Naya
Chapter 4: The Unpleasant Surprise
A few days later, Naya and Tom make a sad discovery in the clearing. How will they react?
Reading difficulty
On Monday, Naya and Tom return to the clearing. They are very happy to see the flowers again.
But when they arrive, they stop dead in their tracks.
"Oh no..." said Naya.
Trash everywhere! Bottles, packaging, plastic bags. It's worse than before!
"But we made the sign!" said Tom, very sadly.
Naya is crying. All their work for nothing! People saw the sign but they still threw their trash around.
"It's pointless," said Naya. "We should give up."
Tom is sad too. They want to go home.
But Naya looks at the large purple flower. It's still beautiful! It keeps growing despite the debris.
"Look, Tom. The flower doesn't give up."
The little flowers keep growing. They fight to live.
"You're right," said Tom. "We can't give up."
"We'll find another solution," said Naya.
Before leaving, Naya gently touches the flower.
"We'll be back. We won't let you down."
On the way, Naya and Tom are thinking. How can they protect the clearing?
That evening, Naya thought about the flower. It is strong. Naya will be strong too.
Tomorrow they will go back to clean. And they will come up with a new idea.
But when they arrive, they stop dead in their tracks.
"Oh no..." said Naya.
Trash everywhere! Bottles, packaging, plastic bags. It's worse than before!
"But we made the sign!" said Tom, very sadly.
Naya is crying. All their work for nothing! People saw the sign but they still threw their trash around.
"It's pointless," said Naya. "We should give up."
Tom is sad too. They want to go home.
But Naya looks at the large purple flower. It's still beautiful! It keeps growing despite the debris.
"Look, Tom. The flower doesn't give up."
The little flowers keep growing. They fight to live.
"You're right," said Tom. "We can't give up."
"We'll find another solution," said Naya.
Before leaving, Naya gently touches the flower.
"We'll be back. We won't let you down."
On the way, Naya and Tom are thinking. How can they protect the clearing?
That evening, Naya thought about the flower. It is strong. Naya will be strong too.
Tomorrow they will go back to clean. And they will come up with a new idea.
The following Monday, Naya thought about the clearing all day. She couldn't wait to see the flowers. Had the little buds opened?
After school, she meets Tom at the gate.
"Shall we go?" he asks with a big smile.
They run to the forest. The sun shines through the trees. It's a beautiful day.
"Do you think our sign worked well?" Naya asks.
"I'm sure of it!" replied Tom.
They arrive at the entrance to the clearing. The sign is still there, with its beautiful colors. Naya smiles.
But when they enter the clearing, they stop abruptly.
"No..." Naya murmured.
Trash. Everywhere. Even more than before!
Empty bottles around the large flower. Chip wrappers in the grass. A plastic bag caught on the petals of a small flower. And in the center, the remains of a picnic: a dirty tablecloth, paper plates, overturned cups.
It's worse than before.
"But we put up the sign!" said Tom, his voice trembling.
Naya has tears in her eyes. They cleaned for hours. They made this beautiful sign. And people still managed to make a mess of it.
"They don't care," she said sadly. "People don't care at all."
Tom approaches the small flower with the plastic bag. Its petals are crushed and damaged.
"Look what they did..."
Naya gently removes the bag.
"Sorry," she whispers to the flower. "We wanted to protect you..."
"It's no use," said Naya, discouraged. "We did everything for nothing."
Tom is sad too. "People saw the sign, but they threw their trash away anyway."
"Why do this?" Naya exclaimed angrily. "It's not fair!"
She kicks a can. Tears stream down her cheeks.
They remain there for a long time, silent, very sad.
"Maybe we should give up," said Naya. "If people don't respect our sign, what's the point?"
Tom nods. How can they fight against adults who respect nothing?
"I want to go home," Naya murmured.
But as she was about to leave, she looked at the large purple flower. Despite all the litter, it stood straight and proud, shining in the sun.
She didn't give up.
"Look, Tom. The flowers keep growing despite everything."
That's right. The fifteen little shoots are still there. Some even have new buds opening.
"They don't give up," said Tom. "They keep growing."
"The flower shows us that we must continue even in difficult times," said Naya, wiping away her tears.
Tom straightened his shoulders. "You're right. We can't give up."
