Sourest Apples Novels & Stories

“Darn. And me with my ax all sharp and ready. But I guess the lot down the street will do. While you get your tree, I’ll get a small one for myself. I’ll need a stand and decorations and lights. Is there someplace here in town to get them?” “The hardware store has some, and so does the drug store. I think the feed store does, but unless you want to hang road apples on your tree—” “Road apples?” “Roundish, smelly items that horses leave in small piles on the road.” “What do they call them if they’re not on a road?” she asked with an exaggerated wide-eyed look.

I ask. “No, but I will be using it tomorrow morning for the morning pastries.” I nod. “I see.” “Then you should probably tell your cooks to use blueberries. It seems they are in bloom this season,” Christoph mentions. “They have not been in season here,” she says. “But they will be…and our pack will benefit from it, especially with so many.” “I see,” she says, pensive. “Also…” The guard that soothes his brother starts speaking. “…make sure to throw the rotten apples away. There is one in particular that is at the root of it and seems to help all the other apples rot.”

‘Oh brother,’ "Earnest, your mate is—" "I'm back!!!" Apple shrieked, announcing herself. I turned my head to look at her and she was now wearing a chef hat, an apron, and carrying a basket of fresh, hot bread. "I thought I smelt something delicious. I love honeysuckle, raspberry and buttercream, and I smelt them all in one go! I was so excited and went to find it but turns out the grannies only had fresh bread," she said, never raising her gaze from the basket while Earnest had turned into a statue in front of me.

His shoulder blade flexed with every minute movement he made. He very carefully picked the apples with the slightest hint of damage and tossed them aside. In the end, a dozen perfectly ripe apples were packed into boxes labelled “Jason's Organic Farm.” I picked up a slightly blemished apple and wiped it on my clothes before taking a bite. Juice burst out of it. It was sweeter than any organic apple sold at Whole Foods Market in New York. “What a waste.” Jason flashed a set of white teeth upon spotting me. “Hey, are you finally going out today?” I mumbled a reply while chewing on the apple.

So, she returned the smile. “I have. Which one is the cheapest?” “The greens.” The woman pulled a knife then sliced one green apple into four slices. She handed Irina one slice. “Taste it. It’s still fresh. The farmers dropped by with one large crate of this apple in the morning.” “Oh…” Irina took the slice then put it into her mouth. Juicy, sweet and sour combined together. “What do you think?” “It’s ghooo…hooodd.” Irina groaned, making the older woman laughed.

She wished she could keep them closed but curiosity came over her and she ended up opening them. Kale and Justin didn’t look surprised at all and it made Angela wonder. Kale rolled her eyes in pity while Justin sat back on the floor, wanting to sleep. “Did you just hear what I said?” Angela said giving them both a scrunched look. “We have met them before. They are everywhere in this forest,” Justin said picking one of the apples on the floor, giving it a close look. “This apple is poisoned.” Justin threw it away. The apple landed on a rock and crushed, spilling out green juice. “See,” Justin added.

“You try it!” I lean in to scoop a small piece. “I think you nailed it, Andre. Mushy water. Good job!” He looks smug, and jots it down in his notebook with an exaggerated flair. As we move to the next stall, Andre's enthusiasm grows. Every new fruit feels like an adventure for him. “What's this one?” He asks, holding up something green. “Custard apple,” I tell him. “Sweet and creamy. Want you try?” Andre nods but this time he hesitates after the first bite. “It's weird,” he mumbles, chewing slowly.

To my surprise, nestled within was a sleek cell phone, accompanied by a note inscribed with the words, "To our equal love in an unequal world." A smile effortlessly spread across my face as I realized the gift was from Mac Allister. The sentiment expressed in his words warmed my heart, emphasizing the unique connection we shared amidst the complexities of our respective lives. It was a reminder of the unconventional nature of our relationship, yet one that held unwavering strength and affection.

There was no other way to explain it. I saw a pome fruit in which the ripened ovary and surrounding tissue are both juicy and delicious, as well as having a red hue. “Apple? Yes, that is an apple.” I took a bite and was pleasantly surprised by the flavor. “Hmm, it’s a touch sour and bitter, but largely sweet, not at all salty, and overall extremely juicy.. Nice one apple..” I took a bite again and began walking in the same direction as when the girl appeared out of nowhere, and I tried to ignore the fact that I was clearly hallucinating. A tiny girl, all alone in the woods? And a lady in green? Or was just I mistaken of my sight? What are the chances of that?