Cold Waters
The beach was deserted being as it was only
five-thirty in the morning, the sun was just starting to break over the
distant ocean. A cold wind blew across the water and Bo shivered, as he
stood watching the waves pound against the shore. The cry of a seagull
pierced the silence of the morning, breaking Bo’s thoughts of wondering
how cold the water was. The dark blue water glistened in the early morning
light, the sight would be beautiful to behold to anyone, anyone that wasn’t
full of so much pain. The bitter poison of words said in anger still burned
in Bo’s mind, never leaving him. He wondered if his family missed him at
all, he thought Jesse and Daisy might but was sure Luke couldn’t care less.
He was sure Luke was glad that he was gone from his life, just as he said
he wanted. Dark clouds began to gather overhead, billowing across the sky.
Bo felt a few drops of rain splatter against him, but he still stood unmoving
on the beach. The rain was cold and started to come down harder and faster,
though Bo still stood as though he were a statue. Bo watched as the pounding
waves carried little pieces of sand and stone out into its vastness, washing
it away, water washed away everything, perhaps it could wash away his pain.
He felt as though he had been burned by life, his life was empty and filled
with nothing but sadness and pain. In the year since he had left Hazzard
he hadn’t trusted anyone enough to become friends with them, and he spent
his days alone, the pain blooming inside of him and his spirit fading.
Bo walked towards the water thinking of what had brought him to where he
was today.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Bo ran his fingers through his thick blonde hair
and glared at his cousin Luke with anger filled eyes.
“Well it is the truth. I am smart one, everyone
in Hazzard knows that.” Luke said.
“I ain’t stupid.” Bo said.
Luke chuckled. “Could’ve fooled me. You got less brains then a rock.”
“And you got the personality of a rattlesnake.”
Bo said.
Luke mumbled something under his breath, too low for Bo to hear, and
turned and walked away. It had been their third major fight in as many
days. They never seemed to get along any more, not since Luke had started
dating Ellie. Bo thought Luke had started to change to be more like her,
a stuck up snob, was the kindest thing he could think of calling her. Ellie
Francis had a college education and thought herself to be all that, thinking
she had everything, from looks to brains and a whole lot more. She tended
to look down her nose at Bo, and never had anything nice to say to him,
it seemed she only had nasty things to say when it came to Bo, and Luke
had started to be the same way.
“Why are you being such a jerk?” Bo asked.
Luke spun around and faced Bo. “Me a jerk? Stop acting like such a
little kid Bo.”
“I am not acting like a kid. You are the one
who has been on my case for the past three days.” Bo said.
“You are just all upset because I don’t spend
all my time with you any more.” Luke said.
Bo made a scoffing noise. “The only time you spend with me is to rag
on me telling me how stupid I am.”
Luke just shrugged. “So that is because it is the truth Bo, accept
it.”
“You use to be a decent person, then Ellie
came around . . .” Bo started to say but was cut short by Luke.
“You leave her out of this. I grew up Bo,
maybe it is about time you did the same thing.” Luke said.
“I am not the one who needs to change.” Bo
said. “You are the one who is stupid to blind to see how you’ve changed
because of Ellie.”
Luke scowled at Bo and rushed towards him. Luke punched Bo in the stomach,
before Bo had a chance to realize what was happening and react. Bo stumbled
backwards from the force of the blow, tripping and falling to the ground.
Bo’s head struck a rock on the ground, almost knocking him into unconsciousness.
Bo sat up slowly, bringing his fingers his temple. He pulled his fingers
back, seeing they were covered in a layer of sticky blood. Bo pressed his
hand to the cut, and looked up at Luke with a dazed shocked expression,
no matter how bad their fights had ever been before Luke had never hurt
him.
“Just mind your own business Bo, and stay out of
my life from now on.” Luke said.
Bo struggled to find the words to say to his older cousin. “How can
you have changed so much in just three days?”
“I finally grew up, you should do the same
thing Bo. Ellie is right, you are nothing more then an immature little
brat.” Luke said.
“And she is a stuck up snob and that is the
kindest thing I could think of calling the likes of her.” Bo said.
“Watch your mouth Bo.” Luke said.
“Or what?” Bo questioned.
“Or I’ll make you shut your mouth.” Luke said,
threatening.
Bo wondered how serious Luke’s threat was and how far his older cousin
would actually take things.
