Chapter 1: Arrival
When the bus finally came to a stop, the engine let out a relieved sigh after hours of rattling around bumpy roads. As Dylan stepped off the boat, he looked around Sunstone, his boots crunching on the gravel. With its cobblestone alleyways and little stores whose signs fluttered in the salty wind, it was less bustling and almost too charming for his liking. Outside a bakery, a dog dozed off, and a man wearing a fisherman cap argued noisily over a booth selling fresh clams.
The ocean glistened far away, seemingly constantly blanking out the sky. The weight of his duffel bag pressed into Dylan's shoulder as he adjusted it, but the true burden lay within—a thin, worn notepad delicately tucked into an inner pocket. Journal kept by Ryan. A Summer To-Do List.
He was startled by the horn's blast. As he pivoted, he beheld his uncle's old blue pickup truck, which appeared to beggar the rules of physics by remaining intact, idling by the curb. A smile spread across Uncle Mike's sun-kissed face as he leaned out the window.
"Dylan! Help!" With an enthusiastic wave, Mike made the call. "Please, jump in! I have lunch cooking and a room prepared for you."
Carefully avoiding to bang the door with his luggage, Dylan climbed inside the truck. Mike broke the stillness as they wound their way through the town's meandering streets with upbeat commentary about everything from the town's top restaurants to the peculiarities of the residents to the much-anticipated Summer Fest. Dylan nodded and listened, but he couldn't help but think about the notepad. Finding the greatest spot to observe the stars was the first thing on Ryan's list, and he kept thinking about it like a mantra.
Dylan heaved a little sigh as they pulled up to Mike's house, a little cottage with flaking paint but a lovely front porch. There was a montage of seaside trinkets, old family photos, and the reassuring aroma of wood polish within. Even though it was on the tiny side, his room was warm and inviting, and the view of the water glistened in the afternoon sun.
The process of unpacking was fast. Items of clothing were placed in the one and only dresser, while the notebook was placed on the nightstand. The blue cover had seen better days, yet it still sat there, practically taunting him to open it. When Dylan still wasn't sure, he caved.
Looking back at him was the list, written in Ryan's signature jumbled style:
1. Locate an optimal spot for stargazing.
2. Prepare some fish by catching it.
3. Express your love in poetry form.
4. Meet a new acquaintance.
5. Assist a complete stranger.
6. Take in the sunset from the edge of the tallest cliff.
Dylan felt a tightening in his chest due to its simplicity. Ryan seems to take delight in the most insignificant things.
Dylan bundled up with a blanket and made his way to the beach that night because he couldn't sleep. Their reflections glistened on the water as the stars danced across the sky like specks of silver paint. Although picturesque, it did not yet exude an air of being the ideal location.
A voice responded, "Not bad," shocking him.
Just a few steps away, Dylan noticed a female. With a pencil stashed under her ear, she grabbed a sketchpad. The moonlight cast a warm glow on her face, revealing an expression of curiosity and amusement.
"Is it common for you to surprise people?" "What do you want?" Dylan enquired.
"Well, that's only when they appear disoriented," she joked. "Are you sure this is your first night here?"
Nodding, Dylan gave the signal.
Her eyes darted to the night sky. "Here you won't find the greatest view, but it is beautiful nonetheless."
"And what location would be ideal?"
Before reaching out a helping hand, she paused. "Stay here."
Chapter 2: Faerie Tales and Stargazing
Liv was her name, and she appeared to be well familiar with Sunstone. The two of them were guided along a winding trail by her as the grasses swayed in sync with the sound of the waves. Dylan felt his breath catch as they arrived to the isolated cove. The stars were so brilliant that they seemed to glow in the stillness of the ocean below.
"I told you," Liv muttered as she sat cross-legged on a smooth rock and reached for her sketchpad.
Laying back under his blanket, Dylan let himself to be absorbed by the immensity of the universe. They were both at ease in the quiet, which was only disturbed by Liv's pencil scratch as she drew.
He looked over after a time. "What subject are you depicting?"
The pad was raised by her. The sketch of the cove was done quickly but with remarkable accuracy; the stars appeared to be spinning in the water like some strange vortex.
"That's...amazing," Dylan exclaimed, clearly astounded.
Then Liv just shrugged. What I see is all that matters.
Over the course of the evening, they spoke at length about Ryan, the town, and art. Dylan didn't spill the beans much, but he did mention that his brother had been the daring and imaginative one. Dylan felt relief from the knot in his chest as Liv listened attentively without interfering.
