On Their Own

    Bo and Luke sat quietly up in the hayloft; anymore it was the only place on the farm that they could find peace, if only for a little while at a time. Jesse had met a woman, Ellen, several months ago, two weeks ago her and he teenaged son, Bryon had moved in at the farm. Their presence at the farm seemed to shatter Bo and Luke’s world. It wasn’t just that these people had moved in, it was the way Ellen and Bryon treated them as though they were the outsiders that bothered them. Jesse seemed to spend less time at the farm with them around, he had lots of work in the field to do as well as he was still running moonshine, he felt he had more time to do so with Ellen at the farm to look after Bo and Luke. Luke was only nine and very mature and responsible for his age. Bo was seven and always had really looked up to his older cousin, over the past few weeks though he had really started to depend on Luke. Ellen wasn’t very nice to them either; Bo had once joked that she was like the wicked stepmother in Cinderella. She didn’t seem to like Bo and Luke much and often threatened to send them away from the farm to a foster home once she and Jesse were married. The thought of being sent to a foster home scared them, but not as much as the thought of being separated. After all if they went to a foster home nobody would take both of them in, after all they were only cousins, and Bryon seemed to take joy in telling them that. Bryon did very little chores on the farm, some days he did none, which meant Bo and Luke had to do everything. The spare room had been cleaned up for Bryon to have. It didn’t bother Bo and Luke that he got his own bedroom when they had to share a room, they had always shared the same room and had grown accustomed to it. Beside that they were just as glad he wasn’t in their room as he was quite mean to both them and if he was in their room that would just give him more opportunity to be mean to them. It just wasn’t all these things that shattered their lives, if it was only threats and having to do more work they might’ve been able to handle it but Ellen and Bryon seemingly hatred towards them didn’t stop there, they were also abusive to Bo and Luke. The first time that Ellen smacked Bo, Luke said he was going to tell Jesse, that was when she told, ‘He won’t care he gave me permission to punish the both of you. He claimed you both need firmer discipline. So he already knows, so don’t go say nothing to him, he has more important things to deal with then the two of you.’ Neither Bo or Luke wanted to believe that their Uncle Jesse knew how nasty she was and that she hit them, but he seemed to go along with everything that Ellen said so they soon believed that he did know. As mean as Ellen was to them Bryon was even nastier to them, most the times he was down right cruel.
     “Get down here now, or I’ll go up there and THROW you down.” Bryon said nastily.
Luke started to climb down the ladder followed by Bo. Once they reached the bottom of the ladder Bo stood slightly behind Luke, trying to stay as far away from Bryon as he could. Bryon was eighteen, and stood six feet four inches tall, he weighed about two hundred and twenty, and it wasn’t all fat most of that was muscle. Luke stood in front of Bo in a protective away, he knew he couldn’t take Bryon on and win, but would do all he could to protect Bo and keep him from being hurt. Luke always tried hard to protect Bo from Bryon and Ellen, and every time they hurt Bo, he couldn’t help but feel that he had failed and let Bo down, Bo always tried to assure him though that he wasn’t to blame at all. Luke could tell Bo didn’t blame him, he could see it Bo’s eyes, which were filled with unyielding trust, admiration and friendship. Luke was the only one that Bo trusted.
     “What do you want?” Luke asked.
     “You were suppose to clean the barn.” Bryon said.
     “We did.” Luke said.
     “Well you didn’t do a very good job, this place still looks like a mess.” Bryon said.
     “If you want it down better do it yourself.” Bo said.
Bryon glared at Bo. “Don’t you take that tone with me.”
Bryon took a step towards Bo and Luke, with a menacing look on his face. Luke stood a bit taller, refusing to show that he was afraid of what Bryon might do.
     “You are gonna clean this place up again until you get the job down right.” Bryon said.
     “No, it is as clean as it is gonna get, like Bo said if you want it done better do it YOURSELF.” Luke said.
Byron struck his hand out, backhanding Luke hard enough across the face to knock him to the ground. Bo took a step backwards, but wasn’t out of Bryon’s reach. Bryon reached forward and grabbed Bo by the scruff of the shirt and hauled him forward.
     “Get your hands off of him.” Luke said demandingly.
Bryon only laughed, as he drug Bo over to an empty dog cage. Luke’s eyes flashed with anger as he realized what Bryon’s intentions were. Luke jumped to his feet and ran towards Bryon and Bo.
     “LET HIM GO!” Luke yelled angry at Bryon, punching him in the small off his back.
Bryon turned and faced with a look of mild annoyance. He held Bo with one hand and shoved Luke to the ground, with a swat much like trying to get rid of a pesky insect. Bryon spun back around and shoved Bo, who was kicking and struggling, into the cage. Bryon slammed the door shut and closed the lock. Luke got back to his, and balled his fist punching Bryon as hard as he could in the stomach. Bryon seemed momentarily stunned by the blow and then grabbed Luke roughly by the arm. He drug Luke over to one of the stalls and tied Luke’s hand to one of the boards. He turned and tossed the key to the lock up in the hayloft.
     “Next time I tell you boys to do something you had better do it and do it quick . . . though I do love playing these games with y’all.” Byron said, he laughed and then turned and left the barn.
     “Bo, are you okay?” Luke asked, as he twisted his hands trying hard to break free from the ropes.
     “Yeah, I guess.” Bo responded sitting huddled in the cage.
Bo wasn’t too worried or scared about being in the dog cage after all Luke was there and Luke would get him out. Bo turned his head to look at Luke.
     “Are you okay?” Bo asked.
     “I’m fine.” Luke said stopping his struggles long enough to look at Bo.
Luke thought Bo’s eyes looked calmer then he felt, Bo didn’t seem to be at all worried, and Luke knew why that was, Bo trusted him to free him. Luke went back to trying desperately to escape from the ropes determined not to let Bo down, worrying about how long Bryon planned on keeping them like this, or if he ever planned on letting him go.
