The Apple and The Leaf

It's not everyday that you find love, so you can imagine just how ecstatic the green leaf was when the apple asked her out. He was shiny, red and a little plump agreed but he was also kind and caring and always funny indeed. He made all the leaves and apples on the tree giggle and when the birds came to cool down after a tiring flight they always asked him for a jingle.

And so it began, the leaf's first romance and as far as she was concerned, it would be her last dance. They talked for hours, from sun up to down, in bliss, and when the night came the wind was kind enough to push them close enough to steal a good night kiss. All through spring they laughed and danced and played and kissed, not a worry in the world, not a moment they missed.

Then one fine day with a hot burning fire, came someone who loudly proclaimed the leaf was his desire. He called himself the sun and brought with him the summer, he surely meant business, if you ignored him you'd suffer. When his sweet words wouldn't work he tried brute force, burning with rage he tried to burn the apple of course. But the love the two shared wouldn't falter or shake, and the sun vowed upon the stars, this love he would break. If she cannot be mine you cannot have her either, I'm going to speak to my uncle the all powerful weather!


And then he was gone and the leaf calmly sighed, I'd never leave you my apple, no matter how hard he tried. And so the story went on and all of the tree conspired, to have a pretty wedding, once the flowers were hired.

But then something happened, something direly sinister, the wind blew harder and the day grew shorter. The night came early and when it felt like a dream, a voice bellowed from the heaven with a devilish scream. My nephew you refused, you foolish leaf, now the autumn is upon you, prepare for grief.

The leaves and the fruits and the flowers couldn't comprehend, but the tree trunk remembered the seasons that came and went. He kept it to himself and wiped a lonely tear, they'd know soon enough, he'd save them the fear.

As the days passed the leaf got feeble and ill, and no matter what the apple said it didn't lift up her will. She grew brown and pale and began to wither, and the apple cried every night in a prayer to save her. Remember my love, I have always loved you she said, don't mourn for too long once I'm fallen and dead. My dear red apple, my darling you'll always be, our love will be spoken of all over this tree.

And one day when he woke and looked to his right, he noticed with pain and horror and fright. His beloved sweetheart was no where to be seen, to think love lasts forever, how naive had he been. She fell in her sleep, the neighbours said, she was carried by the wind along with the other dead. Let's hope the stories of the afterlife are true, he lamented, so I see her again when my life is through.


She was stroking his cheek still in love so deep, so handsome he was even in his sleep. And suddenly her grip on the branch gave way, slowly in the wind she began to stray. She yelled and reached out but no help came, you're alone in death stop trying my dear dame.

And so she floated, alone and distraught, losing her love for which so hard she had fought. Am I dead, she asked and the wind looked at her tender, yes my dear in the afterlife you have now entered. And so she gave in and let the wind guide her way, there was no reason to worry, whether night or day. As she lay dreaming she felt a mild mist, she looked around and saw a beautiful brook twist. On it's wet flowing waters she did land, with a love so tender the brook held her hand.

With a new family her afterlife she began, the water the fish, the shells and the sand. They were kind to her and understood her pain, for they had all once suffered, both loss and gain. So as she floated, she felt light and free, for a fleeting second she let herself feel glee. And then she came still and rested on a rock, with three little stones nearby, a family of sorts. They let her spend the night, with talk and laughter, mamma rock put her to bed like she was a daughter.

Early next morning she went on her way, back to straying around through a lonely day. Look daddy look, such a pretty leaf, she heard a voice coo, with a swosh she was picked up, by the hands of a little girl, her eyes so true. She was dried and placed between pages of a book, before it was shut one quick glance around she took.

When she saw light again in a pink room she was, it was story time for the girl, the wizard of oz. And in the hands of the girl was a bedtime snack, a dull red apple, oh lustre it did lack. But something about this sad apple was vaguely familiar, Oh my god could it be true, her love was here? And then he looked at her and his eyes got so bright, in that instant she knew, yes it was her knight.

The little girl chomped and she watched her lover die, but they both smiled, finally together they would lie. When the apple was eaten, out the seeds went, at the same time the dear wind blew and out the window she was sent.

On the soft moist ground delicately she landed, and next to her were the seeds, a final blessing she was handed. And so she smiled and cried and laughed, together a new tree they would now carve. Slowly she decayed and became nutrition, which the seeds absorbed and came to fruition.

And so they were finally one, united in death, through years the tree grew, a sign of their breath. Today the tree stands tall, a testament of love, because when it is true, it will come together somehow.