The Origin of Monsters

Part 1: The Beginning

The rest of his kind were afraid to approach the Garden, but Molech had ventured around it many times. The verdant green was surrounded by a thick wall that reached several stories high. This structure was in the centre of an expansive desert, where existed no life outside of the wall’s confines, as it was designed to be.

Molech, who due to his calm emotions, took the form of tranquilly swirling fire. Briefly, he looked up into the sky and directly into the sun. It was rumored that the Garden was guarded by other beings. Molech scanned the horizon and scrutinized the sky with his preternatural powers. As with other days he saw no evidence of entities that would counter his journey. Despite this, he changed his form down.

The creature hasn’t been named yet, but he appreciated the look of it. It walked on all fours, was bulky and larger than most other animals he had encountered. On his head shot out two horns which if he were to charge could inflict lethal damage. In this form he expected none of those guardians to notice him. If they were there at all.

He began walking to the wall. He has approached the Garden on all sides. He first stared journeying here simply due to his siblings’ anxieties over the place, to display his courage. Then when he started approaching closer to the wall his nose would detect sweet aromas. These scents were indiscernible and varied greatly at each point. Sometimes, if he braved close enough, he could even hear the calls of animals. Some which he recognized, and others that he couldn’t even imagine what bodies emitted the sounds. It was a joy to recite these accounts at home, and behold his kin’s marveled faces. There was however one feature of this wall that he never related to anyone. Last time he was here, something had induced such a peculiar but potent sensation that at the time it almost convinced him never to return. Today he would approach it again.

As Molech shuffled closer towards the structure he began feeling those old sensations. The thing itself he knew instinctively was not the cause of it. It had some quality to it, some essence, that had been interpolated into it’s being. It induced troubling sensations within Molech. He was in sight of the structure now. He began to feel his legs moving more sluggishly. His breathing became stertorous and caused a pain in his chest. Every that he could experience; his sight, smell, touch, became exaggerated and lively to him. He already felt the beginnings of a headache forming. At this point, a few feet away, Molech stopped moving and planted himself on the ground. He knew if he approached any closer, a sudden indescribable portent of destruction will dominate him and cause him to flee. So, while he laid there, trying to assuage his tormenting emotions, he studied the structure that caused so much angst.

The gate was a few feet tall. It consisted of two double doors, large enough to let in the largest animal Molech could think of. It had a grey hue that matched the rest of the wall, almost serving to camouflage it. The aroma of the garden was most prominent here. He could even hear the tickle of running water. Having the greater of his distressing feelings subside a little, he began to scrutinize the gate further. He began to study it with the all the powers his kind were gifted with. The entrance showed no perceptible defence to him. Confirming himself in this he began to rise. He stood rigid in a firm stance. The fear began to mount higher in him, but he let it fuel his focus. His hoof pawed at the ground. Whether promising death or worst forms of destruction, he would break open the gate. He planned on morphing into his fiery form and blast through the gate, at the last moment of his charge. He stopped grazing the sand and lowered his horns to face the gate. As he moved to charge, the gate had, in the periphery of his vision, began to open.

The terror seized Molech immediately. He swung his massive frame around in the opposite direction and sprinted away from the Garden, crying out all the time.

As he ran, he felt all the foreboding surmount and cover him completely. It was as if he was running away from a storm, all the meanwhile it striking at him with thunderbolts. No matter how long Molech ran, he ran until the peak of his terror stopped. He ran until he became aware of his breathing and his muscles ached. He ran until he could no longer and stood in the desert panting breathlessly.

With the feeling of horror gone, Molech lifted his head angrily. He despised whatever thing had caused this reaction from him. He turned around and looked at the way he came hoping for whatever figure that left the Garden would be there. About a mile off, moving slowly and not in pursuit, Molech could espy the figure. He squinted and could discern a pale, naked form with a shock of red covering its shoulders. Molech took in a deep breath and charged at the figure.

He began to slow gradually as he approached it. This close he could now tell it was female. It looked similar to some animals he once saw climbing trees in a jungle. Except this creature lacked hair practically everywhere except in concentrated areas. When he got close enough, he stopped entirely and stood glaring at it. The figure had stopped moving when she noticed Molech approaching her. A shocked expression passed over her face, but was quickly replaced by an imperious inquisitive one. She looked down her nose at Molech and seemed not to register his baleful gaze. The figure’s appearance troubled Molech. There was a great beauty about her, coupled with a strong sense of authority. He almost wanted to be patted by her. He realised that his current form was affecting him too much. To match hers, he exploded in flame and morphed into a creature similarly shaped. She retained her supercilious gaze. Molech stood staring at her.

