I felt as if I were walking on forbidden territory, which I was, as I had been barred outside. The Garden itself, though, was gorgeous! It was every animal’s dream spot to be. All the fruit trees you could want, and of every assorted variety I had ever seen. This was paradise!

I made my way towards the center of Eden. I kept watch for anyone who might see me, but strangely, I seemed to be the only one in The Garden. I reached the center without seeing or hearing any other living creature.

At the center, I found a meadow, a perfectly round meadow, surrounding two trees. The first one, and more beautiful one, was the Tree of Life. From its base flowed the river which watered this fine place. And in its branches hung twelve different fruits, none of which resembled any I had seen elsewhere.

Next to the Tree of Life stood another tree. This one was a type of tree I’d seen before, only it was grander than the other’s of its kind. Its name was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. ‘Climb into its branches,’ I heard my Master say. I obeyed without hesitation. My Master then proceeded to tell me the course of action.

Nearly as soon as the full plan was finally revealed to me, I heard Adam talking with his wife. They were headed in my direction. ‘Do exactly as instructed or you shall pay the price,’ my Master ordered. I swallowed and prepared to do as I would have to. I retreated farther into the branches to be hidden until the proper moment.

“Okay, now remember—” Adam said, but his wife interrupted.

“I know, don’t even think about eating of that tree.”

This was my cue; I hopped onto a low branch where they could see me. “Yea, hath God said, ‘Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” I asked her.

She startled slightly in surprise. “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ‘Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.’ ”

I was both disappointed and happy she fell into the trap of words. But, the happiness didn’t seem to be of me at all, but he who dwelt in me. “Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

Inside I was screaming at Adam, “Step in, stop her, get away!” But I could not utter the words. I could feel my voice being closed; I couldn’t speak even if I tried. I watched as the woman’s expression became one of desire. She licked her lips and stepped toward the tree. Adam continued to stand by and watch. “You fool!” I shouted at him in my mind.

I looked into the woman’s eyes. She noticed and looked back into mine. I tried to send a ‘don’t do it’ message through my eyes, but she didn’t seem to pick up on it. My Master was no doubt keeping my eyes from passing such a message along. I was trapped. Trapped in my own flesh.

The woman reached up to grab one of the figs. I tried to move my paw and push her hand away, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t move! Everything seemed to be in slow motion as the fig popped from the branch. My heart was beating what felt like five times faster and ten times harder as her hand approached her mouth. Dread filled my every inch as she ate it. Our future was now at risk.

Adam seemed to be waiting for her to drop dead, but she didn’t. Nothing happened, in fact. What was going on? Even I was confused. The women grabbed another fig and gave it to Adam. I sighed inwardly as he ate it.

I finally gained control of myself again. I had done what Lucifer had wanted, and I couldn’t prevent anything anymore, so I wasn’t a threat. Adam and his wife were looking at each other as if disgusted. They ran up to the tree I was in. I fell out thinking they were going to hurt me, but instead they grabbed leaves and began sewing them together.

Everything lit up after they were done making garments. The sun rose as if it had just gotten the news and wanted to see if it were true. I looked around and spotted Yahweh floating down into The Garden. I had forgotten until now He would be showing up. Adam and his wife jumped in shock when the voice of Yahweh said, “I’m here.”

Adam and his wife then jumped into the shadows of a group of trees across the meadow. I just laid where I had fallen, what was the use in hiding? This was God here! He knew everything. I then heard another familiar voice from behind me, “What are you doing in here?”

I spun my head around, it was my female, the second to the last person I wanted to see, the last being Yahweh. I was too ashamed to say a word, besides, she would no doubt discover soon enough. I laid my head down on the ground looking towards Yahweh, who was searching the area.

“Where art thou?” I heard Yahweh ask, and somehow it was clearly directed at Adam, even though his name was not stated.

“I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself,” I heard Adam answer.

“What’s going on?” my female asked me. She was now standing at my side. I stayed silent.

Yahweh was now looking in the direction of Adam’s voice. “Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”

I heard my female gasp at Yahweh’s words. I felt her eyes on me and I sensed she was about to say something, but Adam crept out of the shadows. He looked so ashamed, and scared. Then in desperation he answered, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”

Adam’s wife then darted out of the shadows, obviously upset that Adam had blamed it all on her. “What is this that thou hast done?” Yahweh asked her.

