1979. Bo tells you what happened in the last chapter. you probably gathered that is has to do with a goat due to the last chapters title. idontownthedukesofhazzard


I had just finished chopping my share of the wood. Luke'd done his half before dinner last night, like he was s'posed to. I was s'posed to help him, but I forgot so, he saved half for me to do this morning.

Anyhow, I'd just finished up with that. I went into the barn to get the chicken feed, when one out our baby goats ran out. I chased her around the front for a few minutes. I grabbed her once, but he slipped away. I kept on chasing her, and before I knew it, I was out in the back 40. There weren't no sign of the goat anywhere and it was starting to rain so, I decided to head on back. I must've slipped or something, 'cause I fell over and that was it: I hit my head on something, not too sure what, and then everything was black for a while.

When I woke up, I was in the ravine, the one that only fills up when it rains. I went to take a breath, and I found that my lugs were full of water. I coughed and treaded water for a while, making my way over to the edge so I could get out. It was hard to see 'cause it was still raining, but I eventually found dry land. I lugged myself outta the water. My boots were heavy with water, and so were my clothes. My hair was plastered to the back of my head and down my forehead over my eyes with blood and water. I figured the blood was from when I hit my head.

Anyhow, I walked for I dunno, 1 mile or so until I got real dizzy and I laid down for a bit. I feel asleep for I don't know how long, then I started crawling towards a big 'ol tree that I saw. It looked like a good place to take a rest. I couldn't see much, everything was blurry, it was still raining after all. After a while I could hardly breathe no more, so I stopped crawling and laid on my stomach for a while.

After a bit it stopped raining, but it was still real cold. My head hurt, my eyes hurt, I didn't know how I got where I was, and I couldn't really breathe. I tried my best to cough out the dirty water, but it weren't no use.

God please let someone come out here and find me. Even if it's Rosco. I prayed silently. Then I either passed out or fell asleep, I'm not too sure which one.

When I woke up, everything was blurry. Someone was talking to me, I couldn't place their voice though.

"Bo?" The voice whispered.

I know that voice, I know it... I thought, as I tried to place who this person was.

Then it clicked... it was Cooter. I could hardly speak, but I managed to choke out Cooter's name 'tween coughs. I tried to use my eyes to communicate, but I reckon Cooter ain't Luke, huh?

"Oh, Lordy, Bo..." Cooter sighed as he lifted my head out of the mud (finnaly... thank God) and laid it on his knees.

I turned to the side a little as more dang coughs came after me. "ya found me..." I slurred once my evil lungs allowed me to speak.

"You're dang right I found you, buddy. We weren't gonna give up until we did." He said as he put his hands on my shoulders.

"gon be... s-sick..." I warned as I coughed and turned further onto my side... yeah, then I threw up.

"Easy, easy... you're alright." Cooter tried to calm me, but I reckon I couldn't be calmed.

"he..lp..." I pleaded as I jolted fiercely into a fetal position and heaved my dang guts out even harder.

"You're gonna be alright, buddy." Cooter promised me as he started rubbing my back.

After coughing up a few gallons of water and throwing up the last of the bile in my guts, I rolled onto his back with Cooter's help and looked him in the eyes, tryin to tell him how bad I was hurtin. Then I tried to take a nice big breath, but yeah that wasn't happening. My lungs just made this weird high-pitched sound, and I didn't get much air.

"Imma get you some help." Cooter told me as as he picked me up, hauled me over to his truck, and picked up the CB.

I think he was telling Luke that he'd found me, but I was startin to fall asleep.

"You hear that, Bo? Lukes gonna come get you and we're gonna take you to Jesse and Daisy and the doc. You'll be alright." Cooter told me as he removed all my soaked clothes. Then he wrapped me up in some blankets.

I tried to speak, but no words'd come out.

"What's the matter?" Cooter asked me.

It took him a while, but he managed to figure out that I needed an inhaler by the sounds I was tryin to make. He pulled one out of his glove compartment and raised it to my mouth to helped me use it.

"cold, freezing... c-cold..." I told him once I was finished with the inhaler.

"Luke'll be here soon, you'll be alright." He told me as he sat next to me and leaned me against himself, wrapping a nice warm arm around my shoulders.

"thanks..." I coughed as he leaned into Cooter's warmth.

Soon I heard the General a'comin, an I figured it was Luke.

"Oh, God, Bo you scared 30 years offa me!" Luke proclaimed as he opened the truck door, causing me to fall into his arms. I just wrapped my arms around him.. I hadn't been so happy to see him since, well since he came back from the Marines, I reckon.

Cooter helped Luke get me into the General Lee (which was very uncomfortable), and then all three of us started the drive to docs. I was seated in between the Luke and Cooter, leaning on Luke's shoulder. Luke took one hand off the wheel and wrapped it around my shoulders, something I was very thankful for.

"He's freezing cold." I heard Luke say... well, he wasn't wrong. "I brought some blankets in case I was the one who found him, they're in the back." he told Cooter.

