Over the Hills and Far Away

Chapter 1 Friends

        It was a cold January night, the night John Bonham dreamed of beautiful seas and vast sandy beaches. The colors that floated around his head were so vivid with lovely hues of blues and greens. He wasn't sure where he was, but John felt at home. He walked along the beach, looking out at the sea before him. How small he felt. John wanted nothing more than to stay on this beautiful beach and never return to the hectic life that was behind him.
        John woke with a smile spread across his face and warm feelings in his stomach. A sentimental yearning for that beach tugged at him. He sat there in the dark, the colors of his dreams dazzling before him. He could hardly hold in his feelings until the morning. 

        When the morning came, John had nearly forgotten his dream. He had drifted back into a heavy sleep with no other dreams at all. He arose from his bed with a great yawn like a bear and shuffled to the kitchen where his fellow bandmate and dear friend Robert Plant was already eating a bowl of cornflakes. His blonde hair was a giant mess, resting on his shoulders like a great mane of a lion. Robert looked up at John and smiled warmly.
        "Goodmorning, dear John,"  Robert said. His voice cracked with sleepiness. John replied a tired goodmorning and sat beside Robert. 
        "The others akwake?" John asked, whiping the sleepiness from his eyes. Robert finished chewing a spoonful of cereal before replying. 
        "Well," he began. "Jimmy is up running errands of some sort. And I'm not quite sure if John Paul is awake." Just as Robert said that, little John Paul Jones came into the kitchen, scratching his rear. 
"Morning, mates," Jonesy said cheerily. He came and sat next to his friends at the table. "I had the most peculier dream!" Jonesy laughed, shaking his head.
        "What was it now, then?" Robert asked with a mouthful of cornflakes in his mouth. Jonesy got out his own bowl and poured himself some cornflakes before continuing with his dream. All the while John began to remember his own dream and he became excited to tell of his. When Jonesy was all situated, he began the tale that was his dream. 
        "I was in a dark room. Dreadfully cold, it was. I couldn't see a thing! Here I am, panicking, hoping for someone to come along and save me from this terrible box of nothingness."    
        Robert raised an eyebrow. "So, did you have a dream or what? This sounds like you were sleeping normally to me." 
        Jonesy raised a hand in protest. "Hold on, I'm not done." He gulped some soggy flakes before continuing. "And all the while I could hear a wonderful voice inside me head. Like, a beautiful woman. 'Come with me,' she was saying. And here I am thinking 'well, how am I to do that? I can hardly see!' Her voice became sweeter and sweeter, see. Like honey, it was. But not matter what I did, I couldn't move at all."
        "How depressing," John exclaimed when Jonesy seemed to be done with his dream. 
        "Yeah," Robert added. "Are you sure that wasn't a nightmare you had, John Paul?" Jonesy shrugged, his mouth full of cornflakes. 
        Robert sighed. "I had no dreams at all last night." He quickly added with a smile, "and that's probably better than having the shit dream Jonesy had." Jonesy chuckled.
        Now was the time for John to speak up. He cleared his throat. "I had a wonderful dream." The other two looked at him, waiting for him to continue. A small smile spread across John's face as he remembered.
        "It felt so real," he said softly, looking off into space. He looked at his bandmates. "I was on a beach. Not sure where but it was somewhere warm. And I just-- walked around." The room was filled with silence except for Jonesy slurping the last of his milk. 
        "Quite a lovely dream, John," Robert said with a smile. John could see the sincerity of Robert's words in his eyes. He knew that Robert always liked hearing what John had to say, which made him feel warm with love. 
        Just as John was about to get himself his own bowl of cornflakes, the door opened and Jimmy Page walked in. He tracked in thick snow and let a freezing gust of wind flow in. Jimmy quickly shut the kitchen door and looked around at his bandmates. He was wrapped up in three layers of jackets, a plaid wool hat and a scarf that covered his face. Unwrapping the scarf from his face revealed a red cheeks and a red, runny nose. Finally, Jimmy greeted the bunch.
        "Goodmorning, lads. How are you this fine morning?" The others greeted him warmly and invited him to sit down. Jimmy released the paper back he had clamped in his arms and sat next to Jonesy and John.
        "Freezing out there! Dreadful, dreadful weather." Jimmy peeled the gloves from his hands and began warming them by breathing hot air on them. "I absolutely hate this weather!" Jimmy continued to spew angrily. The others sat in silence except for a concerned Robert who quickly got up to comfort his friend. 
        "Can I get you something, dear?" Robert asked worridly. "Tea, perhaps?" Jimmy nodded grumpily and huffed that, yes tea would be fine. Rober quickly began to prepare Jimmy's hot tea by filling the teapot. 
        "Anyone else?" Robert asked as he busily prepared the tea. Both Johns hummed a yes in reply. Young John Bonham began to think of his dream again. Surely everyone would agree that living somewhere warm like that would be much better than the terrible cold here. He was tempted to tell Jimmy the dream but didn't want to upset him even more. Jimmy continued to warm himself in silence (except, of course, for occasional grumbling and curses.) 
        John got up and curiously looked through the paper bag that Jimmy had walked in with. Filled mostly with booze except for a few groceries on the bottom like smashed looking bread and a bag of grapes. He chuckled to himself and sat back down.
        Robert began serving the tea and sat down with his own. He sighed. "How I wish winter would end!" 
        "Don't we all?" Jonesy, said dryly. "What month is it anways? I've lost track."
        Robert chuckled. "Why, it's only January. Quite a while of winter to go still." The rest of the men sighed in dread. The room became silent as they all sipped their warm tea.
        "Hey, John dear," Robert spoke up. "Why don't you tell Jimmy about that dream you had. We could sure use some dreaming for this terrible winter." John blushed and shook his head.
        "Nah, it was nothing, really."  He suddenly felt bashful with Jimmy's gaze on him. Robert insisted. With a sigh (with Robert's encouragement, it never takes long to give in) John began to tell Jimmy his dream. He told him of the warm wind on his skin, the hot sand between his toes. With each detail of John's dream, Jimmy's eyes got wider with interest. He leaned closer to John and his mouth began to hang open. John finished, worried that Jimmy would explode. He braced himself for what was to come next.
        "That's it!" Jimmy shouted, jumping up from where he sat. Melted snow splashed Jonesy, making him yelp. Jimmy grabbed John by the shoulders and squeezed them. "Brilliant, John, really!" In all the excitement, the others were still confused.
        "Jimmy! What are you so excited for?" Robert said, silencing Jimmy. A big grin was plastered on Jimmy's face. 
        "Don't you see, Robbie?" Jimmy jumped to Robert and grabbed ahold of him. "We've got to go to the coast! Somewhere warm!" Robert's eyes widened. He looked over at John and then back up at Jimmy. 
        "Why, yes!" Robert exclaimed, a smile spreading across his own face. John Paul leaned over to John in all the excitement.
        "Good idea, mate," he whispered. John could do nothing but laugh.