He rarely held the honours that his brethren did but at this precise moment, he would take the spotlight and perform his role to perfection.

The intial move began fast, rising high above the usual positions. It was a flourish, he knew, and he relished in the decadence of it all. At first, he lagged behind but that allowed him the opportunity to separate from the rest, gaining some needed space and making it possible to perform his task unerringly.

At the apex, he was truly suspended in time. There was enough space around him that none of the others could possibly interfere. A quick check also confirmed that the penultimate element had been delivered: his was to be the last, he knew.

The attack began in earnest and, this time, he led the charge. Carrying the weight of everyone around him, he dove down and secured his destiny.

And so it was that the third finger of the right hand, bracketed by his brothers – the over-used middle and quaintly-used pinky – found the period key.

“Nirvana,” smirked the author.