“If you get to say how you feel then I should
be able to voice my opinion.” Bo said.
“You’re opinion doesn’t matter.” Luke said
coldly.
“Like hell it don’t. Ellie has really messed
you up good Luke.” Bo said.
Luke lunged at Bo and knocked him to the ground, and clamped his hand
down tight on Bo’s throat. Bo struggled to get out of Luke’s hold but all
his attempts were in vain.
“Keep your mouth shut about her Bo. If you
ever say one more nasty thing about her I swear that I will break your
neck.” Luke said, then loosened the pressure on Bo’s throat.
Bo inhaled deeply, bringing much needed oxygen into his lungs.
“So you’d kill me over her?” Bo asked.
Luke didn’t respond he only stood up and then turned and walked away,
leaving Bo wondering what the answer to his question was. Bo sat up and
watched Luke walk away, it was the last time Bo ever saw his older cousin.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Bo pulled out of the flashback and became aware
that he had walked out into the ocean, unknowingly. The water was freezing
and he could no longer reach the bottom. The waves lapped over his head,
and he coughed as water flooded into his mouth, the salt water starting
to slowly fill his lungs and breathing was becoming difficult. He allowed
himself to sink below the water’s surface, no longer caring if he lived
or died, thinking it was something he probably should’ve done long ago.
Bo felt himself drifting into the darkness of eternal sleep, drifting towards
death. Suddenly, he felt a pair of strong arms around him, pulling his
head above the surface of the water.
“Hold on, I got you.” The voice said, a voice
that sounded so vaguely familiar but Bo was too tired to try and place
it.
He allowed himself to go limp and allow this savior, this guardian
angel to pull him to the shore, suddenly he wanted to life and was so afraid
to die. He felt his body lower against the sand, and everything went black.
Luke looked down worried at his younger cousin,
aware that Bo had stopped breathing. Luke started CPR in a desperate attempt,
to clear Bo’s lungs of the salt water, to make him breath again, to keep
him alive.
“Don’t you dare die Bo.” Luke said, fighting
to keep his emotions under control, knowing he had to keep it together
to save Bo’s life. “You can’t die on me now. Please Bo don’t die.”
After several moments Bo started to breathe again,
he took a deep breath and began to cough up the salty water that had filled
his lungs.
“Everything is fine. Your gonna be okay.”
Luke said.
Bo lay on the sand breathing deeply, he could feel sleep trying to
take over his mind and fought to hold it off. Bo sat up, his body felt
weak, but he wanted to know just who had pulled him from the grasp of the
ocean.
“Luke?” Bo questioned, his voice filled with
disbelief.
Luke smiled softly. “Yeah, it’s me.”
“But . . .” Bo said, to weak to remain in
a sitting position any longer he collapsed forward against Luke, he wondered
if he was dead and this was just a dream, if he had really drowned out
in the cold waters of the ocean.
“I’m sorry Bo. I’m so sorry. I never meant
to hurt you little cousin.” Luke said softly, holding Bo in his arms, fighting
back the tears that burned his eyes.
A couple minutes later Bo pulled away from Luke and sat just looking
at him for a moment. Luke looked older some how, as though the past year
hadn’t been very kind to him either, Bo knew the last year hadn’t been
kind to him, felt like he had aged ten years.
“What are you doing here?” Bo asked.
“I’ve been looking for you. Everyday since
the day you left.” Luke said.
“But you said . . .” Bo started.
“I know what I said and what I did. And I
hate myself for it. I never meant to hurt you, and I want you to know I
would never have killed you for saying anything about Ellie . . . I would
never want to lose you. You were right about everything and I was just
too blind to see it.” Luke said. “I know it is too late to say sorry and
that it is too late to salvage our friendship. I know things can’t go back
to the way they were but I at least had to find you . . . to let you know
I was sorry.”
“I really don’t know what to say. I don’t
know if there is even words. I guess I should thank you for pulling me
out of the ocean.” Bo said.
“You hate me, don’t you?” Luke asked.
“Hate is a very strong word cousin. I just
don’t trust you. I won’t lie what you did and what you said hurt quite
deeply and I doubt I will ever forget that pain. I trusted you and had
more faith in you then anyone . . .” Bo said, his voice trailing off.
“And I destroyed a life long friendship in
a few days.” Luke said.
