Dora's Dream

[Jane]

Steve urged Marty into a flat-out gallop, unheeding of the pot-holed ground beneath him, his only thought was to find Dora safe and well.

What would he do without her? It was just starting to filter through to him how much he really cared for Dora...no, not cared... loved her. There, he had admitted it to himself. He had never really loved a girl before, not like this. He thought about her constantly, wanted to make everything right for her, protect her from the nasty side of life so she could live happily ever after in that dream world of hers.

Marty wasn't a fit horse and was starting to tire by now, stumbling as he caught his hoof in a rabbit hole, throwing Steve heavily to the ground....

[Loopy]

It was early evening by the time Dora, Ron and the Colonel arrived back at Follyfoot.  They had been at the Police Station for hours giving their statements.  Slugger was pleased to see them back safe and sound.  They told Slugger the story as far as they knew and how Mrs Walton had finally admitted to killing her husband.  

Dora looked around.  "Where's Steve?" she asked brightly, relieved that his name had been cleared once and for all.  

"I thought he was wiv you lot." Slugger said.  "He came back earlier this afternoon and when I told him where you was, he went after you.  Took Marty he did."

Dora's face fell.  "But we haven't seen him."  

"Don't worry Dora." said the Colonel, trying to comfort her.  "He'll be back soon I'm sure."

Ron and the Colonel had gone home.  Slugger was making tea for himself and Dora.  "He should have been back by now, it's getting dark.  Or at least telephoned to say where he is." said Dora.  Slugger was getting worried now too, although he tried to sound positive.  

"It's late, he's probably taken shelter somewhere from the rain."  The rain was lashing against the window and in the distance Dora could hear thunder.

Dora shook her head.  "No, something's happened, I know it has.  I've got to go and find him."  

Slugger tried to stop her but he knew it was useless.  "Go careful Dora." he said.  "I will."  

Dora saddled Copper, who was none the worse for his escapade earlier in the day, and galloped out of the farm gate.  She went the shortest route towards Walton's place, knowing that Steve would have done the same.  The rain wasn't so bad amongst the trees but the thunder was getting louder and the lightning more intense.  As she left the woods behind her and rode into an open field she thought she saw something lying on the ground in front of her.  The lightning lit the sky once again.  Yes, there is something there, thought Dora and pushed Copper hard across the field.  

She pulled up sharply and her heart skipped a beat.  She dismounted and knelt down next to the body on the ground.  It was Steve.   As she put her arm beneath his shoulder to lift him she saw the blood and felt it running onto her hands.  
"Oh my God, Steve!" she screamed but her words were lost in the roar of the thunder.

[Pen.]

So much violence!  So much blood!  Dora’s head swam as, unbidden, her mind flashed back over the horrendous events of the day.  Just when it had seemed that the nightmare was coming to an end……

”Oh Steve!”  She whispered, “What do I do?  How do I get help?”

She looked up and scanned the area around her, desperately trying to think of the nearest place to go for help, there were no houses close, except for the Walton’s place, and there was no-one there now.  

At first she couldn’t see anything, then she thought she glimpsed Marty’s white flank just in the edge of the trees to her left.  If she could get Steve onto Marty’s back maybe she could take him to safety and medical help...  Dora ran to the edge of the trees where she thought she had seen the patch of white.  

“Marty!” she called out, her voice carried swiftly away by the wind.  

She ventured a few more steps but was suddenly frozen in her place.  What she had seen wasn’t Marty at all, but a patch of white shirt.  A young man now stood in front of her, his shirt stained with blood.  Dora recovered herself enough and turned to run, stumbling, back to where Steve lay, still unconscious.  

“Is he badly hurt?  I didn’t do this…I don’t know what happened.  You’ve got to believe me”  
His voice when it came was gentler than Dora had expected and she was surprised to find that she did believe him.  

“I need you to help me.”  She replied simply.  

“I...I can’t, they’ll be looking for me…you were there, you know.  I can’t go back.”

Dora gently stroked Steve’s wet hair back from his forehead before looking up.

