A week before school started, I went back to my parents. I cried on my way back. I already missed my Tia. She made me feel at home. 

This wasn’t home.

School started again and it was back to the same old, same old. My mom getting onto me about my grades even though they were good, and my dad staying silent. My mom preaching to me about God at dinner even though I didn’t ask for it, and my dad staying silent. My mom would hit me upside the head when the simplest of things weren’t done the way she wanted. 

And my dad staying silent. 

I wish he had said something instead of just standing there, but I guess he knew there was no point in arguing with my mom. She always got her way.

One night, when my mom had stopped yelling at me and left me in tears, my dad had dragged me out to his greenhouse. I think he was trying to make me feel better. He had been acting weird lately, talking faster than normal, seemingly about nothing at all. I don’t know. We walked upon rows upon rows of these different flowers and plants and he talked on and on about how they work and what they do and how they reproduce. Stuff I heard before, but enjoyed hearing again. Anything to take my mind off my mom.

My dad brought me to the corner of the greenhouse, saying he wanted to show me this plant he discovered and that he’s been working on. It was in a glass case, like the one in Beauty and the Beast, containing a flower inside. It was an odd looking whirligig, a deep red in the center and the tips of the petals being a bright purple. The center was the odd part because instead of the usual middle part, it was kind of hollow. It kinda looked like a mouth.

My dad talked about how he had a little experiment. He took the seed of the flower and injected it with this liquid chemical he had researched about. Although he had to go through awful trouble to find anything about it, he was able to find a couple documents after searching forever. The name of it was something called Calphecite V. That was an interesting name.

Anyways, he told me that because of this chemical, it grew faster than normal, it took only a couple days for this sucker to blossom. Sure, it came out wrong in specific areas, but it developed something new. He gave me this gas mask.

“Put this on, I’m used to it already, so I don’t need it,” I carefully slipped it on, kinda scared now, but also excited. He took the glass container off slowly and beckoned me closer. I crouched down and he pointed at the mouth-like center.

“This part right here, it kinda works like how mushrooms spread. It has spores that it shoots out from time to time. I’ve never seen anything like this before with a flower,” He pulled me to the side and snapping on a rubber glove, he poked the mouth of the flower and sure enough, it spit out a spore cloud and fell to the ground. Dad swiped some on his finger and put it on one of those things that go under the microscope. He put it under his microscope and had me look through the lens, while still wearing the gas mask of course.

Under the scope, it looked exactly like spores, except for one thing. They moved, as if they were like some microorganisms. But no, they were definitely spores, right? I looked up at my dad, all confused, and he was smiling.

“Weird, right?” I nodded. He told me I could take it off now, and I did. It smelled musty. He told me that this was our secret, not to tell Mom. He also told me not to come in here without him and he sent me back into the house. Mom had gone to bed and I sat in my room, thinking about that whirligig.

I know my Dad told me not to go into the greenhouse without him, but God, I need to see that flower one more time, learn more about it. I came up with my master plan. I would pretend to be asleep and wait for the sound of the door opening, his footsteps, and then finally, his snoring. So, I did, and when I heard that snore, I slowly opened my bedroom door. I tiptoed my way through the house, avoiding the parts that I knew squeaked and made my way into the backyard, where Dad’s greenhouse is at. My heart was beating like crazy, but this was so thrilling.

I opened the greenhouse door and went inside. The smell hit me instantly. That same musty smell from earlier. I walked over to the corner where the flower was and crouched down to look at it. It looked the same as before, still standing tall and bright. I reached out to touch one of its petals.

That was a mistake.

The center of the flower opened wider and shot a cloud of spores directly into my face. I coughed and stumbled back, falling onto the floor. My chest burned and my eyes watered. I laid there for a moment, gasping, before I was finally able to stand up.

I ran out of the greenhouse and back into the house, slamming the door behind me. I didn’t know what just happened, but I knew it wasn’t good. I went to my room and sat on my bed, trying to calm my breathing. Eventually, I fell asleep.

The next morning, everything felt off. My head hurt and my thoughts felt louder, sharper. I could feel my emotions more intensely than before, like they were right under my skin. I didn’t tell anyone. I just tried to go about my day like normal.

Days passed and things only got worse. My moods swung violently and my dreams were filled with that flower. I started hearing things, whispers that didn’t make sense. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what to do.

Then one day, I noticed something strange. When I got angry, plants around me reacted. Leaves curled. Flowers wilted. It terrified me. That’s when I realized the spores did something to me.

I tried to avoid the greenhouse after that, but it was always on my mind. Eventually, I heard sirens one night. Police cars. Ambulances. My mom was screaming.

Dad was gone.

After everything settled, I snuck back into the greenhouse one last time. The flower was still there, but it looked sick. Weak. I hated it. I hated it for what it did to my dad.

That’s when I found the envelope taped to the glass case.

On the front, it said:

For my daughter, Daphne

I felt my heart leapt. His daughter. Daphne. He knew. With shaky hands, I peeled the envelope open. I figured I’d share with you what he said in the letter. 

It said: 

By the time you read this, I will be long gone. I’m sorry it had to turn out this way, I know you and your mother must be hurting. I’m writing you this letter before I become lost and am just a shell of who I was before. There are some things I haven’t told you about. That flower, it’s dangerous, it’s what’s making me go mad. I don’t know why, but I think it has something to do with the spores. You know that chemical that I infected the seed with? You also know those superheroes you hear about? That chemical is what gives them those powers. And I’m pretty sure those spores can give you powers if you inhale them. I guess I’m just the unlucky few that can’t handle the chemical. I just need you to know that I love you, Daphne. You may be wondering how I know your little secret. I always knew, your Tia just told me the name you like more is all. You deserve to be happy with yourself and your body and I will always support what you want and need to do. I just wish I could stick around to see you become the fine young woman you will be. I’m so proud of you, Daphne, I have always been proud of you. I know your mom has been rough on you, and I know I should have stuck up for you in those moments, for that I’m sorry, but you have never once disappointed me. I’m proud to say that you are a part of me and I’m a part of you. I love you so much and I hate that I’m putting you through this, but it’s too late now. Even if I stopped, it would just end in the same way I know I’m going to be leaving this world. Speaking of that, I want to let you know where my other gun is in the house, since I’m guessing they’re going to take the other one in the greenhouse when I’m gone. Don’t use it unless it’s an emergency, whatever it may be. Your mother doesn’t know where it is and I don’t want you to tell her either. You’re the one that knows how to handle one, I’m the one that taught you, not her. Don’t let her get in possession of it. It’s in the spare closet, the one close to your room, the code to get in the safe is 1423. I love you Daphne, I want you to make it far in life, whatever that takes. I’m so sorry. - Dad

and life is born again!