The Nikolas-Tree

This story was inspired by Mr. Nicholas Feinberg, with whom I had an interesting internet conversation.

Young Desmond was walking home one day when he happened upon a strange tree which he had never before seen, and that bore a strange and exotic fruit. He gazed up, wondering about this giant fruit, covered in spikes, and almost a metre in diameter, which dangled precariously on its supple branch. Suddenly, seemingly by Zephyrus's intervention, the tree shook vigorously, swaying majestically in the breeze, until that most noble branch could not support the immense weight of the fruit any longer, severed its hinges and released its savage child to the awaiting earth below. The fruit soared, meteor-like, directly at Desmond's head. Hearing the wind tremble at the downward acceleration of the beast, his body instinctively darted out of the way. And thus there the Nikolas Tree no more stands swaying silently, the species' sole survivor burned to the ground by angry and terrified locals. Who knows? Perchance the fruits were edible. Perhaps they could have performed miracles.