"Boys! Get up, I told ya yesterday that if you worked on that car through the night there'd be no slackin' off tomorro'. I want you up and out of them beds in five minutes or there'll be hell to pay!"
Luke groaned as the sharp raps echoed through the room and sat up stretching as he looked over to Bo and laughed. He was sprawled across the bed, his right arm slung across his eyes and his left dangling off the bed. His blond hair was splayed out behind his head and his gentle snoring told Luke that he was still sound asleep. Luke sighed and lifted himself from the bed, padding over and shaking Bo's shoulder.
"Hey Bo, c'mon we gotta get up or Uncle Jesse's gonna tan our hides."
Bo groaned and brushed Luke's hand off his shoulder, not opening his eyes but mumbling.
"Let me alone Luke…"
"I can't Bo we's got to get up and get the chores done if we's gonna…"
But he trailed off as he heard Bo's gentle snores resume and sighed as he realised his younger cousin had indeed fallen straight back to sleep. It had been said before that Bo could sleep through a hurricane if he really wanted to and Luke wouldn't have been surprised to find that that would be true. Frustrated he rapped Bo hard on the top of his head with his knuckles.
"Bo com…."
"AH LUKE!"
The outcry came with a sharp slap that sent Luke's hand darting away from Bo's head and was followed up by Luke crumpling onto his bed as Bo threw a pillow at him hard, catching him off balance.
"Gees Luke! Will you grow up and wake someone up properly!"
When Luke was finally able to look up after catching his breath back, Bo was standing…well wobbling more like…on his feet, clutching the top of his head and trying to make his way to the door.
"Bo…what's a matter."
"Nothin'! Everythin's fine will you leave me alone!"
And with that, Bo stalked off down the hallway and into the bathroom, taking his usual jeans and yellow shirt with him Luke flinched as he heard the door slam and took a moment to try and figure out what had just happened before getting to his feet and walking into the kitchen where he wrapped his arms round Daisy's waist and kissed her cheek.
"Mornin' good lookin'."
Daisy smiled as she felt Luke's muscled arms wrap round her and leant back into him as she cooked the breakfast.
"Well good mornin' yourself sugar. What was all that about with Bo?"
"I don't know, he just seems to be in a real foul mood. I don't think he's very well…he looked a bit shaky when he got up."
Jesse snorted gently from the living room where he was reading his morning paper. More than anything, it was most likely down to the fact that the boys had hardly gotten any sleep at all during the night…well at least Bo didn't. He heard Bo tossing and turning in his sleep all through the night, and was sorely tempted to go in and see what all the fuss was about. But in the end he just put it down to excitement and nerves about his apparent golden opportunity.
It was nice to know that he could always tell which one it was without looking at them, he had never needed to, not since they were little boys. He just always knew which one it was that came in with scraped knees as soon as he heard the screen door open. He folded his paper as Luke gave him a questioning look and headed over to the table as Daisy pried herself away from Luke's hold and set the plates in each place.
"Now Luke, he's more than likely to be worn out after bein' up all night. And that means we ain't goin' soft on him. I want you ta make sure he does all his chores, no slackin'."
"Yes sir."
After saying grace the three of them had just started to eat when Bo stumbled down the corridor looking, Luke noted, a little better than when he had woken him up nearly a good half hour before although still quite pale. He waited a couple of moments before carefully questioning him.
"Hey cousin….you alright?"
"Fine….I'm uh….goin' out to do some….some chores."
Daisy looked up at him as he passed her and shot a worried glance at Uncle Jesse and Luke. Everyone knew that Bo Duke didn't skip meals for all the tea in china unless there was some really good reason. It was Uncle Jesse that crossed that line though, knowing that in the mood Bo appeared to be in, he would snap at the very hint of a command coming from his two older cousins.
"Ain't you gonna eat somethin'? You'll need your strength…"
"No s'fine Uncle Jesse, I…can't eat anythin' right now. I'll be in the barn if you's need me."
Luke watched grimly as Bo walked out the door and slowly made his way across the yard to the barn to get started on his chores. He knew that following Bo at the moment would be pointless and probably just end with him having a split lip or a black eye. And so, he finished his breakfast with Daisy and Jesse, before joining Bo outside.
At first he couldn't see hide nor hair of his younger cousin, and so went off about doing his regular morning rounds. With a bit of luck, Bo should have finished up early and at the rate Luke was going; he would be too, which would give them more time to work on General Lee.
Now to say Luke was nervous about Bo entering the race was an understatement and a half. He knew that Bo would jump at such an opportunity without even thinking there might be something phoney or wrong about it and therefore would not even question why anyone looking to build a NASCAR team would come down south to pick out local lead foots to drive for them. It bugged Luke, and he just hoped that these men were legitimate; he couldn't stand to see his younger cousin's dreams crushed.
As he rounded the corner to go feed Maudine, the Duke's stubborn old mule, he spotted a figure slumped at the bottom of the large oak tree that stood by Maudine's stall that gave her, and apparently Bo, shade from the scorching sun. He quietly slipped the feed into the holdall that was attached to the fence, and headed over to Bo. He knelt gently in front of him, and shook his shoulder.