     About two minutes later the ropes started to wear then from being rubbed against the board and the ropes began to loosen from around Luke’s wrists, he was glad that Bryon couldn’t tie a very good knot. Finally his hands were free and he stood up. Bo smiled widely at his cousin, he knew that now that Luke was free he would let him out.
     “I just got to go and get the key, just hold on, okay Bo?”
     “Yeah.” Bo said.
Luke climbed up the hayloft ladder and began to search through the hay for the key to the lock of the cage. Luke’s heart was racing with fear that he wouldn’t be able to find the key. He started to think that maybe he’d be better off trying to find a pair of bolt cutters and cutting the lock. Suddenly he caught sight of the small silver key; he smiled and grabbed the key, clutching it tightly in his hand. Luke went the ladder quickly and carefully and ran over to the cage, he unlocked the cage and flung the door open. Bo climbed out of the cage.
     “Thanks Luke, I knew that you would get me out of there, you never let me down.” Bo said.
Luke only smiled, thinking to himself there was times that he had let Bo down, even if Bo didn’t see it that way Luke felt it was true. There were so many times that he hadn’t been able to stop Ellen or Bryon from hitting Bo. Luke wished he was bigger and stronger then he would be able to stop Ellen and Bryon from hurting Bo. Ellen would hit both of them from small insignificant reasons nothing that had to do with discipline. Luke thought of the first time she had struck Bo and all Bo had done was accidentally spill his glass of milk. Luke wished there was more he could do to protect Bo, he knew it was his responsibility to keep Bo safe, there was nobody else who would. The boys had always thought that their Uncle Jesse cared about them and wouldn’t do anything to hurt them, now though they doubted that, and often wondered why he had taken both of them in if he didn’t care.
     Luke and Bo were sitting in their bedroom when Ellen came barging in.
     “Bryon told me that you two didn’t do a good job of cleaning the barn.”
     “It is as clean as we could get it.” Luke said.
     “Well it is not good enough, get out there and clean it again.” Ellen said.
     “No.” Bo said.
Ellen narrowed her eyes at Bo and took a step towards him. Luke moved in between her and Bo determined not to allow her to strike Bo.
     “I can not wait to get rid of the two of you.” Ellen said.
     “We have more right to be here then you this is the DUKE farm and WE are DUKES.” Luke said.
Ellen smacked Luke across the face. “Don’t go mouth back to me boy, it is only a matter of time until the two of you will be shipped off. Since nobody wants you here.”
     “Then why did our Uncle Jesse take us in?” Bo asked.
     “Because he took pity on the two of your, nobody else wanted you, they knew you were nothing but trouble.” Ellen said.     “Now get out there and clean the barn before I take the strap to you.”
Luke and Bo stood up slowly and walked out of the house and headed towards the barn.
     “Is she right?” Bo asked.
     “About what?”
     “That nobody at all wants us?” Bo asked.
Luke shrugged. “She could be.”
     “Am I that much trouble that nobody would want me?” Bo asked.
     “No you are not trouble Bo, and I want you in my life.” Luke said and put his arm around Bo’s shoulders.
Bo smiled. “Thanks Luke. I want you in my life to, you are my best friend and more like a big brother then a cousin.”
Luke started to think of ways they could avoid being sent away and separated, he vowed to himself to do anything and everything to keep him and Bo together, even if it meant looking after Bo on his own for the rest of his life.
     Just before dinner Ellen allowed the boys to come out of the barn and get cleaned up. Jesse arrived home a few minutes before dinner. Jesse noticed that Bo and Luke seemed more quiet then normal and looked quite tired, he figured they must have just had a long day playing, not knowing of all the work they were always being made to do. He noticed they had been more distant lately and figured it was just taking them time to get used to there being new people living at the farm, and figured in time things would be okay as soon as they adjusted to all the changes. With being away so much he didn’t notice that they were growing more distant from everyone else, relying and each other for everything.
     That night Jesse went to tuck them in, he got to the door way he saw that Luke already had Bo tucked into bed, he shrugged it off and stepped into the room and over to Bo’s bed.
     “Would you like me to tell you a bedtime story?’ Jesse asked.
Bo shook head. “No, Luke is going to.”
Jesse noticed the book in Luke’s hand. “Are you sure?”
Bo nodded. “Yeah I don’t want to be an incon . ..inconven . . .”
     “Inconvenience.” Luke said finishing Bo’s word for him.
     “Yeah that.” Bo said.
     “You wouldn’t be.” Jesse said, wondering why Bo would think such a thing. “Are you sure you don’t want me to tell you a story?”
     “I am sure. Luke always tells me a bedtime story.” Bo said.
     “Oh, okay.” Jesse said and turned to leave the room. He loved Bo and Luke as though they were his own and couldn’t help but feel that lately he was missing out on seeing them grow up. He couldn’t remember the last time the three of them had done anything as a family, and thought perhaps in a couple weeks he could take them to the track at Atlanta, the boys had always loved to watch car races. Jesse read the rustling of the pages of the book and then heard Luke start to read.
     “Once upon a time there was a little red engine . . .”
Jesse left the room, not giving another thought to how Bo didn’t want him telling him a bedtime story.
     The next day Bo and Luke were playing outside when they noticed Bryon smoking by the barn.
     “Why does that smoke smell so funny?” Bo asked.
     “Because it is pot.” Luke said.
Bo looked puzzled. “Pot? I though a pot was what you cooked in.”
Luke chuckled slightly at Bo’s naivity. “It’s a drug.”
     “Oh. Drugs are bad.” Bo said.
Luke smiled. “Glad to know that you think that.”
Bryon saw Bo and Luke and realized they seen him smoking, he rushed over towards them. Before either Bo or Luke had time to react Bryon grabbed Bo roughly by the shoulders and hauled him off the ground.
     “Let me go.” Bo said, swinging his feet in attempt to kick Bryon.
Bryon just laughed as Bo attempts to get free. In a swift movement he swung Bo around slamming him against the barn. Bo gave a small cry of pain.
     “Don’t you dare hurt him.” Luke said threateningly.
