POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES
"Enos did too much practice. I can't lose him", doubt in Bo's voice.
Luke glances at the driving-mirror, the patrol car nearer and nearer the General Lee, "Come on, Bo. We have to lose him".
An S-shaped bend, the dust rising behind the General, and, through the dust, still the patrol car following the orange car.
"Ol' Enos doesn't want to give up", the doubt in Bo's voice turning in amusement, in his veins the adrenaline for the chase flowing faster than the cars.
"Ready for a car wash?", amusement in Luke's voice too, waiting for the sharp curve before the pond.
A perfect maneuver, a perfect use of wheel and brake, and the General comes unharmed out of the dangerous bend.
An awkward use of wheel and brake, and the patrol car misses the curve, pursuing its run in the air, falling into the pond below. A moderate gradient between the road and the pond, and the car lands in the pond with a huge thud and a large amount of splashing water.
Bo stops the car, as usual after the General lose a patrol car, and the cousins look down at the pond, to check everything's OK, smiles on their face.
Smiles fading.
"I don't see him coming out the car", excitement turns into fear, as Bo looks frantically at the patrol car slowly sinking into the water.
"Come on", Luke rushes out the car, reaching the pond and diving into it.
Bo needs few seconds to realize what's happening, and, waking up from the shock, he follows his older cousin into the pond's water, cold water making him shiver (but probably the blonde Duke isn't shivering for the water's temperature).
Easy for someone as Bo and Luke to reach the patrol car, less easy to drag Enos' motionless body outside the car through the open (fortunately) window, and even less easy to drag the deputy's body outside the pond, managing to keep his head outside the water and keeping on swimming in a water tinged of blood.
And Enos' body is heavier outside the water, taking up all Bo and Luke's strength, 'till they finally lay him on the ground, a pale and motionless body, blood flowing from a cut on his left temple and running down his cheek to his neck, soaking his shirt; blood mixing with water, turning the blue of his soaked uniform in a deeper and deeper shading.
Luke checks Enos' breath and pulse, his experience in the Marines turning useful in such a dramatic situation, "He's breathing. Bo, call for an ambulance", a sigh of relief and a worried but at the same time soothing look at his younger cousin, "Go", waking him up from his shocked state.
"Enos, buddy", a vain attempt to wake Enos up from his deep sleep, Luke's eyes moving from his friend to his cousin who's asking for help (his trembling hands grabbing the C.B.) and then to his friend again, checking time after time his breath and pulse, calling him vainly, Bo again by his side.
Minutes like hours 'till the ambulance arrives, can do nothing but watch as Enos is taken out of their arms and loaded into the ambulance.
No more adrenaline in their veins, but only a strange feeling of emptiness, their bodies dull because of shock and weariness.
Uncle Jesse looks at Bo and Luke coming out the General, his eyes open wide as he realizes they're soaked: only few seconds to realize from their tight features something's wrong.
Daisy, who's doing the washing, verbalizes her uncle's question, "Bo! Luke! What's happened?", in her tone a pitch of worrisome, noticing, as her uncle, her cousins' tight features.
Luke looks at Bo; he's the older cousin, and the difficult task is up to him.
The brown cousin has a deep sigh, "A car wreck. Enos fell into the pond"
"As usual", Daisy smiles, a faint smile trying to convince herself it's as usual, trying to convince herself it's not shock what she's reading on her cousins face, trying not to think that her cousins wouldn't have been soaked if Enos had come out the pond by himself.
It's time for uncle Jesse to verbalize Daisy's silent question, the question she doesn't want to ask, fearing the answer.
"How's Enos?"
Luke looks again at Bo, who lowers his head.
Difficult task.
"Not… OK. I think of… a concussion. We're goin' to the Hospital, we just need to change our clothes", a brief and meaningful look at Bo, "Come on, Bo".
Their walk to their bedroom is slowed down by Daisy's many questions about the wreck and Enos' condition before the ambulance's arrival.
"He's unconscious when the ambulance arrived, but he's breathing and his pulse was regular. I think it's only a concussion", Luke's attempt to calm her younger cousin, not mentioning her about the bleeding.
A vain attempt.
"Luke, what's THAT? It's BLOOD!", Daisy's hand grabs Luke's arm, her eyes staring at the unmistakable stains on Luke's shirt, and then looking for (and finding) similar stains on Bo's shirt, "WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ENOS?", her voice starting to become higher and higher, slipping into hysterics.
"A cut on his head; that kind of cuts bleed a lot, you know", again an attempt to calm her down, he's the older cousin after all, the one who has a gift for words and for rationalize things.
Daisy looks at him in shock, and Luke's heart stirs, "We're goin' to the Hospital, to check everything's OK".
Daisy nods, then she runs to her bedroom to change her clothes (short shorts and that kind of t-shirt is not the best outfit for an Hospital): obviously she won't wait at the farm for news, but she'll go to the Hospital with her cousins.
"We couldn't even see him. He's in I.C.U., and doctors didn't allow us to see him", Luke's disappointment as he rests the fork in his plate, unable to eat, as the other members of his family.
One of the most silent and sad dinners at Dukes' farm.
A fist against the table, "It's only my fault", and Bo's first words after the wreck.
"Bo, it's not your fault. I could be the one driving the General; it's not the first time a patrol car falls into that pond", Luke tries to rationalize everything, as usual, smoothing his younger cousin's emotionality.
"But YOU weren't the one driving the car, I was the one who's driving and who decided to …"
"You simply did what we've already done so many times, with no consequences".
