Grandfather dropped a tiny, purple seed into Ziyad's palm. "This is no ordinary plant," he whispered. Ziyad rolled the hard, bumpy shell between his fingers and stepped out into the sunny garden. "You just have to be patient," Grandfather winked.
Ziyad buried the seed inside a bright blue pot. He tilted his metal watering can, letting cool drops sprinkle over the dark soil. The wet dirt smelled damp and sweet in the crisp air. He rested his chin on his hands, waiting for something to happen.
The next morning, Ziyad ran outside. The pot held nothing but plain, flat mud. He kicked a little pebble against the wooden fence with a loud thwack! He slumped his shoulders. "Are you ever going to grow?" he sighed to the empty dirt.
On the third day, a tiny green sprout pushed its way out of the crusty soil. Ziyad fell to his knees in the grass. He leaned in so close his nose almost touched the shiny, curled leaves. "Where did you come from?" he whispered.
POP! The sprout burst open into a giant, rainbow-colored flower. The moment Ziyad spoke, the bright petals wiggled and swayed. Ziyad jumped back, his eyes wide. He clapped his hands as the thick stem bent toward his voice. "Can you dance?" he shouted.
The magical flower twisted and bobbed. It tapped its green leaves against the rim of the pot like a drum. Ziyad giggled and spun across the grass, asking silly questions just to watch the plant groove. The glowing petals shimmied back, filling the quiet garden with rustling sounds and moving colors.