{"id":46851,"date":"2004-11-24T14:34:20","date_gmt":"2004-11-24T19:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46851"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:09:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:09:19","slug":"the-voice-by-imogene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46851","title":{"rendered":"The Voice (by Imogene)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Summary:<\/b>\u00a0A voice visits Joe during the night<\/div>\n
Rating:\u00a0 G
\nWords:\u00a0 1,520<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

The Brandsters have included this story by this author in our project: Preserving Their Legacy<\/a>. To preserve the legacy of the author, we have decided to give their work a home in the Bonanza Brand Fanfiction Library.\u00a0 The author will always be the owner of this work of fanfiction, and should they wish us to remove their story, we will.<\/p>\n

\n

The Voice<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cJoe\u2026 follow me\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a beautiful voice; the voice of a woman. The heard-but-not-seen woman would wake Joe up just as he was falling asleep and beckon him to follow her.
\n\u201cWhere are you? Why can\u2019t I see you?\u201d Joe asked her time and time again. She didn\u2019t say anything but, \u201cJoe, follow me.\u201d She would say it all night and Joe couldn\u2019t sleep because of her.<\/p>\n

It all began when Joe was driving the carriage back from town. Hoss and Adam were with him. He\u2019d had a bit to drink and wanted the horses to go faster. Hoss tried to make him slow down, but Joe paid him no attention. The carriage hit quite a bump and overturned, throwing the three of them out. Joe and Adam were alright, but Hoss was unconscious. Adam ran to Hoss. Joe was sitting next to Hoss\u2019 motionless body; he was overcome with worry for him. Adam, seeing that Hoss was injured, went for help.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Joe just sat there. \u201cHoss, I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m sorry,\u201d Joe said, gazing straight ahead of him into the night.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nFinally, after what seemed to Joe to be an eternity, Adam and Ben rode up on their horses. They ran to Hoss\u2019 aid and said nothing to Joe.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nWhen they had gotten Hoss back to the Ponderosa, Joe went in to see him. Hoss was still unconscious, but Joe knew he could hear him. \u201cHoss, I should have listened to you when you told me not to drive the carriage. Please forgive me.\u201d Tears began to well up in Joe\u2019s eyes. He choked them back and left the room.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe stepped out into the hall where Adam and Ben were standing. Adam\u2019s left arm was bruised, but other than that, he was alright. \u201cAdam, Pa, I\u2019m sorry for-\u201c but as Joe was talking, Ben and Adam turned and walked away. Joe stood in the hall for a moment. When the people closest to you are angry with you, it\u2019s one of the worst feelings in the world. Joe decided he would go to bed. Maybe tomorrow, things would be different.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe went in his room and got into bed. Sleep was warmly welcomed. Just as he was drifting off, a voice nearly made him jump out of his skin. \u201cJoe\u2026 follow me\u2026\u201d it said.<\/span><\/span>Joe bolted up, \u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d It scared him. \u201cJoe\u2026 follow me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you?\u201d There was no answer. Joe sank slowly back down into bed. He rubbed his face and swallowed hard. \u201cHave I gone mad?\u201d he asked himself. He tried to go to sleep but it was no use. He was perplexed about the voice he heard. He knew he heard it. He knew it wasn\u2019t his imagination. Where it came from and who it was, that was what he didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

The next morning, Joe went out in the hall. He heard talking coming from Hoss\u2019 room. He looked through the cracked door. There sat Hoss in bed, smiling and laughing. Adam and Ben were smiling too. Joe couldn\u2019t face them. He knew if he went in, their smiles would turn to frowns and they would give him the cold shoulder. He just listened. \u201cPa, is Little Joe alright?\u201d Hoss asked. There was silence for a moment; then Bed smiled and answered, \u201cYes, Hoss, Joe is alright.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Joe lowered his head and walked downstairs. \u201cAt least Hoss cares.\u201d He thought to himself.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe spent the rest of the day walking around the Ponderosa deep in thought about the voice he had heard the night before.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nWhen dinner time came, Joe went back to the house. Usually, everyone was eating supper at this time of day, but no one was at the table. Joe went upstairs to Hoss\u2019 room. Ben and Adam were in there with Hoss. Joe decided he was going to go in and try to apologize again. Joe walked into the room just as Adam and Ben were leaving Hoss for the night. \u201cYou need another good night of rest and then you\u2019ll be fine.\u201d Ben said as he and Adam walked past Joe. Joe followed them out of the room. \u201cI want to talk to you Pa.\u201d Ben still ignored him. It hurt Joe to be treated that way by his own family. \u201cYou can\u2019t ignore me forever!\u201d Joe shouted after Ben and Adam as they walked back downstairs.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe went in his room and slammed the door behind him. His only hope was that maybe tomorrow when Hoss was able to be up and about again, they wouldn\u2019t be so mad at him.
\nAs Joe was trying to sleep, the voice came back. \u201cJoe\u2026 get up and follow me.\u201d It startled him awake.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe didn\u2019t say anything to the voice at first. He tried to ignore it. He couldn\u2019t ignore it, however, and finally he answered, \u201cLeave me alone! Won\u2019t you just leave me alone? I\u2019m tired and I just want to go to sleep.\u201d The voice got louder, \u201cJoe, get up! Now! Get up and follow me!\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n

\nNeedless to say, he lay awake all night, once again.<\/span><\/span>When the morning came, Joe got up and sat at the end of his bed. He thought about how he hadn\u2019t heard the voice since daylight. He made had made up his mind. The next time he heard the melodic voice, he was going to follow it.<\/p>\n

