by: Essy Jane

Eight hours later, the Duke farm had quieted down. Cooter was back at his garage working on cars. The crickets were chirping softly in the background and Essy was waiting at the Duke farm for Bo. Yep, she had raced the General Lee and had a lot of fun with Luke.

Essy remembered how much fun Luke was the last time she went out with him. Now their date was over and Essy was ready for her double header. If only Bo would show up. She did want to go on that date with Bo. She sat on the porch looking at the stars in the sky. She saw one of them shoot past her. Daisy came out onto the porch and looked at them.

“Beautiful ain’t they?” Daisy asked. Essy nodded. She pointed to the big dipper. “Nah, that’s not the best one. I have a telescope in my room Bo gave it to me as a birthday present. Actually, he kind of bought it so he could use it too.” Essy laughed. “We could look at planets if you want to.”

“I would love to,” Essy replied. She let out a huge sigh. Essy began to kick her feet back and forth. Daisy put a hand on Essy’s shoulder but she pulled away. “I can’t believe Bo stood me up.” Daisy nodded.

“Well sometimes men don’t think.” They both laughed.

“You got that right. Bo really looked nervous.”

“Well, he also had a fight with me earlier. He ran off mad. Luke also told me he called him stupid compared to you.”

“I know Bo pretty well, he’s anything but stupid.”

“Well I know that but sometimes, he doubts it. You know how he can be. Bo’s always worried about what people think but he hides it with his super man ego. Bo can’t seem to hide it around you though, Essy-Jane.” Essy laughed.

“Well, I bring out the babies in men.”

“I’ll be right back with the telescope.” Daisy walked into the house. She looked at Luke who was pacing.

“He wouldn’t have been gone this long,” Luke mumbled.

“Luke, you know how he gets when he’s mad. Remember that one time, he was out all night. We looked everywhere for him. Bo just doesn’t want to be found right now,” Daisy answered. Luke shook his head. He peered out the window hoping to see Bo’s shadow walking towards them. No, all Luke could see was the dark cold night.

“Daisy, that was more like four hours. Bo’s been gone since…about 11:00 AM. That ain’t normal for him. You know as well as I do…”

“Okay I admit it was four hours but he was still mad when you found him. He would rather hide right now than have you chase after him.”

“Yeah but he needed me that time. Remember, he forgot a jacket and he was shivering.”

“He just built a fire, Luke, come on. Leave him alone. He always finds his way back.”

“Maybe so, but I still want to look for him. I feel horrible. What I said to him last night, wasn’t very nice.”

“What I said wasn’t all that nice either but…”

“Daisy, he was upset, I know he was. Bo tried to prove me wrong today and I just blew it up. Not to mention what happened with Essy…”

“Luke, leave him alone for a while, he’ll come back when he’s good and ready.” Luke sighed. Uncle Jesse looked up from the paper he was reading.

“Usually I would agree with Daisy but I have that feeling in my left toe. Check the woods. That’s where he normally goes to clear his head. Bring the first aid kit and a few blankets. He wasn’t wearing a coat was he?” Uncle Jesse asked.

“No sir,” Luke answered.

“Dang that boy!”

“Uncle Jesse, don’t be too hard on him, it’s all my fault.”

“Don’t think about that right now.”

“Yes sir.”

“Luke, you be careful out there and don’t you go forgetting your jacket. We already have one out there without one. Bring him back in one piece if you can. I don’t want you hitting him.”

“I won’t, Uncle Jesse.”

“Be careful.”

“I will.”

“Uncle Jesse, can I go?” Daisy asked.

“No, I want you to stay here in case something bigger happens. Besides, Essy needs some company,” Uncle Jesse answered.

“Okay.” Luke walked out the door at that instant to try to find his cousin. Now friends, let’s hope he’s not too late. Luke drove as far as he could and then stopped. He had to take the rest of the way on foot. He put a backpack filled with supplies he might need.

Luke was really getting worried. He looked for Bo calling his name. Hoping that by some miracle he would answer back. However, there was no sign of Bo. All Luke could hear was his pitter patter of his own feet and the animals as they slithered by him.

Luke continued on knowing he couldn’t give up. He held onto the small backpack. The flash light was in his right hand. “Bo!” Luke screamed out. He waited for a response. Luke didn’t hear anything. Owls hooted softly. Animals scampered along. Just as he thought he wasn’t getting anywhere, Luke finally had some success. A shadow on a tree—a silhouette that looked like two fists.

The body was leaning over to one side. The arms were in the shape of a distorted diamond. Luke ran to Bo. He dropped his backpack on the ground and opened it up. Luke grabbed the itchy wool blanket and threw it over Bo’s shoulders. He shook his limp body lightly. Bo’s head came up and hit Luke in the face.

“Bo, it’s me,” Luke commented. Bo looked up at Luke and began to sob. Luke took out his knife and began to cut the tape off. The cousins shared in the silence as it continued to fill the place. As the last strand of rope and tape were cut from Bo’s wrists, he fell down into Luke’s arms.

Luke brought Bo down to the ground. He shone the light on his cousin’s battered skin. Luke slowly pulled the bandanna off of Bo’s face. He didn’t know what to say at that moment, all Bo could do was lay there—happy he could finally move. Luke wrapped another blanket around poor Bo.

“I didn’t think anyone was coming—you know how I am when I’m angry,” Bo mumbled as his teeth chattered. Luke rubbed his arms.

“Bo, you’re as cold as ice. Are you okay?” Luke questioned. Bo nodded. Luke took a deep breath and let it out slow. Bo licked his sore lips. “I’ve got to warm you up now, we’s gotta get back to the general now.”

