Author's Note:

This will be a full-flashback chapter. I'm planning on using this fic (expanding on the flashbacks) to set up a series of fics about Adam and Eve's family in between the time from their exile from the Garden of Eden up to the Great Flood.

Jumella and her siblings were brought together by their father, who explained to them that the Angels had decreed that the time had come for them to marry each other and begin the next generation of humanity.

She looked expectantly at Abel only for Daddy to take hold of both her and Cain's hands and place them together. Judging by the look on the elder son's face, this was a surprise to him too as well.

Abel was grinning ear to ear as he took Aclima's hand, paying no mind to the shock on his twin's face and the dismay on that of his new bride's.

Well, Jumella supposed she couldn't blame him. Aclima always was the prettier one.

She tried to give Cain a smile, but he avoided her eye, focusing a glare at Abel, who greeted him with a sneer.

…

As her wedding day neared, both Cain and Aclima made it no secret to Jumella that they would much prefer to be married to each other. So, wanting to help her elder siblings, Jumella decided to seek out her twin.

She found Abel acting out his role as a shepherd, shearing the wool off the fattest of his flock.

"Good morning, Abel."

He turned around and gave her a nod, "Good morning, Jumella."

"So…", Jumella spoke, "I have been talking to Cain and Aclima and they…"

"The Angels have made their decision," Abel interrupted her curtly.

Jumella was caught off guard by the tone her twin, her best friend, was now taking with her.

"Remember what Dad has always said: the Angels favor those who are obedient."

Ever since the betrothal, Abel had been displaying a haughtier attitude towards his siblings, often bragging about how he was the favorite of the Angels

"Yes, I agree," Jumella spoke up, "but I'm worried about how they're…"

Abel cut her off, giving her a disdainful glare, "You should be focused on getting your own slothful mate in line. Let me handle mine."

With that, Abel turned his back to her, leaving a crestfallen Jumella to worry about how her siblings would react to this.

…

On the morning of her wedding day, Jumella spotted Aclima kneeling in the garden.

She approached her sister cautiously.

"Aclima?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm sorry," Jumella sputtered out, "I tried to get Daddy and Abel to listen…"

Aclima shrugged, "Never you mind. It's out of our hands," and returned her attention to her plants.

Jumella watched as Aclima plucked a flower and stood up to face her.

"Smile, little sister," Aclima gently placed the flower in Jumella's hair, "for it's your day."

Jumella felt a kiss on her cheek and giggled with a blush.

…

As the following week went by, with Abel and Aclima's own wedding day counting down, Jumella and Cain were placed under more and more pressure by her father and the Angels to consummate their marriage.

At night, Jumella found Cain laying on his back.

Hesitatingly, she walked towards him. She climbed on top of him.

"No, Jumella."

Undeterred, Jumella bent her face down to kiss him.

"I said no!"

Cain seized her roughly and threw her upon the ground.

Jumella yelped, feeling pain in her back.

"But…", she whimpered, "the angels…"

Cain stood up and glared down at her, "Fuck the angels."

Jumella's eyes opened wide in shock to hear her brother say such blasphemy.

"What are you saying?"

Cain growled, "You heard me."

The large man began to pace around, ranting, "What have they done to earn our worship? Kick our parents out of paradise? Torture us all with sickness? Turn the animals that should be our friends against us?"

Cain came to a halt, "And why? Because Mama bit an apple."

Jumella glanced up at the sky fearfully, "You shouldn't say that…"

"Why not?

"The angels…they…are the divine…they created us."

Cain gave a cruel laugh at her answer.

"Free will was wasted on you, little sister."

Jumella felt struck by some sort of primal terror when she gazed into the look in his eyes.

She spent the rest of the night on the ground, giving Cain a wide berth as he returned to sleep.

…

The next morning, Jumella awakes to the sound of screams.

Groggily, she stumbles out into the fields.

The angels, larger and more avian-like than she had seen them as before and gathered around a kneeling Cain.

Mama is cradling Abel. She is crying, screaming. But why? And why wasn't Abel moving?

