General Lee's Revenge

Chapter Four: Sunset

After Bo, Luke, and Daisy left the law office, they went to the Boar's Nest to get something to eat. Bo and Luke ordered small so they could get used to eating regularly again. They'd gone two weeks with no food except half a chicken which they ate right away to make sure Russell didn't find it. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but Brutus hadn't received any more food after that, and Bo and Luke were out of luck. They finished nearly half of their orders before telling Daisy they were full.

"C'mon y'all, just eat some more, you ain't hardly ate nothin'," she said.

"We ate plenty, and I thought you said you were gonna get us the smallest dish they got," Bo argued.

"This's the smallest thing Lulu'd let me give to ya, you know how she feels about y'all goin' through this."

"Yeah, we know how she is. We just kinda wish you folks wouldn't make such a big deal outta this." Luke hid his face with his shoulder. "People been starin' at us everywhere we go."

"What can I say? They go in, they never come out. You two came out."

"It ain't just that, Daisy, rumors are goin' 'round. The other day I heard some people sayin' that it was one of Boss Hogg's scams, and he was just tryna cover up the fact that he'd thrown us in jail for two weeks, so nobody'd force him to let us out," Bo said.

"And on top of that, we been lookin' over our shoulders every wakin' moment to make sure Clayton and Russell ain't there. I know we're doin' it outta habit, but we're still paranoid," Luke said.

"Maybe y'all should see a doctor or somethin'," Daisy suggested.

"No way, white coats' idea of helpin' is gettin' rid of the problem. They'd lock us away for sure."

A few feet away, a woman peeked up from her menu and began to stare at Bo and Luke. Bo looked her way, and she quickly ducked back down.

"Can we... go?" he asked.

"Why? What's wrong?" Daisy asked.

"I just... wanna go home. I wanna get away from the stares."

Luke and Daisy exchanged concerned glances. They were worried about Bo but decided it probably was a good idea that they went home. Once they got there, they saw Jesse sitting outside in a wooden rocking chair. By the look on his face, the three of them could tell that he was thinking of something that they weren't going to like. As they climbed out of the Jeep, Jesse got out of the chair.

"Come inside, I need to talk to you three," he said.

They followed him inside and sat down at the kitchen table. He was acting very strange. When they were all seated he got right to the point.

"As of tomorrow, I don't want any of you to leave this farm without my permission," Jesse said.

"What? Why?" Bo exclaimed.

"For how long?" Luke asked.

"What about my job at the Boar's Nest?" Daisy argued.

Jesse held up a hand to silence them. "Now, I know this's been hard on you, it's been hard on all of us, but I'm doin' this for your own good."

"How long you gonna keep us here?" Luke asked.

"I dunno, just till the heat dies down, however long that may take."

"How am I gonna get to work every day?" Daisy asked.

"Either Rosco or I'll drive ya and pick ya up."

"Startin' tomorrow?" Luke asked.

"Startin' tomorrow."

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That night, Bo, Luke, and Daisy took a drive. They blindfolded Daisy so she couldn't see where they were going. Straight across a small creek where the bridge had been out, past Cottontail Road, then miles across the county to a dead-end road leading to the forest.

The three of them got out of the Jeep and walked to a break in the big chain-link fence that had barbed wire on top. The twenty-four dog houses were empty now, and the small farmhouse looked more rundown than ever. Bo and Luke took Daisy by the hands and led her into the barn, where the floor had become a bloody mess, and a black whip hung on one of the pillars, caked in blood. They led her up the stairs, where Luke's bloody handprint could still be seen, into the hayloft, where the southwest corner was still stained dark red, and out the door onto the roof. Once she was good and safe on the flat part, Bo stood her on the edge and held onto her as Luke took her blindfold off.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Ready? Luke I've been ready for the past five minutes, now where in tarnation are we?" Daisy asked.

Luke laughed. "Just look out straight ahead, don't look down."

Daisy smiled. "Alright, I promise, now get this thing off me."

Luke untied the blindfold and lifted it away from her eyes. She gasped as she opened her eyes to see the beautiful landscape laid out before her. The rolling hills looked miraculous in the sunset.

"Oh my, it's beautiful, just beautiful!" Daisy exclaimed.

Bo pointed to the north. "That there's Hazzard."

"Wow. Then that must mean the farm's over there." Daisy pointed to the northwest.

Luke repositioned her arm a little to the left. "There's the farm."