"But what more can we do? The sign isn't working."
"Perhaps we need to find another solution," said Tom. "A better solution."
"Okay," said Naya. "We're not going to give up. We'll come back tomorrow to clean up. And we'll think of a new idea."
Before leaving, Naya gently touches the small, damaged flower.
"Hang in there. We'll be back. We won't let you down."
On their way back, they look for solutions. How can we get people to respect the clearing?
At home, Naya's mother told her: "Those who succeedThey are the ones who persevere even when it's difficult.
She's right.
That evening, Naya thought about the flower that continued to grow. Setbacks are part of the journey. But that's no reason to give up.
Tomorrow they will go back to clean. And they will come up with a new idea.
The flower is counting on them.
After school, she meets Tom at the gate.
"Shall we go?" he asks with a big smile.
They run to the forest. The sun shines through the trees. It's a beautiful day.
"Do you think our sign worked well?" Naya asks.
"I'm sure of it!" replied Tom.
They arrive at the entrance to the clearing. The sign is still there, with its beautiful colors. Naya smiles.
But when they enter the clearing, they stop abruptly.
"No..." Naya murmured.
Trash. Everywhere. Even more than before!
Empty bottles around the large flower. Chip wrappers in the grass. A plastic bag caught on the petals of a small flower. And in the center, the remains of a picnic: a dirty tablecloth, paper plates, overturned cups.
It's worse than before.
"But we put up the sign!" said Tom, his voice trembling.
Naya has tears in her eyes. They cleaned for hours. They made this beautiful sign. And people still managed to make a mess of it.
"They don't care," she said sadly. "People don't care at all."
Tom approaches the small flower with the plastic bag. Its petals are crushed and damaged.
"Look what they did..."
Naya gently removes the bag.
"Sorry," she whispers to the flower. "We wanted to protect you..."
"It's no use," said Naya, discouraged. "We did everything for nothing."
Tom is sad too. "People saw the sign, but they threw their trash away anyway."
"Why do this?" Naya exclaimed angrily. "It's not fair!"
She kicks a can. Tears stream down her cheeks.
They remain there for a long time, silent, very sad.
"Maybe we should give up," said Naya. "If people don't respect our sign, what's the point?"
Tom nods. How can they fight against adults who respect nothing?
"I want to go home," Naya murmured.
But as she was about to leave, she looked at the large purple flower. Despite all the litter, it stood straight and proud, shining in the sun.
She didn't give up.
"Look, Tom. The flowers keep growing despite everything."
That's right. The fifteen little shoots are still there. Some even have new buds opening.
"They don't give up," said Tom. "They keep growing."
"The flower shows us that we must continue even in difficult times," said Naya, wiping away her tears.
Tom straightened his shoulders. "You're right. We can't give up."
"But what more can we do? The sign isn't working."
"Perhaps we need to find another solution," said Tom. "A better solution."
"Okay," said Naya. "We're not going to give up. We'll come back tomorrow to clean up. And we'll think of a new idea."
Before leaving, Naya gently touches the small, damaged flower.
"Hang in there. We'll be back. We won't let you down."
On their way back, they look for solutions. How can we get people to respect the clearing?
At home, Naya's mother told her: "Those who succeedThey are the ones who persevere even when it's difficult.
She's right.
That evening, Naya thought about the flower that continued to grow. Setbacks are part of the journey. But that's no reason to give up.
Tomorrow they will go back to clean. And they will come up with a new idea.
The flower is counting on them.
The following Monday, Naya couldn't sit still all day at school. She couldn't wait to go back to the clearing to see how the flowers were doing. Had the little purple buds opened? Had any new shoots appeared? She was so excited that she had trouble concentrating on her math homework.
"Naya, are you dreaming?" her mistress asks her with an amused smile.
"Oh! Sorry, ma'am!" Naya replied, blushing.
Finally, the end-of-day bell rang. Naya quickly packed her things and ran to the school gate. Tom was already waiting for her there, his backpack on his shoulders.
"So, shall we go?" he asks with a big smile.
"Yes! I can't wait to see the flowers!"
They walk briskly through the neighborhood, then turn onto the forest path. The air is mild and smells sweetly of fresh leaves. The afternoon sun filters through the branches, creating patches of golden light on the path.
