For all who wonder why.
 

The Eve of Man
by
Sarah Lynn Morgan

 
 
He felt the chuckle rumble up from his belly as he watched the new creature in the garden. He found a new one almost every day, but this one was one of the most entertaining. He chuckled some more as he watched the creature trying to climb up the small bank at the side of the lake.

The creature could hardly walk at all. Adam had, when he first discovered the creature, walked over and picked it up to see if it had somehow been injured. It seemed unharmed, but still he could not make it walk. He was quite surprised, when the creature promptly jumped the three feet to the edge of the lake. Once in the water, it moved with great speed; so surprising Adam it prompted him to sit himself against a tree to watch the creature further. He was laughing now, as he watched the creature catch an insect with its tongue of all things.

Adam often found new creatures, but with some he suspected that God had placed there just to entertain him. At first there had only been the normal animals, like the deer, and the cows. Now God was placing increasingly odd creatures that made him laugh.

“Adam?” He heard the voice softly calling his name.

Adam was the only human being in all of history who did not have the instinct to turn to look for the speaker when he heard another’s voice. He knew better. There was no one there to see. That voice was everywhere.

“Adam? Where is the spring deer that I placed in the garden?” The voice asked softly.

Adam at first tried to ignore the voice, but he knew that he could not. He felt badly about the deer, and could not explain what had happened because he could not even understand it himself. He could never lie, and he could not tell the truth, so he just sat there and said nothing.

God understood. Adam had been more aggressive of late. It was difficult for Adam, with his only contact being his all mighty creator. Every word was the word of god. It was a sin for him to question. It was a sin for him to deny. It was a sin for him to ignore. All Adam could do was to…, comply.

“Adam?” the voice asked, just as softly.

“Yes?” Adam asked.

“Where is the Spring Deer?” the voice asked him again.

“It ran away.”

There was a pause, not unlike a human might do, if searching for words, which Adam knew was not the case. He knew that the voice wanted him to have the time to think, and anticipate the next question, which all too inevitably came.

“Why did the deer run out of the garden, Adam?” the voice finally asked.

Adam felt a salty tear of frustration slip down to his lips. He could not answer, because he knew that god would be disappointed in him again.

“Adam? Did you hit the deer, and make it run away?” the voice finally asked.

Of course Adam knew that the voice already knew the answer, just as he always did, but it pained him to face his failing. With another tear tracing the other cheek, he nodded his head, and asked the voice in a whisper, “Was that a sin?”

“Yes, Adam. It was a sin.”

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to hurt the deer, and make it run away.” Adam said, his head shrinking down, even as his knees rose into his chest. “Is it dead?” he asked in a frightened voice.

“No, Adam. The deer is not harmed. It was only frightened, so it ran away from the garden.” The voice told him even more kindly and softly. Then after a few moments, it told him, “It will return, when the fear fades a little more.”

Adam did not answer, but simply nodded slightly his head as it rested on his knees.

“Adam, Why did you seek to harm my deer?” the voice then asked him, only slightly less kindly.

“I was angry.” Adam answered blankly.

There was a Pause, as if the voice were waiting for him to say more, which it surely knew he would not..

“Why were you angry Adam?” The voice asked him, relentlessly.

It took some time for Adam to reply, knowing that the voice would wait with infinite patience. “I was angry because I wish to leave the garden, to explore the earth outside.” Adam replied, now staring at the water once more.

“I have forbidden you to leave the garden Adam.” The voice said its kindness unabated. “I have created this place for you, and I enjoy watching you here, and talking to you.”

Adam simply nodded again, before the weight of his head once more pulled his face down to his knees. Both were silent for a long time, with only the voices of the other creatures in the garden breaking the soft murmur of the warm breeze.

Looking down, God could see that to make another like Adam would only feed into the aggression that Adam was feeling. One day, there would be many, but for now, God wanted the companionship of the man, so he would have to compromise.

“Adam.” The voice finally continued “I will make you a companion that you may become friends. I will make him smaller than you are, so you must care for him One day, there will be many people like you. For now, only he will be your companion in the garden.”

Adam, now raised his head to look up at the clouds, amazed by this news. “Will you make another like Me? I thought I was the only one of my kind?”

“You are, Adam, but I will make another like you.” The voice said, with pleasure in it. “Remember though, you may not harm or strike the new man. You must care for him, and teach him the ways of the garden.”

“Would that be a sin, Lord?” Adam asked further about the new wonder.

“Yes, Adam, fore the man will be like your self, made in my likeness. To strike him or to harm him in any way would be a very great sin.”

Adam thought about this for a minute or two, and asked “What will I call the new man?”

“I named you for the advent of your first day in the garden; I will name the creature when I bring him forth as you sleep this evening.”

Adam was frightened and excited. He tried to imagine a creature that would be like him, but he could not. He was a little excited at the idea of talking to the new man, but could not fathom if the creature would be able to speak in return. He had many questions, which he somehow knew that God would not answer. Therefore, excited as he was he waited as patiently as he could till evening.

With the fading light, he began to wander nervously around the garden, but at first he found nothing new. Finally he went back to the tree where he slept, and lay down to wonder when God would bring the companion, and what that might be like. He wondered as the light faded, listening to the sounds of the day fading, when suddenly a strange noise intruded on his consciousness At first he could not tell what it was, nor even why it seemed strange to him, but he rose never-the-less, and began to look about the garden.

Adam had looked along the edge of the water, and then along the stream, when he realized that several of the animals were standing near the tall grass that grew where the two came together. Walking quietly over, he suddenly spied a form lying on the ground in the soft light. Adam knelt softly by the creature, only to find that the creature was sleeping. The noise was a soft snoring that came from the creature as it slept soundly in the tall sweet grass...

Adam was amazed. The creature was like him, but it was different. It was much smaller. Its arms and legs were thinner, as was its body. He could see that if it were to stand, it would hardly reach as high as his shoulder. The creature was naked, and true to god’s promise, was just like Adam. This was not a surprise, because god had told him as much, but it was an amazement just the same.

Adam watched the creature far into the evening, until he finally lay down in the tall grasses beside the several small animals that had come to lie beside the new creature, and quietly fell asleep.

The sun was full in Adam’s eyes as he rolled over onto his back, when the sound of a splash and a giggle brought him sitting bolt upright in one movement. In a moment he spied the new man sitting by the edge of the lake, giggling at an expanding ring of ripples on the surface there.