“Luke, my legs—they’s just too numb, I won’t be able to walk. Ya need to help Cooter—they’re gonna kill him. Make a fire and leave me be,” Bo said between his teeth. Luke’s eyes opened wide.

“What?”

“That’s why I’m here, they’s gonna kill him.”

“No!”

“Please, don’t worry about me.”

“Bo, I’m your cousin, it’s sort of my job.”

“Look, I would rather sleep here all night in my underwear than have Cooter be killed.” Luke shook his head.

“I can’t leave you.”

“You’re gonna have to. You can run to the General and back probably in five minutes. With me on your back it’s gonna take longer. Call Cooter on the CB and tell him someone’s gonna put a slug in his noodle and he’ll be much obliged.” Luke nodded.

“I’ll throw Cooter a line and then come back. I’ll run back to the General and get the sleeping bag out of the back seat and grab some fire wood.”

“Take your time.” Luke ran as Bo lied there doing nothing. Luke didn’t want to leave his cousin but it was necessary. Cooter needed to be warned. He was working on cars and of course he wouldn’t be suspecting anything. Luke knew his way around these woods better than anyone around.

Luke grabbed the CB receiver. He took a deep breath and paused hoping this would get to his friend before someone else did. Cooter and Luke had been friends a long time and he wasn’t about to loose that friendship now.

“This is lost sheep number one calling crazy Cooter come on,” Luke announced. Cooter bumped his head on the bumper of the car. He rubbed it and put the wrench down. “Cooter are you there, come back.” Cooter slid out from the car and brushed up on his hair. “Cooter, I need to talk to you, come back!”

He grabbed the receiver of his CB and held it close. Cooter cleared his throat as he leaned on his desk. “I may be crazy but I ain’t dumb crazy Cooter comin’ at ya is that Lukas Duke on the Hazard net come back,” Cooter answered.

From the other end, Luke was relieved to find Cooter alive. Come on folks, wouldn’t you be thrilled too? Luke got his senses together and took a deep breath in. He let it out slow and pushed the button on the CB. “Cooter, someone is trying to kill you.”

“Ah can you repeat that Lukas? I think I have static on my end. I thought you said someone was trying to kill me”

“Uh huh, that’s what I said.”

“No way.”

“Someone is trying to kill you—repeat someone is trying to kill you git out of your shop now!”

“You don’t have to tell me twice 10-4 out and gone. I’m gonna be at shine mining number two.”

“Lay low ‘till I find ya.”

“That’s a big 10-4 over and out.”

“This is Shepard calling lost sheep number one come on in little lamb,” Uncle Jesse commented.

“This is the lost sheep number one, come back,” Luke answered.

“Did you find little boy Bo?”

“Affirmative I have found him.”

“Damage report if you please, over.”

“Bo’s colder than a hairless polar bear in the arctic over.”

“Anything else you wanna tell me?”

“My cousin has some scratches and stuff but he should be okay.”

“That’s buffalo bagels!”

“He says he’s gonna be okay.”

“Bo always says he’s gonna be okay.” Luke had to laugh. “What happened to him anyway?”

“He got involved with some bad dudes. I don’t exactly what’s going on but I know one thing, I’m taking Bo over to the hospital just to make sure he is okay. Watch out for Cooter for me?”

“No problem Luke, 10-4 and good luck.”

“Thanks Uncle Jesse, 10-4.” Luke sighed. He looked up at the sky for a second. “Bo is gonna kill me for this.” Luke ran back to Bo with the sleeping bag in hand. He wasn’t about to grab the axe and chop wood. Bo was just gonna have to go to the hospital.

Luke walked back and looked at his cousin as he tried to get up. He fell back on his butt. Bo shook his head. He couldn’t even get up. He tried once again but failed miserably. Luke giggled softly to himself. Of course Bo picked it up. “It ain’t funny,” Bo growled. Luke unrolled the sleeping bag. He crouched beside Bo.

Luke opened the brown bag up and pushed one side under his cousin’s back. He rolled Bo towards him and pulled the sleeping bag out so that it was even on Bo’s back. Luke then zipped the sleeping bag back up.

Bo was shivering through his teeth. His eye was extremely swollen and red. There was a small paper cut like scratch going from Bo’s eyebrow to just underneath his eye. Luke bit on his bottom lip. He picked up his cousin and cradled him. Luke placed the flashlight on Bo. He carried the first aid kit in between his index and middle finger.

“What are you doing?” Bo asked.

“Uncle Jesse is on the case, I have gotta get you to a hospital,” Luke answered. Bo rolled his eyes.

“I thought we discussed this already.”

“No, you discussed this with me without any response from the peanut gallery.”

“You’re supposed to help Cooter and I am supposed to stay here. Cooter could die.”

“So could you.”

“I ain’t gonna die, I am gonna be just fine.”

“Wasn’t it you who couldn’t get yourself up or was I dreaming.”

“Luke, you would be a little stiff too if you had been hanging off a tree for hours. Now go help Cooter and leave me here. You’re the best one for the job.”

“No, you need medical attention. Besides, Uncle Jesse is just as capable as I am.” Luke continued to walk back towards the General. “I ain’t gonna let you die in the woods.” Bo shook his head. He knew that he was okay. Why couldn’t Luke accept it?

“Luke, I’m fine.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yeah I am, now go and help Cooter.”

“What if those guys come back for you?” Bo shrugged.

“I would think of something.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you need medical attention.”

“Bo if you could see the colour of your lips, you would be taking yourself to the hospital.”

“Luke you are as stubborn as a jack ass. I can’t believe you would risk Cooter’s life.” Bo started hacking and coughing. “Just to take me to the hospital.”

“Listen to yourself! We’re still going there no matter what you think.”