A great ending!  Loved that Ruthie was the one who brought her father down!  The braided hair of Ruthie and her mother kept in the Bible was a cool detail, especially since their lives were so paralelled by Henley's abuse.  Very symbolic.

 Thanks for sharing this wonderful story!

Author's Response:

Your VERY welcome!!! ;-)

I had toyed with the idea of Dean killing Henley - but for me he is an honest to goodness hero type and that just didn't sit right. I even had a whole "it was an accident thing" running round my head, with all the ensuing angst, but it was truly satisfying having Ruthie do it. Funny how much I grew to love that character!!! (Yeah I know I'm a little twisted!;-> )

The braid of hair was a moment of inspiration - came to me out of nowhere, but glad you liked the symbolism. I always find it bittersweet (after the explanation of where angry spirits come from in IMTOD) that what a soul cherished in life could become their undoing in the Afterlife.

Honestly appreciate you leaving these reviews, thank you for leaving your thoughts here. Happy reading!!!

Abi.

Hi.

Just found this story and finish it within the hour. Can't stop. It's very good. Keep it up.

 

 

 

 

Author's Response:

Hi,

Glad you found this piece entertaining. Am absolutely flattered that you read it in one go!!! It is one thing to amuse yourself bashing away at a keyboard writing with such great material - but I still grin like a Loon every-time I see a review - proof that someone A) READ it and B) LIKED it!!!! LOL.

Many thanks for your time.

Abi.

I fell in love with this story from the beginning and kept it in my favorites to watch for updates.  Now that it is complete, I started from the beginning and read it all the way thru. Still love it!  I loved the way you wrote each characters emotions and reactions, especially Dean's. The brief and heart felt chick flick moment at the end was wonderful.  Thank you so much for completing this story and for sharing it.

Author's Response:

Thank you so much Jeanne,

I really appreciate you sticking with me from the beginning - and incredibly relieved that this story holds up when you read from start to finish. This is my second multi-chapter but the first one I have written off the cuff. Though I knew the rough outline and where it should aim to end, it had a life of it's own and some chapters were scary to write! (Hence running like a big chicken and not posting for weeks on end!!!!)

Again - another person who liked the chick flick moment at the end (your bolstering my confidence here - thank you!!! LOL) real happy about that! Finishing off Ruth was tough - wrong as she was, I had a real soft spot for her.

Thank you for the great review - pleased that you enjoyed it and took the time to share your thoughts. That is always -BETTER- than cookies ;-).

Many thanks. Abi. 

Awww, that was just great.  Glad that Ruth got her revenge, and that our merry band of heroes all escaped reasonably unscathed.

Loved how clear and present the threat that Dean's self-sacrifice for his family would one day lead to his death was.  Because we all know where it leads, don't we?

Excellent story.  Just excellent!

Next one, please!

Author's Response:

You are Way Too KIND. Thank you so much for all the great support and encouragement you have given me throughout this story.

I couldn't let Ruth go down without some measure of satisfaction - I kind of grew to love the demented little darling. Pleased that you enjoyed this story - as you really did give the most glowing reviews, at exactly the point that I felt I had hit a major wall (or three!!!! LOL).

Would be honoured if you cast a critical eye over any piece that I may post in the future. Looking forward to it in fact!!!!

Many Thanks. Abi

Absolutely amazing! You've exquisitely captured the hope, despair, condemnation and surrender of that Dean and Ruthie would have felt in techni-color.  I've never thought about drowning or watching someone drown before but reading this chapter was like living that horrible experience.  Kudos to you!

Author's Response:

Thank You for the great review!!!! You always swell my head!!!! LOL!!!! (As in - "I wrote all that ... really?" Ha Ha.)

I loved how you described my writing as something that translates into "technicolour" - BIG GRIN right there! What a compliment. My experience of writing on this site is thrilling - due in large part to the utter fear that I will post something and no-one will get it - but that you thought my work was vivid, that's an amazing thing to me. Thank you.

You blew me over when you said that reading this chapter was like living the experience - I don't have the words.... just smug grin.

You have really done my ego the world of good - it might not fit through the kitchen door at this rate, but it's going to have too - cause I've got a cup of celebratory Tea with my name on!!!! LOL (Oh yeah - I'm a wild One!!!! )

Many Thanks Abi.

Awesome, awesome chapter.  Ruth is one evil bitch and I cannot wait until she gets her comeuppance.

Author's Response:

High praise indeed - especially since I have taken so very long to update. Thank-you for your enthusiactic response - I have never been sure that I could write "evil" convincingly ... and in a show about Supernatural Monsters - that is a pretty BIG wall to overcome!!!!! LOL. But the fact that you found Ruth convincing is a great confidence booster.

The comeupance (love that word!) is coming!!!!!!

