2140 B.C.
"Wake up Adam." A voice calls out.
Adam turns but refuses to.
"Come on darling, wake up." The voice continues.
Adam slowly stirs but still is slow in getting up. The voice is familiar but he can't quite put his finger on it.
"Are you seriously going to keep your little rib waiting?"
Adam's eyes immediately shoots open and he sits up, startled at the revelation that hisex-wife was calling for him. The first thing he notices is that he isn't in his room. Instead, he is in the place that he has been visiting annually.
Eden.
"Well look who decided to finally wake up." Eve calls from behind him.
Turning around, he sees Eve, the same sweet Eve he has known all his life. Standing before him is the woman who once was his partner, now looking at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. Adam blinks, trying to comprehend the situation.
"Is this real?" Adam ask. He takes a moment to absorb his surroundings. The lush greenery, the tranquil atmosphere. This is definitely Eden.
"No. Fortunately, I am still happy as can be in hell with Lucifer and Lilith." Eve tells him happily.
Adam grimaces at the words coming out of her mouth. She has never been so cruel to him before.
"You ... love them?" Adam ask, afraid of the answer.
"Of course I do!" Eve replies with a smirk. "After all, I left you for them. Always has been the plan from the start."
"No! That can't be right. You were tricked! You always told me how much you hated them for getting us kicked out of the Garden!" Adam exclaims.
"What can I say? Lucifer is quite the charmer, at least, compared to you." Eve says with a smirk. "Come, let me show you around."
Eve extends her hand out to Adam. He is hesitant to take it but the his body reaches out regardless. Once his hand lands in hers, she hold his hand with the same firm and strong grip he knew. The grip that says she would never let him go.
Yet his heart is screaming for her to let go.
With their hand interlocked, Eve starts leading Adam around the Garden, various memories of their time plays. She points towards a tree where a memory plays of Adam talking to Sera.
"Look at how annoyed she looks. You always wanted her to be your mom and she always rejected you. But like the retard you are, you couldn't take the hint." Eve points out.
The memory shows Adam picking up a snail that he had just discovered and name. He gently places the creature in his hand and goes off to find someone to share it with. As it happens, Sera was nearby and Adam went over to share his discovery with her.
"Mom! Look! I found this little guy by some rocks!" Adam holds up the snail.
"Adam, how many times must I tell you, I am not your mother! I am your creator!" Sera says sternly.
"But -" Adam tries to say something but Sera cuts him off.
"Creating you was a mistake." Sera unfurls her wings and flies off. Adam could only look on as she flew further away from him. As she does, Adam falls to the ground and begins to sob.
But this wasn't how Adam remembered it. Sera was never that mean to him. She never said such harsh words before neither. Yes, she did tell him not to call her mom at that time ...
Was he misremembering. Does Sera truly think of him as a mistake?
He looks to Eve, searching for some hint of the truth in her expression, but all he finds is a sly smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"Eve, what are you trying to do?" Adam's voice quivers with a mixture of fear and desperation.
"I'm simply showing you the truth, Adam," Eve replies coolly. "The truth that you've been too blind to see all this time."
Adam's heart pounds in his chest as he struggles to make sense of everything. Could it be possible that his memories, his entire understanding of his past, were nothing more than illusions? That the people he loved and trusted had been deceiving him all along?
"But why?" Adam's voice cracks as he speaks. "Why would they lie to me?"
Eve's smile widens, and she places a hand tenderly on Adam's shoulder. "Because, my dear Adam, you were always meant to be the pawn in their game. The unwitting puppet in their grand design."
"Remember what Sera said to you when you asked what happened to Abel?" Eve ask.
He remembers.
"You were the TEMPLATE to what allows a human into Heaven." Sera had said.
"I always told you to only trust me. To never trust the angels. But I guess you are beyond saving." Eve remarks.
Adam looks up, hoping to see Sera come back but nothing happens.
"It's why I left you in the first place." Lilith voice cuts in.