Adam was too scared to move. All at once he felt he should run away, or run out of the tall grass and scream at the creature, but all his body would do was to drop down lower in the tall grass to watch.

The movement caught the creature’s eye, for it looked curiously over toward the tall grass, before once more turning back to the water, and giggling some more at whatever it saw there.

Adam watched the creature as it played by the water for a long time, until the call of nature began to intrude on his spying. Finally he could take it no longer, and he rose to walk over to the bushes behind him, and began to pee under the bush. Suddenly, Adam felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to raise, which cause him to glance nervously over his shoulder. Sure enough, the creature was still there, but now it was watching him as carefully as he had watched it. The feeling was most unpleasant.

When he finished, he turned to see the creature still watching him intently. Knowing that there were no dangerous creatures in the garden, he began to walk slowly toward the thing so as not to frighten it as he had the deer.

The creature showed no signs of fleeing, but it did draw its arms about itself, as if to hide its nakedness from him. Adam was amazed and shocked by this behavior, and once more sat himself slowly down to watch the creature, which just sitting there watched him as well...

Finally, long after the time Adam would have gone and fed himself, an inspiration struck him. “Can you understand me?” He asked the creature softly.

At first he was sure the creature did not understand him, because other than a slight widening of its eyes, and an ever slighter widening of the little smile he now realized it wore, it made no answer at all. Then, as if as an afterthought on the creature’s part, it nodded once slowly.

Adam was stunned. The creature’s eyes were now watching his. He realized with a pause, that it was the intelligence in the creature's eyes that he found so strange. Other creatures would look at him with curiosity and one or two times lately even with fear, but this creature just returned his stare, looking right into his eyes.

This was man.

His emotions were in turmoil, and his head was swimming as if he had fallen out of a tree. With weak knees, and a weaker stomach, Adam unsteadily rose, and turning his back on the creature, he walked over to the fruit trees to feed himself. He was on his third peach, when he heard the unmistakable sound of the creature giggling, as it knocked a peach out of the tree with a stick, to begin feeding close behind him. He jumped, but somehow his legs did not carry him away. He slowly closed his eyes for a moment, and then simply continued to feed himself, not looking back, even when the creature would giggle as it tried to knock the fruit out of the tree with various sticks.

It was like that most of the first day. The creature made no frightening moves, so Adam simply watched it out of the corner of his eyes whenever tit explored the garden close to him. Whenever it was further away, he watched it openly.

Toward evening, when he was hungry once more for the sweet fruits in the grove of trees near the edge of the garden, he found the creature there, once more swinging at the pieces of fruit still hanging from the tree. In disgust, walked over, and putting his hand on the stick, he reached up and pulled several pieces of fruit off of the tree, and handed them to the creature. At first the creature looked with amazement at the fruit in his hands, but then it smiled and cooed in delight at him for the favor. This alarmed Adam rather badly, and he quickly moved to the other side of the grove to find another kind of fruit that grew there.

As he sat against the tree, his stomach nice and full, he heard a large splash, and a giggle coming from the side of the lake. Adam was on his feet before he even realized, and was running down to the water’s edge. There to his amazement, was the new man splashing about in the water, giggling furiously as it chased the little green creature around the surface of the lake.

Stupid, new man, Adam thought. Didn’t he realize that all he had to do was to wait for the creature to sit on the bank, and then just walk over and pick it up? Adam watched for a few minutes more, and then just walked away in disgust.

As the evening fell Adam was watching the rising of the moon over the lake, and relaxing as well as he could, with the tension of the day still in his muscles. Suddenly, he realized that the new creature had walked over, and sat down a few feet away from him, and begun to make a place to sleep under his tree. Adam wanted to rise, and go somewhere else to sleep, but this tree was his, and to do so seemed foolish to him. He felt foolish and angry, but he just sat there; no longer watching the moon, but rather the new man out of the corner of his eyes, as it made a nest of soft grasses in a little hollow and curled up to sleep.

The bright sun in his eyes woke him rather quickly. The stiffness of his limbs told him that he had lain in that position for many hours without moving. Naturally his first instinct was to stretch each of those limbs out luxuriously, and rolled over away from the sun. Rolling his back to the sun, he sighed and began relaxing once more as the heating rays of the sun warmed away the last of the stiffness he felt.

Adam could feel the warmth of the breeze coming against his face even as…, his eyes flew open as he realized the warm breeze, was the slow deep breaths of the creature sleeping next to him. Adam wanted to spring up, and shout at the creature, or even strike it, just as he had done with the deer. Somehow, he could not do any of those things. This was the closest he had been to the creature, and despite the confusion, he found him self, studying it carefully.

The creature smelled sweetly. It was not the smell of one of the animals, but rather it was a smell of flowers that clung about it. Looking carefully, he could see some remnants of a flower in its hair, which he reached out to pluck a way, before movements in the creature’s face made his hand return to his side. Adam could see too, that the creature was much smaller than he was, and that its skin was more soft and fairer than his own was. His hand reached out to touch gently the creature’s arm, to learn that his skin was even softer than it looked.

Looking down, Adam could see that the creature had clothed itself, but not in the simple cloth that he wore about his front. The creature wore a larger cloth about its waist that came down to cover the tops of its legs as well. Adam was amused to see, that between it’s knees, a small fawn had lain itself down to sleep with the creature, but it stirred and walked away, even Adam slowly reached out his leg, to compare his own foot with the smaller one of the sleeping creature. That was when the creature began to stretch itself, and its leg reached out to cross his own.

Startled, Adam quickly looked back at the face to see the creature’s bright green eyes fixed upon him. His sudden urge to move away instantly returned, but he was held in place by the eyes, and the little smile that had settled over its small face.

Not wanting to frighten it, Adam began to rise himself very slowly to a sitting position, but the creature did not move at all. It simply lay there smiling at him perfectly contentedly. It was just as many of the small animals had been before…

When the creature sat itself up, and wrapped its arms about itself, placing one of its hands on its opposite shoulder, and one under its arm. As it continued to look at him with those intelligent eyes, Adam felt compelled to speak once more to the creature.

“You can understand me?” he asked it, only to have the creature look at him with a smile that seemed to change slightly to a more amused and sadder look, before the creature finally nodded its head in affirmation.

