Chapter 1: In the Beginning

Adam woke, not realizing he’d even fallen asleep. He remembered walking through the grass under an open sky that stretched endlessly, its vastness making his small chest swell in ways he couldn’t describe. The sight of it, the soft expanse of green, made his eyes sparkle. He’d been holding the hand of someone who had told him the names of all these things. That someone taught him how to walk, and they’d taught him the names for the sky, the grass, the sun, and the moon. When he asked who he was, that someone taught him the word ‘father’. Father held him close and rocked him to sleep, while the two glowing orbs above danced round and round overhead, more times than Adam had learned to count. When the brightest one was high in the sky, they would take soil and shape it into things that father took into his hands. Then those shapes suddenly burst to life and ran free into the trees, or flew up into the sky, or swam to dark depth of the vast waters. Adam clapped and laughed, amazed by all the different shapes the earth could make.

“What are they?” he asked.

“Whatever you want them to be,” Father answered, smiling.

This delighted Adam and he was filled with so much love for the world and for his father. They’d sat in the brilliant sun and beneath the soft gaze of the moon while Adam created new words to say. Each new shape accepted its name from the little naked boy and the one who’d created them. And everything was good. But one day, the creator left him alone with the new shapes. Though Adam loved them, he felt lonely and afraid when he was without his father. He cried the first time, water filling his child eyes and falling down to his feet. When father returned, Adam cried “Never leave me!” His father held him close and told him everything would be okay. He would stay for a while, but every now and then Adam would be alone in the garden. He cried about it less and less, but still felt so lonely.

Then one day Father came to him. ‘I have a gift for you son.” Adam was excited.

“What is it?” he’d asked taking his father's hand in his.

“It's a Suprise. You'll see after you've had a rest.” Then he picked up the small boy and placed his hand over Adam's head.

Now, as Adam rose, slowly rubbing his eyes and shaking off a strange heaviness from his head, he wondered how long he’d been asleep. The creator usually woke him in the morning, just before the sun rose over the hills, casting brilliant colors across the sky before fading into blue. But as he groggily looked up at the sky, Adam realized he was still under the gaze of the moon. It was full, its silver light so brilliant that it illuminated the grass and trees around him in a soft glow, like a second, dimmer day. His eyes took a while to fully clear, and when they did, he looked around for his father.

“Father? Are you here?” he called.

No answer.

Tears began to fill his eyes, but before he could cry out, he noticed something—a figure. Adam blinked in surprise, his breath catching. He was astonished to see the first person he’d ever seen, sitting before him. The other did nothing but watch him with wide, curious eyes. They were his size, their body shaped just like his—long arms and legs, flat chest, brown skin. The likeness was so striking that, for a moment, they seemed like mirror images, like when Adam spent time by the water watching his reflection ripple and glitter on the surface. Is it a reflection? How, if it isn’t in the water? he wondered, tilting his head to one side, but his “reflection” did not follow. Instead, the other spoke.

“What are you doing?” Adam jumped, not expecting them to speak. It’s not me, he thought.

It was the first time someone had spoken to him in a voice that wasn’t his father’s.

“Who are you?” Adam asked, his voice trembling.

The other Adam shook his head. “I don’t know. I thought... you could tell me.”

Adam’s heart thudded painfully in his chest. He stood up, feeling unsteady on his feet. His legs wobbled, and for a moment, he thought he might fall back down. He felt weaker—lighter. He stood tall above the other now, but an eerie feeling washed over him as the stranger rose to meet his gaze.

“I don’t know who you are. How could I?” Adam said, his voice trembling with a mixture of confusion and fear.

“Father said you would know. He said you’d tell me, "The other replied.

Father.

The word felt like a splash of cool water. Adam’s heart lifted a little, but the unease remained. He glanced around, his eyes searching frantically. Where was Father?

“Did he make you, too?” Adam asked, his voice a little more hopeful.

“Yes.” The other’s voice was quiet. “Then we walked around the garden. He told me about all of the things around us. Then he told me to wait for him, here with you, while you slept. It’s been a long while. The Sun was up when I came here.” The other Adam looked up at the sky ruefully then added. “I miss the sun, but I think i like the moon better.”

