In A Different Lifetime

In A Different Lifetime

    The thunder cracked, resounding over head. Wicked lightening traced across the sky and the rain poured down. A lone figure sat upon his horse and watched the town in the valley below him burn, the rain slowly putting out the fire, though it was far too late for most for everyone in the town. The figure smiled, after all he was the one that had started the fire and loved to watch his work. He couldn’t hear the screams of the townsfolk over the roll of thunder, but he knew it wasn’t safe to move any closer. He heard a rustling from behind him and turned his horse around.
     “Who’s there?”
     “How could you brother? That is our home.”
The older man laughed and slid off his horse. “Don’t go preaching to me little brother.”
     “Lukas, please.”
Lightening lit up the sky and Lukas could see the face of his younger brother, drenched in rain and shivering from the cold. His face was pale, though he was unharmed, Lukas wondered if his brother had been home when he started the fire, he actually hoped not, his younger brother was the only person in the world he cared about.
     “Don’t go telling me that you loved our home. You hated it as much as I did.”
     “That don’t mean that I go around setting fire to everything.”
     “Drop it Beau.” Lukas said.
     “Why did you have to go and burn our town down?”
     “The people down there deserve to suffer . . . especially our father.” Lukas said, thinking how their father was an abusive drunk and all the times he had hurt both of them.
     “Does that include me?” Beau asked.
Lukas narrowed his eyes. “You know I’d never hurt you.”
     “Actually I am not so sure of that.”
     “Where you home when the fire started?” Lukas asked.
Beau shook his head.
     “Well then stop complaining.” Lukas said, he loved his brother but his heart refused to allow him to show any emotion.
     “It is wrong to go around burning things to the ground.” Beau said.
     “The fire cleanse. The wicked shall be punished.” Lukas said.
Before Beau could say anything further someone came up from behind them.
     “You’ll pay for what you did.” The person said and a gunshot echoed through the air.
The bullet embedding itself into Beau’s stomach. Lukas saw the man runaway and was going to run after him, when he saw his little brother laying on the ground, blood flowing from the wound, being washed away in the rain. Lukas dropped down next to Beau.
     “Hang on little brother I’ll get you help.” Lukas said.
     “Too late . . .”
     “Just hang on you can’t die, do you hear me you can’t die.” Lukas said.
     “Sorry.” Beau said.
Lukas sighed. “It is I who am sorry. It is my fault. I wish I could make it up to you . . . perhaps some day I can.”
Beau just smiled at his brother. “I forgive you Lukas, I understand why you did all the things you did.”
Lukas felt tears in his eyes, but held them back. “I love you brother.”
Beau smiled weakly. “As I do you. Do not be sad brother, we will meet again . . . even if we don’t remember this time or place we will be together again.”
     “What do you mean?” Lukas asked, figuring it must be something that his little brother knew as his death approached.
However Beau said nothing further, his body stiffened with death and he died in Lukas’s arms.
     “NO BEAU!” Lukas screamed, holding his dead brother’s body close.
He buried his younger brother and stood by the grave. Then taking a deep breath he took out his gun and shot himself falling down dead on his brother’s grave.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%      A bright orange stock car screeched to a halt in front of the Boar’s Nest, a car well known by everyone in Hazzard County, General Lee. The car owned by cousins Bo and Luke Duke, who were just as well known as the car and loved by most everyone in Hazzard, with very few exceptions. The two cousins climbed out the car, through the windows, since the doors are welded shut. Bo, the younger of the two cousins had been driving, he brushed his blonde bangs out of his dark blue eyes. Luke climbed out of the passenger side window and walked around the car to join his younger cousin. As they walked up to the front door of the local gathering place, they saw a small sign, that had never been there before and it seemed odd that Boss allowed it be there when he received no money for it.
Aislin Quinlan — Past Life Regressionist. Free- Discover about one of your past lives, all this week. 1056 Maple Avenue.
     “That’s cool.” Bo said.
     “Don’t tell me you actually believe in that.” Luke said.
     “And why not?” Bo asked. “I think we should go.”
     “It is a waste of time.” Luke said.
     “Not like we have a lot to do anyways.” Bo said. “And besides it is free. What harm could it do?”
     “Okay fine, we’ll go after, we get us a beer or two.” Luke said.
Bo smiled, glad it had been so easy to talk Luke into going, he wonder if Luke also kind of believed in past lives. Which Luke did even though he didn’t want to admit to it, after all, many people always said with they way the Duke boys acted they must have been brothers in a past life. As they entered the bar, neither of them noticed the sign vanished as though it had only ever been there for them to see.
     Bo and Luke left the Boar’s Nest about an hour later, and headed towards Aislin’s place. They reached the home after a twenty minute drive. It was small home, set back in the woods, near a narrow stream. The woods all around the house seemed to be full of life, the leaves rustling in the soft breeze and the birds singing their merry songs.
     “You know, I don’t think I have ever seen this place before.” Bo said, as they stepped up on to the porch.
     “Me neither, guess we’ve just missed it.” Luke said.
Bo nodded. “Guess so.”
Bo knocked on the large, old oak door, which was answered by Aislin a moment later. She stood about five foot six, her waist length auburn hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. She wore a blue, silk shirt, the neckline embroidered with Celtic knotwork, and long blue skirt, that reached to her ankles and billowed in the breeze. She didn’t appear to be much older then Luke, her features looked soft and caring, and she smiled at Bo and Luke.
     “You are here for the past life regression, are you not?”
     “Yeah, we saw you sign at the Boar’s Nest.” Bo said.
Aislin smiled. “I know you did. Come in.”
Bo and Luke followed her into the house. The air was scented with jasmine and roses, candles. They walked into a large room, that was lit only by many burning candles, there was two chairs, and a long couch, that sat close to each other in the center of the room. A table sat between the chairs and the couch, and Luke noticed a deck of tarot cards and several stones laying on the table.
     “Oh by the way, I’m Bo Duke and this is my cousin Luke.”
Aislin nodded, that was something she had already known, but didn’t tell them that. “So who will be going first?”
     “Since this was all your idea, you go first.” Luke said.
     “Just lay down on the couch and get comfortable.” Aislin said.
Bo nodded and laid down on the couch, finding the was quite soft and very comfortable.
