“Dude, we’re not gonna shake this thing off by staying on the road in broad daylight. It’s like the freakin Terminator or something…it’s not gonna give up” AJ rasped breathlessly as they ran for their lives, the creature not far behind. AJ did consider that they were lucky in that the Troglodyte didn’t seem to possess super speed. After seeing the way it butchered their driver, he didn’t want to give it another chance to catch up with them.

“Aw come on man, you know as well as I do what happens in the movies to people who don’t stay on the road! Remember that movie ‘An American Werewolf in London’? Look what happened to them!” Nick protested, knowing full well just what AJ was suggesting.

“For fuck’s sake Nick, this isn’t a movie! This is real and all we’re doing is wearing ourselves out running along this road. In case you haven’t noticed, we haven’t seen a single car” AJ told him. “You know as well as I do that we’d stand a better chance of losing it if we headed for the forest”.

There were trees on both sides of the road, but they looked more dense to the right, so that’s the way they decided to go.

“If I end up dead, I’m coming back to haunt you” Nick warned.

“Dude, chances are if you die then so do I” AJ retorted “but I’m telling you now, staying on that road would be suicide”

“You’d better be right” Nick muttered.

Even though it was mid afternoon, with hours of daylight still ahead of them, once Nick and AJ had ventured off the road and into the thick forest, it seemed as if darkness had descended upon them. It wasn’t pitch black or anything, more like twilight.

“I think if we weave in and out rather than stay on a straight path through the trees, we might just shake it off” AJ suggested, hoping he was right. He was tired, out of breath and felt as if his heart was about to leap out of his chest. The pair of them were running on adrenaline, their fear was the only thing keeping their legs moving.

“Good thinking” Nick agreed. He hoped AJ was right. He didn’t want to die a gruesome death at the age of thirty. Hell, he didn’t want to die a gruesome death at any age!

They decided that it would be best to stay together as separating would only lead to disaster. They didn’t want to end up lost, alone in the forest and quite possibly dead. If they were going to do any of those things, it would be better to have company.

The two Backstreet Boys weaved between the trees, turning to glance back every so often to make sure it wasn’t behind them. It wasn’t. For now anyway.

~*~

“Why do people insist on creating more trouble for themselves?” Dean shook his head as he thought of Nick and AJ and which direction they might’ve taken.

Everyone knew what happened to people who didn’t stay where they could be found in the movies. In reality, the Winchester brothers had found it was exactly the same. You stay out in the open where people can see you, and you stood a better chance of surviving.

“I think they went this way” Sam pointed towards the trees to the right, his supernatural detecting device in his hand.

They armed themselves with guns, knives, iron, silver and a crossbow, figuring that it was best to be prepared for everything. They had no idea what it was that they’d be up against, but judging by the bus driver, whatever it was, it was strong.

As they jogged through the forest, looking for signs of disturbance to signal which way Nick and AJ had travelled, Sam thought about the bus driver. In all the other slayings, no one but the game player had died.

“Why do you think it killed the driver?” he asked.

“Well, in all the other deaths, the victim was alone at the time. Perhaps that’s why” Dean suggested.

“Yeah, it got what it came for and left. But in this case, they escaped and the driver just happened to be in its path. Unlucky!” Sam shook his head. The sooner they caught and killed it, the better.

“We’re heading the right way…look…footprints” Dean stopped and examined the fresh footprints in the soft earth.

Although they couldn’t hear any signs of human life, Dean and Sam repeatedly called out to Nick and AJ, hoping that they would get to them in time. They knew that a couple of pampered city boys like the Backstreet Boys no doubt were, wouldn’t get very far in this terrain. The Winchester’s were seasoned hunters, used to whatever was thrown in their path. If Nick and AJ were near, they had no doubt they’d find them, be it alive or dead.

~*~

“Dude, I gotta stop for a minute, I’m fucked” AJ panted, completely and utterly worn out from running non stop since they’d left the bus. Although he considered himself to be in good shape, there was only so much his body could take without a break.

