Apple
By Wenjiahui Han
Author’s note: This story was produced for an assignment allowing the use of AI. The black text is my original writing, whereas the red text represents sections translated from Chinese to English by ChatGPT. The yellow text marks parts of the story also generated by ChatGPT.
“See! The red on my skin is as vibrant as a dove’s feet, and the yellow resembles the colour of flower petals. Even when I was just a budding apple blossom, many butterflies and bees were enamoured by me. I am a perfect apple, not the kind you find commonly in noisy marketplaces, nor the small, sour ones used for making cider and apple pies. No, I am destined to be unique, surely destined for great achievements one day.” This apple said proudly as it swayed on the branch. Just then, a gust of wind caused all the apples on the tree to sway.
“I must be the biggest one,” the apple declared. “I made the whole apple tree shake!”
“Oh my, look at that apple, isn’t it pretty,” exclaimed the farmer’s daughter. She had been called to pick some apples for sale.
“One sells for a copper coin.” Said her father, “don’t you forget, Goose!”
The girl picked one of the big, red apples and placed it in her woven basket, covering it with a cloth. She then happily skipped off to the market.
The girl’s apples sold well at the market. They were all bought by the castle’s cook. She looked delighted by the apples and even gave an extra coin to the girl. “Go buy a colourful ribbon that suits your hair, young lady,” said the cook. “This must be for the wealthy household up at the castle, inviting me to dine with them,” thought the self-important apple.
The cook returned to the castle’s kitchen, cleaned the apples meticulously and arranged them in a pyramid on a golden platter, hoping to please the lady of the castle. She picked up that self-important apple. It was brilliantly red, like a ruby. She placed it at the very top of the pyramid. The cook dismissed the maid who had come to help, intending to present the apples herself.
When I see Her Majesty, I’ll tell her, “Your complexion is as radiant as these apples, beautiful and captivating.” The queen loves compliments about her beauty, and she’s sure to be delighted. Maybe she’ll even reward me with some gold coins, I saw a clown compliment the queen at a feast, and he got a fine pearl bracelet, the cook said proudly as she walked towards the queen’s chamber.
“How brilliant! How brilliant! She’s taking me to meet Queen Majesty. This is truly an honour!” exclaimed the self-important apple, looking down at its companions beneath it. “Did you hear that? This is what I truly deserve!” The other apples remained silent, knowing they were destined to be eaten. It doesn’t matter to them who does that.
“I miss my apple tree. I’d rather be nibbled by worms or carried away by birds,” a small voice came from the bottom of the apple pyramid. Those words shook the other apples, and they begun to sway. The self-important apple was so shaken that it nearly toppled over. In frustration, it shouted, “You country bumpkin, I am the honoured guest of the queen! Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
The cook noticed the apple was swaying and steadied it with a hand. The self-important apple finally quietened down but continued to grumble quietly.
The cook carried the apples through a long corridor and finally stopped at the door to the queen’s chamber. She knocked and entered. The queen was sitting by the window, lost in thought. There’s no doubt she’s a beautiful woman, but her complexion is pale, and the unresolved turmoil between her eyebrows betrays an inner bitterness that’s slowly consuming both her beauty and her spirit.
The apple was placed on a delicate small table, and the self-important apple took the opportunity to look around. “See, this is where I belong,” it said contentedly.
The queen seemed to be in a bad mood. The cook had barely said a word before she was dismissed. The cook was unhappy but dared not show it. As she walked past the queen’s dressing table, she noticed a basket containing some ribbons and combs. Greedily, she took a ribbon and a comb, hiding them in her apron before leaving.
After the cook left, the queen walked to the wall next to the curtains. She opened a hidden door and entered a secret chamber.
When she came out later, her mood had changed. She looked at the apples on the table, picked up the one on the top, and seemed about to smash it to the ground. Then she paused, she held it in front of her, quietly scrutinising it for a while. It seemed like she had thought of something, and suddenly she burst into laughter. At this moment, the self-important apple was very frightened. But the queen didn’t know what the apple was thinking, and even if she did, she probably wouldn’t care much.
The queen walked to the previously opened secret door while holding the apple. The secret door led to a hidden chamber with a large mirror on the wall. Next to the mirror, there was a pot boiling something unknown. The queen grabbed something and tossed it into the pot, causing it to emit a dark and eerie smoke, which was quite frightening. The apple, feeling scared, closed its eyes and was beginning to regret coming here.
