Fucken' apples

The prompt was to make an apple a very important item in the story.

The wind roared around him, unbearable against his wounds. He tumbled down wondering if he was going to hit the ground in time. He prayed to whatever deities he could think of that he would hit it before it was too late.

Why the hell did she have to bring that damn fruit anyway? If she had just followed regulations... He'd seen her at the checkpoint, seen her pocket it. Why didn't he say anything? Why did he think it would be alright, just this once? He had plenty of time to contemplate this as he plummeted towards the ground.

He'd been around since before the incident and couldn't bring himself to think of apples as the bringers of doom. Even now he found it a little amusing that this had brought about his death, or worse.

He could feel it spreading. Travelling up his leg towards his brain. There was no stopping it now other than death. If he didn't reach the ground in time he'd turn into one of those... things. There'd be no saving him or even killing him then. He prayed some more to whoever and cursed the woman who had brought it. Damn parasites turning people into mutants. Monsters.

His mind started getting cloudy as the ground neared. He passed out just before he hit the ground and missed his bones shattering and his skull cracking.

A few hours later a car drove by where he had landed and spotted the body. They went to investigate, staring at the carnage. Then his arm twitched.

They ran. They ran for their lives towards the car.

They didn't make it.

Author's Note

(Help with picking genre appreciated. Maybe it's fine in just "Fiction".) <-- moved it to horror :)

Reviews

[Karen Redburn]

Not sure about genre, seems stories are ending up in the strangest categories these days. It might work in horror. Now the story was excellent, I was enthralled with the metaphor. The apple stolen, the fall it works together so well on many levels. Will we see more of this story? I am left wondering about these characters? Great start, cheers!

[Hexan]

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it :) Well, now I'll just have to write more since two people have expressed interest!

[zanymaybee]

I really liked it, very well written. Kept me interested from the very beginning, and I definitely wouldn't mind reading more of this should you decide to continue writing it. Well done :D
PS: I knew apples were evil, I just knew it.

[Hexan]

Thank you! I'm working on a longer story based on this one riiight nooow. :D
Damn fruits... I may be biased as I'm allergic to them.

[wearejareth]

i love this so much keep doing your thing
i love the ending too

[Elizabeth Mars]

Whoa this is seriously captivating, I love the idea of an apple, a simple fruit, being the catalyst for death, very interesting. I would love love love to read an extended version to get to know more about the setting, characters and these 'monsters' they apparently turn into when infected with these parasites. If you ever publish an extended version message me! I'd love to read more!

Also, I think horror is a good fit, but I also think suspense or scifi fiction would fit the genre well.

[Hexan]

Thank you! Glad you liked it :) I wasn't planning on making an extended person but that's not a bad idea. I might get on that.

[Samuel Dickens]

Sounds like "horror" to me. Perhaps "Sci-fi" would work, too. Well-written, it leaves the reader wanting more.

[Hexan]

Thank you! Yeah, I think I'll move it to horror.