     “You can just have a seat there, Luke.” Aislin said, pointing to the furthest chair.
Luke sat down, and watched skeptically. Aislin sat down on the other chair, that was nearest to Bo.
     “Okay Bo, just relax your body and free your mind.” Aislin said.
Aislin waited for a moment, until she heard Bo’s breathing begin to slow slightly, as though he was falling asleep.
     “You will see images of your past life, remember that you are not there, and nothing that happened then can hurt you now.” Aislin said. “I am going slowly count backwards from ten, and when I reach one, you will settle into a trance upon which time you will be able to see your past life. I want you to tell us what you see.” Aislin took a deep breath and slowly released it as she began to count “10 . . . 9 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 5 . . .4 . . .3 . . .2 . . .1 . . .”
There was a moment of silence.
     “What is your name?” Aislin asked.
     “Beau Donegal.”
     “How old are you Beau?” Aislin asked.
     “I just turned five yesterday.”
     “What do you see Bo, where are you?” Aislin asked.
     “At home. It is a small home in the village of Rierdan.”
     “You don’t sound too happy to be there.” Aislin said.
     “I don’t like it here. It’s not nice.”
     “Why?” Aislin asked.
There was no response. In his past life, the small child sat in a corner of a small home, his knees drawn up tight to his chest and tears streaked in cheeks, his eyes wide and haunted. The sound of yelling and screaming from the other room filled the air. Bo’s own facial features turned to look upset.
     “What’s wrong?” Luke asked, there was concern in his voice.
     “It is just what he is seeing, what is remembering.” Aislin said, momentarily diverting her attention from Bo. “Why don’t you like it there Beau?”
     “Because our father is cruel.”
     “Our? Who else is there?” Aislin asked.
     “My brother. It is only us and our father. My brother is the only one that cares about me. He is all I have.”
     “What is your brother’s name?” Aislin asked.
     “Lukas. He’s five years old then me.”
Luke thought it seemed odd for them to have the exact same names.
     “Where is Lukas now?” Aislin asked.
     “In the other room, father is punishing him for something, I don’t really know what. Our father always punishes us a lot, Lukas says that is because he drinks so much.”
Bo’s facial features changed as the images before became different and he grew older. Aislin could sense the change.
     “How old are you now?” Aislin asked.
     “Eighteen.”
     “You seem upset what is wrong?” Aislin asked.
     “Everything is on fire, the whole town is burning. Our town is not the first several have been burned lately, and I know who is setting the fires.”
     “Who is setting the fires?” Aislin asked.
     “Lukas. It is not his fault, it is our father that drove him to it. I feel I barely know him anymore, and there is nothing I can do to help him. I don’t know if he even cares about anything anymore, I am starting to doubt that he even cares about me. I think I know where he is now, he will be watching the fire.”
There was a moment of silence as the scene with him talking to his brother played out before him. Bo’s face went pale and he gave a cry of pure pain.
     “Wake up Bo.” Aislin said, clapping her hands loudly.
Bo snapped awake, his face was still pale and his whole body was trembling. The second that Bo had cried Luke had leapt from his chair over to Bo’s side.
     “Bo, are you okay?” Luke asked.
Bo nodded slightly, breathing rapidly.
     “What happened?” Luke asked.
Bo shook his head not wanting to talk about.
     “Maybe we should just leave now.” Luke said.
     “No, I’m fine.” Bo said. “Besides you said that you’d this to.”
     “Okay fine, if that is what you want.” Luke said.
     “I’m fine Luke, really I am.” Bo said, and smiled slightly.
Bo stood up and walked over to the chair that Luke had recently occupied, and sat. He sat quietly as Aislin put Luke into the hypnotic state, the memories of his own past life, still racing through his mind, the life becoming clear, though some things were still a mystery.
     “What is your name?” Aislin asked.
     “Lukas Donegal.”
Bo’s eyes widened, everything suddenly becoming clear, he understood his own dying words, ‘Do not be sad brother, we will meet again . . . even if we don’t remember this time or place we will be together again’
     “Are you Beau’s brother?” Aislin asked.
     “Yes, he is my younger brother.”
     “How old are you Lukas?”
     “Fifteen.”
     “Are you at home?” Aislin asked.
     “Yes, somebody has to look after Beau, our father sure don’t all he does is hurt Beau. If I wasn’t here there would be nobody to protect Beau.”
     “Is that the only reason you stay?” Aislin asked.
     “Yes, and I don’t have anywhere to go if I left. If I had more money I could leave here and take Beau to somewhere that he’d be safe. I lost my job at the blacksmith shop because of my father, he found all the money I had and spent it on drinking.”
     “You care a lot about your brother, don’t you?” Aislin asked.
     “Yes, he is the only one I care about.”
Aislin glanced over at Bo, who was sitting with his head hung down and his eyes closed, he seemed to be ignoring what Luke was saying. She figured that that everything that he was finding out must be a lot to deal with. She said nothing and turned her attention back to Luke, she noticed a change in him and knew that his mind was reliving another in his life.
     “How old are you now?” Aislin asked.
     “Twenty four.”
     “What are you doing?”
     “Cleansing Rierdan, I am going to burn it, the fire shall cleanse it, the wicked shall pay.”
     “Is this the first fire you have set?” Aislin asked.
     “No. I have set others, cleanse other towns.”
     “Why?” Aislin asked.
     “Because they were all wicked.”
     “Where is your brother right now?” Aislin asked.
     “I don’t know. I hope that he is not home, I don’t wish any harm to come to him. The fire has been set, all the wicked shall pay, our father shall suffer for our pain.”
     “Where did you go to after setting the fire?” Aislin asked.
     “The bluff, it is the highest ground, I can watch the fire burn from here.”
Luke frowned, seeming upset about thing.
     “What’s wrong?” Aislin asked.
     “There is a thunderstorm, the rain is extinguishing the flames . . . but it is already too late for most everyone in Rierdan.”
Luke’s feature seemed to reflect a number of emotions. Bo sat quietly, part of him wanting to hear what Luke had to say about what happened, another part of him wanted to run out of the room, however he forced himself to stay.
     “What is happening now?” Aislin asked.
     “Beau found me, we are having a fight about the fire, he thinks I was wrong to start it, he thinks I don’t care about him.”
     “Is he right?” Aislin asked.
