Apple Toss

Denise Sharpe

Sharpewriter305@yahoo.com

APPLE TOSS

BILLY WIPED THE juices dripping down his chin with the side of his thumb. He grimaced at the green apple, studying it like it bit him, and not the other way around, He chucked the fruit, sending it wailing through the air.

           “Hey Jules, I thought you said the green ones are sweet,” Billy yelled.

           A voice in the distance called out, “Who the hell threw this apple? You hit me in the head you asshole.”

           Jules laughed. “Billy, you’re not supposed to do that.”

           “Do what? You know I hate sour fruit.”

           “You’re not supposed to toss the apples.” Jules picked up her brown paper bag, filled with her day’s pickings, and walked over to Billy. She nudged his arm. “Look.” She pointed to a sign which read, ‘No Entry Beyond This Point.’

           Billy turned to look at the sign. The yellow background had a black skull and crossbones. It blocked an opening to a narrow dirt road, surrounded by trees.

           “Let’s see what’s in there,” Jules said.

           The couple inched their way to the opening. Billy pulled his cell phone from his jean’s pockets. “It’s 3:30…we have an hour and a half before it gets dark.” Billy double flashed his eyebrows. “Let’s do it.” He put his cell phone away.

           Jules giggled. They looked around and slipped past the sign.

           They walked with their back to the sun. The dirt road was a straight, even path. The trees in the distance appeared to form a tunnel, a tunnel which got further away with each step.

           It’s beautiful here. I wonder why it’s closed off?” Jules grabbed an apple from her bag and took a few bites.

           “Not sure, but the colors are amazing. Look at that tree, it looks like it’s on fire.” Billy took out his phone and snapped a picture. He aimed his phone towards Jules and gestured with his head. “Stand by that rock.”

           Jules put her left foot on the rock. She dropped the apple core on the ground and posed. Billy took her photo.

           “Let me see.” Jules rushed to Billy and stared at her image. “What…what is that?” she said, pointing to a white orb where the discarded core lay.

           Billy looked over at the rock. He walked to the spot where the haze appeared in the picture, bent down and picked up the core. “Shit!” Billy jumped up and dropped the apple He shook his wrist. “Damn thing is hot.’

           Jules walked over. She took Billy’s hand. “Let me see.”

           He showed her his palm and laughed. She pushed him away. “Not funny. What is the white thing in the picture?”

           I don’t know. Probably the sun created some type of an illusion, or a mist or something.” He held her hand. “Come on, let’s walk a little more, then we’ll turn back.”

           “Jerk.” Jules smiled and they walked deeper into the woods.

           The fall foliage created a collage of amber, auburn ad russet colors which shielded the sky. Pinecones dropped and landed like hardballs hitting against a wall.

           The couple came to a folk in the road. “Which way do you want to go?” Billy asked.

           “Left. Let’s go left.”

           “Okay, but remember, it’s your choice.” Billy smiled.

           They walked for ten minutes. Jules bent down and picked up a few colorful leaves. She placed them in the bag with the apples. “Look at the size of this one.” She reached for a golden leaf. She jumped up. An orange newt moved its head as it annoyed by the disturbance. “I wonder if it’s poisonous.”

           “Only if you eat it,” Billy said. The newt slithered away.

           “Do you think there’s snakes?”

           “Yeah. Timber rattlesnakes live here in the Adirondacks,” Billy said.

           Jules looked around. “Okay, I’ve seen enough. Let’s head back.”

           “Do you hear that? Sounds like a waterfall. Come on, just a little more.”

           Jules stared ahead at the curve in the path. “If it’s not ahead of that turn, we’re going back.”

           “Fair enough.”

           They reached the bend. Ahead, water cascaded down the side of a mountain, landing into a plunge pool. They were midway to the top of the falls, looking down. They inched closer. Billy grabbed Jules’ arm, stopping her from falling over a root.

           “Be careful.”

           “Wow. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life. Listen to the birds. This must be paradise for them. Here, hold my bag please, I want to send a picture of this to my mom.”

           Billy held the apples while Jules took out her phone. She took pictures of different views. She opened her messages. “Damn, I can’t send them. I have no service.”

           “Makes sense.”

