http://springflingmod.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] springflingmod.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] spn_springfling2015-03-18 12:23 am

The Book of Abel by [livejournal.com profile] madebyme_x for <user site="livejournal.com"

Title: The Book of Abel
Pairing: Sam and Demon!Dean gen
Rating: R
Any warnings: Language and violence.


At first, Sam only dreams about the Book; the rough texture of Its pages between his fingers, and the rusty smell of the blood-drawn sigils that are hidden inside. But he can still feel the electric buzz of the Book's power stinging his fingertips hours after he wakes.

Sam blames it on lack of sleep. He's been running on empty for weeks, trying to find his demon brother. But gradually his time starts to fill with thoughts of the Book, and that soon develops into research, and before long it's all he can think about. The dreams don't stop, but they get more intense until Sam's pretty sure they aren't dreams any more. This is a calling.

He's living off coffee and adrenaline, as he drives thousands of miles in the Impala following cotton-thread leads. But no one has heard of the Book. The witches, the demons, the voodoo priests, the Shaman – they all deny knowledge of Its existence, no matter what interrogation methods Sam uses.

But their lies smell like sulphur, and Sam won't stop searching, no matter how hard they all plead, because the longer he searches, the stronger the feeling grows. This is his Book, it's meant for him. And it's going to save his brother.

XoXoX

Like a siren, the Book starts calling to him as soon as he returns to the Bunker. Half-heard whispers of his name echo around the endless empty corridors, and no matter how much cheap bourbon Sam knocks back, it just gets louder.

Late at night when the whispers reach their peak, he worries that he lost his mind months ago and now there's no one left to pull him back to reality. His stone number one is gone.

He’s sleeping in Dean’s room—or tossing restlessly, truth be told, as if the memory foam beneath his body knows he doesn't belong. But he keeps coming back, clawing desperately at anything that might ground him.

Then one night the Book's whispers change. At first Sam shakes it off as nothing, but the sounds grow louder like something is trying to creep out of the static in the air. He turns around and Dean's room is empty, but he can feel something seep into his flesh and then flow through his bloodstream.

He feels weird, like he's not alone, and then he starts to sense the presence of the Book. He doesn't hear audible words, but Sam understands everything that the Book is communicating to him. They have a connection.

It takes a while to get used to, but then Sam figures it out. The Book's telling him where it is. It's been hidden in the Bunker the whole time.

XoXoX

He doesn't sleep for two days; his hands shaking, and his skin itching like it's about to shed a layer.

The Men of Letters have hidden it well. There are no records about the Book, Sam's looked everywhere. But he isn't worried because the Book feeds him clues; one by one, night after night. All he has to do is piece them all together.

A few days later and Sam's peeling off his sweat-drenched shirt and smashing through the last false wall in one of the storage rooms with a sledge hammer. His muscles are singing with agony, and he's beyond exhausted, but when he uncovers a crude-looking box, he knows he's found his treasure.

Kneeling on the rubble, he opens it. The Book is beautiful. The aged leather is brown, and despite Its handmade qualities, It's sturdy looking. The moment his fingertips graze the soft cover of the Book, he can hear It purr.

It's happy. It wants Sam to own It, to use It. It tells him that It's been waiting for Sam, that soon they'll be two pieces of a whole, and that together they can save Dean.

XoXoX

The Book tells him that he was a born a scholar, and that It was born to share its knowledge. It takes more time than Sam would like, but the Book teaches him how to read Its pages, how to draw the blood-sigils, and how to speak the lost language of Its words.

But the Book remains a mystery, and no matter how many ways Sam words his questions, the Book only has one answer. It was made for the brothers with the calling.

As Sam's studies take over, the Book tells him to throw away all the bourbon, so Sam does, watches it swirl around the drain in the kitchen sink. The Book reminds him to eat, and tells him to rest when his eyelids are too heavy.

But most importantly the Book teaches Sam that his power has always been there, under his skin, waiting patiently for the Book to awaken it. Now that they're together, as one, the veil has simply been lifted, and one day soon the power will be there for all to see.

XoXoX

The Book wakes him in the middle of the night and tells him that it's time. Their connection is finally complete.