It was clear her mind was whirling with how fast everything was happening. She pointed at where both I and my female were and said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”

I heard my female drop to the ground. I lifted my head and looked at her. She was utterly shocked. Her jaw was hanging beneath her head. When I turned to look back at Yahweh, He was already looking at me.

“Because thou hast done this,” Yahweh said to us, but me specifically. “Thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field.” I could hear my female weeping uncontrollably. “Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

“How could you? How could you do such a thing?” my female asked. I turned to her after Yahweh had turned away. I didn’t know what to tell her.

Yahweh’s words met my ears again. They were to the woman. “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

“I am so sorry,” I told my own mate.

“You’re sorry? The entire universe is going to pay the penalty for this and you’re sorry?” she said as a tear ran down her face. That surprised me as we don’t have tear ducts. “I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I was ever created as a serpent. I’m sorry I ever loved you. I’m sorry I yelled at our friend from the sea. Her mate knew, somehow he knew.” My female then buried her head in her forepaws.

Yahweh spoke again, this time to Adam. “Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, ‘Thou shalt not eat of it:’ cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.” I was slightly surprised when I heard those words, as my female knew before it was said. “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

I was hardly able to bear another minute of my female’s weeping, when we both gasped in pain as our legs detached themselves. My female looked at me and there was fear in her eyes, terrible fear. I didn’t know what was scaring her so, until I saw her expression slowly become emotionless.

“My beloved female, what happened?” She didn’t answer, just started slithering away. I got in her way and asked again, “What is it?” She hissed and made an aggressive move towards me. It was at that moment I realized that her intelligence had been taken from her.

I backed away and she continued going wherever it was she had been before I stopped her. The one creature who had loved me with every fiber of her being was now gone. For all practical purposes, she was dead. Lucifer had taken more than he gave. I resented him for that.

Yahweh floated away and I heard Adam say, “I hereby call your name Eve, for you are the mother of all living.” I snickered, now he names her.

Yahweh returned and in his arms was a sheep. He laid it on the ground before Adam and his wife Eve. Then, Yahweh killed it. Adam and Eve griped each other as they witnessed the first physical death. I just felt guilt. This was my fault. Yahweh then made coats from the skin and clothed Adam and Eve with them.

Adam and Eve were reluctant to wear them, for obvious reasons, but they had to. Yahweh then said, but directed at Himself, “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.” Yahweh then glanced over at the Tree of Life.

Yahweh banned Adam, Eve, myself, and every other living creature from the Garden of Eden. A flaming sword was then placed at the east of Eden, right where I had broken through, and Cherubims also were placed along the wall. And thus ended the occupation of Eden. Never again would it be open for residents or visitors.

I looked around at all the faces of the animals. They were all dumb! I was the only one who had retained his ability to reason and to speak. Well, almost all the animals. The two Behemoths glared at me with dislike. I didn’t blame them, but they didn’t seem dumb, did they retain some of their mind? I was too nervous to find out.

Adam’s words reached my ears as he said, “Well, the time of the year is Autumn. From here on out, it shall also be called ‘Fall’, for in it we have fallen from perfection.” Adam then looked at me. “Come Eve, never trust a snake!”

I watched them as they left to find a new place to live. All the creatures were going to find new places to live. In no time I was the only one in the immediate area. It was at that moment that it dawned on me. I was the first, the only, and the last of my kind. Leviathan was as much my name as it was my kind.

I then went on my way as well. I couldn’t just stay here. Besides, being the only one, I was the center of the angels’ attention. I stayed in the area, though, in the coming months. I didn’t stray farther than a mile from my nest. My once beloved female cared for our eggs till they hatched. I had hoped they’d have their legs again, but they didn’t.

I watched them to see if they might show signs of intelligence. But, after a couple more months, it was clear they were no better off than my once mate. With the full weight of the knowledge of being all alone in the world bearing down on me, I stopped caring what Lucifer had me do. He was all I had now. My God, what had I done?