Nick wasn’t faring much better. Sweat was running down his face and he was having to constantly wipe it away with his sleeve. His clothes were stuck to his skin and were extremely uncomfortable, but that was the least of his worries.

“Me too” Nick agreed, pausing and leaning against a tree for support while he got his breath back.

“Do you think we lost it?” AJ asked, knowing that Nick didn’t have the answers, but needing someone to tell him what he wanted to hear.

“I hope so” Nick said as he ran his hand through his soaking wet hair, then wiped it on his jeans.

They sat on a rotting fallen tree trunk for a few minutes, not really saying anything, just getting their breath back. Neither of them could believe this was actually happening to them. Who would’ve thought it?

“Do you think anyone would believe us if we told them?” Nick asked.

“If we get out of here alive, and it’s a big if, I think people would have us certified as insane if we told them” AJ forced a smile.

“Suppose you’re right” Nick agreed. If someone had told him yesterday that he’d be chased through the forest by an axe wielding, reptilian looking, Howie sized monster, he would’ve laughed and asked what the fuck were they smoking!

“Come on, we can’t just sit here all day, let’s get going” AJ announced, standing up after ten minutes.

Instead of running though, they decided it was safe enough to walk. They’d obviously lost whatever the hell it was that was after them, so why tire themselves out with running. With no sense of which direction they were walking, the two friends didn’t realise they were walking around in circles until they noticed the fallen tree on which they’d been sitting earlier.

“Shit!” Nick exclaimed “dude, we’ve passed this tree already”

“I know” AJ agreed “what about if we try and go back the way we came?”

And so they turned and starting walking in the opposite direction, hoping that somehow they’d find a road or a path which would lead them to civilisation. The sun was setting fast and they were supposed to be in Salt Lake City by now. People would be wondering where they were. The bus had probably been discovered by now and the police were probably all over the place, combing the area in their search for them. That thought reassured them. They’d be safe before night fall.

That feeling didn’t last long when just a few minutes later, they came face to face with the enemy.

~*~

“Dude, it’s starting to get dark. Did you bring the torch?” Dean turned to his brother.

“Here you go” Sam tossed a torch over to Dean from the bag he’d been carrying on his back.

“Thanks bro” Dean replied and switched the torch on. The light was fading fast now and before long, it would be pitch black and harder to find the missing singers.

“Did you hear that?” Sam stopped, looking around in all directions.

“What?” Dean asked.

“Shh, I thought I heard something” Sam whispered and the pair of them stood still for a moment and listened for noises in the darkness.

It was in the distance, but it had definitely sounded like a scream. Guns loaded and at the ready, Dean and Sam started running through the trees, trying to be as quiet as they could so that they wouldn’t draw attention to themselves and had the element of surprise when they came across whatever it was that was after Nick and AJ.

Twigs inevitably snapped under their feet as they ran, but there was nothing they could do about that. They had to get to them quickly.

“What the?” Dean stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of Nick, AJ and the troglodyte “we’ve not seen one of those in a long time”

“Can you remember how we killed it?” Sam asked, trying to think back.

AJ was on the ground, the troglodyte on top of him and Nick trying to get him off. Even with two against it, the troglodyte would win in the end. In fact it was probably enjoying the challenge and would make the meal all the more worthwhile.

“Silver bullet to the brain or the heart, which is on the other side to a human heart” Dean replied, loading his gun with silver bullets. “Don’t let it see you’re armed, they can blend in to their surroundings like a chameleon and we’ll lose it if it thinks the odds are against it”

“So what’s the plan?” Sam asked.

“I‘m thinking of one” Dean replied.

Sam started walking towards the fight unarmed and hoped his brother knew what he was doing.

“Hey” he called out, getting everyone’s attention.

The troglodyte didn’t stop, determined to get its kill.

“Don’t just stand there” Nick screamed. He didn’t care who this guy in the forest was, or what he was doing there. He just wanted to save AJ from a horrendous death.

