A janitor sweeps. He cares for a floor he’s swept meticulously countless times before, completing his job to perfection.
Every day, without fail… he sweeps the floor.
There’s no song in his heart, no joy in his eyes. He does not sweep the floor because he wants to, he sweeps it because it is his job. He has to.
“No matter how many times I clean the floor, tomorrow it’ll still be dirty.”
A cheery voice greets him.
“There is joy to be found in the mundane. If you would just smile, you will find it.”
The cleaner shakes his head.
“I will find joy when the floor is clean. Then, tomorrow, I will clean it again.”
Mister Sunshine places his hands on the man’s shoulders.
“Such a sad life, a thankless eternity.”
He smiles.
The scene before him fades.
“Eternity is a long time if your journey has no destination.”
Where there was floor, there is now a vast expanse of water.
“It is a natural thing to fear death. That eternity of nothingness we face when the Ferryman comes calling. But death only needs to be scary if we let it.”
“Death smiles at us all eventually, but all we Sunbeams can do is choose if we smile back.”
“There was once a terminally ill man. He was a coward who feared the eternity of dying, and cut a deal to live longer.” Sunshine’s smile fades. “But the deal went wrong, and now he is neither dead nor alive.”
The visage of the cleaner returns behind Sunshine upon the water, still sweeping.
“An eternity of nothingness, sweeping the floor of death, ferrying countless souls to the other side. How sad.”
“When death comes for you, you can try to run from it… fight it and hide.” Sunshine smiles once more. “Or embrace it like a friend, smile and enjoy the journey on the Ferryman’s boat.”
“For you know that what awaits you on the other side of that lake is the destination, and the journey is not endless. Not for you.”
“You will one day smile in the sunshine beyond the lake, where there is no pain, no hurt and no darkness.”
Sunshine motions towards the cleaner.
“He won’t… for his journey never ends.”
“Tombstone’s journey has no destination. It is just a dirty floor that needs cleaning. He is not in control, and he does not call the shots. He merely follows the task he has been instructed to do.”
“The mundane eternity of paddles lapping at the water. No matter how many souls he ferries, tomorrow there will still be more.”
“That is all he ever will be. That is what he chose all those years ago.”
Sunshine smiles at us, we feel his warmth.
“Do not fear the Ferryman’s boat, dear Sunbeams. You cannot chase off death or wish it away. It will take you in time. All you have to do is smile and accept it.”
“But until then, enjoy the journey. For you have something that Tombstone would only ever dream of having.”
“Freedom, Sunbeams… That’s enough to make you smile.”