"Do you think our sign worked well?" Naya asks.
"I'm sure of it!" Tom replied confidently. "He's so handsome that everyone will respect him!"
They arrive at the entrance to the clearing. The sign is still there, securely attached to the tree, its colors shining in the light. Naya smiles when she sees it. They really did a good job.
But when they enter the clearing, their smiles freeze.
"No..." Naya whispered, her eyes wide with horror.
Trash. Everywhere. Even more than before.
Empty bottles litter the ground around the large flower. Chip and candy wrappers are scattered across the grass. A plastic bag is even caught on the petals of one of the small flowers that were just beginning to bloom. And in the center of the clearing, someone has left the remnants of a picnic: a dirty paper tablecloth, cardboard plates, and overturned plastic cups.
It's worse than before.
"But... but how is that possible?" stammered Tom, his voice trembling. "We put up the sign! We explained that this place needed to be protected!"
Naya remained motionless, her fists clenched, tears in her eyes. She looked at the beautiful clearing they had so carefully cleaned, now transformed back into a dump.
"They don't care..." she said, her voice choked with emotion. "People don't care at all!"
Tom approaches the large purple flower. The plastic bag caught on one of the smaller flowers has crushed its delicate petals. The small flower is all bent over, damaged.
"Look what they did..." he murmured, his throat tight.
Naya then approaches and delicately removes the plastic bag.
"Sorry," Naya whispered to the flower. "We wanted to protect you... We tried..."
She straightens up and looks around, her heart heavy. All that work for nothing. All those hours spent cleaning, sorting the waste, making the sign, painting it carefully...
"It's no use," she said in a discouraged voice. "We did everything for nothing."
Tom picks up an empty bottle and holds it in his hand, looking dejected.
"People saw the sign, that's for sure. They must have walked past it on their way here. But they still threw their trash around..."
"Why?" exclaimed Naya, anger rising within her. "Why do that? It's so selfish! So mean!"
She kicks a canwhich rolls noisily on the ground. Tears now flow freely down her cheeks.
"We spent hours cleaning! We made this beautiful sign! And they destroyed all our work! It's not fair!"
Tom said nothing. He stared at the ground, his shoulders slumped. He too felt like crying. He too was angry and discouraged.
They remain there for a long time, silent, contemplating the disaster. A bird sings in a tree above them, but even this cheerful sound fails to lift their spirits.
“Maybe we should give up,” Naya said finally, her voice trembling. “If people don’t even respect our sign, what’s the point of continuing? We’ll clean it up again and again, and they’ll just keep making a mess. It’s a losing battle.”
Tom nods slowly. He thinks the same thing. They're just two children. How can they fight against adults who respect nothing?
"I want to go home," Naya murmured.
But as he was about to leave, his gaze fell upon the large purple flower. Despite the litter surrounding it, it still stood straight and proud, its petals shining in the afternoon sun.
She didn't give up.
Naya approaches the flower and looks at it closely. The fifteen small shoots are still there. Some even have new buds that are beginning to open, revealing magnificent purple and gold petals.
"Look, Tom," she said softly.
Tom approaches and follows her gaze.
"The flowers..." he murmured. "They keep growing despite everything."
“Yes. They don’t give up. Even with all this waste around them, they continue to grow and become more beautiful.”
A ray of sunlight pierces through the branches and illuminates the clearing. The petals of the large flower seem almost to shine, as if it were sending them a message.
"Do you think she's telling us not to give up?" Tom asked hesitantly.
Naya wipes away her tears with the back of her hand.
"I believe she shows us that even in difficult times, we must persevere. She could have let herself be suffocated by the waste, but she kept pushing. She fought to live."
Tom straightened his shoulders, a new determination appearing in his eyes.
"You're right. We can't give up now. Not after everything we've done."
"But what more can we do?" Naya sighed. "The sign isn't working. People see it and throw their trash away anyway."
Tom thought intensely, frowning.
"Perhaps a sign isn't enough. Perhaps we need to find another solution. A better solution."
"But which one?"
"I don't know yet," Tom admits. "But we'll think about it. We'll figure it out. We're not going to abandon the flower. Or the clearing."
Naya looks again at the large flower, then at the small shoots around it. They need help. They are counting on them.
"Okay," she said finally, her voice regaining some strength. "We're not going to give up. But first, we have to clean all this up. Again."