Within a few seconds Cooter was wrappin me up in more blankets. I leaned into Luke's shoulder... thinkin about it I probably got him all wet... oops.

"thanks, y'all..." I managed.

"I'm just glad you ain't dead." I could almost hear Luke smiling.

"better step on it or I will be..." I mumbled as I fell asleep.

...

When I woke up, Luke and Cooter was gone, replaced with a cold bed and doc ApplyBy.. and that dang smell that I hate so much: antiseptic and latex gloves.

What the hell? It was all nice and warm with Luke! Who needs the doc? I thought.

I tried to sit up to get the hell outta there, but I found that it hurt too much so, I just laid back and breathed. Oh, yeah, I could breathe now, but there was something in my nose: ah, an oxygen tube. I saw the doc lookin' down at me: he was talking, but it sounded like a different language. He was also flashing a very annoying light in my eyes. I swear he lives to annoy me.

I was still cold, way too cold, and my head hurt, along with my left side, I didn't remember how I'd hurt it, but I knew that Cooter had found me and he an' Luke had brought me here.

"How are you feeling?" I finally figured out what he was saying. I wanted to respond, but I couldn't make any words come out.

"Can you nod when I ask you questions?" He asked me, finally stoping the use of the horrible flash light.

I nodded yes.

"Good. Are you cold?"

Of course, I nodded.

"Does it hurt when you breathe?"

Like hell, I nodded.

"Can you see me?"

How do you nod sort of?

"You can't see me?"

No, you're just blurry, I shook.

"Can you see me?" He repeated.

Again, I attempted to speak, but no words would come from me. Instead, I rolled my eyes at him.

"Bo, come on, son..." Doc closed my eyes with his hands and flashed the light against my closed lids. (the dang flash light again!) "Can you see light?" He asked.

Yes. I nodded.

"When you look at me is it blurry?" He asked, removing the light.

Yes, now you've got it. I nodded.

"Does it hurt anywhere other than your lungs, left side, or head?" He asked me.

Yes, my eyes. I nodded.

"Can you point to where?" He asked.

I slowly tested my hand, and seeing that it wasn't marred, I lifted it to my eyes.

"Your eyes hurt?" He asked.

Yes. I nodded.

"Alright. You lay here and relax." He pulled another blanket over me and pulled up a chair.

"The reason you're so cold is because you have hypothermia. That's also why it's hard to see and you're shaking. You may also feel dizzy or unaware at times. I'll go get your family, alright?"

Yes, do that, and hurry. I nodded.

"Hey, Bo." Luke sat in the chair that was next to the bed. I tried to speak, but I just couldn't.

"Hey, that's alright, ya don't gotta talk." Luke told me as he took my shakin hand. "Still real cold, huh?" Luke asked as he ran a hand through my hair.

I opened his tired eyes a little wider and begged Luke to go home as best as I could without words. I think he knew I was tryna ay somethin, he just didn't know what.

"What's wrong?" He asked me.

"h-h..h..." I tried to say 'home', but I couldn't. That was all I wanted, dang it all!

"You wanna go home, don't you, cuz?" Luke lifted my head up and pulled me into a gentle hug against his chest. "We'll go home as soon as doc Appleby says you're alright to go home, I promise." Luke said as he set me back down.

"You're real tired ain't you?" Luke asked as I closed my eyes. Was I not s'posed to? Luke stood up and went to pester the doc about if I was okay or not, but I could've told him: Take me home, and I'll be just fine... make it not be so cold, and I'll be just fine.

Then I felt Daisy's fingers in my hair, and a tear drop on my arm. Poor, sweet Daisy was cryin'... I felt so bad fer makin them all worry. I opened my eyes to let her know I was okay, and she smiled softly at me. Then she kissed my cheek and started whisperin somethin in my ear, and that put me right to sleep.

I think Uncle Jesse was sittin with me fer a while, but I was asleep.

...

That night I have no idea what happened... it was miserable thats all I know. Everything hurt real bad, someone'd tied me up (that sneaky doc more than likely), and it was near impossible to breathe. Also, everything was DAMN cold! Well, at least Luke was there. The next morning, (the next COLD morning) doc proded at me fer a while, inflicting little pains everywhere he touched me. Then Luke picked me up and carried me out to Uncle Jesse's truck. I think Cooter was there too, but I was asleep for most of the long ride.

"Bo, we're home, cuz." Luke said as he gently shook me.

"Good." I mumbled, I still weren't really awake: I dozed in and out every few seconds. The world was much to cold to stay awake in.

"You need help carrying him?" Cooter asked as we all got outta the truck.

"He's my cousin, I can carry him, I've done it a million times." Luke strengthened his protective grip on me and I could feel he was looking down at me. You know how you can tell when someone is staring at you? It weren't a stare though, it was a loving look of concern, I could feel it.

"Alright, I'll get the door." I heard Cooter say before I fell asleep in Luke's arms: the perfect place to be 'side from the coldness that was everywhere.

The next time I woke up, I was at Cooter's garage I think. I don't know, it don't make much sense.

Luke was picking me up again... good, everything was cold, maybe Luke'd been warmer.

