Originally aired: 06/04/2006

Writer: Daniel Knauf
Director: Whitney Ransick

Guest Stars: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as John Winchester, Penelope Cardaz, Chandra Borg, John Prowse, Erica Carroll as Mother in the Park, Stacee Copeland as Nurse, Alex Ferris as Young Sam, Mary Black as Elderly Patient, Jeannie Epper as The Shtriga, Adrian Hough as Dr. Hydecker, Ari Cohen Miles Tarnower



Official WB Description

Sam and Dean investigate a small town in Wisconsin where children are falling into comas for no apparent reason. The brothers discover that a witch is creeping into the bedrooms of the children and stealing their "life force." While battling the witch, Dean recalls a past mistake that almost cost Sam his life at the hands of the very same witch, an event which has fueled Dean's protectiveness over Sam and his blind obedience to his father

Full Synopsis

Fitchburg, Wisconsin: We see a house, and then cut to inside. A young girl is praying at the side of her bed. The girl’s father watches at the door and tucks her in. The little girl asks if mommy is coming home, and dad says ‘no’ she’s at the hospital with the girl’s sister. Dad leaves, and the little girl is obviously scared. She pulls the curtains across, but its no use. We see a spindly, long fingered hand in the shadows- it’s creepy. The next instant, a hooded figure stands over the girl, its mouth gaping. The girl screams and the scene cuts to black.

Impala: Dean and Sam are on the road to Fitchburg. Their dad has sent them co-ordinates, but Sam can’t find anything wrong in the town.

Fitchburg: Dean and Sam have been asking around town if anything unusual is going on, but still there’s nothing. The brothers are chatting about it when Sam notices there are no kids on the park, even though it’s after four and school is out. Dean sees a woman sat at a bench and asks her where all the kids are. She explains five or six kids have gotten ill, and the parents think its catching.

Dane County Memorial Hospital: Dean and Sam visit the local hospital posing as doctors from the CDC. (Cue cute moment where Dean sends Sam to the desk to announce their arrival with an ID that actually says ‘bikini inspector on it.) On their way upstairs to the children’s ward, Dean spots an old woman with an inverted cross on her wall. She creeps him out.

Paediatric Unit: Dean and Sam speak to Doctor Hydecker, the man in charge of the kids’ cases. He tells them it’s like pneumonia, but the kids aren’t responding to treatment- it’s like their bodies are wearing out. A nurse appears and explains whatever it is works its way through whole families, but just the kids. Dean asks to speak to the parents of the latest victim, and we see it’s the father of the little girl in the opening scene. He blames himself for his daughters getting sick because the window was open in their room, even though he doesn’t recall it being open- it’s a second story window.

Sam and Dean now think they’re onto something. Sam suggests they go look around the latest victim’s home, as it’s obvious the parents won’t be going home anytime soon.

Latest Victim’s House: Sam and Dean check out the girls’ room and Sam spots a bizarre handprint ‘rotted’ into the window sill. Dean recognizes the print. In flashback we see Dean as a little boy in a motel room looking at a picture of the print. John Winchester is there, and he gives Dean orders not to leave the room while he goes off to hunt the creature. Back to the here and now, Dean tells Sam their dad faced the thing before, and he wants them to finish the job.

Motel: Dean and Sam exit the Impala and Dean explains the thing they’re hunting is a ‘SHTRIGA.’ Their dad faced it in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin, sixteen or seventeen years ago. Sam is amazed their dad didn’t kill it then. Dean goes inside to book a room, and is greeted by a young kid who is pretty cheeky. The kid’s mom comes in and shoes him away. As Dean watches, the kid joins his younger brother and it triggers Dean to have another flashback.

Young Dean and Sam are still in the motel room, and Dean gives Sam some dinner. Sam moans and says he wants ‘Lucky Charms.’ Dean hasn’t had any yet, and there is only enough for one bowl, but still he gives in and gives them Sammy. Sammy offers his brother the prize in the box, and Dean comes back to the here and now.

Motel Room: Sam has looked up the shtriga on the net and has found Dean is right. They’re a form of Albanian witch that feeds on ‘spiritous vitae,’ or life’s breathe. He says there is no way for God or man to kill one. Dean says that’s wrong, they are vulnerable when they feed to consecrated iron- dad told him so. Sam says okay, but how do they find the thing? It will have a disguise when it’s not feeding. Dean remembers the old woman with the inverted cross at the hospital that creeped him out.

