This summer, four MS1s attended a two-day writing workshop with the esteemed author Mary Sojourner. In a refreshing change from the routine of medical school studies, these students engaged their right brains and wrote their hearts out. They shared stories of their past, their present, future, and stories from worlds that only exist in special times and/or spaces. Over the course of this year’s Differential editions, these pieces will be provided to readers.
The dawn and the peach were the
same color. It was as if the peach was desperate to mimic the sun’s nature. The spectrum of oranges with just a tinge of red towards the bottom made the peach look as if it was a small ball of fire hanging delicately from its branch. Together with all of the peach’s comrades, they made a light that rivaled the sun. This breathtaking sight—this battle of wills as to who would burn brighter—could continue for what seemed like an eternity.
A young woman came walking up to the tree almost entranced by its beauty. She stood there, completely ignorant of the fact that a violent battle of light was being fought. She eyed each peach, admiring its beauty, noticing the little droplets of dew that glistened all over to create a shimmering effect. They were all too perfect, these glorious peaches, and who was she to disturb such perfection? Just as she turned to leave the serenity the way she found it, her stomach gave an alarmingly loud rumble. It startled even her and made her jump. She had never experienced a hunger like this before. It was as if a snake had wrapped itself around her stomach and squeezed until she cried for mercy. The woman turned around and slowly took the few paces back to the tree. She spotted the lowest hanging peach and wrapped her hand around it, letting the dew condense onto her fingertips. She looked sadly at the peach and said, “I’m sorry for being your Eve,” and yanked the peach from its once-secure home. Her mouth began to salivate at the prospect of having such a delicious meal. She greedily bit into the peach, savoring the sweet flavor of what could only be described as a bite of heaven.
As she held the peach, she looked at where she previously had bitten and noticed the color of the inside seemed to fade and brighten, and simultaneously, her hand began to feel warm. The peach used its last bit of light to scorch the woman’s hand, and she dropped the peach with a bloodcurdling scream. She grasped her hand, unable to understand what happened. Her hand was red and angry with newly forming blisters, and as she looked up at this mysterious tree, she saw every peach begin to get brighter, almost as though they were embers in a fire. Soon, the tree burst into flames, burning so fiercely that she was unable to look at the untamed light. The sun, seeing this great display, admitted its defeat, and suddenly the whole world went dark.
Melissa Gordon is a medical student in the Class of 2019 at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. She graduated from The University of Arizona in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in physiology and a Bachelor of Science in psychology. Melissa enjoys writing in her spare time.