     “I love my brother, he is the only thing I have in this world . . . I know I should tell him that more often, but I can’t, I don’t know how to express my emotions.”
Luke’s face paled. “NO!”
    Luke snapped out the hypnotic state on his own, without Aislin bringing him back. Luke sat up and glanced at Bo, who wouldn’t even look at his older cousin. Luke’s lips moved wordlessly as he tried desperately to find the words to express what he had seen what he had felt, his past life seemed to come crashing down around, everything that had happened, everything that he had done. Luke jumped to his feet and ran out of the room leaving the house. Bo and Aislin sat alone in the room, both heard the sound of the General Lee’s engine roar to life, and the car speed away from the farm. Bo wasn’t sure of what to say to Aislin, he was starting to think this hadn’t been to good of idea.
     “I’m sorry about him taking off like that.” Bo said.
     “It’s okay, I am used to that kind of reaction out of people.” Aislin said.
Bo stood up, his mind still whirling with everything he had seen, everything he was remembering, his past life seeming just as vivid as his current life. “I have to be going, I gotta get look for Luke.”
Aislin nodded, saying nothing as she watched the young boy leave, hoping that it had truly been for the past to reveal their past life to them. She hoped that they could deal with remembering and understand why it was revealed to them.
     Luke stopped the General high atop the Black Ridge Bluff, which over looked the town of Hazzard. His thoughts were spinning rapidly, and he felt like he was trapped in some kind of bad dream that he just couldn’t wake up from. Luke sat on the hood of the General, and stared down at the town that lay spread out beneath him. He closed his eyes as memories of the past filled his mind. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%      Lukas sat by the window staring out at the rain, the continued to pour down, as it had since early that afternoon, he wondered when his father would be coming home and how drunk he would be today.
     “Lukas?”
Lukas turned to look at his younger brother Beau, who was sitting on the floor next to, playing a game with small wooden toys   “What Beau?”
     “I am bored. Why can’t I go play outside?”
     “It is raining Beau.”
     “But I like the rain.” Beau said.
     “You could catch cold, you do not want to be sick do you?”
Beau shook his head. “No. Will you play with me then?”
Lukas nodded and sat down on the floor with Beau.
     An hour later their father returned home. He was dripping wet and his clothes clung to his muscular body, and he walked with a drunken swagger.
     “Beau, get over here.” Patrick said, his voice harsh and demanding.
Beau stood up and approached his father, his fear apparent in his eyes.
     “You left this outside.” Patrick said, roughly handing Beau, his jacket, practically shoving the young boy over.
     “Sorry sir, I forget.” Beau said, his voice soft, as he tried hard not to appear as scared as he felt.
     “I swear that you so forgetful you never remember anything that I tell you to do.” Patrick said, anger rising in his. “There is only one way that you seem to remember things . . .”
Patrick raised his hand and struck Beau across the face, the eight year old boy stumbled backwards, and fell to the floor. Patrick took a stumbling step forward, and reached down to grab Beau by the collar of shirt, roughly hauling him to his feet. Patrick shook the boy as though he was nothing more then a rag doll.
     “The only way you ever remember is if I beat it into you.”
Lukas jumped to his feet and ran over to his brother’s aid. “Leave him alone.”
Lukas pounded his fist against his father’s arm, making Patrick drop Beau to the floor. Patrick turned to face Lukas and raised his hand, and backhanded Lukas across the face at the same time a crash of thunder rolled across the sky. Cold rage seemed to fill Patrick’s green eyes as he stared down at his eldest son, his anger heightened by his drunken state. He grabbed Lukas by the shirt, and drug him towards the closet. Lukas kicked and struggled trying to break free from his father’s tight grasp but his attempts were in vain. The next thing that Lukas knew he was looked in the small dark closet, and he knew that there was nothing he could do now to protect his little brother. Lukas couldn’t see anything in the darkness but he could hear his brother’s cries as their father beat him.
     The scene changed around and he was watching the fire, Patrick was dead and he knew it, killed for all the times he had tortured him and his baby brother. Everything started to move in slow motion as his brother came to where he was watching the fire, up until the time that Beau had been shot. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%      Luke took a deep breath and tried to clear the images from his mind, but it did little good. The flashback from his past life was as really as any memory of his life as Luke Duke, his past life seemed all too real and all too current to him and in ways he felt as though he was still Lukas Donegal.
    Luke was so lost in his own thoughts that he never heard Bo approach. Luke heard a twig snap, the sound coming from behind the General, Luke turned his head to see who was there, his heart beating rapidly with surprise.
    “Hey Luke, I kinda thought I would find you here.” Bo said, stepping over and standing beside the General, next to Luke.
Luke said nothing, and turned back to stare out across the town.
     “Real beautiful view from up here, ain’t it?”
     “Yeah.” Luke replied, though his voice was indifferent.
     “Why did you take off from Aislin’s like that?”
     “I don’t want to talk about it.” Luke said.
     “Whatever. Just remember Luke all that was in a different lifetime, it don’t matter now what happened back then.” Bo said.
     “Do you really believe that?” Luke asked.
     “Yeah I do.” Bo said, and thought to himself, “It is to hard to handle if I don’t.”
     “Well I don’t, and I really don’t see how you can.” Luke said.
     “You were the one who was so quick not to believe in this kind of thing in the first place, so can’t you see now that it is all just in the past?”
Luke turned and looked at Bo, avoid making eye contact with younger cousin. “I can’t forget what I saw, nor can I forget the things that I have remembered. If you can fine, but just leave me be.”
     “Fine Luke, if that is the way you want it, you can live in the past. I am not about to do that. I just want to continue with my life now, I like it a whole lot better.” Bo said, and turned and walked away from Luke.
Luke took a deep breath and slowly released it as he watched his younger cousin walk away. The last thing he had meant to do was hurt Bo, figuring that he had done enough of that in his past life too cover a hundred lifetimes.
     Bo walked along the road, so lost in his own thoughts that he did not notice the dark clouds that were gathering overhead, nor did he notice the little rain that had started to fall. The rain began to pour down in steady sheets, instantly soaking Bo’s clothes, causing them to stick against his skin. Bo sighed, thinking that it figured it had to rain, this road barely saw one car in a two hour time and it was still at least a thirty minute walk back to the farm. After about five minutes had passed, Bo heard a car approaching from behind, he turned to see who it was, hoping that he could get a ride, at least part of the way to the farm. He gave a smile of relief to see that it was the General. Luke pulled the car to a stop next to Bo, who climbed in through the window, without a single word being said, Luke continued to drive back home. Bo shook the excess water from his, sending tiny droplets of water throughout the whole car.
