Beyond the Garden

by S. Y. Thompson

  The sand felt especially harsh, like sandpaper against her face and lips. Lil could imagine the miniscule grains abrading the rubber seals of her regulator. Something brushed against her side and Lil flinched in terror. Wild thoughts of kraken and leviathans almost made her drop the buoy’s scanner. Lil held onto it by the thinnest of margins, but still tried to peer through the murky water as she searched for concealed threats.

  Sea monsters weren’t as common today as they once were, but this close to a supernatural oasis anything was possible. When nothing else happened, Lil tried to believe Dana had accidentally touched her. After all, they were headed to the same location.

  Lil took a settling breath and focused on the signal receiver. She kept her eyes pinned on the readout, watching the numbers count down. Lil refused to focus anywhere else until the counter reached zero. Finally, she lowered the device and spotted Dana ahead since the sediment wasn’t as heavy near the boundary. Dana had just stopped swimming and was maneuvering into a kneeling position.

  It had been Dana who accidentally touched her.

  Relieved and feeling a little silly for her childish fears, Lil knelt onto the river bottom next to Dana. She felt Dana watching her, waiting for whatever Lil would do next. Lil’s pulse still pounded from her previous scare and she contemplated their next move. She wondered if it was too late to change her mind about all this. Humans weren’t meant to reside in such a paranormal site, not even for a limited time.

  Dana’s hand upon her shoulder prompted Lil into action. She couldn’t deny her fear or doubts, but she also didn’t want to appear foolish in front of Dana by refusing to face her uncertainty. Mentally braced for another bone-jarring shock, Lil reached out. She extended the hand adorned with bracelet, hesitating the instant her fingers detected the thrum of energy. Past this point and Lil realized she would risk deliberately inflicting agony upon herself.

  Lil turned and met Dana’s gaze. She found support and understanding reflected back at her. Accepting whatever happened next, Lil kept her eyes pinned to Dana’s and pushed her hand into the wall. Nothing happened.

  Lil frowned and faced forward. Her hand had crossed the boundary without a single jolt. Dana’s grip tightened on her shoulder and they moved forward together. Dana maintained her hold until they emerged into perfectly clear, crystal blue water. Dana had mentioned her previous guide into the Garden when she told Lil about her solitary exploits. Lacking that chaperone, Lil figured Dana maintained contact out of concern she’d be left at the wall.

  Once past the impediment, Lil deferred to Dana. They headed down for several long minutes, swimming steadily toward a dark abyss. Lil couldn’t imagine finding the Garden of Eden in a fathomless trench. She felt a little better when Dana leveled out and struck off for parts unknown. By Lil’s reckoning, they were far below the desert floor. Dana showed no signs of hesitation, leaving Lil little recourse but to follow. Then she saw the sunlight overhead and knew without question that they had reached their destination.

  Excitement hummed through her and Lil reached down to remove her fins while still heading toward the surface. She didn’t want to miss a second of exploring the Garden of her creation. Lil shoved off her facemask as soon as she breached the final obstacle and then she was on the grass. The sights, smell and sounds rushed back to her over oceans of lifetimes. She’d forgotten the sheer splendor. Distracted by the unexpected but long-awaited homecoming, Lil didn’t realize that tears were coursing down her cheeks until Dana spoke.

  “Are you okay?”

  Lil nodded, but found it difficult to speak.

  “Do you know the way from here? Last time, the paths kept changing. I think Asherah probably had something to do with that, but is that normal?”

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t here long enough to find out.” There was such pain and betrayal in the simple statement that Lil almost choked on the words. “I guess that means we need some help.”

  “What do you suggest?” Dana sounded aggravated. “It’s not like a GPS will work here, even if we had one, and hiring a tour guide is out of the question.”

  “Yes, it’s not like we can bring another person in here, but what about an animal? Animals abound in this place and can exist without worry. Pravde will come in handy.”

  “Translocation? Are you out of your mind? You needed the bracelet just to get in. How do you know that once you leave, you can return? For that matter, how do you know you can leave in the first place?”

