The Sunset Bridge

Two brothers sit before a bridge on a river shore perpetually cast in sunset. Will the cross or continue waiting?

Daniel? When do you think Mom is coming?" John tore up a piece of grass and fiddled with it, absently trying to see how many knots he could tie. During the years he had spent along this bank, he had exhausted every possible avenue for adventure. The river before them continued on and on, never bending, never splitting. The land never changed either.  Last time John tried to see how far he could go, he was overjoyed to discover the patterns in the plants changing- only to find that the same tufts of yellowing grass repeating another half mile or so down the river. When you traveled inland, you could walk for what felt like days across the prairie, only to turn around and find yourself back by the river again. The long bridge that stretched across the river was the only landmark.

​John's younger brother lay on the ground, staring up at the pink clouds set against the purple-blue sky. He hadn't been there long enough for the perpetual warmth of the sunset to feel natural. Instead of feeling familiarity, Daniel was left with unease. "I don't know." Perhaps it was the stillness of the clouds that disturbed him. Daniel sat up to look at the little boy before him. "How long did you wait for me?"

​"I- I don't know.  It was forever."  John tossed the grass into the river and watched it float along for a moment before disintegrating.

​"John." He hesitated. Daniel was still unsure how to interact with his older brother. He had only just gotten him back, but something had changed between them.  The John in his memory had been fearless and mature, but the John that sat before him wasn't the brother he remembered. Rather, he was, but Daniel wasn't the same boy he once was. "I don't think Mom will come for a long time. Maybe, it's time we crossed."

​John met his brother's gaze. "No."

​"John-"

​"If I hadn't have waited, we would never have met again," said John. "We can't abandon her."

​Daniel pleaded, "Mom might not be the same as you remember. She's changed.  I've changed."

​"It doesn't matter. I won't abandon her."

​Daniel looked down at the grass. "We can't live here.  This isn't a place we can make a home."  He lay back down on the grass to stare up at the sky. He spoke softly, "If we do see Mom again, we will still have to cross that bridge."

​"That's not true. We won't need to cross."  John huffed. "We could go into the river."

​"No. I won't destroy myself," said Daniel.

​"Really? Won't you?" The sound of rushing water filled the silence between them. John's cheeks flushed with guilt, but he was too stubborn to apologize.

​Daniel stood and John clambered up beside him. Seeing this, Daniel crouched to meet John's eyes. "I'm not going to wait for Mom, John. I'm going to cross the bridge, and I want you to come with me."

​"You can't do that. I waited so long and now you're here. You can't leave," John protested.

​"I don't want to leave you alone." Daniel went to mess with his John's hair, but John batted his hand away. Daniel's voice took on a tone he had been afraid to adopt since finding his brother in this strange world. "There are things that I want to forget. Things that happened after you left. I want a new life with new memories."

​"Maybe those new memories will be worse." Desperation leaked into John's voice now.

​Daniel sighed and stood back up. "I'm willing to risk it."

​Daniel stepped onto the old stone bridge, and dread washed over John. In a fit of childish passion, he ran after his brother. He would grab his brother's hand and pull him back to the safety of the riverbank, but the moment he set foot on the bridge, he forgot. The sun dropped below the horizon and the world was pitched into cold darkness. Step-by-step the two of them crossed the long bridge under the glittering stars. Step-by-step they left behind their lives on the banks of the sunset shore and in the other world before that. Step-by-step they marveled at a world less and less familiar until the sun at last rose on a young man and a little boy, no longer brothers.