Chapter 1

A Paining farewell

The wind blew hard over Signal, Wyoming. It eased its way through the minute buildings, and across the lonely street. It engraved every outline of dry, hoarse outback full of plains, and the men who worked them. The breeze finally arrived at two men, both leaning against an old pickup. The men were rugged enough to pass as hard working Americans, just out for a little pay. Their posture and faces illustrated that they were young. Ennis Del Mar, the tall blonde with dark eyes, was leaning near the truck's front tire, staring into the deep plains of nothingness. He had a rather small bag of belongings leaning adjacent to his leg, which was twitching a bit; he was nervous, the two had had so much fun this summer and he didn't want it to end. Ennis would look over at his companion several times, but never did his eyes linger long, he was embarrassed at the sight of the bruise on Jack Twist's upper left eye, from a swift punch he gave him earlier that day. He listened to Jack with all ears, but his mind was broken.

Jack Twist was a shorter man. His hair was dull-brown, but his eyes were a radiant blue, like pure water, water you wouldn't find in Signal. His eyes observed Ennis, and his restlessness; sometimes Ennis would look at his hand as if he had a watch, other times he would look around to check if anyone was coming their way. Jack broke the almost frightening silence with his voice of child-like innocence. "Yah going to do this again next summer?" Ennis hesitated, kicked some dirt up, and looked at Jack's eyes directly for the first time in hours. He squinted his eyes, and took a deep breath. He had graved the subject that may question their future together. He answered with his unsteady voice, one that spoke little, and never seemed to care much about it. He told Jack that he was getting married to Alma Beers, a fine girl from Riverton he had met in High School, and the wedding was in December. Jack's eyes drooped, after all that had begun this summer on Brokeback Mountain; Ennis's words disappointed him. Jack wiped his nose, he was busted, and he couldn't shake the sudden sadness.

"I'm going to go up to my folks, give them a bit of a hand or two in the winter, I might be back. If the army don't get me." He stared Ennis down with his piercing eyes. Ennis uneasily shifted into a different position against the truck. Well, I guess I'll see you around then. Jack's glass heart broke inside him, and this is what their great summer had leaded up to? After all the great moments they shared, Ennis wanted to just brush it aside and move on? He would usually have nothing of it, but this was Ennis, he tried not to look upset. This was all Aguirre's doin', we came down to early, needed more time, needed more time…. Jack hid his silent sorrow, and agreed to see him around then. He then turned, gingerly opened the door of his truck, sat on the driver's seat, and watched as Ennis Del Mar fell from his grasp. Ennis revolved and began to walk away, like he was uncertain if he should stay or go. He swung his pack around his back then started to walk faster. Jack turned the ignition, and began to slowly drive past Ennis, reminiscing on all the things that made his time on Brokeback Mountain everlasting.

Jack Twist had arrived at Joe Aguirre's lot at about 8:00 am. He had to get away from his papa, he wanted cash of his own, and rodeoin' wasn't a good enough pay. As he pulled into the wide parking lot, his eyes fell upon a man leaning against Aguirre's trailer, smoking a cigarette. He was beanpole-like with magnificent blonde curls, hidden under a tan cowboy hat. His face, though partially covered by the hat, was emotionless. Ennis reminded him of a lost soul, someone that didn't seem to belong anywhere. From his shyness, to his inability to express himself, Ennis was one man that no one understood, but Jack swore to himself that he could read him as clear as a book. After knowing of him for merely seconds, Jack felt an aching sympathy for Ennis, he knew all too well of the pain, and torture of growing up alone. Jack remembered being nervous; too nervous to think straight when he stopped his truck killed the engine, and entered the outside world. Ennis showed little sign of life, other than chugging on his cigarette, like it was his last day on Earth, and it was all he wanted to do. Jack felt an overwhelming amount of warmth rising from around his legs, rising up to his groin. Just one look at Ennis had done this. The silence was killing Jack; never had anyone made him feel so weak in the knees. Jack knew what he wanted, and what he would of done to get it. He stared a quiet stare at Ennis, who shifted under the weight of it. Jack frowned, feeling unwanted in paradise.

Why had he fallen for Ennis Del Mar? The man was as silent as a dormouse, and just as quick. But Jack loved the way Ennis smiled, how it showed his pearly-whites. He loved how Ennis would strip just yards away from him to bathe himself. Oh how he longed to look back, nearly cutting himself paring potatoes with shaky hands. Oh how he longed to be that rag that Ennis used to clean his muscular physique with, which the thought alone, kept the pup tent warm at night. Jack loved how Ennis was so untouched, physically and emotionally and how he was Ennis's first. Recalling their first time would always give a fine scorching feeling in the pit of his stomach. Of course he had red-lined it. Jack had grabbed Ennis's arm and pulled it over him on that chilly night. He felt the passive tingling from it passing through his body. Ennis at first wanted none of it, but one glance into Jack's eyes, had made him feel a little different. Ennis fell for Jack's eyes; he was drowning in a sea of passion, a sea of desire. The next thing Jack knew he was on his stomach and being pierced with tenderness. The sudden jab of lust was filling ever inch of his body; soon he was off in some dream-like state, bucking back and forth, as Ennis rode it out. That feeling never left him when Ennis was around. He loved how Ennis completed him.

What had happened to that Ennis? The one that walked next to him was some other man. Some ghost of the man that had once been so compassionate, longing Jack every night. Jack threw a tear off his face, and unwillingly passed Ennis, the light inside him seemed to dim, Jack looked on ahead putting more and more distance between the two. The sound of the truck was all he knew. Jack wanted to be on some autopilot, so he could remember that one time when Ennis had came up behind him and placed his arm around his chest. He clutched Jack ever so close to himself, and took deep breaths onto his bare neck. Jack was feeling the warmth of Ennis flowing into him, like a river flows into an ocean. Jack had leaned back into his large chest and closed his eyes, rubbing his head against Ennis's softly, and wanting the painful truth that Ennis would be leaving him for the night to just slip away. Jack was rocked back and forth, feeling the soft embers of a quick kiss on his neck. He never wanted Ennis to stop giving him life, but then he heard those words; I'll see you in the morinin', and the best moment of his life ended as quick as it had started. The warmness left, Jack looked back as it went. He stayed in that moment when all seemed lost, when Jack was needing that love.

Jack cleaned his face of tears again, and continued to drive on without a sound, but that of the truck. He looked into his rear view mirror and saw the silhouette of Ennis walking slouched down in the middle of the road. Ennis walked like a falling angel, carrying the future on his shoulders, all Jack had to do is reach out and grab it. Jack came to a sudden stop. He had only gone fifty yards from Ennis Del Mar. Hopefully, they were never separated by that much emptiness again.