Consequences.
Disclaimer: As if I could create such vivid characters and complex storylines. This isn't mine and no money was made off it.
In the beginning God made heaven and earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God moved over the surface of the waters.
Then God said "Let there be light." And there was light and with the light came shadow and thus the first consequence came to be.
Then God separated the sky and the earth, the land and the water, opposites were separated, put in their own place. The sky fought the earth with valleys and the earth retaliated with mountains. The land and the sea fought using tides and the gentle conquest and retreat of the waves.
The sun and moon chased each other in an eternal fight for recognition. Sides were chosen, the water followed the moon's pull, and the earth basked in the glory of the sun.
And in this war zone God created a garden of peace, beauty and perfection. A garden free of turmoil. However the original consequence would not be denied and even God has to play by the rules of his own creations.
Light inevitably created shadows and the Garden of Eden inevitably created the Snake.
Into this tainted Eden God put man and woman, hoping they would in time develop and be able to survive the war outside, intact without falling into it. The rest is history, though wildly misinterpreted.
The Snake used his words to convince both man and woman to eat from the fruit of knowledge, for they were the only beings in God's creation capable of creating tools of destruction.
Upon learning of this God realized that he had spread his Eden too far, too thin, and it could not protect his beautiful children.
God removed man and woman from the garden, not as punishment, but in order to take his perfection and change it, mold it and while he worked, man and woman were gathered up in the battle.
They toiled the earth and pillaged the seas. They rested during the moon's domain and hid themselves from the sun at its zenith.
Nature, seeing that these interlopers chose no sides, continued it's long slow battle of which man and woman remained unaware though affected.
Meanwhile God molded and shaped and breathed life into his creature of Eden. He made it in the shape of his children so it could understand their needs and weaknesses, and sent it down to earth.
Once again the first consequence raised it's ugly head. As light was shaped so could shadow.
The Snake took the form of Man, and another battle began.
Sofie looked out the window, facing east, watching the night expand from over the mountains. She watched as the darkness slowly, shyly, peeked over the peaks and with growing boldness, spread and take over the sky.
He was out there, she knew, licking his wounds, biding his time. He would be back, and she would kill him.
Her maudlin thoughts were interrupted as someone entered the room. She debated whether or not to address her aunt and decided to wait until she said something.
Sofie could feel Iris's eyes boring into the back of her neck. Her aunt feared her in a way that was almost amusing. She walked around the younger woman as though she was ready to blow at any moment. Which was right, in a way.
Iris stood in the doorway of the bedroom and contemplated her new-found niece. This woman, who though barely more than a child, held such power in her hands. Life, death, it seemed, was more or less the same in young Sofie's eyes. She seemed barely able to control the forces she held within her skinny body. There were times when Iris felt weak and light headed around her, other times she felt almost giddy and young.
Iris had understood her brother, had known him from his birth. She knew how his mind worked and even when he played his games with her, even if she didn't know what to expect, she knew his reasoning behind his games.
Sofie was a stranger to her, a dangerous stranger. Though there were things about her that so reminded her of her brother. These loud silences for example, the quiet industry she employed while doing the chores she insisted she do were so much like Justin before this whole thing started. The good days before she was burdened with her sins, when the secrets and lies were at a minimum.
The wind blew through the open window, and the curtains fluttered before settling down. Iris remembered why she had come here.
"Sofie," she called out softly. No matter her feelings for this girl, she was Justin's daughter and for that she would keep up the pretense of family. "It's time for supper."
Sofie nodded but didn't turn around. Iris knew when she had been dismissed. She turned and walked downstairs to the guest bedroom and strode inside.
"Come on Justin," She said as cheerfully as she could manage. "Time to eat." The prone form on the bed didn't reply, not that she expected him to. Briskly she drew down the covers and moved the wheelchair closer to the bed before applying the brake. Justin was heavier than Norman, but the process was the same and soon Iris had him sitting in his chair. His eyes followed her movements until she stopped, while leaning over him, and holding his chin between her fingers. "Now stop sulking Justin," Iris chided. "This is your own fault." She let go of his chin and walked behind his chair. "You should have thought about the consequences before you had your fun in St. Petersburg."
She undid the brake and pushed the chair out of the small bedroom and toward the dining room where Sofie was already seated and waiting. If Iris felt trapped, sitting there, between these two creatures of power, she didn't say. There wasn't really anything she could say except. "Alright, who wants to say Grace?"
Outside, in the garden, a snake slithered between the weeds.