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Grave Flowers
by Seven
Disclaimer:
Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are
copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company. All rights reserved.
**********
Liam looked carefully over the thin pails of flowers, a few spilling over
the rim to fall to the sidewalk.
The grizzled old vendor smiled at him. "Same as usual, Liam?"
"Yes, thanks," Liam said, glancing across the street at the sprawling graveyard. Hickory had good business, he knew, from people coming to honor their loved ones.
For as long as Liam could remember, Lili had come here every Tuesday. Liam had watched her as she placed flowers on William Boone's grave on that every day. White orchids. Always white orchids.
It had struck Liam as slightly odd that she had never used roses or lilies, always white orchids. When he had asked about it, Lili had informed him sadly that they had reminded Boone of his wife.
Now Lili was gone. And Tuesdays had felt strange, until Liam had wandered back to the graveyard. He had tried to explain this to Da'an, but the Taelon had clearly been confused by it.
"Here ya go, Liam," Hickory said, breaking the spell. Liam took the bunch of orchids and stared down at a small pail of lilies-of-the-valley.
"I'll take some of those, too," he said suddenly.
****
The graveyard was green and brown with early spring. Liam stepped over to Boone's grave, and slowly laid the orchids down by the tombstone.
Liam had never known Boone. He had often wondered how his life would have been different if he had. Boone was often described as being honest, loyal, and fair. Thinking back on his short life, he wondered how different things would have been if Boone hadn't been killed by Zo'or.
I wonder what he would've thought of me, he thought sadly.
He paused for a moment later, then set down the lilies of the valley, a little away from the orchids.
"Rest in peace," he said quietly.