Together, the Book and Sam track the demonic breadcrumbs that Dean's been leaving in his wake; bodies, some butchered beyond recognition, but the marks left by the teeth of the First Blade are the only calling card that Sam needs.

It turns out that Dean's in Lawrence, Kansas. Sam wants to be surprised, but the Book tells him that they've come full circle, and that it was always going to happen here.

Standing outside their empty old house, Sam clutches the Book in his hand, the words of Its lost language rolling effortlessly off his tongue. The Book starts to sing in his ears, and Sam reaches for the penknife in his pocket, dragging the sharpened blade over his skin. With bloody fingers, Sam starts to trace his own sigils onto the Book's now empty pages; one after the other, until the Book is filled with Sam's blood.

There's a jolt that Sam feels deep inside, where his battered soul belongs, and he watches the sigils slide out of the Book and onto his skin, travelling up his arms, and across his collar bones. They burn hot, and the Book warns him that it'll get worse when they finally reach his eyes.

Sam hears himself scream. Warned or not, it's agony. It doesn't burn hot exactly, but it burns intensely, each sigil imprinting over his corneas, one after the other. When it's over, he can see just fine, it just looks like he's staring through red stained glass.

The front door opens, and Dean walks out, his eyes as black as tar, the First Blade fisted tightly in his hand, so camouflaged in blood and guts that Sam can't tell where one begins and the other ends.

“Sammy, Sammy, Sammy. We've been waiting for you.”

XoXoX

They walk towards each other, trampling over the perfectly trimmed lawn. The Book is chanting their plan in Sam's ear, step by step, and he's glad he's not alone; he needs the Book to remind him that he's doing this to save his brother.

Dean blinks away the demon-black of his eyes, a shit-eating grin cutting through his face as he raises the First Blade. “Time's up, little brother.”

It happens so fast. Sam watches the Blade slice through the air, and he knows that if he didn't have the Book, his neck would be slashed, his head barely attached to his shoulders.

But the Book's power and their combined speed allow him to catch Dean's blade wielding wrist mid-air, his fingers wrapping around flesh and bones, locking in place. Immovable.

He hears Dean's guttural snarl as he struggles against Sam's grip, throwing punches with his free fist as he attempts to throw Sam to the ground with all the power that he and the Blade possess. It's all useless, of course. Sam and the Book are one now, they can't be stopped, by anyone or anything.

The power and hunger of the Blade starts to leach into Sam's system. He hears the high-pitched ring as the Blade demands his blood, and he hears the screaming, from his own lips as well as his brother’s, as Sam draws the Mark towards him, watching it fight against his grip as it's pulled across Dean's skin.

If Sam concentrates too hard, he can feel himself pulling his brother apart, muscles and tendons snapping one by one. Like the Book said, the Mark is a brand, it can be willingly transferred, but it wasn't made to be forcibly taken.

Sam shuts out the screams and continues to pull the Mark down the skin on Dean's arm, and then it's travelling over Sam's fingers, brandishing itself through layers of skin. The Book takes over after that, and Sam feels his insides twist and split as the Mark is pulled across his body towards the Book that he's still gripping in his left hand.

The Book is chanting the words of the lost language and Sam joins in when he's able. He knows they both feel the moment that the Mark first touches the blood filled pages, like an unspoken goodbye, before it burns its way through the paper until there's nothing left but ash, that's picked up and blown apart by the wind.

XoXoX

The Book is gone, sacrificing itself to rid the world of the Mark, and Sam is adrift. But then there's a tug that comes soul-deep, pulling Sam towards his brother, two threads of energies entwining into a infinity knot.

He drops the Blade, and hears it shatter. He hits the ground hard, and Dean follows. He knows that those are Dean's eyes staring at him, and he knows that he has his brother back. He's still gripping Dean's wrist, and Dean's gripping his too.

They don't let go.

XoXoX

The Impala's tires are burning tarmac as they race down the open highway. The sun is high in the sky, the windows are rolled down and the Impala's engine is purring as Dean presses down on the accelerator.

They're driving fast, breaking so many laws that Sam stops counting and just enjoys the ride.

Dean's singing along to Led Zepplin, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He looks carefree and relaxed, and like he can feel the attention, Dean flicks his gaze over his shoulder. They stare at each other for a while and it should be weird, but it's not.

