Everlasting Apple

by J Lynne

  Everlasting Apple

  A Short Story

  J. Lynne

  Everlasting Apple

  Copyright © 2015 by J. Lynne

  Cover image: © 3613606_clashot via depositphotos.com (Image ID: 69886469)

  Kindle Edition

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved by the author. This eBook or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter I

  Chapter II

  Chapter III

  Chapter IV

  Chapter V

  I

  The being peered out of its glass box prison and spoke to the little girl with the bright green eyes and blue specks who stared up at it from the floor. It sent a message into her little brain: eat me. The girl jumped and tried to get a closer look at the juicy, red apple locked in the small square container on top of the refrigerator.

  “Mommy, I'm hungry.” She called out.

  Wrapping her little fingers around a kitchen chair, the girl dragged the chair closer and climbed on the seat. This four-year-old child needed that apple. It called to her.

  You're so hungry, and I'm so tasty. The apple needed her help to escape. Sarah, I'm waiting for you.

  Before the little girl could try to reach for the apple, her mother picked her up and placed her on the floor. “You can't eat that.” She looked at her daughter nervously. “I know you're hungry. Daddy will be home with something soon. I promise.” She stroked her daughter’s face.

  Sarah folded her arms, knowing her mother lied. “Okay.” She turned and walked out of the kitchen, glancing at the apple before she disappeared down the hall.

  You can't keep us apart forever, Rose.

  She cringed at the sound of the apple in her mind. Covering her ears, Rose wished it would die or rot away into nothing more than a simple apple core. Her life changed the moment she had inherited that evil apple from her grandmother six months ago...

  “It's the cure I've been waiting for.” Her grandmother pointed at the apple. “Bring it to me.” She looked at her granddaughter, Rose, and nodded with a smile.

  Rose sighed. “An apple won't cure your cancer.”

  “No.” She shook her head slowly. “But it can cure my suffering.”

  Rose didn't know how to explain to her grandmother that she was delirious. The pain was too much for the old woman, and Rose just wanted to comfort her. “Where's the key, Grandma?”

  The old woman pointed at a jewelry box sitting on top of her dresser in the corner of her bedroom. Her hands shook as she watched her granddaughter retrieve the key. “Yes.” She clutched her hands to her chest. “Yes, that's it.”

  “Why's it locked in here?” Rose used the key to unlock the glass box. She reached inside and picked up the apple. The moment her fingertips touched the skin, a wave of chills pulsed through her body and she shivered. She jumped back and almost dropped the apple.

  “Bring it here now.” The old woman reached out to catch the apple her granddaughter fumbled around with even though she was nowhere near either.

  Rose turned to face her. “It can't be good.” She walked over and handed her grandmother the apple, frowning. “I remember staring into this locked box as a child wondering why the apple was inside, but you would never let me touch it.”

  “It's not rotten.” The old woman sniffed the apple.

  You must tell her.

  She stared at the apple and nodded. “You need to promise me something, Rose.”

  “Sure.” Rose placed a hand on her grandmother's shoulder.

  The old woman leaned forward in her wheelchair and grasped Rose's arm. “When I die, you'll lock this apple inside that box and take it with you. Don't throw it away. Keep it out in the open. It doesn't like to be hidden.” She tightened her grip. “Don't make the same mistake I did or you'll end up like me.”

  “Let go.” Rose buckled under the unexpected strength of her ill grandmother. “You're hurting me.”

  “But don't you ever eat it.” She yanked on Rose's arm. “Don't let anyone touch it. Keep it locked up and safe. Give it to your daughter when you die and tell her the same. It must stay in our family for all eternity where we can keep watch over it.” Her eyes widened. “Promise me...”

  You're making a mistake, old woman. You can't keep me locked up forever.

  “I can try.”

  “What?” Rose pulled away from her. “Try what?”

  Tears welled up in the old woman's eyes. “Please, promise me.” She struggled to catch her breath.

  “I promise.” Rose felt guilty for not understanding what her grandmother wanted from her. She knew she was too far gone to reason with. “I promise.” It had gotten much worse in the past week.

  The old woman smiled. She could rest knowing her granddaughter would hold true to her word. Holding the apple up in front of her, she admired it. The end came for her. She took a bite of the apple and within seconds was dead.

  Rose found it hard to explain to other family members how the death occurred. She witnessed it but still wasn't sure what she saw. Her grandmother had taken a bite of the apple and her head slumped to the side. Rose tried to clear her airway, thinking the apple was stuck in her throat. The apple fell from the old woman's hand and rolled onto the floor. Rose picked it up and found no bite marks.

  Still, she did as her grandmother asked and brought home the apple locked inside the square box. However, Rose didn't heed her advice and placed the apple in the closet. Things went from good to bad the moment that apple entered her life. She started to argue with her husband about the smallest things that never mattered before. The day after her grandmother died, she lost her job at the local bank where she was the manager. Her husband kept his job, but his hours dropped drastically at his company weeks later. They were behind on the mortgage and knew the bank would eventually take their home. Rose struggled to feed her daughter most days.