Tom nods his head.
"We don't have our bags today. Could we come back tomorrow with some equipment?"
"Yes. And while we're cleaning, we'll think of a new idea."
Before leaving, Naya kneels near the small flower. She gently touches it with her fingertip./>
"Hang on," she told him gently. "We'll come back. We'll keep fighting for you. We won't let you down."
Tom does the same, gently touching the petals of the large flower.
"We will find a solution," he promised. "I don't know how, but we will find it."
As she left, Naya turned around one last time. The clearing was once again covered in trash, but the flower continued to shine amidst the chaos. She was strong. She was beautiful. She fought back.
"We'll be just as strong as her," Naya murmured to herself. "We're not going to give up."
On the way back, neither Naya nor Tom spoke much. They were lost in their thoughts, searching for solutions, wondering how to get people to finally respect the clearing.
When Naya arrives home, her mother immediately notices her sad expression.
"Are you alright, darling?"
"Someone has polluted our clearing again," Naya replied, tears welling up in her eyes. "We cleaned everything up, we put up a sign, and people still threw their trash around."
Her mother takes her in her arms.
"It's discouraging, I know. But do you know what makes the difference between those who succeed and those who fail?"
" What ? "
"Those who succeed are those who persevere even when it's difficult. Even when it seems impossible."
Naya hugs her mother tightly. She's right. They mustn't give up.
That night, lying in bed, Naya reflected on the day. On the disappointment. On the anger. But also on the flower that continued to grow despite everything. On Tom and their promise to continue.
Failures are part of the journey. She understands that now. But that's no reason to give up. On the contrary, it's a reason to look for better solutions, to be more creative, to never give up.
Tomorrow, they will return to the clearing. They will clean again. And they will come up with a new idea.
The flower is counting on them. And they won't let it down.
"Naya, are you dreaming?" her mistress asks her with an amused smile.
"Oh! Sorry, ma'am!" Naya replied, blushing.
Finally, the end-of-day bell rang. Naya quickly packed her things and ran to the school gate. Tom was already waiting for her there, his backpack on his shoulders.
"So, shall we go?" he asks with a big smile.
"Yes! I can't wait to see the flowers!"
They walk briskly through the neighborhood, then turn onto the forest path. The air is mild and smells sweetly of fresh leaves. The afternoon sun filters through the branches, creating patches of golden light on the path.
"Do you think our sign worked well?" Naya asks.
"I'm sure of it!" Tom replied confidently. "He's so handsome that everyone will respect him!"
They arrive at the entrance to the clearing. The sign is still there, securely attached to the tree, its colors shining in the light. Naya smiles when she sees it. They really did a good job.
But when they enter the clearing, their smiles freeze.
"No..." Naya whispered, her eyes wide with horror.
Trash. Everywhere. Even more than before.
Empty bottles litter the ground around the large flower. Chip and candy wrappers are scattered across the grass. A plastic bag is even caught on the petals of one of the small flowers that were just beginning to bloom. And in the center of the clearing, someone has left the remnants of a picnic: a dirty paper tablecloth, cardboard plates, and overturned plastic cups.
It's worse than before.
"But... but how is that possible?" stammered Tom, his voice trembling. "We put up the sign! We explained that this place needed to be protected!"
Naya remained motionless, her fists clenched, tears in her eyes. She looked at the beautiful clearing they had so carefully cleaned, now transformed back into a dump.
"They don't care..." she said, her voice choked with emotion. "People don't care at all!"
Tom approaches the large purple flower. The plastic bag caught on one of the smaller flowers has crushed its delicate petals. The small flower is all bent over, damaged.
"Look what they did..." he murmured, his throat tight.
Naya then approaches and delicately removes the plastic bag.
"Sorry," Naya whispered to the flower. "We wanted to protect you... We tried..."
She straightens up and looks around, her heart heavy. All that work for nothing. All those hours spent cleaning, sorting the waste, making the sign, painting it carefully...
"It's no use," she said in a discouraged voice. "We did everything for nothing."
Tom picks up an empty bottle and holds it in his hand, looking dejected.
"People saw the sign, that's for sure. They must have walked past it on their way here. But they still threw their trash around..."
