A talk with Adam and Eve

The large, majestic lion sat sunning himself in the open field, comfortable and completely at peace with the world around him. That is until I landed a few inches from his perplexed face, seemingly out of the blue. One minute I wasn't there, and the next I was, close to a field where workers were clearing the ground for crop, half naked loin cloth wearing workers, who I didn't really see at first. All I saw was this huge lion.

The lion blinked his eyes in surprise, staring at me, his tail swishing back and forth. He must have been wondering where this silly human had suddenly appeared from, popping up right in front of him. I could almost hear the gastric juices being generated by the thoughts of his midday meal being handed to him on a platter. He stuck his tongue out and licked his licks. I knew that I was surely going to die. He didn't really seem to be in a hurry though, to leap up and partake of my trembling, opportune fast-food delivery. I stood there petrified like a shimmering rock in the bright sunlight, uncertain of what to do.

Whether he was bored or confused, I'm not sure, but he lifted his head and roared mightily. My feet suddenly found wings. I ran like the devil himself was chasing me.

"Stop, why are you running. I'm not chasing you". A voice said loudly.

I glanced behind me. The large lion had not moved, he was still sitting there idly, just passing the time of day.

I stopped running and took a quick look around for a body to place the voice that I had just heard. There was not a single person close by. In all the confusion and fright, I had forgotten the Time Machine hovering above my head. I could simply have asked to be portalled back up. I glanced up to make sure it was still there, though cloaked from view, and only visible to me because of the special removable nano lens in my eyes.

"Come on back here and talk to me". The lion said.

I squinted my eyes, trying to see further in the distance, feeling a bit ridiculous for thinking that the lion was the speaker.

"Yes, I am talking to you. Why are you surprised, we talk to people all the time". This was news to me.

I inched closer, step by step, fully expecting the beast to come ripping into my flesh at any moment.

"Now, that's better. Thank you, I can see you better now". He said.

The lips moved in a curious half opened mouth kind of way, curling a bit around the words, but yes, the lion was definitely talking to me. Far in the distance I then saw the partially naked people working in the field, planting seeds, it appeared. Well, if he didn't eat them, why would he bother with the fully clothed person standing there in front of him, I thought.

Closing my eyes, I tried to will myself to wake up. I remember climbing aboard the Time machine Aquarian Dawn on September 19, 2122, in New York Harbour. People had come to see us off, it was our maiden voyage into time travel for this particular invention, there had been three more prior to this one in the new Free State of United States. They had left from here, but had never returned. This time we were hopeful.

I had been all fired up about returning to my ancestral homeland to change the course of my people's history. My plan had been to arrive just before the Africans themselves started making slaves of their own people, my ancestors. Before the enslavement of our own people became a grand idea in someone's long term plan. I could recall only the last lines of the poem, which felt ominous, considering the talking beast in front of me.

I shall roar like the Queen of Lions

Africa must be free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I opened my eyes. The lion was still sitting in front of me, probably wondering if I were a bit touched in the head. Who closes their eyes with a giant lion just inches away from them.

"Where am I, what year is this. If I may ask a lion such a thing"?

"You may. Although I am a bit puzzled by the question, how do you not know this, and what is that covering your person? You are really strange".

"You mean my suit"? I did look like a future Mrs. Jane Jetson from the old cartoon, with glittering shiny clothing and tall sci-fi boots.

"Future suit, how unusual". The lion mused.

"Please indulge me, I am not from here, I only just arrived today". He stared at me for a few minutes.

Was I really having a conversation with a lion from the beginning of time?

"When you say you are not from here, do you mean you are from a different part of this land, because things are not so different anywhere else".

"No. I mean I am from a time where animals don't communicate with humans the way you are talking to me".

"You mean the future, since it cannot be the past, there was no past that I know of".

"Actually, yes. I am from the future". Again, the lion was silent and looked at me with much interest in his wise eyes.

"All I can tell you is that humans call this the Zero Century. The very beginning of time, when humans and animals exist in perfect harmony with life and nature".

"But, are we in Africa"? I asked.

