With his mother and his youngest sibling safe, Genesis went with his father to the Grotto. Adam was obsessed with catching a large Anglerfish.
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| Catch an Anglerfish worth at least $1500: completed |
Adam was very proud of himself for conquering his goal and didn't even notice an exhausted Lilith sleeping upon his return.
Delilah couldn't wait until her sister got bigger, so they could play together.
That evening the camp was tense. Adam was in an odd mood. He was even distant with Genesis.
Genesis announced that he'd be leaving for a hunting expedition in the morning. He'd be gone at least one night and hoped to have new trophies and meat to share with his family upon his return. Lilith decided she wasn't ready for her crone skins, but made the choice to wear a skin with more coverage. It was a subtle shift expressing her intent to not couple again.
Adam did not eat with his family that evening, instead he oddly stood among his plants talking to them.
Like the babes before, the squalling of an infant in soiled swaddling clothes awakened most of the camp.
Genesis was the last beside Lilith to return to the tents. Lilith pulled Genesis aside and asked him not to go hunting and leave her alone with Adam because he was acting odd and she was a little frightened.
Instead of catering to his mother's fears, Genesis lectured her on being foolish.
There was only one fish left for the morning and Adam took it for his morning meal.
Despite not having a hearty meal, Genesis did not waver from his hunting plans. He grabbed enough fruit and vegetables to fill his belly and set off.
Tahash agreed to tend to the garden for Genesis.
As she attended Tirzah, Lilith sensed Adam coming up behind her before he even spoke. She reluctantly faced him.
He was angry, seething almost, "You will accompany me now. I have something to show you."
"No, Adam, I cannot leave the baby."
"Your other children can watch it for a short while. You will go with me."
Adam continued, "Tend to it now and we will go."
Despite her defiance, Lilith was frightened. Adam wished her harm, she was certain of it. But if he were to harm her, she'd not have it here in front of her children. Like a mother bird, she'd lure him away from her nest.
As she attended to Tirzah, Lilith slipped a few sharp rocks into her skins. She'd not go without weapons to defend herself.
With great reluctance Lilith followed Adam from the camp.
Adam lead her a ways from the camp. Lilith had not been to this place before. He abruptly stopped as if he had reached the desired destination. There wasn't anything around but sand and rocks.
He turned on Lilith shouting, "I'll not care for you and your children with the Others anymore!"
"Adam, don't be foolish! You know that it is the way of the Others and even us to bear many babes with others to ensure strong varied seed."
"That is not the ways anymore! The goddess set this world to be different. Man is head of the home and his woman shall not couple with others. You set the example in this world when you coupled with an Other. Many followed your habits. It is unseemly and I will bear the shame of it no longer!"
Lilith's heart pounded and her her mouth felt dry as she put on a brave, angry front, "You are not my master and I am not your slave! We are equals in this relationship. All the children pull their weight and then some. They help fish, garden and woodwork."
Adam roared, "You refuse to live by the laws handed to us by the goddess, so I have petitioned her. Goddess, hear my cry to you!"
To Lilith's horror, the goddess materialized before her and Adam.
The goddess spoke harshly to Lilith, "I am displeased with you. You insist on clinging to the old ways and not living the new ways that I have laid upon you."
Lilith angrily shouted at Adam, "You told on me?"
Adam smugly replied, "Yes. I. Did."
The goddess ignored their bickering and announced to Lilith, "You are hereby stripped of your title 'First Woman'. In times to come, the people of this planet will not even know of your existence."
Lilith was put out and replied, "You can't do that."
The goddess did not waver in the least, "I can and will do that. Furthermore, I will reward Adam for all of his hard work and suffering. He will be allowed to retire from hard labor and live a life of comfort and ease."
'That's not fair! I've worked and labored as hard as he has!" Lilith cried out in protest.
For the first time since Lilith had coupled with him, Adam looked very pleased, amused even. He was enjoying this very much.
And with a great rumbling, the rocks next to them began to shift. Lilith was frightened that she'd be crushed but an opening to a lush garden was revealed. She and Adam drew near to look in.
Adam spotted his monster plant at the same time Lilith did and cried out, "My plant! How did my plant get here?"
The goddess responded, "One of the Others had stolen and lost the seed that you found. It is a forbidden plant because of it's essence."
She continued, "There is another forbidden plant beside it. It has the power to avert death. You must not pluck the flowers from that plant, nor are you allowed to drink of the essence from the plant you grew. If you do that then you will be banished from this garden and must return to the desert to labor under the sun for the rest of your days, Adam. See what else I have for you."