"Why?" exclaimed Naya, anger rising within her. "Why do that? It's so selfish! So mean!"
She kicks a canwhich rolls noisily on the ground. Tears now flow freely down her cheeks.
"We spent hours cleaning! We made this beautiful sign! And they destroyed all our work! It's not fair!"
Tom said nothing. He stared at the ground, his shoulders slumped. He too felt like crying. He too was angry and discouraged.
They remain there for a long time, silent, contemplating the disaster. A bird sings in a tree above them, but even this cheerful sound fails to lift their spirits.
“Maybe we should give up,” Naya said finally, her voice trembling. “If people don’t even respect our sign, what’s the point of continuing? We’ll clean it up again and again, and they’ll just keep making a mess. It’s a losing battle.”
Tom nods slowly. He thinks the same thing. They're just two children. How can they fight against adults who respect nothing?
"I want to go home," Naya murmured.
But as he was about to leave, his gaze fell upon the large purple flower. Despite the litter surrounding it, it still stood straight and proud, its petals shining in the afternoon sun.
She didn't give up.
Naya approaches the flower and looks at it closely. The fifteen small shoots are still there. Some even have new buds that are beginning to open, revealing magnificent purple and gold petals.
"Look, Tom," she said softly.
Tom approaches and follows her gaze.
"The flowers..." he murmured. "They keep growing despite everything."
“Yes. They don’t give up. Even with all this waste around them, they continue to grow and become more beautiful.”
A ray of sunlight pierces through the branches and illuminates the clearing. The petals of the large flower seem almost to shine, as if it were sending them a message.
"Do you think she's telling us not to give up?" Tom asked hesitantly.
Naya wipes away her tears with the back of her hand.
"I believe she shows us that even in difficult times, we must persevere. She could have let herself be suffocated by the waste, but she kept pushing. She fought to live."
Tom straightened his shoulders, a new determination appearing in his eyes.
"You're right. We can't give up now. Not after everything we've done."
"But what more can we do?" Naya sighed. "The sign isn't working. People see it and throw their trash away anyway."
Tom thought intensely, frowning.
"Perhaps a sign isn't enough. Perhaps we need to find another solution. A better solution."
"But which one?"
"I don't know yet," Tom admits. "But we'll think about it. We'll figure it out. We're not going to abandon the flower. Or the clearing."
Naya looks again at the large flower, then at the small shoots around it. They need help. They are counting on them.
"Okay," she said finally, her voice regaining some strength. "We're not going to give up. But first, we have to clean all this up. Again."
Tom nods his head.
"We don't have our bags today. Could we come back tomorrow with some equipment?"
"Yes. And while we're cleaning, we'll think of a new idea."
Before leaving, Naya kneels near the small flower. She gently touches it with her fingertip./>
"Hang on," she told him gently. "We'll come back. We'll keep fighting for you. We won't let you down."
Tom does the same, gently touching the petals of the large flower.
"We will find a solution," he promised. "I don't know how, but we will find it."
As she left, Naya turned around one last time. The clearing was once again covered in trash, but the flower continued to shine amidst the chaos. She was strong. She was beautiful. She fought back.
"We'll be just as strong as her," Naya murmured to herself. "We're not going to give up."
On the way back, neither Naya nor Tom spoke much. They were lost in their thoughts, searching for solutions, wondering how to get people to finally respect the clearing.
When Naya arrives home, her mother immediately notices her sad expression.
"Are you alright, darling?"
"Someone has polluted our clearing again," Naya replied, tears welling up in her eyes. "We cleaned everything up, we put up a sign, and people still threw their trash around."
Her mother takes her in her arms.
"It's discouraging, I know. But do you know what makes the difference between those who succeed and those who fail?"
" What ? "
"Those who succeed are those who persevere even when it's difficult. Even when it seems impossible."
Naya hugs her mother tightly. She's right. They mustn't give up.
That night, lying in bed, Naya reflected on the day. On the disappointment. On the anger. But also on the flower that continued to grow despite everything. On Tom and their promise to continue.
Failures are part of the journey. She understands that now. But that's no reason to give up. On the contrary, it's a reason to look for better solutions, to be more creative, to never give up.
Tomorrow, they will return to the clearing. They will clean again. And they will come up with a new idea.
The flower is counting on them. And they won't let it down.