Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

But a river only moves in one direction, no matter how much we wish it
weren’t so.
The night sky began to lighten.
Nelson’s eyes were closed. He whispered, “I can hear it. The door. The
whispers. The song it’s singing. It knows I’m ready.”
Hugo gripped Wallace’s hand tightly. “Grandad?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For?”
“Everything.”
Nelson chuckled. “That’s quite a lot to be thankful for.”
“I mean it.”
“I know you do.” He opened his eyes. “I’m a little frightened, Hugo. I
know I shouldn’t be, but I am all the same. Isn’t that funny?”
Hugo shook his head slowly. He squared his shoulders and became the
ferryman he was. “There’s nothing for you to fear. You’ll no longer know
pain. You’ll no longer know suffering. There will be peace for you. All you
have to do is rise through the door.”
“Will you help me?” Nelson asked.
And Hugo said, “Yes. I’ll help you. Always.”
Nelson rose from his chair slowly. He was unsteady on his feet, swaying
side to side. “Oh,” he whispered. “It’s louder now.”
Hugo stood. He looked down at Mei and Wallace and Apollo. “Will you
come with us?”
Mei hung her head. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Hugo said. “I’m sure. Grandad?”
“I’d like that very much,” Nelson said.
And so they did.
They followed Nelson and Hugo up the stairs to the second floor.
To the third.
To the fourth.
They gathered below the door. Wallace knew what Nelson was hearing,
though he could no longer hear it himself.
Nelson turned to face them. “Mei. Look at me.”
She did.