Tom walked over to the edge of the camp. He looked at the yellow-green ferns, wondering what Willie meant. Then he saw it. The faint steaming from the packed dead ferns under the growing ones, the spreading dark spot, the already darker green of the plants growing around the spot.
Willie had brought the seeds of decay with him, as well as the seeds of life. The dead plants were decaying for the first time on this planet. This spot would spread until the whole planet was covered with dark green; and life would be as it was on Earth.
Tom went back to Willie and stood looking down at him. Then he knelt and gently closed Willie's eyelids. He thought of moving him, digging him a shallow grave. But kneeling there in the silent cove, he had the hunch that maybe there was more to this. Willie had wanted to stay in the little pool. The stream came down off the ridge through the pool to the sea. Maybe if Willie stayed there, the bacteria of his body would live on, and be washed into the sea. The water was warm and there were no enemies to destroy them and there were plants to feed them. Perhaps, Willie was right. Maybe he was the seed of life coming to this planet; and in a million years men might walk these shores.
Tom straightened up. He took a deep breath and looked around the little cove, and then back to Willie.
"It's your planet, now, Willie. Willie's Planet from now on. What Bart put in the log and what spacemen will call it as they go by, will be two different things. Or did you know that in your heart, too." He was silent a moment. "So long, Willie. Go with God."
He turned and crunched along the sand towards the ship.