     “What are you gonna do if I do hurt him?” Bryon asked, shaking Bo slightly slamming him against the wall of the barn.
Luke kicked Bryon in the back of the knee.
     “OW! You little brat.” Bryon cursed. He then grabbed Bo by the throat and swung at Luke with his other hand.
Luke moved out of the way just narrowly avoiding being hit by Bryon. Bo gasped slightly as Bryon’s hand tightened around his neck, restricting his breathing.
     “Let him go.” Luke said.
Bryon shook his head. “No, not yet. If you try anything again I’ll break his scrawny little neck.
Luke glared at Bryon with angry hate filled eyes, but did nothing to act upon the anger fearing the consequences for Bo if he did.
     “Why don’t you just let him go?”
     “We gotta get a few things straight first.” Bryon said.
     “Like what?” Luke asked
     “You never saw me smoking.” Bryon said.
     “Okay fine we weren’t gonna tell anyone anyways.” Luke said.
     “You’d better not if you do I’ll break BOTH your necks.” Bryon said, he could feel Bo going limp under his hand.
Bryon lifted Bo slightly from the wall and slammed against the wall again. Bo gave a soft sound of pain and then went quiet, his head lolled forward and his eyes shut.
     “Please just let him go.” Luke said.
Bryon shrugged and dropped Bo and then walked off away from the farm to find some fun. Luke rushed over and knelt down beside Bo, pulling him into his arms. Bo had passed out and his breathing was slow.
     “Please wake up Bo.” Luke said softly.
No response came, Bo didn’t even make the slightest movement and Luke began to grow frightened that Bryon had really hurt Bo bad. Luke held back the tears that watered in his eyes, knowing he had to remain strong for Bo’s sake. Luke held Bo in his arms for a couple minutes, gently rocking back and forth pleading with Bo to wake up. Finally, Bo made a soft sound and slowly opened his eyes.
     “Luke?” Bo questioned his voice soft and weak sounding.
     “I am right here Bo. You really had me worried cousin.”
     “Sorry.”
     “I am the one that is sorry I should’ve been able to stop this from happening.” Luke said.
Bo shook his head weakly and leaning against Luke, feeling secure in his arms, he still felt weak and tired but felt as long as he was in Luke’s arms he’d be safe. Luke didn’t think it was a goo idea to be sitting out by the barn like they were. He could tell Bo needed some rest but didn’t think it would be a good idea to go in the house either, Ellen had told them to stay out of the house until she told them they could come back in.
     “Do you think you can climb the ladder to the hayloft?” Luke asked.
     “I don’t know.” Bo mumbled.
     “How about you give it a try? We’d be safer up there then out here.”
     “Okay.” Bo said.
Luke helped Bo to his feet and into the barn. Bo’s legs were wobbly much like those of newborn colt. Bo took a couple steps up the ladder and would’ve fallen if Luke hadn’t been right behind him.
     “I can’t do it.” Bo said sullenly.
Luke frowned and then and idea came to him. He turned his back to Bo and knelt down.
     “Get on my back Bo, I’ll carry you up.” Luke said.
Bo did as Luke told and climbed onto his back. He wrapped his arms around Luke’s neck. Luke stood up slowly, and Bo wrapped his legs around Luke’s waist, so he wouldn’t choke Luke as he climbed the ladder. Luke slowly climbed the ladder, it was kind of hard climbing with Bo on his back, but he felt it was something he had to do to protect Bo so he did it. Bo leaned against Luke’s back trying hard to stay awake, so he wouldn’t accidentally lose his hold if he went to sleep. After a couple minutes Luke reached the top of ladder and carefully climbed into the hayloft. He turned slightly allowing Bo to slid off his back and lay down on a pile of hay. Another thought entered his mind, and he turned and pulled the ladder up laying it on the hayloft with them, that way nobody could get near them. It took Luke a minute to pull the old heavy ladder up, and when he turned to check on Bo, he saw that Bo had gone to sleep. He could see the slowly and steady rise and fall of Bo’s chest and could tell that he was breathing normally. Luke frowned noticing slight bruising on Bo’s neck and wondered if there were any bruises on Bo’s back from where Bryon had slammed him against the wall. Luke sighed vowing that somehow someday he would make Bryon pay for the pain he’d caused Bo. Luke laid down on the hay, keeping a close watchful eye on Bo, praying that he would be okay.
     Twenty minutes later Bo slowly started to wake up, he moved slightly, his back aching. Luke noticed that Bo was awake and smiled.
     “How you feeling kiddo?” Luke asked.
     “My back hurts.” Bo said as he slowly sat up, flinching at the pain in his back.
     “Let me see.” Luke said.
Bo turned so that Luke could see his back. Luke saw that there was no bruising, he figured that Bo’s muscles must just be swollen. He began to softly rub Bo’s back and he could feel Bo’s muscles relaxing.
     “Is that starting to feel any better?” Luke asked.
     “A little. Thanks.” Bo said.
     A while later Bo and Luke heard Jesse come home and call them to come inside the house. They slowly walked into the house; Luke saw fear pass over Bo’s eyes when he saw Bryon sitting at on the couch, next to his mother, their uncle siting in a chair facing the couch.
     “I’ve got some good news.” Jesse said.
Bo and Luke glanced at each other, both thinking the same thing, the only thing that would be good news was that Ellen and Bryon were leaving the farm forever.
     “What’s the good news?” Luke asked.
     “Ellen and I are getting married.” Jesse said.
Bo’s eyes widened and he shrank against Luke, Luke could feel his younger cousin trembling.
     “What?” Luke asked, trying hard to keep from screaming.
     “We are getting married at the end of next month.” Jesse said.
Bo looked at his uncle for a moment and then turned and ran from the room, to the bedroom that he and Luke shared.
     “Bo wait.” Luke called after his cousin, but Bo acted as though he didn’t hear him. Luke looked at Jesse. “I’ll go talk to him.”
Jesse nodded slightly, wondering why Bo had reacted that way to the news of him and Ellen getting married.
