Luke had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even noticed Bo talking to him. It took several small twigs and a few rocks tossed at Luke, before he snapped back into reality.
"Luke, I've been…trying to get yer…attention for the past five…minutes. Are you alright…?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine, I was just thinking is all. How are you holding up?"
"I'm still alive…so I guess that's a good…sign."
"Yeah, how long has it been snowing?" Luke asked noticing the thin layer of snow on the ground and himself.
"It's been snowing…at least twenty minutes…why do you wanna know…?"
"Just wonderin'. How's yer ankle?"
"It hurts…but only when I move it…"
"Do you think you'd be able to hold up long enough to find someplace out of the snow?"
"Yeah, I think so. Just so…long as we go slow…"
"Alright we can do that." Luke said as he stood up. Luke walked over and bent down enough to help Bo stand up. Once Bo was standing, with Luke for support, the cousins started making their way following the creek.
Meanwhile in Hazzard, Jesse hadn't heard from the boys in almost three days and he was getting well beyond worried. He knew that Bo and Luke had a knack for getting into trouble, since they've been doing it since before they were old enough to even crawl. Jesse had decided to take his mind off the matter by going outside to clean out the barn, even though it didn't really need cleaning.
Jesse was picking a few things up near Maudine's stall when a bag caught his eye. Not remembering having put it there, Jesse picked it up and was about to look in it when Daisy called him from the house. Forgetting about looking in the bag for the moment, Jesse carried it inside as he went to see what Daisy wanted. Just as Jesse was stepping on the porch, he caught sight of Rosco's patrol car coming down the drive.
"Now what in tarnation does he want?" Jesse asked himself. Daisy, who had heard a car coming up the drive, went out to see who it was. Rosco pulled his car up next to Jesse's pickup truck, and put it in park before getting out.
"What on earth do you want now Rosco?" Jesse asked.
"Jesse, I'm here to inform you that a bag full of Boss Hogg's money turned up missin' three days ago."
"Well why are you bothering us about it?"
"Well it seems that the money came up missin' right after your nephews, Bo and Luke left Boss' office after getting their travel permits. And they are the prime suspects along with you and Daisy."
"What? Prime suspects? Rosco, your hat must be on to tight. The boys didn't have no money except what they'd been saving, and you know as well as I do that they wouldn't steal."
"Well now Jesse, I'm gonna have to do a complete search of your property."
"Not without a search warrant you don't."
"Well Jesse, it just so happens that I do have a search warrant. Boss said you would probably resist, so he wrote one up." Rosco said as he got out a piece of paper.
"Let me see that." Jesse said as he took the paper from Rosco. Jesse scanned over it for a minute before handing it back to Rosco.
"You got us this time Rosco, feel free to search the farm, but I assure you, you won't find anything out of the ordinary."
"Oh, we'll just see 'bout that." Rosco said as he started to look around. Rosco noticed the familiar brown potato sack that he had left in the barn three days earlier, that was now in Jesse's hand.
"Le me see that bag." Rosco said indicating the bag in Jesse's hand.
"What, this old thing? I found it in the barn."
"Just let me see it." Rosco said as he grabbed the bag out of Jesse's hand. Rosco's eyes grew wide as he looked inside.
"Jesse, I'm gonna have to arrest ya."
"Arrest me? Fer what?"
"For this." Rosco said as he opened the bag enough for Jesse and Daisy to look inside.
"Rosco, you know as well as I do that money ain't mine. In fact I ain't never seen it in my life!" Jesse said angrily.
"Oh piddly, now put yer hands behind your back so I can cuff ya 'n stuff ya." Rosco cooed happily.
"Oh, Uncle Jesse." Daisy said clearly upset.
"Now Daisy, don't you worry none, it ain't the first time I've been in jail here, and I doubt it'll be the last. You just stay here incase them cousin's of yours call."
"Yes sir. I'll be over to visit later on"
"Alright, now you just get on back inside the house."
"Alright Uncle Jesse." Daisy said as Rosco led Jesse away to his patrol car.
Daisy then went back inside once Rosco and Jesse were out of sight.
"Oh Bo, Luke, please call soon. Uncle Jesse needs you boys home soon." Daisy cried to herself as she sat in her uncle's favorite chair.
Bo and Luke had been walking for almost three hours straight.
"L-Luke, I'm c-cold…" Bo said between chatting teeth.
