Chapter 4

I open my eyes.

I'm in a dark room, but I'm not scared; there's a scent and a warmth I know very well.

I'm at Dukes'.

I'm safe now.

I try to give a deep breath, but my chest hurts.

A blanket covers me.

I have only my underpants on, and bandages wrapping my wounds.

I wonder where my bloody uniform is.

I remember Bo and Luke undressing me; I remember their voices, and Daisy and uncle's Jesse's ones. And then Doc Appleby: I remember his voices and his touch.

I close my eyes.

I feel very weak.

I slowly fall asleep, and everything is now confused in my head.

I hear voices around me; sometimes the voices are close to me, and sometimes they go away (or is it only my consciousness that comes and goes away?).

Suddenly something is squeezing me, and I don't understand who or what, but it's painful, and I moan.

Fortunately the squeeze stops, and I hear again voices around me; is Daisy crying?

Then, darkness wraps me again.

I'm sinking in the darkness, and at the end of this darkness I see the junkyard.

I try to wake up hopelessly, but I'm again in the junkyard.

I have to live through this nightmare. Again.

It's a bad day.

Boss Hogg got mad at me 'cause I arrested John McGuire, but I was only doin' my job.

So, now, John McGuire is free, and he can hurt people as he always does.

Today he almost hurt Daisy, and I don't stand it.

Sometimes I hate to be a deputy here in Hazzard: why have I to arrest innocent people and let go people like John?

Sometimes I'd like to go away (maybe go back in L.A.), but here there's Daisy, and I don't want to leave her.

Anyway, I like Hazzard.

I'm heading to the junkyard: someone called me and told me to go there 'cause of a fight.

Again. I hope it's not because of John.

When I arrive at the junkyard there's nobody.

I sigh.

A joke? Or maybe the fight stopped, and I'm late. I hope nobody got hurt.

I look around to find out what's happened, but there's nobody.

Suddenly something hurts my head, and I fall to the ground.

My head hurts, and I try to stand up, but someone kicks my chest, and I fall again.

Now I'm laying on my back, so I can see who's hitting me: it's John McGuire and his gang.

"I have a score to settle with you, Enos Strate. Do you remember?".

A trap. I'm in danger.

I try to stand up again and to clasp my gun, but someone kicks me again.

I can't breath: some ribs are broken for sure.

John's friends lift me up and they hold me, while John punches me.

When I fall down, they lift me again and John keeps on punching me: face, chest, stomach.

I can't react.

While John is hitting me, his friends are insulting me.

Finally he stops to punch me.

"Is it enough?", he's laughing.

They let me go, but I can't stand up.

John pushes me and I fall on sheets around there.

I feel sheets piercing my flesh.

I faint.

When I wake up I'm alone in the junkyard.

Then everything is confused: I don't know how I arrived at the Duke's farm.

I try to wake up hopelessly.

In my nightmares John hits me, again and again.

I can't wake up until a hand touches gently my cheek.

My breath slows down and John disappears.

I know this touch: it's Daisy's hand, and she's caressing me, calming me down.

Her voice filters in my unconsciousness.

"John is goin' to pay for it, honey"

I hear her leaving the room, and I sink again in the darkness.