     Luke walked into the bedroom and saw Bo lying on his bed, face first into his pillow and crying. Luke walked over and sat on the edge of Bo’s bed, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
     “It’s okay Bo.” Luke said softly.
The only response Bo gave was a few choked sobs.
     “It’ll be okay Bo. I’m not going to let them separate us.” Luke said.
Bo sat up and faced his older cousin, not even bothering to wipe the tears from his eyes.
     “How? She said . . .”
     “I’ve got a plan.” Luke said and was just about to tell Bo about it when there was a knock on the door
    “I’ll tell you later.” Luke whispered softly. “The door’s open.” Luke said, knowing that the only one who would knock was Jesse.
Jesse opened the door and came into the room. Luke mouthed the words ‘trust me’ to Bo, Bo nodded with his eyes.
     “Are you okay Bo?” Jesse asked walking over to the end of the bed.
Bo nodded slightly. “Yeah I just . . . I’m just tired.”
Jesse looked skeptical figuring that didn’t account for how Bo reacted.
     “Are you sure that is it?” Jesse asked.
     “I don’t know I guess I just thought we wouldn’t be a family anymore after that.” Bo said, referring to him and Luke.
     “That’s not going to happen. We will always be a family.” Jesse said.
Bo smiled slightly. “Yeah I know, that’s what Luke told me.”
Jesse nodded and turned and left the room.
     “We are still going to be family . . . aren’t we?” Bo asked.
Luke smiled. “Of course. I promise you that.”
     “So what is your plan?” Bo asked.
     “The only way we can stay together is if we leave the farm, it is the only choice.” Luke said.
     “Where will go? Who will take care of us?”
     “I will take care of us. I will protect you from people like Bryon . . . I don’t know where we will go. Where do you want to go?”
Bo shrugged. “I don’t really care as long as I am with you.”
     “I promise you that we will always be together. We will leave the first chance we get. We have to start packing some things . . . but only as much as we can carry.” Luke said.
Bo nodded, completely trusting that his cousin’s plan would work, it pained to be leaving the farm, the only home he had ever known, but would do anything to stay with Luke who was his cousin, best friend and brother all in one.
     The next day Bo and Luke found themselves alone in the house and set out to put Luke’s plan into motion.
     “Hurry it up Bo, ya never know when someone is gonna come home, I want to be long gone before anyone shows up.” Luke said.
     “But I don’t know what to pack.” Bo said.
     “Just pack a few clothes and a couple of your favourite toys, we can only bring as much as we can carry.” Luke said.
Bo sighed. “Yeah, okay.”
     “We can replace other things we want later when we have enough money, right now all that matters is that we stay together, right?”
Bo nodded. “Yeah. I’ll only bring my most favourite cars.”
Luke pack what little money they had into his bag.
     “Where are we going to sleep at night?” Bo asked.
     “We’ll camp out.” Luke said. I doubt we could carry the big sleeping bags so we can just pack a couple thick blankets. We’ll have to pack some food and stuff like that, like we’ve done when we’ve camped out.”
     “Yeah but Uncle Jesse only ever let us camp out in the yard, not far from the house.” Bo said.
     “So it won’t be that different.” Luke said, noticing the nervous look in Bo’s eyes.
     “Don’t worry Bo everything will be fine.” Luke said. “I promise that I’ll take care of you.”
     “I know you will you.” Bo said his voice full of trust and blind faith in his cousin. “I’m just nervous . . . about leaving and not knowing where we’ll live.”
     “We’ll be like ancient settlers sleeping under the stars.” Luke said.
     “Could we live in a tree house?” Bo asked.
Luke shrugged. “I don’t know, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Luke packed some food and supplies into his and Bo’s packs and then the two of them left the house, setting of on their journey together in the mid day sun.
     They walked through the woods for a couple hours, staying away from all roads.
     “I’m tired.” Bo complained. “Why can’t we just hitch a ride?”
     “Because anyone around here would only take us back to the farm.” Luke said.
     “Can we rest for a while then?” Bo asked.
     “Yeah, okay.” Luke said.
They rested for a while under a large old oak tree. Then they set out walking again, and in another couple of hours they were about a half hour from Hazzard/Chickasaw border.
     “Luke I’m hungry can we stop and eat something now?” Bo asked.
     “Yeah, I’m getting quite hungry myself.” Luke said.
They sat on top of a large flat rock, in a small clearing to eat. They drank water and ate an apple and a cookie.  Bo ate his food down quickly, finishing before Luke was even half done his. Luke finished his a few minutes after Bo.
     “Okay let’s get going.” Luke said, and then noticed that Bo had fallen asleep, laying on the rock, his head propped up and his pack.
Luke smiled at how peacefully Bo was sleeping, and decided that a nap sounded like a good idea, he wasn’t use to so much walking either. Luke laid down on the rock, using his pack as a makeshift pillow and closed his eyes to get a few minutes sleep.
     Luke woke up and looked at his watch a little more then half an hour had gone by.
     “Wake up Bo.” Luke said, gently shaking his cousin by the shoulder.
Bo sat up, yawning. “Can’t we just stay here I’m too tired to keep walking.”
     “We have to get some good distance in today, the further away we get the better.” Luke said.
     “Just a little bit longer?” Bo asked, looking at Luke with pleading eyes.
     “It’s already four thirty there is only a few more hours there is only about three hours or so of light left.” Luke said.
     “But I am too tired Luke.” Bo said, yawning as though to prove his point.
     “I know you are Bo, but we have to get as far away as we can so nobody can force us to go back. You know if we go back we will be separated.” Luke said.
     “Yeah I know.” Bo said sadly.
     “Look give me your pack, I’ll carry it for while for ya.” Luke said.
Bo smiled slightly. “Thanks Luke.”
Luke slung his own pack over his back and carried Bo’s across one shoulder.
     They walked slower then they had been as they both tired and Luke felt like a mule being weighed by the two packs. The walked for about hour, Luke could feel his back starting to get sore and thought about making Bo carry his pack for a while. He glanced back at Bo, who had fallen behind; Bo was practically dragging his feet, looking as though he was going to fall to sleep, and Luke decided that they just stop for the night.
