An oriole glides across the sky as all animals gather in a flower field, gazing upon the boundless starry night. 

In a more secluded corner lies a clueless night-blooming cereus, for its visions are completely drenched in darkness until it blossoms. Hearing the chattering and laughing of the critters, the poor bud could not help but wonder what was going to happen. 

 

"Why is everyone gathered here?" The cereus asked as it raised its closed bud up. 

 

"The meteor shower!" The oriole chimes in, flapping his wings in excitement. 

 

"I heard that stars will be falling from the sky; the sight will be phenomenal!" Having its attention caught by the jabber of other animals, the oriole flew away.

 

Just like every single night-blooming cereus, the bud has lived its whole life in a completely blind state, awaiting the day of bloom, when it could finally bask in the beautiful sceneries of the world. Yet, this flowering is short-lived: Night-blooming cereus are not only known for their captivating flowers coated in radiant white, they are also notorious for their impermanence. 

 

"To be blind for so long, to live for so long, just to pour your entire life into a mere few hours?" The curious yet lonely floret wondered to itself. It has always anticipated the time to finally witness the beauty of this world. Though this anticipation comes with a sense of cardinal fear lingering in its stems. 

 

"What if I made the wrong decision?"

 

There is a reason why it is the last standing bloom of its kind in this field.

 

 

The cereus, who is deeply lost in its thought, is interrupted as it hears 3 sharp shouts from the oriole, announcing the arrival of the meteor shower. Clatters and crackles can be heard while the excited critters reach for the best spot to witness the meteor shower. The forest is now filled with so many different voices from all around: the wolves howling on the mountains far away, monkeys geckering as they climb on top of the trees in elation, mice squeaking as they squirrel around the fields of flowers, and even crickets loudly chirping as they dance on the grass blades. 

 

It's happening. 

 

The still-blinded cereus couldn't see the shooting stars, but it has no doubt this is a phenomenal sight when even the trees are also cheering along in harmony with the animals as the wind flaps on the leaves and bushes. 

 

"I want to see it."

 

"Let me see it!"

 

No longer clouded by any doubts, the determined bud gazed upon the moon and opened its long-enclosed arms, outpouring all its inner strength. The yellow floret with a pinkish tint slowly lets go of all the tension, which reveals an enchanting white bloom with a yellow stamen in the middle. Moonlight shines upon the cereus, enchanted with the soft warm glistening glow on its petals as if the moon is cheering on its liberation. Situated in an obscure spot where no critters could notice such a revelation, the moon served as its only witness.

 

It can finally see.

 

It looks up, noticing how the falling stars pierce through the pitch-black sky with an impenetrable white beam. The burning comets leave traces of flickering stardust behind as they turn smaller and smaller. Until their bodies are completely spent, until their forms are blazed into stardust and spread across the galaxy, until there is nothing. The cereus was left in absolute awe.

The floret only has so few chances to make a bet with time, to gamble on what is the right moment to bloom, until it faces its inevitable death. But by being so mesmerized by the sight in front of it, that sense of unshakable fear that lingers in its stems for its whole life slowly drifts away. Though this sense of fear is immediately replaced by a feeling of unease. 

 

The meteor spent its entirety illuminating the vast darkness in all its shining glory, with the whole world as their witness. The cereus also drained its totality to blossom into maturity, yet it is not noticed by anyone. All it could do is sit in a quiet corner, spiraling into obscurity as the inescapable slowly creeps in. 

 

Is this the right choice?

 

Does it matter? 

 

As the last beam made its sacrifice, all groups of critters scattered away, returning to their nightly routine. The field has returned to its silence, like it has always been. The bloomed cereus remains alone in the dark. It takes a deep breath and curiously peeps at its surroundings. To see how the same wind that taps on the brushes to make rustling noises gently peck on its unwrapped petals, to gaze upon the tree branches that have been guarding its fragile bud from the rain, and to indulge in all the pleasant colors that were never seen before. Although there was only a dim moonlight shining upon this scene, it was beautiful regardless; the cereus has made its decision after all. 

 

4 hours have passed; the floret raised its stamen to the sky, soon seeing a hint of velvet being draped over the once pitch-black sky. The dusk is coming. The curious flower has heard a lot of stories about "the dusk" from the elders, but this is the first time it has ever seen it. 

 

Time passes so fast when you are having the time of your life.

 

Starting to feel an unbearable sense of fatigue, the cereus slowly lowers its head, for it knows the inevitable time has come. 4 years of life, yet only 4 hours of witnessing the beauty of this world. 

 

As the first stroke of golden light penetrates the forest, quietly announcing the arrival of that scorching ball of fire that helms the source of all life, the cereus silently drops its head to the grass below.