  Lil raised her hands in a placating gesture. “It’s okay. Weren’t you the one who pointed out that Asherah has no reason to impede my progress?”

  “That’s not exactly what I said. I said she had no reason to hurt you, but there’s no way we can understand her intentions.”

  “Well I hardly think we have a choice,” Lil said. “I have the bracelet and now that we’ve managed to find our way in, I have a clear mental image of this location. Dana, we need Pravde’s aerial view to find the tree. Otherwise we could be here for an eternity and not find that which we seek.”

  “There you go sounding like an Oracle again.”

  Lil couldn’t blame her for being testy, but she was fated to lose this argument. “If I haven’t returned in twenty minutes, start back to our camp. The Haimia will be gone by then and I will meet you there.”

  “What if I can’t get back through the wall?”

  Lil rushed to quell the panic in Dana’s voice. “Humankind was expelled from the Garden, remember? Somehow, I think getting out won’t be a problem.”

  “Well, that’s comforting.”

  Lil strode forward with images of the castle in Maine firmly fixed in her mind. She hadn’t any more doubts to interfere with her actions. Lil disappeared in a wink and reappeared in her study an instant later. The familiar sights of home and the heady scent of wooden floors embraced her. Normally, Lil would be tempted to stay. It had been so long since she’d slept in her own bed, but in this case, she couldn’t wait to rush back to Dana’s side. Without delay, Lil set out for the aviary.

  ****

  Traveling through the Garden’s pathways proved just as challenging as Dana had predicted. Aside from the winding and often erratic meanderings, Lil adored everything she saw. There were fountains of honey that flowed like molten gold and animals she’d never seen except in storybooks. She and Dana rounded a blind curve and came almost face to face with one of those creatures. Lil inhaled sharply at the sight of a coal-black unicorn directly in their path.

  The beast snorted and reared up when it noticed the women. Muscles bunched and the sunlight shimmered on the ebony hide. Then the unicorn spun about on its rear hooves and Lil blinked in surprise as its color changed to something resembling a deep purple hue. In seconds, the unicorn thundered out of sight, leaving Lil a little breathless.

  “I feel like I just saw the original ‘Horse of a Different Color,’” Dana observed.

  “What is a horse of a different color?”

  “You know, from the Wizard of Oz.”

  “Oh, I’m afraid I don’t usually attend magic shows.”

  Lil couldn’t understand why Dana suddenly burst out laughing. Perhaps it was just all of the excitement. With a shrug, Lil redirected her attention toward Pravde. The owl circled high overhead, exploring the Garden in her own way. Lost in Pravde’s view, the sights were even more glorious than from the ground. The single snow-capped mountain proved much more temperate near the base. Lil observed double and triple waterfalls, generated from snowmelt at the lower elevations. She watched the paths as they reversed course or twined away in completely new and unpredictable ways. There wasn’t any sign of a T-Rex, but there were more than enough oddities to make up for it.

  Far away, Pravde honed in on an orchard so deeply green that near the shadows, portions of it appeared blue. Lusher than anything seen thus far, Lil silently encouraged Pravde to investigate. The owl plummeted down onto thermal currents in response to her prompting and Lil experienced the dive through their l
ink. She sensed Pravde’s thrill of flying and the sensation of freedom. Here, Pravde felt truly unhindered for the first time in her short life, without fear of a hunter’s bullet.

  Sharp eyes locked on a heavily foliaged tree that stood alone near a wide, perilous canyon. The tree seemed deliberately isolated, protected on one side by the gorge and distance from the balance of the forest. Its branches reached high and spread invitingly to all feathered creatures. Pravde lighted in the highest of perches, gazing downward to give Lil an unobstructed view. To her astonishment, this tree boasted multiple types of fruit upon a single bough.

  The Tree of Life.

  “This way.”

  Lil set off across the meadow, unconcerned with following any established path. Her singular goal of finding this tree was near at hand. As she strode through perfectly manicured grass an idea occurred to her with such force that Lil wondered that she hadn’t considered it before. She finally had the answer for her dilemma of living with and loving Dana or following through with her previous plan.

