Chapter Five – Dean and Sam

Texas 2006

Sam muttered something about a horse and a posse, and then he yelled to watch out.

The vast expanse of Texas was stretched out before the Impala, as Dean took his hand off the wheel, reached his right arm over and shook his brother, waking him from whatever new dream had possessed him after he fell asleep riding shotgun.

"Dude, you OK?" Dean asked, not knowing if this was your regulation normal dream or a psychic shining vision that would send them off on another supernatural adventure. If a horse and posse were involved he kinda figured it must be the former, but then again stranger things had happened; starting with the realization his kid brother was a psychic wonder.

"Wow." Was all Sam uttered.

"Wow? That's it man? You're yelling to watch out and all you have to say is wow?"

"That was so weird."

Sam could be really annoying when he withheld information like this. It really drove his brother crazy.

"OK Freud, so tell me your dream and then tell me what it all means." Dean prodded.

"Dean, I don't know what it means. It was just so weird." Sam offered again.

Dean was becoming increasingly irritated with this round about conversation.

"Just spit it out dude!"

"Dean, have you ever rode a horse?"

"What? What kind of question is that?"

"Wouldya just answer. Have you ever rode a horse?" Sam repeated.

"Well once, when I was four, I rode the mechanical horse down at the supermarket. Damn thing almost bucked me off." Dean grinned, obviously figuring this was most definitely the former type of dream, the freaky abstract kind that just means you need to get in touch with your inner child.

"No, a real horse." Sam insisted.

"No Sam. I have never rode a real horse." He paused for effect before adding, "Or a fake horse for that matter. I always wanted to be a cowboy though when I grew up." Dean laughed again, gaining whatever pleasure he could from his brother's absurd question.

"Well, you were riding a horse in my dream. A sleek, black horse and you were galloping at full tilt and there was a posse chasing you. You were headed straight for a cliff and I thought for sure you would go over." Sam finally explained.

"Well Sammy, it seems like it's just a normal, freaky dream that don't mean squat. After all, I ain't gonna be saddling up any time soon to take a ride out in front of a posse. I think we're pretty safe in betting this ain't a premonition, so just forget about it." Dean smirked again, thinking how weird his brother was acting over this obviously insignificant dream.

"Maybe the horse is a metaphor. Maybe it's really the Impala. I don't know Dean; this didn't feel like a regular dream. It felt like a vision. It felt real."

"Right, and the posse is the long arm of the law coming to arrest me for credit card fraud." Dean sounded very serious before he continued, cracking up, "Oh Sammy, we better run for the hills. Marshall Dillon's after me!"

"Dean, cut it out."

"OK, I'm forewarned, the posse is coming for me and watch out for the cliff!" Dean mocked his kid brother.

"Dean this is serious. I have a very bad feeling about this." Sam looked confused and worried.

"Hey, I'm bettin' it's just cause we're in Texas. We better limit the number of Texas long necks you drink. Those two back there must have played a trick on your brain. Got you feeling like a Wild West outlaw or something!" Dean laughed.

"Maybe." Sam seemed to be contemplating all the possible ramifications of his unsettling dream. He knew something was happening with this dream, and it wasn't because of the two beers he'd drunk. Settling into his melancholy state, he eased back into his seat and stared out into the vast expanse of nothing.

After several minutes of meditation Sam finally broke the silence between them, "So where are we? Where we gonna stop for the night?"

"Well, I'm thinkin' when you're in Texas, the home of the Texas longhorn you should partake of the local cuisine. I thought we'd stop early enough to get a good old-fashioned steak and fixin's. We'll be coming up on a little town called Valentine in a couple hours and we might as well stop for the night."

"There is actually a town called Valentine, Texas?" Sam wondered.

"Yeah, they advertise they're the home of romance! Think we'll come across any fetching ladies to make our night memorable? Kinda a small town so I don't know how many prospects there are, but it should be interesting."

Samleaned back into his seat still pondering the possible significance of his disturbing dream. He just felt there was something more to it. Regardless of how his brother dismissed it, he knew it was important. He just couldn't begin to understand why and it irritated him that these dreams or visions could be so ambiguous. Damn, if he was going to have special powers than why the hell couldn't he conquer them, so at least he could actually take advantage of his gift?

Dean silently stole another glance at his brother. He knew Sam was frustrated with his uncertain abilities and he didn't know what more he could do to help him. He just had to keep him calm, keep the atmosphere light and breezy, and reassure his brother his freaky shinings weren't wiggin' out his older brother. He just wished he knew what these visions meant, and if they were a good or bad thing.

Two hours later they pulled into the sleepy, little town of Valentine, Texas. The town barely looked like it had moved into the twentieth century, let alone the twenty-first. At first glance, Dean thought maybe he should have stopped sooner, at a town that might actually have more than a few dozen occupants. Oh wait, maybe he had misjudged this town, there was the sign: Welcome to Valentine, Texas. The Home of Romance. Population: 387. Not exactly New York City, but hey maybe they'll have some real salsa!

It didn't take long to traverse the town; it was basically laid out in a straight line with old, but well-maintained wood buildings that proclaimed their purpose with colorfully painted wooden signs. There were a few random shops interspersed between the main businesses, which were the hotel, bank and saloon with an honest to goodness livery down at the opposite end of town. The main street wasn't even blacktop, it was packed clay and there were still hitching posts lining the street with at least four horses tied up.

Man, this was going to be weird. He made a u-turn at the end of town when it became apparent nothing existed past the livery except wide open range. He proceeded back to the hotel and pulled in front, wondering if they should go ahead and try out this backwater town or drive the extra hour to the next one.

"Let's get a room and check out the town." Sam broke into Dean's thoughts.

"You sure you want to spend the night in a town like this?" Dean inquired.

"Most definitely."

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