by: Marty Chrisman
The next day, Luke was more alert but still obviously in pain from his injuries. He smiled when Bo, Daisy and Uncle Jesse came into his room. He moved carefully, wincing whenever his back rubbed against the sheets or the stitches in his stomach tightened as he changed positions. He knew that he was lucky to alive.
“Hey, cuz…..” Bo said with a grin “You’re looking better.”
“Thanks….I’m sure if I feel any better or not…it still hurts like hell.”
“Watch your mouth, young man” Jesse said automatically
“Yes, sir.” Luke replied with a crooked smile. He looked at his Uncle questioningly “Did they find the Carsons?”
“No, Rosco said it looks like they hightailed it out of town.” Jesse told him “They probably figured you were dead and didn’t wanna be around when folks started asking questions.”
“I thought I was dead too….” Luke admitted “I remember a girl….she helped me…”
“Luke, I done told ya, “ Bo said “There wasn’t no girl there. You must have just imagined it.”
“No…” Luke said shaking his head “She was there…I saw her…”
“You were hurt pretty bad.” Jesse told him “You must have just thought you saw her.”
Luke looked at his cousin and his Uncle with a puzzled frown. He didn’t really remember much about what had happened until the search party found him but he did remember waking up and seeing a girl sleeping next to the tree and him lying on the ground in front of the fire. He couldn’t have imagined it, it was too real in his mind.
“Some of the guys from the search party are saying you were saved by the Swamp Witch.” Daisy told him with an amused smile.
“The swamp witch?” Luke repeated with a thin smile “That’s just a local legend. The swamp witch doesn’t really exist.” He looked at his Uncle “Does she, Uncle Jesse?”
“You’re alive and that’s all that matters.” Jesse said gruffly without answering Luke’s question directly. He had never lied to his kids and he didn’t intend to start now. Sometimes the easiest way to avoid a lie is just not to answer any questions. “If you say you saw somebody there with you, then maybe you did. Or maybe your mind made somebody up so you wouldn’t be alone. The legend of the swamp witch is over a hundred years old…if she existed she’d have to be pretty old by now.”
Luke looked at his Uncle with a frown. He didn’t believe in legends but he found himself wondering if his mind had played tricks on him. Had there really been someone there or had his mind brought to life an urban legend to help save him. He wondered if he would ever know for sure.
Luke had to stay in the hospital for another two days, then he was finally allowed to go home. His injuries healed but his mind still remembered how close he had come to dying in the swamp. The Carsons were never found, they had disappeared completely. And all Luke could do was hope that they never returned to Hazzard County. Sometimes, he found himself visiting Mindy’s grave. He still felt guilty over what had happened to her but he knew that he was not to blame for what she had done. And sometimes, late at night, he found himself dreaming about another girl with long curling hair, a legend they called the swamp witch.
THE END?????????