Adam’s search grew desperate. He looked around for any sign of familiarity, any clue that would help him understand what was happening.

“Do you know where Father is?” he asked.

“No,” the other said, shaking their head. “But he said he’d be back.”

That brought Adam a small amount of comfort, enough to settle him back into the soft grass. He was still sleepy.

“Father will know.” Adam said to the stranger, reassuring himself as much as the other. “We can ask him your name when he gets back”

“How do you know?” the other asked, a hint of doubt creeping into their voice.

Adam looked at them as if they’d just asked the most obvious question in the world. “What do you mean, ‘how do I know?’ He knows everything. He can do anything. Father made everything in this garden and he made me too.”

“Really? That’s amazing. I still don’t know anything.” the other said, their eyes filling with tears. When he left I felt a little scared. I miss him. They began to cry softly into their small hands.

Adam’s heart tightened, and instinctively his hand reached out to touch the other’s shoulder. Then he pulled back, unsure. He felt strange about this doppelganger, but the sight of their tears stirred something in him, a familiar ache he didn’t want to feel. He had felt that way once, when he was first left alone and he knew what the other Adam meant. He missed father too. He could stay away for a long time, and Adam would count the sun and Moon’s dance through the sky many times before he returned.

The other began to tremble, their face hidden in their hands as their sobs shook their shoulders. Uncomfortable, Adam He thought about leaving to find Father, but he knew that wasn’t the way. He'd tried before and gotten lost in the underbrush, running over hills for hours before finally giving up and sleeping under a hedge. Father always found him though. Had always told him to wait-that he would always come back. So, Adam stayed, sitting awkwardly beside the other. What would father do? He wondered. Slowly, He gently put his hand on the other’s back and pulled them into a soft hug, like Father had done for him when he was afraid. The other’s instantly returned the embrace, and their sobs quieted as Adam and the other Adam held each other, both of them finding solace in the shared silence.

“Who are you?” the other asked after a while, their voice soft and curious.

“My name is Adam,” he said.

“Adam.” The other repeated the word, sounding it out like it was something new. “How do you know that, Adam?”

“Father said I could have the name for myself.”

The other’s face brightened, a glimmer of hope in their eyes. “Will Father give me a name too?”

Adam thought about it, his mind turning. “Maybe,” he said slowly. “If we can think of a new word for you.”

“A new word?” the other asked, intrigued.

“Yeah. We make them up all the time. It’s a fun game.” Adam grinned.

The other smiled back, and the warmth of it spread through Adam like sunlight. He held the other’s hand, assuring them.

“I’ll teach you how to play, if you want.”

The other’s face lit up, and Adam felt his own face mirror their joy. For the first time since waking, he felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the sun. They stood, hand in hand, and wandered through the garden, Adam pointing to things and teaching the other Adam all the names he’d made up with Father. They ran through the trees, laughing, screaming and making strange sounds with their lips and teeth, seeing what sounds would come out until they both collapsed into laughter, dizzy with joy.

They laughed till they both had tears streaming from their eyes. These tears feel good, Adam thought and a strange feeling began to fill him. Something he hadn’t felt with Father. A sense of wholeness. A connection that was his alone. Neither of the children noticed when they stopped waiting for Father’s return. The sun began to rise, spilling brilliant colors across the sky, and Adam, feeling lighter than he ever had before, sat down in the grass with his new friend. He felt no ore fear. No more loneliness. When the two children finally wore themselves out, they lay beneath the shade of a large willow tree, and slept soundly in each others arms.

Sometime later, both Adam and his new friend were gently woken by a familiar, soft touch that they knew instinctively.

“Father!” they cried in unison, leaping up from where they lay and wrapping themselves around their creator in a joyful embrace. He held them close, and all three laughed together.

“Where have you been?” Adam demanded. His small hands reaching to hold his father’s face as if to make sure he was truly there. The other child nestled themself tightly against Father’s chest, clinging to his warmth. “We waited for you forever,” they added, an earnest pout forming on their face.

