WHOOSH! Andy was jostled awake and had a hard time sitting up. The wind was rushing past him so fast he could hardly open his eyes. Feeling something warm and moving underneath him, he looked down and squinted against the wind.

“Whoa!!”

He was sitting on a horse! A horse that was galloping very, very fast. Andy fell forward and grabbed the horse around its neck - his heart suddenly hammering against his chest. The Thunderegg was now a pulsing blue and twinkled in his hand. Andy gasped then started to cough from the blast of air that hit his lungs. Digging his heels into the horse’s sides for a better grip, he whimpered and buried his face in the long silky mane. Underneath him, the horse surged forward in powerful leaps.

“Uh, ‘scuse me. Could you get your heels out of my belly and stop choking me, please,” grumbled an irritated throaty voice.

Andy tensed. He glanced over his shoulder to see who was talking to him. There was no one there! It was only him riding this horse that just kept hurtling forward. They leaped over logs and rocks, racing through the long grass. It was actually quite a smooth ride, but Andy was so shocked he couldn’t appreciate the thrill of it.

“What?!” whispered Andy in disbelief.

“I said, please stop squeezing me!”

The horse glanced back at Andy and flattened its ears. It was the horse! The horse was talking to him! In his fear, Andy started to let go of the horse’s mane and felt himself sliding to one side. He scrambled back to the centre of the horse’s back and buried his face in its mane again.

“Please st-st-stop,” he whispered.

“Nope. Uh uh. Can’t stop till we get there,” said the horse.

“G-g-get where? Where are we going? Wh-wh-wh-where are my parents? Who are y-y-y-you?”

“My name is Boo and we’re going to wherever your dream ends. Your parents are right beside you in that shiny box.” She nodded towards the speeding car beside them. Her breathing was becoming more labored as she continued to surge forward. She answered each question between breaths.

Andy looked to his left and saw the grey ribbon of the highway. Cars rushed by in both directions. Rolling right beside him was his parents’ car. His mom sat in the passenger seat - her head bobbing to whatever music she was listening to. Brian’s fingers were tapping the steering wheel to the same beat as his mom’s jiggles. There was a head leaning against the window in the back seat. It looked like someone had fallen asleep… Wait a minute, thought Andy. That was him! That was his head leaning against the window. How could this be? He must be dreaming. He quickly pinched himself as hard as he could.

“Ouch!” he cried.

“No kid, you’re not dreaming – I mean this you isn’t dreaming, that you is dreaming.” Boo motioned with her nose towards the sleeping figure in the car.

Before Andy could ask another of the hundred questions popping into his head, Boo gasped, “Okay, hang on. Here’s a big one.”

Horse and rider bounded into the air and flew over a bridge. The cars below disappeared for an instant. Andy’s heart skipped a beat as he held his breath. He gripped the horse’s mane as hard as he could. When they landed on the ground, on the other side of the bridge, he glanced down at the Thunderegg. It was still a beautiful pulsing blue. He loosened his hold to have a better look just as Boo jumped over a fallen tree. He was caught off guard and the Thunderegg fell out of his hand.

“Oh, n-n-no! My rock!” he cried.

Boo screeched to a halt. Andy thought he was going to fly over her head but managed to stay seated.

“You lost the Dreamstone? Don’t tell me you lost the Dreamstone,” neighed Boo. She spun around to retrace their path.

“Where did you drop it?” She sounded quite upset. “Here, get off and look.”

She gave a little shake and dislodged Andy from her back. He slipped to the ground and landed on his butt. Surrounded by lush green grass, speckled with wildflowers, he sat and stared at Boo. He couldn’t make sense of what was going on. Boo continued to stomp circles around him - snorting and swishing her tail.

She was a beautiful white horse with flowing mane and tail. Huge, expressive brown eyes were framed by long, thick lashes. Her elegant, very female nature was in direct contrast to her deep, husky voice.

“Come on, hurry - we’re going to lose them.”

“L-l-lose who?” Andy mumbled weakly. He was so frazzled, he couldn’t think straight.

“We’re going to lose your parents and, and …. you! Come on, we have to find the Dreamstone.” She continued to breathe hard.

Andy correctly assumed it was not from exertion. Boo was very distressed by this turn of events. Her eyes were huge – showing white around the edges. She snorted and stamped her dainty feet. Her ears flipped back and forth and her tail swished from side to side. He figured he’d better do as she said and ask questions later.

Scrambling to his feet, Andy started looking in the grass. The bridge they had leaped over was to their right. Cars continued to stream under it and disappear down the highway. There was a river running beside the highway. Horse and boy slowly made their way towards the river. With heads down, they covered every inch of the grass. Back and forth. Back and forth. They zigzagged until they were at the edge of the river.

Andy - getting over his shock - started to feel braver. He was hot, hungry, thirsty and confused. Without thinking, he stopped in his tracks and stomped his foot.

“Okay, just hold on a m-m-m-minute. What’s going on? Wh-wh-where are my parents? How c-c-c-can you talk – you’re a h-h-h-horse! Why do we need to f-f-f-find the r-r-r-rock, anyway?”

Boo rolled her huge brown eyes and sighed. Her head drooped and her swishing tail came to a standstill.