Fertile waves of grain sway in the gentle breeze sweeping across the plains. As he works in that field he thanks God for this breeze because the sun beats down from overhead like hell from above. He tills the soil and sighs, wiping his brow with a small white cloth made of animal hide, given to him by his mother. He looks up to see a younger version of himself in the wavering heat, carrying two clay pots by handles, one in each hand. The younger dark haired man walks up to the larger man and smiles humbly.

"Thirsty, brother?"

At first he continues to work, tilling the section of land upon which he works. Upon finishing his last bit of work he looks at his younger brother and exhales a deep breath. His muscles are tired, tight, and glistening with sweat. His skin is darkened by the midday sun, body exposed by his loin cloth. He smirks.

"Do your beasts of burden defecate in an open field, Abel?"

"Well yes Cain, you know they do. Why do you ask?"

Cain shakes his head.

"Yes, I am quite parched brother."

Abel offers his brother a clay pot and Cain chugs the cold fresh water down, droplets falling onto his chiseled, hairy chest. Cain sighs again and looks up at the blue sky, then back at his brother. There is nothing wrong with him at all. Nothing abnormal about his appearance.

"Thank you brother. Tis' a beautiful day God has given us, is it not?"

Abel takes note of there not being a cloud in the sky and nods, sipping from his own clay pot. Big brother is right, as always.

"Yes brother, God is good. He has given you land which produces food for our family, and he's given me such beautiful beasts. So healthy. The sky is beautiful today, brother."

The two admire the scenery for a moment, Cain wiping sweat from his fuzzy black brow. Things are good now. He has a happy family. Fertile land. Three young wives, all his sisters. This is the custom, mind you. His eyes narrow as his thoughts move to tonight's ceremony. A sacrificial ceremony for the favor of the father, God. He looks to Abel.

"I do hope the father takes favor on our sacrifices tonight, Abel."

"Why wouldn't he, brother?"

Cain thinks about this for a moment as Abel looks worried. After all, the two toil and work tirelessly for his favor. In this time of simplicity, there are no irrigation systems. There are no special tools, no tractors. They just do what they can to please him. Cain reaches into the seed pouch at his side and begins spreading seeds onto the land, covering it with his bare feet, soles rough from working barefoot everyday since he was eight.

"Because, the harvest wasn't that great this year. Not as plentiful as usual, and you know we need bread. But father requires a large bit of my crops,, and I fear if I give so much unto him then we'll not eat. We'll all starve."

Abel sighs. He doesn't like hearing this type of talk from big brother, but deep down he knows it to be true. He shakes those thoughts off because he legitimately believes that God can read his mind. He smiles to his hard working brother as Cain spreads more seeds.

"Nonsense brother. Even if that were the situation, then God would still provide. He always has and always will, my brother. Remember that and take heart."

Cain exhales as he stands up, dusting his rough, scarred hands the dirty wafting through the air in the wind.

"I certainly pray that you are right, brother."

Abel smiles proudly.

"I know I am, brother! You need not worry, God is good!"

He just nods as Abel says this, his muscles aching as he begins tilling another plot of land. More land prepared for the next harvest because he knows what must be done.

"If you say so, Abel."

Abel nods and pats his brother on the shoulder.

"Take heart and take care, brother. I will see you later during the ceremony. I still have yet to choose my prized calf."

Cain looks up at him and chuckles.

"Brother, take care. Even if you *are* a procrastinator!"

The two share a laugh before Abel finally walks off toward his part of the fields to tend his cattle. Cain on the other hand continues to toil in the fields. As he works, he comes closer to the forbidden garden. He stops himself as he remembers the stories his parents recounted to him about flaming swords, and vengeful archangels. Fear showing in his eyes, he turns away from the lush green garden and begins to walk away. But as he walks, he hears a hissing.

"Sssson of Adam."

He stops in his tracks, hand tightening on his stone gardening tool. He thinks about turning around but decides against it as he continues walking. He then hears it again.

"Ssssssssson of Adam. Lissssten to me."

He's heard the tales of serpents. He's been told things of them such as how they are creatures of Satan himself himself. Lucificer, the fallen angel. However, his parents never told him that they could speak.

His curiosity getting the better of him, he turns. He sees nothing there, and placing his hand on his brow he looks closer for the source of the voice. He calls out almost in a whisper, fear gripping him.

"Who's there?"

He feels something rub against his foot and looks down, jumping with a start. A long black snake coils around his feet, seemingly looking up at him.

"Sssssson of Adam, if I may pleassse have a moment of your time. We have much to disssscusssss."

He looks at the creature, eyes wide.

"I....I...."

The serpent seemingly chuckles.

"What'ssss wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

"N...no...father's cat is in the tent, and my tongue is in my mouth."

"Ssssurely you sssspeak not of God, do you young Cain?"

Of course he doesn't. He speaks of none other than his "dad" Adam, who's teachings have made him well versed in the ways of a farmer. He smiles proudly.

"Of course not. God is merely my loving creator, serpent. Now if you will excuse me, I must finish planting my seeds. Then I have to bring in the harvest for tonight."

"Sssso much to do, yesss?"

The naive Cain grabs his stone blade and slashes down what he has growing from the ground, ignoring the serpent for the time being. The grain fell to the ground easily, along with droplets of sweat falling from the enormous Jew. Once again the snake coils around Cain's feet and almost trips him up.

"Gah! Would you please stop, serpent! I am trying to get done!"

The serpent snickers. Cain feels a new feeling boiling up in his chest. It's a feeling he is unfamiliar with, as one might imagine. Such feelings are unheard of as the lord blesses his children. Right? Cain just shakes his head and jabs his blade into the ground, loading the grain onto the back of his last ass. The other died a month ago. He's keeping the jaw bone though. Using it as his scythe.

"Sssseemssss unfair, doesssn't it?"

Cain tilts his head.

"What do you mean, serpent?"

"Where issss your loving creator right now? Why doesss he remain invisible while you work sssso hard to appease him? Hmmm sssseemsss he ssshould at leassst have let both of your asssssesss live. Oh, but what of your brother? Where issss he? Why doesssn't he help you?"

Cain has to think of that for a moment. But he then shakes his head.

"F-father has given me everything I have ever needed. I need not see him to know that he is there, serpent."

"Isss that so? Then why mussst you work out here in thisss sssweltering heat? Why mussst your brother Abel get to feed hisss cattle twice a day and ssspend the ressst of said day with hisss wife and your parentsss? Don't you sssee how they ssswoon over their baby boy? And what of God? Doesss he ssshow you anymore love than he doesss Abel?"

Cain starts to open his mouth.

"You know I am right, ssson of Adam."

"But..."

"Jussst imagine it. Ssssooner or later, even God will betray you. Jusssst looked at how your brother isss ssspoiled."

Cain looks down as the serpent slithers away, the sun beginning to move further toward the end of the world. He sat down on a nearby rock and furrows his brow in thought as he does. As much as he hated to entertain these thoughts he could see what the serpent saw.

For sixteen years he's watched as his brother was given every opportunity. He's seen his mother and father spoil Abel from the moment he could walk, yet he has been working from the moment he could walk. He felt something that he was unfamiliar with once more, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

He shakes his head and stands.

"Crazy snake..."

Even he hears the uncertainty in his voice.

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