Thank you for all the amazing stars and for your time reviewing this.

Abi.

I can't wait for the ending. Sam always comes first. Always the brothers Winchester.

Author's Response:

Thank you for taking the time to review this and let me know how you found this. I am still working on this piece but a few real world issues have taken priority - I am itching to get back to it though, so please bear with me!!!!

Isn't that brotherly bond just addictive viewing????!!!! It provides a lot of inspiration for a lot of writers on this site and I never get enough of reading it.

Abi.

Wow, for someone who never killed anyone before you really went all out, and a child no less! A 6 year old child can bring down an adult while drowning. You really did an excellent job in showing Ruthie's desperation when she was drowning. Luckily, in the end she didn't take Dean and Sammy with her. Poor Dean, he feels responsible for her death but he is not at fault at all. I was  relieved when John showed up. I wonder what the Sheriff will try to do here? I can't imagine arresting a 10 year old boy (but it has happened). I'm really looking forward to the next chapter. You did an excellent job with the background for this story. Thanks!

Author's Response:

Moira - Thank You for the amazing review!!!! (And the many shiny stars!!!!)

The little bits of info you give are great - I have saving them for future reference!!!! LOL.

Yeah - killing off a character, and then making it a child - had me worried there, it was THOUGH to write and I am so relieved that you thought it in some way believable. I kind of did go to town with the angst - and am always worried about going OTT!

Hope the Sheriff's next move and the story keeps you entertained - I am going to try hard not to keep anyone waiting - but this story is kind of challenging me - and I re-write A LOT!!! (Hence the HAPPY when I get as great a review as yours!!!!)

Thanks again for your time - sorry for the wait!

Abi.

Oh God this was just gut-wrenching!!!  I feel so horrible for that poor child Ruthie, for the life that she lived, for the torture she endured that inevitably ended up twisting her in her final moments.

But I bleed for poor little Dean, thinking that he owed her a damned thing in the face of the horror chasing them that night, especially with Sammy in tow.  The minute she dragged Sam into the water with her, all bets were off (IMO).  Dean didn't owe her anything.

I realize that I am attempting to argue with the ghost of a dead, fictitious child, but humour me.  I'm overwhelmed right now.  lol.

Gripping chapter.  Hopefully the next update will be sooner than this one!  You left us in a bit of a lurch there, missy!

Author's Response:

LOL!!! Wow what a passionate response ... you definitely studied the NO-ONE MESSES WITH SAMMY handbook didn't you?!!!:-}

Thank You for your great review, it made me chuckle!!! I am so glad that you could feel sympathy for Ruthie - that is kind of the way I feel after hearing the Reapers speech in IMTOD. So happy that you got what I was aiming at!!!!

I agree Dean doesn't owe her anything, but he wouldn't be Dean if he didn't have all that sensitivity weighing on his shoulders. Dean tries to create a goofball persona to make up for that missing childhood - in my head I can spend endless hours speculating how he took on sooo much guilt and responsibility. (Yes of course you can count that as a Hobby in job applications - applied Winchester!!!!)

As always you are so kind with the praise - and yes I DO FEEL VERY GUILTY for making you wait. I know how that feels and honestly do not purposely inflict it. Thank you for sticking with this though.

Abi

Well, I can't wait to find out. I don't think Dean can take much more!


Author's Response:

Dean is pretty beat to his boots. I know he's fictional, but don't you find the way he's written a little inspiring? When he keeps insisting he's "awesome" in those comedy moments the show just excels in part of me ALWAYS has to agree with him!!!! 

By the way hope this section is not too drawn out here - but the chapter would have been way too long and I hadn't finished playing yet!!!

Abi.

 

Hmmm....seems that Ruth didn't know who Dean was until the end of the chapter. Wonder what she will do? Hope Dean comes out of this ok!

Author's Response:

Thanks for the stars!!!!! Ruth has figured out who Dean is now - so yes that spells major trouble for him, poor guy! Well Dean has Sam to help him out and I am resurrecting one or two of the fallen hunters from series one - Jim and Caleb - to lend a hand also. I am going along with some of the "rules" laid down by the show; i.e. the idea that ghosts can become confused and have the ability to see what they want to see - this involves a lot of grey areas.

Going onward to keep up with you!!!! ;-> Abi.

Dean is reliving some terrible moments from his childhood in his dreams. I'll need to read the next chapter to find out what happened! Great story!

Author's Response:

Moria, I am so sorry to have taken sooo long to respond to your great review (s!!!!)

I am happy this seems to be working for you - I was trying my hand at suspense - for myself as well as this story is mostly off the cuff. It means that updates are irregular, but I will not leave this as I have started it and really want to see how it pans out myself!!!! LOL!

 

Thanks again for taking the time to read and review!

Abi.