SALOON
AUGUST 1938

Robert Johnson is seated on a small stage, playing. His head is down, and a cigarette dangles from his mouth. The room is sparsely populated with people listening intently. One Woman near the front stares at him, smiling as if the show is just for her, and occasionally he looks up and catches her eye.

He hears the growling of a dog, outside. He pauses, then resumes. Again, he stops, hearing eerie barking that nobody else seems to notice, and seeing a dark shape flitting past the window. The cigarette falls from his mouth; he is terrified. He stands, clutching his guitar, and bolts from the room in terror. The Woman and several others follow.

Robert stops, listening for the dog. He hears it, drops the guitar, and runs to, runs into a wooden house and bolts the door behind him. He hears the scrabbling and barking of the dog and draws a chair across the floor, wedging it under the door. He backs up slowly, then sinks to his knees, weeping. The door rattles violently until it flies open; two men and the Woman from earlier enter to find Robert on the floor, convulsing.

"What is going on?" The Old Man Asks

"Oh my God!" The Woman Says As She goes to Robert, runs her hands over him.Get a doctor. Run!
The Old Man runs. The Woman leans over Robert, patting his face.

"What happened? Talk to me!"The Woman Asks

"Dogs..." Robert Says

"Stay with us, baby!" The Woman Says

"Dogs... Black dogs..." Robert Says

"Robert? Robert, don't you die on me!" The Woman Says

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BOBBYS HOUSE

Elena Walks Downstairs to the kitchen, she looks through the refrigerator

"What, Umm Dad" Elena Says

"Yeah" Bobby Says

"Yesterday I went grocery shopping and I bought some pie as well and it seems that half of it is eaten" Elena Says as she walks to Bobby's study

"Weird" Bobby Says

"Yeah, Weird You know what happened to it?" Elena Asks as she crosses her arms

"Nope no idea" Bobby says

"Really, because you still got some pie crust in your beard" Elena Says as Bobby wipes away the crumbs

"I'm Sorry Kid I was just really hungry" Bobby Says

"Or Drunk" Elena says as she sits down

"Yeah that to" Bobby says

"It's okay" Elena Says as she chuckles

"But Anyways don't get me wrong I love you spending time over here and all because it's been forever that you've stayed here for almost a month but when do you think your gonna go home" Bobby Asks

"Umm I'm not sure yet I guess when Nathan Comes back home I mean it's been 4 weeks already but knowing his job it could take forever" Elena Says

"And How do you feel about that?" Bobby Asks

"I mean don't get me wrong I'm happy for him but it's just he's Been working at this job for years but I knew what I was signing up for when I started dating him a long time ago" Elena says

"Well Don't beat yourself up kid, your not a quitter and I kind of like the Little Nerd" Bobby Says

"Dad you met him a year ago once" Elena Says

"First Impression are important and I could say I kind of liked him" Bobby Says as Elena Smiles

"Aww Thanks Dad" Elena Says as Her Phone Begins to Ring

"Who's that?" Bobby Says

"It's Dean, Hey there you fugitive" Elena Says

"Haha very funny Elena, But What's going on" Dean Asks

"Nothing Why what's up with you " Elena Says

"Well Sammy Found A Case and I was wondering if you wanted to work on a case" Dean Says

"Awww Dean if you guys missed me that's all you had to say" Elena Says

"Alright I'm hanging up now" Dean Says

"Wait Wait I'm only teasing Sure I'll come but where are you guys" Elena Asks

"Don't worry I'll text you the address" Dean Says

"Okay, See you then" Elena Says as she hangs up

"Another Case huh" Bobby Says

"Yup, I'll see you in a couple days okay Love you Dad" Elena Says walking up the stairs

"Love ya to don't die on me" Bobby Says

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DINER

Sam and Dean and Elena are sitting at a table, Sam with his laptop open. Onscreen is a mugshot of Dean from the St. Louis Police Department.

