A Mask Made of Lilies

Symbolism

Hey kids! This is the author speaking. This story had a lot of symbolism, so I was just going to take the chance to explain some of it to you. If you aren't interested, move on. This chapter doesn't really matter anyway. Read something else. If you want to know, read on. I think it's pretty interesting. Anyway, thanks for reading it. It means a ton!

Flowers:

Roses:  Roses symbolize love and passion. 
New York Night Hellebore: New York Night Hellebores are pure black. So that fact that they are crawling across the roofs mean that when the flowers in the city look up all they see is blackness. Also,  hellebores aren't crawlers. This flower that usually stands tall has been forced to crawl. Hellebores can either symbolize hope and prosperity, or anxiety.
Lilies: Lilies symbolize peace, purity, or mourning. Lilies are traditionally put on graves. and caskets.
Rhododendron & Azalea: The main thing you need to know about these two flowers is that they are commonly used in gardens, but are actually fairly poisonous.
Oleander: Nerium  Oleander is the most poisonous flowers in the world. Every single part of it is poisonous. Even the smoke from a burning Nerium Oleander is considered a health threat.
Orchid: Orchids are super delicate, and hard to keep alive. They require tons of extra care.

Numbers:

Nine: The number nine symbolizes love.
Three: The number three symbolizes strength, power, and magic.
Nine+One+Three=Thirteen: Thirteen is an unlucky number.
Sixteen hours ninety-three minutes: 16:93 isn't an actual time, but 1692 was the year of the Salem Witch Trials.

Modes of Death:

Burning: In the 15th through 18th centuries people who were odd or extraordinary were often burned for being "witches". The most infamous of these was the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.
Shot: The roses were shot in the heart, because they were convicted because of their passion and love.

Colors:

Red: Red symbolizes passion, energy, and danger.
White: White symbolizes cleanness, simplicity, a blank slate, starkness, and purity.
Black:  Black symbolizes power and mystery.

Others:

Genders have been looked over: I specifically left out any words that convey gender because gender is often used as a form of self expression and connection. By leaving them out, it proves that the narrator feels no connection to their fellow human beings, and dehumanizes them a little.
The Underscores:  Some of you may have noticed the underscores in the Governor's statement. This was not a mistake or overlook. If you look closely their is the same number of them as the word "people". This is meant to show that they have been so dehumanized, that the narrator can't even bring themselves to use that word, especially since the Governor isn't referring to the people in general, they are referring to the ones they consider human enough to refer to as people. The lilies. 
The fact that there isn't much build up: There isn't much build up to the deaths, or much sadness after the fact. This was done on purpose. It is made to show that the narrator has become cold and callous to the world around them.