Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 07:47:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Edward Chong <edwardchong21@yahoo.com>
Subject: Between The Journey And The Destination (Final Part) - Citrine Sunset

Disclaimer: Following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people
or events are purely coincidental. This story may not be posted or
distributed by any other media without the express permission of its
author.


********
Foreword
********

	It's been 6 years. This is the end of the story. I know not many
people read my story. For those who do read them, I thank you. For those
who actually feedbacked to me, you have my deepest gratitude. With that
said, I have to apologize. When I first started to write this story, I had
the exact idea of how I wanted the story to be. I still do. The course of
time did not change anything except for time itself. Lives change, and
because of my new job, I didn't have enough time to really write the story
as how I wanted it to be. I compensated that by excluding the entire, and
the only, sex scene from this installment. I would think that it is
appropriate though, since the last 3 parts were really just about sex sex
sex and sex and more sex. Befitting of the first installment when the story
started, this installment is all about the story itself, and that, I am
glad to say I did not compromise on. It may be a short story, but I think I
was able to deliver the most important part of the story that actually
prompted me to write this entire series in the first place, the ending. So
here's to hoping that you will like the way the story ends, and whatever it
is that you feel, do drop me a line to let me know. Thank you, and goodbye.


****************************************************************
Between The Journey And The Destination (Finale) - Citrin Sunset
****************************************************************


	Alex was sitting in his bed, staring out the window of his room,
thinking about nothing in particular. There was only one thing to think
about anyway. In the horizon, he spotted a small dot. He knew what it
is. He knew it well, for he has seen it many times. He has awaited it many
times, hoping that it will bring good news, but everytime it disappoints
him.

	Alex got off his bed as the plane landed in their backyard. All
those months on the run, he has forgotten how rich they actually were,
still are. But if money could buy you happiness, then he would not be so
sad right then. He opened the door leading to the landing strip just as
Sean and Kenneth poked their heads out of the cockpit exit.

	"Any luck?" Alex asked, even though he already knew the answer. It
would only be appropriate to ask, he thinks, as his two elder brothers have
spent days flying all around the world. Alex offered to help them to carry
their luggage from the cargo.
	"No." Sean said, shaking his head slowly. They walk back to the
house, mainly in silence.
	"I don't get it. Where on this Earth could he be?!" Kenneth
exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice. "We have practically searched
every single corner of the world in this past year!"
	"Calm down, Kenneth. It won't help even if you lose your
temper. Any news from Ian?" Sean asked.
	"He called yesterday, but no progress on his side either. Even with
all the resources the General pulled in, they could not find him. And I
guess he finally learned how to block his thoughts from being read by Ian."
	"Yes, otherwise we would have found the bugger." Kenneth said
gritting his teeth.
	"You need a cold shower. Bring our stuff up. I'll join you later."
	"Yes Sir." With that, Kenneth bounded up the stairs to their room.
	"How are you holding up?" Sean asked softly. They were threading on
thin ice and they knew it.
	"It's been almost a year, Sean." Alex's voice is breaking up. He's
close to tears but he tried to hold it back. "You said he had only a year
left. It's almost a year now. I want to see him again." Alex broke down
crying.
	"Shh... shh... there, there. It's ok. It's gonna be ok. You'll see
him again, I promise."

	Sean held Alex close to his chest, and let his little brother
cry. He couldn't stop his own tears from flowing either, but he wasn't
about to bawl in front of Alex. Someone's gotta hold the family
together. Mom and Dad had been trying to cope with the news but he knew it
wasn't going very well with them either. Sometimes when they are home, Sean
could hear them talking about it and Mom would break down and cry. She felt
guilty giving up Ian, and now they are going to lose Edward as well. And he
has barely lived!

	A genetic disorder. No cure. 12 months. Why does it always have to
be like that? Why does life always has to be unfair? Why does life always
throw you a piece of hope, only to yank it all away just when you are about
to grasp it? True, Edward was no saint, but he has done nothing terrible to
deserve a fate like this. He was just trying to get by, and trying to do
what is right. As a brother, you can always count on him no matter
what. Sure, he has broken some odd promises here and there, like spending
less money or losing some weight, but he has never let them down before,
not like this. Not like this. To disappear and not contact them for a year,
ever since that night when he learnt the truth, to not even let them be by
his side for this last year of his life, is just simply too cruel.

	Sean noticed that Alex had stopped crying, and fell asleep in his
arms. He brought him over to the sofa to lay him down. He pulled up a
blanket and tussled his hair a little, and let him sleep. Sean turned to go
up the stairs. He needs a shower as well. It's been days. They had been to
Rome, Paris, Turkey, and even flew the length of the Great Wall of China,
but still no sign of him. If Edward wasn't dying, he would have killed him
himself when he finds him.