“I am Molech. I am a demon”, he spoke, with a language know to all creatures. She remained taciturn. Molech began to recall some stories told to him.

“Are you Woman, the companion of Man?”

The last word caused her to fluster. She spoke with a dominant tone “I am Woman, but I am not a companion of Man”

Molech nodded. He knew there would be another race created somewhere. There was talk that these new creatures would be mightier than his kind. So far, he could see nothing to indicate this superiority.

“You are the first. You have to be a companion to Man”

“But I am no longer. There will be another to replace me” she said this with no emotion. Molech guessed there was some embarrassment or shame in this. He began to feel somewhat transfixed by her beauty.

“You are cast out then. Come with me and I shall feed you”

“Feed me? Like a pet? I refuse your offer” she said, and spat at him. Molech’s new face began to smile. He was definitely starting to like her.

“It was more or less for the novelty of it. Hard to see why you were banished. You’re quite amusing”

The Woman scrunched up her face. She scanned the ground and picked up the closest rock and threw it at Molech. Molech caught the rock in his flame-form. The heat of his hand caused the rock to explode. The Woman cowered from the shards. In a booming voice Molech announced: “MAY THE DESERT PROVIDE YOU WITH BETTER COMFORT, REJECT OF PARADISE”, and shot into the air. Before disappearing into the atmosphere, he turned sharply to inspect her one more time. She was hunched over on the desert floor, fighting back a strong wave of despair. Molech studied her closer and saw something else that bothered him. He flew back to Earth and landed in front of her in his human form. Without looking up she muttered coldly, “Leave me, spirit”

“I will help you, Woman. The both of you”

She looked up quizzically.

“You are pregnant”

The Woman, who Molech had named Lilith, crouched shivering by the fire. She complained that the night air made her cold, so Molech had made cloth for her to wear. He was cooking meat over the flames. Besides giving Molech instructions, Lilith remained quiet and staring transfixed at the flame. When the meat had browned, he served it to Lilith on a flat stone, with a stick to use as a utensil. Molech took a few bites from his morsel before he noticed she wasn’t eating.

“You must take a bite. The child must grow strong”

The final comment lifted Lilith and she began biting into the meat. After first hesitating from the heat, she began to consume and savour the meat. This renewed her energy completely.

“This is better than anything in the Garden”

Molech smiled at this partial compliment. “I’m glad, although I doubt that very much”

“I assure you it is” She took another mouthful. Through the food she asked “What fruit would you call this?”

Molech stopped eating and looked at her. “This is no fruit, Lilith. It is an animal”

Lilith swallowed the food and looked down at her plate. “I don’t understand. Is this humour?”

Molech began to realise the situation and his new stomach began to sicken. “No. This was an animal that had died”

“Died?”

“Yes, I ensured it’s death”

“What is death?”

Molech rubbed his face. He thought of the best way to describe this to her. He remembered how it was explained to him when he was young. He searched and found a couple of rocks on the ground. He sighed and gathered them together.

“This is you” showing her the rock and placing it on the ground.

“In the absence of death, you continue to live” he placed a rock on top of the first one.

“You will live out your days and continue” he began placing all the rocks on top of each other like a tower.

“That is until some happens that causes you destruction, causing- “, with a sudden violent gesture he swatted the rocks onto the ground “Death”

Lilith stared at the rocks. Molech still couldn’t read her.

“But what if nothing interfered? What if life continued on?”

Expecting this response, Molech began restacking the rocks. “Then a life will continue to grow, higher and higher…”

Molech began stacking the rocks higher than previously. As he added to it, it became more unstable. Eventually the whole thing collapsed. “Thus, life ends of its own accord. Too fragile to sustain itself”

Lilith stared at the rocks. Again, without emotion, but with an obvious intelligence, she studied the collapsed stones, and she began looking at the meat and appreciating its significance. She put the plate of meat aside and away from her.

“You must eat Lilith. You need strength”

“I will eat the fruit and nuts nature provides. My child will do the same” she said with a tone of finality.

Molech sighed and nodded. “Have you thought of a name for it, whether it be a boy or girl?”

Lilith looked down at her stomach and rubbed it tenderly. “I know what I will call him”

Part 2: The Reunion

In the twelve years since Lilith’s expulsion, life had begun creeping into the desert. Molech had brought plants and animals from all over. He and Lilith had worked hard to create even the faintest of imitations of Paradise. Lilith did not expect her son to be received back into Paradise, despite the boy having performed no transgression. Being proved right only gave her a temporary joy.

