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FLASHBACK 11

Adam's eyes darted back and forth from his wife to the grapes in her hand, the half eaten grapes. He closed his eyes afterwards, not wanting to accept the truth before him, he didn't want to accept his wife had gone behind his back and God's back to eat the fruit.

"Adam…say something". The female begged. Adam finally looked at her, the hurt evident in his eyes.

"Why?" He whispered. The female came closer to him, her expression equally sour.

"I wanted to make you happy". She said. Adam shook his head. "You showed me the garden and made me feel welcome, I only wanted to repay you".

Adam shook his head frantically.

"Everything I showed you, he showed me. I knew nothing when I came here. I was as clueless as you were, you shouldn't have done this".

The female looked as though her heart had broken in two. She dropped the grapes to the floor and held unto Adam.

"No, no this was not supposed to be your reaction. He told me…he told me you will be happy, you'll be pleased". Adam looked at her with shock.

"Who told you?"

"The…the serpent". She said. Adam held her softly with a look of pity on his face.

"Woman, there is no serpent that can speak". He told her but she shook her head.

"No. This one could speak. Oh Adam, he told me numerous things. He told me about the power of God and that if we eat this fruit, we wouldn't die. He told me we were immortal and we will have the sight of God". As she said this, she bent down to pick a few grapes and extended it to Adam with a smile on her face.

"Take it Adam, this is my thank you for all the good you have done for me".

The look on her husbands face made her smile to waver.

"What are you doing? What are you talking about?"

"Adam I--"

"He gave us a whole garden, with numerous trees, sumptuous fruits. He gave us streams to play in, animals to be our friend. He gave us everything and he asked us not to take one thing and you go and do that".

"Well why would he even put the tree there if he didn't want us to touch it?!" The female yelled.

"That is none of our concern, we were at peace with him, why do you want to spoil that?" The female scoffed and Adam looked visibly taken aback.

"I am not spoiling anything, I'm actually opening your eyes. He's been hiding things from us Adam, things we very much deserve to know".

"Listen pl--"

"I want you to experience what I have experienced, I don't want him to hide anything from you anymore".

"Okay but listen we--"

"There is so much I can show you just like you showed me, we'll be invincible together. Just have the fruit".

"LISTEN TO ME!!!"

The female stopped talking and walked a few steps away from him. Adam's chest was rising and falling frantically, his hands molded into a fist. The female then took in his appearance for the first time since she ate the fruit.

The expression on her face made Adam to come a bit closer to her out of concern. The female kept staring at him from his hair to his feet. Sometimes her eyes would linger between his legs and she would gulp as if she was under uncontrollable pain, Adam didn't see anything wrong with him so he was extremely confused. He came closer to her and touched her lightly on the arm and she gasped lightly.

"You need to tell me what's wrong". He said softly. The female took in deep breaths before staring at him in the eye, for a brief moment Adam could hardly recognize his wife.

"If you had eaten the fruit, you'll know". She said a little too harshly. Adam sighed and moved away, he placed a hand on his hips and used the other to tousle his hair.

"I cannot break God's law for you. I love you truly but this is wrong, perhaps if you ask for forgiveness, he'll accept you back". Adam said. The female looked hurt.

"So you're saying you'll let me die alone?"

Adam turned to her fast.

"What? No! No one needs to die, you're just being stubborn. If you apologize he'll never have to judge you".

"He can't do it anyway". Adam narrowed his eyes at her.

"Are you daring him?" He asked slowly. The female gulped.

"I am just saying…he has never been anything but nice since we arrived here".

"Because we didn't break rules".

"He's a hypocrite".

"Rules aren't meant to be broken, they keep things in order. This place was in order until--"

"Until what? I ate the fruit? I decided to take my own life into my hands? Until I decided to be grateful to you?"

"Until you let that snake deceive you". Adam said softly and he held out his hand. "Please, I don't want you to get into any trouble. Give me your hand and let's go and seek God's face. I have never seen him angry and I do not wish to, let's just keep the peace. Let things go back to the way it was".

The female looked at his hands briefly before shaking her head.

"I cannot turn back now. I have seen too much and… I don't know, I wish to see more". Adam couldn't speak anymore.

He just watched her quietly. Both of them stared at each other for what seemed like forever before Adam looked towards the tree.

"What are you feeling, what are you seeing that can make you do this?" He finally asked.

The female picked up the bunch of grapes on the floor and handed it to Adam.

"Find out for yourself".Adam looked at the fruit then at her.

"If you are heading into trouble, then I won't let you go alone. Whatever happens, we'll face it together". Before his wife could respond, Adam had popped two of the grapes into his mouth and chewed it. He closed his eyes once the taste filled his tongue and he groaned in pleasure.

Then suddenly he stopped chewing.

"Adam, is everything alright?"

When he opened his eyes, it was evident something had changed in him.

"What is this?" He asked in shock. The female smiled at him and hugged him tightly but before they could utter any words, they were interrupted.

"Adam, where are you?"

When they recognized who was calling, Adam and his wife stared at each other, fear evident in their faces.