	The front door flew opened, slamming into the wall making a
thunderous sound. Alex was jolted awake. Kenneth rushed down from his
room. Sean slipped on the stairs and fell on his butt. At the front door
was Collin. He was panting. He was sweating profusely. In his left hand
held a white color envelop. It has been opened. The letter, was in his
right hand. He was clutching it tightly like his life depended on it. Then,
he uttered the three words that they have been wanting to hear for almost a
year. It's from Edward.


	"Holy hell. This place isn't even on the map!" Kenneth exclaimed as
Sean switched the plane into auto-pilot. "No wonder we couldn't find him!"
	"Where is this place exactly?" Collin asked, poking his head into
the cockpit.
	"Collin, sit down." Sean warned. "According to the coordinates he
gave us, it's somewhere off New Zealand. Unless he is living in the sea,
there has got to be an island here somewhere that is not shown on the
map. A small island perhaps."
	"I thought he is broke? He was shopping like there was no tomorrow
before we started on the... you-know-what. Where did he get the money to
buy himself an island?" Kenneth asked nonchalantly.
	"Little brother, in the past year, did you check your bank
account?" Sean asked even though he already knew the answer.
	"No. You handle all my financial stuff. I guess the money Mom and
Dad gave me just got accumulated in the bank over the years.........oh no
he didn't!"
	"Yes he did." Sean said with a straight face, even though he was
about to explode with laughter.
	"How much did he steal from me?!"
	"About 3 million in the past 12 months." Alex yelled from the back
of the plane. He was staring at his laptop screen, no doubt looking at the
transaction history of Kenneth's account. "You want me to print out a
statement?"
	"Yes, print it out! I am so going to make him pay!" Kenneth was
gritting his teeth and cracking his knuckles.
	"Isn't Ian coming with us?" Alex asked a sensible question.
	"He'll meet us there. He will get his Dad, the General, to fly him
over with a helicopter. He might even arrive earlier than us." Sean
explained.
	"You know, I still don't understand why he suddenly contacts us. He
disappears for a year and now he resurfaces? What is he thinking? Doesn't
he know we have been looking all over for him? Doesn't he know that we
care? Doesn't he know that we were worried about him, running out like
that? Doesn't he know that we want to be by his side? Doesn't he know that
we will support him no matter the situation?" Alex mumbled, almost to
himself. Everyone else just kept quiet.

	It was close to ten hours before they actually arrive at the given
coordinates. It was a small island just off the mainland. In fact, it was
so small that there was no place to land the plane. As they were circling
back, Alex's phone rang. It was Ian. He had seen their plane from the
mainland's beach closest to the island and told them to land at the nearest
airstrip. A helicopter will bring them to the island, courtesy of the
General.

	"It was a good thing we arrived on time then, wasn't it?" Sean said
as the helicopter lifted off.
	"Well, not really." Ian replied. "I figured you guys will be coming
by plane, and seeing the size of the island, I knew you were going to have
to find an airstrip on the mainland, so I figured I'll wait for you guys. I
arrived 3 hours ago actually."
	"You could have gone ahead first." Kenneth voiced out.
	"I wouldn't know what to say to him. I mean, this is the kind of
situation where you'll need all the support you can get, if you know what I
mean."
	"I know exactly what you mean" Sean said in a soft voice. "Even I
wouldn't dare to think about going in alone."
	"Err... Big Bro, maybe you should pay some attention to your two
other little brothers as well." Kenneth commented, pointing at Alex and
Collin who were happily hanging by the opened door, almost all the way out,
clutching only to the handle bars by the door. They were having a tad too
much fun, being on a helicopter for the first time. Sean grabbed the two of
them in by their collars, and then smacked the two of them on the heads.
	"We're here." Ian announced.

	The helicopter landed a little distance from the only house on the
island. It was not a big house, kind of like a double storey semi-d,
standing ominously in the center of the island. On one end of the island
stood a lonely, giant oak tree. It casts a great big shadow that covers a
quarter of the island. The rest of the island is filled with daffodils, as
far as the eyes could see. Well, as far as the island goes anyway. And as
the helicopter flies away, they can also hear a dog barking in the
distance. The strangest thing was, the barking was getting closer and
closer, right behind them. They turned around and saw a big German Shepard
running up to them, fierce and hungry like the wolf. They were so shocked
none of them could do anything as the dog leapt onto Ian. They both fell to
the ground and the German Shepard started licking Ian's face non-stop.

