THE DREAM
By: Lynne G.
Ben Cartwright was ranting and raving about his youngest son, Little Joe. It seems the boy refused to do everything he was told to do lately. His older brothers, Adam and Hoss were also getting very tired of their little brother. They were tired of doing his chores everyday and were also very tired of his constant fighting with them. The boy was even causing problems with Hop Sing, and he too was tired of the boy.
As Ben, Adam, Hoss and Hop Sing were disussing what to do with the boy, the boy in question stormed into the house and he purposely slammed the front door as loud as he could.
" JOSEPH, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THAT ? WHY DID YOU SLAM THE DOOR LIKE THAT?" Ben angrily asked his son. " Because I felt like it, That's why! What's ya gonna do, tan me again?" the boy shouted at his shocked father. His family was speechless at his latest outburst, and there was no reason for it either.
" JOSEPH, SIT DOWN NOW !!" yelled Ben. " WHY SHOULD I ?" the boy angrily asked. Ben was so furious now, that he had to take a couple of deep breaths, then he said, " Joseph, I want you to listen to what I am about to say to you, and I don't want any interruptions. Is that understood?" Ben said. " Yeah, what do ya want anyway?" the boy impatiently asked.
" Your
brothers, Hop Sing and I have decided that we don't want you to live here
anymore. We are sick and tired of you and the way you have been acting
lately, so we have decided to sell you. Mr. Sanders will be here here later today and he is buying you. You will be
leaving here forever, and you will be living in
" Mr. Sanders is also bring a horse for you to ride, since you be able to keep Tony anymore. Do I make myself clear?" asked Ben. Little Joe just sat there not believing what his father was saying to him. " This is a joke, isn't it?" asked the very shocked boy. " No it isn't, Joe," Ben said. " Yah, and the faster you get out of our lives, the better it will be too," Stated Hoss. " We hate you kid," Adam angrily said.
Little Joe got up from the sattee and went slowly up to his room. When he got there, he just laid on his bed and cried. He didn't know what to think and his heart was breaking.
About an hour later, Ben came into the room and he yelled," AREN"T YOU PACKED YET?" The teary eyed boy just stared at Ben. Ben picked up a bag, put some clothes in it, and closed it. He pulled the boy off the bed and pulled him towards the door, out into the hall and down the stairs.
Standing in the livingroom was a very angry looking man, who was glaring at the shocked looking boy. " Well, it's about time you got down here boy!" shouted Reggie Sanders. " Come on boy, we have a long ride ahead of us," Reggie said as he handed Ben a handful of money. " Thank you, Mr. Sanders, and good luck with this boy," said Ben. " Thank you Mr. Cartwright," said Reggie. The Cartwrights walked out with Reggie and his new son, and they stood there watching as the two rode away.
Most of the
ride to
When the two stopped to make camp for the night, Reggie made the boy gather up the wood for the fire. Reggie didn't allow his son to eat until he had his fill first, and what ever was left over, the boy was allowed it eat.
One week later, Reggie and Little Joe, who was now named Tory Sanders, rode into the small yard of Reggie's run down tiny ranch. They were greeted by Reggie's couisn, Evan Sanders. The boy was ordered to take the horses to the small shed and take care of them.
When Tory finished in the shed, he slowly walked towards the very small run down cabin. When he walked into the one roomed cabin, both Reggie and Evan were sitting at the table drinking whiskey.
Reggie told Tory to put his bag under the cot in the corner, which would be his bed. " Now, you can go and chop some wood for the stove and make us some dinner," said Reggie. " What do ya want me to cook?" asked Tory in a soft voice. " How should I know boy. That's part of yer job, besides cleaning and taking care of the animals. Now that I have a son, you will do all the work," Reggie told the boy.
Tory tried his best to do everything he was told to do, but his cooking wasn't very good, which Reggie and Evan constantly complained about.
" Will you hurry up boy, we're hungry. Can't you do anything right? You are sure a waste of money," Reggie angrily said. " Yeah, and he ain't doin' all his chores either," Evan stated. " Looks like it's time we teach this boy some manners ain't it Evan?" Reggie said. " Yup," agreed Evan.
Evan told Tory to walk outside and over to the storm cellar. Reggie opened the door to the cellar, and they told Tory to climb down into the darkness. Evan gave Tory a canteen full of water, and they told the boy that they would see him in two and half days. Reggie then closed the cellar door.
Tory was really scared, and he didn't know what to do, so he just cried. He hoped that Reggie and Evan wouldn't leave him down there for very long.
About three days later, Tory was pulled out of the cellar. He closed his eyes because of the bright sunshine. " Well kid, have you learned your lesson? What have you got to say fer yer self boy?" asked Reggie. " Please leave me alone," Tory softly said. " Well, will ya listen ta that. He's totally worthless. No one would ever miss him, that's fer sure. Let's get rid of him once and for all," Evan said.
They told Tory to walk over to the large tree, where they tied him up to the tree. " Well kid, this is it. Did ya know there's a rattle snake den by this here tree?" Reggie said. Tory was getting very nervous.
After about an hour, Tory heard the sound of a rattle snake. He slowly turned his head at the sound, and he startled to tremble as he saw several big angry looking snakes crawling towards him. He tried to stay as still as possible, but he was trembling so badly, that two of the snakes bit him on the leg.
He screamed out as more snakes crawled to him and bit him. His leg was really throbbing now. He felt the bile in his throat as he threw up.. He screamed over and over.