"This is your new First Woman, Adam. Her name is 'Eve' and she will not stray from your side to couple with Others."
Lilith protested, "You cannot just replace me as if I never existed!"
Adam chuckled loudly, "It looks like she can."
As Adam started walking toward his new mate, Lilith called out after him, "But what about your son? What about Genesis?"
Adam scarcely halted mid step before he continued forward, away from his old life. He immediately started talking to his new young, nubile First Woman.
The rocks began to grate and shift again. Lilith ran back out of the way before they came down on her. The garden was sealed away from this world and Lilith stood there shaking wondering how she would manage to feed and care for the children on her own without a mate.
With a heavy heart, Lilith found her way back to camp. Jair was painting and Delilah was playing.
To Lilith's relief, Tirzah was sleeping contentedly, rather than wailing in need. Lilith stood staring at her daughter trembling. What if Genesis abandoned her as well? How would they manage? She sighed deeply and resolved whatever happened, she would prove the goddess wrong. Lilith was of First Woman quality. She would persevere.
"Where is Adam, Mother? Is he fishing?"
"No, he is not fishing. Have you and Tahash caught enough fish to feed us this evening?"
"Yes, mother, we have enough fish."
Lilith had no appetite as the children began to cook their evening meal.
It was only at their urging that she joined them. Lilith was very conscious of the empty stumps around the fire.
She went through the motions, caring for Tirzah as the infant needed.
Unable to relax, Lilith dug for relics as the night fell.
Sensing that something was very wrong, each child tried to step in to help Lilith. Even little Delilah did her part.
At first light, Lilith was awakened with the realization that she was not a young woman anymore. This reminded her that she didn't want to couple again in order to avoid bearing more children. Therefore, however she tackled her new problem, it would not involve her looking for another man to care for her.
She tried to present a normal front to her children by going through her morning as it were any other day. But the children were not to be fooled. Tahash questioned her over the fire.
"Mother, is Adam coming back?"
"No, Tahash, he is not. Please let me be the one to tell Genesis."
"I will, Mother... do you think Genesis will go to be with his father?"
"I don't think his father wants him."
"I see. You mustn't fret, Mother. Jair is almost an adult and I can work as hard as an adult man can. We will be fine."
"Yes, Tahash, this is true. And I have our treasures buried carefully, so we still have those."
Not wanting to leave the camp and miss Genesis, Lilith sat and kept Delilah company.
Tahash dutifully attended the garden.
And then Genesis returned. Lilith trembled as she faced her First Born. She recounted the events truthfully, without leaving a detail out. Genesis did not want to believe her.
"My father would not leave me."
"Genesis, am I in the habit of lying to you? It is as I said."
"Where is this garden, Mother? I wish to see this for myself. I will confront Father and make him return! If he refuses then I shall pummel him with my own hands."
"No, Genesis! You shall not lay a hand on your father and his new mate. They were placed there by the goddess. She would strike you down. I would rather your father get away from his responsibilities than see you harmed."
"This isn't fair, Mother! He cannot be allowed to get away with this."
"I'm inclined to agree with you, Genisis. But we must not be foolish or hasty in our actions. We must think carefully."
"But, Mother!"
Lilith interrupted him, "Genesis, please give me time to think. Tell me about your hunting trip."
"Yes. Mother. It was a very successful trip, but I was one of the younger members. Because of that, I was not allowed to keep any meat other than the fish. But I did so well that they allowed me two animal skins. Look mother I have a new rug for you."
"It is magnificent, Genesis! You did very well!" And then Lilith paused as something occurred to her.
"What is it, Mother?"
"I just remembered why that Eve woman looked so familiar! I knew her mother from the Before times when I lived elsewhere with the Others."
"Is that important?"
"Maybe. I can't say for certain, but I do believe it is a way to seek revenge without angering the goddess. If you are willing to help, my son."
"Yes, if I see with my own eyes that what you spoke is true, then I will follow your instructions."
"And this, my son, is what you do..."
"I will do this, Mother. I will return here before the sun rises again with my tale of success."
"However angry you are, Genesis, you must not resort to violence. It is not worth bringing down the ire of the goddess against us."
"You do not think this will anger her?"
"I think she might even be amused. If she were completely supportive of Adam, she would not have left temptation and conditions for him to follow."
