Remembrance of Eve *NANOWRIMO13*

Chapter 10

The next day was busy. Adam had to choose an animal to sacrifice. Our herds of sheep and goats was not so large that Jehovah demanded one of these, for now. He did expect an animal sacrifice, but for now we were allowed to find an animal from the forest. Adam walked out alone, looking for an animal, one who would give itself as a sacrifice. I stayed near our house. I cleaned our sacred garments, his were to be used only when performing his sacred Priestly duties. Mine were to be used as I joined him at the sacrificial altar. This was the same altar we had built when we first left Eden.

I prepared some oats, rye, and wheat that we had harvested in the past few days, sprinkling them with some rosemary and mint. This grain stew would be ready to eat when we had completed the sacrifice. I placed apples and breadfruit in the coals of the stove fire, as an addition for our meal after. I prepared new water bags for the sacrifice, and refilled our other water bags with fresh water. I gathered enough of the soap plant to bathe a large animal, as well as Adam and myself. Then I found my coal basket, made of strong, green palm fronds, one I had prepared to take fire with us. This would not burn through while carrying the fire coals. Carefully, I took three coals from the oven, using long sticks, and placed them into the basket. Now, I was ready. I sat calmly to wait. While waiting, my song filled my mind. Maybe it be right to sing it at the sacrificial ceremony.

Adam returned, a young red bullock following him.

“We have our sacrifice. This young bullock agreed to participate. Please help me take him down stream for a bath.”

I picked up the basket of soap plant and spoke to the bullock.“Follow me, please.” He nuzzled my shoulder, and followed us to the stream. Though he was young, he was tall, nearly as tall as me, and quite wide. I hoped that Adam would be able to get him onto the altar, but he always seemed to be able to do it. I scrubbed his face and front shoulders, while Adam scrubbed his back and back legs.

“Oh Bullock,” he cried. “Do not hit me in the face with your tail.”

I laughed. “Oh, no. Please do not flap that tail in his face.”

The bullock looked at me, his eye twinkled, as if to say, ‘I know I should not, but he tickled my leg.’

“Do not tickle his leg, Adam, then he will not flip you with his tail.”

“No more tickling for me. We are finished. He is clean. Now, time for us.”

The bullock followed us to our bathing pool, but seemed to know that he should not wade into the water. He stood, watching us clean our bodies. This bath did not include the usual splashing and play. We were preparing for sacred things. We were soon clean, and walked back to our house, the bullock following. We dressed in our waiting sacred clothing. The bullock followed us as we walked silently up the hill to the alter. He gently butted his head into mine, then Adam’s hand, seeking our petting. He was a gentle young animal. He knew his future, yet he continued on with us.

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It did not take as long as I had supposed to reach the altar. The bullock had walked silently with us, and now stepped up onto the altar and lay down. Adam took his long slender knife, and cut the bullock’s throat. His sacrifice was like the other sacrifices. We were sad, but this was required of the Lord. We had promised to be obedient. This was hard to understand, but we obeyed.

After the sacrifice, we knelt at the altar, giving thanks to Father for all we had. Adam remembered to thank Him for the little one within me. I, too, felt great thanks. The little one seemed to add gratitude, as it kicked me. Adam then asked for help. He prayed that we would be able to discern a means to write things down.

A voice came from the direction of Eden, again it was Jehovah. “You have not spent enough time thinking and trying something new. You must work your brain as well as your body. I am sure you can find an answer to this question. Keep thinking, keep working. You will discover the answer soon.”