     “We’ll stop for the night before crossing over into Chickasaw. We can sleep in the old cave in Iron Mountain.”  Luke said.
Bo only nodded, glad that they were finally stopping.
    It took them about another five minutes to reach Iron Mountain and get settled into one of the many small caves there. Luke carefully started a small fire, glad that he knew how. They ate a light dinner consisting of biscuits, left over from last night’s supper, and a can of Spam, with water being the only thing they had to drink. Bo fell asleep almost the second after they had finished eat, he curled up in the blanket and drifted into a deep sleep. Luke sat with blanket around his shoulders, watching the fire and watching Bo sleep. His heart ached for his little cousin, he knew that he had to come up with a better plan, as they couldn’t just keep walking everywhere everyday.  He felt an almost parental responsibility to take care of Bo and to always protect him. Luke laid down on the cold rock floor and began to drift into a restless sleep, he wondered if he would be able to get any kind of job once they found a place to live, he doubted that anyone would want to hire a kid. Luke’s restless sleep became haunted by a nightmare.

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    Luke pulled his jean jacket a littler snugger, nine years had passed since they had left the farm in Hazzard county, and still only seemed to drift from one place to another, never settling down long enough to call anywhere home.  The apartment building had no heat, and the winter seemed to exceptionally cold. Luke watched as a large rat ran across the dirty old floor in front of him. He began to climb the stairs to the fifth floor, where he and Bo had an apartment.  The old stairs squeaked under his weight, the steps covered in many layers of grime. The building actually should’ve been condemned years ago but many people still lived there, unable to afford anywhere better, and it was slightly better then living on the street, and was only five dollars a month. There was no electricity and the water in the taps came out brown from the rust, Luke cursed himself for not being able to provide a better place for him and Bo to live. Luke opened the door to the apartment. Bo was sitting on the tattered old couch, playing a brand new guitar.
    “Where did you get that?” Luke asked, as he shut the door behind himself.
Bo shrugged, not bothering to answer Luke’s question, he just kept fiddling with the guitar, his long blonde hair, that reached past his shoulders, falling in front of his eyes.
     “You stole it didn’t you?” Luke asked.
     “Yeah. How else am I suppose to get anything?”
Luke saw a finished bottle of whiskey sitting on the table and sighed.
     “Bo, I’ve told that you shouldn’t be drinking you are only sixteen.” Luke said.
Bo stood up laying the guitar on the table. “I am sick and tired of you telling me what to do.”
     “I’m only trying to look out for you.” Luke said.
     “I don’t need you to be looking out for me, I ain’t a little kid no more.” Bo said.
     “I know that.” Luke said.
     “So just shut up and get outta my face. You are the one that ruined my life all of this is because of you.” Bo said, motioning around the room.
     “I’m sorry Bo . . . I was only trying to protect you . . . I thought as long as we were together . . .” Luke said, his sentence interrupted by Bo.
     “I DON’T need you in my life anymore. I’m leaving.” Bo said, shoving past Luke.
Luke followed Bo to the stairs. “WAIT BO! DON’T GO!” Luke yelled, but Bo acted as though he didn’t hear him. Luke watched as Bo disappeared from sight.
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     Luke sat straight up, his heart pounding, his thoughts racing, ‘is that things will turn out? Will I destroy Bo’s life?’
Bo woke up and sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The fire had mostly died, and he could only faintly see Luke.
     “What’s going on?” Bo asked, his voice sleepy.
     “I just had a bad dream.” Luke said.
     “What about?” Bo asked.
     “Just stuff.” Luke said.
     “What kinda stuff?” Bo asked.
     “You ain’t gonna stop asking until I tell you, are you?”
     “I always tell you about my bad dreams.” Bo reasoned.
     “True.” Luke said, taking a deep breath and then telling Bo about the dream.
     “That’ll never happen.” Bo said.
     “It could.” Luke said.
     “No it couldn’t. All that does matter is that we are together. Who cares how much money we got or ain’t got. Or where we live. Anything will be better then being split up and sent to Foster homes.” Bo said.
Luke smiled and laid back down. “Thanks Bo.”
     “For what?” Bo asked as he laid back down as well.
     “For listening and making the dream go away.” Luke said.
     “You always do the same for me whenever I had any bad dream. Always listened and made things better.” Bo said.
They both drifted back to sleep both falling into a deep sleep.
     Jesse had got back late that night and didn’t know that Bo and Luke were missing until morning. He knocked on the boy’s closed bedroom door, when there was no answer he opened the door, finding the room empty, the beds unslept in. Ellen was just get up, when Jesse came out of the room.
     “Do you know where Bo and Luke are?” Jesse asked.
Ellen shook her head. “No I figured they had came back I didn’t figure they’d stay gone so long.”
     “Gone where?”
     “I don’t know they took off somewhere yesterday.” Ellen said.
     “Why didn’t you tell me that?” Jesse asked.
     “I thought they would’ve came back before it got dark. I didn’t pay that close of attention. Those two boys are always getting into trouble.” Ellen said.
Jesse said nothing further and went over to the phone.
     “What are you doing?” Ellen asked.
     “I am calling the sheriff, and then I am going out and looking for Bo and Luke myself.” Jesse said.
     “I doubt that is necessary they’ll show up whenever they get hungry.” Ellen said.
Jesse said nothing and dialed the number for the Hazzard County sheriff station.
     Rosco grabbed the phone on the second ring. “This is sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, what can I do for ya?”
     “Rosco, this is Jesse Duke.”
     “Oh hi Jesse.”
     “I was wondering if you have seen Bo and Luke, seems that they have been missing since yesterday.” Jesse said.
     “Oh that’s terrible. If they’ve been missing since yesterday why’d you wait so long to call?”
     “I just found out myself.” Jesse said.
     “Oh. Well don’t you worry none Jesse I’ll find in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”
     “Thank you Rosco.” Jesse said and hung up the phone.