Turning his gaze back to what should have been Eve, he instead finds himself now holding hands with his first wife.
"Lilith." Adam says with a frown.
"Maybe this time I'll finally get it through that thick head of yours." Lilith says with disdain. "You were always so willing to follow the angels plan. So comfortable being their puppet."
"So!? Why am I wrong for choosing to be content!? Is it so wrong to not want more!?" Adam yells out.
Lilith fixes him with a cold stare, her eyes flashing with a mixture of contempt and pity. "Because, Adam, it's time you faced the truth. You've been living in a fantasy, blinded by your loyalty to those who see you as nothing more than a tool to further their own agendas."
"You think you're special, Adam?" Lilith's voice booms. "But in reality, you're just a vessel for their ambitions. Your every action, every thought, has been manipulated to serve their ends."
Adam's head swims with a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. He struggles to cling to the memories of the paradise he once knew, but they slip through his fingers like grains of sand.
"But what about love?" Adam pleads, his voice barely a whisper. "What about the bond we shared? I know you said you didn't love me the same way you loved Lucifer but you likened our love to that of siblings."
"You are such a fool Adam." Lilith says. "It was never love I felt for you. At first it was pity and mostly annoyance but when I saw how ingrained you were with the angels, all I felt for you than was contempt. I wanted nothing more than for you to fail."
"Why do you think I chose Lucifer? He was a dreamer and he dreamt BIG!" Lilith says. "Bigger than any dream you ever had and thanks to that, I have everything I could ever want. Just look at where I am now."
Lilith snaps her fingers and the landscape changes from Eden to that of hell. They now stood on the castle rooftop with their hands still interlocked.
"Look at that Adam." Lilith gestures to the city Lucifer had built. "I am the Queen of this kingdom and all my subjects are the children you once sired. They chose to side with us. They rather be with us in hell than with their fucked up father who lives under the heel of the angels! SIN IS AMAZING!"
Her words cut through Adam like a dagger. Adam could only wince in his perceived pain. He closes his eyes, trying to will away this apparition. He wants to let go of the hand holding his. He wants to wake up!
When he opens his eyes again, he is back in Eden, no longer staring at a red sky but instead at a beautiful blue sky with white clouds slowly drifting by. While the scenery has certainly improved, he still feels himself holding on to someone's hand.
He doesn't want to look. He rather die again than listen to his former wives and their words of discontent with him.
"I always did love cloud watching with you Adam." A cheery voice speaks to him. The voice coming from the origin of the hand. "Its one of the more tolerable activities I had to put up with but at least you kept your mouth shut."
Great. His wives were preferable to the angel who ruined his life. Adam finally relents and turns his head to the person holding his hand.
"Lucifer." Adam calls out.
"I must thank you Adam." Lucifer says out loud. "You were truly the bestest friend an angel like me could ever have."
"I suspect you mean for the wrong reasons." Adam says with a downcast look.
"I guess you can learn." Lucifer remarks. "You made it so easy to steal your wives. Sure, Eve took awhile longer but in the end, they all chose me."
"I can't believe I once thought of you as my best friend." Adam scoffs.
"You were the only one stupid enough to believe we were friends." Lucifer says. "You think I wanted to be the nanny to the First Man? To watch him and make sure he doesn't accidentally drown or swallow poison ivy."
"I had bigger goals. I bided my time and played my part. Than when they created Lilith for you, you became redundant." Lucifer stated. "I never wanted you Adam. No one wanted you."
"That's not true! I have my family now!" Adam shouts. "I have Sera, I have Emily, I have Aclima, I have -"
"Please, don't embarrass yourself. You think they love you?" Lucifer says with a smug expression.
"Sera? She only keeps you around because you're her precious TEMPLATE! You actually think she thinks of you as her son!? She only said all that to placate you!"
"Emily? She is the joy-bringer! It's her JOB to bring you joy! Love you? Don't make me laugh."