Father chuckled, reaching down to pinch each of their cheeks playfully. “Well, here I am, and it looks like forever has ended,” he teased, his voice like a gentle breeze stirring leaves. Carefully, he set them back down on the grass. “I was giving you both time to wake up, and it seems you have.”

The two children, Adam and not Adam stood, gazing up in awe at Father’s radiant face. His smile shone like the sun, warm and bright. After a moment, he sat down, crossing his legs on the grass, and motioned for them to join him. Eagerly, they each took one of his hands and settled in beside him, leaning into his familiar, comforting presence.

“So,” he began, glancing down at them with eyes full of affection, “what have you two been doing while I was away?”

“We played a game!” the other Adam answered, their eyes alight with excitement. “Adam taught me how, and we made so many new names to share with you!”

“Oh, is that so?” Father asked, his gaze shifting to Adam, who was practically glowing with pride.

The boy nodded, smiling up at him. “Yes! We walked all around the garden and found everything.”

“Tell me all about it,” Father said, and the children launched into a torrent of words, each speaking over the other, their voices filling the air in joyful chaos. Father listened with infinite patience, his smile widening as they brought him one discovery after another—a flower with soft petals the color of the sky, a shimmering beetle, a feather with bands of gold and silver, smooth stones, speckled stones, and on and on. With each item, Father watched as they squabbled over names, wrestled for possession, and compromised on who would get to show the next treasure. He didn’t quiet them or correct them, only watched, his eyes glinting with amusement and pride. Once their arms were empty, and their breath had run out, the two children crawled back into his lap, looking up at him, waiting for his thoughts.

“What do you think?” Adam asked, his voice quiet now. Father nodded, a warm smile lighting his face. “This is wonderful, children. I’m so happy you’re loving your new home. But there’s just one problem.”

Both children sat up, their smiles faltering. “What?” they asked in unison.

Father reached over, playfully pinching the other Adam’s cheek. “Which of these names will be yours?”

“Oh!” They both looked at each other, realization dawning. Adam laughed.

“We were waiting for you,

“We thought you’d tell us the right name.” Other Adam said, looking up hopefully.

Father smiled and shook his head. “It looks to me like you don’t need my help at all. You’re both more than suited to the task.” Adam had an idea.

“Why don't you have one of those names we made up today?” He said gesturing to their pile of treasures.

The other Adam shook their head thoughtfully. “No, I don’t think I want any of those names for myself. They belong to the other things…not me.”

Father paused, thinking, then turned to Adam. “How did you decide on your name?”

“Well, you told me that I was made from the earth. We called it so many things at the beginning—Eretz, and Adamah.” He paused, savoring the words like a beautiful song. “I thought it was wonderful, the way is moved under my feet. The way it Glowed when it came out from the hot center of the Earth and cooled in to water. The way it sometimes trembles under my feet reminds me of my own heartbeat. I wanted to be that powerful too. Like you, father!

The other Adam nodded, thinking deeply, their gaze drifting up to the darkening sky. The setting sun cast a rich, reddish-orange glow over the clouds, lighting the horizon in a brilliant streak of hazy purple. After a long, contemplative silence, the other Adam remembered what they’d learned from Adam that day. “If, when the sun is new on the horizon, it’s called morning, and when it’s high in the sky, it’s called day, what is it called when it’s setting, right before dark?”

“Evening,” Adam said softly.

“Then I will be Eve,” She replied, a smile breaking across her face. “It’s beautiful, and I want to be beautiful too.”

Father drew a loving hand over her hair. “You are very beautiful Eve. It is a wonderful name.” Adam agreed—it was a good name. But thought a little differently. Eve looked almost exactly like him, save for a few exceptions. Adam did not consider himself to be ‘beautiful’ in the same way he thought the sky was. But he did not argue. He was glad that Eve had a name now. He liked his new friend, but was glad no not have to share his own anymore. It was his after all. Father gently placed a hand on each of their shoulders, pride and love shining in his eyes. As they sat together in the deepening twilight, a sense of completion settled over them, as if everything in their world was just as it was meant to be.