Jesse went outside and climbed into his white pick up truck and left to try to find Bo and Luke.
     Bo and Luke walked out of the small cave, into the bright morning sun, there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky and a soft breeze blew.
     “We ain’t gonna have to do as much walking today, are we?” Bo asked.
     “We have to get some good distance in, the further away we get the better.” Luke said.
     “I don’t want to do as much walking today as we did yesterday.” Bo complained.
     “Okay fine cousin you win. We won’t do as much walking today.” Luke said.
Bo smiled wide. “Good. Thanks Luke.”
     Bo and Luke walked for a couple hours, reaching Black Rock Lake, so named for the black rocks that lined the banks of the lake.
     “Can we stop here for a while?” Bo asked.
Luke nodded and Bo ran towards the lake.
     “Don’t run you could fall into the water or something.” Luke said.
Bo stopped running and turned to wait for Luke to catch up.
     “Can I go swimming?” Bo asked.
     “No, you’d get all wet and we don’t have that many changes of clothes.” Luke said.
Bo pouted. “But it’s hot and my feet are sore.”
     “So take you boots off and roll up your jeans and only go in a little ways.” Luke said.
     “Okay.” Bo said, sitting down on the rocks and pulling off his boots.
Bo rolled his jeans half way up to his knees. Luke sat on the rocks carefully watching his younger cousin. He took his own boots off and dabbled them in the cool water of the lake.
     “Don’t go out to far.” Luke said.
     “I won’t.” Bo said, not even glancing back at Luke as he continued to walk out into the lake.
     “Bo that is far enough. The bottom could drop off, get back closer to here now.” Luke said.
Bo turned around and walked back towards Luke. “You sound just like an adult.”
Luke only shrugged knowing that he had to protect Bo even if that meant giving up his own childhood, knowing that one of them had to mature and act like and adult and since he was the oldest he felt as though it was his job. Bo and Luke ate a light lunch by the lake then set off walking again.
     Rosco and Jesse spent the whole day searching all of Hazzard, looking in all the caves and anywhere that they could be hiding. Jesse stood with Rosco in the Sheriff’s office.
     “I don’t know where else they could be Jesse.” Rosco said. “Do you have any idea why they’d just run off like this?”
Jesse shook his head. “No.  I have no idea why they ran off or where they went to.”
     “I’ll put out a missing child report for Bo and Luke and maybe someone in another county will have spotted them.” Rosco said.
     “Thank you Rosco.” Jesse said.
     “Don’t you worry none Jesse, we’ll find him.”
Jesse only nodded and went back to the farm.
The house was silence with Ellen and Bryon gone off visiting some of her kin and with Bo and Luke having run off. Jesse sat in the boy’s bedroom, the emptiness weighing heavy on his heart. He couldn’t believe that Bo and Luke had run off, he loved the boys as though they were his own and wondered what drove them to run away, he thought perhaps he hadn’t been spending enough time with them lately. He didn’t bother to turn on a light when dusk began to settle and sat in the quiet room ignoring the encroaching darkness.
    Bo and Luke found a small cave to sleep in for the night. They were just about to walk in when at least ten bats flew out of the cave. Both boys screamed in surprise and bent down low to the ground covering their heads. Once the bats had passed over them Luke rushed over to Bo.
    “Are you okay?” Luke asked.
Bo nodded, finally standing up. “Just scared is all.”
     “Let’s get inside.” Luke said.
     “I hope there is nothing else living in there.” Bo said, weary of going into the cave.
     “Don’t worry, if there is I’ll take care of it.” Luke said.
Bo managed a small smile and followed Luke into the cave, gratefully to find that nothing else was living in the cave. Luke made a small fire, both for warmth and to scare away any wildlife. After eating a small dinner, they curled up to get some sleep, about thirty minutes later Bo spoke up.
     “Luke, I can’t sleep.”
     “Try counting sheep.” Luke said.
     “That never works, it is silly, I mean what sheep am I suppose to count?”
     “I don’t know, it is just something people say to do when you can’t sleep.” Luke said.
     “Could you tell me a story?” Bo asked.
     “I guess. What kind of story do you want to hear?”
     “I don’t care . . . though nothing too scary.” Bo said.
Luke smiled knowing just what Bo meant by that it was scary enough being out alone at dark in a strange place.
     “Once upon a time  . . .”
Luke told Bo a story off the top of his head fore nearly ten minutes before he heard Bo’s breathing had became slow and steady, which he knew meant Bo was asleep. Luke smiled and curled up and went to sleep himself.
     By mid-afternoon the next day Bo and Luke had reached Capitol City, having no back roads to travel they had to walk through the city. A few people curiously glanced at them though nobody stopped to talk to them, most people completely ignored them as though they didn’t even see Bo and Luke. Bo stopped walking and stared in through the window of a small café, his stomach growling.
     “Can we get something to eat here?” Bo asked.
     “We don’t have that much money.” Luke said.
     “Yeah but I am so hungry.” Bo said.
Luke sighed, not able to say no to Bo any longer. “Okay, we can get something that doesn’t cost too much.”
     “Thanks Luke.” Bo said, rushing inside ahead of Luke.
Luke just smiled and followed Bo inside.
     They sat down at a small booth, and a waitress came over with two menus. Luke thought she was going to comment about them being there alone and being so young, though she said nothing. Bo and Luke the menu over for couple minutes.
     “Can I get this?” Bo said pointing out what he wanted to Luke, pointing to a hamburger combo that cost two-fifty.
Luke looked at the price and thought about it for a moment. “That wouldn’t leave us with very much. How about just a hamburger?”
Bo sighed then nodded. “Okay, I guess that’s better then nothing.”
The waitress came back over a moment later.
     “What can I get for you?” She asked.
     “Two hamburgers.” Luke said.
     “Everything on ‘em?”
     “No onions.” Bo said.
     “Everything on mine.” Luke said.
     “Do you want anything else?”
Luke shook his head. “No that’s it.”