Daddy, too, is on his knees, tears rushing down his face. He sends a scary look in Cain's direction.

Aclima is standing still. Bruises mark her face and body. She has an odd expression.

Jumella approaches Mama. She sees blood all over Abel's face.

She asks, "Mama, what happened?"

Mama does not answer. Still crying.

Jumella turns when she hears Cain scream. The angels are glowing, they're touching his face…

…

Aclima was gone. Gone after Cain, who was now wandering in exile.

Mama grieved, disconsolate at the loss of most of her children.

Daddy had grown distant and aloof towards both her and Mama.

As for Jumella herself, she felt as if she was in a daze. From the sudden loss of his twin and the disgrace of her older siblings to the seeming disintegration of her parents' marriage, she could help but ponder what she could have done to have averted all this strife in her family.

One day, Jumella passed by the field where…it happened and was transfixed by a terrifying sight.

Her father, knees on the ground, was holding hands with a figure wearing a black cloak. By the wings on their back, she supposed he was an Angel, though not one she had seen before.

Jumella worked up the courage to approach but, in a flash, the cloaked figure disappeared, leaving behind Adam who stared out into space.

As she grew closer, she could scarcely make out his mutterings: "Heswiththemheswiththem…"

"Daddy, what's wrong?"

Adam gave no response.

"Daddy?", the worried daughter prodded, "Daddy, who was that?"

Her father gave a jolt when she touched his shoulder, "Azrael, the Angel of Death."

Jumella paled.

"He said that he is in Hell."

Jumella looked confused. Hell? The place where the evil Angel that had tricked her parents was imprisoned?

"Hell? Who is?", she asked.

"Abel."

Jumella gasped in horror, "No…"

"He's with them," Adam's face held an expression of utter betrayal, "he was happy."

"Sera-she told me," Adam breathed erratically, despair clear in his voice, "she LIED to me."

"What do you mean?"

"She lies to me and expects me to make more…?"

"More what?"

"No, no, nonononono," Adam stammered before standing up, screaming, "I can't do this anymore!"

"Daddy…"

Adam spoke firmly, "I'm done with the Angels."

Jumella felt as if the world was crumbling around her, "What?"

"Tell Sera not to expect anything from me from now on."

Jumella went down on her knees, "O Lord, please forgive my father…"

Adam bitterly scoffed, "Why bother? Abel was the most faithful to the Angels and if even he's with Lucifer…"

He began to walk away when he felt a hand tug on his clothes, "Daddy, please you…"

Step.

"Daddy, stop please."

Step.

"O Lord…"

"Get off me!"

Adam shoved Jumella, causing her to release his clothes and tumble into the mud.

"Adam!" Eve raced towards him, looking furious, "What are you doing?!"

Her husband greeted her with a cold, "I'm done."

"What?", Eve asked, perplexed.

"Lucifer. Lilith. The Angels. You," Adam listed with a whisper as he glared at his wife before gesturing towards Jumella on the ground, "Even our children. I can't trust any of you."

"Adam…", Eve began, beginning to cry.

Adam turned around and increased his pace in the opposite direction.

Eve sighed and turned to see Jumella crouched down.

"Sweetheart, are you…?", she bent down and picked her daughter up out of the mud.

Jumella gazed at the increasingly distant figure of her father as he made his way into the woods.

I won't give up on you Daddy, Jumella vowed.

Never.

…

Jumella wandered through the pathway, carrying a bow and a knife to protect herself should the local animals get bold enough to attack her.

This would have to be a quick trip, for she promised Mama she would be back in time for dinner.

Jumella stopped when she came upon a cave.

As she approached, she saw a figure slowly materialize from the cave's darkness, with loud footsteps indicating the occupant was exiting the cave.

Her father stepped forward. He had grown thinner. His beard longer. A cold glare in his eyes.

"What do you want?"

Jumella grimaced at his harsh growl, but hurriedly put on a smile as she held out a cloth filled with food.

"Hi, Daddy."