“Can you speak too?” Adam asked, causing the creature to giggle at him, and began to rise itself to its feet.

The creature then looked down at him, and clearly, but softly answered, “Yes.”

Adam was shocked. The creature had a pleasant voice, and could speak but had simple chosen not to speak. It was… It made Adam feel strange when he looked into the creature’s intelligent eyes, to know that It was thinking just like him, but not speaking its thoughts to him. It bothered Adam, and it intrigued him as well. Suddenly, he felt the urge to make it speak to him again.

Reaching out, he placed his hand on its leg, and told it, “I am Adam.”

The creature stopped moving at his first touch, and looked at him. When he told it his name, the creature simply smiled at him and nodded at him once slowly, before waiting there watching him silently.

“God gave me that name, because He decided to make me as He watched the garden at the advent of a new day. God realized that it would please Him to make a creature that could enjoy the beauty of the garden, as He did.”

The creature’s pretty green eyes never left his face, as its smile grew a little while listening to him. Then it giggled a little and once more nodded slowly to show that it already knew this somehow.

“You came in the evening…, and you are different than me.” Adam said softly, knowing that the creature was a complete mystery, even though it was supposed to be a man like him.

“Eve.” the creature said softly.

The creature then smiled, showing all its teeth, and tilting its head to one side, and reached out to put its hand on Adam’s head briefly. Then it slowly nodded once, and giggled to itself softly as it began to walk down to the edge of the lake.

Adam watched the creature for long moments, until the needs of the morning forced him to rise, and move in the opposite direction, toward the trees.

When Adam returned, the creature was swimming in the water of the lake. It was wading and occasionally dipping below the surface, which amazed Adam because he’d only ever done that once when he slipped off a wet rock, and had fallen into the water. It was not a pleasant experience. He rose and moved closer to the creature, but when it once more showed itself above the surface, it was obvious that it was not in any distress. As he watched, the creature seemed to enjoy the water quite thoroughly.

As it once again returned to the land, it saw Adam watching, and smiled at him. The eyes bothered him again. For some reason, he felt the need to look away over the water, as if pretending that he had not been watching the creature at all! It was such an odd feeling that it bothered Adam, but never the less, his eyes continued to slide slowly away toward the far end of the lake whenever the creature would glance in his direction. Adam could not help but watch the creature, even so, with complete fascination, even if it was occasionally only out of the corner of his eye.

As the creature sat on the grass, drying itself in the warm sun, it began to run its fingers through its light tawny hair. That was when Adam realized that the creature was making noises like the birds singing in the trees around them. He could hear the creature’s voice softly on the wind. When a bird would sing, the creature would make humming and whining noises of the same kind. Sometimes it would giggle a little to itself, and sometimes not, but always it continued to preen its fur, and hum the calls of the birds.

As in all things, Adam soon lost a little of the interest in watching the creature, when his stomach began to make up some songs of its own. Adam quickly, grabbed a few pieces of fruit off of a nearby bush, and began peeling and eating them in large bites.
He was on his second piece of fruit, when he realized that the little noises that the creature had been making were now coming as a long series of notes, strung together in a continuous call, and repeated over again.

Looking over to where the creature was sitting in the grass, Adam froze to realize that its head was turned to face him, and that it was staring directly at him as it hummed the little noises that it was making rhythmically over and over again. On its face was the same little smile that it had, whenever it seemed to know that he had been watching it.

Unnerved, Adam took his last piece of fruit, and walking over to the stream, where it ran into the lake, he made to wash it off, before settling himself once more behind the trunk of a large tree, partially hidden from the creature.

Throughout the day, Adam could not help but watch the creature, enthralled.
Once, when waking up from where he had dozed, he heard the creature working on something. Curious, he moved closer to the bushes where he could here it, and saw it working on a skin, that it was poking over and over with a sharp rock. This fascinated the man, so he climbed onto a low branch of a nearby tree, to keep an eye on the creature. Settling himself, he once more found that the creature was staring quite directly at him, even as its hands continued to work the skin. Adam could tell it was not frightened, by the smile, which once more made him feel unsettled.

Humming, the creature continued to work like this long enough for Adam to begin to lose interest again. Occasionally, the creature would pick up the skin, and hold it about itself, and then just as quickly resume the work. It was intriguing to Adam, who seeing that the creature already had a much larger waistcloth than he did, could not fathom what it might be doing.

Toward midday, the creature rose from its place in the tall grass, beside some bushes, and began to walk toward the groves of fruit trees. Adam was further amazed to realize that the creature had fastened the new cloth about its torso, tied behind the neck, and covering the creature from there to just below it’s ribs.

Adam was amazed.

Later that day, he himself went back to the edge of the lake and began to wade into the water, when he heard the creature giggling from the direction of the stream. There, he could clearly see the creature looking at its reflection in one of the dark pools and giggling, It seemed that the creature must have lost its mind, as it slowly reached out, and moved its hand over the surface of the pool, and then once more giggling at itself.

Adam had almost decided to move closer, when the meaning of the creatures giggling became clear. As he watched, it reached over to the flowers that grew along the bank, and picking several, it began to poke the stems into the hair on the top and sides of its head. Adam could see that it already had several other flowers there, including some that had come from other areas of the garden.

He stared at the creature for so long, that he realized that a large fish was poking at the hair on his unmoving legs. It was captivating. Clearly, it amused and pleased the little creature no end, as it continued to carefully arrange and move the flowers in a band about the top of its head.

Even with the air of strangeness about the creature, Adam found this most unfathomable. He was confused by the creature’s obvious joy. He too liked the way the flowers looked and smelled, but could not begin to understand why rather than just smell them; the creature felt the need to poke them into its hair.

Feeling very unsettled by the odd behavior, he nevertheless remembered why he was there; he turned and slowly moved himself in the opposite direction. Lowering himself, to wash the stickiness of the fruits from his face, he felt a sudden compulsion to try the trick that the creature had seemed to enjoy so much that morning, and quickly dunked his head under the water. Just as quickly, he came up sputtering and choking, and realized that the creature was walking past on its way to the fruit trees and was laughing at him quite merrily.

His face grew hot, like he had fallen asleep in the sun, which Adam could not explain, never having felt that before. Convinced once and for all that the creature was obviously more than a little deranged, he slowly made his way to the bank, refusing to look again at the back of the receding creature.