Startled awake by the loud screaming, Ben, Adam, and Hoss ran into Little Joe's room. The boy was thrashing around in his bed screaming out in terror, and he was drenched in sweat. Ben grabbed his terrified little son and he tried to wake up and calm down the child.
When Little Joe opened his eyes, he had the look of shear terror in them. He kept trying to fight off Ben and his brothers. Suddenly, Little Joe bolted out of his bed and ran from his room still screaming. His family just sat there in shock for a couple of seconds, then ran after the terrified youngster.
Little Joe ran down the stairs as Hop Sing ran out of his room to see what all the screaming was about. The boy opened the front door and ran outside in the pouring rain.
When Little Joe's family reached the front door, they decided to get dressed and into their rain gear. Little Joe ran down the road behind the barn until he collasped in total exhaustion. He really hadn't gone very far. He laid there in the rain and mud, crying hard.
It only took about ten minutes for his family to find him. Ben kneeled down next to his son, and he pulled the boy up against him, trying everything he could think of to calm down his trembling son. " Shhh, sweetheart, it's alright. No one is going to hurt you baby," Ben said in a very calming soft voice. He was worried sick about his little son. Adam and Hoss were also very concerned about their little brother. They had never seen him like this with a nightmare.
Ben could still feel his sons badly trembling body as he held him even tighter. He stood up with the boy still in his arms, and he carried the boy back to the house.
Hop Sing
had a nice warm bath ready for the little boy when Ben carried him into the
house. "
After Ben had removed Little Joe's wet and muddy nightshirt, he put the trembling boy into the tub of warm water, and he slowly and gently began to wash his son, while still talking softly to him. Soon Little Joe calmed down and he started to feel better. Ben quickly dried him and put a clean nightshirt on the child, and he carried him back to his bed, that had been changed with clean dry sheets.
" Hey Punkin, it's OK now. No one is going to hurt you," Hoss told his baby brother. Adam was sitting on the bed next to Ben, who was holding Little Joe's small hand, while Adam was gently rubbing the boys' leg.
Ben decided to pick up and hold his son again. " Shhh, it was only a bad dream sweetheart. Everything is alright now," Ben kept telling the boy.
Finally all the trembling had stopped, but some tears still ran down the child's sweet little face. " Papa, Papa. Don't do it. Please don't," Little Joe kept saying softly over and over as more tears ran down his face. " Sweetheart, what are you talking about?" asked Ben. " Adam, could you please get your little brother a glass of water?" asked Ben as he continued to hold his son and slowly rubbing his back. Adam handed Ben a glass of water. " Thank you Adam. Here sweetheart, take a drink of water now," said Ben as he held the glass up to his sons' lips.
Little Joe slowly drank some water. " Thank you Papa," he said while he still was sobbing a little.
" You alright now little buddy?" asked a very concerned Adam, as he ran his fingers through the boys soft curly hair. Little Joe just nodded.
" Sweetheart, that must have been a horrible dream you had. You're alright now baby. Please tell us about your dream. It will help you if you tell us what it was about.," Ben told his little son. His heart was breaking for this little boy right now. His family had never before been witness to such a terrifying nightmare as the one tonight from the little boy.
" Oh
Papa, it was awful. You, Adam, Hoss and Hop Sing were so mad at me, that
you sold me to a mean man. You told me that you all hated me and that you
didn't want me in the family anymore. That man gave me a new name, and he took
me to
" Then they got mad at me and they locked me in a storm cellar for a few days and it was dark in there, but they gave me a full canteen of water. Then they got me out of there and tied me to a tree that was next to a rattle snake den. Them snakes just kept on bitting me over and over Papa. It was awful," the boy said as he started to cry again.
Ben just held his son and kissed him. " Sweetheart, son, I would NEVER EVER SELL YOU. We LOVE so much baby. You are our life sweetheart. Please just forget that bad dream, alright Little Joe?" Ben said. " I'll try Papa," cried the boy. Adam and Hoss felt so bad for their little brother and that dream he had. The family couldn't figure out why he would have such a terrifying dream like that. "Hey little buddy, Hoss and I would NEVER let Pa sell you. You are stuck with us kiddo," Adam said as he messed up his baby brothers hair, and gave the boy a big kiss. " That's right Punkin. We LOVE you more than anything. Please remember that. No more dreams like that, ya hear," said Hoss as he hugged his little brother.
" I don't know about you guys, but I'm going back to bed," said Adam as he left the room. " Me too. Night Punkin ," said Hoss. " Night Hoss, Adam," said Little Joe, who felt so loved by his family.
" Come on sweetheart, how about you come back to bed with me," Ben said as he kissed his son, picked him up and carried him back to his own room. " OK, Papa," said Little Joe who was getting really sleepy now, and he stuck his thumb in his mouth.
Ben was surprised to see Hop Sing standing in the hall. " Little boy alright, Mr. Cartlight?"asked a very concerned Hop Sing. " He'll be just fine Hop Sing. He had a very bad nightmare. Why don't you go back to bed now," Ben told Hop Sing as he held his son who had his head on Ben's shoulder. Hop Sing said 'good night' to Ben and a very sleepy Little Joe.
Ben laid Little Joe in his bed and he climbed in next to him. " I want you to go back to sleep now sweetheart. Only good dreams now," said Ben as he put his arm around his little boy. " I LOVE SON," Ben said as he smiled. " I LOVE YOU TOO PAPA," Little Joe said as he put his thumb back in his mouth, and he was soon in a deep sleep. Ben whispered," Goodnight my precious baby," into his son's ear. He kissed his sons' head, and then he too was asleep.
THE END.
.