In the Distance

Håkan and Asa set out for the canyon. At last, they reach a desolate gorge that looks “like a black horizontal flash of lightning” (198). They make their way down to the bottom and discover a stream, vegetation for their horses, and a domed hall in the side of the rock that they can use as a hideout. The quiet weeks they spend there are blissful for Håkan. The only time they leave their hiding place is to feed and water their horses once a day. One afternoon, while Asa is out tending to the horses, a group of riders chases him. He sends a furtive, serene smile up to Håkan as he leads his pursuers away from the cave. When the riders come back into view, Håkan sees that they have Asa and that his “head [is] shining with blood” (201). Håkan remains in the cave for three days.

After Asa’s death, Håkan barely leaves the hideout until winter. He feels trapped in an endless present again, indifferent toward himself and overwhelmed with pain. One night, tormented by the thought that almost all of the people he’s met on his travels are still alive while