"Africa, yes, you may call it that if you wish. Just up there is one of the Gardens of Eden, that is where I live".

I was stunned. "One of the Gardens of Eden. How many are there"?

"Oh, there are many. They are everywhere, all over the land".

My understanding of the beginning of time was totally different from what I was now hearing with my own ears, from a lion. I was taught that:

The general view of physicists is that time started at a specific point about 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang, when the entire universe suddenly expanded out of an infinitely hot, infinitely dense singularity, a point where the laws of physics as we understand them simply break down. This can be considered the “birth” of the universe, and the beginning of time as we know it.

What the well mannered lion was saying was closer to the belief that:

Time began when God started to create everything in the whole universe. He did this “in the beginning” of the Creation Week. According to the Bible, that was about 6,000 years ago. Before then, there were no days or weeks or years. It is hard for us to understand, but time, just like everything else God created, including you and me, had a beginning, and it wasn’t very long ago! God, on the other hand, is infinite. He has always existed, and He is not bound to time, like we are. In fact, the Bible says that to God a day can be like 1,000 years and 1,000 years can be just like a day. Time just doesn’t mean the same thing to God as it does to us. He’s “outside” of it. We do know, however that He created time on the first day of creation. (Kids answers, by Ken Ham).

"I am called Sampson. What is your name"? Sampson seemed so wise, I was really looking forward to learning a lot more.

"My name is Petula, I am really interested to hear your story Sampson". I said smiling. We shook hand and paw.

"Tell me, how and why did you come here? I am trying to solve that puzzle, it is a little beyond me right now". The lion admitted.

"In order to explain that, I have to go back many years. While I explain, can you show me around, I would like to meet some of the people here". I figure that if Sampson has been buttering me up to eat me, he would probably have done so by now.

I suddenly realized that birds were chittering overhead and that the magnificent beauty of the landscape had completely escaped my senses, fear had preoccupied my entire mind. In that moment, the world felt, looked and smelled clean and new. As I inhaled deeply of the sweet new air, I felt a deep appreciation for the impossible beauty, and the difference in perception which an untouched landscape can have on one's consciousness.

The flora and fauna sparkled in the sunlight. Fruit trees grew in abundance above a verdantly forested floor, covered in the greenest of grass. The lush abundance of nature was breathtaking and overwhelming. Towering trees of every variety painted a picture of such pure magnificence, I stood in awe of the purity of untouched nature. I wondered at the mastery of the mind of the artist who had created this masterpiece. Huge Oaks, Willows, Poplars, Birch, Cedars, Evergreens, every species that a botanist could dream of, grew large, tall and stout, dwarfing the smaller trees beneath. Animals of all types and sizes roamed in and out of the bushes, romping happily amidst the myriad and varied, offering of trees and vegetation growing everywhere.

Sharp edged mountain ridges formed zig zag patterns across the braid of the far blue horizon as clouds nestled in the mountain's motherly arms. A slight wind blew the romping leaves as they fell from the trees. As we walked, I saw slender streams obscured by vegetation and almost hidden from sight. Sprinkled here and there were fields, like the one Sampson was sunning himself in, which were being cleared for cultivation of food crops.

I embraced the Shivelight, the wonderous lances of sunlight that pierced through the vast canopy of the untouched woods, crafted and honed in perfection when time first began. I had a sudden need to stop and hug these magnificent trees.

PARADISE!

Why did we choose to ruin such beauty and goodness?

As we walked. I tried to explain life as it was after year zero. I explained about the dinosaurs, and their extinction. We discussed wars, slavery, genocide, and the many ways humans had devised for the downfall of the human race in years to come.

Sampson listened attentively. His mind could not imagine all the atrocities that he was hearing described to him. There had been only peace and quiet harmony in the world that he knew. There was no waste. Animals, humans and the land lived in harmony, feeding and nurturing one another. When did that all change, he wondered. When he asked me the question, I realized immediately what the answer was.

"Sampson, was there an original Garden of Eden, I mean the first one where Adam and Eve lived"?

