An Apple Sleep Experiment

Apple Bloom awoke just after sunrise when she heard a crash coming from the kitchen. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she quietly trotted downstairs to see what was happening. When she entered the kitchen she was surprised to find row upon row of jars filled with freshly prepared zap-apple jam. Somewhere hidden behind them she could see the outline of her older sister who was busily stirring the current pot of jam while simultaneously measuring out the correct amount of honey.

“Sis?” She asked.

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack said, startled. “What in the hay are you doin’ awake so early?”

“Ah heard a crash…” Apple Bloom said. She maneuvered her way into the kitchen making sure not to knock over the precariously stacked jars. “How long have you been up? How’d you make all this jam?!”

“Once Ah got a little more focused the rest was easy. Don’t you worry none little sis, Ah’ll have all the jam jarred and ready for sale two days earlier than expected. Then we can be done with all this financial nonsense! He’ll get his order alright.” Applejack said, speaking so quickly it was hard for Apple Bloom to hear or understand what she was saying.

Apple Bloom took a step back and accidently hit the kitchen table where a completed jar of jam wobbled and threatened to fall. Apple Bloom gasped and tried to catch it before it hit the ground but Applejack beat her to it, swiping the jar from mid-air and setting it down on the ground before hurrying back to the jam she was making. Apple Bloom blinked a couple of times in awe of her sister’s speed and agility. Had she always been this focused?

“Uh… how many jars do ya think you’ve got here, sis? Ah don’t recall makin’ this much jam last year, and we weren’t even able to get to most the trees yesterday.” Apple Bloom asked warily.

“Oh Ah finished the bucking.” Applejack said so matter-of-factly.

“Finished the bucking? On your own? ALL of them?” Apple Bloom gasped in disbelief.

“Yup. We’ll have more jam this season than ever before.” Applejack said.

“But… when do Granny and Ah get to help make the jam?” Apple Bloom asked.

“You don’t have to worry about that this year lil sis, Ah’ve got ya covered.” Applejack said, oblivious to the longing in her sister’s tone.

“But Granny promised!” Apple Bloom whined defiantly.

“The thing is, Apple Bloom, Granny’s got a lot on her plate now what with Big Mac being gone and ah figure that ah can get the jam made a lot faster.”

“But it just ain’t fair! Ah already told the crusaders they could come ‘n help out with this year’s batch!” Apple Bloom protested.

“Sometimes ya can’t have what ya want, it’s just how life goes.”

“But…”

“Apple Bloom , Ah’m not arguing about this now.”

“But Applejack…”

“AH SAID NO!” Applejack screamed. She turned to Apple Bloom and growled with a slight twitch in her eye. Apple Bloom felt the pit of her stomach drop and she backed away from her nervously; she’d never seen her sister so angry before and it frightened her. After a moment or so of silence, Applejack blinked a few times and shook her head returning to the pot of jam.

“Ah was just gonna ask if ah could help you…” Apple Bloom whispered.

Applejack paused for a moment and looked back at her little sister with a frown.

“Ah’m sorry sis. Why don’t ya just run along and play instead. Ah’m doin’ just fine on mah own.” Applejack said, the tone of her words letting Apple Bloom know that the decision was final. Defeated and slightly hurt by her sister’s words, Apple Bloom left the kitchen while fighting back a sniffle.