     “Luke?”
     “Yeah what?”
     “I think that we need to talk about . . .” Bo started to say but Luke cut him off.
     “I don’t want to talk about it.” Luke said, his voice held a touch of agitation.
     “Look, I know what happen . . . back then.” Bo said.
     “I said that I don’t want to talk about so just sit there and be quiet.” Luke said.
     “Well maybe I want to talk about.” Bo said.
Luke slammed on the brakes and the car jolted to a sudden stop, Bo had to brace his hand on the dashboard, to keep himself from being flung forward. Bo looked at Luke with wide, surprised filled eyes.
     “I said shut Bo, I don’t want to talk about it.” Luke said crossly, glaring at his younger cousin.
     “Fine.” Bo mumbled, knowing it would do no good to argue the point any further.
     They arrived home ten minutes later. Jesse and Daisy were both sitting in the front room reading when they arrived. They immediately noticed the tense silence that filled the air between Bo and Luke, though neither asked what was going on, they both knew all to well that Bo and Luke would only talk when they wanted and it did little good to ask them what the problem was.
     Bo came back out of his and Luke’s bedroom, several minutes later, wearing a dry change of clothes, and sat down on the couch. He wanted to talk to someone but he doubted that his uncle or Daisy would understand, he hoped that he could deal with it on his own, at least until Luke was ready to talk about everything that had happened. Silence seemed to fill the old farmhouse, nobody speaking a single word. Half an hour later Luke came out of the bedroom. Over the past thirty minutes Luke had seen Beau’s death what felt like a hundred times, and now found that he couldn’t face his cousin. He cursed himself from going to see Aislin and wished that he hadn’t allowed Bo to undergo past life regression either. He knew that Bo was having a rough time dealing with everything he had seen, everything he had remembered. However, he found that he was too scared to talk to Bo about what had happened, afraid that in some way the same thing would happen all over again if he so much as discussed it. Luke only stopped walking for a brief moment, telling himself that he was doing the right thing, and he left the house.
     After Luke was gone, Jesse and Daisy turned to look at Bo.
     “Did the two of you have words?” Jesse asked.
Bo shook his head. “Not really.”
     “The what is the matter with the two of you?” Daisy asked.
     “It’s kinda a long story and since I don’t have all the answers I would rather not talk about it.” Bo said.
     “Why don’t you tell us what you do know?” Daisy questioned.
     “Now Daisy, if Bo doesn’t want to talk about it that is his choice.” Jesse said.
Daisy nodded, saying nothing further. Part of Bo wanted to go after Luke, to make him part, yet deep down he knew that would do no good, and could only end up pushing Luke further away.
     Bo lay awake until the early hours of the night, listening the rain, beat steadily against the window. He wondered where Luke was and when he would come home. He blamed himself for what was happening, after all it had been entirely his idea to go see the past life regressionist. Bo eventually drifted into a restless sleep, that soon became haunted by one of the worse nightmares that he had ever had. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%      He saw his own death, as Beau, being played out before him, as though he was no more then a bystander, yet he could feel the pain of bullet that was deeply embedded in his body. His heart pounded wildly in chest in a mix of both fear and pain. He pressed his hands against where the bullet wound should be, expecting to feel the warm stickiness of blood on his fingers, he pulled his fingers back to look and there was no blood, yet the pain seemed all to real. Breathing started to become increasingly difficult, and he gasped from breath, feeling much like a fish out of water. Bo dropped to his knees, the pain that coursed through his body, causing him to tremble, he tried to yell for help, but couldn’t make a sound.
     ‘It’s just a dream.’ Bo tried to tell himself, having trouble believing his own words, thinking the pain was far too real to be only a dream.
Bo closed his eyes, squeezing them shut tightly, as a fresh wave of pain washed over his body.
     When Bo opened his eyes again he found himself back in Hazzard, not too far from the Duke farm. Everything around was ablaze with fire, the intense heat blaring down on him. Bo slowly stood up and looked around from a sign of possible escape, seeing none, he knew that he would have to try to find a way to escape the fire or he would be burned. Thick black smoke filled the air, making both seeing and breathing difficult. Bo coughed as his lungs began to fill with smoke. His eyes stung, and were watering because of the smoke, when suddenly he noticed a wavering figure standing a few feet away from him, through the wall of smoke. Bo ran towards the figure, which seemed to stay the same distant away no matter how fast he ran towards the unknown person. Bo dropped to his knees, escape seemed impossible, as did reaching whoever it was he saw in the smoke ahead of him. The figure then approached Bo, and Bo was surprised to his older cousin Luke standing in front of him.
     “Nice roaring fire, ain’t it?”
     “Actually no it is not. We have to get out of here before this fire kills the both of us.” Bo said.
     “The fire won’t kill me, the flames of my own fire can not hurt me.” Luke said.
     “You started this fire?”
Luke nodded. “Just like all those other fires, the other towns.”
     “Why?” Bo asked.
     “You already know the answer to that questioned, you have asked it before.”
     “That was in a different lifetime, NOT this life.” Bo said.
     “All life’s are one in the same, haven’t you figured that out yet?”
Bo shook his head. “This can’t be happening, this can’t be real.”
     “It is though Bo, and it is your fault it was your idea to go see Aislin, you have nobody to blame but yourself.” Luke said.
Bo could feel the flames try to over take him, and the smoke made breathing harder with second that past.
     “Please Luke you have to help me . . . please cousin . . . help before this fire kills me.” Bo said, his voice pleading.
     “Not this time.” Luke said and then promptly vanished. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%      Bo awoke with a start, sitting straight up, his whole body was covered in a cold sweat. He could feel a scream that had remained trapped in his throat, and was glad that he hadn’t actually scream, and wake Jesse and Daisy, there was no way that he could tell them about the dream. He took a deep breath and slowly released it, trying to stop his body from trembling, the images of the dream still clear in his mind. Bo got out of bed, and got dressed, then left the bedroom, to go sit outside on the porch swing.