           Billy shivered from the spraying mist of the fall. “Okay, I’m getting wet and we’re gonna lost the sunlight soon…”

           “Billy, look at the pictures, more white spots.”

           Billy leaned in. “I’m telling you. It’s from the droplets being hit by the sun, which is starting to set. Let’s go.”

           The duo took one last glimpse at the falls and turned to go back the way they came.

           “Wait,” Jules said. “Let’s take a selfie.” Billy put his head next to Jules. She held the camera up to capture the two of them with the falls in the background. Billy kissed her on the cheek. She smiled. They looked at her phone.

           Jules froze. “That’s no damn mist.”

           Billy took her phone. He moved it in different angles. “Here, put it away.” He handed her back her phone.

           “You see it, right? I’m not imaging things?” She glanced at the image again. Her lips tightened and eyes narrowed. She put her phone in her hoodie pocket.

           “That fucking thing is what nightmares are made of,” Billy said.

           Jules looked at Billy. “Except we’re not sleeping, are we?”        

           “No. We gotta get out of here. We’ll check it out later.” Billy grabbed Jules’ hand and let her down the path.

           “Nothing looks familiar.” Jules quickened her step to keep up with Billy.

           “What are you talking about? We’re surrounded by trees. All damn trees look alike.”

           “Well, look at that.” She pointed to a tree stump half her size and wide enough to lay across. It wasn’t there before.”

           “That’s cause you were too busy tripping over a root.” Billy didn’t want to let her know he didn’t see it before ether. “No sightseeing. Let’s hurry. It’s getting dark.”

           They walked for twenty minutes.

           “Why does it seem like it’s taking longer to get back?” Jules asked.

           “I don’t know, but there’s no way we missed the folk. We stayed on the path.” Billy sighed. “Damn it’s getting cold. Are you alright?”

           “Not really. Are you?”

           “We’ll be okay.”

           “I know.”

           They heard the sound of leaves crunching deep in the woods. Jules squeezed Billy’s hand. “Maybe they’re looking for us.”

           A growl echoed through the night.

‘          “Probably not something we’d want to find us.”

           The sound was getting closer.

           “Hand me an apple,” Billy said.

           Jules let go of Billy’s hand She gave him the fruit. “What are you going to do?”

           “If it’s a bear, he’ll go after the food.” Billy tossed the apple in the direction of the sound.

           “Bear? You didn’t say anything about bears.”

           Billy grabbed Jules hand. “Come on.” They ran. An apple hit Billy in the arm.

           What the... Who's there?” His voice travelled through the night air.

An apple flew past them and hit a tree where Jules was standing. The impact splattered the apple, pieces landed on her hoodie. She ripped it off and shook it until it was free of the fruit's remnants.

Jules reached into the bag. She flung apples, one after another into the forest. “You bastard. Show yourself.”

Billy touched Jules' hand. “Stop.” He hugged her, feeling the fear running through her body. He whispered in her ear, “Relax…”

Jules covered her mouth. A whimper escaped through her fingers. Billy held her at arm's length frightened by the look on her face. She pointed. Billy hesitated to turn around. He knew something was there, he could see it. He could see the light bouncing through Jules' eyes.

Billy took a deep breath and turned, shielding Jules with his body. White orbs drifted along the ground. Big ones, small ones, but mostly small. Hobbling up and down. Closer. Each orb hitting off one another. They stopped at the couple's feet.

Jules wrapped her arms around Billy, her face hidden in his back, muffling her cries. She shivered.

Billy felt a chill surrounding him. His breath created a misty cloud. He studied the orbs. Their movement became erratic, jumping up and down, faster and faster. Another growl broke through the night. Jules squeezed Billy. The larger of the white spheres threw itself at Billy's ankle and rebounded like a rubber ball. Billy kicked it. His sneaker passed through the vapor. His toes felt like ice. It continued thrusting itself at him. Billy stepped aside to stop it from hitting him. Jules clung onto Billy as he moved. The orbs rushed past them.

“They're gone.” Billy turned to face Jules. He rested his forehead against hers. He took steady breaths to slow his racing heart.

They turned and watched the lights disappear down the dark path.

“They're heading to the waterfall.” Jules said.

