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Eden’s light has never been brighter.
The freedom of running, of joy, of Love. It has never felt brighter than now. It was like happiness. Like Pride. It was as if your God gave you as much Love as he could. He made sure you would feel His Love. The one who Dozed was happy, as it reciprocated this Love. It reciprocated all Love, all while Dozing in its own paradise.
Today, God has given you more Love. He has given you a friend. The one who Dozed did not see at first, It was too busy sleeping. The one who Dozed liked sleeping, for it was a type of comfort. Even when it had some repercussions, It kept on Dozing. For when it could not show off its Pride, it could rest. Doze. It’s why God called it a ‘Dozer’. Such a beautiful word it was. Dozer. Prideful, like itself.
Dozer rested near a tree, the ground soft and warm, the blanket snuggling comfortably against its plump body. The tree was like a friend to the Dozer. A vessel to chat with. When it felt lonely, it turned to the tree. When it felt sad or angry, it vented to the tree. The Dozer was sleeping, facing the tree it treated like a friend. Unknowingly, a flower had sprouted. Goździk Ogrodowy, a Garden Carnation. It was beautiful. It grew quickly.
The Dozer opened an eye. It felt a shift in movement. It noticed the flower, the vines wrapped into a body. How can such a beautiful flower appear in front of it and not know about it? It felt like an insult, in honesty.
“And who art thou? For thou hast entered mine own paradise, I must needs know thy title. Thy beauty hath entranced me, and I yearn to know thee.” Fancy talk was always how it spoke, to its God, to everything. It could not resist complimenting the beauty of the flower, for it looked more beautiful than any it had ever seen.
“I have come to accompany a being. He has told me to. I must not disobey Him. For what He has said, You are to be that being?” From the appearance of the flower, it was yellow and magenta, with a singular eye in the middle. Its vines were dark green, extending into a plump body shape, similar to the one who Dozed.
“Verily. Thou appearest to have been sent by Him. I must needs say, thou art most charming and well-learned. Pray tell, art thou the Goździk Ogrodowy of whom He hath spoken?” Before the flower was sent, He had mentioned a new liking for floral plants, specifically that species. It seemed that He was planning this for a while now.
“Despite my limited understanding, your deduction seems correct. I must say, you are flattering me with your words. Very charming.” He couldn’t resist a bit of flattery back, of course, rolling its eye in playfulness. “Well, thou art beauteous. ’Tis true.”
“Thou may’st accompany me till our days be done, till aught ill befalleth us. Thou may’st converse with me whensoever thou dost desire. Thou may’st be my friend, until our lives do end, and together we dost wither. Dost thou agree to this?” It pondered.
“I do.” He replied.
“What should befall us if we vanished from this mortal coil? Our very selves, our sovereignty... what if all were lost and spent? What fate should come upon us? Upon the others? Upon our sacred refuge?” A question that has been asked by others. He could not answer, for He did not want them to suffer. “Why must we all meet our mortal end?”
A hard question to answer, in honesty. “Everything meets its end sometimes. Me, you, the tree, the ground, everything. It all comes and goes. The cycle of life and death will always repeat itself, until nothing remains. I, too, will die, and you, as well, will join me. I promised Him that I would not leave you. I promised YOU that I would stay by your side. It was your request, and I will fulfill it to the greatest I can.” The flowers' words were like honey, dripping.
The one who Dozed felt sleepy, and tired. It wanted to sleep, but it was entranced by a beautiful flower talking to it. The way it spoke was like music being played. It was like it could sleep forever to the tune of his voice.
“You are tired, my friend. Will you rest? If you desire, I can keep talking until I rest as well.” The thought made Dozer skip a beat. The most beautiful Carnation of Eden, Its Carnation, trusting it enough to rest with it? “Thou mayst. It bringeth me joy when thou art nigh unto me. But do not compel thyself to press on when thou art weary. Thou may’st rest with me when thou art suffic’ently spent.”
“You are very flattering. Or, should I say, ‘Thou art too full of flattery’? Really, you compliment me too much.. If I could blush, I would.” He chuckled loudly, like a grandpa laughing at an old-timey joke. How adorable.
He talked for a while, Dozer quietly listening while resting its head on the vine-legs of the flower. It felt rough, but comfortable. It slept, and thought.
How fortunate that He thought that the one who Dozed deserved a friend. How fortunate that the one He gave it was the most beautiful Carnation it could ever gaze upon. It wanted to hold the Carnation. It wanted to embrace him. It wanted.. It wanted to… No. It couldn’t think of such.. Unholy things. But.. It really wanted to.
