The Garden of Eden

by Hunter, L. L.

  Water lapped at my feet. But it didn’t wet me. I looked down and saw I was standing at the end of a dock. The dock jutted out from a bank at the edge of a vast but gloomy lake. It was night, and deadly silent. Mist rose from the water down below, giving the whole scene a foreboding feel, as it was waiting for danger to creep in. And then it did. I noticed a light in the distance, slowly moving closer to me. I squinted, trying to make it out. Was it a lighthouse in the distance, or simply a firefly hovering in the mist? Then the firefly turned into a lantern. I could see it clearly now. It was attached to a stick and the stick was attached to a boat. I couldn’t hear the water swishing around the boat, which was odd, but I could make out the eerie shape of it in the darkness. As the boat approached me, I could hear a voice. My heart jumped in my chest. It was saying my name!

  “Eden. It is time.”

  Time? Time for what? I wanted to ask the voice. But I couldn’t talk.

  The boat grew close. Yet not close enough for me to see the person in it. They were still shrouded in darkness.

  “Eden.”

  “What do you want from me?” I tried to scream but my voice couldn’t escape.

  “It is time.”

  And that was when I heard the ticking.

  Chapter Five

  Asher

  Dinner seemed to drag. But I was right about Eden feeling more at home once she met everyone. Everyone except Jaz. I sat next to Eden as she talked to Jazmine and Markus. And then my sister, as friendly as ever, leant over and began talking to her. For which I was glad. I breathed a sigh of relief and watched her. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. When the first dish was served, the palette cleanser, which I never touched, Eden sipped away oblivious to the fact it was only a palette cleanser. She scrunched up her nose at the grossness of it. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen. And then she sensed me. I quickly looked away, but she had caught me. Our eyes met briefly, and we seemed had another moment like in the garden. It was like our minds and souls were circling each other. I pushed away the urge to groan or sigh. She really was going to kill me.

  When she asked if this wasn’t dinner, I couldn’t help but laugh, causing her to blush. Gosh, it was the prettiest thing ever. It happened again over dessert, the connection, and I had the urge to either run, or kiss her. But I couldn’t with everyone watching. Soon after dinner was finished, and we all headed back to our rooms, I wanted to pull Eden aside, but unfortunately, Jaz had beaten me to it. I hid around the corner and eavesdropped on their conversation. Jaz was asking about our relationship. Eden’s and mine. Eden was playing the innocent party, which wasn’t a smart move in front of Jaz. That girl had a temper. And yes, was she pissed.

  “If you don’t pay attention, Nephilim, someone could steal him right out from under you.”

  I knew what this meant. Jazmine had made a threat against her competition. The claws were out, but I wasn’t going to let her win. I hated her. So I made a promise to myself. Later after lights out, I would sneak over to the girl’s dorm to try to see Eden.

  Chapter Six

  Eden

  I sat bolt upright in my bed. It was pitch black. As I fumbled for the light switch on my bedside table, I realised it had only been a dream. But what did it mean? It is time. Time for what? And who was the creepy guy in the boat? I was too freaked out to go back to sleep, and I realised I had totally forgotten about sneaking. I slipped out of bed and stepped into my slippers. I needed hot chocolate to calm my nerves. As I slipped into the hallway and closed the door behind me, I sensed someone in the darkness. A hand stifled my scream.

  “Ssh.”

  “Asher?”

  “Ssh. Keep your voice down. Yeah, it’s me.”

  “You scared the living daylights out of me!”

  He chuckled. “Sorry. Why are you so jumpy anyhow?”

  “I kinda… had a bad dream.”

  “What was it about?”

  “I’m not sure. I’m still trying to understand it.”

  I had my suspicions about what the dream could mean, but I couldn’t tell him that. I couldn’t even tell him about my trait. I moved around him, which was nearly impossible without touching his body. I tried not to, but as my hands touched his abdomen in the dark, I felt the electricity surge through us. And then the warmth turned cold.

  “Oh no!” I pulled my hands away quickly and jumped back.

  “Eden? What are you doing?” I could swear he was smirking at me in the dark.

  “I had to get around you, you were blocking me.”

  “You had to feel me up to do it?”

  Yep, he was definitely smirking. At least he couldn’t see the blood that had made its way to my cheeks.

  “No. I mean… I wasn’t. I have to go.” I had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

  This boy was going to kill me before I kill him.

  “Eden, wait! Where are you going?”

  Of course, he was going to follow me again. I could feel him behind me.

  “To the kitchen for hot chocolate.”

  “You don’t need to go to the kitchen for hot chocolate. Let me.”

  “No, I…” But I didn’t even get to protest. It was too late. He took my hand.

  Chapter Seven

  Asher

  Sneaking out was a lot easier than you would think. Only one Michaelite roamed each dorm hallway each night and it was easy to avoid detection. I usually made a move when the night watch man or woman was around the corner. And they were now, so I slipped out of my room, and looked both ways. I listened for the sound of footsteps on the carpet, but there were none, yet. I slipped into the hall and silently closed my door behind me. I was barefoot so as to keep silent. I snuck down the hall towards the door. As soon as I reached the end of the hall, I heard someone coming. Lucky it was dark so they wouldn’t be able to see me. I was thankful to have put a black t-shirt on instead of my normal white sleeping attire.