Adam tries to yank his hand away from Lucifer but Lucifer wouldn't let go.
"Aclima? What choice does she have? She wasted half her life being with you out of PITY! Her pathetic father who can't function once his wife passed away and into my arms!"
"SHUT UP!" Adam shouts.
"Seth? He rather stay in the rural parts of Heaven, far away from you! Need I say more?"
"And finally. Lute and those pathetic daughters you call exorcists. They love you because they were MADE TO LOVE YOU! Give them a choice and I bet none of them will stay with you!"
Adam falls to his knees, no longer able to contain his tears. "Please ... just leave me alone."
"Awww. Tell you what old friend. I'll do you one last favor. You always loved when I carried you and flew around Eden." Lucifer expressions contorts to that of an evil grin. "So lets do that again."
He unfurls his wings and starts flying upwards, carrying Adam up. They were now higher than the highest mountain in Eden.
"Enjoy the sight while it last Adam. This may be the last time you ever see such beauty." Lucifer says.
"What do you mean?" Adam says with fear in his voice.
"Despite everything that has happened Adam, I realized that I do want you." Lucifer says in a friendly tone which catches Adam off guard.
"You do?" Adam replies suspiciously.
"I do." Lucifer reaffirms. He brings Adam up so that they were now face to face. "But not like wanting you as a friend or anything." Lucifer shakes his head. "No, I want you to fall and fall hard into HELL. So that I can finally rub it in Heaven faces when they see I have the complete Eden set!"
"It'll be oh so sweet to show them that even you, their precious golden boy, isn't immutable. Turned into nothing but a mere pet at my feet. In fact, this will be good practice for you Adam." Lucifer lets go of his hand. "Good luck with the fall."
Adam was now falling and falling fast. He tries to unfurl his own wings but he doesn't feel them. The ground is getting closer and all he can hear is the sound of Lucifer's mocking laughter.
Its the end for Adam. Resigned to his fate, all he can do is hope that it would be painless.
He closes his eyes.
Adam wakes up with a jolt. He is breathing heavy but remains still. He knows it was a dream but it felt so real. He needs some air.
Right now, he was cuddled up with Sera, Emily, Aclima and Lute. Adam carefully disentangled himself from their embrace, trying not to wake them. He slipped out of the bed silently, his heart still racing from the vivid nightmare.
Once freed, he quickly makes his way downstairs and out the backdoor into the yard. His mind swirled with questions and doubts. Were his memories real or were they just fabrications? The faces of Eve, Lilith, and Lucifer haunted him, their words echoing in his mind.
Why? Why did he have that nightmare? He hasn't had a nightmare since he ... died. Its been exactly 930 years since he died. He lived for 930 years and now he has been dead for the same amount of time. Is that why?
As he paced anxiously, he has his wings out and ready to fly at a moment's notice. The drop he experienced from Lucifer was terrifying. He wants to fly, to run from his problems, but he is afraid of leaving the safety of the ground. Afraid he'll fall.
The night air was cool and refreshing but did little to alleviate his fears. He tries to focus on the present, on the familiar surroundings of his home, but the images of Eden and the accusations of his former companions linger stubbornly.
He wonders if there's any truth to what he saw. Were his relationships merely facades, his existence a pawn in some cosmic game? Or were they genuine, his memories tainted by the twisted visions of his subconscious?
He doesn't know.
Sera had awoken minutes after Adam had left the bed. Sera's heart sank as she realized Adam was no longer beside her. She could feel a subtle shift in the air, a tension that wasn't there before. Concerned, she quickly got up and looked around the room. The other three girls were sleeping peacefully.
Looking out the window, she sees his familiar golden wings out, stretching and flapping, as if he was ready to fly. Alarmed, Sera quickly races down the stairs and out to the backyard. She found Adam pacing back and forth, his wings slightly trembling, his expression haunted.
Silently, she approaches Adam from behind, afraid that if she startled him, he may take flight. With her arms and wings outstretched, she cautiously approaches him and once within her reach, she quickly cocoons him in her embrace.
