A/N: This is my first fanfic posted on this site. Please read and review, let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: I don't own them Duke boys or anything connected to Hazzard County.
Summary: Bo and Luke, on orders from Uncle Jesse, are checking out an old mine on Duke property. Things don't go smoothly and they end up having some trying times.They find a little bit of Duke history along with a lot of soul searching.
"C'mon Bo! Get yer rear in gear so we can get this over with." Luke yells over his shoulder. He can hear Bo muttering behind him as he approaches up the rough, rocky path. 'I really wish we didn't have ta do this.' He thinks to himself.
"Dang it Luke! Will ya slow down? What's the rush anyways?"
"Bo, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get it done an' over with." Luke replies without slowing his pace. "Sides, yer legs are longer'n mine, c'mon." Bo continues to mutter as he tries to catch up with his fast tracking cousin. Neither of them gives any notice to the gentle breeze blowing through the trees or the sunrays glowing brightly off the faces of the blooming wild flowers.
"Why do we gotta do this anyhow?"
"Cause Uncle Jesse asked us to, that's why."
"I know that Luke, but I don't understand why he wants us to check out this ol' mine." Bo finally catches up with Luke as he is questioning their reason for being there in the first place. He glances over at his older cousin, and in that moment of inattention he didn't see the tree root in his path. His foot catches on the root and his eyes widen as he pitches forward.
"Whoa!" Luke yells and grabs Bo by the arm. He hauls Bo back to his feet. "Watch it Bo. We don't need no broken bones."
"Whew! Thanks buddy!"
"You awright?"
"Yeah." Bo takes a deep breath and lets it out. "I'm jus' a little bit shook up." Luke shakes his head and grins.
"Cousin, it sure is a good thing you drive so well cause you sure cain't walk worth a dang."
"Cute Luke, real cute." Bo replies with us customary smirk.
"C'mon, an' be careful. I don't wanna have ta carry ya back down this here goat track."
"Awright, but ya didn't answer my question." Bo grumbles as they begin trekking up the path again. Luke sighs before answering.
"Uncle Jesse wants us ta make sure nobody's been messin' 'round inside. The mine's on Duke land an' if'n there's a chance that there's somethin' in there that ain't s'posed ta be, well, we gotta get rid of it." Luke pauses as they reach the end of the path. In front of them is the wide, gaping entrance. "I hate dark, close spaces." He mutters.
Bo looks at Luke and notices how tight his jaw is clamped. "You awright Luke? Ya want me ta go in?" Luke turns to look at Bo and sighs again.
"I'll be fine Bo. Sides, it's gonna be a two man job anyways." He tilts his head and smiles slightly. "But I'll let ya have the honor of goin' first."
Bo wrinkles his nose up and looks back at the entrance. "Thanks a lot." He says sarcastically.
"Hey no problem." Luke laughs. He also turns to look at the entrance. "We'd better rig us up a way ta get up outta there when we're done. I don't trust that ol' rope none." His bright blue eyes scan the pulley system that is in place over the entrance.
"Yeah, me neither. 'Member what happened down at the Rainbow Mine? I sure don't wanna take a trip down that fast again. As Rosco would say, that put a quiver in my liver." Bo smirks at Luke again trying to elicit a laugh.
"That's fer dang sure." Luke agrees with the laugh Bo was working for. "We sure don't want that happenin' again." As he is talking Luke shrugs the coiled rope off his shoulder and starts to tie it around the trunk of a tree right by the entrance.
"Go ahead and lower that platform down outta the way Bo. I don't want ta use it at all." Bo lowers the platform as Luke checks over the rope they're using, looking for any possible frays or weak points.
"Got it cuz, ya ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be I guess." Luke says with a sigh.
"I'll head down first Luke."
"Awright, give a yell when ya make it." Bo nods as he sticks one of the flashlights they'd brought into the waistband of his jeans. He climbs over the side and shimmies his way down the rope. Luke switches on the other flashlight and watches him as far as the light shines. A few minutes later he hears Bo yell up at him.
"Well, here goes." Luke mumbles as he crawls over the side. Minutes later he jumps down the last few feet and makes Bo jump.
"Gosh darn it Luke! Cain't ya give me some warnin'?"
"Sorry 'bout that. If you'd jumped any higher you'd've knocked yer head on the ceilin'." Luke grins as he turns on his flashlight. "Well, we've gotten this far. Let's head on in. Stay close." They look at each other, both seeing the uncertainty in the others face. Luke nods at Bo and cracks a small smile. "Let's go." They both point their flashlights ahead and slowly move forward.