Bo stared out across the ocean, part of wishing Luke hadn’t been there
to save him. He still didn’t know how Luke had found him.
“How did you find me here anyways?” Bo asked.
“Just managed to lead that panned out. I was
up on the hill when I saw you walking out into the water, and ran fast
as I could. I tried calling out to you, but I guess you didn’t hear me.”
Luke said.
Bo shook his head. “No, I didn’t. I was lost in my own thoughts.”
“Are you at least going to come home with
me? Uncle Jesse and Daisy miss you something fierce.”
Bo nodded slightly. “There is nothing for me here, at least there is
something for me in Hazzard. I have often thought of going home . . .just
never could.”
“Because of me right?” Luke said.
Bo sighed. “Yeah.”
“Bo I am sorry.” Luke said.
“You don’t have to keep saying that. It won’t
change how I feel.” Bo said
“How do you feel?” Luke asked.
“I don’t know . . . really I don’t know.”
“Are you willing to give our friendship another
chance?” Luke asked. “I mean I know things can’t be how they once was .
. . I know we can never be best friends . . .”
“I don’t know Luke . . . only time will tell.”
As they sat waiting for a plane to fly back
home, Luke’s thoughts drifted to the past, about everything that had happened.
%%%%%%%%%
Luke left right after the fight and returned shortly
before dinner. He walked into the house and entered the front room, he
could tell how upset both Daisy and Jesse looked.
“What’s wrong?” Luke asked.
“Bo left.” Jesse said.
“He what?” Luke asked disbelievingly.
“He left home.” Jesse said.
“Where’d he go?” Luke asked.
“He didn’t say.” Jesse said and handed the
letter Bo had left, to Luke.
Luke read the letter over.
Uncle Jesse,
I feel that
I have to leave the farm, it no longer seems big enough for both me and
Luke . . . or so Luke seems to feel. I don’t exactly know where I will
be going, but I do know it will be far away and that I will never be coming
home. I know this will make Luke very happy as he wants me out of his life,
I guess he gets his way once again. I will miss you and Daisy very much,
and I love you both very much. Please don’t be sad about me leaving it
is for the best, at least this way you will not have to listen to me and
Luke fight.
Love Bo
“I don’t believe that Bo would just leave.”
Luke said.
“I believe it after the way that you’ve been
treating him lately.” Daisy said, speaking up for the first time.
“I . . . I didn’t mean for him to leave the
farm.” Luke said.
“Yeah right Luke. It is all your fault he
left, you drove him away from the farm.” Daisy said.
“Daisy that is enough.” Jesse said, his voice
was soft and yet stern.
“Yes sir.” Daisy said.
“Uncle Jesse I didn’t mean for this. I didn’t
mean for Bo to leave and I didn’t really want him out of my life.” Luke
said.
Jesse sighed. “Daisy, does have a point Luke. You have not been treating
Bo to well the past couple days. And with how you have changed I almost
doubt what you are saying to be true.”
“So you think I am glad that Bo is gone?”
Luke asked.
“I don’t know Luke, you tell me.” Jesse said.
“I am not glad that he is gone.” Luke said.
He could still see the accusing look in Jesse and Daisy’s eyes and
turned to leave the farm to do some thinking.
Luke met up with Ellie a few minutes later.
“Bo left.” Luke said.
“That is the best news I’ve heard all day.” Ellie
said.
Luke frowned. “Hardly.”
“Yes it is. He was a pest and you know it.”
Ellie said.
“That maybe so but . . . it don’t mean that
I don’t care about him.” Luke said.
“He is not around now to get in the way of
our relationship.” Ellie said.
“Maybe I should be rethinking our relationship.”
Luke said.
“What so you mean by that?” Ellie asked.
“Maybe you are not the person I thought you
were, and you are more the person Bo told me you were.” Luke said.
“So now you go taking the side of the brain
dead idiot?”
“Just lay off.” Luke said.
“Everybody knows how stupid Bo is, you’ve
said it before yourself.” Ellie said.
“That may be but . . . I don’t really mean
it. Bo is not stupid he is naïve but he ain’t stupid.” Luke said.
“Yeah right, call it what you will Bo is stupid
and I am glad that is gone. Now we can move on with our relationship.”
Ellie said.
Luke sighed, he was starting to see Ellie for who she really was. “You
are right, and the next move is to break off our relationship. You are
not the person I thought you were and now I can clearly see what kind of
person you are.”
