Eden raced through the new garden as God finished making everything—trees, flowers, rivers, and animals tumbling past.
God placed Eden in the garden and gave him one rule: "Do not eat from the Tree of Knowledge." Eden pointed. "Not that one."
Eden walked around the tree, admiring its bright fruit without touching it. A serpent curled along a branch and whispered, "Did God really say that?"
Eden reached toward the fruit, then pulled his hand back as a leaf went fwap! against his nose.
Eden took the fruit and bit. Crack! He gave some to Eve, and she bit too.
Suddenly the garden seemed strange. Eden and Eve hid among the rustling leaves as God called, "Where are you?"
Eden stepped out slowly and admitted what happened.
God sent Eden and Eve out of the garden, and the gate closed behind them.
Eden looked back at the trees, flowers, rivers, and the Tree of Knowledge, then lowered the fruit and whispered, "I should have trusted God."
Outside the garden, Eden and Eve walked together beneath the wide sky while God still watched over them.
Eden reached for Eve's hand, and together they began again.
One careful step, one honest word, one choice at a time.