	"Gon! Stop that! I am here!" A voice came out of nowhere.

	Gon, the dog, stopped licking Ian, stood up, and looked towards the
house. They all did. And there stood Edward. Gon was looking back and forth
between Edward and Ian, confused. The rest, were looking relieved, but
feeling unsure about what to do next.

	Edward walked down the doorsteps slowly, towards them. It was
perhaps the longest walk anyone had ever taken. Time seemed to have stopped
as they waited for Edward to reach them. Gon ran up to him with his tails
wagging, and sat down by his side as Edward stopped in front of them, one
hand patting Gon's head.

	"It's been a while." Edward spoke. And a punch landed on his
face. Edward fell to the ground as Sean stepped forward for another
punch. Gon immediately rushed between them and growled fiercely.
	"Gon, it's ok. It's ok". Edward patted the dog's back, while wiping
the blood from the corner of his mouth with his other hand. "I guess I
deserved that."
	"You damn well do, you little shit!" Sean shouted. "Do you know how
worried we were? How long we have been trying to find you? How sad you made
Mom and Dad? I can kill you right now!"
	"That won't be necessary." Edward said matter-of-factly. Sean's
anger died down immediately. Now he feels like an asshole for acting the
way he did.
	"Let's go into the house. It's getting dark out." Edward got up and
led them to the house.

	"It's not much, but it's home...for the past year." The house was
tastefully furnished, so to speak. In the living room was a long leather
couch facing a 100" Full HD Plasma TV with both Blu-Ray and HD DVD players,
hooked up to a bunch of AV receivers and amplifiers, with two huge
electrostatic speakers as the front, a wide center, and 4 satellites
speakers mounted on the walls as surround. Two subwoofers complete the
setup. On the coffee table in the middle of the room was a universal remote
control. They also noticed the PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Wii, and a damn big
desktop computer connected to the entire system.

	"This is what you used my 3 million for?" Kenneth exploded, lunging
towards Edward and stranggling him. Gon barked at Kenneth.

	The rest of the house was quite spartan actually. There was a
dining table in the kitchen, and that's it. Only one room was occupied,
with nothing but a dressing table and a bed with a laptop lying on top of
it. Some bit and pieces of gym equipment were scattered at one corner. The
rest of the rooms were empty. With Edward alone staying in the house, there
really was no reason to use all the rooms. More incredible was the fact
that the house was absolutely clean and tidy, and everybody knows Edward is
a lazy bum. A cleaner comes by every week, Edward explains. And that solves
the mystery.

	"So tell us. What have you been doing for the past one year?" Ian
asked when Edward arrives at the living room with a tray of juices. Bottled
juices. Gon was lying down at a corner looking at them.
	"I've been busy. I did all the things that I ever wanted to do."
Edward replied as he passed the drinks around.
	"Like what?" Kenneth retorted. He found the statement amusing.
	"Read the books that I wanted to read, watched movies that I wanted
to watched, played RPG games that I've always wanted to play, learn to
swim, learnt Japanese, went on a gay cruise, wrote some stories, collected
and updated my Journals, recorded my songs, went to bathhouses, gay bars,
settled my debts with the banks, finalized my will, and met up with people
whom I have lost touch with."

	Most of them were silent after that. Even Kenneth felt guilty about
his ignorance. He never thought about dying much. He never realized that
when your time is running out, there are things that need to be
done. Things that you have always wanted to do. Things that need to be
undone. And things that you need to make amends before you go.