Sam quickly joined Nick in trying to free AJ but the troglodyte was too strong and whilst still holding on to AJ, somehow managed to knock Sam flying.

“Son of a bitch” Sam rubbed his sore jaw and went back once again.

There was a huge struggle on the ground, bodies rolling, twisting and fists flying in all directions. Between the three of them they managed to get the axe out of the creatures clutches, but couldn’t seem to hurt it with punches.

“Sammy…now!” Dean shouted and Sam moved to the left to give his brother a clear shot.

Dean fired the gun and the silver bullet flew through the air, but missed the heart by about an inch.

“Damn” Dean muttered and got ready to fire again.

By now the troglodyte was in pain and therefore even more enraged. Without his weapons, he had to improvise and sunk his teeth into AJ’s shoulder, biting off a piece of flesh, determined to get his kill. AJ screamed out in absolute agony, blood pumping out of the open wound as he watched the creature eat a part of him.

“No” Nick screamed and furiously battered the monster with a rain for punches, all of which had no effect.

“Move now” Dean shouted and this time when he fired, the bullet hit the troglodyte right between the eyes.

The creature went limp and fell to the ground, blood slowly trickling from the bullet wound to its head and from its mouth where it had taken a chunk of AJ between its teeth.

“Get it off me” AJ cried out in agony and everyone worked quickly to free the trapped Backstreet Boy from under the troglodyte.

Once everyone was a safe distance away, Dean poured a small can of lighter fluid over the creature’s body and set fire to it. There was nothing like fire to make sure something stayed dead.

“Who the hell are you?” Nick asked, knowing that they couldn’t possibly be police. The police would’ve been just as freaked out by a monster as they had been. He knew he should be grateful to them, and he was grateful, but he was also a little wary.

“I’m Dean…this is my brother Sam” Dean gestured towards his brother who was tending to AJ’s wound.

“How did you know where to find us?” Nick asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Over the next few minutes, Dean and Sam explained everything. They told them about the game, the other deaths and how they were lucky to be alive.

“Come on, we’d better get him to a hospital” Sam had pulled AJ up and was supporting him.

~*~

After taking the Backstreet Boys to the nearest hospital, the Winchesters set about destroying the games they’d recovered, performing the spell which would send whatever curse had been cast, back to hell. They then went back to the forest and dealt with the troglodyte’s burnt corpse.

Back in Springfield, Zach Manson kept his side of the bargain and destroyed every trace of Premonition. He knew it could be traced back to him if investigated, so also took the opportunity to transfer a huge amount of money to an untraceable offshore bank account and then quit his job. He’d always fancied travelling the world and figured that this was his chance. He had a friend who could set him up with a new identification and wasted no time in contacting him.

The bus and driver were discovered a few hours after Nick and AJ had left it. The official story was that an escaped serial killer was to blame. Nick made a statement to say that their bus had stopped when the driver saw an injured man in the road and presumed it was a hit and run accident. The man had then savagely attacked the driver and then pursued the two singers, who fled into the forest, where they lost the killer and were rescued by a couple of hikers (Dean and Sam).

Conveniently, an escaped serial killer was captured just days later and although he denied ever setting eyes on the Backstreet Boys, no one believed him and he was thrown back into the top security jail he’d escaped from, an extra life sentence added to his existing sentence.

The Backstreet Boys had to postpone the tour until AJ recovered, but fans were given the option of a refund if they wanted, or they could wait for a new date to be scheduled.

AJ and Nick never did tell anyone what really happened on the bus. They met up with the Winchesters again and thanked them properly for all that they had done to save them.

“All part of the job” Dean replied as they shared a farewell drink with the two Backstreet Boys they’d got to know over the past few days.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope our paths don’t cross again” Nick remarked.

“But if we run into anymore monsters, we know who to call” AJ added, glad to have their phone number on his phone and hoping he’d never need to call them.

They finished their drinks and went their separate ways.

THE END