did!" I yelled before walking away.

"Carmen where are you going?" Sam asked.

"To cool off!" I yelled.

💽

I slid down a wall of some gas station and sighed before resting my head on my hands. "Are you okay?" I shook my head, sighing loudly.

"Excuse me, are you okay ma'am?" A voice said I raised my head to see an older man standing in front of me. Salem hissed at the man and I looked between him and the man. "Yeah, um, I'm fine. I actually gotta go meet my friend." I made up something grabbing my bag and started to walk away as someone grabbed my wrist.

I looked to see the man, "What are you doing?" I asked yanking at my arm.

"Just following orders," The man said as his eyes turned black. Salem quickly pushed the man off as I fell backwards landing on my ass.

"Go I'll catch up when you safe!" I stood back up and nodded before running back towards Sam and Dean.

💽

"Why are you out of breath?" Dean asked. I leaned on the both of them as I tried to caught my breath. "Demon. Salem. Guy. Thingy." I breathed out.

"Salem's a demon?" Sam asked as I quickly shook my head. "No, he saved me from a demon." I said finally getting my breath back. "What did Ellen have to say?"

"Rakshasa."

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"Ellen's best guess," Sam said and we continued walking, "It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures. They appear in human form, they feed on human flesh, they can make themselves invisible, and they cannot enter a home without first being invited."

"So they dress up like clowns, and the children invite 'em in," Dean said. "Yeah," Sam mumbled. "Why don't they just munch on the kids?" I asked.

"I don't know. Not enough meat on the bones, maybe?" I said. "What else'd you find out?" Dean asked. "Apparently, Rakshasas live in squalor. They sleep on a bed of dead insects," Sam added.

"Nice," Dean comment.

"Gross," I said shaking my head. "Yeah, and they have to feed a few times every twenty or thirty years. Slow metabolism, I guess," Sam said shrugging.

"That makes sense, the Carnival today, the Bunkee Brothers in '81," Sam pointed out. I nodded, "Right. Probably more before that."

"Hey guys, who do we know that worked both shows?" Dean asked.

"Cooper?" Sam sais.

"Cooper," Dean agreed.

"You know, that picture of his father, sure did look just like him," I pointed out. "You think maybe it was him?" Dean asked and I shrugged before looking at Sam. "Well, who knows how old he is?" He asked, shrugging.

I shrugged before looking at Sam. "Well, who knows how old he is?" He asked, shrugging.

"Ellen say how to kill him?" Dean asked Sam. "Legend goes, a dagger made of pure brass," Sam answered. Dean thought for a moment before giving a small nod, "I think I know where to get one of those."

"Before we go stabbing things into Cooper…" I started. "We're going to want to make damn sure it's him," Sam finished for me. "Oh, kids, you're such a stickler for details," Dean joked and for the first time in a long time, the three of us smiled at each other.

"All right, Carmen and I will round up the blade, Sammy, you go check if Cooper's got bed bugs."