Summary:  Little Joe has a nightmare.  This was written for the June 2011 Chaps and Spurs challenge to use the following five words.

Bachelor, Medieval, Commence, Culmination, and Tassel

Rated: T (750 words)

                                                            Terror of the Night

Story Notes:

I’d like to thank Cheaux for her help beta’ing this for me and BnzaGal for Peter.

Terror of the Night

The most eligible bachelor in Virginia City sat tied to a chair in a dark room awaiting his fate.

Taking one look at him, no one would ever have recognized the handsome Joe Cartwright. His shirt was torn beyond repair, the sleeves hung in thin strips from his wrists, creating the illusion of tan tassels that were streaked with crimson from the blood that ran from his wrists where the skin had been torn away in his efforts to free himself.

Joe’s eyes were closed, his chin resting against his chest as he tried to allow himself the precious relief of sleep. But it wasn’t an easy sleep. His drugged mind took him back to a time and place where the tools laid out in front of him were used often and without thought to the harm they caused; back to a time where death was the culmination of medieval torture.

Joe’s head jerked up at the sounds coming from outside the room and he swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump of fear that had formed in his throat. Heavy footsteps were coming closer and closer. Joe knew, he just knew, the real torture was ready to commence.

“NO! NO! NO!” he screamed.

“Joseph!” a voice called from the shadows.

Multiple hands reached for him and held him down. Joe fought with everything he had. He kicked, bit, scratched, and swung his fists in an attempt to free himself.

The hands holding him shook him hard. “Joseph! Wake up!”

Joe’s eyes flew open and he looked into the concerned faces of his father and brothers. It took him a moment to recognize where he was and who was with him. When realization came, his body shuddered with fear and relief.

“Oh, Pa,” Joe cried as he launched himself into his father’s arms.

“It’s alright, Son. It was only a bad dream,” Ben whispered, trying to comfort the ten-year-old boy.

Joe pushed away from Ben and looked up at him with green eyes, made all the more brilliant by the tears that shimmered in them. “But, Pa, it was just like in Adam’s book.”

Hoss turned and glared at Adam. “I told you not to read that stuff to him.”

“How was I supposed to know he’d have nightmares?” Adam paused to rub at the side of his face where droplets of blood had formed along four vivid, red scratch marks that streaked down his cheek.

“At least he didn’t scratch you.”

Hoss unwrapped the handkerchief from his hand and held it in front of Adam’s face, showing him a very distinct and bloody impression of a ten-year-old’s teeth.

“No, Big Brother, he didn’t scratch me. HE BIT ME!”

Secure in the circle of his father’s arms, Joe turned his head and looked at his brothers, who were still glaring at each other.

“Did I do that?” he asked in a small voice.

“I’m afraid so,” Ben replied trying not to laugh at his older sons’ predicament.

Joe heard the soft rumble in his father’s chest and looked up at his face. He saw what was going to be the making of a first-rate black eye.

“Um, Pa, Did… Did I do that too?”

Ben saw the fear and anxiety in Joe’s face and knew he had to answer him very carefully.

“No, Little Joe, it was my fault,” he began. “My face happened to get in the way of your left fist.” Ben ruffled his son’s curly hair and vanquished all the fear. “Now, are you ready to go back to sleep?”

Joe swallowed hard as he lay back against his pillows and looked around the room. “Yes, Sir. But, Pa, could you stay and read to me for a bit?”

The three older Cartwrights looked at each other, shocked at Joe’s request. The last thing they thought he’d want was another story.

“I’d be happy to. What would you like me to read?” Ben asked his voice thick with apprehension.

Joe rolled over and grabbed a book that was setting on the table next to his bed, and handed his father his Bible.

“Would you read the story where Peter walks on water?”