Joe went downstairs. Hoss, Adam and Ben were at the table eating breakfast. Joe greeted them. \u201cPa, did you hear something?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cNo, nothing.\u201d Ben answered.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n\u201cCome on, Hoss, let\u2019s go start our work.\u201d Adam suggested. One by one, they deserted the table and left Joe standing there alone and unanswered. Joe was almost ready to break down and cry. He could understand them being mad at him to an extent, but enough is enough.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe was tired. He couldn\u2019t take his mind off the voice. Something inside him wanted to hear it again more than anything. At night when it would happen, Little Joe would rather sleep, but the cold, callous day made him long for it.<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe went outside where Adam was chopping wood. He thought surely Adam wouldn\u2019t keep on playing this juvenile game. \u201cAdam, please talk to me.\u201d Joe pleaded. \u201cI\u2019m sorry for what happened, but Hoss is better now. Why won\u2019t you talk to me?\u201d Joe stood there for a moment. Adam stopped chopping wood. He leaned on his axe and wiped the sweat off his brow.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

\u201cAdam?\u201d Joe said again. \u201cJoe. Come back to us.\u201d Adam said in a tone of voice Joe had never heard him use before. That was when Joe realized that they weren\u2019t ignoring him. The problem was that they couldn\u2019t see him. Terrified, Joe ran back into the house. He sat down at the table, breathing hard. He was panicking. He should have known his family would never play a game like that with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dinner time came and Joe stood at the table. \u201cPa,\u201d Hoss said, \u201cdo you think he\u2019ll wake up?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Ben stared into his plate. After a moment, he looked up. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Hoss. I just don\u2019t know.\u201d
\nJoe\u2019s heart broke in two. He wanted his father to know he was there, but there was just no way. Joe hoped that the voice would take him to where he needed to be. He went upstairs and got into bed. He couldn\u2019t help but start to fall asleep. No matter what was on his mind, he could sleep. Then, the voice came. \u201cJoe! Wake up! Follow me.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n

\nJoe sprung up in bed, he took the covers off and jumped to his feet. \u201cWhere? Follow you where? Just tell me where and I will follow you!\u201d Just then, Joe felt a hand reach out and grab him. Everything went black. Joe felt as if his body was falling into nothing.<\/span><\/span>The hand shook him. Joe opened his eyes. Slowly, his vision cleared and he could see it was Ben who was shaking him. Hoss and Adam where by the sides of his bed. \u201cJoe! Joe, son, can you hear me? Wake up Joe!\u201d Joe looked at his father. Happiness filled Joe\u2019s being. His father was looking at him, saying his name, talking to him, for the first time in a long time. Tears filled Joe\u2019s eyes he sat up in bed and hugged his father. \u201cEasy now, Joe,\u201d Ben said smiling and barely holding back tears of joy, \u201cYou got quite a bump on your head.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\u201cBoy, you sure did!\u201d Hoss added. \u201cI got a bump too, but nothing like yours.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n

\n\u201cJoe, you don\u2019t know how happy we are to have you back.\u201d Adam said. The room was beaming with smiles. Little Joe was awake and he was going to be all right.<\/span><\/span>Joe pondered his experience and came to the conclusion that if he had fallen asleep, he would have never woken up again. The voice didn\u2019t let him fall asleep. Joe figured the voice was that of an angel sent from God.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0A voice visits Joe during the night
\nRating:\u00a0 G
\nWords:\u00a0 1,520<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12436,"featured_media":41001,"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":[23,1007],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-joe-cartwright","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1007-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":649,"today_views":2},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45759,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=45759","url_meta":{"origin":46851,"position":0},"title":"Ponderosa Christmas (by Judy)","author":"Judy","date":"April 17, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 An afternoon spent preparing for Christmas Rating:\u00a0 PG\u00a0 (1,085 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47135,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=47135","url_meta":{"origin":46851,"position":1},"title":"The Homecoming (by Kimberley)","author":"Preserving Their Legacy Author","date":"December 31, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Joe\u00a0is\u00a0reunited\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0childhood\u00a0sweetheart Rating:\u00a0 Teen+ Words:\u00a0 3,500","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46839,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=46839","url_meta":{"origin":46851,"position":2},"title":"Mama’s Angel (by Adamfan16)","author":"Preserving Their Legacy Author","date":"December 4, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 See the Cartwrights through the eyes of a Christmas angel Ben carved. Raging:\u00a0 G Words: 1,325","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1008"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14010,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=14010","url_meta":{"origin":46851,"position":3},"title":"The Runaway Bride (by Susan G)","author":"SusanG","date":"March 20, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Joe claims he saw someone riding across a ridge on a moonlit night, but his family doesn\u2019t believe his story. Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 (1,760 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Pine-Trees-Mist-01a.jpg?fit=575%2C970&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Pine-Trees-Mist-01a.jpg?fit=575%2C970&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Pine-Trees-Mist-01a.jpg?fit=575%2C970&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47158,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=47158","url_meta":{"origin":46851,"position":4},"title":"Family Ties (by Kimberley)","author":"Preserving Their Legacy Author","date":"December 31, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Story Summary:\u00a0 A new woman in Ben's life stirs up conflict for Joe. Rating:\u00a0 G Words:\u00a0 13,380","rel":"","context":"In "Ben \/ Joe"","block_context":{"text":"Ben \/ Joe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1015"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47197,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=47197","url_meta":{"origin":46851,"position":5},"title":"Eyes of a Stranger (by Kimberley)","author":"Preserving Their Legacy Author","date":"December 31, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Joe's encounter with a beautiful stranger turns out to be far more than he bargained for. Rating:\u00a0 Teens Words:\u00a0 14,540","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/12436"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46851"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46851\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}