“Here.” A soft voice said just behind him, causing Adam to leap to his feet. This caused the creature to laugh at him once more, as it seated itself down beside him, and dropped several fruits from the far side of the garden at his feet. Then taking one, it began to tear it into small pieces before putting them in its mouth. Adam was startled to realize that the sun had crossed the entire sky, and that he had not eaten for hours. Looking down at the fruits, and the top of the creatures head, he suddenly felt very tired.

He could not understand the reaction of his body, which was like when he had been running very fast. He had not word for the tension that had been straining his body all that day. He only knew that he needed to sit, and to eat, and was glad to reach for the fruit.

Adam sat, only a few feet from the creature, and gratefully crammed half a fruit in his mouth, and began to chew the sweet flesh with relish. Watching the creature again, as it daintily tore off another small piece of fruit, it turned to look at him as well. Seeing his mouth crammed full of fruit, it began to laugh at him merrily again, even as it turned back to watch the birds on the water as they swam along the shore still chuckling.

He could feel his face burning, even though the sun was well down, and too low to be very warm. Adam turned to watch, as two of the birds dove for the same food, and began making noises as they fought for it. He was still watching when the scent of the flowers that the creature was wearing came to him most strongly on the breeze. Turning back, looked at Eve’s head in amazement as he realized that he smelling three different flowers at the same time.

Adam liked the smell of the flowers, but because these grew on opposite sides of the garden, he’d never smelled them like this before; It was lovely, and very…, compelling.

On seeing his eyes, the creature daintily put its hand up to pat the flowers on the side of its head, and smiled at him once more before it threw the last piece of fruit from the one that it had been eating to the birds swimming nearby. Looking down, it picked up one of the red berries that it had brought as well.

Adam was captivated by almost everything that this creature did. It was more like him than any other creature in the garden. Mostly, it was exactly like him, especially when he had seen it naked, but it acted so strange. Looking at the way it adorned his body, and the way it always seemed to be aware of him, and its eyes…

He watched it lift the small fruit to its lips. Adam did not really like the large red berries, because they were too sweet, and had a small pit in the center that hurt his teeth whenever he’d tried to eat them. The creature, however, instead of trying to chew the fruit up, placed it against its lips, and began to suck the juice out of the little fruit. It continued to do so with several of the little berries, obviously enjoying it very much.

Adam finally remembered to eat the larger fruit absently, as he watched Eve suck the juices from the last of the large red berries. Rising up, Eve stepped to the edge of the water, and putting first his hands to wash the juices off; he then leaned over to wash his face, but froze there motionless.

Suddenly, Eve was giggling at the water again. To Adams surprise, he took one of the last of the berries, and crushing it between his fingers, rubbed it on his lips over and over again. The berries, of course stained Eve’s lips, a fact that seemed to being him great happiness.

Eve continued to look at himself for a few moments more when he suddenly sighed, and began to walk away toward the bushes. Adam was not tempted to follow, until Eve walked from the bushes toward the sleeping tree. He quickly rose, and splashed water on his own face and hands, and walked to where Eve was placing more soft grasses and fragrant leaves in his nest for the night. Adam, seeing how late it was, began to do the same.

One last time the creature paused to smile at him, as he lay himself down on his own bed, before Adam too lay its head down on its crossed arms and closed its eyes.

Adam watched the darkened sky for a long while. He could not sleep because he listened to the breathing of the creature…; Eve was sleeping close to him. He breathed so softly, that Adam almost had to listen with care to hear it, so it was not that it was a disturbing noise. Even when a small rabbit hopped over, and stretched itself out against Eve’s stomach, it made a louder noise… It just seemed strange to him. He listened for a long time before falling asleep.

When Adam was awakened the next morning it was not the sun in his eyes that did so.
It was the strong and beautiful smell of the flowers under his nose. During the night, Eve had somehow become tangled with him, and was now sleeping quite soundly, cuddled against his chest with his head resting against his shoulder. Adams arm tingled slightly from the weight on his arm, and he was surprised that his other arm was itself wrapped about Eve’s waist!

Adams Heart began to beat a little faster. Of course, in the early days, the smaller creatures in the garden had often slept with him; but, that was before he’d begun to feel frustration. This felt different. Eve had pressed himself against Adam, his own small arm clinging about Adam, and his legs wrapped about Adam’s.

Slowly, Adam tried to rise a little, to untangle himself from Eve; but, Eve unconsciously resisted by snuggling himself a little closer. Adam once more lay still, unwilling to wake eve, but his senses overwhelmed, by the smell, and the warm softness of Eve pressing close. Feeling weak, he closed his own eyes once more, and tried to slow the pounding of his heart.

His own body felt strange. A yearning grew in him, that he’d never felt, and could not understand. Adam finally could take no more, so he rose as slowly and carefully as he could, and leaving Eve, walked to the water’s edge. He stood for only a few moments, before plunging himself head and body into the lake.

Throughout the morning, just like the one before, Adam could not help watching his companion. He was rapt as he realized that Eve seemed perfectly content to wander the garden, picking flowers and berries. Eve continued to search out flowers, and place them in a new ring in his hair, occasionally carrying them to the dark pool in the stream, where he’d arrange them with great care. Adam heard Eve giggle again, as he once more smeared the red berries against his lips.

Throughout the day, many of the small animals would come to Eve, who would pet, and cuddle, and hum them strange melodies. Several were actually following him about, from place to place in his wanderings — much like Adam himself was doing, only a little father away. It was charm itself, to watch the odd, but pleasant little things with which he occupied his time.

The man also knew that from time to time he would look up and find Eve also sitting quietly, and watching him just as intently with a small contented smile on his face. Unlike Adam, however, he would not quickly divert his gaze. Rather, he would simply smile a little more broadly, and watch for a few moments more, as whatever thought had directed his eyes to Adam would seemingly complete itself.

It was just after one such moment, near mid-day, when Adam saw that Eve was picking some of the fruits and leaves off of the trees nearby, and feeding them to several of the little animals that were coming to him for the delicacies that they could not reach on their own.

Walking over, Adam could see several of the animals in attendance shying back into the nearby trees.

Adam wanted to talk.

“Eve?” he called quietly.

