\u21d2\u65e5\u672c\u8a9e\u30da\u30fc\u30b8\u306f\u3053\u3061\u3089\u3092\u30af\u30ea\u30c3\u30af\u3057\u3066\u306d\uff01<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nNearly two weeks had passed in Eden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One morning, Natsuki woke up in Adam and Eve\u2019s home.
Adam went out to work by himself.
In the morning, Natsuki spent her time chatting and making little accessories with the Director and Eve.
They laughed and talked, and the time passed quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the afternoon, the three of them walked toward the lower part of the Gihon River, where Adam was working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As they passed near the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Central Garden, Natsuki noticed something unusual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A large green snake was wrapped around a tree branch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh! A green snake!\u201d Eve said.
She walked closer with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eve\u2019s hair was braided into many long plaits.
Beautiful flowers\u2014red, yellow, blue, white, purple, and pink\u2014were tucked into her hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Natsuki and the Director tried to stop Eve, but no sound came out.
Their bodies felt stiff, as if they were frozen in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHello, Eve. How are you?\u201d the green snake said.
Its voice sounded gentle and kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, Green Snake! It\u2019s been a long time,\u201d Eve said happily.
\u201cI\u2019m well today. How about you? Where have you been?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been traveling all over the land,\u201d the snake replied.
\u201cI am quite busy. God has given me work too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI see,\u201d Eve said.
\u201cWe are both busy, then.
Oh! Let me introduce you to my new friends. They are snakes like you.
Oh\u2026 they\u2019re not here. Maybe they went ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eve did not seem to see Natsuki or the Director standing nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs it really okay to touch the fruit of this tree?\u201d Eve asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said the snake.
\u201cGod did not say anything to me.
I can touch it, and even eat it.
In fact, I can speak like this because I ate this fruit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh,\u201d Eve said softly.
\u201cSo it gives wisdom.
I want to be wiser too, so I can help Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell,\u201d the snake said calmly,
\u201cI don\u2019t think eating it would cause death.
Absolutely not.
Look at me\u2014I am alive and well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eve looked closely at the fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No, don\u2019t eat it,<\/em> Natsuki tried to say.
But her voice would not come out, like in a dream where you try to shout but cannot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cIt smells nice,\u201d Eve whispered.
\u201cJust touching the branch should be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please don\u2019t,<\/em> the Director tried to cry.
But she could only move her tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThen Natsuki noticed something strange.
The green snake\u2019s mouth was not moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It isn\u2019t really talking,<\/em> Natsuki realized.
Someone else is using it\u2026 like a puppet.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThat must be Satan,<\/em> the Director answered quietly in her mind.
He was once a good angel, but he became proud and jealous.
Now he lies and tries to trick others.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nEve slowly reached out and touched the fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo!\u201d Natsuki finally cried.
\u201cStop, Eve!\u201d the Director shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suddenly, the green snake slid down from the tree and crept toward them.
Its gentle face twisted into anger.
It raised its head and opened its mouth wide, showing sharp teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just as the snake was about to bite Natsuki\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A loud rush of wings filled the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A great eagle flew down from the sky.
With strong claws, it grabbed the green snake and lifted it high.
The eagle flapped its wings powerfully and flew far away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWelcome!\u201d a clear voice echoed from the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At last, Natsuki and the Director could move again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They turned and saw Eve biting into the fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEve! Stop!\u201d they cried.
But it was too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eve took one bite.
Nothing happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She tilted her head and took another bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Natsuki and the Director hurried toward her, but Eve could not see them.
She could not hear their voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAdam\u2026\u201d Eve whispered.
Her face looked empty as she walked away, holding the fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe couldn\u2019t stop her,\u201d the Director said softly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As evening came, a gentle breeze blew through Eden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adam and Eve were hiding among the trees.
Adam covered himself with fig leaves, no longer proud and strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then a voice came from heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAdam, where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was afraid because I was naked,\u201d Adam answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho told you that you were naked?\u201d the voice asked.
\u201cDid you eat the fruit I told you not to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe woman you gave me gave me the fruit,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEve, why did you do this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe snake tricked me,\u201d Eve replied in a small voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then the voice from heaven said mysterious words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe child of the woman will crush the snake\u2019s head,
and the snake will strike the child\u2019s heel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later, the Director spoke gently to Natsuki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe cannot change the past,\u201d she said.
\u201cBut God has not given up on people.
One day, what was lost will be returned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Natsuki nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMm-hmm. Yes, that\u2019s right,\u201d Natsuki said softly.
\u201cGod doesn\u2019t tell lies. My mom told me that when she read Bible Stories<\/em> to me.
She said that no matter what happens, it\u2019s important to trust God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nNatsuki pressed her lips together tightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Director\u2019s red shoes and Natsuki\u2019s sneakers were lying in the grass, just as they had been when they arrived.
The two of them climbed onto their own big shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before they knew it, a white sliding door stood right in front of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll right, we\u2019ll open it now,\u201d said the Director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Natsuki stayed silent and leaned her face close to the handle.
The loud sound of bird wings filled her ears.
Together, the Director and Natsuki opened the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A bright light shone out, and Natsuki quickly closed her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When she opened them again, she was standing in a tatami room, holding one sneaker in her hand.
She had hands and feet again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beside her stood the Director, wearing a light blue dress and holding her red shoes.
She was smiling gently at Natsuki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From a perch nearby, a green parrot called out in a cheerful voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWelcome back!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Natsuki put on her sneakers and stepped down onto the dirt floor.
She spoke to the rose-ringed parakeet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m home. You were the one who turned into a big eagle and saved us, weren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As if answering her, the parrot puffed out its chest and cried, \u201cWelcome!\u201d in a high voice.
It spread its wings straight out and pretended to fly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u25c6<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After closing the glass door of the shop, Natsuki stepped outside and peeked into the Japanese sweets shop next door.
Just then, her mother came out, holding a bag of treats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNatsuki, sorry to keep you waiting. Did you have to wait long?
I couldn\u2019t decide what to buy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, not at all,\u201d Natsuki said.
\u201cI was just looking around the nearby shops.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDid you find anything nice?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Natsuki answered with a smile.
\u201cI was just looking. But it was really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Natsuki took one of her mother\u2019s bags and started walking along happily.
The sign of the detective agency appeared on her right.
In the back of the antique shop next door, a middle-aged man with thinning hair was sitting and letting out a big yawn.
A black rotary phone sat in front of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then a young woman\u2019s voice was heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDad, today\u2019s souvenir is fruit. Look\u2014fruit you\u2019ve never seen before!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was the Director\u2019s voice.
The man let out a high-pitched \u201cOh!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That Director\u2026 she really did bring back fruit from Eden,<\/em> Natsuki thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cHahaha!\u201d
Natsuki laughed without thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d her mother asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, nothing,\u201d Natsuki said.
\u201cI was just remembering something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a bright, clear smile, Natsuki looked up at her mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc\u30fc<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u21d2Leave a comment please!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u21d2\u65e5\u672c\u8a9e\u30da\u30fc\u30b8\u306f\u3053\u3061\u3089\u3092\u30af\u30ea\u30c3\u30af\u3057\u3066\u306d\uff01 Nearly two weeks had passed in Eden. One morning, Natsuki woke up in Adam and Eve\u2019s home. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-short-novels"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t