CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Broken.

The next morning, the Boy was the first to wake. He sat up and hovered over Borris. He patted his head and looked at the pot. He noticed it's the green glow it had the other day was now gone. He walked over to his bed to get the water bottle out. The freshwater was frozen. He woke up Cosmo.

"Cosmo? The water.. It's frozen!" Boy said.

Bates heard him and he sat up.

"The what?" He growled.

"Water!"

Cosmo looked at the frozen water in the water bottle then looked at Borris. Then his plant.

"No! What's going on with that color? It wasn't like that before!" Cosmo threw the jacket covering him off and he looked around. He shivered from the cold drift coming into the room.

Boy sat next to Borris and shook him.

"Borris are you okay?.." Boy asked.

Borris weakly opened his eyes and stared at Boy.

"..Boy." He choked. Boy scanned his face. His pale skin now blue.

He heard glass shatter and fall. He looked around and noticed the broken pot with Borris's sprout on the ground. Cosmo and Bates turned their attention to it and paused. They looked at one another. Bates quickly ran over to the pot and moved the soul around.

"It's frozen... The water it had in there froze overnight."

Boy looked back at Borris and noticed everything except his shirt slowly fade into a grey color. He looked back at the flower and saw it turning black and fading away.

"Borris?!" Boy shouted.

Bates ran over to Borris and looked at Boy then Borris again.

"Come on buddy say something!" Bates said.

Borris smiled and let out a weak laugh.

Boy looked Borris up and down.

Cosmo searched the house for something to help.

"Borris.. Please stay awake.. We're so close.." Boy said.

"Borris, Dude hang in there, Cosmo you found anything yet?" Bates shouted to Cosmo.

"Yes almost! Kind of!" Cosmo shouted back.

"Kind of!?"

Borris rested his hand on Bates' hand and laughed.

"Bates.." He said.

Bates looked down at Borris.

"Smile.. For me." He said.

"No, We- We're going to save you, Borris-.." Bates said, shaking. He looked at Boy then back to find Cosmo.

"Bates.." Borris said again.

Boy watched Bates bring his attention back to him and sigh.

He smiled softly and watched Borris turn his head towards Boy.

"Thank you, Boy.." Borris said.

Boy studied Borris's face. This couldn't be his final good-bye, could it? Boy looked at the broken pot and flower laying on the floor. He grabbed Borris and hugged him tightly.

"Goodbye Borris." Boy choked out between stutters of sadness. Boy closed his eyes and cried into Borris's shoulder until we felt nothing there.

He faded away. Nothing was left of him. Not even the sprout. It was gone. Bates looked at Boy. He moved closer and replaced the empty space he was hugging.

"We tried.." Bates said.

Boy couldn't believe he lost another friend. Another person he loved. Borris's death reminded him of how he felt of his sisters. He wondered if Bates and Cosmo felt the same. It wasn't very clear before but now it is very clear now. He was all alone.

Cosmo and Bates have lost everyone. Everyone they've looked up to. But he felt a little better Because he knew Girl would be happy to see Borris. Boy could feel Bates crying as well. He felt bad. Now Borris is dead, What is there to do now?