CHRISTMAS DREAMS (cont'd)

the dim light that had given her a small bit of hope was fading fast.  nightfall was coming.  it would get colder in here she was sure.     

 

she wanted to sit down, but knew that the water in the bottom of this hole would soak her and chill her through and through.  she didn't need pneumonia.  she braced herself against the muddy wall and drifted in and out of sleep.  she slipped down the wall during one of these naps, and found the water she had tried to avoid.  it did chill her through and through.  so she sat down, figuring her body heat might warm up the water and it would be like burying yourself in snow to stay warm.  she soon fell asleep, deeply this time.      

 

when she awakened, she was in a dimly lit room, not familiar to her.  the covers about her were warm, and she never wanted to leave this place.  was she dreaming?  was she dead, and this was her heaven?  a voice came from the corner of the room, deep, but soft "oh, i see you are awake.  how are you feeling?"  the sound of this voice startled her.  but it sounded so compassionate, she immediately found her coarse voice and replied with "i don't know quite yet."  then a small shadow grew large on the wall as the voice took substance and became a man approaching her bedside.  he was short in stature, with a full beard, quite unkempt, and long brownish hair.  she could not see his face yet.  he leaned over the bed to speak again, and she saw his eyes in the dim lamplight.  they were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen on a man.  they were kind eyes.  he straightened the quilt around her and asked if she wanted something warm to eat or drink.  she asked where she was and what had happened to her.      

 

the kind man laughed softly and told her his lost kitten found her in the old abandoned well.  he went looking for the little one and it was found frantickly prancing around the hole to the well.  he took out his flashlight and looked inside the hole, and there she was, way down at the bottom of the well, looking more dead than alive.

 

he had taken the kitten home and secured it safely in his cabin before going back and rescuing the woman in the well.  she had been alive, but he found it difficult getting her out, for the opening was only big enough for one person.  he was unable to put his ladder down into the hole and bring her up over his shoulder.  he had to build a small pulley system and hoisted her up to the top.  he told her he hoped he had not hurt her more than she already was.  

 

she spoke softly to him, telling him how much gratitude she felt for saving her life.  and it did not matter if he had caused a few bruises, she would heal from those much quicker than from frostbite........or worse.............death.  

 

she tried to scoot herself up in the bed and realized her left leg would not bend.  she felt under the covers and discovered a makeshift splint.  she must have broken her leg.  the man must have surmised what she was thinking, and told her that it didn't appear to be serious, but she did need to have it x-rayed and examined by a doctor as soon as possible.  

 

after he told his rescue story, she asked him for some warm soup or stew.  he left the room and returned with a bowl of venison stew and a hot cup of cider.  it was truly good.  after she ate, she tried to sit her bowl on the night table and realized just how sore she was.  she didn't know how to tell him she needed to go to the powder room.  she eventually blurted it out.  he chuckled and came to her side and helped her out of the bed and to the small bathroom.  he told her he would be right outside if she needed anything.  he then closed the door and she took care of her business.  it wasn't until now that she realized she was no longer in the same clothing she had worn out to the pond.  she was wearing a man's large t-shirt and a pair of men's boxer shorts.  oh dear, this man had seen her naked.........oh well, she was 65, he must be half her age, so she was sure it wasn't anything damaging.  he must have felt like he was undressing and dressing his mother, or worse yet, his grandmother.  she was just too old to be embarrassed about it.  

 

after completing her task, she called out to him to help her back to bed.  he was there in a moment and easily got her back to her resting place.  it was then that she introduced herself and apologized for not doing so sooner.  he laughed softly again, and told her most of the younger kids in town called him "dude" and it sorta stuck.  she told him it was nice to meet him.  

 

after about an hour of small talk, dude told her he had some things he needed to take care of, and she needed to rest some more, so he would come back in a few hours to check on her.  he left her, she soon fell back to sleep, and she did not awaken till early the next day.  dude knocked on her door, and upon entering, he told her he had gone into some old trunks he had in the attic, and found some clothing that might fit her well enough to get her out of this cabin and to either her house or the doctor's office.  he handed her a small bundle of folded clothing and asked if she needed any help.  she said she would call him if she did.  he left the room, and she cautiously changed into the clothing, which fit well enough to get from here to her house to her own clothing.  it was at this moment that she began to wonder just where she was.  she couldn't be far from her house since the well was on the property she rented.  she didn't realize there was a cabin back in the woods behind her house.  well, now she knew.  and there was a wonderful man who lived in that cabin.................who saved her life...............