As Nick walked home, he saw a white rose in the corner of a beautiful garden. It attracted him so much that without any further thought Nick plucked the rose. Then, he quickly ran home. At home, Nick put the rose in a glass of water. Though six months passed, yet the rose did not wither. Astonished yet Nick grasped the rose to examine it. Suddenly, the petals turned red. A thorn on the stem had pricked his thumb and blood was oozing out. His thumb turned white. Nick’s parents rushed him to the hospital, but he had turned ashen white. The rose in the glass turned redder, while Nick grew paler and thinner. Nick’s mother, who had always found the rose suspicious, crumpled it and burnt it. Nick regained his health and started going to school again. As he passed the garden, he saw a half-burnt white rose in the corner. This time he looked away.
The White Rose