  The weight of her problems became too much, so she set the glass box out with the trash. She watched from the living room window as the garbage man picked it up, shook it and tried to open the lock.

  It must stay in our family for all eternity.

  She heard the words her grandmother had said ringing in her head. It wasn't her grandmother's voice but something darker. The thought never occurred to her that the apple spoke to her directly until much later. Rose grabbed her chest and considered the promise she was about to break. Why did this apple have to remain with her?

  Rose watched the man continue to tinker with the box. Her breathing increased and panic set in. What if he smashed it open? What if he took the apple to his home? She rushed from the house and ran to him. Grabbing the box from his hand, she apologized to him and explained that her husband placed it out there by accident. He inquired about the apple inside as she walked away, but she continued walking, ignoring him.

  The apple didn't return to the closet. Rose knew she could no longer try to hide it. She placed it on top of the refrigerator in the back near the wall. Rose stared at the apple inside the box that never rolled away from the center, even when she snatched it away from the man outside, and knew her daughter would have this same burden one day, but would they ever know why?

  II

  Four teenage girls stood around the glass box sitting on the desk of the motel room. One girl leaned in and stared at the apple with her bright green and blue-spec
kled eyes. She didn't realize that the apple was looking back at her, waiting for freedom. It yearned for Sarah, who brought three friends to the rodent-infested motel she and her mother had called home for the last two years, to touch it. The apple couldn't smell the stench from inside its prison, but it could see the disarray of the room.

  “I don't believe you, Sarah,” Cynthia said. “There is no such thing as an evil apple.” She rolled her eyes. This girl stood out from the others with her short, blunt haircut.

  “Why would I lie to you guys?” Sarah didn't want them to leave because they were the first to accept her invitation to hang out. Her life changed after her parents divorced, and she desperately wanted to fit in.

  The leader of the group moved to the center of the girls and crossed her arms. “There's only one way to prove it. I double dare you to take a bite of that apple.” She smiled and flipped her blonde hair with effortless motion.

  The other two girls giggled and waited for Sarah to respond.

  “I can do that, Claire. No problem.” Sarah walked away from the desk and entered the bathroom where her mother hid the key to the locked box. She grabbed it and returned.

  “Did you get it?” Claire asked, remaining in the middle of the group as the center of attention.

  Sarah smiled and raised the key. “But I have something even better than eating the apple.” She knew her mother would never allow her to take a bite, and after the stories she heard about it killing her great-grandmother, she didn't want to. “I'm going to cut the apple into slices.”

  “She's scared.” Claire frowned and looked at the final girl Lisa, who was the shortest in the group.

  She can sense your fear. You're a coward.

  “That's not true.” Sarah stepped forward with balled up fists at her side. She looked past Claire and stared at the apple. “Just stop talking to me!”

  “Come on.” Claire motioned to Lisa and Cynthia. “This is lame.” The two girls followed her to the door, stepping over an overturned suitcase near the foot of the queen bed.

  Sarah rushed forward. “The apple regenerates.”

  Lisa twirled a finger through her hair and turned to look at Sarah. “So when you cut it, it'll grow back?”

  Sarah nodded.

  “Grow back?” Cynthia shook her head and laughed. “You're so stupid, Lisa.”

  Claire stepped closer. “Let's get on with it then.”

  Sarah moved to the locked box on the desk and hesitated before sliding the key into the lock and turning it. This was the second time she had unlocked it. The first was shortly after her mother brought the apple home. She found it hidden in the closet with the key resting on top of it. Her mother caught her holding it in her hand, admiring it. That was the first time she ever heard the word evil in her life.

  Opening the small door slowly, she reached inside and let her fingers hover over the apple. A feeling of warmth surrounded the apple, something that felt comforting. The exact opposite feeling she had when it was locked away. She took the apple and felt the heaviness of it. The three girls moved to her side and watched her place it on the desk.

  “There's a knife in the pizza box on the bed.” Sarah didn't look at the girls. She waited until she felt the knife touch the palm of her hand. “Are you ready?” Sarah asked.

  “You better not be lying.” Claire frowned.

  Sarah raised the knife and rested it on the skin of the apple. She felt the air around the apple become heavy and thick. Taking a deep breath, she struggled to force the blade down. A piece of the apple landed on the desk, but the rest of it remained in the upright position when Sarah released her grip, stepped back and dropped the knife to the floor.

  They waited.

  “How long does it take?” Lisa asked.

  “Any minute now.” Sarah bit a fingernail.

  “This is real exciting. You sliced an apple,” Cynthia said. “Can we go now?” She addressed Claire.

  “Just give it a minute.” Sarah looked at Claire. “It'll happen.”

  Claire rolled her eyes and picked up the apple slice, raising it to her mouth.

  “Stop!” Sarah grabbed her arm.

  Claire sniffed the slice. “Lisa, eat this.” She pulled away from Sarah and held it out to Lisa. “I dare you.” She smirked.