The boy, who she had named Cain, resembled her as much as his father. His hair had that distinctive red, but with several black streaks piercing through. Cain was busy working in the field. Lilith stood watching over him when Molech approached from behind her.

“It is confirmed. They are being expulsed from the Garden today”

“And what about our destination?”

“Instructions have been given that our kind must immigrate to a different realm. You are under no obligation to come with us”

Lilith laughed humourlessly. “Adam banished me from the Garden. If he wishes not to see my face then I won’t let him suffer it”

Molech looked past Lilith at Cain. “And the boy?”

Lilith breathed deeply through her nostrils. “I will ascertain if he is determined”

She left Molech and walked up to her son. Cain, upon hearing her footsteps, stood up dutifully and faced her. “Mother?”

“It is time, Cain. Your father with his new wife will leave the Garden. Molech and I will move on. They will continue to be protected so Molech will not return. I don’t plan on returning either. If you elect to stay, this will be our last interaction”

Cain stared up at his mother. “I understand. I choose to remain, mother” His features were soft and inquisitive like his father’s, but when he spoke with conviction, he seemed to resemble more his mother. Lilith traced her finger over Cain’s face.

“Very well”

With a certain rigidity, but of an understanding only truly appreciated by both, Lilith and Cain hugged each other. After she let go, she returned back to Molech who had been waiting patiently. Cain and Molech nodded to each other. With Lilith in his arms, Molech exploded into a blinding light and shot off into the sky. After Cain regained his sight, he watched the flaming ball trail over the horizon and sink into the landscape, almost like into the Earth itself.

Cain finished off his chores while he waited for them. It was nightfall by the time he was done. He lighted a fire near the hut, hoping it would attract them. After pacing aimlessly for an hour or so, he finally noticed forms in the darkness. He stood in attention as had done for his mother.

There were two figures, both linked by their hands. The first and boldest approached the circle of light. He was Man, the tallest of the two and with a shade of black hair that rivalled the night. He squinted at the flame and looked around inquisitively. The other was Woman, short and with dirty-blonde hair trailing her shoulders. With one hand clasping Man’s, with the other she rubbed protectively her swollen belly. Cain noticed this and squealed excitedly.

“Another child! A brother or sister!”

This call drew the two figures’ attention. “Who are you?” Man demanded.

Cain smiled. “I am Cain, son of Lilith. I am your son”

Man, still looked confusedly at Cain. Woman approached closer and clung to him.

“What are you going to do to us?” she asked meekly.

Cain’s face lowered in confusion. “I’m here to help you. I will teach you how to look after yourselves and the world around you”

Despite trying his best to sound warm and inviting, the two figures still cowered fearfully before the figure in standing mightily before the flame.

The Days Following:

For the first few days Adam and Eve remained anxious of Cain. He gave them food from his crops, clothes he had spun, and shelter he had built. He emphasized his connection to Adam, but it only seemed to add to the consternations Adam felt about him. They were paralysed as Cain served them dutifully every hour of the day.

After the first week, Adam had grown bolder and ventured out with Eve despite her protestation. He studied the farm Cain had created and listened attentively whenever his son explained how to plant the seeds and care for the animals. Further on, Adam began to assist Cain in his labours. While Cain was elated by this, Adam remained silent and never displayed any form of friendliness towards his son. Eventually Adam grew so adept that he was able to perform many of the tasks himself. This instilled some confidence in Adam, who then began, gradually, to give instructions to Cain. When Cain noticed this change in authority, he first felt confused by it but gladdened since he thought it meant that their relationship was developing. Adam was his father after all.

The only time after this process Adam began deferring to Cain was when Eve began to go into labour. Scared and confused by her shrieks from the hut, he had grabbed Cain violently and demanded him to help her.

The process took several hours, longer than Cain had expected. He had assisted many animals give birth before, but this time it fairly agitated him. Despite this, Eve gave a final push and Cain’s brother was brought into the world. After cutting the cord, Cain gave the red-faced babe to a sweaty and exasperated Eve. Adam, who had been waiting by the entrance, moved past Cain and embraced both partner and son into his arms. Cain stood some feet away, happy and contented.

With the birth of Abel, the dynamic had changed even further. Cain felt even more alienated by his new family. This tension reached peak when one afternoon, as Cain was serving dinner, the topic of his mother had been brought up.

“I can’t imagine her having taught you to serve, Cain” said Eve, cradling Abel.

Cain looked over at Adam who was excusing himself from the conversation.

“How do you know about her?”