  “Wouldn’t it be safer to stay on the trail?”

  “No. They’re a distraction, meant to keep an intruder distracted and lost.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Lil kept moving, picking up speed until she practically ran. She could hear Dana’s panting breath, but couldn’t slow down now, not when they were so very close. As she expected, Lil eventually needed to cross over a trail, but she had not anticipated encountering a being she never thought she’d see again.

  “Asherah.”

  The hair like spun gold and eyes so like her own halted Lil in mid-stride. The dimples from continual laughter framed full lips. This smile had haunted her memories. The picture of feminine beauty housed in a slight frame took Lil’s breath away.

  “I’m pleased to see you made it, Lilith.”

  Asherah held her arms wide in invitation. Lil wanted to rush forward to be held in her mother’s embrace. She nearly followed that urge but was able to resist Asherah’s siren’s call when anger surfaced instead.

  “You could have stopped it. Had you stood up for me, I wouldn’t have been forced to leave. It’s all your fault.”

  Asherah shook her head and Lil felt her sadness and regret to her soul. “You know that isn’t true, but you were so young and I knew you could never understand.”

  “I’m not so young anymore. Tell me, what is it I couldn’t comprehend? That I am less because I am not male? That it is a mortal sin for a woman to refuse subservience?”

  “Lil!” Dana whispered urgently. She grasped Lil’s wrist. Dana was right to fear this creature wearing female flesh, but Lil would not be silenced.

  “What I do know is that women are just as important, perhaps more so than any man. Where a man speaks with his fists, a woman communicates with compassion. Women nurture while men compete! How could any god expect me to bow down to such creatures?”

  “All this time, my darling child, and still you do not see.”

  “I tire of this,” Lil snarled. “Stop me if you must. Strike me down or move aside.”

  “So you can retrieve the dagger and end your suffering? I’ll not hinder you, Lilith, but before you continue look to your companion. See the love in her eyes and ask yourself if life is so terrible.”

  Asherah’s request incited Lil further. “But that’s part of the problem, isn’t it? I’m not supposed to love another woman. That was made abundantly clear when I refused Adam.”

  “Is that why you believe you were banished?”

  “That is what I know and yet you went along with everything.”

  Lil allowed the pain in her heart to dictate her actions. She did love Dana, but wouldn’t allow Asherah to use her emotions against her. It was all just another distraction. Lil strode away from Asherah, heading off into the woods. Guilt pummeled at her conscience for speaking to Asherah as she had, but Lil remained determined.

  “Wait,” Dana said as they walked.

  When Lil refused to stop, Dana reached out and grabbed her wrist again. This time, Lil responded. She turned back to see tears staining Dana’s cheeks.

  “Hey, it’s all right.”

  Lil wrapped Dana in her arms and held her close, taking comfort as she always did from this woman’s embrace.

  “Did you mean what you said, about not loving me?”

  “That I’m not supposed to? Yes, but we don’t always do what we’re supposed to. Dana, no one has ever dictated who I care for and no one ever will.”

  Dana sniffled and relaxed against Lil, tightening her grip around Lil’s waist. “I’ve never seen you so angry. You can be a little intense.”

  “I’m sorry if I frightened you. I guess I’m not so different from everyone else after all.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Lil rested her chin atop Dana’s head, enjoying the feel of thick hair caressing her face. “Just that our parents have a way of bringing out extreme emotions.”

  Dana pulled back to gaze at Lil in surprise. “Asherah is your mom?”

  “In a sense. Come on, we should get moving. I don’t know if nightfall comes to the Garden, but I’d like to get closer to the Tree before it does.”

  “So you still intend to leave me.”

  Lil’s heart twisted in pain when she heard the disappointment and betrayal in Dana’s voice. She had felt the sting of treachery herself and never wanted to cause Dana that kind of hurt. Had she told Dana her ideas when they first occurred to her, they could have avoided this entire discussion. Instead, Lil had remained so fixated on her quest and being back inside the Garden that she put Dana’s feelings second to her own. That wouldn’t happen again.