     Luke didn’t get any more sleep then Bo had that night, he to was haunted by nightmares and memories of the past that just wouldn’t leave him alone. He felt like he had been cursed to remember, and never forget all the things he had done and how his wrongs had gotten Beau killed. Luke stared at the small campfire that lit the small cave in which he was staying. He couldn’t think of where else to go, and as children he and Bo had often camped out in the same cave. He knew that he couldn’t stay there forever and that he would have to move on, he planned on leaving Hazzard, but something kept him there. Luke figured it was best that he stay as far away from Bo as he could, he knew that upset Bo right now, but figured that Bo would get over it in time. He thought if he were near Bo the only thing he would cause him was pain and like before get him killed for something that wasn’t his fault.
     Jesse and Daisy noticed Bo’s extreme quietness that morning as he did his chores, as well as Luke’s since he wasn’t there. They thought he seemed quieter the previous day and he appeared to be more upset. After Daisy left to go to work at the Boar’s Nest, Jesse was determined to get Bo to talk about whatever it was that was wrong. They finished cleaning the breakfast dishes, and Jesse wiped his hands for on a dishtowel.
     “I think that we need to go into the other room and sit down and have us a talk.”
     “About what?” Bo asked, even though he already knew, he was just trying to evade the issue.
     “About what is going on with you and Luke.” Jesse said.
     “There is nothing to talk about Uncle Jesse.” Bo said.
     “I think there is. Luke wouldn’t take off for no reason and you wouldn’t be moping around looking like someone who had just lost their best friend.” Jesse said.
     “I don’t want to talk about it.” Bo said.
     “Why not?” Jesse questioned, determined to get Bo to talk one way or another.
     “I just don’t. Besides I don’t hardly know what is going on myself.” Bo said.
     “Can you tell me why Luke took off?” Jesse asked.
     “I can’t tell you.” Bo said.
     “Bo, I want you to go into the other room sit yourself down on that couch and tell me everything that you do know.” Jesse said, his voice firm.
Bo shook his head. “I can’t do that, at lest not right now. Please try to understand Uncle Jesse. Anything I would have to say now would only sound foolish to you.” Bo said.
     “You know that you can tell me anything. I just want to know what is going on so I can help you.” Jesse said.
     “I think this is something that both Luke and I have to work out for ourselves.”
     “Just promise me that you will come to me if it gets to be too much.” Jesse said.
Bo nodded. “I will.”
     Bo left the farm shortly after his discussion with his uncle, he borrowed Jesse’s pickup truck and drove to Aislin’s house, in hopes that she would have some of the answers that he was looking for. He parked the dingy white truck in the driveway and walked up onto the porch, knocking on the door.
     “Hello again Bo.” Aislin said.
     “Hey Aislin . . . I was just hoping that you could answer some questions for me.”
Aislin nodded. “Come inside. I will answer all your questions that I can.”
Bo followed her into the house, and to the same room were the past life regression was done.
     “Have a seat at the table.” Aislin said.
Bo sat down on the floor, beside the table, where she had motioned from him to sit. Aislin walked around the table and sat down on the other side.
     “What questions do you have?” Aislin asked.
     “I just want to know what is going on, I don’t really know, is the past life and this life all one in the same?” Bo asked.
     “Every life you live is tied together. It is always you, who you were and all that happened is carried with you on a deep unconscious level.” Aislin said.
     “Why did I remember the life that I did and same with Luke? And to be the same lifetime together?” Bo asked, not really even knowing how to ask his questions.
     “There was unresolved issues in the life you lived last, now you and Luke both have a second chance.” Aislin said.
     “A second chance to what?” Bo asked.
     “I can’t tell you that, you must find that out with time.” Aislin said.
     “How come this involves both Luke and me?” Bo asked.
     “Many times two souls come together and are never parted throughout the ages, there is a tight bond that always keeps them close.” Aislin said.
     “Until now Luke left . . . I don’t think that he plans on coming back.” Bo said.
     “I believe he will, in time.” Aislin asked.
     “How can you be so sure?” Bo asked.
Aislin said nothing, only smiled, as she picked her deck of Tarot cards. She shuffled them, and spread the cards out into a fan shape, facing Bo, preparing to do a Celtic Cross reading to answer Bo’s question.
     “Draw your first card, it will revel the heart of the matter.” Aislin said.
Bo drew his first card and handed it to Aislin, reveling that it was the wheel of fortune.
     “This card represents, Destiny. Beyond the powers of what we want or wish to be, destiny rules. Draw your second card to revel the factor for change.” Aislin said.
The second card he drew was Judgement.
     “The card of Judgement shows rebirth. Born again into this world, yet the past is not always forgotten.” Aislin said. “Draw the third card to revel the root or the cause.”
The third card Bo drew was the two of swords.
     “This card shows blocked emotions. Many do not allow other to know how they feel and keep it all inside themselves until a problem arises that can be harmful.” Aislin said. “Your fourth card will show Past Influences.”
The fourth card was the ten of wands.
     “This revels struggle in the past that kept things from being as they should both outside and in.” Aislin said. “Draw your fifth card to revel the purpose.”
The fifth card Bo drew was the eight of wands.
     “This card signifies conclusion. Drawing to end what started long ago, to set right the wrongs of the past.” Aislin said. “The sixth card you draw now will show an approaching influence.”
Bo drew the card, hanged man.
     “This shows a sacrifice for the greater good.” Aislin said. “The seventh card shows your present self.”
Bo drew the seventh card and handed it to Aislin, reveling it to be the Moon.
     “It shows that you are in a state of bewilderment. Confusion from all that has happening, not knowing what to do or where to turn.” Aislin said. “Your eighth card will show the outside environment.”
The eight card was the Tower.
     “It shows a sudden change, showing that your world around you change quickly before you cold even have time to adapt.” Aislin said. “Your ninth card will revel your hopes or your fears.”
The ninth card was three of swords.
     “It shows the fear of betrayal and the fear of being alone in this world.” Aislin said. “Draw the tenth and final card to show what the outcome may be.”
Bo drew the tenth card and looked at it, his eyes widening to see the card death. Aislin only smiled.
     “Do not fear the death card, it does not mean what many people think.” Aislin laid the card down in position. “It shows a change, an ending, a finalization of a major part of your life.”