Sam turns the volume up and tries to drown Dean's voice out, but Dean's still singing at the top of his lungs, and all Sam can do is laugh and then join in.

There's a job waiting for them at the end of the road, or maybe at the end of the song, but this feels good. It feels like heaven.



The End

[identity profile] amberdreams.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 08:39 am (UTC)(link)
Oooh this is interesting...I thought for a moment this was all going to backfire horribly and Sam would tear Dean apart - and I'm not entirely convinced this is a happy ending at all, thanks to that lingering sense of horror that you created. Nice one!

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 03:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, what a lovely comment! I wanted this to be dark and ominous, and so I'm pleased that you picked up the horror elements. I tried to give this an open ended feel where the reader could decide whether Sam and Dean actually survived or not, so the happy ending is entirely up to you ;)

Thanks for stopping by :)
frozen_delight: (foggy faces)

[personal profile] frozen_delight 2015-03-18 09:01 am (UTC)(link)
Very atmospheric, I like. Also, it's so nice that Sam also owns something that demands to be capitalised. :)

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 03:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I wanted Sam to take centre stage here, on Show while writing this we hadn't really seen him take action and I wanted that for him, and a book seemed like a perfect match to me.

Thanks for your kind words :)

[identity profile] missyjack.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 09:28 am (UTC)(link)
Great build up of tension - and a satisfying ending!

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 03:32 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/ I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this! With such a dark fic, I wanted the ending to be sort of open ended, where the reader could decide whether Sam and Dean survived or not and I'm happy to hear that you found that satisfying.

Thank you for stopping by :)
ext_1602671: (spn)

[identity profile] jalu2.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 10:59 am (UTC)(link)
I love the visuals of this piece. They really leapt out at me. The atmosphere is amazing.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 03:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, what a lovely comment, thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment.

I explored some pretty dark and horror inspired imagery here, and so I'm delighted to hear that the visuals stood out to you. Thanks again :)

[identity profile] marciaelena.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 01:38 pm (UTC)(link)
You wove such a sense of dread through this that I thought the Book might be a bad thing, that maybe it was tricking Sam, that it would possess and control him like the Mark did to Dean. I'm glad things didn't turn out that way.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 03:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I really wanted to explore some dark themes in this fic especially as the prompt was 'we're all monster here'. So I tried to create an intense and ominous atmosphere where the future was uncertain, and I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it.

Thanks again for your kind words :)

[identity profile] jennytork.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, this? This was AWESOME!!!

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
OK, you're review? It was awesome too!!! Thanks so much reading and taking the time to comment, I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed the fic :)

[identity profile] sophiap.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 04:31 pm (UTC)(link)
The image of the Sam drawing sigils in the Book and the sigils then drawing themselves onto him was just haunting. I was worried for a while that this was going to have an unhappy ending, but it was so good to see things go right for them for a change.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 03:43 pm (UTC)(link)
What a wonderful comment - thank you so much for stopping by. I did explore some pretty dark imagery here, and I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed it.

Given the dark feel of the fic, I wanted the ending to be sort of a readers choice; you can see read it as a happy ending where they both survived, or a not so happy ending where maybe they didn't.

Thank again, it was great to hear from you :)

[identity profile] quickreaver.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
OH, DEAR AUTHOR! I WANT TO LOVE YOU RIGHT NOW.

This was wonderful! What you managed to do in so few words? Just wonderful.

This is Dean, being the monster we know he was. This is Sam, single-minded and stubborn and dedicated, as we know he is. And this is them, as they should always be.

I adore how you wove that sense of dread throughout the fic; we're never truly sure the Book won't end up being something worse than the Mark, or that Dean might be destroyed in the process! But then it works and instead of this big emotional melodramatic scene, you did exactly what they would've done: got in Baby, full throttle, windows down, endless highway, singing at the top of their lungs. Together.

You are perfect. ♥

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/ I'm so happy you enjoyed this fic, I truly am! When I first saw your prompt of 'we're all monsters here' I knew that was the prompt I wanted to explore and the pairing choice seemed like a natural fit.

I did go quite dark for me, and some of the imagery was horror based, but what I really wanted was Sam to take control and be centre stage; to see him treading a ominous line to save his brother, and it's great to hear that that feel of dread and uncertainly came through to you.