"Where we goin'?" I asked.

"No where, just relax." Luke told me.

I heard Cooter and Luke talking fer a spell, then Luke handed me to Cooter. Cooter put me in a real nice warm place, I figure it was the back of the General? I don't know.

"I think I best get on home now, Cooter, uncle Jesse'll be looking for me..." I told him. Jesse weren't gonna have no more of me bein later fer supper.

Cooter chuckled. "You are home, Bo." Why was he laughing at me? Oh well, at least it wasn't cold anymore.

"cooter, I'm colder than hell...wait, hell ain't cold..." I mumbled.

Cooter and Luke laughed at me some more as they pulled a nice warm blanket over me. Maybe I was home now? Uh oh, Uncle Jesse'd be mad, I'd better apologize:

"sorry I stayed out so late uncle Jesse...won't happen again...I'll go to bed early tomorrow..." I said. Then I fell right to sleep: I hadn't been this warm in ages.

I realize now that Luke's told me that I weren't at Cooter's garage, but at home in my bed. It's kinda funny if ya think about it.

The next time I woke up, I was in my bed. I knew that, this time. Everything was cold, not warm like it had been before, and Luke was gone. Next on the list was uncle Jesse or Daisy, so I hollered for them as loud as I could, until Daisy replied and ran into the room.

"where'd Luke and Cooter go..." I asked her.

"They went to go get Cooter's truck." Daisy knelt next to the bed. "What's the matter, sugar?"

"i'm cold, Daisy...an' I don't know...I don't know..." I didn't know how I'd gotten where I was, and everything was damn cold.

"Open your eyes, honey." Daisy directed as she took my hand.

I opened my eyes and looked around the room. Everything was kinda blurry, but I knew that Daisy was there 'cause she was talking to me.

"You okay, Bo?" Daisy asked as she turned my face towards her.

"Still cold." I replied, closing my eyes again: keepin 'em open was just too dang hard.

"Let me have one of your blankets and I'll warm it up for ya." Daisy said as she pulled a blanket from me and left the room it it. She brought it back all nice and warm and laid on on me.

"Better?" She asked.

"yeah, thanks." I mumbled.

Daisy kissed my forehead and I fell right back to sleep.

The next time I woke up, I was freezing cold AGAIN and it was raining. I was laying on the ground and I knew I had to get home so, I started crawling. There was a huge drop-off that came out of nowhere. I crawled as far as I could, then I heard someone's voice and the rain started to fade out.

"What're ya doin'?" they asked as they got closer to me.

"Gotta get home they's all lookin' for me..." I mumbled, and crawled further.

"Bo, you is home." Ah, the person was Luke? He rolled me onto my back... ow, that hurt.

"Luke?" I opened my eyes and looked around, but most everything was blurry.

"I'm right here, Bo." he assured me as he put his hands on my shoulders.

"thank God ya found me. I was gettin' cold." I slurred as I rolled over into Luke's lap.

"Come on, cuz, let's get you back in bed." Luke reached out to pick me up.

"sounds good...warm..." I mumbled as Luke picked me up and laid me down in a bed.

"Ow..." I mumbled quietly upon being laid down.

"I'm sorry, I reckon I hurt your ribs..." Luke gently ran his hand over my left side. "But, crawling around on the floor probably didn't help 'em none neither."

What was that s'posed to mean? I've been trying to get home!

"are we home yet?" I asked. I didn't know what he was talking about so, I just decided to see if we were home.

"Yeah, you're home, cuz." Luke promised as he pulled some blankets around me.

I didn't know what the heck just happened, but I was home and Luke was there so, I fell asleep. Later on, Luke explained that whole thing to me: apparently I was in bed and I fell out and crawled around on the floor for a while. I thought I was still lost, but I reckon I was just dreaming.

The next time I woke up, it wasn't so freezing cold anymore.

"How do ya feel?" Luke asked as he knelt next to my bed on the floor. He was in his sweatpants and it was just getting light outside so, I figured it was morning time.

"Better than last night or whenever that was..." I said as I scratched my head. Had I been sick?

"You got lost in the rain and ya got hypothermia. You've been resting for about a day or so." Luke explained.

"Now it all makes sense!" I replied.

"Maybe to you, but not to me. What all happened anyway?" He asked me.

I told him everything that happened on the day that I got lost and about what I thought had happened the past 48 hours. He filled me in on what really happened and forced me to take some pills... ew

After a few days of forced resting by Luke I felt much better. The goat came home on it's own when the rain started, thank God. Everyone fussed over me for about a week, then they made me go back to doc's place for a 'final look over'. Doc said I was fine (much to my relief) and my family took my leash off. I'm thankful to have them around. If it weren't for them I'd never recover from anything, I'd be right back up much too soon. I'm also grateful for such a great friend as Cooter. He hung around and helped out and gosh, he found me that day.

CHAPTER OVER, THE END, EL FIN, DONE, ZIP IT THATS ALL... ANYWAY I HOPE YA LIKED IT, I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT TO WRITE IT! :)