The Original Sin

Life can be tart as a chokeberry, no matter how much time and effort you put into savouring its flavour, it will draw more and more of your essence of life. This is an acquired taste that requires special dedication that would find itself only alongside a desperate man. However, there is a way to enjoy its sweetness despite the tartness. All you need are a few simple ingredients to make a fine dish like a pie or jam.

And one after another, those chokeberries popped under the pressure of the press. Their juice dripped down through a cloth, leaving the cake of skin and seeds inside to be later tossed to the birds. The woman with notes of elder age, but still beautiful, youthful smile was explaining every step of the chokeberry pie recipe, while the younger woman was observing the table. Her emerald eyes were switching from the woman's hands, onto the table and back to the chokeberry juice with flour and butter further away on the counter.

"Why even bother feeding the birds when the rubbish bin is nearby?" the girl asked, to which the woman replied, "For birds to come back and award us with their magnificent songs. What would be your favourite bird song?"

The girl did not reply, since she did not have any, but her anxiety hidden behind stern face was still noticed by the woman, who patted her shoulder and said, "You would certainly love the song of a blackbird, their melancholic voice and beautiful range would fit such a lovely gal."

The girl once again did not answer, not even the tiniest smirk ran through her cheeks, but the woman did not bat an eye on it, instead she giggled for the two of them. Such was the saint that had been living with the general's family ever since she visited them on that gloomy day. They showed her love, care and the enjoyment of life through small moments like a walk in the park or cooking sweets. The girl was observing it all, her curiosity was immaculate, yet she never showed any sign of emotion. The girl was just like a living doll, swaying her head from side to side and wondering about the reason for her existence. The family, however, did not bat an eye on her quirk and instead gave their best to create a place she could call home. 

The one who was trying the most out of them all was the general's only son. He was a few years older than the girl and at first was quite uncomfortable around her cold gaze, but overtime a special feeling sprouted in his heart, that whispered him temptations, making him drown the girl in gifts and attention. The woman did not mind his company, even though he was a show off, the man could engage in a conversation on various topics. He was given one great education, which worked out great to please their unusual guest.

Alas, the saint's pie was robbed of sweetness. After several months of her silent enjoyment of life, they were visited by a few armed men in suits to fetch the gal. And for the first time in her life, she refused to follow the current of the river. Their soulless eyes were contrasting those full of hope, their dull clothing was contrasting the colour palette of the house's garden and finally, their words showed the total absence of love. She did not want to go, she wished to stay in the manor of her dreams, but she was also observant enough to keep it behind teeth. Those men were cruel, and she was perfectly aware of that, thus she decided to choose another path to freedom.

"I will come, but I would like for this boy to accompany me." she pointed at the man, whose eyes slowly widened. The men in grey suits did not mind her childish outburst as long as she would go with them. The man who tried to reach her height all this time accepted the deal along with his parents, who only saw the perspectives, but not the essence of his newly acquired job.

At that, the girl was brought back to her place of birth alongside the flames of excitement coming from her companion. She would be sentenced to her daily routine of a saint, but the man would be struck with immense discipline, the pressure of which, overtime, would extinguish the hot fire of passion. One day, he would visit the gal with a plea.

"I do not want to be here any more, those people are crazy! I am nothing more than furniture here with no rights nor future, only obligations."

The girl listened to his cries, but did not bat an eye. It was only natural for a man to try to save his dying ego under the weight of unreasonable responsibility. Yet, she was still shocked to hear one thing.

"Tomorrow, after the lights go out, I will hop in a service car and go back home. They will surely try to track me down, but if I continue the pace, I will be able to reach the ocean liner that would go to the new world. And I ask of you, please, let's escape together!"

After his words, the man was taken aback from her own expression, it was the first time when she witnessed shock crawl on her face. She then said, "You want me… to escape with you?"

"That's right."

"Why?"

"Because I love you! From the moment we met, you were like a fallen angel brought to us, mortals. I was swayed away by your beauty and keen mind. Alongside you, I feel like there is nothing impossible, and that's why I ask you to go with me. To become my beacon of good fortune."

After the shock, a wicked smile spread across her cheeks, but there was not any ill intent towards him. Her burning hatred was directed to the ones who brought her back to the hell of mediocrity. She could not ever forgive them, thus she waited for a right opportunity to strike. And fate, the kind gal, brought it to her layer on a silver plate!

She dashed forward towards the man, which startled him, but then he froze upon feeling the touch of her soft hand on his cheek. With another hand, the woman invited him deeper into her layer.

"I accept your invitation, but our escape will be done on my terms."

"What are you doing?" he whispered in a trembling voice, to which the girl said, "One thing lovers are destined to do while those below are asleep."

A sweet kiss on the lips followed her words. Soon, the waves of lust swayed the young man, and he fell into the honey trap. They shared together the night, the bed and their bodies, all for the purpose of freedom. Or so he thought.

Once their affair was discovered, the man was set on trial by her family. It was an unfair trial, yet he still came out relatively clean. In the end, the child from the sin of flesh would need a father. For the first time in the history of this sacred family, the saint would give a new life. And as a result of this sin, another saint would be born, which would put the entirety of their wide network under the woman's thumb.