Uniformed and plain-clothed police were everywhere, photographing and poring over everything in sight.

Clement Horne stood sobbing hysterically over near a yellow police Cortina, being comforted by his two adult sons, Warren and Brian, who were also in tears.   “If I ever get my hands on the bastard who did this…!” sobbed Clem, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Two young constables standing nearby raised their eyebrows at each other, but both knew better than to contradict a man swearing vengeance for the murder of his wife.

Noting the arrival of the Hutchinsons a police sergeant went across to wave them away.

“We’re hereabout the murder of Helen Horne,” explained Des.   They told him what Leon had witnessed and the sergeant led them across to the inspector in charge of the murder investigation, so Leon could repeat his tale while a constable took notes.

Leon’s description of the murderer was vague, however, he did remember one important thing, which eventually helped convict Donald Sears of the murder of Helen Horne.   “I remember he had a large red birthmark on his right cheek,” said the twelve year old boy.   “I remember thinking it was funny, `cause the Hornes’ farm is called Cherrytree and that’s exactly what it looked like: a large, red cherry.”

Leon had to tell his story twice more.   Before the coroner’s court at the inquest into the death of Helen Horne, then again at the trial of Donald Sears.   Who had been caught the next day in Ballarat, still driving the Hornes’ Fairlane.

The courtroom marvelled at the courage of the young boy as he gave his account of the murder.   But his outward calm had been all an act.   Inside Leon had been terrified, because the night before the trial he had had the Dream for the first time.

In the Dream Leon lay awake in his bed, snuggling beneath the blankets to keep out the cold, when he was overcome with sudden fear.   He became aware that he was no longer alone in the room: Donald Sears was in the room, standing at the foot of the bed.   He still had the axe in his hands, the axe that he had used to murder Helen Horne, and was slowly raising it back over his head.   He held the axe over his right shoulder for a few seconds, then, grasping it by the butt with both hands, began to swing it down toward Leon.

Leon always awoke before the axe made contact and his screams would awaken his parents, one of whom would rush into the room to comfort him.

After his thirteenth birthday, his mother started taking Leon to a psychiatrist.   Eighteen months later the visits to the specialist paid off and Leon stopped having the Dream..   .That is until last night, when he had heard that Donald Sears had escaped from prison again.

So tonight Leon lay awake until after two AM, determined not to fall asleep … Refusing to submit to the Dream.   But eventually despite himself Leon dozed off, and again the Dream came.   Only this time Leon did not awaken before the axe struck.

Leon awoke screaming and retching from pain.

When Des Hutchinson rushed into his son’s room, he found Leon lying dead in a pool of vomit and blood, the blood still slowly seeping from a gaping wound in his stomach.   There was a blood-stained axe leaning against the foot of the bed, but no sign of Donald Sears, who unknown to the Hutchinsons, had been shot dead by police three hours earlier, a thousand kilometres away from Merridale.

THE END

(c) Copyright 2011

Philip Roberts, Melbourne, Australia