Story 0004 (Deep thinking required) - Consequences

This story was written by me as a paper project (For a communication Skills class I took) to show how actions have consequences even if it is generations apart. While I am no theologist, this story does have a biblical theme to it. Please read the bottom portion for a brief explanation on certain aspects of the story, with a useful link. Otherwise the story may not make too much sense..... :)
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Allon toiled hard with the hoe in the parched land. The dried weeds with their painful thorns cut deep into his dust caked skin. The hot merciless sun made his head-covering all but useless as the heat penetrated his head. The flies, attracted to the moisture of his sweat, made the chore even more miserable. He soon heard a voice calling out to him and he squinted at the distant source. Through the haze of the scorching heat, he noticed it was his oldest daughter. He sighed, knowing what she was calling him for. He put down his hoe and trudged towards his daughter, who had already turned around and was running back to the hut.

The lush green garden was peaceful, the gentle sun warming the fragrant breeze just right. The songs of brightly plumed birds filled the air, mingled with the chirps of the tiny baby birds. Snow-white rabbits hopped lazily in the lush grassy meadow, nibbling at the tender and juicy leaves. They stopped often to look at the beautiful birds flying under the clear blue skies and the antics of the monkeys frolicking in the fruit laden trees. The animals did not pay any attention to the man walking amongst the trees. The man reached up and picked out the choicest of fruits. He then proceeded to bite into it, the juice spurting onto his face. He devoured the fruit and picked another one. He looked around at his garden and beamed in happiness. He paused at the bottom of a beautiful tree that almost glowed in the bright sunlight. Its branches filled with glorious looking fruits. He looked at the tree, patted its trunk and walked on by.
The screams of his wife, undergoing labor, penetrated Allon’s soul. He wanted this to be a boy, but he knew wishing never worked, and had not worked the last six times. Soon he heard the familiar wailing of a baby and a few moments later, the midwife came outside with a small bundle and a beaming smile. Allon received the bundle, cautiously opened it and exclaimed in absolute joy. Soon, his daughters gathered around him to stare in admiration at their little brother. The man laid the child on his lap and stared curiously at the ragged birthmark, oddly shaped like a fig leaf, on the child’s right thigh.

The birds in the lush garden were atwitter with happiness and glee. They sang out the latest news about the gardener finding a mate. This was a wonderful day in the picturesque garden. It seems that the gardener had fallen into a deep sleep and when he awoke, a beautiful mate awaited him. The news carriers did not provide any more details, but did hint that the unusual glow of last evening and the wave of good feelings that washed every soul were related to the arrival.

Emmanuel woke up in his luxurious bed, stretched his chubby hands and clapped for his maids. Two nervous looking maids rushed to the bed with a cloth and a wash basin filled with warm scented water. Both the maids were new to the house and had heard terrible things about their master. Silently and with shaking hands they washed his face, and gave him an exotic cinnamon bark to chew on to clean his teeth. The bark was not fresh enough for him. He angrily knocked the wash basin, spilling warm water on one of the maids and threw the bark at the other. He cursed loudly, wishing he had ended the pregnancy of the maid who had left him for child birth, because she would not let things like this happen. He proceeded to the hot bath drawn by the cowering maids and took off his robe. As was his habit, he looked down at his right thigh and gently rubbed the fig leaf shaped birthmark, the mark passed on from generation to generation. His father possessed it, he possesses it, and his offspring will possess it.

None of the garden residents, save a beautifully plumed bird, saw the slithering reptile making its way through the meadow, towards the fruit grove. The bird looked in anguish as the snake slithered up the glowing tree and awaited the beautiful figure walking down the orchard path.
Upon seeing the birthmark, one of the maids quietly slipped out of the house and was soon running along the dusty road towards the village. Upon reaching the village, she proceeded to her brother’s hut. Spotting him sitting outside with the baby, she went to him and whispered into his ear. Her brother jumped up in anger, and grabbed a nearby axe and went inside the hut. The villagers soon saw Allon head out on the dusty road toward Emmanuel’s palace with a bloodied axe in his hand. Later in the day, Allon returned to the village and cast away the bloody ax, the ax anointed with the blood of two lovers. The only person saddened by the killings was Allon’s mistress. She now had to raise seven additional motherless children, and the three she already had with Allon, knowing fully well that the biblical prophecy will soon make her all alone in the world.

The bird watched in horror as the snake talked to the beautiful lady in a smooth, slippery voice. While the bird could not make out the conversation, she squawked in horror as the lady picked a fruit from the tree and bit into it. The bird continued squawking as the lady picked another fruit off the tree and walked towards her partner resting under another tree. The hapless squawking bird watched as the distant figures ate the fruit, unaware of the shape slithering towards her. The darkening skies scared the animals of the garden, and the lightning and thunder sent them scurrying into their lairs. The crystal clear blue skies had turned and the sun disappeared.

Allon’s children watched him in shock, as the third jug of wine disappeared into him. He was thoroughly drunk and began cursing loudly at his fate and humanity’s fate. His anger soon turned towards the weakness of his great grandmother. If she had not been tempted to taste the forbidden fruit, things would have been so different. His great grandmother was Eve.


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The mark of cain is weaved into the story. The mark of cain is supposed to be a sign that shows up in the descendants of Cain, and anyone who harms a "marked" person will have vengeance visit them 7 times over. Ironically Cain was cursed by God for killing his brother Abel (both are children of Adam and Eve) but upon appeal by Cain, God put a mark on him and his descendants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_and_mark_of_Cain