  Lisa shrugged and took the apple slice.

  Hello, child, go ahead and take a taste.

  Shocked, Lisa stared at the apple slice. “What the?”

  The motel room door opened and Sarah's mother stepped inside carrying three bags of groceries. Rose struggled with the door and called to her daughter for help. Turning around, she saw the group of girls and the apple out of its prison.

  “Mom?” Sarah stepped in front of Lisa. “What are you doing here?” Her mother wasn't supposed to be home this early. She expected to have the room to herself for another thirty minutes.

  Lisa held the slice up. “I swear this thing just spoke to me.” She giggled nervously.

  Sarah tried to calm her mother down. “We're just playing around. I swear. Nothing bad happened.”

  “Don't eat that!” Rose dropped the groceries and pushed Sarah away.

  “What the hell, man?” Cynthia pulled Claire to the side to protect her. “What is wrong with your mom?” She looked at Sarah. “She's crazy...”

  Lisa felt a hand wrap around hers, but she didn't see anything. The force of this unseen thing took control of her own body and she watched as the apple slice headed to her mouth. She tried to shake her head with no success. Her mouth opened and she ate the slice.

  “No!” Rose grabbed Lisa as she dropped to the floor. She tried to force the girl's mouth open and pull the apple out, but her teeth were clenched, as was the rest of her body.

  Sarah ran to her mother's side and stared at Lisa, her face no longer a rosy pink but pale and empty. Lisa opened her mouth and tried to speak. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she shook slightly.

  Claire and Cynthia stared at the scene with a look of shock. They didn't move or say a word.

  Rose felt for a pulse. “She's dead.” She looked at Sarah. “How could you be so careless? I've warned you!” Rose slapped her daughter.

  The force of the slap sent Sarah backwards into the desk. The acid in her stomach rose into her throat and she leaned over, vomiting into the small garbage can. She wiped her mouth and gaped at the empty spot on the desk where she had left the apple. Her eyes shifted to the glass box where the apple rested in the center behind the closed and locked door.

  It was whole again.

  III

  Don't be scared. You have me.

  Sarah heard the voice of the apple in her mind and struggled against the man restraining her in the middle of the dark alley. She and her mother had fled the motel, trying to escape the group of men after the glass box and the power within. Two men had been watching the motel and the attack came without warning. With no time to pack, they left everything behind—everything but the apple.

  “Let her go,” Rose said. She stood about fifteen feet from Sarah and the two men. She clutched the glass box against her chest.

  A bald man instructed his partner to hold Sarah tight and cracked his knuckles. “Just give us the apple and we won't hurt your girl.” He smiled and allowed his eyes to trace the outline of Sarah's body. “I promise.”

  “Don't believe him.” Sarah ignored the rain droplets streaming down her face.

  “You have to let her go first.” Rose demanded.

  The man holding Sarah tightened his grip on her. “Want me to do her?” he asked the bald man.

  “I'm not here to negotiate.” The bald man looked at Rose. “It's clear that you don't have the proper genetics the apple wants, but she might.” He grabbed Sarah by the hair and forced her head back, looking into her green and blue-speckled eyes. “Give the apple to us and we'll take care of it.” He released his grip on her.

  “Mom, don't.” Sarah tried to pull away by stepping forward.

  Rose t
ook a step back.

  Release me.

  Rose looked down at the glass box. She heard the apple and knew what she had to do. “You can't have my daughter.” She raised the apple. “And you can't have this.” Throwing the glass box against the side of a dumpster, Rose watched as it shattered. The noise frightened away a small orange and white cat living behind the dumpster. The liberated apple rolled across the ground and stopped in front of Sarah.

  Sarah kicked backwards, snapping the kneecap of the man holding her. He released her and fell to the ground. She stumbled forward and snatched up the apple. “Don't move.” She ordered the two men.

  The bald man stared at Sarah. “You've learned to control it?” He ignored his companion writhing in pain. “It's true then. You're her descendant.”

  “What's he talking about?” Sarah asked her mother.

  The bald man laughed. “You've had the apple all these years and you still don't know?” He reached into his jacket and pulled out a pistol.

  “Oh, I've learned some things.” Sarah held the apple in front of her and focused intently on the man. The apple began to vibrate in the palm of her hands and seconds later levitated. A blast of lightning jumped from its core and struck the bald man in the heart. He died before a scream could escape his lips.

  “Please.” The second man on the ground tried to skitter away from Sarah. “You can't run from them. They'll find you.” His plea became a warning.

  “Kill him,” Rose said.

  Sarah dropped her arms to her side, ignoring the apple that remained floating in front of her. She stepped forward and the apple moved with her. “Why do you want the apple and why do you want me?” This organization chased them for years after the incident in high school went public. It seemed they were searching for the apple and lost track of it for a long time. Sarah's mistake put it back on their radar.

  “Just come with me. They will explain everything to you. Please, just don't kill me.” The man reached behind him and slowly dragged himself away from her.