Eve turned, and smiled at him, before handing him a little fruit, that he had just knocked down from the tree. Then without a reason that Adam could see, Eve laughed out loud, and shoved a large piece in his own mouth, and stood there grinning stupidly at Adam.

Adam could not help but laugh too.

The fruits were delicious, and satisfying. There was even a new kind of fruit, just growing on the trees; and, although it was not yet ripe enough to eat, the flavors that it already had held great promise for the coming days Adam could not remember ever feeling so contented.

Gone were the cares of the care-less, and his loneliness. Even just sitting here with Eve, without speaking, he felt the companionship that God had promised. They ate in silence, until Eve rose up to wash his hands in one of the many small nearby pools, and then looking at his face, he took another red berry and dyed his lips once more.

This no longer surprised Adam, but when Eve walked over and lowered himself to lean against Adam’s side, it surely did surprise him. For a moment Adam felt uncomfortable, but looking down, he could see that Eve’s eyes were on his face, and that he was smiling openly up at him. The burning in Adam’s face had once more begun to return, when Adam himself began to chuckle back at Eve.

Rising, Adam washed his own hands and face. He’d not always done that, but he now realized that it was far better to expend the effort than to walk about with sticky hands and face for hours. Once he finished, he walked back over to where Eve sat, with his bright green eyes still watching Adam intently. On impulse, Adam lowered himself to the ground, beside Eve, but with his position facing the opposite direction, and pressed himself gently against the smaller man. Of course, this caused Eve to take in a little breath of surprise, and then, of course, to giggle.

Adam smiled, because that was what he’d intended.

Both sat still for many long minutes, basking the warmth of each other’s company, and the lack of loneliness. Adam was surprised, that even the animals which had shied from him, but had followed Eve about the garden had begun to come out, and rest themselves just out of arm’s reach.

Adam noticed Eve was watching him not less, but rather more, as the time went by. The smile on his face had slowly changed to a look of wonder. Looking at him more closely, Adam acted on the desire to reach out and touch the flowers in Eve’s hair. Eve, rather than shy away, simple smiled, and turned and bowed his head slightly to allow Adam to do this.

The flowers were different today. Adam could see that they were carefully arranged by color again. He could also tell, that like yesterday, the combined scent of these flowers was equally new and unusual. Intrigued, Adam leaned over to smell the flowers more closely. It was such a wonderful scent… Adam felt himself freeze.

Eve had slipped his small arms around Adam, and begun softly to rub his cheek against the side of Adam’s face and neck. Adam was unsure for a moment what to do. Eve, moving with the same softness and gentleness that he’d displayed with the smaller creatures, slowly lifted one arm about Adam’s neck, and continued gently to press the side, and even the front of his face against Adam.

Adam could hear Eve cooing, and sighing, as he finally rested his forehead in the crook of Adam’s neck, even though is hands continued to gently slide over the back of his head and lower back.

It was not an unpleasant feeling, and Adam could almost hear Eve’s purring, just as some of the other animals in the garden might occasionally do. Even though the strange feelings that had beset Adam in the morning were returning, Eve showed no sign of moving away. He was perfectly contented to sit there, entwined with Adam.

Cooing louder, Eve suddenly began to rub the front of Adam’s shoulder with his lips, before once more moving on to his neck. Adam’s body was burning, and he was finding it impossible to breath. What was more, his body began to respond in other ways, causing him to shift uncomfortably where he was sitting.

Sensing him shift, Eve withdrew his embrace until he was facing Adam from as closely as they had been that morning. Eve looked at him, his smile changed to an odd expression that made the tremors in Adams stomach much, much worse. Then, without taking his eyes off of Adam’s, Eve leaned into his face, and began to even more gently rub his lips against Adams lips!

Adam could taste the sweetness of the berries that Eve had spread there. He could feel the heat of Eve’s breath on the sensitive part of his face about his lips, and he could feel the heat and tremors in his body rapidly building to be unbearable.

Adam withdrew slightly, and with glazed eyes he looked at Eve whose face had turned red. Eve was panting slightly through open lips, and looking at Adam with glazed eyes of his own. Very gently, having learned his lesson with the Spring Deer, Adam eased him self away from Eve

Adam rose and began to walk; unaware of even his direction, let alone where he was going, only to find himself at the side of the lake. Sitting there, he tried to understand, but he could not. He was not afraid of Eve. Eve had not harmed him, nor tried to harm him in any way. Nor was Adam angry with Eve. He was shocked to realize that he liked Eve. Eve was someone he could be with, in the present. He could see, and touch Eve. He was not angry. He knew he wanted Eve to stay.

He wanted Eve to stay. Even though he felt frustration, he did not feel it coming from Eve. It was inside of him. It was almost as if he was hungry. It was not the hunger he slaked by eating. It did not make him feel sick, as hunger did when he waited too long to eat. It was a different hunger that seemed to spread throughout his body, but mostly below his stomach.

Was this why god had given him a companion? He did not know.

Adam was slowly growing calmer, now. He looked up at the darkening sky, when he realized that for the first time in two days, he did not know where Eve was. Looking around quickly, he could not see the little creature anywhere. Listening, nor could he hear his pleasant little songs.

Thoughts of the frightened little deer suddenly came crashing in on Adam. God had warned him that it would be a great sin to harm the new creature, and now he feared it might have run away as well. He’d not raised his hand to it, because this time, he’d not been angry. Perhaps, it had been enough.

Adam began to quest worriedly through the garden, checking first the sleeping-tree and the tall grass by the berry bushes. He looked carefully along the stream and through the garden, and everywhere in between. Even so, he was surprised to find Eve still sitting where he’d left him, not moving or singing, but only sitting, with several small animals cuddled around his legs, Eve’s head resting on his arms and knees.

Slowly Adam knelt down, and lifted Eve’s face from his crossed arms. He could see, much to his surprise, that eve’s eyes were wet, just as the deer’s had been.

Adam was wretched. He did not know what to do for Eve. Surely he’d not hurt him physically? He only walked away because he could not breathe…

Not knowing what else to do, he reached up high into the tree for a particularly nice fruit, and gently placed it into Eve’s hands. Looking at the fruit, Eve smiled weakly, but only let the fruit roll out of them, and onto the ground. Then Eve did another strange thing. He patted Adams hand gently, before letting his head slide once more down to his knees.

Clearly, something was very wrong with Eve, which made Adam feel sick to his stomach. God had given him the task of looking after the creature, and he had failed.

