Objects that Inspire : Apples

Apples are among the most popular fruit for humans. Most of Earth’s produce come from China, who provide about 35% of the total. The apple tree originates from the Alma in western Asia.

In general, the apple is considered to be a sacred or at least special fruit. It is often considered as a forbidden fruit, and is said to be the fruit that Adam and Eve ate in the Garden of Eden. In Greek mythology, the apple is associated with Aphrodite and thus love.

Because of Snow White, the apple is sometimes associated with poison or witches.

This stood out for me, apart from the obvious:

1) Apples are a popular fruit

2) Apples have value beyond nutrition

For number one, because apples are popular, it is implied that many people both eat and like them. Thus it wouldn’t be hard to get someone to eat one, which leads to malicious intent (or maybe that’s just me). Poison seems the easiest way to harm someone through the eating of the apple. However, to go a little further, one could inject some sort of genetic engineering cells into an apple, thus making the eater an experiment or subject. Either way, anything that can be carried over through food can be easily carried over through apples because they are so popular.

Number two implies that apples have a special quality that other fruit don’t have, but it could be that only a certain farmer’s apples have that special quality – let’s say it can grant eternal youth. That would lead to people wanting to get those apples and perhaps the farmer is a sort of guardian of the secret. Or it can be mass produced to enhance someone’s army. The possibilities are endless.

Herewith is my attempt at flash fiction (feel free to leave an opinion or a piece of flash fiction based on apples – 200 words or less in this case – of your own in the comments):

Earl stood and brushed himself off. The tree stood before him, fifteen feet, rising just over the walls that closely surrounded it. The owner of the tree, Orlando, a self-righteous farmer, didn’t want anyone eating from it. Eternal youth was not for humanity, he had said.

The luscious red apples hung just within reach, as if grown for Earl to pick. He reached out and grabbed the fruit, then tore off a chunk with his teeth and swallowed.

Instead of feeling younger, he felt a dull pain in stomach. It escalated so quickly that he fell to the ground, clutching his abdomen.

He heard the squeak of hinges and saw feet approach him. He looked up and saw Orlando.

“The poison’ll kill you in a few minutes.”

“What?” Earl managed.

“I poisoned all the apples so no one could eat them.”

Earl couldn’t reply – it took all his strength not to faint.

“When you try to grab eternal youth, you’ll find only quick death.”

Orlando left, closing the gate behind him and leaving Earl to become one with the earth.

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