DANGEROUS CURVES AHEAD - Chapter 1

Fast moving clouds cast shadows across the foothills of the mountainous hillside that encompassed the environs of Hazzard County. The weather has been changeable for the past few days, but like most things in Hazzard that was one of the more normal exceptions to life. In Hazzard you have to expect the unexpected. A breeze shifted the boughs of a nearby Oak.

Luke Duke eyed the gray clouds that had begun to blacken over the mountains to the northwest. "Great, just great." He sighed to himself. He was tired, sore and certain that he was coming down with the cold that had confined his younger cousin, Bo, to bed.

Christmas Eve had seen Luke away from family preparations for the upcoming celebration. His Uncle Jesse had offered Luke's services to one of Jesse Duke's oldest friends – Jock Barnes.

Jock's roof has been in a bad state of repair with many shingles missing or damaged. With the forecasted bad weather on the way, Jock had asked Jesse for help and with only one fit nephew to be of assistance, Luke had drawn the short straw.

Luke had spent most of the day scampering over Jock's roof fixing and replacing the shingles where needed. His back and shoulders ached. He ran his forearm across his perspiring face, then placed his hands on his lower back and worked out the kinks.

"Anything else that you need doin'?" Luke asked as he accepted mug of hot chocolate from Jock.

The older man rubbed his work-lined face, his blue eyes danced from behind the etched lines that surrounded his eyes. Lines earned from the constant squint into the sun and dust as he worked the fields that provided crops that kept him and his friends fed. "Well iffen you wouldn't mind, Luke, I have a couple more small jobs that do need attendin' to." Jock's teeth showed when he grinned

Luke closed his eyes, took a deep breath and released it slowly. "That is not a smile that is just a bunch of teeth playing with my mind. It is Christmas Eve and here I am fixing shingles and mending roves" Luke thought as he negotiated with himself whether he would stay and help Jock Barnes. "Sure, why not. Lead on." He figured that before the day was over that Jock would be back with an assortment of 'small' jobs for him to do.

Almost six hours later after doing the few small chores that old Jock had wanted done, Luke Duke was finally on his way home. To the northwest the slate gray sides of the mountains rose up to meet him. The road he travelled was full of twist and hairpin turns. Careful skill was required to navigate the roads safely. Once again Luke eyed the blackening clouds. He expected rain within the next hour and prayed that the foreboding storm would not obliterate the road that barely passed as a path for the nimble footed mountain goats.

Now if Luke is thinking that the road would be impassable don't you think he would have been better off staying with Jock Barnes?

"Damn!" Luke cussed and was grateful that his Uncle Jesse was not there to listen to his language. A jackrabbit darted in front of the General Lee and in Luke's field of vision. He sucked in a breath and steered the orange stockcar to the left-hand side of the road. The nerves in the pit of his stomach tightened when he felt the tyres bite into the gravel. He stopped and counted his blessings – both for himself and the jackrabbit.

Luke drove on again, this time he took more care. All was going well, albeit slowly. Many washouts were apparent on the roadside. Luke thought about the money that Boss Hogg had promised to put into the repairs of roads – money that mysteriously disappeared, yet the new Hogg Spa and Sauna had managed to be built. He shook his head in disgust as he avoided yet another pothole that would have swallowed the General Lee whole.

The storm clouds that had threatened to unleash their torrential downpour finally conceded and within minutes unleashed its fury. Distant thunder rolled back as if a giant hand had tumbled massive dominoes across the heavens while the sky exploded with lightening.

"Damn it!" the dark haired young man cursed a second time. Awed and frightened at the same time of the majestic power of the forces of nature Luke exhaled a breath he did not realize that he had been holding. He seriously contemplated turning the car around and heading back to Jock Barnes home. He berated himself for not taking Jock up on his offer of staying the night.

He was so wrapped up in his own silent tirade against the weather and the chores he had done for Jock that had grown from the repair of some shingles, to fixing shutters, mechanical repairs on the water pumps and beyond that he did not see the lightening that split the tree in front of him.

Luke's blue eyes were wide with fear when he saw the inevitable to happen.

Now friends, it seems like that poor boys luck has just taken a giant step from poor to really bad.

To be continued - soonish