And with that exchange, Genesis left the camp. Lilith could not help but worry that Adam would find a way to persuade Genesis from returning. There was a risk to this for both her and Genesis, but it was better than burning with the desire for revenge.
Lilith tried to calm herself, rather than fret. She practiced her salutations to the sun.
She encouraged the children to go through the day normally.
Jair even lit the evening fires for her, although it was not easy for him.
After everyone had eaten the fish that Tahash caught for the evening meal, they all went to the tents to sleep. All but Lilith. she stayed by the fire waiting for Genesis to return.
Lilith's tension grew as the hours passed and then her shoulders dropped in relief when her First Born entered the camp and came to sit with her. She eagerly asked, "What happened?"
"I am hungry, Mother, let me cook a fish while you answer this question for me: How did you know this would work?"
"Well, I didn't know for certain it would, but I thought there was a strong probability."
"You see, Genesis, Eve looks a lot like her mother. I remember her mother very well because while the rest of the mothers including mine were teaching their daughters important things like: cooking, sewing, how to bend and snap, and so forth... but Eve's mother was entertaining her many daughters with tales of talking animals. That might be fine enough for a very small child, but there is an age where this foolishness must stop. She was a bit of a simple woman and didn't teach her daughters how to be cunning at all. That is how I was inspired by your animal skins."
"Well, it worked as you hoped, Mother. I took the large snake skin with me. I went to the place you described. It took a bit of time, but I found a dry bed where the water drained from the garden. With a little digging, I was able to enter the garden and don the snake skin."
"It was all as you said, Mother! Father had abandoned us for another mate and a life of ease. The very things he had condemned you for! I will not doubt your word again. As I watched, Father left because he is scarcely a young man to be keeping up with a young mate. He needed to nap. After he left, I wiggled on the ground like a snake and approached Eve. I told her that drinking the essence would increase the days of her life and make her feel happier than she ever had experienced. And that it would make her more beautiful than the goddess and that is why the goddess had forbade it.
Eve offered little argument and was easily persuaded to drink of the essence. I heard Father approaching, so I quickly slithered off. But I hid in the dry creek bed hallow under the rocks where I could listen and watch from a distance. Father was not happy that she drank the essence, but she told him how young, energetic and happy she felt. Perhaps he was feeling his age, Mother, and thought he needed this to keep up with his new mate. He drank of the essence also and thought it was wonderful.
Then he panicked and worried that the goddess would know. Eve convinced him that the goddess didn't really care and that all would be well, but it was not. I could not see the goddess when she arrived, but I heard her. She was angry! And Father blamed Eve for drinking the essence, as if he had no control of himself!"
"Of course he did! Everything before the garden was been my fault and now it's all hers," Lilith spat out angrily. "Your father doesn't own up to responsibility well."
"I can clearly see that now, Mother. The goddess opened the garden entrance and forced them to leave. She told Father that he'd be starting over with his new mate and labor once again. And that they could never call upon her for help again. Father was so very upset, but Eve was wailing like a child complaining of the horrid desert, the heat and everything she could see. Father looked back toward our camp and even started walking in that direction for a few yards while Eve trailed behind him. But then he stopped suddenly and hung his head. Next he turned into the other direction and led her away.
I'll admit that I was sorely tempted to slip back into the garden to explore, but a huge bolt of lightening struck where the forbidden plants were.The fire spread unnaturally and consumed the garden. The rocks began to shift and I scrambled to get away. The rocks caved into the garden and it is no more. I even lost the snake skin in my escape. I was worried that the goddess would come after me and condemn me to a horrible fate as I walked home. Do you think she will, Mother?"
"No, Genesis, I don't think she will. I think she is done with the lot of us down here. As First Woman and First Man, both your father and I had the power to call upon her. I was stripped of the title, losing that right. Not that I was tempted to call upon her anyway. It's not like we were on good terms. It sounds like your Father and Eve lost that right as well. It is not the goddess' habit to interfere in our free will. I don't think we'll hear from her again. Besides, you did not do much of anything but perhaps encourage the inevitable to occur much sooner than it might have."
"Do you think it would have happened anyway?"
"I do, son. I really do. So now it finished. We can move forward without revenge burning in our hearts. Your father will be starting over, so we are far better off despite his abandonment of us. It is time for me to seek out a mate for you and bring her into this family. Will you trust me in this decision?"
"Yes, Mother, you have never steered me wrong. I will trust you to lead this family into a better life. I am a grown man and it is time for me to have a mate."
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