{"id":2897,"date":"2011-06-16T15:41:47","date_gmt":"2011-06-16T19:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2897"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:25:22","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:25:22","slug":"terror-of-the-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2897","title":{"rendered":"Terror of the Night (by frasrgrl)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Little Joe has a nightmare.\u00a0 This was written for the June 2011\u00a0Chaps and Spurs challenge to use the following five words.<\/p>\n

Bachelor, Medieval, Commence, Culmination, and Tassel<\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span> T (750 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Terror of the Night<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Story Notes:<\/p>\n

I’d like to thank Cheaux for her help beta’ing this for me and BnzaGal for Peter.<\/p>\n

Terror of the Night<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The most eligible bachelor in Virginia City sat tied to a chair in a dark room awaiting his fate.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyes were closed, his chin resting against his chest as he tried to allow himself the precious relief of sleep. But it wasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cNO! NO! NO!\u201d he screamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph!\u201d a voice called from the shadows.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The hands holding him shook him hard. \u201cJoseph! Wake up!\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Pa,\u201d Joe cried as he launched himself into his father\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alright, Son. It was only a bad dream,\u201d Ben whispered, trying to comfort the ten-year-old boy.<\/p>\n

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. \u201cBut, Pa, it was just like in Adam\u2019s book.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss turned and glared at Adam. \u201cI told you not to read that stuff to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow was I supposed to know he\u2019d have nightmares?\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least he didn\u2019t scratch you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss unwrapped the handkerchief from his hand and held it in front of Adam\u2019s face, showing him a very distinct and bloody impression of a ten-year-old\u2019s teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Big Brother, he didn\u2019t scratch me. HE BIT ME!\u201d<\/p>\n

Secure in the circle of his father\u2019s arms, Joe turned his head and looked at his brothers, who were still glaring at each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I do that?\u201d he asked in a small voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid so,\u201d Ben replied trying not to laugh at his older sons\u2019 predicament.<\/p>\n

Joe heard the soft rumble in his father\u2019s chest and looked up at his face. He saw what was going to be the making of a first-rate black eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, Pa, Did\u2026 Did I do that too?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben saw the fear and anxiety in Joe\u2019s face and knew he had to answer him very carefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Little Joe, it was my fault,\u201d he began. \u201cMy face happened to get in the way of your left fist.\u201d Ben ruffled his son\u2019s curly hair and vanquished all the fear. \u201cNow, are you ready to go back to sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe swallowed hard as he lay back against his pillows and looked around the room. \u201cYes, Sir. But, Pa, could you stay and read to me for a bit?\u201d<\/p>\n

The three older Cartwrights looked at each other, shocked at Joe\u2019s request. The last thing they thought he\u2019d want was another story.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be happy to. What would you like me to read?\u201d Ben asked his voice thick with apprehension.<\/p>\n

Joe rolled over and grabbed a book that was setting on the table next to his bed, and handed his father his Bible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you read the story where Peter walks on water?\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0\u00a0Little Joe has a nightmare.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Rated: T (750 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87,"featured_media":11260,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[39,23,8,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chaps-spurs","category-drama","category-short-stories","category-challenges","wpcat-39-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-8-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1876,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/normal_TQoM2-JC11.jpg?fit=400%2C320&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5391,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5391","url_meta":{"origin":2897,"position":0},"title":"The End of a War (by BnzaGal)","author":"BnzaGal","date":"June 30, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Written using the five words (Bachelor, Medieval, Commence, Culmination, and Tassel) from the Chaps & Spurs Challenge, June 2011. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0K+ (1,110 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Calamity-over-the-Comstock-8.jpg?fit=634%2C563&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4460,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4460","url_meta":{"origin":2897,"position":1},"title":"The Gift (by JoeC)","author":"JoeC","date":"April 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Joe get's a special birthday present Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (553 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Chaps and Spurs"","block_context":{"text":"Chaps and Spurs","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/joe-chaps-21.jpg?fit=314%2C547&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2979,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=2979","url_meta":{"origin":2897,"position":2},"title":"Captain Joe (by frasrgrl)","author":"frasrgrl","date":"November 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 \u00a0This story is in response to November's Chaps and Spurs Challenge. 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