Chapter Four
Bo flipped back the covers and eased himself out of his bed.
Glancing to the left, Bo could see Luke's outline as the 16 year old slept, oblivious to his younger cousin, sneaking around the room.
Bo dressed in his tight blue shirt and placed his lighter yellow shirt over that.
He went to the foot of his bed and quickly found his boots.
Slipping in to them, Bo then grabbed his money off of the dresser and stuck it into his pocket, along with the picture of him and his parents.
Quietly, Bo snuck out of the bedroom and headed towards the bathroom.
Closing the door, Bo flipped on the light and grabbed the thermometer and took his tempature one last time.
'102. Went down a little.' Bo mused as he cleaned the thermometer off and stuck it into his pocket as well.
Turning off the light, Bo eased the bathroom door open and tiptoed into the kitchen.
He wasn't hungry at the moment, but he knew he soon would be if he'd be walking all night.
By memory, Bo found the small picnic basket and filled it with half of the canned foods the Duke farm had.
Next he grabbed four day's worth of apples and peaches and placed them into the basket as well.
If he stretched it, the food could last at least a week before he'd be living off of the local bugs and wild berries that grew in Hazzard.
Closing the basket, Bo took it outside.
He headed straight for the small shed where his bike was kept.
Bo past Luke's new bike and even his old one. The bike that Bo wanted was his own bike, not some slimy, over used, undercared hand-me-down, but his own bike.
Quickly Bo tied the basket onto the back of the bike before he wheeled it outside.
He stopped it at the front of the house, wanting to at least say goodbye to the people who had looked after him for two years.
Turning, Bo looked at the darkened house, imagining his cousin and uncle sleeping in their beds.
"Sorry Uncle Jesse, Luke, but I got's ta do this. If ya guys won't pay attention to, or love me, I'll find someone else who will." Bo said.
One lone tear streaked down his face, but it was quickly wiped away and Bo got on to his bike and pedaled away from the house.
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He peddled for hour's, not caring where he went.
First he went into the town and stopped at a convience store, which was suprisingly still open!
Bo went in and grabbed some supplies, which included some water and tylenol to help keep his fever down.
As he was paying for the items, Bo lied to the cashier, telling her that he was buying them for his sick brother, who needed them right away.
The cashier had asked why he was there alone, but Bo replied that his father was at home taking care of his brother, and Bo made the joke that once he got home he was going back to bed.
The cashier seemed to buy this and didn't ask Bo anymore questions, in fact she gave him a free piece of candy for his trouble!
Bo pocketed the gum and hopped on to his bike, ready to continue on with his journey.
As the sun rose, Bo knew that he would need to find a place to hide until night came again.
He found a small cave and stashed his bike there, though he continued walking for a bit.
Soon he found a small, hollowed out tree.
Bo slipped inside the tree and sat down, he barely fit! He had to leave the basket outside in the brush.
Yawning, Bo found himself growing increasingly tired.
Slowly he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
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Luke opened his eyes as the sunlight brightened up the bedroom.
Yawning, he sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
Since it was summer, he and Bo didn't have school, so Luke could spend most of his time riding his new bike...infront of Bo of course.
The little boy would have to watch Luke ride the bike that Bo himself had wanted while Bo would have to ride Luke's old bike.
Since Luke had known that someday his bike would be given to Bo, Luke had made it his mission to tear up the bike as much as possible, and leave it nothing more than a junk pile, well that's what it sure looked like!
Luke was treating Bo like this for only one reason. Bo had known his father.
Bo had had a wonderful life, living with kind parents who bought him everything he needed. Clothes, food, bikes...
The beautiful blue and gold bike was the last thing Bo's father had bought for his son, before that fateful day two years ago.
The same blue and gold bike that now stood in the old shed, gathering dust. Bo barely rode it, said that he wanted to keep it in good condition because that's what his father would have wanted.
'Dumb jerk. Always rubbin' the fact that he got ta know his parents, in my face!' Luke said as he got dressed in his work clothes.
Finally he was ready for the day.
Getting up, Luke went over to Bo's bed and smacked the sheets none to gently.
"Come on Bo, time ta get up." Luke said.
When Luke's hands met only the fabric of the sheets and not human flesh, Luke pulled back the sheets to reveal only more sheets! Bo was gone!
'Must already be up with Uncle Jesse.'Luke thought as he trudged out into the hall and towards the kitchen.
Once there, Luke saw Uncle Jesse scratching his head in thought.
"Anything wrong, Uncle Jesse?" Luke asked as he took a seat at the kitchen table.
Uncle Jesse didn't answer Luke, in fact he didn't even seem to see Luke.
"Uncle Jesse!" Luke said, a little louder.
Jesse jumped slightly and turned to his oldest nephew.
"Yes, Luke?" He asked.
"I asked if somethin was wrong." Luke replied.
"Uh well yes an no. I know we stocked up on food just four days ago, and already half of the food supply is gone, plus the ole' picnic basket's missin!" Jesse said.
"Hmm, well that probably would explain things." Luke muttered.
"Explain what, Luke?" Jesse asked.
"It would explain why Bo's bed was empty when I woke up this mornin." Luke said.
"Are ya sayin that Bo ran away?" Jesse asked.
"It sure 'pears like that." Luke said.
"Why in tarnation would that boy run off!" Jesse asked angerily.
"Ya got me!" Luke said, holding up his hands, palm outward.
Luke glanced at Jesse's face and dertermined that the look on his face now could kill a buzzard!
"After all we've done fer that boy, for him ta jus' run off!" Jesse said, his voice rising.
"I agree with ya Uncle Jesse, it ain't fair." Luke said, grabbing one of the two remaining apples in the bowl that had held twelve apples the night before.
"Come on Luke, let's go and find em'." Jesse said, rising from his chair.
He reached over and took his red cap off of the peg and walked out the door to his truck, with Luke following close behind.
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A/N: Alright, I know that the Uncle Jesse in this story doesn't match the kind old man in the show, but this is sort of an AU story, because Uncle Jesse has only had either boy for only a couple of years. He's had Luke for four years and he's had Bo for only two years, so he's still learning how to care for them the way any good parent would.
Don't worry though, the good natured Uncle Jesse will show his face later on.
