Devonne Brown

“Girl, shit happens. You can’t tell me it doesn’t. Sometimes our choices are part of the grand scheme of the universe. A tale told by someone else. But you’re not the bad guy of the story, you’re free now,” said Mary.

Eve sobbed with guilt and grief. The snake around her ankle climbed higher up above her knee. “Let’s get that thing off you. It doesn’t define you. And it certainly doesn’t have a right to touch you like that.” said Mary while she pulled the snake away from Eve and shooed it away, stomping on its tail for good measure. That asshole won’t be back. She threw an apple at it, hit it on the head, it had to hurt. The snake slithered faster. That one was gone. “There will be other snakes. I get them all the time. I keep a shovel handy to cut them in half. Once they figure out you mean business, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them. They’re pretty stupid.” 

Eve looked at Mary with tear stained cheeks and big wet eyes. “What do I do now? Where do I go? I can’t go home again. I’ve messed that up for everybody.”

“Yeah, well there’s that, but now you don’t have to take orders, you can just give your respects, thank God for what you have, and earn your blessings. You’ll be happier in the long run.” Mary didn’t lie, but she didn’t tell the whole truth either. Eve’s road was going to be rocky at best. “Adam’s pretty pissed, but he’ll come around, he loves you.” 

“What about you? I hear it’s going to hurt you to have that baby now. Hurt bad.”

“It’s going to be ages before I have this child. We’re not even to that chapter yet. Don’t even think about it. You had to do what you had to do. Besides, now I can have apples. They’re good for the baby. If it weren’t for you, they wouldn’t exist in the world. Sometimes the Big Guy just doesn’t see the big picture of anything. Talk about a Big Baby.” said Mary

There was a thunderclap. “See what I mean? Don’t worry, his feelings are sore now, and he thinks you’re an idiot, but you’re his child, and he won’t let you down. Stand up straight, gather some cinnamon and make a pie from those apples. The smell will rise and make Him smile. You will have used your power for good not evil. He’ll see. He will understand.”

Mary vanished and left Eve outside the garden surrounded by apples and cinnamon bark. She wondered how she’d survive, but knew that she’d thrive somehow.