"Ah yes, it is the source of four tributaries in southern Mesopotamia (now Iraq) where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run into the sea. Maybe your invisible machine can get us there". I was shocked at the statement.

"How do you know of the machine"? I asked incredulously.

"I can hear it more than I can see it". Sampson answered. That was so amazing.

My reasoning was that if I can stop Eve from eating the apple, all would be saved. Wishful thinking maybe, but worth a try. Could I make the woes of the entire world disappear by preventing one simple act of trickery in the land where time began? I had to try.

Marissa, the machines's pilot, portalled us back up to the ship. She stood petrified with shock when she saw Sampson. I had told her to portal two up. I never said two who or what.

"It's ok Marissa. Sampson won't hurt you. Marissa, Sampson. Sampson, Marissa.

"Hi Marissa, it is good to meet you".

"Hi"? She said, waving dubiously, with a loaded question in the tiny word. I explained the impossible occurrence and she did not seem that surprised. A talking lion however, was on a whole other level.

Sampson was again swishing his tail, he seemed to do that when he was uncomfortable or stressed. He growled at the interior of the ship, moving his cumbersome body to look closely at the consoles, displays and general layout of the ship. We had just enough room for him to fit. The ship was small, but impressive in it's modern sci-fi like construction. It really did look like a modern day Star Trek spaceship. We had studied all the models from many movies and greatly improved on them.

"I figured something was wrong when I looked down there. This is the most beautiful place that I have ever seen". She exclaimed. "I recalculated the time stream and realized that we had come way further back than was originally planned". Marissa seemed a little agitated.

"I know. Try the beginning of time. I mean Adam and Eve are actually here. I mean in Mesopotamia, but still here. How great is that"?

"As told in the Bible, Adam and Eve were the first humans, created by God on the sixth day of Creation and ancestors to all of mankind. Initially dwelling in the Garden of Eden, the serpent enticed them to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge". Marissa read this from a screen on the monitor as her fingers flew across the virtual display in front of her.

"It is true that they were the first humans in the first garden. But many other gardens were created during the time, and were populated with many more humans. There are many more humans all over the land. Although the first Garden was the most special of them all. They were the chosen ones of the Creator, they were given all the rules and regulations of our existence. It is their job to make sure the laws of nature, land, animals and humans are upheld". Sampson replied to her.

"Now that makes way more sense to me, lots of families were here, but the chosen ones broke the law themselves". Marissa commented while looking keenly and puzzlingly at the talking lion just inches away from her.

"Set a course for where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet the sea in Iraq, hopefully we can find Mesopotamia of Year Zero". I advised Marissa.

"I will do my best". She said.

We zipped there so fast, Sampson was stunned. He pointed out the Garden and we all went down, we could send ourselves back up manually

Sampson introduced us to Adam and Eve. They were ordinary people, only not as naked as I thought they would be. Everything was explained to them. They were shocked that the Devil could even get into the garden. I took Eve aside and gave her some mace, made her promise to spray the ole' Devil straight in the eye. She promised. This garden was like living in heaven itself. It was really lovely and breathtaking. I snapped a picture of the great apple tree for posterity.

We thanked Adam and Eve, gave Sampson a few packages of dried meat strips, returned him to his family and set a course for home.

There was no home to return to.

Like a bad case of deja vu gone wrong, we had returned to an exact replica of Sampson's world. Nothing had changed. There were Eden garden's everywhere. The world was still beautiful, still untouched except in cases of necessity and need.

Should I not feel happy. Had I not wished for this perfect world. What were we to do?

Marissa and I hugged each other and cried! Even if we went back, it would change nothing. We would always end up with a different reality.

The only question was:

HOW DO WE RETURN TO THE TIME BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME AND STOP OURSELVES FROM PREVENTING EVE FROM EATING THE CURSED APPLE? WE HAD ARRIVED THERE BECAUSE OF ERROR IN CALCULATIONS. WHO KNOWS WHERE WE COULD END UP THIS TIME? STILL. WE HAD TO TRY.

Would we ever see our families again?

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