     “I thought the card of death meant someone was going to die.” Bo said.
Aislin shook her head. “No that is a common misconception.”
Bo sat looking at the cards that were laid out on the table before him, everything Aislin had told him spun rapidly through his mind.
     “Does this help make the answer to your question any clearer?” Aislin asked.
Bo nodded. “Yeah it does. I think I understand, at least for the most part.”
     “What don’t you understand?” Aislin asked.
     “About how this is a second chance.” Bo said.
     “When you find Luke I think that answer will become more clear.” Aislin said.
     “You said about how two souls can tend to stay together for all of time, did you mean that about me and Luke?”
     “Come back again with Luke that is a question I shall answer to the both of you at the same time.” Aislin said.
     “Thank you.” Bo said. “What do you paid for all of this?”
     “Nothing. I do not do this for pay, certain things should not have a fee for performing.” Aislin said.
     “I feel I owe you something for all your help.” Bo said. “How about after all this over with you come out to the farm and have a big home cooked meal. My Uncle Jesse makes the best crawdad bisque in the world.”
     “That sounds like a fair offer to me.” Aislin said.
Bo left Aislin’s to go find Luke, not really knowing where to begin the search.
     Bo drove the old dingy white pick up truck up and down nearly every back road in Hazzard County, finding no sign of his older cousin. He was starting to lose hope of ever finding Luke again, thinking that perhaps he really had left Hazzard. Bo stopped the truck by the Hazzard Pond, and climbed out. He stood by the water’s edge and looked out across the pond. The midday sun shone down brightly, making the water sparkle and shimmer brightly, a soft breeze blew, making gently rippling waves, that lapped onto the rocks by Bo’s feet.
     ‘Where are hiding at Luke?’ Bo thought questioningly to himself, trying to think of where he hadn’t looked that Luke could possibly be at.
Bo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, going over in his mind of everywhere he had searched, and the few places that he hadn’t. Memories of both past and present surfaced in his mind. He wondered what he would do if he never found Luke, as one thing had remained the same, Luke was his best friend and the one person he counted on and trusted more then anyone else in the world. A few moments later Bo thought of one place he hadn’t searched that Luke could possible.
     ‘The old Tyirth place, that place has been abandoned for over fifteen years.” Bo thought to himself. ‘Why didn’t I think of it sooner?’
Bo walked back over to the truck, and began to make the ten minute drive over to the Tyirth place.
     As Bo neared the old home, he saw thick black smoke billowing up over the top of the trees. Bo had the gut feeling that he knew just what was on fire and who had started it. Bo pushed the accelerator to floor, pushing the old truck to go as fast as it could go. When he rounded the corner the house came into view and Bo saw that his suspicions were correct, the old abandoned home was on fire. The General was parked at the end of the lane way, and Bo pulled the truck next to a stop beside the bright orange car. He climbed out of the truck and looked around for his older cousin, not seeing Luke anywhere. Bo walked towards the burning building, as he grew closer he saw Luke standing a few hundred feet away from the home, a safe distance from the flames, and hidden from view, from the end of the lane way. Bo walked over to Luke and stood beside him.
     “Just what do you think you are doin’?” Bo asked.
     “Go away.” Luke said, his voice was firm and almost demanding.
     “Why so you can go around setting more fires?”
     “I said go away.” Luke said, spinning around and punching Bo firmly in the jaw.
Bo rocked with the blow but remained standing, he rubbed his aching jaw and looked at Luke. “I am not going away, we need to talk.”
     “I don’t want to talk to you, go away, leave me alone.” Luke said, there didn’t seem to be any emotion or remorse in his eyes.
Bo shook his head. “Ain’t gonna happen Luke. We really need to talk about everything that happened.”
     “There is nothing to talk about.” Luke said, turning back to the fire, that seemed to shine in his pale blue eyes.
     “I am not going to just leave, if I do you are going to go around setting more fires, ain’t that right?”
Luke didn’t respond, or give any indication that he had heard Bo.
     “Luke . . .” Bo said his voice trailed off for a moment, then he realized something, and wondered why he didn’t notice it sooner, it wasn’t Luke Duke he was talking to it was Lukas Donegal. “Lukas.”
Lukas turned to look at Bo. “Go away Beau.”
Bo shook his head. “You really don’t get it do you? All that is in the past.”
     “Past . . . present, what’s the difference?”
     “There is a big difference, neither of us is the same person, our lives are different now.” Bo said.
     “All seems the same to me.” Lukas said.
     “Not to me. Not spending every day getting my head beat in by our father or watching him beat on you.” Bo said. “Or watching you throw your life away.”
     “I never threw my life away.” Lukas said, his voice edged with anger.
     “Yeah right, you just turned into a little pyro.” Bo said.
Anger flashed across Lukas’s eyes. “Go away Beau.”
     “Let go of all this anger and hate. Maybe if we talk about what happened . . .” Bo said, but before he could finish his sentence Lukas cut him off.
      “Quiet Beau.” Lukas said, and lunged at Bo.
Bo didn’t have time to react and was sent falling backwards landing hard on the ground. Bo looked up at Luke with surprised eyes.
     “When I tell you to do something I expect you to do it little brother.” Lukas said.
     “Just drop this, all that was in the past. If you want to bring the past up so badly you are sounding just like our father.”
Lukas raised his hand, and backhanded Bo across the face. Bo flinched, an as instant bruise began to form on his cheek.
     “You hit just like him to.” Bo said.
Lukas raised his hand to strike his younger brother again, and stopped. He looked down at Bo, seeing the bruise forming on his cheek, the bruise he had caused. Lukas lowered his hand, he couldn’t believe that he had just attacked his younger brother, he was suppose to protect him. Lukas drew a deep shuddery breath, things had gotten too far out of control, he no longer felt that he knew who he was. Lukas stood up and began to walk away from Bo.
     Bo jumped to his feet and ran after Luke, catching right up to him, and stepped in front of him.
     “Look at me.” Bo said.
Lukas shook his head, he didn’t feel that he could face his brother.
     “Please do not shove me away. I do not wish to lose you.” Bo said.
     “How can you want to be near me after . . . after what I did?” Lukas asked.
     “Because . . . because you mean too much to me to let something like that come between us.” Bo said.
