Follow The Sun

(A sequel to Tangled Up In Blue)


Chapter 1

A crisp breeze moved swiftly across the lake, producing choppy waves.
They rocked the wooden boat back and forth, to and fro.
Guy was feeling nauseous.
But it wasn’t from the turbulence on the water.
He was sick with nervousness.
The cooler winds were a telltale sign that summer was ending.
The end of summer meant the end of an era for Guy.
He was leaving this place come autumn.
Tomorrow, in fact.
And he might never be coming back.
Though it was barely past midday, he rowed the old craft back to shore.
Anxiety was a powerful thing.
Standing on the shore Guy looked out across the water.
He briefly considered not going at all,
but quickly pushed those thoughts away.
There was no going back.
He could not thrive on mere dreams any longer.
He dragged the heavy boat with him up the shore.
Then he stored it in his old wooden shed.
He stroked it gently.
He stared at it a while.
There was a good chance he would never use it again.
But he could live with that.
The alternative was far better.
He picked up his tackle box and pole and took them inside the cabin.
The box he put down immediately.
But the pole he was not so willing to let go of.
The shiny red pole had been his greatest companion here.
Was he really going to leave it behind?
He had too, he knew he did.
If he was going to leave, none of his past could come with him.
This change was all about the future.
He took the pole apart and put it away.
Quietly he went about cooking a meal.
Fish again.
This could be the last time he ever ate fresh fish.
This he would not miss.
He had grown so tired of the meal.
Although he realized it might taste better with someone to share it with.
A little smile danced briefly across his lips.
Perhaps loneliness would not be such a familiar emotion anymore.
He went to bed early.
He had to get start on his way as soon as morning’s first light became visible.
Sleep came easily and left just as easily.
His eyes opened before dawn.
The same common images occupied his dreams.
As soon as he awoke he recalled them.
Eyes of the purest blue.
But now they didn’t create feelings of depression.
They stirred hope in his heart.
After another quick meal he was ready.
He picked up his pre-packed little suitcase.
All it contained were a few items of clothing and some money.
This he had earned selling fish at the market.
Monthly he made visits there.
It was in the center of the little town a few miles east down the road.
It was there he headed now.
He walked down the path with quiet determination.
He followed he sun all the way there.



Chapter 2

Guy made good time.
Before noon he had reached the small town.
His ears were filled with the sounds of bustling people.
Even in such a small place, it seemed that everyone was out and about.
He passed mothers towing children.
Fathers heading for work.
Most there were fisherman or lumberjacks.
A few were skilled workers.
Such as carpenters or tailors.
Some ran small stores and businesses in the town’s center.
One such man was the one Guy intended to see.
Abel was leaning against his grocery store.
He was smoking a cigarette.
When he looked up and saw Guy he took one last drag and put it out.
“ ‘Ello”, Guy said with a friendly nod.
Abel chuckled.
He always liked to make fun of the way Guy spoke.
The people there weren’t accustomed to his unusual accent.
“I have her warmed up and ready. We can go as soon as you’d like.”
“I’d like to go now,” Guy said.
Abel nodded and headed to the side of the building.
Guy followed him.
His heart lifted at the sight of the vehicle.
It was old.
Just a beaten up pickup truck.
But it was transportation.
And it was the first step in making his way out of there.
He climbed into the passenger seat next to Abel.
“Thank you for this.”
Abel revved the engine and pulled out slowly.
“Don’t mention it,” he said.
Soon they were making their way down the steep road and away from the town.
It was slow going.
But it still beat walking, Guy thought.
The drive was long.
A good four hours or so.
The road had many twists and turns.
But the truck handled them well.
When they reached their destination the sun was sinking fast.
This town was a god deal larger than the last.
It had a movie theater and even a shopping center.
But the most important thing to Guy was the train station.
“The daylight is fading fast, my friend,” Abel noted.
“But you can race it on that train. Good luck.”
“Thank you.”
“I admire you,” Abel told him.
“You have been a great help to me,” Guy replied.
Guy slipped him some money.
Then he headed down the paved road, suitcase in hand.
At the station he boarded the train almost immediately.
Soon after it began to move.
The light was fading, it was true.
Fading away on his old life.
But Guy was following the sun to its next destination.