"So much for your low profile. You've got a warrant in St. Louis, and now you're officially in the Fed's database." Elena Says

"Dude, I'm like Dillinger or something." Dean Says as Elena Chuckles

"Dean, it's not funny. Makes the job harder, we've gotta be more careful now." Sam Says

"Well, what do they got on you?" Dean Asks

"I'm sure they just haven't posted it yet." Sam Mutters

"No accessory? Nothing?" Dean Asks

"Shut Up." Sam Says

"You're jealous." Dean Says

"No, I'm not!" Sam Says

"Uh-huh. All right. What do you got on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man, you?" Elena Says As Sam shuts his computer, annoyed, and pulls out several pages of research.

"Architect Sean Boyden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home, a condominium he designed." Sam Says

"Hmm. Build a high-rise and jump off the top of it. That's classy. When did he call animal control?" Dean Says

"Two days earlier." Sam Says

"Did he actually say Black Dog?" Dean Asks

"Yeah. A vicious, wild, black dog. The authorities couldn't find it, no one else saw it; in fact, the authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator up and start roaming the halls of the cushiest joint in town. After that, no more calls, he doesn't show up for work, two days later he takes a swan dive." Sam Says

"Do you think we're actually dealing with an actual black dog?" Elena Asks

"Well, Maybe" Sam Says

"What's the Lore on it" Dean Says

"it's all pretty vague. I mean, there are spectral black dogs all over the world, but... some say they're animal spirits, others say death omens. But anyways, whatever they are, they're big, nasty." Sam Says as he passes the pages over to Dean

"Yeah, I bet they could hump the crap outta your leg, look at that one, huh?,he holds up a picture and smirks; Sam and Elena glares at him, the smirk slips
What? They could." Dean Says

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APARTMENT

In a posh, well-lit room, Sam, Dean and Elena are wearing suits and interviewing a man.

"So, you and Sean Boyden were business partners for almost ten years, right?" Sam Asks

"That's right. Now one more time, this is for...?" The Man Asks

"A tribute to Mr. Boyden. Architectural Digest.
The Man laughs. This funny to you?" Dean Says

"No, it... it's just, a tribute. Yeah. See, Sean always got the tributes. He kills himself, leaves me and his family behind... well, he gets another tribute." The Man Says

"Right. Any idea why he'd do such a thing?" Elena Asks

"I, I have no clue, I mean he lived a charmed life." The Man Says

"How so?" Sam Asks

"He was a flat-out genius. I mean, I'm capable, but next to him, I... and it wasn't always that way, either." The Man Says

"No?" Dean Says

"You wanna know the truth? There was a time where he couldn't even design a pup tent. Hell, ten years ago he's working as a bartender at this place called Lloyds. A complete dive." The Man Says

"Right. So what changed?" Sam Asks

"You got me. But overnight, he gets this huge commission, and he starts designing... he starts designing the most ingenious buildings anyone has ever seen. It was like, the level of Van Gogh, and Mozart..." The Man Says

"What?" Elena Asks

"It's funny. True geniuses, they seem to die young, don't they? To have that kind of talent? Why... why just throw it away?" The Man Says

Dean exits a building designated ANIMAL PROTECTION AGENCY, still wearing the suit. Sam and Elena are waiting in the car. Dean gets in the driver's side.

"So" Sam Says

"Secretary's name is Carly. She's twenty three, she, uh, kayaks, and they're real." Dean Says

"You didn't happen to ask her if she's seen any black dogs lately, did you?" Sam Asks

"Every complaint called in this week about anything big, black, or dog-like. There's nineteen calls in all. And, uh, pulling off a Post-it note,I don't know what this thing is." Dean Says as Elena takes it and reads it, and laughs. She glances at Dean

"You mean Carly's MySpace address?" Elena Says

"Yeah, MySpace, what the hell is that?, Sam and Elena laughs,Seriously, is that like some sort of porn site?" Dean Says

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DR,PEARLMAN'S HOUSE

Elena, Dean and Sam approach a white suburban door and knock.

"I swear, if this is another freakin' Pomeranian barking in the neighbor's yard..." Dean Says As The door opens to reveal a young woman.