The first item on the list was crossed off when he returned to Mike's house.
Chapter 3: Hook, Line and Memories
Uncle Mike's infectious excitement was on full display the following morning when he unveiled their plan. "We're going fishing, little one!"
Dylan let out an internal groan. Because he lacked the patience necessary and found fishing to be tedious and boring, he had never been interested in it. However, he was unable to decline, especially with the list hanging over him like an unseen obstacle.
They embarked on their journey in Mike's weathered fishing vessel, which had flaking paint but an impressively strong engine. Under the midday heat, the sea's surface shimmered as it stretched forever. Under Mike's amused gaze, Dylan cast awkwardly as he fumbled with the rod.
While making adjustments to his own line, Mike started to say, "You know, Ryan enjoyed coming out here. His life was energised by the ocean, he used to say.
Dylan clamped down harder on the rod. He was curious and wanted to know when Ryan went fishing. Words got stuck in his throat, so there is no idea what he was talking about.
After waiting for what seemed like hours, Dylan felt a tug on the queue. As he fought against the draw, his heart pounded and his muscles strained to reel it in. There was a whoop and a clap from Mike as soon as he got the fish onto the boat.
The thrill of having caught it himself accentuated the simple flavours as they cooked the catch on the deck that evening. Dylan experienced a brief surge of pride, his first such emotion in months.
As he completed the second task, a newfound appreciation for the town's charm hit him, just as Ryan had predicted.
Chapter 4: Moving Poetry
As time went on, Dylan found a rhythm to his daily routine. While he strolled the meandering alleys of Sunstone, he frequently found himself at the tiny café where Liv worked, either reading or drawing by the window. There was a loose-knit bunch of artists, musicians, and authors that Liv had introduced him to, and they all greeted Dylan with an openness he'd rarely experienced at home. A strange sense of belonging washed over Dylan as he joined in on their jokes and small talk.
While enjoying some peace and quiet on a Tuesday afternoon, Dylan accidentally returned to the list. Third on the list was to compose a poem expressing your affection for an object or person. It appeared to be an obstacle. Ryan was the one who had always been the most imaginative, penning down poetry and song lyrics in the margins of his notebooks. Ryan had described Dylan as having "a poet's soul," but Dylan had never considered himself to have such a quality.
Dylan sought out inspiration after a string of botched rhyme attempts. In order to let go of his irritation, he strolled out to the beach armed with a notebook and pencil. The waves lapped against the coast in a soothing cadence, casting a soft golden light across Sunstone. His brother, the driving force for this journey, the sun's warmth, the ocean's tranquillity, all found themselves etched into his writing as he beheld his surroundings.
His words even caught him off guard: "I love this town that's shaped by your absence but lit with memories I never knew." It left him speechless.
After he showed Liv the poem, she gave him a contemplative look, her gaze gentler than normal.
A simple "Ryan would've loved this" was all she said. Somehow, that was the icing on the cake that made the writing process bearable.
Chapter 5: Unexpected Companions
Dylan ended up at the summer event that Mike had recommended one night. String lights danced across the sky as the whole town square came alive, filling the air with the sweet aroma of popcorn, cotton candy, and the briny sea breeze. Vendors shouted out in sing-song voices, children raced between booths, and musicians filled the square with folk songs, bringing Sunstone's eccentric village to life.
Before Dylan realised it, he was swept up in the mayhem as Liv and her pals volunteered to operate a few of the festival booths. The mayor and a few prominent businesspeople in town were among the "celebrities" who could pay to be soaked in a charity dunk tank, and his job description was straightforward: assist with running the tank. As a group of children gathered, enthusiastically aiming at the red target, Dylan couldn't help but giggle.
Then he saw an old lady at an adjacent stall who was obviously having trouble lifting her duffel bag. He wasted no time in going over to lend a hand.
She asked him, "Oh, thank you, my dear," while grinning gratefully at him. "These arthritic bones don't resemble their youthful selves."
Margaret was her name, which he learnt during their short conversation. Living just a few blocks away, she had spent her whole life in Sunstone. Dylan listened attentively as she spoke, her eyes gleaming with anecdotes from her life's journey.
Mentally, he crossed the item off the list, but he also gained something else: a sense of contentment. After Margaret said farewell and promised to come get him if she needed him again, Dylan felt he was finally getting a feel for the place.
