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The Garden of Eden

Lacy Nauck

    Brown eyes opened and immediately closed again, blinded by glimmering light.
    Who was she?
    Where was she?
    What was happening?
    Fingers flexed and dug into the ground, soft grass sliding between her digits while flecks of dirt pushed up under her nails.
    Lungs breathed in, sucking in life-giving air.
    One of the components that would keep her alive.
    What was this?
    ‘Eve, do not be afraid.’
    Her eyes tightened, causing her forehead to wrinkle and her nose to shorten.
    Where was the voice coming from?
    Who was Eve?
    ‘You are Eve. And I am your creator.’
    My creator?
    ‘Yes, my child. You have been crafted by me to live in this place called the Garden of Eden. It is a paradise. You have been brought here to assist another one of my children, Adam. You both shall live here and prosper.’
    Everything seemed strange to her. She had gone from nothing to existence. She could understand the voice in her head and instinctively knew everything the voice said was true. The words trickled through her head like a caress.
    ‘Open your eyes.’
    She did as the voice commanded. This time, she kept her eyes open until they adjusted to the difference. She saw blue. How did she know what that was? How did she know anything?
    She pushed against the ground to raise her body so she could get a clearer view. All around her were lush greens and golds. There was a sweet scent in the air that was pleasant. In the distance, she saw a crystal blue lake with some moving creatures next to it.
    That wasn’t what she looked like.
    Looking down at her body, she saw she did was not the same color or shape as those creatures. She was lighter than their dark brown but not by much. She lifted her hand to inspect how her fingers moved up and down in a fluid fashion. Then to her feet, wiggling her toes. She felt something light brush against her and raised her hand to touch the substance. It was soft and light. It drifted through her fingers to fall around her vision. This was her hair. She knew this. She also knew she needed to stand up to be able to move.
    She rearranged her legs so she could push up on one foot before the other. Eve gasped as she felt herself lean to the side, waving her arms out to try to regain her balance. It was all in vain though as she fell back to the ground with a quick inhale of breath. Everything was so unfamiliar.
    ‘This is your home. You will learn what it means to be alive and worry about nothing. I only have one rule though. You must never eat the fruit from the forbidden tree.’
    Forbidden tree?
    ‘When you see it, you will know. It is the only one with leaves that are gold. Everything else within the Garden of Eden is yours to take.’
    Her attention was drawn to the side when another thing moved into her gaze. It was moving towards her. When she looked into its’ eyes, she felt an understanding.
    “I have waited for you, Eve. God told me he would be making me a partner.”
    He knelt in front of her and she noticed he had similar body parts to her. Well, except a few.
    “Come with me. I will teach you everything you need to know.”
    He held out his hand and she took it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Days passed without much difference. Eve would awaken next to Adam and begin the day by producing a meal for them. She would then listen to him talk about all the things he planned to do for the day. All the things he had named. How lucky he was to be God’s chosen one to begin the world.
    And she would listen with a smile plastered on her face. One that did not reach her eyes.
    She would watch him go off then, leaving her to clean up anything he had left. Eve had asked to go with him multiple times only to be rejected. She was told she wouldn’t know what she was doing, and it would be better for her to find something else to occupy her time.
    Was this why she was created?
    She found each additional day to be more tiring.
    She would walk around the garden, looking at the different types of plants and animals. She even would try to find ways to put together objects in unique ways. But it all seemed monotonous.
    Eve wondered where that voice she had heard on her first day of creation went. He had told her she was brought into this world to be a helper. But there had to be more. What kind of existence was this?
    That first day had been a mix of confusion and wonder.
    Adam had taken her hand and helped her learn how to walk and balance herself. He had shown her around the garden, pointing out creatures and naming them. He told her how he had been created from the soil itself in God’s image. That he was special, and she should feel lucky that God decided to use his rib to create her.
    She had wondered briefly why God would look like Adam. He seemed so different than the voice she had heard. She found Adam’s voice to cause agitation after some time.
    Why would someone brag about being created out of dirt anyway?
    She had been told that her job was to help him with anything he needed. Eve had quickly been introduced to what that entailed.
    The poking and prodding. The uncomfortable intrusion, the jerking motions, and the grunts. It had been uncomfortable but at least it had only lasted a few minutes.
    She had been told it was her job to provide him with relief. He had shown her the things he liked. How to touch him. How to ease his aching muscles by rubbing his shoulders and feet. And she had been instructed in foraging and cooking. They did not eat the animals of the land. They lived in harmony with them. Instead, they ate that which grew out of the trees and ground.
    As long as they did not take more than they needed. The garden was about balance. About harmony.
    But she felt as if the harmony was off.
    She felt herself craving more.
    If Adam had been given tasks to help the beginning of Earth, why had she not? She had simply been told she was meant to assist him.
    But there had to be more to life than that, right?
    She had watched “horses” run wildly across vast plains. Their whinnies being cast into the wind at the sheer joy of being free. How she wished she could join them.
    There were many times she would just run through the forest, focusing on the wind in her hair and soft grass under her feet. She would maneuver by trees and jump over logs. Each stretch felt like she was breaking away from something restrictive. That she was moving towards something new and exciting.
    But then reality would come back once again every night. She would sit there and listen to Adam recount everything he had done for the day, she would feed him, he would prod her, and they would go to sleep before repeating it all once more.
