Member-only story
The Story of the Sun People
And their monuments
The procession of people walked slowly along the trail down to the sea. No one spoke. The only sound was that of hundreds of footsteps on the dirt path.
On the beach everyone fanned out to form a line with everyone facing the sea and the sun that was about to set. Their leader had told the people that after he died his soul would travel to the west. He also insisted that there be no funeral for him and no burial. He was to be cremated and his ashes were to be tossed into the sea.
His most important request was that there would be no leader to replace him; that the people be on their own, each their own leader. He said it was time for people to live as equals without someone ruling over them.
As the sun sank closer to the horizon a few people began to sob and wail. Their leader had been greatly loved for his wisdom and compassion. He had ruled the land for over fifty years and the people lived in peace all that time.
A woman standing in the middle of the line of people on the beach was carrying an urn with the leader’s ashes. As per the instructions left by the leader, she stepped forward just as the sun touched the horizon. She walked barefoot over the sand towards the water and then into the water. Once she was waist-deep in the water she turned the urn to its…