  “Hey! What are doing out of bed?”

  Crap. I had been spotted. I stood still and stepped into the shadows away from the light coming through the frosted window in the door. After a few nervous seconds, the dorm warden didn’t come any closer, and I couldn’t hear her anymore, so I quickly opened the door and slipped out.

  The next obstacle was the main hallway between the two dorms. Two Michaelite night wardens usually guarded this hall, and currently it was unoccupied. Luck was on my side tonight. Or fate. I ran to the girl’s dorm and slipped inside. Now all I had to do was find Eden’s room.

  This hall was equally dark so it made it easy to sneak all the way up to the end of the hall. I cursed myself for not finding out which room was hers, but by the time I reached the end, I didn’t have to. I could hear talking. I inched closer to the door the noises were coming from and pressed my ear up against it. I smiled. She was dreaming, or talking in her sleep, or both.

  “Time for what?” she was saying. And then she began screaming. What was happening? I couldn’t take it anymore. Something was happening to her in her sleep. I burst through the door, not caring if I woke anyone else up. I had to get to Eden. She was tossing, turning, and screaming.

  “What do you want from me?” she was utterly and irrevocably frightened of something, or someone. I ran to her, placed my hand on her shoulder, and shook.

  “Eden?”

  She began resisting and her eyelids fluttered open. I jumped back and pressed myself up against the wall in the darkness. I was such a chicken. I came to see her, but what was I doing? Hiding in the dark, in the corner like a loser. When she sat up in bed, I quickly snuck out the door, careful to shut it behind me as quietly as I could.

  I began pacing outside the door. Was she awake? Did she know it was me who came into her room? Or did she think it was the person in the dream? My mind began fighting a tug-o-war with the decision to go back in, or stay out here in the hall. Screw it. I was going back in. I went to grab the doorknob but it began spinning in my hand as the door opened. I didn’t even get time to
register what was happening when she began screaming.

  Chapter Eight

  Eden

  I expected the world to slow down or stop when our skin collided as he held my hand. I waited for his heart to stop like the old nun’s did, and the people before her, but it didn’t. Nothing happened. I mean absolutely nothing. No heart stoppages and no earth-tilting-off-its-axis moment. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. I must admit, I was a little disappointed.

  “Asher? Are you alright?”

  “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “But I thought…”

  “You thought what?”

  “Don’t worry. Nothing.” As he led me to the kitchen, I was a little confused. Wasn’t this how the previous deaths had happened? With a single touch? Was it possible Asher was somehow immune?

  “Let me get the hot chocolate, and I’ll meet you in the garden.” He said.

  “Oh, okay.” I shrugged and made my way out the back door and into the paradise of the garden.

  I expected the garden to be dark, but it wasn’t. As soon as I stepped over the threshold, it was illuminated by a million twinkling fairy lights and spotlights. I mean, there were lights everywhere. Nothing was unlit. Nothing was missed. It was utterly breathtaking. Even the angel fountain was illuminated. I walked over towards it, dipped my fingertips in the cool, clear water, and smiled. I think I could get used to this place. I bent down and then ran my fingers over the grass and gasped. It was the softest grass I had ever felt and I had the sudden urge to lay down in it. So I did. I lay back against the cushion of green heaven and admired the lights draped across the roof. They looked like millions of stars. And then something caught my eye. I turned my head to the left and that was when I saw it. It was a massive weeping willow. It was the biggest tree I had ever seen. It had to be hundreds of years old. As I propped myself up onto my elbow, I heard a voice which made me jump.

  “That’s the Sacred Tree. It’s very old, and rumoured to hold a lot of power.” Asher told me, making himself comfortable beside me.

  I met his eyes. “What kind of power?”

  “Well, I don’t really believe in this stuff much, but the Michaelites do so I go along with it. It’s meant to show you a glimpse into your future.”

  “Like a psychic?”

  “Yeah. I guess you could say it’s like a psychic tree.”

  “Can I try?” Before he could protest, I jumped up and ran over to the tree. It was even more magnificent up close and I really could feel some sort of immense power emanating from within like a hum. It buzzed beneath my fingertips.

  “Eden, wait. Why don’t you drink your hot chocolate first?”

  “No, it’s okay. It might not even work, right?”

  “Yeah, but it could, for you.”

  I looked back at him. “What do you mean? How am I any different from you?”

  “Well, for starters, you’re Nephilim, and I’m only a mere human.”

  “That shouldn’t make a difference.” I was ready to try it. I wanted to try it so badly. I held my hand up in front of the trunk, about to touch it.

  “It does. Trust me.” Asher’s eyes grew wide. “No, Eden! Wait!”

  But it was too late.

  My hand touched the trunk of the Sacred Tree.

  Chapter Nine

  Eden

  My whole world became dark. I couldn’t see a thing. Great, another completely pitch black nightmare. Why were my dreams always so dark? Like the earlier dream, a single light appeared out of nowhere and began to creep closer. As I watched the light, it became bigger, and not only because it was coming closer. It was increasing in size.

