Brokeback Mountain-I wish I knew how to quit you.

Chapter 22

Ennis (pov)

I...I never saw Jack again after that and about a month went by till I decided to send him a letter saying I wanted to meet. I wasn't sure if he'd even respond but when I checked the post office the next day, I had my answer.

It said on the envelope "deceased" in a fainted shade of red but bright enough to see. My whole body went numb, I couldn't think I couldn't breathe. It was as if that aching in my chest all those years ago came back but it was more intense, more painful.

I dialed the number he had given me sometime ago with his home address printed next to it. I waited for someone to pickup staring at the address wishing I could've gone to visit him there. "Hello, who's calling?". I heard a voice on the other end and I quickly returned my focus.

"Hello Mrs. This is Ennis del mar uh,". "Who, who is this". "Ennis del mar, an old buddy a Jack's". "Jack use to mention you. Your that fishin buddy or huntin, I know that. Woulda let you know what happened, if I had a name an address but, you know Jack, he kept his friends info in his head". "That's why I'm calling uh, to see what happened". ".....oh yeah.....Jack was pumpin up a flat on the back road when the tire blew up. The rim of the tire slammed into his face, braking his nose and jaw and knocked unconscious on his back. Bout time somebody come along he drowned in his own blood. He was only 39 years old.

I couldn't quite rap my head around what had happened to Jack, only the haunting thought that he was purposely beaten by some thugs like the old man back than. I dazed of so far into my own thoughts I didnt hear the women on the phone on the other end asking "hello".

"Uh yeah...was he buried down there?". "We put a stone up, and he was cremated like he wanted. Half his ashes were returned here, the rest were sent up to his folks. He used to say he wanted his ashes scattered up on Brokeback Mountain, but I'm not sure where that place is, thought it might be close to where he grew up. But knowing Jack it might've been some pretend place, where the blue birds sing and there's a whiskey spring".

"Well ma'm, we was herding sheep back at Brokeback one summer, back in 63". ".....well he said it was his favorite place, thought he meant to get drunk. He drank alot". "...is his folks still up in flat?". "They'll be there till the day they die". "Well I thank you for your time, an I sure am sorry.....we was good friends.