Given the subject matter, I wanted the ending to be sort of like a readers choice; where they either both survived, or maybe they didn't.

Thanks so much for all your kind words and recs, you wonderful creature you!! Take care :)

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[identity profile] roxymissrose.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
I absolutely knew the Book was a bad thing, because when has Sam ever not been lead astray by his desire to save Dean? Something powerful whispering 'I'm going to help' in his ear has never been anything good--I was *so* relieved that I was wrong and this time, it was! I wish that Show would resolve the Mark in this way--hell, even barely close to this would make me very happy. :)

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, what an awesome comment! I knew I wanted the fic be dark and heavy, and for Sam to explore his own limits when it comes to saving his brother and so I'm happy that these elements worked for you.

The ending was tricky, given the dark feel of the fic I wanted it to be sort of a readers choice, where you can decide whether the boys both survived, or not. Thanks again for your kind words :)

[identity profile] galwithglasses.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Fantastic story....I love the idea that there is a Book to counter the Mark. I really like this version of Sam. Awesome writing.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! A book seemed a natural fit with Sam, and I really wanted to see him shine in this fic, to really explore what he's willing to do for his brother.

Thanks again for stopping by and reading :)

[identity profile] tipsy-kitty.livejournal.com 2015-03-18 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, interesting! I'm not convinced they made it through alive...

[identity profile] quickreaver.livejournal.com 2015-03-19 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Oooh, that IS a possibility! I LIKE IT.

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ext_41348: (J & J: touch)

[identity profile] aire-blair.livejournal.com 2015-03-19 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh WOW. How I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see this as an episode of Show. I think Jared could really go to town with the SAM-POV.

Excellent job, had me tense and worrying right up to the transfer of the Mark to the Book.

Really well done.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Awesome comment, thank you! And yes, I'm hoping we will see something like this on Show too, and Jared would knock it out of the park, for sure!!

I'm so pleased to hear that you felt the tension and dread as it notched up throughout the fic - thank you for mentioning that. Take care :)

[identity profile] laraney9 (from livejournal.com) 2015-03-19 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Its amazing and absolute Supernatural original spirit. I hope Sam save Dean without crap in middle

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment, I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the fic :)

[identity profile] kelios.livejournal.com 2015-03-19 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
What a great story! I loved every moment--this is exactly what I would have loved to see in the show. Your characterization was so spot on and the case/mystery was so well done. And of course the ending is perfect! Thank you so much :)

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
You're more than welcome - thank you for such a kind and generous comment.

I hope that we will see something like this on Show, and I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the mystery of Sam and the book as it story unfolded.

The ending was difficult, which is why it has a readers choice feel to it, where you decide if they both survived, or if maybe they didn't. Thanks again :)

[identity profile] deirdre-c.livejournal.com 2015-03-20 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
So cool!! I was worried for a minute the Book was a cousin to Tom Riddle's diary, but in the end it was a hero! YAY BOOK!

Also this line: His stone number one is gone. ;_____;

Great story.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/ thank you so much for your wonderful comment!

This fic was quite dark for me, and I really wanted the Book to have an ominous feel to it, and for It's true intentions only to be revealed at the end, which is also shrouded in uncertainly and possibility; did Sam and Dean survive? Or are they driving the road untraveled in heaven? The choice dear reader, is all yours ;)

[identity profile] stripytights.livejournal.com 2015-03-20 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Three cheers for Team Book \o/ love the tension of your writing, and the showdown with all three of them, and then that beautiful little bit at the end. Fantastic.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay, thank you for the wonderful feedback!! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the fic and all the tension. The ending was a tough one for me, hence the readers choice feel to it, where you get to decide whether they survived or not.

Thank you so much for stopping by :)

[identity profile] nomercles.livejournal.com 2015-03-21 09:16 am (UTC)(link)
The Book whispering at Sam "the power was his all along"..."You didn't need the feather to fly, Dumbo"... AWESOME and frankly, terrifying, correlation. Well done!

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-21 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes - that is a terrifying correlation that I didn't notice until you mentioned it! Freaky and kinda cool all at the same time.