She left to take the order to the kitchen, and came back giving Bo and Luke each a tall glass of ice water. It took five minutes for their hamburgers to come and Luke had to admit that having warm food tasted good, since it had been a couple days since they had a real meal, and Luke found he was hungrier then he realized. It didn’t take them very long to finish eating. Luke paid the bill that was three dollars and then they left walking down along the sidewalk.
     “Where are we gonna stay tonight?” Bo asked.
     “I don’t know. I think we’d best get out of town before thinking of stopping for the night, there ain’t nowhere to stay around here.” Luke said.
     After ten minutes of walking they came to a bad area in the city. The buildings were all run down, and the walls spray painted. Luke noticed people sleeping in cardboard boxes in the allies, or pushing shopping charts full of faded and broken memories and wonder worriedly if he and Bo would end up like that. Luke made a silent vow to provide Bo with a better life then the lives of those people they saw all around them.  A tall lean man with stringy black hair, that reached well past his shoulders walked over to Bo and Luke.
     “Hey there little boys. I have some stuff you’d like to try, make everything all better.”
     “No thanks.” Luke said, walking a little faster.
     “Aw, c’mon  it’s just candy.” He man said, extending his hand towards them showing them tiny pink and blue pills that were shaped to look like cartoon characters.
Luke saw the temptation in Bo’s eyes, he knew that Bo didn’t realize it was actually drugs.
     “We ain’t interested.” Luke said, grabbing Bo by the hand and leading him away from the man at almost a run.
     “We couldn’t we have some?” Bo asked.
     “It wasn’t candy Bo, it was drugs.” Luke said.
     “Oh.” Bo said.
Luke stopped leading Bo along and they walked along in silence for several minutes. Bo stayed close to Luke, fearing the people he saw around them and the misshape the buildings were in. The distant sounds of police sirens seemed to constantly fill the air. After fifteen minutes of walking they left the bad area and were once again walking along normal city streets. They stopped at a light and waited for the signal to cross. Bo started across the street once the light changed, Luke was close behind him. Luke heard the squeal of tires and look ahead at Bo, in time to see a car barreling around the corner heading right towards Bo.
     “BO!” Luke yelled.
Bo turned in what looked like slow motion to face his cousin, at the same moment the speeding black car struck him. He car hit Bo with such force it sent him flying several feet. Bo lay on the ground unmoving. The black car stopped, the driver took on look at Bo and sped away. Luke ran over to Bo and filled with fear when he saw the blood pooling around Bo on the pavement. Luke was about to yell for help when a man and a woman that were in a store on the corner, who saw the accident came running over. Luke looked up at the, his eyes pleading for them to help Bo.
     “It’s okay an ambulance is on the way.” The woman said.
Luke watched with wide terrified eyes as the man rolled Bo over onto his back. Luke trembled with worry when he saw the smear of blood on the side Bo’s forehead, Bo’s whole body looked limp and lifeless to Luke.
     “Bo please wake up, you gotta be okay please.” Luke begged.
Bo remained still and unresponsive, the police and ambulance arrived within moments. The police took statements and set out to find the hit and run driver. Luke climbed into the back of the ambulance as Bo was taken to the hospital. One of the police man recognized Bo and Luke as missing children and called in his findings.
     Rosco called the duke farm the moment he hung up the phone, having been called by the Capitol City police that Bo and Luke had been found, though Bo had been hurt. Jesse grabbed the phone on the second ring.
     “Duke farm, Jesse speaking.”
     “This is Rosco. I just got a call from the Capitol City police, they found Bo and Luke.”
Jesse’s heart swelled with joy. “Where are they?”
     “At Capitol City hospital. Bo was hit by a hit and run driver.” Rosco said.
     “Is he okay?” Jesse asked his voice fraught with worry.
     “There is no word on is condition.” Rosco said.
     “I’m going over there right now.” Jesse said.
Jesse went and got into his truck and speed towards Capitol City.
     Luke sat alone in the waiting room, praying for Bo to be okay, every minute that passed felt like an hour. Thirty minutes later a doctor walked over to Luke.
     “How’s Bo?” Luke asked, bracing himself for the worst answer, praying for the best.
     “He’s a lucky Bo. Only a few cuts requiring stitches and a couple broken bones. No extensive damage was done.” Dr. Keluddy said.
     “So he’ll be okay?” Luke said.
Dr. Keluddy nodded. “He is in room four, he is awake and asking for you.”
     “Thank you VERY much doctor.” Luke said and ran out of the waiting room to see Bo.
Luke burst in Bo’s hospital room. Bo smiled when he saw him.
     “How you feeling Bo?” Luke asked.
     “Better now that you’re here.” Bo said.
Luke sat down on the edge of Bo’s bed. Bo’s left arm was in a cast and his head was bandage, his hospital shirt was open and he could see tight bandaging around Bo’s ribs.
     “I’m glad you are okay . . . I was so worried that I had lost you.” Luke said.
Bo smiled. “The doctor said that I was lucky.”
     “That you are.” Luke said.
     “How long can we stay here?” Bo asked.
     “Until you are well enough to travel.” Luke said.
     “What if they call . . . and tell someone that we are here?” Bo asked.
     “I don’t know. We can’t go until you are well enough to travel. I ain’t taking no chances.” Luke said.
Bo went to say something further when the door opened and Jesse walked in. Bo’s eyes widened when he saw his uncle and he shrank against Luke. Luke jumped to his feet and stood between Bo and Jesse.
     “If you are gonna punish someone punish me, it was my idea.” Luke said, bracing himself for the hit he felt was coming.
     “I am not angry Luke. I want to know why you ran off.” Jesse said.
     “So we won’t be separated.” Luke said.
     “Why would you be separated?”
     “Cause when you and Ellen get married you’ll ship us off to a Foster Home and nobody will take both of us.” Bo said.
     “What gave you that idea?” Jesse asked.
     “Ellen said it was so.” Luke said. “I am not going to allow that happen.”
     “That’s not about to happen.” Jesse said, he walked over and placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder.
Luke flinched and pulled away. Jesse looked at him with questioning eyes.