For a moment, they all sat in silence, watching the sleepy sun dip beneath the horizon. The stars began to peek out from behind the darkening curtain of the sky, one by one. They twinkled and winked down at them—first one, then ten, then dozens more, until there were more than could be counted. The heavens filled with shimmering light, a vast canvas of stars illuminating the night.

“That will never get old.” Fathe said, seemingly to no one in particular. Adam looked down, shaking himself from the mesmerizing view, realizing that they had been sitting together for a long time. Father and Eve were still gazing upward, entranced by the twinkling sky above. A sudden warmth flooded Adam’s chest, a feeling so strong and full that it almost overwhelmed him. He realized in that moment just how much he loved them both, this feeling swelling inside him like the stars filling the heavens.

As if sensing the same fullness, Eve spoke, her eyes still fixed on the endless sky. “Father,” she said softly.

“Yes, Eve?” he replied, glancing down at her.

“Why did you make me?”

Father placed a large, warm hand over her head, gently running his fingers through her hair. “For the same reason I made everything else, the same reason I made Adam.”

Adam, listening closely, looked up with curiosity. The question had burned in his mind too but had never surfaced until now. Now, he needed to know as well.

Father continued, his voice a gentle murmur in the night. “I made you because I wanted to.”

The answer was simple, yet confounding. The two children thought about it for a long moment, trying to understand.

“But…why?” Adam asked, still unsatisfied.

Father smiled, his eyes kind. “Adam, are you still lonely when I’m away?”

Adam paused, then glanced over at Eve, who met his gaze with a soft smile. He felt something unspoken pass between them, a warmth that chased away any loneliness. “Not anymore,” he replied.

“Then you already understand.”

Adam sat quietly, contemplating these words, but Father gently pulled him from his thoughts. He stood, bending down to scoop both children up into his arms, holding them close. They each nestled against him, resting their heads on his shoulders, savoring the warmth of his embrace.

“Listen, little ones,” Father said softly, his voice laced with gentle sadness. “I have to leave again.”

They began to protest, clinging to him, but he interrupted their cries with a comforting smile. “It’s all right. I’ll come back every day. I promise. Just wait for me—and keep each other company.”

He set them back down on the soft grass, kneeling to hold their hands in his. “Keep playing, make up new games, and we’ll play them together when I return. This garden is vast, and you’ve only just begun to see all that is in it. I’m excited to see what you’ll do. Aren’t you?”

Adam and Eve exchanged glances; their disappointment softened by the spark of excitement Father’s words had kindled. They thought about the discoveries they’d made that day, and suddenly, the idea of exploring the garden further thrilled them. They nodded eagerly, sharing their excitement with Father, who smiled.

“You see?” he said, laughing. “Don’t you worry. Everything is as it should be.”

He leaned down and kissed them both on the forehead before finally releasing their hands. They watched him go, their eyes following him as he disappeared over the hill. His form slipped into the soft night, leaving them wrapped in the quiet mystery of his words. They knew he would return, yet the garden now seemed more immense, more alive. The stars overhead twinkled, casting gentle light across the sleeping garden, and Adam glanced at Eve. They smiled at each other, took the others hand, then returned to their sleeping place under the willow tree.

Day after day, the garden stretched before them, full of endless wonders. They spent each morning racing through fields and climbing trees, inventing countless games that sprang from their laughter and curiosity. They gave names to every creature they met, each stone and leaf they collected, and shared their games with Father when he returned. His laughter filled them with pride as he marveled at the worlds they spun from nothing but their imaginations.

With time, they learned to create little things of their own—woven crowns of grass, garlands of flowers, and even tiny shelters of sticks and leaves to house their treasures. Each time they presented their creations to Father, he would smile warmly, calling them his “little Gods.” His words filled them with wonder, and they played and crafted as if nothing could end their joy. For a long time, they were happy, finding magic in every corner of the garden, and sharing everything with one another. Each night they curled up beneath the willow tree, drifting off to sleep, hearts full of love, wonder, and the promise of a new day. Then, one day, everything changed.

One day they met the serpent.