Chapter 28: Disarmed
Despite Alexander's frightening appearance, Ben was overcome with joy and so too was his sister. They slowly rose to their feet with joyful expressions.
Sam's eyes, however, gleamed with suspicion. 'How is he alive?'. A storm of speculation grew in his mind, and his aim faltered.
Alexander took a step towards them, to reunite. This simple action reawakened Sam, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Stay back." Shouted Sam raising his gun and readjusting his formerly faltering aim.
Alexander stopped stiffly in his tracks his face tightened in confusion. "What's wrong Sam? What's the meaning of this?" He asked a little concerned as to why he was now on the dangerous end of Sam's gun.
"What are you?" Sam questioned his voice radiating with firmness, squeezing his gun tightly for comfort.
"Huh?" Alexander tilted his head in confusion.
"Don't play with me," Sam ordered his voice pitched with agitation. "What are you?"
"Sam, what are you doing?" Hailey asked worried about Sam's behaviour.
"Don't you dare move," Sam warned her, fearing for her safety. "Stay where you are. We don't know what he is."
Hailey sent Alexander an anxious look, "Don't guys, it's okay." Alexander called from where he stood, "Just listen to Sam and stay where you are." Before returning his attention to the agitated man, "Sam, what are you talking about?" Trying to make sense of the situation.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Explained Sam, his now voice hammered with a cool yet violent calmness."I know what a wendigo is. It's pretty damn fast... faster than the normal eye can see, it can launch a full-grown man in the air with ease, its claws rip through bone like paper. They shrug off shotgun fire like it's nothing. And you not only meet this monster alone but apparently you manage to escape, fighting it off with nothing but a hunting rifle? You still expected me to believe that you... You're human?" Still pointing his gun directly at Alexander Sam asked. "So let me ask you again. What are you?"
The forest fell silent, tension descended on them. The orange rays of the now-setting sun weakly peered through the leaves illuminating the scene.
Hailey and Ben clung to each other dreading a possible future.
'This f**ker' Alexander exhaled heavily trying to cool the anger boiling within. "Sam, I don't know what you want from me. Or what you think I am but... I promise you I'm human." He assured Sam. As he did his eyes briefly yet swiftly glance to Sam's left.
"Alexander, I swear if you lie to me again, I will pull this trigger." Sam promises, unwilling to let it go.
'Now, I understand why people hate Sam. Your brother is about to become some monster's meal plan and you're here picking a fight.' Alexander sighed completely exasperated with the situation.
He raised his hands in defeat, his eyes darted to Sam's left again. 'Should I just tell him what he wants to hear or I could tell him the truth?' He thought. 'Nah, doing that might complicate things further or I could get shot. It's better to tell them after this whole thing is done.'
Alexander sighed again, his eyes glanced left again, "Sam." He called slowly.
"Yeah, you guys deserve to know the truth." His eyes shot left again. "The truth is... I am...." his eyes glance left again lingering this time and a little smirk crept onto his lip.
All of which fell into Sam's eyes, 'What does he keep looking back at?' He thought as a lapse in judgment momentarily made him forget who he had his gun trained on and look to his left out of curiosity. Only to find nothing there. His eyes widened in realization, and he immediately flicked back around to find Alexander had already dropped the rifle and lunged in close, he was basically right in front of him immediately grabbing his hands angling the gun away from himself, and with sharp precise movements disarmed Sam with incredible ease. Before smoothly pushing whiles tripping him to the ground.
A look of disbelief on Sam's face trying to process what had just transpired in a matter of seconds. He had fallen for the oldest trick in the book, the 'look behind you'. But his sour mood worsened when he realized the position he was in.
Alexander, now held his gun and he laid on the ground looking up at him apprehensively. The situation in a matter of seconds had completely flipped.
A cold glint flashed in Alexander as he aimed the barrel down at Sam. Sam's apprehension turned into uncertainty and fear, he raised his hands in a sad yet pointless attempt to protect his body.
Looking at the fearful Sam, Alexander steeled his nerves. His index massaged the trigger itching to pull. But he did a thought flashed through his mind.'I kill him. Dean, his dad, and God knows what might come after me. Maybe it would even alert Chuck to my existence.' He looked at Sam. 'He's been annoying this whole trip, getting on my nerves and now even pointing a gun at me' Alexander argued.
'But that doesn't mean he deserves to die.' He sighed sadly.
Alexander exhaled deeply. Finally taking his finger off the trigger and lowering his aim. He walked over and crouched down to Sam leaning in close. "Look I don't know why you hate me. And to be completely honest I don't care. But you're starting to get on my nerves. I'm risking my life to help Hailey find her brother...to find your brother but you keep getting in the way. It's honestly annoying."
"You wanna know how I fought off that monster? It's the same way I laid you down on your ass. Because I'm that good."
"We can handle our disagreement later but right now there are people counting on us... both of us and time is running out." Alexander pulled back and looked him in the eyes." So are we good?" He asked.
Sam stared back at Alexander although he tried to hide it Sam could hear the babbling anger in his voice. He thought back to their first encounter, 'He's right since the beginning all he's done is try to help. When we were running he always made sure to look after Hailey and Ben, when I was too busy starting fights it was him who tried to calm down the tension. When the Wendigo attacked he protected Hailey and Ben and even tried to warn Dean. As for me, all I've done since the beginning is get in his way.' He clenched his jaw tight in self-admonishment before letting go, his countenance fell and he sighed with shame, "Yeah."
Receiving his answer, Alexander rose to his feet and offered a hand to help Sam up. Sam looked at the offered hand then at Alexander, pausing momentarily before taking it. Alexander pulled Sam to his feet.
The two men now stood on equal footing. They stood there for a moment looking at each other, until Alexander remembered the siblings were waiting for him. He stared at Sam once more before offering him back his gun.
"Here." He gestured.
Sam glanced at the gun and then at Alexander before reaching to take it. Alexander held the gun a little tighter when Sam pulled to convey a message.