“I’ve been told. Not much, but I can surmise the sort of woman she would’ve been”

Cain stared at her, looking for some sort of indication that she was being intentionally vindictive. She was playing nonchalantly with her son, paying no attention to how her words were affecting the room. Cain grew more flustered.

“She helped build this farm”

Eve wiped spittle from Abel’s face. “Then that explains why we live so harshly. She was never meant to live with Man”

Cain grabbed her plate and threw it across the wall. “Stop it!”

Eve jumped up from the table and cowered in the corner with Abel. Adam launched from his seat and struck Cain across the face.

“Don’t threat my wife you bastard!”

With his hand rubbing his cheek, Cain looked at Adam frightfully and then at the whole room. For the first time he finally understood where he was, and what he was to these people. With an affected air, he lowered his hand, apologised to the two of them, and calmly left the room. He strolled sedately further out into the farm and when he thought he was out of eye-shot, he ran into the forest.

He ran aimlessly, more to exhaust the intense emotions he felt. Eventually he tired and rested against a tree. He puffed and did his best to keep the tears from swelling. To sooth him, he tried to think of his mother. He closed his eyes and imagined her walking up to him. She would shame him for being weak, but he would comforted anyway because he knew that she felt his pain. The image of her grew so real, that he began to think she was there now.

He opened his eyes. He noticed a flurry of something white and brown above him. Before he looked up the owl had flown down and landed just beside him. He stared at the creature when he felt a familiar sensation.

“Mother?”

She did not speak, but she answered him in her way. Cain smiled.

“I’m glad you’re here mother! But why are you in this form? Oh, ok”

His mother felt different. There was something fundamental but not quite describable that had changed. There was the suggestion of some anger within her.

“Were you upset by the way I behaved? Good. No, I won’t tell them you’re here. You have to leave? Will you return? Ok”

The Transgression:

Cain continued to serve on the farm as Abel grew older. He served dutifully and without argument, but all the while growing to despise the entire family. When he visited his mother, she would feed into this rage. Soon any conversation outside of their anger towards the family had tapered off. Cain noticed one day that even her love for him had vanished, but he was fine with that. If only his rage was shared and addressed, he would be satisfied.

Adam taught Abel how to attend the farm himself. In earshot Cain could hear all the praises Adam languished over his son. He claimed that Abel would be the inheritor of the Earth. All of it was to his benefit however he saw fit. No mention was made of Cain, who Abel wasn’t even sure how he was related. Their relationship was estranged up to the time when they both wore beards.

One day while Cain was helping a sheep give birth, he noticed a strange aroma in the air. He craned his neck to notice a deathly smoke rising into the air near the hut. Cain abandoned the sheep and ran towards the source of the smoke. Adam and Eve were sitting by a pyre, while Abel was attending the flame and serving them. Cain ran up to Adam. He had grown so large that Adam gave only a feeble defence when Cain snatched the object from his hand.

“What is this?”

Abel walked over calmly. He looked exactly like his father but with a smaller frame. “It’s meat, Cain. I have cooked one of the cattle”

“You killed an animal?”

Abel served his father another helping. “We have inherited the Earth, Cain. We may do whatever we please. Nature is to our benefit”. There were no signs of cockiness in what he said. The matter-of-fact nature of the statement made Cain even more angry.

“This is foul. We shouldn’t be the cause of death!”

Adam spoke up. “This food is good. We don’t need to follow your traditions, Cain. Either accept what Abel has made or leave us”

Cain followed routine. He bowed politely and left them with no indication that he was disturbed. As always, he found his mother waiting for him in the trees. He related what he had witnessed. His mother didn’t respond the way he thought she would. She gave the impression of fury as usual, but there was something gleeful about it. She had been waiting for something like this to have happened. Cain wondered where it would lead her.

“Mankind will bring death to everything! They won’t stop until they fill their fat mouths! Nature has no defence”

His mother gave no response to this. She let Cain’s mind wonder. When the thought that she wanted had crept into her son, he looked up at her frightfully. She flew away. For a moment Cain’s emotions had evaded him. The thought had wiped him completely blank. Then he remembered the sheep he had attended to, and the lamb that was brought forth. Then he thought of that sickly dark meat, and the way they had sloppily consumed it with no regard. Cain surveyed the forest floor for a sharp stone. He picked up one he thought suitable and left the forest.