Billy nodded. “We were in their way.” Billy's phone vibrated. “Thank God. We picked up service.” He reached in his pocket and viewed his cell. “Seven missed calls.” He dialed 911. He told the operator they didn't know where they were. He gave him his cell phone carrier. He was listening to the operator. The call dropped. He looked at his phone. “Shit.”

“Are they coming?”

“Yeah. They're pinging my phone. He said to stay where we are. He's dispatching the rangers.”

“I hope they make it here in time.”

Billy and Jules waited, embracing each other for warmth.

After five minutes Jules said, “Call them again.”

Billy lifted his phone and dialed. “It's not going through. No service again. You try.”

Jules reached into her pocket. She looked at Billy. “I don't have it. It must have fallen out when I took off my hoodie before.” Jules walked a few steps back to where the apple attack took place, her head down, scanning the ground. She came upon the discarded apple bag, picked it up and shook it “Nope. Must have flown into the trees.” She stomped her foot. “Damn it. No one’s gonna believe us.”

Billy walked over to Jules and smiled. “Maybe It's for the best. Whatever it was, it scared the crap out of me. If I never see it again it'll be too soon.”

Jules picked up the bag. “We went apple picking, and have no apples.” She shrugged. “At least I have some leaves for remembrance.”

“Your mom will be disappointed. No apple pie.” Billy paced. “How long has it been?” He checked the time on his phone. “Half hour. Still no signal.” He shook his head. “Please let them hurry.”

They waited another half hour when someone called out to them. Lights appeared in the distance. “Over here!” Billy turned on the flashlight on his phone, waiving it in the air. “ Help, we're here.”

“We see you.” Within minutes, two rangers appeared. “You kids wandered way off the trail. I'm Ranger Smith, this is Ranger Donegan.” Donegan handed them hand warmers and each a bottle of water. Smith gave them headlamps.

Billy and Jules thanked the rangers. They guzzled the water, put on the headlamps, and ripped open the hand warmers.

“It was getting a bit scary out here,” Billy said.

“These woods are known for bringing out one's imagination… Watch your step. Should be about a forty-five minute walk out.” Smith said.

“What do you mean by that imagination thing?” Jules asked.

“Oh, people tell us about all kinds of things. Bears with red eyes, trees talking them, objects flying, and the most popular, white spheres.” Smith said.

Jules tugged on Billy's jacket. “Spheres? What type of spheres?”

Donegan said. “Myth has it that nine children drowned in the waters under the fall. Their mother searched all over for them. Then, one by one, their bodies floated to the top. The mother was so distraught, she plunged into the water and was never seen again. Then, every night the kids play in the forest while their mother waits at the top of the waterfall for them to return. They appear as spheres of lights. Nine of them. She is very protective of the little spirits. They are not to leave the forest.”

“We saw them, and the mother.” Billy said.

“Heard it all before.” Smith said.

“Is that why this area is roped off?” Jules asked.

Smith laughed. “For a silly rumor? Nah. Visitors from the orchards like to wander in here. They get lost, and, well...this happens.”

“Sorry.” Jules said. “What happens if one of them leaves the forest?”

“Not sure about that,” Smith said. “I don't think the myth tells about that.”

The rangers laughed.

They walked for fifteen more minutes till they made it to the parking lot of the orchard. It was empty but for Billy's Subaru.

“Which one is yours?” Smith asked, grinning at his own joke.

“We're good. Thank you again.” Jules said.

The rangers waited until the couple pulled away.

The drive home took forty minutes. Billy pulled in front of Jules house. “Don't forget you're souvenirs.” He handed her the bag. They got out of the car. Billy walked Jules to her door. He kissed her goodnight. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Try and get sleep.”

Jules smiled. “I'll try.”

Billy got in his car and drove off.

Jules threw the bag and her dirty clothes on the floor next to her bed. She showered, put on pajamas, and switched off the light. She stared into the darkness. Jules couldn't settle her mind. She sat up and switched the light back on. She looked around her room and sighed. “Damn it.” She hopped out of bed, walked to the medicine cabinet and took two nighttime pills. She got back in bed and turned off the light. She fell into a deep sleep. So deep she didn't hear the wrestling of the paper bag. So deep, she didn't wake when the white orb freed itself and illuminated the floor of her bedroom. So deep she didn't stir when it jumped on her window sill, crying out for its mother.

The End