"Afternoon, ma'am. pulling out an ID,Uh, Animal Control." Dean Says

"Oh, someone already came yesterday." The Woman Says

"Oh, we're just following up. We're looking for Dr. Sylvia Pearlman?" Sam Asks

Inside Her House, "The Doctor, well, she, I don't know exactly when she'll be back, she left two days ago." The Woman Says

"Okay. And you are...?" Sam Asks

"I'm Ms. Pearlman's maid." The Woman Says

"So where did the Doctor go?" Dean Asks

"I'm not sure. She just packed and went, she didn't say where. That stray dog, did you find it finally?" The Woman Asks

"Oh, not yet. You know, you didn't ever happen to see the dog yourself, did you?" Elena Asks

"Well, no. I never even heard it." The Woman Says
While In the background, Dean takes a photograph off the wall: it shows Dr.Pearlman at a bar with two friends.

"I was almost starting to think the Doctor was imagining things, but she's not like that, so..." The Woman Says

"Hey, you know I read she was, uh chief surgeon at the hospital. She's gotta be what, forty two, forty three? That's pretty young for that job." Dean Says

"Youngest in the history of the place. She got the position... ten years ago?" The Woman Says

"Huh." Elena Says

"Huh. An overnight success. Ten years ago." Sam Says

"Yeah, we know a guy like that. Oh, look at this.
he holds up the photo, flips it over to show writing on the back,Lloyd's Bar." Dean Says

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MOTEL-ROOM

In a rumpled hotel room with red curtains and sheets, a forty-something woman Dr.Pearlman huddles on the bed. Her hair is frazzled and she is terrified, flinching at the slightest noise and hugging her arms around herself. She stands, pacing.

"Oh god." Dr,Pearlman Says As She hears a loud pounding at the door. She whirls to face it, frozen.

Outside the door, "Ms. Pearlman? I've been calling for hours. You need to vacate the room or you gotta pay for another night!" The Man Says She opens the door and pokes her head out.

"Okay. No problem." Dr,Pearlman Says As She goes to the bed and opens her wallet, pulling out some cash. As she turns back to the door, she sees the man's face stretch hideously, mouth opening wide and eyes rolling back in his head. She gasps, tosses the money down at his feet, shuts the door and chains it. She leans against it, panting.

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CROSSROADS

Dean, Elena and Sam pull up outside Lloyds Bar and get out. As they walk towards the bar, Dean notices some yellow flowers growing by the side of the road. He stops.

"Hey" Dean Says

"Yeah" Sam and Elena Say

"That's Weird" Dean Says as it reveals the crossroads; on more than one corner, the yellow flowers are growing.

"What?" Sam Asks

"Think Someone planted these?" Dean Asks

"Middle of all these weeds?" Sam Says

"These are, uh, what do you call 'em." Dean Says

"Yarrow Flowers" Elena Says

"Yeah. Used for certain rituals, aren't they?" Dean Asks

"Yeah, actually summoning rituals." Elena Says

"Heh. So, two people become sudden successes about ten years ago. Right around the time they were hanging out here at Lloyd's." Dean Says

"Where there just happens to be a crossroads. You think?" Sam Says

"Let's find out. He walks to the center of the crossroads and looks around, measuring. This seem about the dead center to you?, Dean digs a few inches into the hard soil and hits something solid. He stops. Yahtzee, He drops the shovel and digs with his hands, pulling out an old rusted box. He opens it. It contains, among other things, several small bones and a small stoppered jar that Sam takes out.

"I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt. And a black cat bone." Sam Says

"That's serious spellwork. I mean, that's Deep South Hoodoo stuff." Elena Says

"Used to summon a demon." Sam Says

"Not just summon one. Crossroads are where pacts are made. These people are actually making deals with the damn thing. You know, 'cause that always ends good." Dean Says

"They're seeing dogs, all right. But not Black Dogs, they're seeing Hellhounds. Demonic pit bulls." Sam Says

"Yeah, whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady? Wherever she's running? She ain't running fast enough." Dean Says

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MOTEL-ROOM

Inside Dr.Pearlman's hotel room, the door is rattling violently. She crouches by the window, screaming. The rattling stops and she gets up warily. Suddenly something invisible bursts through the window, knocking her to the ground. She scrabbles backwards along the floor, away from the scratching and growling; something still invisible with sharp claws grabs her leg and shreds it, leaving bloody trails. She's pulled across the floor, grasping at the bed sheets and screaming.