  “No, I’m not going to leave you. In fact, I believe I’ve figured out a solution to our problem.”

  “What is it?”

  Lil squeezed Dana slightly, excited by what she’d decided. “I’m still going to get the dagger, that hasn’t changed.”

  “I sense a ‘but’ coming.”

  “But…I’m not going to use it, at least not yet. Did you mean what you said about wanting to be with me?”

  Dana smiled wide and said, “Of course I meant it. Are you saying you want to be with me, too? Like in a real relationship?”

  “What we have is real, I’d just like to formalize it. Would you come to live with me in Maine?”

  “In your castle?”

  Lil could only nod. It had been decades since she’d asked another woman to move in with her. She knew Dana cared for her, but wasn’t sure she’d agree to such an arrangement.

  “I’d love to.”

  Relief left her feeling weak, but Lil couldn’t allow such a wonderful moment to pass without demonstrating her joy. She captured Dana’s lips in a tender and loving kiss, taking the time to savor the woman she’d grown to love. There was something almost sacrilegious about kissing someone in the Garden of Eden and Lil thrilled at the idea.

  A warning rumble of thunder sounded from overhead. It was the first sign of stormy weather since they’d arrived.

  Dana pulled away and glanced overhead with a smile. “Sounds like someone might be offended.”

  “Tough.”

  Dana laughed at the simple comment. “Why, Lilith, I do believe you’re turning into a real girl.”

  “Who says I can’t learn to speak modern English?”

  “And I’m very impressed, but I do have a question. If you’ve decided you want a life with me after all, why go after the dagger? You don’t need it anymore.”

  Lil hesitated to respond. Dana wouldn’t like what she had to say next, but there could be no room for dishonesty between them. Love required full disclosure.

  “Because eventually, I will lose you. Hopefully, that won’t happen for decades, but it will come to pass. When that time comes, I will use the dagger.”

  “Lil, you can’t. I don’t want you to commit suicide just because I die. I’ll want you to go on, to find another love.”

  Lil shook her head, resolved in
her decision. “No, Dana. I didn’t expect to feel this way for you and yet I remained committed to finding the dagger. Imagine how much more resolute I shall be when I lose you.”

  “You say the sweetest things.”

  “I’m sorry, I know this isn’t very romantic. What I mean to say is that I love you, more than I have ever loved anyone. You can’t ask me to go on without you.”

  Dana cupped Lil’s cheek and kissed her lightly. “I have never felt so loved in my life.”

  “Then you understand why I must do this?”

  “Understand, yes, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  “Good, then we’re agreed.”

  Lil took Dana’s hand and they continued on, joined by the physical contact and the emotions in their hearts. A quick glance overhead convinced Lil that the sun was indeed moving. It would set in a few hours and she wanted to close the distance to their objective. If they were forced to spend the night here, they’d have to sleep on the ground with no provisions.

  “Are you hungry?” Dana asked, interrupting her thoughts.

  “I could eat.”

  “Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a diner open at the moment. Any ideas?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes. Let me talk with Pravde.”

  “Pravde? What can she do?”

  Lil stopped walking. “Just wait and see.”

  A brief communication was enough to wake the owl from her roost. In her mind’s eye, Lil could see the bird remove her head from under her wing and launch into flight.

  “She won’t be able to bring us much at a time, but I assure you that we’ll eat well.”

  “How bad could it be?” Dana asked with a shrug, though Lil thought she still looked worried. “People used to live off the land without grocery stores or restaurants.”

  “In some places, they still do.”

  Almost before she finished speaking, Lil heard a shrill cry from overhead. She looked up as Pravde swooped down toward them.

  “Get ready to catch.”

  “Huh?”

  Pravde released her cargo and two colorful pieces of fruit dropped into their hands. The bird had chosen a small bunch of sweet bananas and a massive red apple. They’d never have found an apple this size in any grocery store. Lil handed the apple to Dana and selected a banana for herself. She tucked the balance of the bunch into her elbow.