     “I am sorry.”
     “I know.” Bo said.
Lukas raised his head and looked at Bo. “I don’t understand what is going on . . .”
Bo understood what Lukas was referring to without him having to say anything further. “It is a second chance . . . call it destiny. To set the past right, because it ended so badly, it is like life’s way of making it up. Aislin explained some stuff to me but the rest she said she would explain to both of us, after we have dealt with the problem at hand.” Bo said, “She also said some things we would just know. I myself just figured out what she meant by a second chance.”
Lukas turned to look back at the fire, trying to allow everything Bo had said to sink in, it still made little sense to him.
     “Maybe we should go somewhere else to talk about this.” Bo suggested
Luke nodded. “What about the fire?”
     “It has mostly burned out from the looks of it and that old place was condemned.”
Lukas followed Bo back to the cars.
    “Let’s just take the General, we can come back for the truck later.” Bo said.
Lukas nodded saying nothing. He thought it was odd how his younger brother was the one taking control of the situation and keeping it all together, he had always seen that as his job. Bo jumped in on the driver’s side, and waited for Lukas to get in, he knew the one place that would be the best to go and talk, Black Ridge Bluff, as it was similar to the bluff where they had spent their last moments together in their past life.
     The two young men stood in silence, high a top the bluff, over looking the small town that lay below them. Neither of them seemed to know what to say.
      “I don’t really know where to begin . . .” Bo said, turning to look at Lukas. “Okay I know right now you think you are Lukas Donegal . . . does that mean you just forgot about your whole life now?”
     “Right now that life seems more real . . . everything else seems like a dream. I don’t know how to explain but it seems like a fantasy that I’d rather be living.”
     “Both are your real lives, neither is a dream. Who we were in the past and present is just all past of who we are.” Bo said.
     “Since when do you have all the answers?”
Bo shrugged. “I don’t have all the answers . . . I guess I just understand a little better about what is happening now.”
     “Then do you mind explaining it to me?”
     “I’ll do my best like I said I don’t understand all of it myself . . . and I don’t really know where to start.” Bo said.
     “You at least know more then I do . . . I don’t even know who I am.”
     “You are who you have always been. After all ‘a rose by any other name . . .’” Bo said, starting to quote, but Luke cut him off before he could finish.
     “I get the point.” Luke said.
Bo ran his fingers though his thick blonde hair, not knowing what to say, he knew they needed to discus the past but found it a hard subject to talk about, let alone think about. Luke put a hand on Bo’s shoulder, and looked at his younger cousin. “I am sorry about how I have been acting lately, I guess that doesn’t make matters any easier does it?”
     “I understand why you reacted like you did. I felt like it at times myself, but . . . one have had to be the “brains.” Bo said, speaking the last part jokingly.
Luke pulled his hand away, he knew he didn’t have to tell Bo just how sorry he was, because Bo already knew. There was a moment of tense silence before Bo spoke again.
     “I guess I should tell you about what Aislin told me when I went to talk to her. I spoke to her this morning, I figured she should have all the answers. She does . . . but she said some things we had to figure out for ourselves.” Bo said.
     “I guess that way we really do understand and don’t just smile, nod and agree.”
     “True.” Bo said.
Bo took a deep breath and told Luke everything Aislin had explained to him. He told Luke about the tarot card reading, at least as best as he could remember it, some of it seemed quite muddled and he couldn’t really remember what the cards were.
     “That does help . . . it makes a little more sense.” Luke said.
     “I think we really need to talk about . . . what happened before.” Bo said.
     “I don’t know. I really don’t think I want to talk about it.” Luke said.
     “We have to deal with it. Let all of that . . . anguish go, to move on with our lives now and start anew.” Bo said.
     “I guess.” Luke said, still sounding highly skeptical.
     “I know I don’t feel like talking about it either, but we have to.” Bo said.
     “I don’t like thinking about it, let alone talking about it.” Luke said.
Bo nodded. “But we have to.”
     “I know.”
     Dark thunderheads had begun to form on the horizon, quickly rolling across the sky, a storm loomed overhead, seeming to appeared out of nowhere.
     “I guess the first thing to say is . . . I am sorry I got you killed . . . like sorry cuts it for getting someone killed.” Luke said, finding the words didn’t come easily.
     “What happened that night wasn’t your fault.” Bo said.
     “Yes it was. You were killed as a result of my actions.” Luke said.
     “Your actions were a result of our father’s constant abuse.” Bo said.
     “You never allowed it change you, I shouldn’t have allowed it to change me.”
     “It is something that couldn’t have been avoided.” Bo said.
     “Can you honestly say you aren’t the least bit angry that I allowed his abuse to change me?” Luke asked.
Bo thought about it for a moment. “I wouldn’t call it anger. I was a little hurt. I thought perhaps it something I had done, or that you had stopped caring.”
     “I could never stop caring about you. I guess for the most part I was so lost in my own anger and problems that I didn’t stop to think of how my actions were effecting you.” Luke said.
     “I understand. I understood back then to . . . the night on the bluff.” Bo said.
     “What happened that night was my fault, I should’ve been protecting you . . . instead I got you killed.” Luke said.
     “You couldn’t have known that a gunslinger was there.” Bo said.
     “If I saw him sooner, I could’ve taken the bullet . . .” Luke started to say.
     “Then we’d be right back here. Do you think it would be any easier for me to deal with watching you die?”
     “It wouldn’t have been your fault.” Luke said.
     “Nor was it your fault.” Bo said.
     “Yes it was.”
     “Don’t argue with me. It wasn’t your fault, you didn’t pull the trigger.”
     “I may as well have . . . I caused your death.” Luke said.
The rain started to fall from the clouds overhead, light at first by growing steadier by the moment, however neither of them moved to seek shelter.
     “You have to let go of this guilt Luke. If you don’t . . . I am afraid of what will happen. I am afraid that I will lose you again.” Bo said.
     “I am the one who started the fires, that gunslinger meant to kill me.” Luke said.
     “You were driven to the point were you thought you were doing the right thing by starting those fires.” Bo said.
     “But it wasn’t.” Luke said.
     “That hardly matters now. Our lives now are all that matters. If you don’t let go of this guilt you will destroy all of that.” Bo said.
