Up on Brokeback

Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to the wonderful Annie Proulx.
Rating: PG
Feedback: Yes, thank you very much.

Summary: A short snippet on what happened on Brokeback



Jack has been sitting on the slope for some time. The chores down at campsite done, he came up here to wait. From a distance, sheep looks like white dots, unconnected, yet cluttered; sometime milling, sometime grazing. Shepherd barks and sheep bleats dissipate before they reach his ears. Pines dot the valley; a darker shade of green unimpressive against the undulating greens of the mountain.

A forceful gush drains the heat away; his hat clinging desperately. He feels Ennis approaches, and looks up. Ennis looks across at the woolies, steps deliberately, makes little movement, and finally sits gingerly down, one hand-span from Jack’s sole. The sun casts a shadow over his face, the brim of his hat low.

Jack turns about and looks ahead at the drooping clouds in rapt reverie; an unearthly herd grazing in heaven.

Ennis has his fists clench tightly around the long rifle. He glances over at Jack reclining and staring ahead, a painful longing swell in his bosom. He looks away, can’t stand the sweet torture he can not explain.

A distant trill slices the silence, soars, and then fades. Jack can hear Ennis taking a deep breath. He lowers his gaze, the floating herd a dream fading.

“It’s a one-shot thing we got going over here.” The words tumbled out of Ennis mouth, reluctant yet insistent

Wind ruffles the low grass, a lone daffodil sways and then finally breaks. He can hear Jack’s breathing. He wants to look at Jack, but dares not.

Jack nods once, and then again: “It’s nobody’s business but ours.”

“You know I ain’t queer.” Ennis stares ahead, a clenched fist against the open mountain.

“Me neither.” Jack says, his eyes darting between Ennis and the ground, seeking something to confirm and something to swallow his secrets. Neither complies. So he turns again to look ahead, where an ocean of blue sky seems to seep into the slated earth, marring their differences.

The world starts to fall away; a feeling of sinking and floating at the same time, with nothing to hold on to except the presence of another.

Yet, as they stare ahead, the horizon looms before them; a straight line splitting sky and earth, unreachable, undeniable, and unfathomable.