Chapter 1

I looked as beautiful as ever. The sun t was a very cool afternoon and all was shining, the birds singing and the leaves on the trees were dancing to the gentle blowing breeze. Evelyn

Beauty stood by the tall big tree that had always caught her fancy since she found herself in this beautiful garden. There should be something strange about this tree, she wondered to herself.

Since she had been in this garden, everything seemed so mystical. It is the most beautiful garden she had ever seen, heard, or read about all of her life. The flowers are beautiful, the lawns well mowed, the grasses green, the pets cool and lovely, and the general outlay welcoming and enticing. Everything just seemed to her like a piece of art that can never be real.

Much more than the aesthetics, glamour, and beauty of the place which was beyond description in human words, her major wonder is how she got in there. This is another mystery waiting to be unfolded. She just woke up one morning and found herself lying naked under the shadow of a tree. This was all she could remember.

"Good morning beautiful princess, it is my great pleasure to meet you", a young husky voice had said behind her as she lay there wondering what on earth she was doing under a tree, naked. She had looked back and saw a very handsome man at the prime of his youth, beaming with a smile, with an outstretched hand, waiting to receive hers.

"My name is Adams Strong", he introduced himself as he helped her to her feet. Evelyn ran a quick check on this newly found friend, warning herself to be careful of trusting strangers. He looked well fed, fair in complexion with curly hair, smart and agile. He looked really handsome with strong arms and his tummy was lined with six well defined packs.

She looked into his eyes and it seemed there was fire in them, burning through all the veins in her system. Could this be true, she was falling in love with a stranger? Love at first sight or whatever it is called, she seemed to be at peace comfortably with the presence of this stranger.

"Are you okay?" She was brought back to her senses from the world of fantasies by that same voice she is now beginning to get used to, the husky voice of Adams Strong. It is the third time she has heard that voice in the past few minutes. It is the only voice she has heard since she found herself under that tree.

"Are you okay?" Adams Strong repeated.

"Oh yes, I am". She managed to say. "Just a little bit tired and need some water", she added.

"I feel some more rest will do for you." Adams Strong confessed in his husky voice. "But first, let me get you some water", he said as he turned to leave.

Evelyn Beauty tried to help herself up but discovered it was not that easy. Her legs were shaky, as though they had never been used before. She leaned on her elbow and drag herself up, resting her back on the big tree beside her. She watched Adams Strong as he returns with a cup of water in his hands. He was naked, but not ashamed. Then she remembered she was naked too. What could be happening?

"Here you can have the cup of water", Adams Strong said as he stretched his hands to give the cup of water to her.

Evelyn Beauty received it without either looking at him or saying thank you. Rather, she replied with a barrage of questions, as though she was not expecting any answer to the questions.

"Where am I"?

"How did I get here?"

"What am I doing here?"

"How can I get out of here?"

"I do not have the answer to all of your questions, but I will answer the ones I can. The ones I cannot answer, we will ask Mr. Gracious Being whenever He comes." Adam submitted.

"Gracious Being? Who is He?" She inquired.

"I guess He is the owner of the garden. He placed me here to take care of the garden and tender it. He is the only one I have seen around here apart from the animals before your arrival." He answered.

Adams Strong casted his mind back to the first day he also found himself under the same tree in the beautiful garden. He remembered how strangely, though beautiful, the place looked. He had been very lonely and had been praying for a companion. Evelyn was lucky to have seen a companion like him on her first arrival, he thought to himself. On his own arrival, there was no one that looked like him to welcome him. All the company he had were just the animals and the birds of the air.

"This place is called Eden East Gardens, and it is the most beautiful place on earth. I have not been here for too long too. The place is a private garden. It belongs to Mr. Gracious Being but He promised to give it to me if I take care of it well enough. He has placed me in charge of everything in the garden, living or non-living. He comes around every evening to play with me, keep me company and supervise all that I have done. What I don‟t know is if He will be coming today, knowing fully well that I have another company already." He explained to Evelyn who now has garnered enough strength to stand on her feet, although still resting her back on the tree.

"Have you told Him I am around"? She inquired with a surprised look on her face.

"No, I have not!" He answered nonchalantly, as though he really did not have to.

"How then can you conclude that he is aware of my coming?" She probed further.

"You do not understand, Gracious Being always have his way of knowing things. I can bet it with you, He already knows." "Oh my goodness! What else do you think He will know about me? Can he help me with who I am, or perhaps tell me where I came from?"

"I guess He can, but I do not know if He will want to." He shrugged as he speaks. "I really would like to meet him. I pray he comes again today."

"I cannot guarantee you that He will come today, but I know He will come soon". He confessed, stretching out his hand in a manner that shows he wanted her to put hers in it.

This is the second time he is doing this,

Evelyn thought to herself. The first time, few minutes ago, she had turned down his handshake because she could not trust him. This time around, she felt she could not reject this offer since he looks harmless and inviting. More so, he is fun to be with.