"Bo….c'mon Bo, Uncle Jesse said no slackin'…"
Bo groaned and opened his baby blue eyes for the second time that morning to find Luke looking worriedly at him.
"You sure you're alright cuz…you look real rough, I don't think you should even be outta bed personally…"
"I'm fine Luke….just beat from yesterday is all…"
Luke stood up and offered a hand to Bo, who gratefully accepted it as well as a shoulder as he stumbled forwards.
"Bo I really think…"
"Dang it Luke I don't need to stay in bed alright! Just need some fresh air is all!"
"Alright, Alright don't go snappin'. I's concerned about you is all Bo. Did ya get all the chores done?"
"Yep. S'what I came out to do want it?"
"Yeah I was just makin' sure. You wanna come with me to take the General for a trip to Cooter's? I think he could do with a tune up from Cooter to make him run better."
Bo was in no mood to argue, his head was pounding and his legs felt like Jelly beneath him. The fact that his stomach kept churning didn't help any either and he didn't have a clue why the world seemed to spin in front of his eyes. He nodded his head and allowed Luke to help him into the passenger window of the General, resting his head against the soft luxury of the headrest and allowing the gentle growl of the car's powerful engine to soothe him. Luke waved to Uncle Jesse and Daisy as Daisy set off for work at the Boar's Nest and Jesse set out to do the work that he needed to be doing.
Before too long the only sound that filled the air was the birds, the growl of the engine and Luke's cheerful whistling as he skidded the General round the corners of Hazzard's dirt back roads. Bo's stomach jolted and churned at every slide and every dip in the road but he didn't let on to Luke, smiling and grinning as he usually did as though he didn't have a care in the world…that was until of course the loud blare of sirens and the irritating flashing blue and red lights illuminated the interior of the car. He groaned as he turned and the patrol car with a giggling sheriff at the wheel confirmed who he thought it was.
"Dang it, can't Rosco leave us alone for just one day! One lousy day!"
"You know he can't cousin, it's like an addiction. Once you start you just cant stop."
"Well you better put the pedal to the metal cousin or he's gonna catch us."
Bo regretted saying those words long before they left his mouth as the sudden jerk of the General surging forward made his stomach leap into his throat and the horrible ache he had had in his head since Luke had woken him that morning rapidly turning into a full blown sledgehammer smashing against the inside of his skull.
Luke barley even registered that his cousin was still in the car with him as he threw the General around the roads, trying to disorientate the sheriff a little before taking the road that would lead them straight for a jump over ol' Mill Pond. Bo's stomach gave a sickening clench as he saw what Luke was preparing to do, and he quickly braced himself inside the General as the front of the car hit the makeshift dirt ramp.
Luke yelled in high spirits as the General soared through the air and the feeling of all your cares being left behind coursed through him once more. He had done this countless number of times of course but…the feeling just never got old. He grinned as the traditional jerk of the landing brought him back to reality and he slammed the brakes on to turn and watch Rosco try and make the jump…which he did….unsuccessfully. Rosco clamoured on top of the sinking patrol car, cursing and shaking his fist at Luke and Bo.
"Well, it looks like he's just fine. We can tell Cooter to come tow him out when we go see him."
He looked over to Bo and the cheery disposition he had had quickly faded. Bo was whiter than a ghost, trembling and looking like he was going to throw up any second. He hesitantly reached over and touched Bo's shoulder. think we better get to Doc Appleby…"
But Bo quickly batted his hand away and shook his head determinedly.
"No! Luke I'm fine I just…just a bit shook up is all…"
"Bo we've done that jump millions o'times 'afore…."
"Luke would ya leave it and drive!"
Luke held his hands up in surrender before placing them back on the wheel and driving the rest of the way into town, fully intent on driving him straight to the Doctor's after they'd seen Cooter. Bo would notice if he tried to take him to the Doc's that very moment, and Luke couldn't tell what he would do in that kind of mood.
He skidded the General into the space outside Cooter's Garage and called out to the mechanic as he slid out the window.
"Hey Cooter, ya here?"
Before long, a grinning greasy face appeared from underneath the hood of a car.
"Right here Buddy Roe! What y'all doin' here?"
Luke grinned and walked over to Cooter, looking under the hood, whistling softly.
"Would ya look at that? Cooter where'd ya get that engine!"
"Outta beat up ol' race car in the junk yard. Been fine tunin' it, so now it runs like a dream."
"Wow….hey Bo come look at this!"
After a couple of minutes passed without Bo's blonde curls appearing beside him, Luke pulled himself out from underneath the hood and looked over to Bo, taking a sharp intake of breath as his younger cousin leant weakly against the hood of the General
"Bo…."
That sharp intake of breath soon turned into a panic filled yell of his youngest cousin's name, as he saw the long legs buckle beneath him and he started plummeting to the ground. Luckily, Luke darted forward quick enough just in time to stop his head clipping the solid concrete.