Not knowing what else to do, he reached down to gently grasp Eve around the shoulders and lift him to his feet. For his part, Eve did not resist at all, but rather simply looked at Adam with utter amazement as Adam gently lead him in that fashion down to the lakeside. Once there, Adam took a little water in his hand, and gently wiped Eve’s face.

Eve was now looking at him again. Encouraged he repeated the same thing, only this time wiping not only his face, but also his neck and shoulders where the strange garment around his upper body did not cover them. When he went to do this for the third time along the back of Eve’s neck, Eve slumped against him, and taking Adam’s other hand in his pressed it against his lips.

Adam understood a little better. For some reason, this new creature needed to be close. It needed the companionship that Adam had only just realize he enjoyed as well God had said that Eve would be different than he was, and clearly he was. Sighing, Adam slipped down, and put his arms around Eve and rested his chin on the top of the smaller creature’s head. Eve did not move, but did seem to relax more and more, as Adam slowly watched the day fade from the surface of the lake…

Adam could see a few stars in the darkening sky, and was almost convinced that Eve had fallen asleep, when the smaller man began slowly to stir. Even in the fading light, Eve’s eyes were still bright when he lifted his eyes to look up at Adam. Adam could see now, there was fear in Eve’s eyes as he once more reached his small hand to place it behind Adam’s head.

Adam was nervous that the feeling might come back again, but nevertheless he held perfectly still, and tried to do nothing that would hurt the creature again. Encouraged, Eve very hesitantly lifted his face to press it gently against Adam’s neck and Cheek. Adam showed Eve that he was not mad, and that it was all right in the only way he could think of, by gathering Eve into his arms, and holding him gently against his chest.

Eve was purring once more, emitting a continuing stream of pleasant little noises; even though Adam could feel its face was once again wet. Eve had once more begun the little caresses that had made Adam feel so strangely. They had the same effect, but this time it was Eve who gently pushed back to look at Adam in the last of the evening’s light. Eve was smiling at him once more, which relieved and confused Adam. Eve, then taking Adam’s face in both of his small hands, once more pressed sensitive parts of his face against Adam’s lips. Eve was purring again, but still the smaller man pushed back gently, and raising to his feet, walked slowly back toward the sleeping tree, while steeling glances back at Adam.

Eve had not yet faded from sight before Adam jumped to his feet to follow him.
Neither saw the two forms standing under the shadows of the fruit trees, watching them, which was why neither saw the two Gregori disappear.

Under the tree, Eve had already begun to rearrange the grasses and leaves, only this time, he had taken the leaves of both nests, and made one larger bed. That was fine with Adam, because it was warmer to sleep Cuddled with Eve. Besides, Eve would probably cuddle himself with Adam in the middle of the night again anyway. Therefore, with a sigh, Adam lowered himself onto the bed, leaving ample room for Eve. Eve quickly joined him, and snuggled around his chest and waist as he had the night before.

Unlike the night before, Adam found it impossible to sleep. He was too aware of the small form cuddled next to him; which although he hardly moved, Adam suspected Eve was as aware as he himself was.

Adam continued to try, watching the lights in the sky, and listening to the animals that roved about the garden at night, but it was no use. Thus it was, as the coolness of the night arrived, he just had to move. Adam slowly tried to roll over, facing Eve without disturbing him. No sooner had he moved, however, than Eve propped himself up on one small elbow, and began to stare at Adam by the weak light from the sky.

Adam did not know what to do or to expect. It was obvious that what ever was bothering Eve, and he was beginning to suspect that it was probably similar to what he was feeling - neither of them could sleep.

Eve shifted himself, and pressing even more closely to Adam front to front, and resting his forehead against Adam’s lips and face. In this position, not only could Adam feel every movement in Eve’s little body, but he was also filled by the sweet scent of the flowers in his hair. It was only moments before Adam began to rub his own lips across the small forehead, and hardly less time than that, before Eve was Cooing, and trying in vain to snuggle even closer to his body.

Adam could hardly breathe again. This time, however, he’d done it to himself, as much as Eve had. He was anxious, the feelings were so new, but this hungry feeling had a desirable quality as well. Pulling Eve close, once more, he lay back and tried to close his eyes while keeping a tighter hold on Eve.

That was when Eve did something else strange. Sitting up, he slowly reached up and took the strange top half of his garment off, and lay it aside. Then, frightening Adam a little, Eve slid over to lie directly on top of Adam.

Adam’s breath was instantly short again with his nervousness, and it only grew when he realized that Eve was indeed having the same feelings as he was. Even with the larger skirt that he wore, Adam could feel it.

Adam felt Eve’s Arms cradle his head, and then Eve’s warm breath on his face as he began to nuzzle Adam as he had before…, only this time it was different. Eve seemed to be using his own lips to tickle and caress Adam’s. It was not unpleasant, but soon, Adam felt the rubbing change to a warm and moist gentle sucking as Eve gently began kissing his upper, and then lower lips.

Adam could feel warmth spreading out from his lips and groin. Now trying to return the gently sucking motions, he wrapped his arms around Eve, and tried to help him in his attempts to press their bodies as closely as possible. When he felt the tip of Eve’s tongue softly slide along the crease of his lips, he was already lost to a feeling of weightlessness that seemed to roll up his spine and into his head like the waves on the lake.

Adam did not know how long they kissed, but it was Adam who tried to draw Eve’s lips back to his own when he moved on to Adam’s face, neck, and chest. Had he been any less weak with the confused passions that coursed through his body, he might have succeeded. Of course, once Eve’s warm moist lips and tongue, which contrasted with the cool trails they left on his skin for the night air to chill, had reached his nipples, he was utterly helpless. He could do naught but writhe and moan gently under Eve’s gentle and loving administrations…

Throughout the garden, all was stilled by the moans of Adam and Eve in their slow discovery of each other No other animal made a sound. Even Samael and Azazel made no sound as they and the archangel who stood just in front of them watched from the trees nearby. Quietly, Samael whispered into Lucifer’s ear, “Why does he not stop them?”

Lucifer did not respond, but simply watched the humans quietly for a long time. Then, finally he spoke. “God has given them dominion over this place, and does not watch them always. The gift he gave us of free will and volition, he has also given to these creatures.” In the softness of his reply, it was hard to judge his tone’s full meaning.