She stretched her left hand to receive his right hand and the ten fingers locked in each other. She felt a strange sensation pass through her again and wondered if this could really be what she thought it is. Is she falling in love with this Prince Charming? Only time will tell.

"I cannot wait to see him?" She managed to utter out between her lips after she summoned enough courage to speak. "You will very soon, there is no doubt about that."

"Please tell me, what does he look like, tall or short, fat or slim, light or dark, …

… …"

"You seem to love asking questions?" Adams cuts her short, still holding to her hands. He also seems to be developing an increasing love for her since the first time he saw her under that tree. He has never seen anything as beautiful as she looked before.

"I have not even started asking, I have a lot more to ask. I cannot remember anything about myself, even my own name. Why will I not ask questions?" She poured out her mind.

"Okay. We will take it one at a time. Your name will be called, hmmmm, Evelyn Beauty!". He said after thinking for a while.

"Evelyn Beauty?" She looked surprised as she called the name again after him.

"Yes. Evelyn Beauty". He said emphatically.

He had given her the name Evelyn Beauty because of her great looks and wonderful shape. This is the second time he will be giving names to creatures. One of the first major tasks that Mr. Gracious Being gave him is that of giving names to all of the creations in the garden. The first few ones looked tasking for him, but after a while, the names flowed more easily. Mr. Gracious Being was so pleased with all of the names he had given each of the creatures brought to him. This gave him confidence in himself. This was why he could give her a name he feels is appropriate for her – Evelyn Beauty.

"Why did you pick that? I never heard that name before?" She queried. "As long as you have no objections to it, permit me to call you that." He pleaded.

"What other options do I have? I don‟t know my name, and cannot remember any other name that fascinates me so much that I want to answer, and you are magnanimous enough to help out with a name that sounds so sweet, why would I want to reject it?" Evelyn Beauty explained, reasoning aloud, talking more to herself than to the man who is still standing by her side.

Adams Strong squeezed her fingers lightly to show his pleasure with her acceptance of the name.

"Thanks for the name". She replied his gesture with a wide smile.

He caught a glimpse of her set of teeth as she smiled. They all looked so clean and bright, as though they have never been used before now. He wondered, could his own set of teeth also had been like that the very first day he came to the realization of himself. He also had a number of unanswered questions:

Who is his father?

Who is his mother?

What brought him here?

For how long would he stay here?

And the greatest question of all is, what is so special about the tree? He has kept away from the tree since the day Mr. Gracious Being asked him not to eat of its fruits. Will Evelyn Beauty also keep away from it, or would she eat from it? What would happen if she decides to eat from it? Will she surely die?

"I said thanks for the name", Evelyn Beauty said for the second time, breaking into his thought line. "You are welcome," he said reluctantly

"You seem to be lost in thought", she observed. "What could be bothering you?" Evelyn Beauty inquired. "Oh, never bother. It is a minor issue."

"I care to know". She replied

"It is none of your business, at least now", he snapped back at her. "I take that as an insult", she said with a frown on her face, looking downcast. She looked more beautiful with a frown, he observed. "My humble apologies. I did not mean to insult you. Just being careful."

"Being careful of what?"

"You won‟t understand"

"Okay then, would you please tell me what is bothering you?" She asked again.

"Please, I really will like to know."

"If you insist."

"I insist."

"Okay, I promise to tell you, but that will be later in the day."

"Why not now?"

"Because you look tired and fagged out. Some good rest will do for you. There are four big rivers around this garden: Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrates. You choose one and I will take you there, you have a cold bath in the hot sun, and then retire to have some rest. Then later in the evening we will talk about the issue." Adams Strong explained, trying to get her attention from the issue that is bothering him. "That sounds like a good plan. I think I need the bath, and then the rest."

"Great then! Choose one of the four rivers where you would like to have your first bath in Eden East Gardens?"

"I don‟t know any of them."

"I just told you their names a while ago." "You don‟t expect me to cram those names. They don‟t sound like anything I have heard before in all of my life". All of my life? She wondered to herself. How long or how short the all is, she really cannot remember. Her head is just blank.

"Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrates," he repeated again, not knowing she was long cut off from the discussion.

"I think I will go with the last one, Eu… Euf… Euph…," she stammered while trying to call the name. She really has not mastered names. It is the first name she is meant to memorize aside the name of her new found friend - Adams Strong, the owner of Eden East Gardens – Mr.

Gracious Being, and her own name – Evelyn Beauty.

"Euphrates?" He helped her with the word.

"Whatever you call it."

"That is great! You won‟t believe it, that is my favourite too. You will love it. Just that it is so close to that tree."

"Which tree?"

"Oh, never bother."

"You seem to be hiding so much from me. Am I sure am safe with you?" "Oh yes, you are. It is still about the issue I want to discuss with you later in the day."

"I cannot wait to hear it."