It was dark. The fire had been put out but he knew the way roughly, and the rest he could detect by the smell. The couple had left Abel outside to clean up. He didn’t notice Cain creeping in the shadows towards him. Abel was bending over the dead fire when Cain stood behind him, glaring. He shifted the stone in his hand. There was a sharp end that he planned to use, but right now he felt no impulse to do so. He just stared at his brother, trying to motivate himself. Abel finished with the fire and finally turned around to face Cain. When Cain locked eyes on Abel, and saw so much of his father, the rage filled his chest and he charged. Abel threw up his hands but Cain swatted them away and struck him in the temple. Abel collapsed onto the ashes with Cain on top of him. Cain desperately scrambled up and looked down at his brother. He was shaking violently on the ashes. Cain leaped down again and struck him more. He didn’t relent until Abel’s face was left bloodied and unrecognisable.

Cain tried to stand but collapsed on the ground behind him. Catching his breath, he looked over at the hut waiting for Adam to come out. When he didn’t, he waited until he regained his energy and searched for the rock. He found it near Abel’s body. As he stood up and approached the hut the sky suddenly flashed violently with lightening. The wind picked up and beat inclemently at Cain. Suddenly, he was arrested by an indescribable feeling of horror. That same aura that had haunted Molech all those years ago had seized Cain. Panic rose in the murderer. He abandoned his rock and ran away from the farm. He ran away from Mankind and back into the shadows.

The Monster:

Many years had passed. Generations have birthed and faded into dust. Societies had arisen and been vanquished. Cain’s hatred for humanity has remained immutable. Whether due to the hatred itself, or as punishment for it, it had transformed him. He was no longer human. He existed as an abominable parody of man. But he was not alone. He had spawned children, many children. They did not love each other, they did not care for one another, but they were united. They were united in their lust for the destruction of humanity. Cain had no idea how long he had lived like this; he was too focused. He lived each day to terrorize the world.

One day stood uniquely in his history. He was resting in cave, the sun outside forbidding him from exiting. A man had approached the cave. While his children remained sleeping, Cain spied the man through the shade. The man stood just outside, staring. If he had taken a step further it would be into the shadows. Cain licked his lips hungrily. He begged silently for him to enter. Disappointingly the man only stayed where he was. He pulled out a dagger from his pocket. Cain grew excited. Man, sometimes used this tool to hurt each other. He hoped the man was here to vanquish him. He relished the thought of the attempt. Instead, the man traced the blade over his own hand, he let the blood trickle and land on the ground by his feet. When a pool had formed, the man put the dagger back in its place and left the cave. Cain approached the pool of blood. He waited for the sun to traverse the sky so that the shadow of the cave could move forward. When it had drenched the pool of blood, Cain ran his fingers through and licked it. He recognised the taste. He would wait until nightfall, as the man would be.

The man was sitting on a rock. He had similar dirty-blond hair, like his mother. Cain had sent his children to terrorize other people. He approached him alone. Cain crept up behind him. He wouldn’t be able to kill him, the acceptance of this quelled his agitation sightly. The man turned.

“Cain?”

Cain’s face was distinctive now. He bore the mark of Cain; he wore the lashes he had left on his brother’s corpse.

“Yes. You are a brother?”

The man had an amicable face. But he was grave when he looked at Cain.

“My name is Seth. I was the third-born”

Cain nodded. “You can’t kill me, neither can I you. What is the point of this interaction?”

Seth rubbed his hands nervously. What he had to say was important but he wanted to say it tactfully.

“Your children haunt my kind continually”

Cain smiled, or what his face was capable of imitating. Seth continued.

“The Heavens will purge your kind. They plan to wash away everything and start anew”

“You want to save your people?”

“I want both of our people to persevere. We need to find a union with each other. Let my family’s maltreatment of you be forgotten. You will find peace”

Cain laughed. The boy was innocent, and couldn’t appreciate the full extent of his hatred.

“I don’t care that my kind will die out, because I know what I have done to humanity, I and my children. You are terrified of the dark, of the night. You fear each other, because you expect a Cain within every family. A purge will destroy my kin, but it can never destroy the idea of them. Man has created its own monsters, and I have made them immortal”

Seth said nothing further. Someone had told him previously this would be Cain’s response. Both brother’s left each other never to interact again. After Cain had finished his terror for the night, he returned back to his cave. For many days afterward he thought of that conversation. He knew he would die. He along with his children. He would go to his mother’s realm, but he would not feel her comfort. He knew he was doomed to suffer eternally; his transgressions being used to punish him all the time. But he was still happy, still gleeful over the thought. Because he knew he was right in what he said to Seth. He left his impression on Man forever. They perverted nature, and so he perverted them. Every day as he rested, he repeated to himself in quiet prayer: “Man has created its own monsters, and I have made them immortal”