He struggles for a bit but ultimately relaxes when he realizes its her.
Sera holds him tightly, feeling his trembles gradually subside as he leans into her embrace. She whispers soothing words, a gentle melody of reassurance, hoping to calm the storm raging within him. He rests his head against her chest, closing his eyes as he takes in her familiar scent, the warmth of her embrace.
"Adam. Talk to me." Sera says.
"I'm fine mo- Sera." Adam tries to assure with a small smile.
Being called by her name instead of 'mom' catches Sera off guard, but she doesn't let it show. Instead, she tightens her embrace, sensing his need for comfort and reassurance. Whatever it takes, she needs to nip this in the bud.
"Talk to me, Adam." she says softly, running her fingers through his hair. "I can feel your distress. Whatever it is that's troubling you, you can tell me."
Adam hesitates for a moment, the weight of his nightmares still heavy on his mind. But the warmth of Sera's presence, her unwavering support, gives him the courage to speak.
"I had a nightmare." he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. "It felt so real, Sera. Like I was back in Eden, facing Eve, Lilith and Lucifer."
"What happened in the nightmare?" Sera asks gently, encouraging him to share his burden.
"They basically told me that everything I know is a lie." Adam recalls with a frown. "Sera. Was I a mistake?"
Adam's question catches Sera off guard, her heart clenching at the pain evident in his voice. She pulls back slightly to look him in the eyes, her expression soft and compassionate.
"Adam, no," she says firmly, shaking her head. "You were never a mistake."
She cups his face in her hands, her eyes locking with his, conveying sincerity and affection. "You are a beautiful, unique soul, Adam. Your existence has brought light and meaning to so many lives, including mine."
"But what if it's true, Sera?" Adam's voice wavers with uncertainty. "What if everything they said in the nightmare was true?"
"Tell me than. What did they say?" Sera demands.
"They told me that I'm nothing more than a template to you. That you only let me call you 'mom' to placate me." Adam recounts what they had said about Sera.
"Adam." she begins softly, her voice filled with warmth and sincerity. "I understand why you're feeling this way, but you must know that those words couldn't be further from the truth."
Sera cups his face in her hands, her gaze unwavering. "I chose to call you my son because that's what you are to me. Not out of obligation, but out of love. You've brought so much joy and meaning into my life, Adam. I couldn't be prouder to call you my son."
Sera pulls him into another embrace, holding him close as she speaks from the depths of her heart. "You are loved, Adam. Never doubt that, no matter what anyone else may say. You are cherished beyond measure, and nothing will ever change that."
Adam rests his head against her chest, feeling the warmth of her embrace enveloping him like a protective shield. In that moment, surrounded by Sera's love and reassurance, a moment of clarity opens up in his mind amidst the chaos. He remembers what happened when he showed Sera the snail.
"Mom! Look! I found this little guy by some rocks!" Adam holds up the snail.
Sera chuckles at his excitable attitude. "Come now Adam, I told you already not to call me your 'mom'." Sera reaches out and pats him on the head.
"Have you given a name to your new friend?" Sera ask in a gentle voice.
"I think I'll call it a snail." Adam says proudly.
Sera smiles. "That's a wonderful name Adam."
She wasn't upset that day. She didn't call him a mistake.
She was happy.
Adam's heart swells with a newfound sense of clarity as he recalls the genuine warmth and affection in Sera's response. The only liars were the trio in his dreams.
Of course his family loved him. They could easily have chucked him off to another section of Heaven and left him there if they hated him. How could he let some mere nightmares try to ruin his life.
Feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders, Adam exhales a deep sigh of relief, his tense muscles gradually relaxing in Sera's embrace. He closes his eyes, allowing himself to fully immerse in the comforting presence of his mom.
"I love you, Adam." Sera leans down and kisses his forehead.
"Thank you ... mom." Adam whispers out.