     “What’s wrong?” Jesse asked.
     “Please don’t hurt him.” Bo said.
     “What? I am not going to do anything to hurt him or you, why would you think that?”
     “Because it is what you call discipline.” Luke said.
     “That is ridiculous. Where would you get a crazy idea like that?”
     “Because Ellen said so. She and Bryon always disciplined us for everything and made us do all the work. She said you knew.” Luke said.
Jesse stared at his nephews with disbelief. His thoughts interrupted by Dr. Keluddy who walked into the room.
     “May I speak to you Mr. Duke?”
Jesse nodded and followed the doctor out of the room.
Bo looked at Luke with terrified eyes. “What do we do now?”
     “I don’t know Bo, I really don’t know. You are in no condition to keep running. We just have to wait and see what happens.”
     Dr. Keluddy led Jesse to his office. Dr. Keluddy looked at Jesse frowning, his mind already made up about the older man, many on he mark he found on Bo were older marks, not caused by the accident.
     “Bo is a very lucky boy, he could’ve have been killed. Thankfully his injuries where only minor.” Dr. Keluddy said.
     “That is what the nurse told me. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”
     “What concerns me is the bruises I found on Bo’s body.” Dr. Keluddy said.
     “What bruises?” Jesse asked.
Dr. Keluddy only frowned staring at Jesse with cold green eyes. “He had many bruises on his back as well as welts. Injures not caused by the accident. I am sure if I checked out Luke I would find he exact same thing.”
Jesse paled when he realized what the doctor was saying, understanding just what Bo and Luke had been talking about. “That’s what they meant . . .”
     “What who meant?”
Jesse took a deep breath and told the doctor everything and what Bo and Luke had told him. Dr. Keluddy still looked skeptical not quite believing what the older man was saying.  Dr. Keluddy, having been abused as a child himself, lost no love for any child abuser and in his mind that was what Jesse was.
     “Look doctor, I would never harm either of them boys, I love them more then life itself. If you would talk to them I am sure you’d see that I am not the one that hurt them.” Jesse said, fully understanding why Bo and Luke had run away.
     Dr. Keluddy walked back into Bo’s room and sat on the chair by the bed.
     “I would like to ask you some questions, both of you.”
     “About what?” Luke asked.
     “I want to ask Bo about the older bruises I found on his back.” Dr. Keluddy said.
Bo bit his lips nervously. “What about them?”
     “I want to know who cause them. You don’t have to be afraid, I will make sure that you are both okay. I know what it is like to try to escape from an abusive home.” Dr. Keluddy said.
Silence filled the room for a moment, Bo and Luke both too frightened to talk, to afraid that they would be separated.
     “Is it your uncle that caused those bruises?”
Bo shook his head. “No. It was Ellen and Bryon.”
     “Our uncle never hit us ever before.” Luke said.
     “Do you want to talk about what happened?” Dr. Keluddy asked.
Bo and Luke took turns telling the doctor what happened. He nodded listening intently, their story matching with the one their uncle told.
     “Don’t worry everything will be okay.” Dr. Keluddy said and left the room.
     A short time later Jesse came back into the room, giving both Bo and Luke a big hug. He looked at his nephews with watery eyes.
     “I am so sorry I had no idea what was going on. You should’ve came to me.” Jesse said.
     “She said you knew.” Luke said.
     “And we believed her.” Bo added.
Jesse sighed. “I will be sure that neither of them ever hurt you again.”
They talked for several hours and Bo and Luke saw that they really could trust their uncle. Bo was kept overnight for observation and then released the next morning.
     They arrived at the Duke farm shortly after one o’clock, after stopping to eat lunch out. They had been home for no more then ten minutes when Ellen and Byron arrived back home. Bo moved closer to Luke on the couch, Luke out a protective arm around his cousin’s shoulder’s. Jesse glared coldly at Ellen and Bryon.
     “How could you?” Jesse asked.
     “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Ellen said.
     “I know that you have been abusing my boys.” Jesse said.
     “Well they weren’t always getting into trouble . . .” Ellen started to say.
     “I have heard enough. I want the both of you out of my house in one hour and I never want to see your faces or hear your voices again.” Jesse said.
Ellen and Bryon then began to pack their things. Jesse stood watching Ellen pack.
     “How could you hurt them like that? They are just little boys.”
     “They ain’t my kids so I could care less.” Ellen said, stuffing her clothes into her suitcase.
     “I guess I was wrong about you. You are not the person I thought you were, I only regret that I didn’t find this out sooner.” Jesse said.
     “Well maybe if you disciplined them once in a while they wouldn’t be such trouble makers and I wouldn’t have had to do it for you.” Ellen said.
     “You had no right to do the things you did. You talk about discipline when your own son smokes weed, he needs the discipline.” Jesse said.
Ellen mumbled something then began to carry her things out of the room and to her car. Bo and Luke stayed in their bedroom as Bryon and Ellen packed up to leave. Forty-five minutes later Ellen and her son Bryon were gone from the Duke farm never to return.
     Two months passed and things returned to normal at the Duke farm. Bo and Luke learned to completely trust their uncle once again and everything was fine in Hazzard. One day Jesse went to Atlanta, leaving the boys at the Davenport’s to be looked after, saying he had very important business to take care of. They knew that one of their Uncles, Adam Duke, had recently been killed, and assumed it had to do with that. Jesse called once he got home and Mr. Elliot Davenport dropped them off at the farm. Bo and Luke ran into the house, joking around and laughing as they burst into the front rooms. They saw a young girl, that was about eight years old standing beside their uncle.
     “Boys this is your cousin Daisy, she’s come to live with us now.”
     “Hi.” Luke said.
     “Hey there.” Bo said.
Daisy raised her hand and waved shyly at Bo and Luke.
     “Daisy these are your cousin’s Bo and Luke.” Jesse said motioning to each as he spoke their name. “I’m going to make some lunch why don’t you three get aquatinted.”
Bo and Luke walked over to Daisy and the three of them sat on the couch and started talking soon becoming good friends.