Writer’s Challenge – Kathy’s Entry

End of “Mirror, Mirror, On he Wall,” part 1

“Jessica?”

Seth’s voice echoed in the empty house as he let himself in. Glancing around, he spied the basket of beautiful apples on the table. ‘She won’t miss one…’ he thought, rubbing the apple on his tweed jacket. It was a beauty. He didn’t remember the particular name of the apples all the time - Granny Smiths were green with bite, the golden delicious round, huge and golden. Fruit at certain times of years was as dear as the price of steak and he knew that Jessica couldn’t possibly eat the entire basket of the delicious apples by herself.

Raising the apple to his lips he took a bite. The juice of the apple filled his mouth as he turned to go out the door. He raised the apple to take a second bite when something went horribly wrong.

‘I’m having a heart attack,’ he thought as his hand dropped the apple and he felt himself fall to the floor. ‘No, not a heart attack… the symptoms aren’t right at all…’ Seth felt his mind cloud. He didn’t feel himself hit the floor, only the awareness that his glasses came off. ‘There is a bitter taste in my mouth, I should know what it is, I’m a doctor… an alkali ... don’t they wash those apples before selling them?’

He lay on the cold floor unable to move. ‘I’m dying… I’ll never get a chance to tell Jessica the things that I have wanted to say all these years…’

Beneath his ear he felt the vibration of footsteps ‘Help! Help me!’ A door opened and closed.

“Seth?? OH SETH!!!” The sound of her tears cut through his heart.

‘If I am to die, it is willingly in my heart, knowing that I have saved you this day …’