     “That is what I am best at, ain’t it? Destroying everything I care about?” Luke questioned.
Lightening forked across the sky, and the thunder rolled loudly, echoing off the rocky cliffs. Bo put his hands on Luke’s shoulder’s and looked him directly in the eyes, the two of them locking eyes.
     “It wasn’t your fault. I don’t blame you, so you can’t blame yourself.” Bo said.
     “But . . .” Luke started to argue.
     “There is not buts about it. It simply wasn’t your fault. I know you didn’t mean for it to happen, you always did all you could to protect me . . . you always have.”
The storm raged on overhead, just as it had the night their previous lives had come to and end, reminding them both of that night. Luke could still clearly see Beau’s dead in mind, and the grief and guilt still clung around his heart with and icy cold grip.
     “What happened after I died?” Bo asked.
     “What?” Luke asked.
     “After I died, what did you do?” Bo asked.
     “I don’t want to talk about that.” Luke said closing his eyes.
     “Please tell me.”
Luke shook his head and pulled away from Bo, standing a few feet away from his younger cousin.
     “I want to know.” Bo said.
     “I . . . I buried you and then I took my own life.” Luke said.
     “Why did you go and do a thing like that?” Bo asked.
     “I couldn’t carry on living any longer. I wanted that life to be over.” Luke said.
Before Bo could make any kind of response, a bolt of lightening lit up the sky, flashing so brightly it looked like day. It struck a nearby tree, with a sound that was close to gunfire. Luke’s eyes widened in horror as the tree was coming crashing down, straight towards Bo.
     “BO!” Luke screamed, and lunged forward, he wrapped his strong arm around his cousin’s waist and shoved Bo and himself out of the path of the falling tree.
Bo looked at Luke with wide eyes, his heart racing with fear.
     “You okay?” Luke asked.
Bo nodded. ‘Thanks to you, you saved my life.”
     “I couldn’t lose you again.” Luke said.
     “It wasn’t your fault before. If you could’ve saved me you would’ve.” Bo said
Luke nodded. “Just like this time.”
The two of them stood up, both soaking wet and covered in mud.
     “Thanks for saving my life, I never saw that tree coming.” Bo said.
     “You got to watch out of trees, they tend to attack people.” Luke said jokingly.
Bo smiled. “Cute.”
     “This all reminded me of what happened before . . . only with a different ending.”
     “Yeah, I guess it was all kinda the same, wasn’t it?”
Luke nodded. “It made me see you are right, it wasn’t my fault then.”
     “About time you listened to me.” Bo said.
     “Does that mean everything is fine between us?” Luke asked, the past no longer seemed important all he cared about now was that his younger cousin was okay.
     “Of course.” Bo said, and the two cousins exchanged a brotherly hug.
The storm seemed to vanish as quickly as it had came, and the sun began to peek out from behind the black clouds.
     “I guess we should get cleaned up before we go talk to Aislin.” Bo said.
     “Yeah we are quite a mess, ain’t we?”
Bo nodded. “I don’t think Uncle Jesse will be too please with us tracking all this mud into the house either.”
Luke laughed. “No doubt.”
They climbed into their car and drove towards the Duke farm.
     They arrived at the farm at short time later. Jesse looked up from reading the newspaper, and saw Bo and Luke walk into the house.
     “Don’t you boys take one more step into my clean house with them muddy boots.” Jesse said.
     “Yes sir.” The boys said at the same times, as they pulled their boots off.
     “Told you he wouldn’t like us tracking in this mud.” Bo said.
     “Why are you coming home covered in mud?” Jesse asked.
     “It’s kinda a long story.” Bo said.
     “Same story as before?” Jesse asked.
Bo nodded.
     “Well, did you two get it worked out?” Jesse asked.
     “Yes sir.” Luke said.
     “Are you going to talk about it?” Jesse said.
     “Not right now, we need to get cleaned up and go talk to someone and then the story will have it’s ending.” Bo said.
Jesse nodded, having no idea what was going on but he trusted his boys.
     An hour later Bo and Luke arrived at Aislin’s house. They told her about everything that had happened up on the bluffs, and she listened intently.
     “I am glad that you worked everything out and have moved on.” Aislin said.
     “About what you said before . . .” Bo started to say.
     “I will tell you both all about that now.” Aislin said. “Two souls can be connected so tightly that time never parts them, and the continue to meet again in every life time.”
     “Is that how it is with Bo and me?” Luke asked.
Aislin nodded. “Yes, your souls have never been parted.”
     “How long has it been?” Bo asked.
     “Since the ancient days. In your first life, you were identical twins. You were from a group of ancient Druids that no longer exists.” Aislin said.
     “Wow, so it has been like centuries.” Bo said.
Aislin nodded. “You have lived many lifetimes together throughout the ages of civilization. Living many different lives as many different people, but always together.”
     “How many lives can you tell us about?” Bo asked.
     “If we were brothers in our first life, and last life, why aren’t we now?” Luke asked.
     “You haven’t always been brothers, but you have always been the oldest Luke.” Aislin said. “You lived in the days of King Auther. Luke was actually your father in that life.”
     “Probably never listened then either.” Luke said.
Bo only smiled, but did not comment. Aislin told them of a few other lives that they had lived, always closely related.
     “It will always remain, the same, won’t it?” Bo asked.
Aislin nodded. “Yes forever and always.”
     “Guess that means I am stuck with you.” Luke said.
     “Cute.” Bo said.
     “But I can’t think of nobody else that I would rather be stuck with.” Luke said.
     “Me neither.” Bo said.
Bo and Luke got up to leave her home.
     “About that dinner I promised you, why not make it tomorrow? You can come to the farm for five, that is when we always eat.”
Aislin nodded. “Thank you.”
They said their farewells and Bo and Luke headed back towards the farm.
     After they returned home they told Jesse about everything that had happened. He was skeptical but he believed their story, knowing they would never lie. Aislin came for dinner the next night, and it would be the last time that they ever saw her, at least in that lifetime. They wondered how Aislin had known everything that she knew about them and their lives. However they didn’t lose any sleep over it, they assumed that she knew because of some higher force. There were still many questions they wanted to ask her, but over time those questions became lost and Bo and Luke thought about nothing but their current life. Their lives in Hazzard County returned to what passes for normal, at least normal to them.