It felt like it was being scrutinized. It wanted to do things with its friend. It wanted to get closer with its friend. Why? Why did it feel like It couldn’t? The thought made it shake in its sleep.
The dreams it thought about were wonderful. The flower was in all of them, like an end point. It would accompany Dozer, at all times, never leaving its side. If the flower disappeared, it would reappear. Anything that could happen, did happen.
There was no doubt about it.
The flower was the one.
“Dost thou know what rain is like?” The question came out of the blue, as rain poured into the sanctuary. The rain was different from the rain most know, as it had the property of growing His plants quickly. The one who Dozed enjoyed the sounds of the rain dropping against the grass, the plants. It was nice.
“No. I was one to grow quickly. What is it like?” It was true. Carnation did not know much about the rain, for he grew very quickly from its birth.
“The rain is as sugar upon corn. 'Tis a thing that nurtureth, bloometh, and groweth. Even so doth thy kind wax and flourish.” It then took a small dish cup out, holding it out in the rain. Water gathered in it. “Every kind, to speak true. The manner in which the rain descendeth... it is as a dulcet melody to thine ears. 'Tis a token of His Love.” The Love the Dozer had for Him was absolute. Praise for Him was a necessity.
“Is that so? I am very surprised that is how rain really works. It must feel nice.” The flower took the cup that Dozer held out for him. “It is a wonder what He gives for us. He gives us what we need to survive. It is a blessing that He gives for all. For you, for me, to us.” He loves all, cherishes all. He is light.
“Thy speech delighteth mine ear most sweetly. Thou speak’st as though a living poem doth walk the earth, penning its journey as it goeth. With every word, thou dost enchant me further, good friend.” It then walked to the tree, sat down, and patted the ground next to it. “Come, come. Beneath the tree. It shall grant us shelter for a time.” The flower obliged, sitting directly down next to it.
Suddenly, part of the large blanket that the Dozing one always wore around its body was flown around the flowers' vine-body. It felt…soft, comfortable even. Like the comfort of dirt and soil.
“Feels nice. Didn’t expect how warm it felt.” He chuckled a tiny bit. He really meant it.
“Well, I didn’t want you to feel like you were left out.” It looked away slyly.
“You now speak in human tongue, Dozer?” He laughed.
“Ah! Ahem, pardon mine offence. Methinks my tongue hath tripped anon. Pray, disregard that... unless thou wouldst have me speak so, forsooth.” It coughed into its hand, as if trying to forget what happened. “Well, I do not mind. Go on.”
He… didn’t mind it. He liked that the Dozing one kept speaking like a normal human. It didn’t have to keep up its prideful speech anymore. It felt… happy. More calm. It felt seen.
It felt Love.
“What will happen when the rain disappears?” It started back up. “When there is no more nourishment for the plants, the tree, this Eden… will I die? Will you die? Will we see each other again…?” Its tone shifted, more somber. “What do you mean? Why would I ever die?”
“Everything ends at some point, Carnation. Even the smallest things. The cycle of life and death can’t go on infinitely. We are all fated to die permanently at some point. When we can’t think about the future beyond, it’s our first step that death will occur. We know nothing except our shared paradise. He gives us new things, but it won’t always last.”
The Dozing one moved itself so it could lay on the vine-legs of the flower. “And when permanent death occurs, the universe remains in stasis. We may never be able to meet again when this happens. We may never be able to have our talks like this at any point. We can never nourish, cherish, and dance with each other again. What will you think, if that ever happens?” It reached one of its hands up, caressing the side of one of its petals tenderly, the flower putting its own hand up to it.
“Well, even if I may not precisely know what will happen, what I am sure to know is that we can spend the moments we have to the fullest, and make sure nothing will be wasted. When, and if, we do die, we can pass with no regrets. Does that please you?”
The tone in his voice was addicting. Like toasted butter.
“I’d like that.”
“Then, we will do our best.”
“Are you sure.. that I can do this? That I can.. expose myself to you?” The flower felt scared. The two had gotten close, sure, but… doing this was another act of trust. He was scared about it. He didn’t want to scare Dozer off.
“’Tis well, mine own dearest. Our bond hath flourish’d so that we may now converse as intimates, and I am certain I shall neither cry out, nor shrink, nor hide in revulsion.” The Dozing one reached out for its flower companion, hand resting where his heart would be. “I trust thee, and thou dost trust me. With all my heart I do vow, I shall Love thee wholly.”
With careful precision, it helped slide part of his wear off. The tangle of vines made up for a body matching Dozer’s own, prickly and soft at the same time.
