A Flower Closing at Dusk

As quietly as he could, Hoborg trod the hallways of his Castle. He didn’t want to wake up the one who would not be waking up in the morning.
The entire day, he had been wrought by doubt. His children asked him, are you alright? Klaymen took him by the arm and said, you look worried.
Quater, please forgive me for what I am going to do. It is not right. I know that it isn’t right. And yet, I can’t bear to see the boy in so much pain.
Hoborg reached the purple and green room. Like a ghost, he opened the door, just a slit he could peer through.
They sat on the boy’s bed. They weren’t sleeping like he had hoped. They sat, and talked quietly, the calm brother, the excitable brother, and their translation box. Vigilant, they kept watch over the third brother, who was sleeping peacefully. Hoborg wondered if his dreams were also peaceful, or if they were wrought with the same pain that wrought him during the day. Or maybe, he was dreaming of nothing at all.
Recalling chemical formulas in his mind, Hoborg concentrated his will and blew onto his palm. Fine powder rose in the air and filled the purple and green room. Hoborg closed the door and waited.
When he entered five minutes later, all three brothers were deeply asleep.
He considered moving the two watchers out of the way. Then, careful not to jostle them, he picked them up and set them against the foot of the bed. Not too near, not too far. He sat on the bed and took the third brother’s head onto his lap.
With soft, meek hands, he cupped his head.
May I enter?
Please come! I have been waiting for you.

Unmoving, Hoborg sat and did the unimaginable. Quater, please forgive me. I blaspheme against your creation. I spit onto the shape of your world. But please, do not hold my hand back. This boy needs this, wants this, I cannot say no to him.
I will not say no to him.
Unmoving, Hoborg sat in silence as, little by little, he set the boy to eternal sleep. And in his stead, Hoborg roused a new boy into life. Slowly. Like a flower closing at dusk. Like a flower blooming at dawn.


     

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