Chapter 6: The Cliffs at Sunset
As the festival came to a close, Liv extended an invitation to Dylan and her friends to go on a night walk to the cliffs, which she called a 'locals-only' ritual and said was the perfect spot to see the sun go down. Even more unfiltered reminders of Ryan's passion for adventure made Dylan pause, and he wasn't sure he was prepared. However, Liv's persistence was convincing.
They congregated as the sun dipped below the horizon, armed with food, lanterns, and an electrifying anticipation that seemed to know no bounds. As they climbed, Dylan was gasping for oxygen and his legs were burning. The sound of Liv's laughter echoed across the woodland as she shattered the silence with her cries of encouragement.
He was taken aback by the scene in a different way at the peak. Spectacular amber, pink, and violet waves crashed against the shore below. The setting sun's rays created a vibrant watercolour of blending and shifting hues as they descended in the sky.
A knot formed in Dylan's throat. Ryan seemed to be right there with him, allowing them to both appreciate the tranquil beauty of the moment.
An exquisite sight, isn't it? With a low voice, Liv settled down next to him.
Unable to speak, Dylan could only nod. Now he knew why Ryan had fallen in love with this community and sought solace in it. Even Dylan felt a glimmer of serenity in that instant.
Chapter 7: Hidden History
Dylan found solace and stability in Liv's company as their friendship blossomed over the course of several weeks. But there was more—a melancholy that matched his own—that he perceived in her. As they sought shelter under the awning of a café one rainy afternoon, Dylan eventually spoke to her about it.
Her fingers delicately ran down the rim of her coffee cup as Liv paused. "At the age of ten, my dad just got up and left, vanished. It's not something I discuss very frequently.
A sense of vulnerability and rawness permeated her confession. Dylan could relate, though in a different way, because he had experienced loss. As the rain gently tapped against the awning, they sat in quiet contemplation, each consumed with memories of those who had departed from their life.
By opening up to one another, they became closer. A quiet comprehension, a knowing that grief might mould an individual like waves etching grooves into stone, washed over them.
Chapter 8: Constructing a House
As summer drew to a close, Dylan had just one more thing to do: meet new people and form friendships. He knew Ryan hadn't meant any old friend, which seemed absurd considering the relationships he'd made at Sunstone. He had in mind a genuine friend, the kind who would push him to his limits and encourage his development. Liv was the one he had been looking for, he realised.
As they gazed up at the night sky from their beloved cove, Dylan eventually turned to her. "You are aware that you have been an exceptional friend?"
Under the twinkling stars, Liv met his gaze with gentle eyes. "Yeah, Dylan, I got it. If I were to guess...We should be proud of Ryan.
There was no need for them to elaborate. In that peaceful moment, Dylan felt a weight lift off his shoulders as the warmth of the connections he had made in Sunstone—the friendships, the generosity, the shared memories—replaced Ryan's absence.
That night, upon Dylan's return to his uncle's house, he opened the notebook for the final time. Unexpectedly, he felt a sense of completion as he marked off the last item on the list. Beyond being a summer assignment, Ryan's list had been a path to recovery and an education in appreciating life's little pleasures. Additionally, he had a sneaking suspicion that his brother had accompanied him throughout.
Leaving Sunstone, but Not the Memories
Dylan, whose heart was heavy with both joy and sadness as summer gave way to autumn, prepared to go home as soon as he could. He had developed strong feelings for Sunstone—its kind locals, its unpretentious streets, and, above all, the friendships he had formed there. The eccentric locals, Liv, and Uncle Mike had become like a second family, helping to fill the void that Ryan had left behind.
Liv and her pals organised a beachside farewell party for him on his last day. They chuckled as they remembered the summer, their inside jokes, and the carefree times they had spent together. Liv gave him a bear hug as they said their goodbyes.
"Will you return?" she whispered.
With the summer list no longer weighing him down, Dylan couldn't help but smile. As promised, I will. You know how Sunstone has a way of bringing folks back?
Ease washed over Dylan as he got on the bus and saw the town go into the distance. He had changed since he had come here with a heavy heart and an incomplete list. He represented a fresh start, someone who was prepared to continue his brother's legacy of living life to the fullest.
He now claimed Ryan's list as his own. With each stride, Dylan was certain that he would pay tribute to his brother's legacy by honouring Sunstone's love, lessons, and beauty no matter where life led him.