Chapter 3

The train ride was even longer than the car ride.
It lasted all night.
Guy was the only person in that car.
He might have felt lonely.
But over time he had grown almost immune to that emotion.
Or maybe not.
But he didn’t feel it now.
That much was certain.
His mind was filled.
His eyes were filled.
His heart was filled.
All of them were filled with hope for what lay ahead.
The future awaiting him beyond this stretch of seemingly endless track.
Somewhere deep down Guy even felt excitement.
This made him anxious once more.
He was not accustomed to feeling such things.
Not since he had arrived at that isolated cabin by the lake.
He thought a bit of sleep would calm his nerves.
But his body was not used to the light, yet jarring motions of the train.
His eyes would open as soon as they began to shut.
He sighed.
And took to staring at his surroundings instead.
There wasn’t much to look at.
Occasional dark figures of trees, whizzing past.
But mostly endless stretches of flat land.
The moon was out though.
Guy busied himself gazing at it.
It was a brilliant contrast to the dark sky.
It was mesmerizing.
In the same way that Chris’s eyes were mesmerizing.
After a long, hard day.
Instinctually Guy stopped himself.
He knew from experience the pain memories could cause.
But then he remembered.
There was nothing to fear now.
For the first time in a long time Guy really relaxed.
He let the wall crumble.
He allowed himself to think unguarded.
The feeling was lovely.
He got lost in it.
Fully wrapped up in its exquisite glory.
So much so that he didn’t mind when a storm rolled in.
Clouds came quickly and ate up the limited light in the sky.
They replaced it with a true darkness.
The darkness enveloped everything.
Shadows danced around the train car.
Not even the smallest amount of light could be seen.
The moon was covered by a thick layer of clouds.
Normally this would have depressed Guy.
It would have made him yearn to be out on the lake,
his fishing pole firmly in his hands.
But this time he didn’t mind the lack of lighting.
He knew that the sun was awaiting him at his destination.
He just had to follow it, and everything would be alright.



Chapter 4

The first colors of daylight peeked out over the horizon.
Grass and trees slowly began to disappear.
Some old factories and even older houses stood in their place.
Gradually the buildings got closer and closer together.
And soon there was no denying that Guy was in a city.
This was not just any city, either.
Not to Guy.
This was where his dreams would become more than dreams.
That is how it had been once.
And Guy hoped it could be that way again.
There had been no response to his letter.
But that was just fine.
He hadn’t expected one.
In fact, he would have been disheartened if had received a letter in return.
It would have been very uncharacteristic for Chris to reply.
The buildings were getting taller, too.
Guy knew the train was drawing near to the heart of the city.
This filled him with joy.
For he was also drawing nearer to the heart of something else.
Or more accurately, someone else.
Hopefully that heart could be his once more.
He had taken it for granted the first time.
But now he was older.
He was stronger.
He was wiser.
Or at least he thought he was.
He was wise enough now to see the value of what he once had.
And that was all the wisdom he needed.
Guy felt the train begin to slow.
It was a tedious process.
But eventually the heavy hunk of metal made a complete stop.
It stood still at the station.
The doors were opened.
Guy gripped his suitcase tightly and stepped out into the hustle and bustle of the city.
Things had changed since he had last been here.
But he still knew his way around the city like he knew his way around a fishing pole.
Running on pure instinct, his feet guided him up and down the narrow roads.
They stopped him when they reached the familiar red brick apartment.
Guy shivered.
Memories flooded back to him all at once.
None of them were bad.
Because they involved Chris.
Tentatively he rapped on the door.
He knew Chris would still be living here.
He had made it clear to Guy that he would always be waiting for him,
should he choose to return.
The door opened.
Chris was behind it.
Guy’s heart swelled.
Chris was loyal to the end.
Guy was met with an embrace.
Then a kiss.
And then a feeling of euphoria.
Chris still wanted him.
It was unbelieveable.
And it was wonderful.
“I was so wrong,” Guy admitted.
“When I left I told you I wanted to follow the sun.
What I didn’t realize was that you were my sun all along.
It is you I am going to follow from now on.”




THE END