“You have to.  It’ll be okay, but you have to help me.”

[Jane]

The young man set off at a run following the pretty girls directions for the farm. After a short while he came across Marty. "Hey fella, you must be that young blokes horse" Marty went to move away from him but was clearly lame. "Easy fella" he grabbed the reins and patted his neck. "Let's get you back to this Follyfoot place" he could see a large lake and farm buildings up ahead, just as the young girl had described it.

Slugger was looking anxiously out of the window and spotted them coming across the field by the lake. "Ron, get the colonel, I think we've more trouble."

Ron also peered out of the window and recognised the blood-splattered boy "Oh 'eck...more trouble all right!"

*******
Steve opened his eyes and groaned. "Dora?"

"It's O.K. Steve, your going to be alright. Someone's gone to get help"

"I love you" Steve whispered.

Dora stared at Steve's grey face and not for the first time that day hot tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Oh Steve!" she laid her head on his chest and sobbed uncontrollably.

"I hope these are tears of joy" joked Steve feebly. Dora lifted her head and stared deeply into his eyes. "I've loved you from the moment I saw you in the woods, after the nightriders had injured the Squires horses."

Steve smiled but then grimaced at the pain in his arm. "I think it's broken" he said, and then passed out.

[Loopy]

Dora opened her eyes quickly.  Her heart was thumping.  She wasn't sure where she was.  She breathed in deeply and expelled the air slowly from her lungs. After a few breaths she began to feel better and realised she was in her own bed, in her own room, in the farmhouse.  She felt so relieved.  Her dream had been so real, so frightening, everything she hated.  Except for one part, when Steve told her he loved her.  If only... she thought to herself.  She closed her eyes again, slowly falling into unconsciousness once more, holding the vision of Steve in her mind.  

She was late down for breakfast the next morning.  Steve and Ron were already on the toast and marmalade when she appeared.  

"Good afternoon." they chorused together.  

"Very funny." said Dora, grinning at them.

Slugger brought in her eggs and bacon, which he had cooked fresh for her.

"What kept you?."  he said.

Dora nodded her head.  "I didn't sleep very well.  I had a bad dream."

"I told you not to dream of Steve."  Ron said, laughing.  Steve laughed too.  

"You OK now." he asked Dora.  She nodded and smiled.


Later that day Steve and Dora were walking by the lake, enjoying some leisure time together before supper.  

"What did you dream about last night?  Was I in it?" Steve asked her.  

Dora shrugged.  "D'you know, I can't really remember much about it now, except...

"Go on." said Steve.  "Except what?"  He was looking at her expectantly.

Dora smiled and felt her face going red.  Steve grinned.

"What!  Come on, tell me." he said.

Dora looked at him bashfully.  "I can't." she said, getting hotter by the minute.  Steve stopped her and held her shoulders.  He really was intrigued now.  

"Come on, you can tell me anything, you know that."  Dora looked into his big brown eyes and felt herself melting.  Well, she thought, he's asked for this.

She took a deep breath and said "You told me you loved me - there now you know." she said quickly, trying to make light of it.

Steve looked at her.  Why did what she say sound so good?  A smile spread across his face.

"And what did you say?" he asked her.  

"I said I loved you too." she replied, not quite so embarrassed now.

Steve looked at her with a smile in his eyes.  Dora looked away and started walking again.  
  
"It's a good job dreams don't come true isn't it?" she said.

Steve ran and caught her up.  "But dreams do come true if you want them to." he said seriously.  

Dora stopped and looked around at him.  Had she heard him correctly?  Her heart skipped a beat.

Steve leaned towards her.  "I want them to - how about you?"

"Well, perhaps not the nasty bits." she said with a laugh.

Steve laughed with her.  "No, not the nasty bits." he said.  He took her in his arms and held her close.  

"I do love you Dora." he said softly.  
"I love you too Steve, from the first moment I saw you."

He pressed his lips to hers gently at first and then more urgently.

Dora was in a daze.  At last her dream really had come true - at least part of it... the best part.