  “He… hello?” my voice echoed. Which meant I was in a large space. Great, nothing scared me more than space that I couldn’t see. It was like floating in the ocean without knowing what lie beneath you. Darkness or light. A shark or tropical fish.

  Nothing answered my call. What was going on? Where was I? I decided to try again.

  “Hello? Who’s there?” This time someone answered my call. And it was familiar.

  “Eden?”

  I heard footsteps. And then a face appeared in the light. It was a spotlight. No, a halo of light casting a shadow over his face, illuminating him from behind. I was afraid to ask, but I had to.

  “Who… who are you?”

  “Eden, it’s okay. We’re going to be together now.”

  I gasped and put my hand to my mouth, stepping away from him.

  Then all the darkness fell away and I was standing back in the garden at the Michaelite Sanctuary.

  “Eden?”

  I spun around at the sound of my voice and screamed.

  “No!”

  “Eden? Are you okay? What did you see?”

  “It was you.”

  “What was me?”

  “When I touched the tree… it was you.”

  He smirked, awkwardly playing with his hair. “Well, that’s great. It means I’ll be in your future.”

  “No, I… I have to go.”

  I hurried back towards the door, trying to hold back my tears. But they were already falling as I ran. What could I tell him? That I saw him coming out of a tunnel? Did it mean he was going to die? That I was going to kill him? I had to get out of there. It was still early morning and everyone in the convent was sleeping, so no one would notice my escape—no one but him. I regretted running away from him, but I had to do it. I couldn’t face the fact that my future might possibly include killing Asher. I had to change my fate and his as well. I had to leave, and find the only person who could help me understand my dreams.

  Asher

  “Eden, no!”

  When her hand touched the trunk of the Sacred Tree, I was blinded by the most intense white light. I covered my face and turned away. What was happening?

  And then as soon as it happened, it was over just as fast.

  “Eden?”

  She saw me and screamed. Did something happen to my face?

  When I asked her what happened she said she saw me in her vision, which made me smile. At least I was going to be in her future. She then began backing away from me.

  Why wasn’t she glad that I would be in her future? I was tempted to touch the Sacred Tree to try to see what she had seen but I knew it was impossible. The tree showed you your fate, not someone else’s.

  Chapter Ten

  Eden

  I didn’t have time to pack a bag. He would try to stop me, otherwise. I dressed in jeans, chucks, and a black hoodie and slipped silently out the front door, hood over my head. As soon as I was as far away from the sanctuary as I could possibly get that I considered safe, I pulled out my iPhone. I was glad the butler had been so heavily dozing in his chair by the front desk that I could safely grab the keys to the desk drawer where they kept all the phones. It was sacrilege keeping everyone’s phones away from them. That place really was like rehab. I scrolled through my contacts and dialled my emergency contact. For this was an emergency.

  He answered on the first ring.

  “So, you finally need my help.”

  “You have to tell me what these visions mean.”

  “Whoa, slow down. I’m coming.”

  “Hurry. I’m freaking out, Uncle Adam.”

  “I’m coming,” was all he said before he ended the call. Great. How long would I have to wait before he came? What if some serial killer found me? Oh yeah, I forgot, she was standing right here, inside the body of this girl.

  After a few minutes, I looked up and realised I was standing under the spotlight of a street lamp. I stepped back into the darkness. Bad move. A hand moved over my mouth to stifle my scream. With one touch of my hand, I could end my attacker’s life. I tried to let him know, but his hand cut off my words.

  Thankfully, he soon let go and loosened his grip. I could breathe again. I felt his hot breath against my neck—a breath that reeked of cigarette smoke.

  “I… I can kill you, you know.” I stuttered.

  But my attacker only laugh
ed. A laugh that sounded like it was sliding over gravel. “You can’t kill me sweetheart, I am death.”

  Death? Was this guy serious? That was my trait.

  “What do you mean?” I guess he hadn’t expected me to question him. He let me go and I spun around to face him. He was standing in the darkness, so I couldn’t see him well. I could only see his eyes glowing out from under his black hooded trench coat— eyes that glowed red.

  “I mean, Princess, that I am the epitome of death.”

  “Like the Grim Reaper?”

  “In some tales, yes, I am called The Grim Reaper, but my proper title is The Gatekeeper to the Realm of Death.”

  “And why have you come for me? It’s not my time to die. Sure, I have killed, but it wasn’t my fault.” I realised I was rambling. I decided to shut up.

  He laughed again, and I almost spewed at smelling his awful breath for the second time. “Silly girl, I am not here to take you over, as they say.”

  “Oh, then why are you here? I don’t understand.”

  “I am here to offer you a job.”

  A job? I was confused.

  “I know what you may be thinking, ‘why is the Gatekeeper to the Realm of Death offering me a job?’ Well, the thing is, I need someone to take over the business when I retire.”

  “Wait, let me get this straight,” my head was still reeling. Who was this man? And why did he want me? How did he find me? “You want me to take over your business of reaping?”