Hospital: Dean and Sam pay the old woman a visit, sneaking into her room with guns drawn. She makes dean jump, but they soon find out she’s not a witch, just a weird old woman who tends to sleep ‘with her peepers open.’

Motel: We see Michael the young boy in his room with his brother. It’s dark, and there is a hand at the window- the same scrawny hand from before.

Next Morning: Dean and Sam arrive back from the hospital and Sam is making fun of his brother almost shooting the innocent old woman. Dean notices Michael sitting outside, upset. He asks what’s wrong and Michael explains his younger brother got sick in the night. Michael’s mom appears. She’s in a hurry to get to the hospital. Dean knows she’s flustered and says he’ll drive her. He looks to Sam before he goes saying ‘We’re gonna kill this thing. I want it dead. You hear me.’

Public Library: Sam is researching the witch. He calls Dean on the phone who is still at the hospital. He has some pretty disturbing news. There is a photo at the library of Doctor Hydecker- from the 1890’s! The doctor is their witch! Dean looks around at the doctor who is in the room with him. Heidecker speaks to him. It’s obvious he’s furious, but there is nothing he can do- they have to catch the witch ‘feeding’ it’s the only way to kill it.

Motel: Dean is still angry, and Sam is amazed he didn’t shoot the doctor- even though it wouldn’t do anything. Dean says he knows how to kill it. They have to use Michael as bait. Sam says no way, but Dean explains they can’t kill the witch/Hydecker any other way. Dean says he screwed up once and it’s all his fault kids are getting hurt. Dean thinks back again, explaining to Sam…

We’re back in the motel room and young Dean and Sam are still there after three nights alone. Despite his dad’s orders, Dean leaves the motel room briefly because he was bored. When he returns, the witch is in Sam’s bedroom about to get him. Dean grabs a gun, but freezes in front of the creature. At the last moment, John Winchester bursts in and shoots the thing, but it gets away. John is angry with Dean for not following orders.

Back in the present, Dean says their dad looked at him differently after that day. Dad sent him there to finish the creature.

Motel Reception: Dean asks Michael for help, but Michael is scared. He admits he saw it, but thought it was a night mare. Dean tells him ‘sometimes nightmares are real.’

Motel Room: Dean and Sam discuss what to do because Michael refused to help. Sam says what did Dean expect? There is a knock at the door and it’s Michael. He asks if they kill the thing will his brother get better. Dean admits they don’t know. Michael asks if Dean would do anything for his younger brother, when Dean says yes, Michael says he will too.

That Night: Dean and Sam set up night vision cameras in Michael’s room and tell him to hide under the bed when they come in with guns. Michael is more concerned about getting shot than the creature getting him! Dean assures him he won’t let anything happen to him.

3.00am: The brothers are still waiting for the witch. Sam apologizes to Dean for always moaning at him when he follows dad’s orders. Dean groans, but their conversation is cut short when the creature arrives. They wait till its hovering over Michael to feed and burst in, firing repeatedly. The witch collapses in the corner and the boys let their guard down. The next instant, the witch is up! It tosses Dean across the room and grabs Sam, choking him down until it begins to feed.

Bang! Dean shouts ‘hey’ and when the thing looks up he shoots it right between the eyes. This time, it works and the witch begins to shrivel. Dean asks ‘You okay little brother?’ and Sam gives him the thumbs up.

They both climb up and check on the creature. Dean shoots it again just for good measure and it ‘rots’ away. Michael comes out from under the bed.

The Next Morning: Sam and Dean are packing the Impala to leave when Michael’s mom appears. She says Asher, Michael’s brother has made a miraculous recovery- as have the other comatose kids. Michael is over the moon. Also, Doc Hydecker has vanished…

Michael and his mom driver off to visit Asher at the hospital, and Sam watches them go saying its sad Michael will always know there are things out there in the dark. He says sometimes he wishes he could be innocent to it all too.

Dean looks at him and says ‘If it means anything, sometimes I wish you could too.’ The brothers drive off…

Synopsis by Kittsbud

Episode Music

Rock Bottom by UFO
Road to Nowhere by Ozzy Osborne

Extras

Episode Trailer Episode Screencaps Episode Review Inside The Legend

Video Clips

Bikini Inspector

Peepers Open

Nightmares

Little Brother

Too Bad