Lilith [editing]

Chapter 02

╚»★ 𝕰𝖛𝖊 ★«╝

I was tired. It had been a long night with him and I honestly wanted a break. Stepping outside the comfort of my home, I went around plucking some herbs and a few fresh lavenders.

Perhaps these would calm me, I sighed tiredly.

"Eve!" Adam shouted from inside.

"Yes," I whispered tiredly. "What is it?"

Placing the lavenders in a fresh bowl of water, I brought out the grinder and crushed the petals as the fragrance wafted into their home.

"Did you prepare today's food?" he asked her as he laid down on the soft mattress made with grass and hay. 

"Not yet," I put the juices of the lavender and the crushed roses into a bottle as I sniffed it and the brows on her head relaxed. "I'm pretty tired."

"Yeah? Well I've been working all day out and at least you're inside here," he scoffed in apparent disdain. "And it's not like you even work yourself at night. I have to do all the work."

I cocked a brow but didn't say anything, grabbing a fistful of grains from the huge jar we had.

Yeah but whoever told you to do anything?

 I looked out and saw the Tree of Knowledge glimmer in Eden's sunlight. It was so beautiful that it was maddening, but I remembered what the gods said and I didn't want to anger anyone. I could pass time under its shade though.

"I'm going to lay outside," I called out and then walked outside. Adam had spoken something but I felt way too tired to care at this point.

I cleared the mud underneath and plucked a bunch of leaves as I patted the ground and spread them and made myself at home in the space. It was more than refreshing as I closed my eyes, breathing in the scents of the heavens and earth.

Perhaps I could rest some. I whistled and called out to the birds as multiple birds came and rested next to me. I smiled and reached my hand out as a few hopped into my hand and I talked to them. They were kinder than Adam. I couldn't remember when I had learned this, but I definitely liked it. I saw a sparrow come and peck me softly as I spread some grains for them. I felt one of them nuzzle close to my cheek and I sighed, contended. 

I heard a crunching and ruffling sound soon enough which irked me but I ignored it and tried to drift further away from my consciousness. All I wanted was some sleep and if I could not achieve it, I would be pissed.

Hisssss. A slithering sound.

I felt my nails dig into the earth as I twisted and turned. Thrashing around I felt something snake dangerously close to me and my eyes snapped open.

Was it just a bad dream?

Hissss. "Hey woman." I saw a snake wrapped around the oak tree and I shimmied away, my heart speeding up. I had seen a few poisonous and non-poisonous snakes in the few days I'd been here. I could not tell now but I knew it was way too close for my liking.

"Womann," it hissed again as I widened my eyes. I could sense no other source of the sound and it seemed to be swaying and speaking at once.

"You can talk?" I croaked out. "What...what do you want?"

"Oh, nothing for me of course. Why I just came to ask how you were doing here," it snaked around the bark of the tree until it reached higher up, near the golden fruits.

"Well," I paused as I looked all around. "I think I'm doing great. It's so relaxing except for...well nothing."

"Ahhhhh," it hissed. It was five feet away in one moment but the next moment I could see my own reflection in its glassy, beady eyes. "But you haven't experienced everything great. Yet."

"Wh-why, what do you mean?" I whispered. It shimmied back and pointed to the golden fruit.

"Do you know why they told you to not consume this?"

"You mean--god?" I asked tentatively. The snake snorted if that was possible but at this point I couldn't care less. Perhaps this was one of God's assistants? It seemed quite powerful.

"Well if that's what you like to call them," it hissed and laughed. "You see, you are being kept from knowledge. And power of course."

"That's...not possible," I whispered. "He gives us everything."

"Are you sure about that?" it hissed loudly before wrapping around the golden fruit. Jerking its head towards it, it nodded at me. "Look at it. Wouldn't you like one bite?"

"Well...I suppose I could try it," I muttered as the snake offered the fruit to me. The apple looked red and golden all at once and I wanted nothing more than to imagine what it would feel and mean.

Biting into it, I felt all the tastes pass on my tongue, barely letting me savour it before it vanished and a new one appeared. It was sizzling, sweet, bitter and sour and I felt my eyes widen. I'd never had anything like this in a long time.

I saw something flicker in the far distance, that seemed like it never belonged from here but before I could ponder it, I felt the world explode in my mouth and around me until the lights and colours left me feeling entranced and desolate all at once.