Thank you for your kind words and for reading :)
ext_57687: (♥ actor | ja jib11 laughing! (ani))

[identity profile] big-heart-june.livejournal.com 2015-03-21 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
This was completely and utterly AMAZING. WOW, really really loved this, amazingly done ♥

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 01:45 pm (UTC)(link)
What a lovely comment, thank you so much! I'm absolutely delighted to hear that you enjoyed it ♥

[identity profile] fiercelynormal.livejournal.com 2015-03-23 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
So beautifully written! I was worried the Book was going to turn Sam evil but it saved both brothers, how perfect! <3

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 01:49 pm (UTC)(link)
He he, I'm cruel like that!!! But I wanted Sam to explore this side of himself, to see how far he truly is willing to go to save his brother. So yes, the book is dark and its intentions really aren't clear until the end, and even then the question of whether they survived is open to interpretation.

I'm thrilled you enjoyed the fic and thank you so much for reading and for your kind words :)
colls: (SPN Sam scratchedface)

[personal profile] colls 2015-03-24 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
That was terrifying - I was convinced the thing with the Book was going to turn out differently! Nice twist :D

He’s sleeping in Dean’s room—or tossing restlessly, truth be told, as if the memory foam beneath his body knows he doesn't belong.
Wonderful imagery of how bereft Sam was without Dean.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm both delighted and sorry to hear that you were terrified! Because yes, the book's intentions aren't clear until the end, and the imagery is dark, and the question of whether they both survived is a readers choice. So yikes, I guess I did you a hard time as a reader (sorry!!) but I'm happy that you enjoyed the twist.

I'm delighted that you liked the memory foam part, I really wanted to highlight Sam's struggle without his brother.

Thank you for reading and for your kind words, it's greatly appreciated :)



[identity profile] blackrabbit42.livejournal.com 2015-03-24 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
His stone number one is gone.

Perfect.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/ Thank you!!!

[identity profile] theymp.livejournal.com 2015-03-25 09:20 am (UTC)(link)
You really captured Sam's desperation and descent into almost madness. It was a nice touch that he found the Book in the bunker in the same way he found he had the power to save his brother all along. I'm still a little wary of the Book's intentions - anything that whispers in your mind late at night and demands to be written on in blood is a bit suspect!

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 02:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, what a lovely comment - thank you so much. I knew the fic was going to be dark, and I really wanted Sam to explore his limits when it comes to how far he'll go to save his brother and I'm pleased this element worked for you.

I wanted the book to have an ominous presence, and the imagery surrounding it is horror based and shrouded in suspicion, and that's partly why the ending is sort of readers choice; did they both survive? Or are they both in heaven?

Thank you again for stopping by and for your kind words :)

[identity profile] gingersnap1224.livejournal.com 2015-03-25 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
What a clever idea. I love how the tensions builds. I was terrified that it would all go wrong and eventhough you gave it a happy ending, there was still something that made me feel like everything wasn't right. Great job.

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 02:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much - what a wonderful comment!

Yes, there is an ominous feel throughout the fic and I wanted the ending to be open to interpretation and readers choice. So you can read it as a happy ending where they both survived, or a not so happy ending where maybe their in heaven and they didn't survive.

Thank you again for your kind words :)

[identity profile] tifaching.livejournal.com 2015-03-26 07:02 pm (UTC)(link)
So damned ominous and the way you built the tension was masterful. Also, the language was gorgeous..."their lies smelled like sulfur" particularly caught me.

And I'm with those who feel they didn't make it through alive. The last line....

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 02:24 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/ Thank you so much, I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it! I wanted a dark and ominous feel to run throughout the fic and so I'm relieved to hear that that came through to you.

The ending is open to interpretation, and while you can read it as a happy ending there they survived, I personally prefer the darker version where they didn't and they're driving down the endless roads of heaven in the impala together.

Thanks for stopping by and for our kind and supportive words :)

[identity profile] casey28.livejournal.com 2015-03-30 06:02 am (UTC)(link)
Wow, this was amazing... so intense and beautifully written!

[identity profile] madebyme-x.livejournal.com 2015-04-22 02:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, what a super sweet comment. I'm truly delighted to hear that you enjoyed the fic and thanks again for stopping by :)

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