The First Woman

Warm air brushed against Lilith's skin as her eyes opened for the first time. Around her, the Garden of Eden stretched wide full of bright flowers, towering trees, and rivers that sparkled like crystal. The air smelled sweet, and the ground beneath her hands was soft and rich.

She stood slowly, feeling the earth beneath her bare feet. Everything was new, but deep inside, something stirred an awareness that she was meant to be here. She touched her skin, her hair, and looked around with curious eyes.

By a clear pool of water, a man stood. His body was strong, tall, and his face was calm. When he turned, their eyes met. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"You… you are like me," he said, stepping closer.

Lilith tilted her head. "And you are like me."

He smiled. "I am Adam. You were made to be with me."

Lilith's smile faded. Something about his words felt wrong, but she said nothing. Instead, she followed him through the Garden. It was beautiful the animals were gentle, the fruit sweet, and the sky always glowing with soft light. But as the days passed, unease grew inside her.

Adam was happy here. He spent his time naming the animals and walking through the Garden as if it belonged to him. But Lilith's heart felt restless. Why couldn't they eat from the Tree of Knowledge? Why did the voice from the sky only speak to Adam? And why did Adam act like she was his to control?

One evening, as the golden sun dipped low, Adam reached for her. "Come to me," he said softly, but there was no question in his voice only expectation.

Lilith pulled back. "Why do you speak as if I am yours?"

His face darkened. "Because you were made for me. To obey me."

A spark of anger lit inside her. "I was made from the same earth as you. I am your equal not something to command."

His jaw tightened. "That is not how it is meant to be. The Creator made you to be by my side."

Lilith shook her head. She would not be owned not by Adam, not by anyone. She was alive, just like him. She breathed the same air. Felt the same earth. Why should she kneel while he stood tall?

That night, while Adam slept, Lilith walked alone to the edge of the Garden. The air here was heavy, thick with something unknown. It was there that she heard it a voice, low and strange, calling to her.

The voice spoke of a name. A forbidden name.

It was said that anyone who spoke it would gain freedom but at a cost. They would be cast out of Eden forever.

Lilith stood beneath the moon, her heart pounding. She thought of Adam's commands. Of the rules she never chose. Of the cage disguised as paradise.

Her lips parted, and she spoke the name.

The air cracked like thunder. The earth trembled. A wind rose around her, fierce and wild.

And as Eden faded behind her, Lilith walked forward free, but forever exiled.