"Don't worry Bo, I'm sure we'll find a place to stop real soon." Luke said. Luke could tell that Bo's fever was starting to rise more and that his breathing was worsening.
"How's yer ankle?"
"Hurts…bad…" Bo said as he tried not to fall asleep walking, or in his case hopping due to his ankle.
"Try to stay awake as long as you can, we'll find a spot to stop for the night a little further up stream, okay?" Luke said with deep concern in his voice.
"Okay…" After walking for another twenty minutes or so, Luke finally found a spot that they could take cover under. A large pine tree that had several large branches hanging down almost to the ground was seen in the near distance.
"Hey, there's someplace we can take cover under until morning." Luke said pointing a cold finger at the pine. Bo didn't feel like he had enough strength to look up, so he just slowly nodded his head before starting to drift off to sleep.
"Bo, ya gotta try to stay awake." Luke said as he gently shook Bo's shoulder. Bo opened his eyes just a crack to let Luke know that he was awake. "That's it Bo, c'mon, let's get under that tree and outta the snow." Luke had to help keep Bo on his feet as they made their way over to the tree. Once they were under the large branches covered with pineneedles and snow, Luke helped Bo get comfortable the best he could.
Once Bo was settled, Luke took off his coat and covered Bo with it in an attempt to keep him warm. Once Bo was covered as good as he could be, Luke sat next him and pulled Bo closer to him, hoping his own body heat would help his young cousin warm up as well. Bo began to shiver as his body tried to warm itself up, with the added heat from Luke's coat and body.
"T-thanks…Luke…" Bo said as he leaned his head on Luke's shoulder, soon drifting off into a light sleep.
"You're welcome Bo." Luke answered as he leaned his head back against the trunk of thelarge pine tree. Luke knew he couldn't sleep very long with Bo being as sick as he is right now, but he knew that he also had to try to get a little sleep so that he could get Bo to safety. Without realizing it, Luke soon fell into a rather deep sleep that was haunted by a nightmare.
Luke was out in the middle of nowhere. It was snowing hard and he was getting frightened. Not only for his own safety, but for the safety of his youngest cousin. Luke had been wondering around trying to find any kind of sign of Bo having been through here, but the only thing Luke saw in any direction he looked was white and more white. Luke's gaze was soon diverted to a still figure laying ahead of him.
Walking towards it, Luke soon could tell what color it was and what it appeared to be. A red down coat that Luke knew belonged to Bo. Getting a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Luke took off running towards the object lying deathly still. It seemed that no matter how hard Luke ran, or how fast he ran, he could never seem to get to his destination.
After trying for what seemed like an eternity, Luke finally managed to get free of the invisible hands that were holding him back. Luke ran over to the still form, and carefully turned it over. Luke felt a scream get caught in his throat as he looked at the face of his cousin. Luke backed away from the body of his cousin, and tripped over some unseen object, sending Luke tumbling down into complete and total darkness.
Luke awoke with a start, breathing hard and looking around trying to figure out what was real and what was not. The images of Bo laying in the snow, having froze to death, were still fresh in Luke's mind. Luke immediately looked over at Bo, expecting to see the same image like the one from his dream, butwas relieved to find Bo sleeping, his breathing having returned to almost normal.
Luke reached over and felt Bo's forehead to see if his fever had gone down any. Despite the near freezing temperatures, Bo's skin was still rather hot to the touch, whereas Luke's was icy cold. Knowing that he wouldn't be getting anymore sleep that night, Luke leaned his head back against the tree and took in a deep breath of air. Luke then slowly let the air out of his lungs as he turned his attention back to Bo.
"I gotta find a way outta this mess. Bo's life depends on it right now." Luke said aloud to himself. Luke knew that if Bo's fever kept rising instead of dropping, then Bo would be in serious trouble. Luke only hoped that he could find help as soon as possible. Luke sat listening to the gentle current of the little creek and to Bo's soft snoring, that was mixed with an occasional wheezy breath. Luke's worst fear for his cousin appeared to be coming back. Luke only prayed that his labored breathing was due to the fact that Bo was sick.
Ya gotta feel bad for the Dukes. Poor ol' Jesse ain't heard from Bo and Luke in three days and now he's been arrested. It just don't pay to get outta bed sometimes, does it?
Hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter. Pleasr R&R now to let me know what you thought of it.