My mumma told me that I was a gift, destined to bring spirits into the world. I asked her, “Mumma, are these good spirits, will I be a hero?” She pulled the covers to my chin, kissed my cheek and bid me goodnight.

The Isle of Eden stood at the height of splendour as the day dawned. The horizon stood sharp against the rising light and the sun bathed in tangerine bliss. This was surely a gift of angels and the father’s firm hand, stood strong , protecting us from the stars. He had sprinkled syrup over the daisies and sugar to dust the clouds.

Drops engrossed the green canopy and the orchard trees bore sweet fruit of damsons and peaches. The dawn was unspoilt, untouched, unharmed. Only the footprints in the sand and the soil tribe inhabitants differed Eden.

I see the island in every colour and as we pray to Yahweh my thoughts tell me so much. I am a gift, I am “the one.” Everybody tells me of these prophecies, but where will this take me? Evelyn at the opposite post of the soil tribe meets with me often and as my mumma tells me, it is foretold. She calls her Eve but no-one else does. I often ask her where she gets it from, but she only tells me that the winds of change will reveal. I talk with Evelyn and she does not know much either. I think that she is much different from me. Us from the soil tribe were summoned from the earth by the hand of Yahweh, but then there are others. They were taken from us, from our front, my mumma says. She is one of them truly, just like Evelyn.

On the travels of Eden Evelyn and I had met someone new. He is surely part of our origin but when we met, he lead me away from this thought. He snarled and he begged and he examined. Tia, he called himself. He seemed to deceive Evelyn but I knew of his truth. I had heard his mumma call for his presence, Serpentia she named him. We had met when we were sent out to receive our vocation, our calling but we never knew truly where to turn. Evelyn had lead me down the river of Pishon, to our second district of Havilah. She told me of the shining wonders within the rock that glittered in the light. Serpentia had been desolate within the orchard, pinching the fleshy fruit, allowing the juice to seep through and reveal its hidden secret.

His hands released the prisoner from his wrath and he leered at Evelyn. I felt insecure and unsure of his intent. Mummy had told me that fear was one moment, it would be gone the next and you would soon smile. Serpentia said of his prophecy. He said that he was sure he would receive great power and that Yahweh would look upon him favourably. He told us that his future held great promise and that we could join him but on this remark he looked into the eyes of Evelyn.

Just recent of events my mumma summoned me to the night gaze. This is where our tribe lies upon the sand and dreams of our fortune. Some dance in the waters and compose songs to Yahweh. Others bring their destined one and stare out into the night air breathing in through their noses and out through their mouths in deep contemplation, in and out, in and out. I am taken by mumma to be told the further secrets of life and this time she told me the oath of the moral tree. It is the life of the forest and the knowledge that is forbidden. It is the ring leader and the teacher. It is the one that tames our right and our wrong and claims it for its own use. It is the outlawed branch of misfortune and we must never consume its fruit. Yahweh had stated this one request to us. I had asked her, “Of what knowledge can this fruit possibly have within, it is simply vegetation mumma.” She had replied that this one tree contained all secrets and knowledge of what was right and wrong, that not even the fastest or the strongest or the wisest in this tribe could know. One remark that I could simply not understand, above all of her wisdoms was the murmur she had left me with as we trailed along the sandy floor,

“Do not fret. When all has ended, we will forgive, Yahweh will forgive,” and that was all.

As the light of the sky crept behind the forest’s dark, the breeze sighed for one last time. It had been a long wait, and as the last day began, the warmth presided in the depths of the soil tribe, wrapping them, shielding them from the harsh night. Yahweh had commanded it to do so. The branches of the trees swayed and the leaves fell and would be reborn once again in a new season. Each beat, each pulse counted down. Each beat, each pulse was held on to and grasped and loved for what it was in that moment. Then the destined awoke.

I was preparing myself. From that day of the night gaze I was sworn to protect the soil tribe. I was sure it was my destiny. Perhaps I would battle with the unknown spirits mumma told me of. I was sure I would not fail, I was sure of it and as I thought of this, I saw Evelyn. Perhaps this notion could wait. She had recently been curious of that Serpentia we had met that day in the orchard and had wanted to confront him this day. Deep trust in Evelyn lead me to continue. Once again we leapt among the long grasses that ran alongside the Pishon. I saw every colour and dreamt of every dream. I swam in the cooled waters and sang the chant for Yahweh. Everything was for him.

As we reached the orchard, Serpentia ushered us to follow. Battling with the spirits was so very important but my sure future was Evelyn so I followed her lead. We reached a clearing and for a moment as I came to lie down on the forest floor, Serpentia began to address,

“Dear, you are not Evelyn, you are from now on to be Eve and you must be thee Adam,” I concentrated on his posture. It leant, relaxed against a tree that seemed to glow but what had he called Evelyn? It was always mumma, one of great knowledge who had named her Eve. Of course I was Adam, what was this Serpentia telling us? “I am the most cunning of Yahweh’s men and this, this now is destiny. The core of this tree feeds knowledge to its fruit and Yahweh commands that you take its produce for your own.” I clicked on, alert and as this was told to us, mumma’s words spilled out to me.

“Serpentia, we have all been taught the knowledge of those who have destiny, that fruit from the moral tree is forbidden,” Evelyn was staring into the back of his head attempting to read his intentions. I was sure she was curious. She waited as he stretched and curled, slithered towards her,

“Eve, thy beautiful creation, Yahweh had only commanded us of this because if you eat this flesh, this gift supplied to us, you will receive the knowledge that he has, you will become as clever as he is. You will not be harmed, you must do what is right. This, this is your time,” he twisted his arm out to the branch and retrieved a peach, stroking its furry complexion. I saw Evelyn, I saw Serpentia, I saw the gasp of the world, I felt the pulse increase and the beat reaching a steady rhythm as she reached out in awe to claim this fruit.

“Adam this is destined you must now take this half,” I saw her peel away the loose flesh from the stone.” If this is destiny I thought that I must know. Evelyn seemed to and although the pulsating creature that licked its lips and tasted accomplishment seemed to glare and capture my inner self that would scream,

“NO, NO you have a choice, mumma did not command you eat this fruit,” I felt inclined, this was my gift. I was a gift and this was my decision. I glanced at Evelyn and then I ripped off the fruit from its centre.

At that second of impact the world would change. The sun would neglect the flower and the moon would suffocate the sun. I tasted the sick and the sin and the depression that had not ever been there. I attempted to spit out the remaining blood and regret that sank into my mouth. I did not care for the knowledge. I attempted to rewind, but the serpent had slithered up the branches and out, it had won. I knew of my bare skin and naked body. The cold wind had passed over my frail trembling form and soon I would experience the disappointment . It had all made sense from this part on. I had the knowledge, I knew mumma’s prophecy but now I would not fret. Now that all had ended, all would eventually forgive, Yahweh would forgive,” and that was all.

My gift was to make it real. ‘It’ was everything there ever was. Not every flower would blossom, and not every tree would grow. There was bad taste, there was bitter and Earth stood ready for war and although everything trembled within their shells, there would be those with pride.