	"Couldn't you have done it without disappearing on us like that?"
Sean finally spoke. He is still angry.
	"No. Not really. You guys would be too busy trying to be nice to me
and I will feel even worse. In the end, I wouldn't have been able to do
anything. How's Mom and Dad?"
	"They are well, except, they are worried about you." Alex answered,
sipping his juices slowly.
	" Will you come home with us now? Have you done everything that you
needed to do?" Collin asked, hopeful that the answer will be positive.
	"No. I am not going home."
	"WHAT?!" Everyone exclaimed simultaneously.
	"I have done everything I needed to do, except one."
	"What is it? What can we do to help?" Collin asked.
	"You see, that's exactly what I am talking about. You haven't been
here ten minutes and you are already sympathizing me."
	"Ok, then what is the last thing that you want to do?" Kenneth
retorted, again. Sean jabbed him on the shoulder.
	"I'll tell you tomorrow." They are, getting upset at his mysterious
attitude.
	"I know none of us wants to bring this up, so I am going to be the
bad guy here." Ian spoke after a moment of awkward silence. "You don't have
much time left, Edward. You should come home. At least meet up with Mom and
Dad before you go."
	"That was mighty frank of you, Ian. I reckon we haven't known each
other that long, much less being brothers. I don't hate you. I don't hate
any of you. I don't even hate the Powers That Be, putting me in such a
predicament. If this is how it is going to end, at least I have done what I
needed to do. And I know what else I need to do. Going home to Mom and Dad
will only make it harder to say goodbye. It will break their hearts and it
will never heal. That, is another reason why I left. Here." Edward took a
jewel case that has been lying on the table and gave it to Sean.
	"What is this?" Sean asked after opening it. It was a DVD.
	"It's for Mom and Dad. Well, it's actually for all of you. I want
the whole family to watch it together, when you guys get back later."
	"Edward, would you just stop being a fucking drama queen and come
home?!" Kenneth finally lost it.
	"Yes, I agree." Collin concur.
	"We can make you come home with us, you know? I mean, there are six
of us and one of you... Gon not withstanding." Alex analyzed.
	"You'll never make it out of the mainland. The immigration officers
will not let you go if I am with you. I talked to them. I anticipated that
you would try something like that."
	"Well, Ian can get the General to send a helicopter here and we'll
just 'nap you from here on the island itself." Kenneth countered.
	"And what would that accomplished?" Edward asked. "What good would
it do to bring me home, when I am about to leave?"
	"You just don't get it, do you? All your life, all you can think of
is yourself. What about us? Think about how Mom and Dad would want to see
you for the last time! There, I said it!" Kenneth was yelling now.
	"I can't argue with that, really. If I am a father, I would want to
see my son for the last time as well. You can call me selfish. You can say
that I am running away, you can even call me a coward, but this is my
decision. This is my life. This is how I wanted it to end. Forgive me."

	The next five minutes were spent in maddening silence. The tension
was so thick that Gon got up and left the house. Collin started to sob
softly. Kenneth's angry breathing has slowed down. Sean and Ian was lost in
thoughts. Alex kept staring at Edward, without shifting his gaze, without
blinking. He looked old, older than he ever remembered. He also detected a
twitch in his eyes every minute or so, and a bead of sweat rolled down the
sides of his face. He's in pain. He's sitting here talking to them as if
nothing is happening, but all the while he is in pain and holding it
back. Finally Alex turned away, closed his eyes, and let the tears came
out.

	"What about us?" Sean finally broke the silence. "What about us?
Why did you call us here?"
	"That answer, is also the answer to your previous question about
the last thing that I needed to do. I suppose, you will understand it
tomorrow. For now, will you guys join me for dinner? I am starving."
	"Only if you are not cooking." Ian replied even before Kenneth
could retort with a 'what the'.

	But Edward did cook. In fact, all of them cooked. The fridge has
been loaded with so many food, you'd think that every single ingredient in
the world has been collected here. Some so exotic, you couldn't help but
notice that Edward has been preparing for this. The experience wasn't at
all bad. Once they started cooking, everybody lightens up. In fact, they
had fun. Flour on faces, food thrown around, Sean scolding them for wasting
food and getting a pita bread on his face. They had fun. And everyone
cooked something special. Edward made macaroni pasta with roasted pork in
thick, sweet sauce. Ian made a grilled salmon with mashed potato and served
with garden salad. Sean took the pita bread and made a kebab, while Kenneth
cooked up a storm with a three course Chinese style dinner (Kung Poh
Chicken, Pei Pa Duck, and Lo Hon Vegetables). Alex managed a burger,
somewhat, but had more skills in making sandwiches and croissants, complete
with a healthy pot of cream of asparagus. Collin made some superb sushi and
still had time for a good dose of Tom Yum Gong. It was a great feast. The
kitchen was a mess by the time they finish though.

	Dinner was incredible as well. They catched up with each
other. Collin telling his tales in school, Ian about his work and how the
whole army is turning gay no thanks to a certain soldier on General Grant's
team, Sean and Kenneth talked about all the stupid places that they went to
look for Edward, and Edward about all the things he did during the last
year. The best books he read, the games he played, the lousy movies he
watched, and his sex-capade on board the gay cruise. Alex was the only who
didn't have a lot to say, since he spent most of the past year at home
waiting for Sean and Kenneth to come back with good news. Gon came by next
to him, sat down, and licked his fingers. He looked down at Gon, smiled,
and gave him a tuna sushi. Gon raised one eyebrow and corked his head one
side. Alex laughed and placed the sushi back on his plate, and passed him
the patty from his burger. Gon bit the meat, laid down, and slowly enjoy
it. Alex turned his attention back to the table and asked where did Gon
come from, knowing full well that Edward is too lazy a person to keep a
pet. Apparently Gon had been on the island when Edward bought it with
Kenneth's money. No one knew where he came from, and Edward couldn't get
him to leave, so he just let him stay. He never had to care for him as he
always seems to be clean and took care of business by himself. After a
while, Edward warmed up to Gon and they eventually lived together, so to
speak. Gon perked his ears listening to them. After that, it was easy for
Alex to join in the conversation. He began recounting the things that they
did during the time when they were 'running away' from the General. The
kind of sex they had, the sense of danger, and how they tried to turn
Edward into a submissive bitch. With that statement, food fight began all
over again. Gon was paying close attention to what food landed on the
floor, and napped them before anyone stepped on it.