The moans from under the tree were coming more frequently with the night wind.
All three could clearly see the smaller of the two slip his hand into the loincloth that Adam still wore, but which Eve no longer did…

“Archangel!” Azazel hissed just as quietly into the other ear. “Will you not stop them?”

“Who am I to stop them?” Lucifer asked in the same quiet voice, that never the less made the Gregori cringe from its power. “Has not God given these creatures a free will, and gifts that even such as I do not enjoy?”

There was no mistaking the Archangel’s tone this time. “Who knows His mind in full?” He continued without taking his eyes off the men. “With all the graces and gifts he has showered upon them, these lowly creatures may one day be our masters.”

Azazel spoke one last time. “But, the small one worships Adam above all else! Look at its lips. Surely this is vanity. Are not those same things that are sins for us, sins for these animals as well?”

Lucifer was calmer when he also spoke for the last time. “No angel has ever committed the sin of being worshiped by another, Azazel. This is yet another gift that God had given this man, which we shall never see. No, I will not interfere. If it is God’s will, he’ll tell me himself.

The two Gregori were alone. Lucifer was there one moment, and the next it was as if he’d never been. “It must be a sin.” Azazel said, and then he too was gone.

Samael watched for much longer. He tried to remember that Jealousy was also a sin…, for men and angels…

Adam thought he’d drawn his last breath as Eve’s small hand slid down under his loincloth. He could hardly control the slow rocking of his hips, as the tips Eve’s fingers slowly caressed the moist tip of the hardness that he found there. Eve too, shuddered, as he explored Adam, but his eyes were wide and glowing in the starlight.

Eve withdrew his hand, and looked at the tips of his warm and slippery fingers. Bringing them to his nose, he smelled them. Timidly sticking out the tip of his tongue, he found that the wetness was not at all unpleasant. Carefully, he slipped his hand into his own skirt, and found the same moistness there as well. Eve then withdrew his hand, and began clumsily to untie the cord that held Adam’s loincloth together.

Once Adam was free, Eve slipped out of his own skirt, which was made so differently than Adams own clothing. Then, excited and encouraged by Adam’s groaning, Eve began to kiss and caress his way down across Adams belly.

It was the smell of Adam that seemed to overcome Eve’s last doubts. As it permeated his head and senses, Eve began to softly rub his lips over Adam’s erection where it lay against his lower belly. Eve slid down, and entwined his legs around one of Adams, all the while looking up at his face. Even as Eve slid one hand over his chest and the other up to caress him between his legs, he could see the helpless longing in Adam’s eyes. Gone were the hesitations in Adam’s eyes which had hurt Eve so. Even as Eve’s own doubts, it was as if they had never been.

The burning that had begun in Eve’s feet, was slowly working its way up his thighs now, and it jumped into his buttocks as he once more lowered his lips and began rubbing them where his fingers had been. Adam groaned and wrapped his hands behind Eve’s back, and began to shiver, even as the hardness beneath Eve’s lips began to pulse in time with his heartbeat.

The burning in Eve’s buttocks turned into cold fire as it reached the base of Eve’s spine, spurred by the thought that the sensitive tip of Adam, would fit into Eve’s mouth. So even as he slid the wet and slippery tip into his mouth, and began to caress it as he had Adam’s lips, the cold fire became electrical in the base of his spine.

Adam was a little father gone. Even as the sensation of Eve’s warm moist kiss covered him his world dissolved into ecstasy. All of Adam's muscles strained against each other, as his body fought to turn itself inside out, and destroy his very reason. Through it all, was the warmth of the small form clinging to him, which he instinctively pressed to himself with all of his being.

Eve was startled by the flood that pulsed under his caress, but was even more stunned that wave of ecstasy had overcome him as well The hopelessly innocent and confused desire, which had been building like a wave in him all day, suddenly focused itself at the base of his spine. There all the desires of his soul and the sensations in his body coalesced in that cold fire. It became a lighting bolt whose stroke raced up his spine, and blew the top of his head off, leaving only a million bright points of colored lights swirling about — fading into the warm darkness that was Adams warm sweaty body beneath him…

“Surely, this is a mortal sin,” Samael breathed, but still he could not take his glowing eyes off of them. His nose flared with both his own lust, and the smell of the two that came on the breeze. His eyes bore into the unconscious form of Eve, with his painted lips, and his flowered hair, and the smell of the flowers he’d rubbed on is chest and wrists…

Samael continued watching until the normal night sounds had once again returned to the garden, and even longer still. At some time in the night, however, he too was simply no more…

“Adam?” the voice said, just as he opened his eyes.

He could feel Eve stirring from where he lay against his belly.
Adam tried to sit up; feeling for some reason that he should draw his loincloth about him, but Eve was still in the way. Thus it was that by the time the voice spoke again, both he and Eve were awake, and trying to slip into their clothes. Eve was having the harder time, with the top and bottom, so had hid himself behind Adam’s back while he struggled to tie the top around his neck.

“Why do you seek to hide yourselves from me?” The voice said in a louder tone, that Adam had never heard. “You cannot hide; for, I have seen your sin!”

Adam could not talk. He could only lower his head in fear. Eve on the other hand, Shrieked softly, and threw himself against Adam, and sought to bury his face in Adam’s chest. Adam instinctively wrapped his arms about eve, to still his violently shaking form.

“You would sin again, and turn your face away from me to another?” the voice said even more loudly.

“Sin, Lord?” Adam stammered, “But How?”

The voice was softer, when it spoke again, but still there was no mistaking the anger there. “Adam… One day all the Earth will be filled with your children. When it was time, I would have given you a female, that you might make the many who will one day dwell in all of the gardens of this earth. …But this is not the one… This being is too like you, and is not meant to worship you in this fashion. It has adorned its body, in a sin of pride, spurning the form I made for it. It is an affront to me that he should do so. It is a greater sin for the companion to turn away from his Lord to you”

Adam was confused, and so he spoke before he thought. “But lord? You gave me this companion. He is frightened by your anger. Was it a sin for the dear to run from the Garden, or was it a sin for me to strike out at it in my anger. I don’t understand? It only sought to enjoy the beauty you yourself placed here in the garden… Have I harmed the creature you gave to me?”

“I did not give you the man.” God’s voice said more softly. “He, like you, I have made in my image, and no other man may own him. His soul belongs only to Him who is his God.”