“Thy form doth greatly captivate mine interest, Carnation. I-” It then coughed. “Excuse me. That speech shouldn’t be used in… ‘this’ type of moment. But, still, your body greatly interests me, even if it is not like others.” It delicately ran its fingers along one of the vines, a small gasp of surprise coming from the flower. “It is what makes you beautiful.”
It loves me, it loves me not. His petals drooped as he recited that rhyme. It loves me, it loves me not. It loves me, it loves me not. He worried greatly. When it saw what he was really like under all that layering, would it still talk to him as a friend? As someone Loved?
He then heard the brush of hands, and weight crashed down on him, followed by a shadow. “I’m amazed. You are very soft. More soft than anything I’ve ever touched!” The one above him laughed so hard it could be heard thousands of miles in the air. “And you look so pretty under me. Not in an odd way, of course.” He.. didn’t need the clarification, but it was appreciated.
He could really get a better look at his companion from this angle. A round, yellow face, plump body, and shaded yellow. His companion really was beautiful. It felt relaxing, in a way. Relaxing, as its petals drooped and he looked to the side. The Sanctuary looked beautiful. It was thriving, plants and creatures everywhere.
But one thing was beautiful, and it was talking to him.
“To be honest, I had never really had anyone to talk to besides the tree above us. When you first appeared, sprouted , it was like… I had finally gained something. Like I had something that I could finally converse with in full. And I made the right decision by talking to you. It’s like a part of me found itself again. Maybe… Maybe, my feelings have changed.”
That confession. It felt… real . The emotion that was heard throughout.. It dripped. Soaked. The flower internally felt like it was heating up. Like it had gained a new emotion. Real Love . So it decided to ask.
“Are you trying to tell me that you have feelings for me, and by extension, are in Love with me, Dozing one?”
…What?
What?
“...Excuse me?” It woke up from its temporary slumber when it heard that question. How did he know? “You have been showing a bit more shyness around me, Dozing one. You abandon your noble speech when you want to, only around me. You even share your huge blanket with me.” He chuckled. “Are you really just in love with me?”
“...Is there really no hiding it?” It sighed. “...You’re the most beautiful flower I have ever seen. Way prettier than the other flowers I have ever seen. And you are a special one, you’re a Carnation. You talk to me, like I am one. You allow me to be vulnerable around you, to do what I want around you, and you make sure I never get hurt.” It shifted itself, propping itself in a position where it could hear the heartbeat of the flower.
“And you never turned me away. Not even in my darkest moments. You were truly the one sent by Him to be mine. I can only say what I want to say right now with my words.” It intertwined one of its hands with the flowers’ own, hands locking tightly with each other. “I do. I really do love you. I was scared to confront my feelings, due to what He would think. But, I see now that He would not mind. In fact, He made this happen. He wanted us to meet.”
Everything led up to this moment. He made it lead up to this. Dozer shifted. Carnation shifted as well. They were inches apart, on top of each other, waiting. It was like waiting for a rainbow to appear. And then, Dozer did it. They connected. It felt.. warm. Its lips on the wetness of his pistil felt heavenly. Too heavenly, in fact, as Dozer immediately moved the blanket over both of them, not wanting to let anyone, or anything, see.
They had a lot of fun that night.
“Carnation! My flower, wake up!” Why was Dozer screaming at him to wake up? Did something happen?
“It is urgent! Our sanctuary is collapsing!” ..What? Why is this happening? It brought it up millenia ago. Did the end times actually come? Are they really going to be separated?
“Get up! Get UP! Oh, you dozey flower, get UP!” It yanked the flower up, shaking it to get his attention. “We don’t have time, we can’t get all of the life here. It’s just us that need to run.” The flower nodded, confused, but understanding.
“It.. had to happen, didn’t it? He has a plan.” He questioned as they started running, faster than anything else. As they were not human, their speed was way faster than the average body. They could run at higher mach speeds, and with the urgency of the situation, it was very much needed.
“’Tis most unfortunate that this shouldst befall us now, mine own dearest blossom. For He mayst harbour other designs, yet still may we endure. We must flee. Flee as far as we art able.” The noble speech came back, for one last time, as their speed increased, and they ran fast, faster, than anything else.
But alas, it was all in vain. The ground crumbled, and caught up. It caught the two of them. They could only hold on to each other for only so long before the violence of the wind blew them apart, as if a cruel mockery.
…
And then there was a chamber.
A sinner. Born from flesh and blood, wanting to escape. It appeared.
“Sinner. Bow thyself before the king, and disobey him not.”
And behind the Sinner, something rushed.
Pink, and yellow.
…He was back.