"If Enos dies, I won't forgive me for it. NEVER!"
Daisy stands up and she runs to her bedroom.
"Bo, Luke, it's nobody fault", uncle Jesse slowly stands up, "we all are shocked and upset, so, please, stop quarrel and go to bed; we need to rest", and he walks to Daisy's bedroom, well knowing his niece is the most affected of them all 'cause her strong affection for Enos.
Whereas uncle Jesse is in Daisy's bedroom, in the kitchen the quarrel keeps on.
"I should've find another way to lose Enos, NOT that curve and NOT that pond", Bo seems not having heard Luke's and uncle Jesse's words, lost in his absurd and pointless sense of guilty.
"Bo! It's not your fault. If I had been the one driving I'd have done the same, choosing that pond and that curve; Enos' patrol car was so near, and that pond was the first place where to try to lose him. It's NOT the first time we use that trick, and it's NOT the first time Enos or Rosco miss that bend, landing into the pond, with NO consequences".
His fist against the cupboard and his forehead resting against his fist, Bo seems to ponder on his older and wiser cousin, "But…", not at all convinced by his words.
Luke sighs, stopping Bo's way to run in circle, "No BUT. It was an accident, you didn't want to hurt Enos".
Bo turns to Luke, his eyes anguished, "I… wanted to hurt him, somehow!"
"What are you talking about?", Luke's blue eyes open wide.
"I mean… when I was driving I felt all the adrenaline in my veins, I liked the chase, it was a challenge, and I WANTED to beat Enos, as in race, no matter what. I feel like if I … if I desired to hurt him, and when I saw his patrol car falling into the pond… well… I was happy".
Luke sighs, shaking his head, now everything perfectly clear in his mind, "Bo, are you feeling responsible simply 'cause you enjoyed the chase? It's… normal. I also feel the adrenaline in my veins when I drive the General, chased by Enos or Rosco, or when I drive the General in a race. But that excitement, that willing to win is NORMAL, it doesn't mean you want to hurt somebody. So, stop torturing yourself thinking that Enos got injured because you're enjoying beat him. It's absurd", his hand reaches Bo's shoulder, squeezing it, "Besides, I bet Enos feels the same adrenaline when he chases us, and when he runs in a race, the same excitement and willing to win. You know, even if he's a deputy, his chasing us turns into a joke, for him, and I really bet he enjoys the chasing the same way we do".
Bo slowly nods, "Maybe… you're right".
"I can't believe Enos could…", Daisy's voice cracks, the word "die" trapped in her dry throat as she buries her face against uncle Jesse's chest, bursting out crying.
"I really care for him, if he dies how could I keep on living?", words mixed with sobs, "I can't live without him, uncle Jesse, I need him the same way I need air", a plain confession of love.
"He'll be OK. Enos is strong, and he'll be OK, Daisy", uncle Jesse's arms circle Daisy's shoulder, and he lets her cry all her tears.
Sun entering his room as Dukes come in, relieved to know he's no more in I.C.U. but in a normal room.
"Hi Bo, hi Luke", a soft red on his pale cheeks, "Hi Dais". He's Enos, the only thing remembering them the nearly tragedy a white bandage covering his head.
"Hi buddy, how are you?", Luke sits on the bed, patting on Enos' shoulder.
Daisy sits on the opposite side of the bed, gently kissing his cheek, "I'm so glad you're awake, sugar", her usual amused tone when she calls him sugar, as she's totally forgotten her tears and her confession of love only the previous evening; or, at least, she pretends to have forgotten about it because of Bo's and Luke's presence in the room, but a gentle trembling of her hands and an imperceptible insecurity in her voice denies her apparent nonchalance (as nothing's happened, as she's not spent the night tossing and turning in her bed). She forces herself to appear self-confident and strong, whereas her only desire is to wrap her arms around his neck, crying because of her happiness and telling him how much she loves him; but, obviously, she can't do it in front of Bo and Luke.
Bo, the only one staying near the door, no words from him since they entered the room, since now, "Enos… I'm sorry, buddy"
Enos looks at him, surprised, "Sorry? For … what?"
"For what? But… it's my fault if you fell into the pond", again that sense of guilty overwhelming him, and Luke, looking at him, shakes his head.
"Shucks Bo. My fault… I missed the curve… and it's not the first time", Enos' amused and funny laugh, "but next time I'll catch you. WOW, what a chase, great!"
Bo opens his eyes wide and Luke looks at him, a meaningful look, a look telling "I was right, as usual".
"Thank you for helping me", Enos' voice turns serious, "Thanks, you saved my life".
Daisy can't help but hugging him, managing to hold her tears, and finally Bo approaches the bed, patting on Enos' shoulder and smiling happily, no more sense of guilty, no more fear.
The three men look at each other, looks of friendship, amusement and a pitch of challenge, ready for a new chase (maybe letting some days pass, in order to recover from the shock), and Daisy looks at Enos in a new way, aware of the possibility to lose him and so of the need to stop wasting her time playing the teasing and sexy woman.
New old times are waiting for Dukes and their friends, in Hazzard County.
A one-shot different from my previous stories. No Enos/Daisy (ehm... OK, slight Enos/Daisy), but an attempt for a choral story, any character involved, a little practice in order to write, maybe in the future, a long and choral story (not forgetting my passion for Enos/Daisy, but trying to extend my horizons). Bo and Luke's fans out there... have pity of me and of this weird attempt to use properly your beloved Dukes cousins, LOL...