	After the dinner, no one bothered to wash the dishes. They just
left the mess there and went to the living room to play some games. Well,
actually it was just one game. They had so much fun with the game they
didn't need anything else. Nintendo Wii is truly an amazing console. When
they were tired, they sat down to watch a movie. There were arguments about
which movie they should watch, but in the end they settled for the boring
Brokeback Mountain. By the end of the movie, everyone was crying, and
well... a little bit of comfort, some hugging, one thing led to another, 6
gay brothers (one of whom had been missing for a year) - and a dog, it was
only natural that the evening turned into a full-blown fucking orgy. There
were kissing, there were licking, there were sucking, and rimming, and
fucking, with fingers, toys, machines, as well as a little bit of bondage,
a little sprinkle of candle wax, nipple clamps, whips, ball weights,
electro play. Everyone cummed and cummed and after a while, they lost count
of how many times they cummed. It was not known if Gon joined in the
fun. By 4 in the morning, they were all exhausted. The living room reeked
of cum and sweat, and 6 (or 7) naked bodies sprawled everywhere, passed
out, some still inside the other.


	It was almost twelve hours later when the helicopter came by to
pick them up.

	"You sure you don't want to come home with us?" Sean asked for the
last time.
	"No. I need to be here."
	"I still don't get why." Kenneth spoke, but only to himself.
	"You two be good, ok?" Alex and Collin tried to hold back their
tears, but burst out crying anyway, hugging on to Edward.
	"Ed, I will be back tomorrow." Ian said, looking directly into his
eyes.
	"I know. And you know where I will be." Ian nodded his head, and
turned around to walk towards the helicopter.
	"Come on, kids, we have to go." Sean patted Alex and Collin on
their heads. They separated from Edward, and waved goodbyes as Sean led
them by hands to the helicopter. Kenneth was the only one still there. He
looked at Edward and said,
	"I hate you." Then he turned away and quickly ran to the helicopter
as the strong wind from the rotor blades blew the tears from his eyes.

	Edward waved goodbye to them, with Gon standing by his side, as the
helicopter disappears into the horizon. He stood there for a while, feeling
the cool breeze with his eyes closed, and listening to the sound of the
wind. Gon left him and disappear.


	Edward spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the house. The
living room was especially nasty, with dried cum everywhere. He put away
the consoles and rearranged all his discs. After that was the kitchen. He
took out the trash and scrubbed the floor. He took a hot shower, and then
sat down on his bed. He booted up his laptop and log on to the Internet. He
checked and replied all his mails, and then closed his accounts. All the
personals he had posted on the Internet were deleted, and he updated his
blog with a final entry. When he was done, he moved all the personal files
in his computer to a specified folder, and then removed the password from
his user account before shutting down the computer. He made the bed, and
put on his favourite shirt.

	It was dusk when he walked out the front door. The land was basked
in a strong glow of orange as the sun begins to set. The daffodils sway to
the warm breeze coming from the North. Edward walked the field with his
palms open, letting his hand glide across the daffodils as he walk. He
didn't wear any shoes either. Not too far away, the giant oak tree stood
tall, proud and strong, compassionate and understanding, accepting and
forgiving, waiting for Edward to come into its embrace.

	Edward found a root and sat down, leaning against the trunk, and
looking out from the shadow of the tree. He could see the entire island
from here. The field of daffodils reminded him of Wordsworth. The house in
the middle of the island looked dark, empty and old, like a void in one's
heart. The sun began to disappear into the sea, and that intense orange
glow sparkles even more fiercely with the reflection from the ocean.

	Gon reappeared by Edward's side. Sitting next to him, looking out
at the same sight as Edward.

	And as the Citrine Sunset slowly faded into shades of blue with the
coming of the night, Edward closed his eyes, and slept for the last time.


*******
The End
*******