“Fine. I can do better then you anyway Luke
Duke.” Ellie said and turned and walked away.
Luke returned to the farm, he walked through the front room,
feeling Jesse and Daisy’s eyes on him, to the room that he and Bo had shared.
Luke took out a suitcase and threw it on to his bed. Jesse walked into
the room, as Luke started to pack.
“What are you doing?” Jesse asked.
“I am going to find Bo. I will bring him home.”
Luke said. “I have to find him to tell him how sorry I am . . . how wrong
I was.”
“You don’t even know where he went.” Jesse
said.
“I will search for Bo no matter how long it
takes me. I will find Bo.” Luke said.
Jesse knew there was no talking Luke out of leaving to search for Bo.
“Just be careful Luke and . . . bring Bo home.”
“Yes sir, I will.” Luke said.
%%%%%%%%%
Luke pulled out of the flashback, just at the
same time they were to board the plane. Bo and Luke sat in silence, neither
speaking a word to each other, as they didn’t know what to say. The silence
was almost more then Luke could handle, he wished that Bo would say something,
even if it was to tell him how angry he was. Bo was sitting by the window
and just sat staring out, not really wanting to look at Luke, afraid that
it would crack the wall that he had built around his emotions. The small
plane that they were flying back to Hazzard in, didn’t have very many people
on it, there was only nine other passengers, two attendants and a pilot.
About and hour later after take off, the plane was
over the Atlantic Ocean, flying from Newfoundland, when the engine began
to cough and sputter. Everyone’s face held the same panic filled look.
The plane started to plummet towards the water below. The small plane
hit the water nose first, the force of the impact snapped in two. Instantly
killing five of the nine passengers on board, as well as the pilot and
one of the attendants.
Luke looked around at the floating debris desperately
searching for any sign of his younger cousin. His heart racing with fear,
fear not only for his own safety but the life of his younger cousin, not
knowing if Bo had lived through the plane crash. After a few moments, that
felt life forever to Luke, he saw Bo floating, face up, nearby and swam
quickly over to him.
“Bo are you okay?” Luke asked, his voice filled
with concern.
Bo moaned softly and opened his eyes, and moved into an upright position,
treading water to stay a float. Bo looked at Luke.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked again.
“I’m so cold.” Bo said. “Are you okay?”
“I think so, for the most part anyways. We just
hold on until help arrives it shouldn’t be too long.” Luke said.
“I am too tired.” Bo said.
“I know I am tired to but we can’t give up.”
Luke said.
Luke found a piece of chard debris floating nearby and they clung to
opposite sides in a desperate attempt to stay a float in the freezing winter
waters of the ocean. There was silence for a few minutes, none of the other
survivors were making any noise either. The only sound that could
be heard was the waves, lapping around them.
“Luke?” Bo questioned, breaking the silence.
“Yeah what?” Luke asked.
“I forgive you . . . I guess I was more hurt
then mad. I guess it didn’t take as much time as I thought . . . but considering
how little time we may have left . . .” Bo said.
“We’re gonna get through this we’re gonna
go home.” Luke said, though he barely believed his own words
“Yeah. I’m sure you’re right . . . you usually
are.” Bo said.
“Just got to try to stay awake.” Luke said.
“Yes sir.” Bo said.
They talked for while, trying desperately
to stay awake, they sang a couple songs, but found remembering the words
to be too hard. Silence drifted back over the area, even the sound of the
waves seemed to fade, it was as though noise no longer existed.
Bo felt himself drifting in and out of sleep for
nearly the next half-hour. He became aware that Luke had fallen into a
deep sleep, a sleep that he would never wake up from. He looked at his
older cousin with tears streaking his face.
“You lied to Luke . . . we aren’t gonna get
out of this one.” Bo said, feeling the deep sleep of death creeping into
his mind. “I don’t care that you lied cousin, I’ll be seeing you in Heaven
everything will be okay there . . . things will be like they were before
. . .” Bo said, rambling on for several minutes before his thoughts turned
incoherent
The pain he had been in the past year seemed to have floated away,
as though the water had carried it all away. The coldness of the water
finally over took him and he slipped into a deep sleep, the sleep of death.
Bo’s right hand was clamped tightly around Luke’s left wrist, never wanting
to be separated from his cousin again.