October 5th excerpt:
Sam stepped up onto Jacob’s hand, again testing his weight on the unfamiliar texture of the teenager’s palm. It was so different than Dean’s; much larger but also much softer, lacking the calluses formed by years of hunting and car repair, scars of battle covering the surface. Jacob had quite a few years to go before he caught up to Dean.
It was a hand that didn’t belong to Dean or Bobby. Sam had never willingly stepped into a stranger’s hand like this, and he didn’t count earlier with Bowman. His mind was focused on one thing that time, that his friend needed help. Now, it was all he could think about. For so long, he’d never trusted anyone else with his life in their hands. Often with good reason, considering his experiences.
There wasn’t much time to waste, so Sam didn’t linger on the palm. He was there just long enough to examine the surface with a critical eye, then darted over Jacob’s thick wrist and began to climb the muscular arm. Sam didn’t say a word until he reached Jacob’s shoulder, taking his place where he felt most comfortable. He squatted down and gripped the hoodie fabric for balance. “Ready!” he chirped.