Adam was now trying to get Eve to turn around, and stand apart from him, but even as he rubbed the smaller man’s shoulders and tried to coax him to stand, Adam could see it was useless. The poor little thing was shaking so hard, Adam doubted that he could even understand in his fear, let alone stand on his own.

“Lord, how have we sinned?” Adam finally said helplessly, in the pleading voice of the child.

There was a silence that followed, which frightened Adam even worse than the loud voice. All in the garden, and indeed all the earth, was stillness…

“I had hoped to enjoy your company unsullied by human cares, but now I can see that it is done. I will now give you a proper companion, whom I will name Eve. She will be a female, with whom you may mate like the lower animals, which I have given to feed, clothe, and teach you. I will take this one away…” Eve Shrieked again, and began to weep and shake even harder, it that was possible. “And you will have another companion.”

“Please, My Lord. Please don’t take Eve away from me!” Adam now pleaded “I want him to stay!” He finished, now clinging tightly to Eve.

“That is the punishment for your sin, Adam.” The voice said, once again softly.

“Will…?” Adam could no longer speak past his weeping.

“No Adam.” The voice softened even further. “The creature will not be harmed. It was made in my image, and it did not understand of its sin, but it must leave.”

With that, two beautiful angels appeared. Adam tried to move to place himself between them and Eve, but he could not. Eve, however could still move, and did. He clung to Adam frantically, and shrieked as only a soul in torment can. As one angel gently lifted Adams arms, the other ripped the wailing Eve from him.

The tears rolling down Adams face were the only movement in the garden as the heart tearing pleas and screams from Eve receded first into the distance, and thence into memory…

She was different - very different. On that first day creature had lain sleeping while Adam had watched. Several times he thought it would awake, but it did not until the middle of the second day.

It looked like his Eve but it was not like him. This eve, down where he was…, well it was different…

Adam tried again to put the flower in Eve’s hair, but the girl simply giggled and swatted it away once more. Adam tried to tell her that he liked the flowers there, but she’d only giggle and swat them away, or try to put them in his hair. Adam had tried for days, but Eve would not wear them.

When he’d tried to rub one red berries on her lips, to show her how sweet they were…
His face had been decorated with red spots for days. It had made her laugh every time she’d seen him, and his mood had suffered badly

At night, she refused to stay near him, and moved her nest under a bush. No matter how much grass, or how many soft leaves he’d pile up for her, it was always the same.

Adam’s hands were practically shaking as he slowly walked up to Eve’s sleeping form. She’d taken a nap by the tall grass, which had given him the idea. He’d gathered several different kinds of fruits, and berries that he knew she liked, and placing them into a large leaf, he’d brought them to her.

She stirred herself as soon as he sat down, and placing the fruits beside her. Looking at him with amused, but disdainful eyes, she looked over the fruits, and then grudgingly picked out a good one, which she proceeded to eat while watching the bushes and trees that were farthest away from Adam in her field of vision.

At the same time, Eve never fully turned her back on him when he was near. Adam was sure it was because of the time he’d tried to comfort her, and tried to rub his cool wet hand on her neck and shoulders. She’d shrieked and run away, of course, but not before throwing a large ball of mud into his face.

Now, Adam dared not move to quickly, because he was afraid his frustration would show. Patiently, therefore, he waited for his bride to finish her meal. When she had, he reached very slowly, always under her mistrustful eyes, and wiped her chin, and pulled a piece of rind out of her long beautiful hair.

Then because she had allowed his touch, he slowly leaned toward her. Eve froze, and hunched her head down, but she neither backed away, nor swung at him. Encouraged, slowly, he leaned further, and as softly as he could manage, rubbed the side of her face with his.

Eve cringed down even more, but still she did not flee.

Adam sighed slightly, and closing his eyes, he leaned in further to make up the distance she’d shied away, and gently rubbed his lips along the side of her neck as he breathed in her scent. That’s what had overcome him, when she suddenly shrieked, and pushing him off balanced form onto his face, and jumped up to race for the opposite side of the garden amidst peals of laughter…

Several little animals scurried into the bushes when they saw Adam’s dark gaze fall in their direction. It angered him further that none would come near him now, even those that were not supposed to be for food or skins…; but, that was OK. Adam's eyes shifted more slightly toward where the animals had retreated. Tomorrow he knew where he could find them. It looked like he could use a rabbit skin bag to carry a few things… The others, he was sure he’d find a use for them as well.

Turning away, he looked off toward the distant mountains. Perhaps one day, when he left the garden, he could go that way…

“Stop torturing the damned creature” the Seraphim ordered, but the Gregori Samael did not stop. He was holding the creature by the neck, and using a burned piece of wood to smear dark color on its eyelids, and around the outer margin of its eyes. Then, picking a berry, he handed it to the creature, which knew what it should do.

“Why do you do that?” the other Gregori Azazel asked. “The thing already paints its own face!”

“I just like doing it.” Samael answered, the pulling the thing’s lead, he began once more walking west with the creature in tow. It was awkward, because the creature often tripped or stumbled, and because it was constantly looking over its shoulder, back the way they’d come.

“Where are we headed,” Azazel asked, irritated at having to walk so far with the mortal creature, “Gomorra?”

“No.” Lucifer answered quickly. “Sodom is closer.” He looked around, “We’ll stop here for the night. The thing doesn’t look too well.”

“How long are these things supposed to live?” Azazel asked the Seraphim, but Lucifer just shrugged.

“Do you really believe that God intends to make us worship one of these? Above, even on as you?” Samael asked Lucifer.

“He will, and you can believe it or not. I’ve seen his plan…” Lucifer said bitterly.

“Well!” Samael said once again, walking over to where Eve was sitting on a rock, staring off over the coastal plain to the east, a tear sliding silently down his face. Eve knew that one day, if he could bring himself to pray, that God might put an end to this, but as yet, his anger would not allow him to do that. The Gregori Samael finished speaking as he reached Eve, “I think it’s time to make this one worship me!”

Azazel laughed, as Samael pulled the creature onto its knees in front of him by its leash. The laughter stopped instantly, as Lucifer placed a firm hand on Samael’s shoulder.

“I told you to stop.” Lucifer commanded pushing the Gregori away...

“He should worship me first…”

Fin

Sarah Lynn Morgan

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