Silver Dream (5 page)

David?

Your voice was here, in my mind, and
then gone, almost too quickly to even note your presence. But I
think it was you. Can you hear me?

Silence.

I do not know for certain, but I
believe it was he. I will hone in on his presence the best that I
can.

Halfway across the overgrown field,
Joanna crouched close to the ground. Mr. Thomas had sounded
furious, and the anger in his voice made her want to race back to
Raven. But then the door slammed. Mr. Thomas had taken the other
guy into the house. Lights burst from the windows and streaked
across the empty yard.

She crept forward until she
reached the tumbled down fence behind the shed, then chose a place
where she could step over without touching anything. The last thing
she needed was to have an old fence board clatter to the ground
alerting everyone within hearing distance.

Finally, she was behind the
shed. Now she could figure out the night’s mysteries. She leaned
against the building’s dark bulk, pressing her ear to the rough
wall.

She could hear something. Soft
murmurs, almost like distant song. She felt she could almost
understand the words. If she could just get closer. Joanna slid
along the side of the windowless building, and leaned around the
corner. The shed door was shut tight.

Across the yard, the front door
of the house opened. Mr. Thomas and a girl stepped out onto the
porch. He pulled the door shut behind them, as she hurried down the
steps and toward the shed. Mr. Thomas followed her, moving stiffly,
a bit like a puppet on strings.

Joanna pulled back with a jerk.
This was getting too weird. Two men fighting. A strange, soothing
voice coming from the shed. Possibly a horse inside the tiny
building. And now this quick moving, agitated girl rushing toward
the shed with Mr. Thomas shuffling after her like a zombie. And all
in the middle of the night. Bizarre!

What on earth was happening?

Bonnie, Breeze, greetings to you
both.

Tango, there you are. Are you okay, my
dear? The stranger that came to your home, many miles away, brought
you here? Where is he now?

Why has he crowded you all into this
shed?

You do not know?

Do not worry. I will take you home.

But first, I must find David. Have you
seen him? He is seventeen years old, with dark hair and eyes. He
called my name from the yard in front of this shed, his voice
panicky and fearful. But now he has gone, I know not where.

I must find him. What if something
terrible happened to him?

Wait! Someone is coming! Quick, Tango,
let me hide between you and the wall.

Wings and Rocket Gal were waiting with
ears pricked forward and eyes bright. Only Dancer didn’t look
excited to see them. He stood in the corner with his head high and
ears pinned back.

“
Oh no,” Kathy said, seeming no more
happy to see the horse than he was to see her.

How could she not be happy to see
Dancer? She must still be groggy. After all, he’d just woken
her.

“
He’s back to stay. I promise,” he
said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “Just like Rocket
Gal and Wings.”

“
What’s his name?”

“
You don’t remember Dancer?”

She looked like she was going to burst
into tears.

“
Don’t worry, Kathy. Everything will
be as it was. I have one more big surprise for you too. I’m not
going to tell you what, but it’ll make you happy. I
promise.”

“
No, Grandpa. I don’t want you to do
anything else for me. Please, no more surprises. Please.”

Like a pouncing tiger, the dizziness
returned. He staggered against Wings.

“
Grandpa!”

“
I’m okay,” he mumbled. “I’m just
tired, that’s all. Haven’t been able to sleep…”

“
I’ll help you to bed.”

“
No, you stay and get reacquainted
with Dancer. I’ll be okay.” He lurched toward the open
door.

“
Are you sure you’re okay?”

She sounded frightened and he couldn’t
have that. Of course he was okay. “I’m fine, Kathy.”

“
Grandpa.”

Slowly, he turned back. Why did she
keep calling him Grandpa?

“
Grandpa, I’m Cally. Don’t you
remember?”

“
Cally?” Why did that name sound so
familiar?

“
Yeah. Cally. I’m your grandkid,
remember? Mom’s name is Kathy.” Her cold child hand was in his now,
leading him toward the house.

“
What’s happening? The house…” It
needed a paint job. Hadn’t he just painted it last year? He looked
down at the girl beside him. Of course, he knew her. How could she
even ask? She was his granddaughter, Cally. Wasn’t she?

“
Sit here,” Cally said, leading him
to the rocking chair on the porch.

He lowered himself into the chair.
Leaned back. It felt so good to finally rest. “I forgot to lock the
stable… uh, I mean, the shed,” he said and tried to rise. Cally
pushed him back down.

“
I’ll lock it Grandpa. You wait here.
I mean it.”

“
Okay.” How wonderful it felt just to
shut his eyes. Kathy was good with horses. No, Cally, not Kathy.
Why couldn’t he keep that straight? He could trust Cally to care
for them properly, while he got some rest. Tomorrow was soon enough
to figure out why there were three strange horses in his
shed.

Tango, Bonnie, Breeze, I cannot search
for David until the humans have safely settled in their beds. As I
wait, can you please tell me how you came to be here?

Bonnie, you say this man came to your
pasture and stole you away in the night, but you did not call me
because he seemed a nice fellow and you were bored? But now you
have been locked in this shed for three days and you long for green
grass and sunshine.

Breeze, you went with the man because
you are ignored and lonely at home since your owner has gone away.
She left you with her parents and they do not spend time with you.
This man seemed interested in you, so you were happy to go. You say
you would be surprised if your girl’s parents have even noticed you
are missing? How sad!

Tango, your story I know partially
already. The man stole you from your barn and raced you across
asphalt to bring you here?

You were almost struck by a car? Oh
my!

Your legs still hurt, you say? Hold
steady. Let me touch them. Ah yes, I see. There has been damage
done. May I heal your injuries for you, Tango? Thank you, my
love.

There that is better, is it not? Now,
surely the humans have gone to their rest. I will go find David. I
will return soon and take you back to your homes.

The door is opening. They are back! I
must hide.

Too late!

Joanna was about to peer around the
corner of the shed again when she heard the door open. A split
second later, a shrill scream ricocheted into the night.

She froze when a loud bellow
came from the direction of the house. Then the old man was running
toward the shed, yelling, “Kathy! Kathy!”

“Who are you?!” Joanna heard the
girl shriek from inside the shed.

“I will not…”

“Stay away from me!”

“…harm you.”

“Grandpa!”

“Kathy!”

The shed door banged back
against the wall as he flung it out of his way. “Get away from my
daughter!” Mr. Thomas yelled.

The horse kicked the side of the
shed near Joanna, then a bright light, far, far brighter than the
electric lights, burst from the cracks between boards. It was all
Joanna could do to not cry out with surprise. There was the sound
of a struggle, someone falling to the floor, and moments later, a
form staggered around the edge of the shed, almost running into
her. It was a teenaged girl with long white-blonde hair.

“Grandpa, are you okay?” Joanna
heard the girl ask the old man, her voice shrill with panic. The
two were still inside the shed with the horse. “Did she hurt
you?”

The teenager stopped to lean
against the shed wall, her breath coming in great gasps. She looked
like she could barely stand, let alone escape from Mr. Thomas. He
was big and looked incredibly strong, even for an old guy.

“Here, come with me. Quick,”
Joanna whispered, and offered her hand. Mr. Thomas and his
granddaughter would be after the teenager and she wasn’t in any
condition to escape a second time.

The girl clasped Joanna’s hand
with a cool grip. “Thank you.” Her voice was almost inaudible.

Joanna led the girl away from
the shed as quickly as she could. She seemed sick, stumbling behind
Joanna and panting with exertion.