EPISODE 1 - Wake Me When It's Over Setting: The Old West (Cowboys)       Something mushy pressed against Sarah's cheek. She could feel the wetness from the ground seeping through her clothing. Where was she?       Memories began to filter back to her. That dink! She'd told him he was driving too fast. She'd been so excited about attending the senior prom, then HE had to go and ruin it by drinking. She'd insisted he either slow down or let her out of the car. That's when the hairpin curve sent the Pinto spinning out of control.       She eased her eyes open, and pushed herself into a sitting position. Darkness surrounded her. "Eric?" Where was he? She couldn't see the car. They'd wound up in the woods somewhere.       Sarah wiped at the dirt staining her dress. As she touched the material, she froze. Her prom dress! She wasn't wearing it. "What's going on?" Her head began to throb. She had on a dress, but it was made of some rough kind of material, certainly not the shimmering silk she'd had on earlier.       "Jesse, through here!" a man's voice shouted.       Sarah exhaled in relief, forgetting about her dress for the moment. She'd figure it out later. The important thing was that help had arrived. Probably the fire department. "I'm over here!" she called out to attract attention.       Two men pushed their way through the trees to the clearing where she sat. They both led horses and were dressed as if they'd just come off a ranch. Sarah smiled slightly. Not a sight she saw too often in New Jersey. But then, it took all kinds. They weren't firemen, but she wasn't about to complain. "I'm glad you found me. There should be a Pinto crashed around here somewhere ... and my boyfriend, Eric. We went off the road."       "Who the heck are you, lady? And what are you doing way out here?" one of the men asked, a surprised look on his face.       "Socialize later, Frank. We gotta get goin'. The sheriff's right behind us." He eyed Sarah. "Wait. Maybe we got ourselves a bargaining chip here." He grabbed Sarah's arm and pulled her up.       "Hey, take it easy. I've just been in a car accident, you know."       "There ain't no cart around here. No Pinto neither; not that I can see. This one's touched in the head, Jesse. What are you plannin' on doin' with her?"       A third man crashed through the trees, brandishing a pistol. "Hold it right there, boys. It's over. I'm taking you back."       Sarah gaped at the man with the silver star on his vest. He looked like he just stepped out of a t.v. western. His brown hat hooded his eyes, but the grim set of his lips conveyed his anger. His stance was one of a man expecting trouble. Her gaze travelled down his muscular form, from his collar-length chestnut hair, to the tattoo of a snake on the back of one hand, all the way down to his well-worn brown boots. And spurs! Why did the theme to Rawhide suddenly start playing inside her head?       "Stay back, D.K., unless you want to see the little lady hurt." Jesse pointed his pistol at Sarah's head.             "Uh ..." She shifted uneasily. Her gaze darted to the man who had a hold of her. This was just too weird. Who were these people? "You're not here to rescue me, I take it."       "Let her go, Jesse. Talk some sense into your brother, Frank. You two are going to get caught eventually. Every lawman in the territory is looking for you. Why don't we all go back peaceably? Make things easy on everyone."       "Not a chance, D.K," Jesse responded, a confident smile on his face. "Now back away. You don't want this filly hurt. And drop that gun. Now."       "All right. Take it easy." D.K. let the pistol slip from his hand, and stepped back. "No one needs to get hurt here."       Frank stepped up to confiscate the gun. "Let's go, Jesse!" He backed toward the trees.       Jesse's smile widened--an evil smile if there ever was one. He whacked Sarah on the head with the butt of his six-shooter and took off into the forest.       Pain seared through Sarah, and she crumpled to the ground. The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was a pair of deep green eyes staring down at her in concern. "D.K.," she whispered, recognizing the lawman. She raised a hand to touch his face. "If this is a dream, wake me when it's over." [ Previous Episode ]    [ Next Episode ]