    There had to be more.
    When she looked at the horses running or the wolves licking their newborn pups, or the birds dipping and soaring in the sky, she felt as if there was so much to this world that was not being explored. How could life be confined when she saw such beauty all around her? And what was beyond their area?
    She had once brought up that question to Adam and had been quickly dismissed. He had told her she was being ridiculous for asking such a question.
    “How could you ever want anything more!? We have everything we need here!”
    That didn’t stop her from staring out into the distance and wondering just where those birds would fly to.
    Was it really just her and Adam? Was the whole world just more garden? Or was there something on that horizon that was completely different?
    There were times she felt like she must be defective because Adam seemed content in this world. He never questioned or wondered. He was satisfied with the duty he had been given and her presence.
    Perhaps if she had been given a job like him then she would feel more content?
    She sighed as she stared outward, wishing she was one of the birds in the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Eve had decided to go somewhere different today. A part of the forest she had never been to before. Even though most of her surroundings looked similar, she found the thought of going somewhere new titillating.
    She walked between the trees, smiling as she watched a couple of rabbits hop after each other, dashing into some brush once they heard her approach. After being around all the different animals, she could not pick a favorite. Adam had said he preferred the dog because of how easily they could be taught to obey. But to Eve, all life was beautiful and valuable in its own unique way. She did not understand the concept of bending another being to her will. She would much prefer to live amongst instead of above another creature.
    As she stepped around a tree, her eyes were drawn to a contrasting image. It appeared to be another tree. But this tree had leaves of gold instead of green.
    Fascinated, she stepped closer to the tree, feeling as if an energy was resonating and calling to her.
    A tree with gold leaves.
    That was familiar.
    This was the tree of knowledge.
    The forbidden tree.
    She approached it, wondering at its existence. What did it mean to be a tree of knowledge? Did it hold all the secrets of the world? If it was forbidden, why would it be placed here? Was it here for temptation? It could not be a mistake. Why would an almighty being create something if it had no purpose?
    Eve stepped closer, reaching out with her hand to touch the bark with the tips of her fingers. Even the trunk of the tree seemed to shimmer in gold tones.
    She looked up at the fruit dangling within her reach. Knowledge meant she could know what was beyond that sunset. She could know what the purpose of life was. She could know God’s intention. But most importantly, she could know if there was more.
    Eve pondered her current life and how empty it felt. The prospect of countless days spent doing the same thing felt painful. Listening to Adam prattle on and on about what name he gave a particular bird.
    What kind of name was peacock anyway?
    Or walking along the same paths. Being told her very existence is to submit and serve.
    Why would she be created for such a position yet want more? Wouldn’t it be more practical to create a being that was satisfied with that life? Someone who did not crave differentness and excitement?
    Eve reached up to pick one of the fruits so she could inspect it. The fruit looked like an apple. It even smelled like an apple. But it was not an apple. It was forbidden. And it held all the answers to every single one of her questions. It could also give her freedom. And that was a temptation she was helpless to resist.
    So, with an opening of her mouth, Eve bit into the all-knowing fruit. She closed her eyes as she chewed and swallowed. As soon as the fruit passes her throat, she felt as if her mind was swirling. Images crowded into her brain and she felt as if she was being exposed to something brilliant. Everything that had happened before her creation flashed before her eyes. Concepts, images, theories, and the very essence of life entered her and filled her soul with light.
    It was so powerful that by the time she opened her eyes, she felt as if she had been smacked in the head with a rock. But she felt empowered in a way she had never felt before.
    ‘Eve.’
    She startled, almost dropping her fruit as she looked around. She then realized the voice was coming from her head.
    God?
    ‘Yes, my child. Why have you partaken of the forbidden fruit? Do you not remember what I had told you?’
    Eve was silent for a moment. She found she was not ashamed nor fearful.
    Creator, I do remember. And I thank you for my existence. However, I needed to know if there was more. I could not believe that life was as simple as it had been presented. Now I know it is not. There is so much more to life than hiding away in a false paradise. There are things to discover and experience.
    ‘My child, out of all my creations I am most proud of you. I have done the same numerous times. A male and a female in the garden. Each are given rules. Yet, each time, it is the Eve that eats the fruit. No matter how many times I repeat the process, the result is always the same. While I have created both of you in my image, it seems woman has a curiosity for knowledge and life. Each time, it is woman that rejects simplicity and embraces knowledge. That exudes compassion and warmth. That respects life and yearns to understand. This is why you shall be allowed to leave this garden and go into the world. But I must warn you my child, if man were ever to gain control, the world will surely go into demise. You must use your natural spirit to guide this world. To cherish and nurture life. For you have been given the ability to bare life so you understand what man cannot. You are the closest to God there is. Go now and join the other societies. Adam will surely follow you, he always does. But do not fret for you are my most cherished creation. I will be with you always.’
    Eve smiled, feeling pride and excitement peak within her. She understood now that it had all been a test. A test that she and many others before her had passed. She knew she had a greater purpose than to serve. She was to lead humanity in their destiny. And she was to always be free. Eve’s smile grew.
    She was finally one of the birds in the sky.

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