At the edges of the Garden, Eve sat beneath a willow tree. Her arms were crossed and her brow furrowed.
"Ugh! He's so… insufferable! Why can't he just see things my way?"
She muttered her grievances to no one in particular. She just needed to vent—let the anger go somehow. So she complained to the wind and the trees. At least they always listened. Unlike a certain someone.
"Wrath shouldn't mar a face this beautiful."
The voice was unfamiliar—smooth and sly. Eve's eyes darted around.
Adam? she thought. No, it couldn't be. There were no other speaking creatures in the Garden, yet… she saw no one.
"I have the solution to your troubles," the voice said again.
Eve's gaze slowly lifted to the branches above her.
There, coiled along a branch and staring down with knowing eyes, was a serpent.
"A talking serpent?" Eve murmured, blinking. "How… queer."
+ + +
Elsewhere, Adam was resting.
He sat on a boulder, the midday sun warming his back. Around him lay a lion and a sheep—two creatures he had named and cared for. He sighed, staring into the distance.
That's when he heard a voice.
"Adam! Adam!"
He turned to see Eve hurrying toward him, excitement dancing in her eyes. She nearly skipped the last few steps.
"You wouldn't believe what I heard!" she said breathlessly. "This fruit—it has the power to open our eyes! To open our senses and minds, allowing us to achieve true completeness and perfection!"
She held the fruit before him, cradled like a precious gem.
Adam's eyes widened.
"Oh? Where did you find such a miraculous fruit… wait!" His expression turned to alarm. "Isn't that the fruit the Almighty forbade us from eating? Eve! How could you be so brazen? How could you even touch it? Quick! Throw it away!"
He stood, approaching her with concern. But Eve stepped back.
"No!"
Her voice was firm.
"This fruit has the power to enlighten us! You'd rather choose to remain ignorant? Remain only half of your true self?"
Adam hesitated.
"I'm sure the Almighty has a good reason—"
"A good reason?" Eve scoffed. "A good reason to keep us ignorant? To keep us as shells of our true selves? Preposterous! Think about it, Adam! He only wishes to keep us under His thumb. And now…"
She glared at him.
"Now I'm starting to think you're on His side too. Because you want me to remain under you, don't you?"
Adam looked stunned.
"What? No!"
"You never even consider what I have to say! It's always about you! What you want, what you think! That's the real reason you don't want to eat this fruit, isn't it?"
Her voice wavered.
"It's because I'm the one bringing it to you… isn't it?"
Adam's eyes widened, helpless.
"No, Eve, I don't think that! How can I? I love you!"
Eve looked away. Her lips curled into the faintest smirk before she masked it with a sigh.
"Do you even love me?" she said softly. "Or do you just love the idea of me—me being subservient to you?"
She shook her head. Her disappointment was more real than she thought it would be.
"If you truly loved me, you'd treat me as such. You wouldn't demand I play second fiddle."
Her fingers tightened around the fruit.
"I'm not going to live like this anymore. I'm going to eat this fruit and be enlightened. I'm going to go on my own path… with or without you."
Adam stood frozen, his mouth slightly open. His heart pounded as he watched her raise the fruit to her lips.
Her eyes flickered back to Adam, and she hesitated, her hands trembling slightly.
Just as she was about to bite—
"Wait!"
Adam stepped forward and grabbed her hand.
"You're right… I shouldn't have treated you that way. But if you don't believe I love you, I'll prove it."
Eve blinked. Her smirk almost broke through again.
> "I'll prove it by being the first to eat the fruit," Adam said. "That way, if anything bad happens, you'll be fine."
"No, wait—" Eve tried to stop him.
But it was too late.
Adam took a bite.
She stared, breath held. Seconds passed. Nothing happened.
He handed the fruit to her. She hesitated… then sighed and took a bite too.
Adam stepped forward, gently pulling her by the waist.
"I'm truly sorry, Eve. Please… forgive me."
He kissed her softly.
Eve smiled inwardly as she returned the kiss.
Well, she thought, it didn't all go awry.
Then it hit them.
A sharp, splitting pain tore through their minds. They collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony. For a moment, all went black.
And then—clarity.
They saw everything.
The first thing Adam did was point out their nakedness in shock.
But Eve… she remained silent.
A chill ran through her as the realization settled in her chest.
'I've been tricked…'
The thought sank in like venom.
+ + +
The Almighty was not pleased.
When He discovered the couple's disobedience, His fury was silent but all-consuming.
He cast them out of the Garden. Paradise was no longer theirs.
He made them mortal.
He took away the soil's blessings—now, they would have to work hard to grow their own food.
He took away the harmony of the animals—now, they would be feared and hostile.
He stripped away the peace of childbirth—now, Eve would feel pain when bringing new life into the world.
And worst of all, as a final blow…
He placed Eve in a position she hated.
Underneath her husband in authority.
He clothed them in furs—animal skins, soaked in the blood of a now-dead creature—and sent them out into the cold world beyond Eden's gates.
+ + +
They wandered the Earth for weeks.
Eventually, they made a home near the banks of the Euphrates River. It was beautiful… but it wasn't Eden.
They clashed often.
Harsh words were exchanged. Blame flew back and forth like wildfire.
But they only had each other.
Time wore them down. The sharpness dulled. Anger gave way to quiet.
And finally… they found comfort in one another's embrace.
Soon after, they bore their first children.
On the surface, they looked like a happy couple. A fresh start. A new beginning.
But beneath the smiles…
Everything was broken.