Rebellion of the Suitable Helper
“Evie, would you mind bringing me a cider, and a fresh bowl of apple sauce for Franklin? Oh, and don’t forget to peel the apples before you mash them!”
It took everything for her not to break the skin of her palms with her nails as her fists clenched. Of course she minded. Of course she knew to peel the apples first. She was his wife, not his servant. At least, that was the understanding that she had of their arrangement, as explained by the charming old man with the long, white beard and gentle eyes, who created them. Why couldn’t her partner ever look at her with a look of affection and concern that those deep eyes were capable of?
“Coming, darling!” she shouted meekly from the stream where she sat washing the wooden dishes from breakfast. “It’s not like I was doing anything else,” she mumbled sarcastically under her breath. “Pfft,” she snorted, “not even noon and he’s already drinking. It’s going to be a long day.”
“Why do you have to be so handsome?” she quipped, setting the mug of cider besides him with an exaggerated bow.
“Thank you, my dear,” his chest visibly puffing up as he answered her.
Eve had meant the comment as an honest inquiry. At times she couldn’t stand how handsome he really was. It was a constant reminder of her weakness. It was hard despising the man who treated her like a servant while there was this constant, almost animalistic attraction towards him. Even at her most bitter, she could barely keep her hands off him. If only he were as fat and slobbish as he acted, maybe then she could act as strong and independent as she felt inside, and longed to act.
She could barely contain a chuckle at his arrogance as she laid the large bowl of applesauce in front of the wolf pup, Franklin, whom her husband treated like an honored guest at a celebration. “This thing is going to get fat if you keep feeding it sugary junk like this.” Said Eve, with more sarcasm than usual.
“He’s fine!” Adam waved his arms above his head in a grand gesture. “And seriously, Eve, stopping calling him ‘it.’ Franklin is a part of our family.” He took a long drag of his wooden pipe and let the thick white smoke creep from the corners of his lips as he patted the pup on the head.
Eve’s nails took their familiar place deep in her palms. If she received even a fraction of the playful affection that the animals of the garden constantly got from Adam, maybe she wouldn’t feel this twisting in her stomach.
“Well, my darling, you enjoy watching the lions and deer play. I’m going to go finish washing the dishes and prepare supper.”
Her loathing overflowed.
As soon as she was out of Adam’s sight, the emotions came tumbling out of her in wet, snotty sobs. “I don’t need him. Just because he was made first, he thinks he can control me. Am I supposed to just constantly drop whatever I’m doing to dote on his every whim? I’m strong, creative, and fully capable of doing anything that he could do. Probably better than he could. Men!” She snorted through her tears.
“It’s because he’s afraid,” a soft, slightly sensual voice whispered.
Despite the entrancing subtle sweetness of the voice, Eve couldn’t help but cringe.
“Afraid of what?” she stammered.
“Of you, my beautiful girl. Your strength, your independence. It makes him feel small, knowing that you don’t really need him at all. So, naturally, he does what he can to control you. Making sure that your only function in life is to serve him has worked so far, hasn’t it?”
“No, he doesn’t get to me! It’s not true. I know that I’m strong…” she trailed off, realizing that despite what was in her head, it was true. She had never done anything to actually gain any amount of independence.
“You see?” the voice hissed.
Eve gasped as she felt something smooth wrap around her ankle, and begin to slowly circle its way up her leg. She had never seen a creature like this before. It was long and covered in scales like that of a lizard, but without legs. Its head had two horn-like protrusions above it’s yellow eyes, which shone like the sun dancing on a rushing stream.
She shuddered as a forked tongue flicked across the soft skin of her leg. “You see?”
“But…what can I possibly do?” she asked, her voice barely audible. “I feel so…so helpless.”
“It’s very simple, my darling. The tree.”
Eve immediately knew which tree he was referring to. The tree. Adam had made quite a show of making sure she understood she was forbidden from eating from this one tree, as if her tiny brain wasn’t capable of understanding if he only said it once, or with even a shred of respect in his voice. “What about it?”
“Make him eat from the tree. Make him break his own rule. Make him disappoint the Maker. Then, he’ll finally understand what it is to feel like a failure. Helpless, weak, and alone. Turn the tables, my dear. You possess everything that you need to persuade him. Use your mind, body, and unshakable will to crush him.”
Eve felt electrified. She could almost taste the sweetness of liberation. Every inch of her skin tingled as she began to put details to the serpent’s scheme.
Adam is a drunk, it shouldn’t be hard to convince him to eat of the tree if I simply ferment the fruit and make his favorite cider. Then, if I turned up the charm, he’ll be putty in my hands with one playful glance and a vulnerable bite of my bottom lip. She surprised herself with how malicious her thoughts were.
“Alright, show me the tree.” she said, a new sense of confidence in her voice.
