Vision of a Dream

 

HE TERRAIN OUTSIDE WAS mostly flat with a few rolling hills sparsely covered with grass. The dirt road was narrow and rough with large holes full of water. The driver would slow to go around them, sometimes running two wheels off the shoulder, which was a little nerve-wracking considering that ponds of water also straddled both sides of the road.

As they came around the backside of a hill, the driver pointed to another one about three miles away and said his second profound statement of the trip, “There.” Ethan and Alex both leaned toward the center and over the front seat to look through the bug splattered windshield where the driver was pointing. On a hill in the distance was what looked like a small group of buildings.

“Good!” Alex replied enthusiastically. She patted the driver on the shoulder and leaned back to look at the map on the global. “Isn’t this exciting?” Ethan just watched the hill and tried not to encourage her.

They came to a small gate over a cattle-guard from which a five strand barbed wire fence extended in both directions. A large sign was posted on the gate with two smaller different signs posted on the fence on either side. The small signs were also spaced about every three sections on the fence for as far as you could see. The driver stopped the car abruptly just before the gate, opened the door and jumped out before Ethan could ask what the signs said. Alex quickly pulled a camera out of her bag and took several pictures. The driver walked up to the gate, pulled out a key and inserted it into one of several locks hanging on a large chain.

“He has a key.” Ethan said in a curious and somewhat concerned tone.

“Looks like it,” Alex replied unconcerned. The driver opened the gate, came back to the car and pulled it forward far enough to close the gate behind them.

“What do the signs say?” Ethan asked the driver as he climbed back in.

“Not to worry. No one here.” Ethan sat back and leaned over to Alex.

“Yeah, no need for concern. I’m sure you’ll make a great wife for one of the prison directors. Me they’ll just shoot.”

Alex grinned and leaned over almost uncomfortably close to his ear. “You worry too much,” she whispered softly.

“You don’t worry enough,” he replied matter-of-factly.