Chloe and the Wood Daisies

When I was four, I was in a car crash that did something to my throat, which messed with my ability to talk. My mother had brought me to sign language classes, but I never really paid attention. I didn’t see what was wrong with not talking. It’s not like I had anything to say. But sometimes I don’t like it- I mean, what can a mute person do in this world, anyway? 

Obviously, I don’t remember the crash that messed with my voice. I mean, I was four. It’s been almost ten years. I’ve been homeschooled ever since, and I’m completely okay with it. I mean, all of our neighbors go to public school, and I don’t see how the heck they can even stand it. You have to get dressed. Wake up early. Go to the bus stop while you’re half-asleep. Seriously.

I have a weird obsession with nature documentaries. I’ve always loved the outside world. The fact that we live on a farm in upstate New York is perfect for me. I get fresh air and a perfect view of nature. 

One day, I was reading my copy of Endangered Plants & Animals. I saw a beautiful flower, they called it a wood daisy, and it was the most beautiful flower I’d ever seen- despite that it was just a photograph. I looked up to tell my father, who was mowing the lawn when I saw it. I couldn’t believe my eyes- it was as if the photo had come to life. The wood daisy that I had seen in the book was in my front lawn- but my father was about to mow over it. I grabbed the nearest shovel and ran towards it, then stopped my father from mowing over it- making sure I didn’t accidentally step on it.

“What are you doing, Chloe?” He asked.

I waved my arms around, then pointed to the flower, then showed him the book I was holding. I pointed to the flower again, hoping he got the message. He shrugged and went around me, mowing the grass behind the flower. He might have not understood, but at least he didn’t mow over it. I took my shovel and dug the flower up. That was the happiest moment of my life- to see a brown-spotted daisy in my hand, and even I couldn’t believe how it could’ve been so beautiful. I ran into my house and stored it in a flowerpot, packing it nice in the soil. I made sure my parents knew not to ever touch it, and that the flower was mine. The flower was my responsibility. I made sure I watered it enough every day exposed it to enough sunlight, and that nothing bad ever happened.

By the next month, I watched a documentary that said that it was confirmed that wood daisies would go extinct by the time the year ended.

“If we want any chance of the wood daisies to not go extinct, we’re going to have to leave them alone. And especially to those of you in the northeast- that’s where most of them are” 

Surprised, I glance at my daisy. Even if the wood daisies didn’t do much to the environment, I just couldn’t let them go away. I walk into the kitchen and see that my mother isn’t there. I look in the garage, and neither is her car. Perfect.

I take my phone and snap a photo of the wood daisy. I log onto my computer, take the photo, and make a colorful flyer that says SAVE THE WOOD DAISIES across the top in bright blue. I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging them around the neighborhood.

Two weeks later…

I hear a knock on the door. I’m still eating breakfast, reading the back of the cereal box. I stand up and go get the door.

“Oh, hello,” a man says. I immediately know it’s the mayor. I don’t know why he was there, but I can’t ask him anyway. I just give him a small grin and wave back. “Are you the creator of these flyers?” He holds up the poster that I created to save the wood daisies. 

Trying to figure out where this is going, I slowly nod again. He motions a man behind him to come over. I recognize him, too- the guy from the nature documentary that said that the wood daisies were going extinct by the end of the year.

“Hello, my name is Adam Regal. Your flyer inspired dozens around the world. The wood daisies are no longer in danger of extinction! It’s all thanks to your flyers, young lady. Tell me, what’s your name?”

I spot a piece of paper and a pen nearby and write down: Chloe Lecter. I’m mute.

Adam nods. “Interesting. We’ve never had a mute person on our show before. How would you like to be the first one?”

My jaw fell so low it nearly scraped the floor. Me? On TV? With the one and only Adam Regal? I nod my head up and down so fast it nearly burst off. 

Adam grins. “Great! Of course, we’ll need your parent’s permission, but after that, we can see you in the studio as soon as we can! Can you get your parents?” 

I nodded again and wave at them from the back door. They’re both working with the animals, refilling their food and water tanks. They look at me, then the men at the front door, then rush over. As I make my way through the house again to the front door, I feel happier than I ever had in my life. I’d always thought I couldn’t do anything in the world, but here I am now. I saved a species of flowers. The rest of that day was a blur. Both of my parents were shocked- my mother’s mouth opened so wide that a bird could’ve made a nest in it. But in the end, they agreed to let me do the show

One month later…

“And tell us, Chloe, what inspired you to save the wood daisies, of all endangered species, even before they were in genuine danger?”

I type into my text-to-speech app and hit enter, the computer says, “When I saw a picture of a wood daisy for the first time, I couldn’t believe how pretty it was. When I looked up, my father was mowing the lawn and was just about to cut a wood daisy. I did everything I could to stop him. I did, even though I don’t think he got the message,” there’s a laugh, and I see my father give me a mocking facepalm. I grin and continue with the story.

Who knew doing something so small saved an entire plant species?