The Woman stared at the fruit in disbelief. Black and red juices oozed from the broken skin, dripping inexcusably on her hand. The stain of sin marked the corners of her lips, and burned her throat. The fruit had had a delicious taste of triumph and pride that filled her mouth, reaching down with it's destructive fingers into her soul with a strange sense of enlightenment. But the taste soon turned sour, and the Woman's cheeks became inflamed with the shame she felt for her irreversible deed. She immediately realized that she was naked, and self-consciously hid behind a bush, looking angrily at the serpent that had tricked her. The serpent laughed a nasty, haughty laugh that pierced her to her bones. Her eyes blazed with hate for the creature.

"I told you. You are as God. You are a god. Before, you weren't anything but an animal. You might still be. But you can grow to be just as powerful as God. To manipulate forces, to tell the future. You want that, don't you? You had to learn that truth is relative. Everything is perspective. I did." The voice that had been sweet and tempting only a moment before became a low growl. His eyes shone with the lust of power.

The Woman shuddered. She knew that the serpent was speaking lies, though she didn't want to believe it. She began to think foolishly. If I was God, I wouldn't have put these feelings in that fruit. She stopped herself. She became overwhelmed by an ache in her head, something that had never happened before. She found it difficult to control her thoughts, her thoughts spinning madly. "For if you it of the fruit, you shall surely die." The words came back to her head, stinging her with a frightening sense of reality. Death. She didn't know death. She'd never seen death. But she knew she'd just tasted it. She tasted it's bitter hatred and loss. Her heart felt heavy, emotions she'd never known flooded it with their dread. She was dying now, and it felt as though part of her already had. She felt aged and tired. Her head still ached, though her soul ached more. But things were beginning to make sense. What if the serpent was... right?

After vaunting for a few moments, the serpent left her to drown in her dread. She was sure she was permanently separated from her Maker, and couldn't imagine what could come as a result. Thoughts filled her mind, all knew and frightening. Could the serpent have been right? What if God had kept this knowledge from her? What if her life had been a lie? She wanted to scream, she wanted to rid herself of the tight knot of emotions that throbbed at her throat, restricting her breath, that precious Breath of Life. Adam. The thought of her husband flashed through her mind. Her comfort. If she couldn't have her Creator, she knew who to turn to.

Adam dipped his hand into the crystal brook, bringing the sweet, crisp water to his lips. In the corner of his eye, he caught the site of his bride rushing to him, her skin stained with a mix of juice and tears. A look he'd never known burdened her eyes.

"Adam. Adam, please take of this fruit and eat."

Adam's eyes grew wide at the morsel she held before him. "Is that not the fruit of the tree that God commanded us not to eat of?"

The Woman looked down. "It is. But what if the serpent was telling the truth?"

"What serpent?" Adam's horrified look of innocence almost made the Woman feel... superior. She almost felt sorry for his ignorance.

"The serpent on the tree. He told me things. Things that sound good. He told me that God has been keeping us from growing, from becoming gods ourselves."

"What foolishness is this Woman?"

The Woman felt a pang of arrogance shoot through her. "It's not foolishness Adam. I think I believe it. What if he's right? You wouldn't know. I've been enlightened. We don't need God Adam. We have ourselves. Did God name those animals, Adam? With our hands that monument was made. With our hands we cared for this garden. We can take over for ourselves. God has limited us."

Adam was taken off-guard. He'd never thought of this. He looked again at the fruit she held. His wall of judgment had crumbled. With one hand, he reached towards the Woman and took of the fruit. The juice slipped down his throat with the same effect it had taken on the Woman and his eyes were opened.