Afterwards, the queen didn’t do anything further. She waited until the dark smoke had dissipated, then picked up the apple and poured the potion from the pot onto half of it. The apple could feel its body burning as if it were being scorched by something, and it found its skin to be quite painful.
The apple was about to let out a loud cry, but then it suddenly caught a glimpse of itself in the mirror next to the pot. The apple felt delighted because its skin now appeared as red as blood. “This must be the most fashionable attire for the banquet this year,” the apple thought, though its timing was rather inappropriate.
Afterwards, the queen walked out of the secret chamber, holding a basket that the apple recognised as the one that had previously held ribbons and combs.
While the apple was feeling quite pleased with itself, it had noticed that the queen had picked several apples, placed them in the basket, with itself, the self-important apple, on the top. This made the apple even more delighted. It said, “Well, it seems I am safe now, and no matter what, I am the cream of the crop among all these.”
Later, the queen covered the basket with a cloth and returned to her secret chamber. After a while, an old lady emerged from the chamber, took the basket, donned a cloak, and slipped out of the palace quietly. She was going to a place that only she would have known, the secret cabin that was deep in the woods.
The apple had been hidden beneath the cloth all this time, clueless about its destination. Yet, it couldn’t help but grumble. It feared it might be heading back to the farm, or perhaps even returned to a tree. The thought of a mundane life like that was unbearable; it yearned to remain in the palace. So, it muttered discontentedly, complaining incessantly, until the other apples, sensing a real chance at survival, grew irritated with its words and collectively urged it to shut up. Now, the self-important apple had no choice but to keep its mouth shut and sulk there.
When the cloth was finally lifted, the formerly self-important apple, or rather, the now humbled apple, appeared worn and weary. It had endured complaints from its companions, and it finally understood how they felt about it so it didn’t dare utter a word. However, when it could see again, it was astonished by what it saw. What a beautiful girl she was! Her skin was white as snow, her lips as red as blood, and her hair as dark as ebony. The apple was overjoyed, thinking, “I’ve finally found someone who matches my appearance! Even though this place doesn’t seem like a banquet, it’s quite run-down! But if I’m handed over to her, I wouldn’t mind living here.”
Excitedly, the apple tried to covey to the old lady, “Give me to this girl, hand me over to her!” Still, no one understood what it was saying, and no one could hear it. However, as the apple had hoped, the old lady took it out and handed it to the girl. It seemed that the girl was also drawn to the apple. The apple sang loudly, “Ah, I’ve fallen in love at first sight with this girl! If only I could know what she was thinking of me. Her gaze is elusive, oh, it’s truly tormenting.”
The girl appeared a bit hesitant and wary about accepting such a gesture. The girl refused the apple, but the old lady, holding it, took a bite to put her at ease. “See, it’s not poisoned,” the old lady reassured.
The girl seemed to be at ease now and willingly took the apple, taking a bite herself. The apple was delighted because the beautiful girl finally held it.
Yet, the apple had never imagined that its deliciousness would lead to such a tragic outcome. As the girl took that fatal bite and fell to the ground, the apple was callously discarded to the side.
The apple paled in shock, exclaiming, “Oh no, this isn’t my doing! How could this happen? I didn’t intend to harm her; I am not toxic!” It frantically tried to defend itself, “Fate, you are so merciless. Why have you placed me in this predicament?” After being discarded into the soil, the apple, unable to see anything, assumed it was imprisoned and could do nothing but silently wait in the darkness. The soil covered its view, making it unable to see that the old lady had already removed her cloak and mask, revealing the face of the queen.
Nevertheless, the apple remained unaware of its surroundings, surrendering to the soil’s embrace as it covered it completely. It recounted its once-glorious past, the capricious nature of fate, and the love that had faded away, sharing its stories with the earthworms and ants nearby. These small creatures didn’t mind the apple’s chatter; insects were known for their silence, and they were content to lend an ear. As they listened, they diligently broke down the apple, carrying its pieces back to their nests, embracing the essence of the apple in their way.
When the apple’s skin withered away to rot, its flesh consumed by insects, all that’s left is the apple stem, accompanied by two hollow seeds: one, its very root, and the other, its vacant, weary heart.