Refuge

On Saturday, I held my first writing seminar in a long time. It was outside at the beautiful Still Waters Retreat Center in Austin and started a four part series on Creating Myths.

We discussed a few known creation myths from Genesis, Greek Myth, and Ursula Le Guin. And here are the prompts:

1. Write your own creation myth.

2. Pick up from where the story left off and create an intimate look at what happens next? (Over the next few hours or days. )

3. Write what ever you like.

And as always, artwork, comic form, and writing of all forms are acceptable.

We came back and shared and got into a wonderful discussion on the let down and joy of having “no original thought” or, as I like to see it, a direct connectivity to all of humanity across space and time. 😉

Here is my piece. Create your own and share and, to my fellow writers from Saturday – feel free to add yours here and any thoughts from Saturday in general.

Refuge

Eve breathed slowly. Stepping in the mud with her bare feet, it was cold, mushy, and oddly soothing. She could not tell if it was pleasant or not. Adam had moved on ahead of her, not looking back.  She quickened her pace and moved silently next to him. She worried what he might be thinking; was he mad? Who knows, she thought, this could be good, fun even .  They had explored every part of Eden, and this was new, exciting, scary.  Was scary bad? She did not know. Maybe.  She knew not to ask Adam; not yet. Just in case. How did she know this? She felt it hovering somewhere near her stomach. 

The two of them came to a willow near a river, and Adam lay down his staff. Here, they would rest. Eve laced her sack down and sat cross legged at the base of the tree. Adam parted the willow branches and went to the river’s edge to gather water. Eve felt the breeze in small, light gusts. Tiny pieces of leaves and bark dropped onto her lap and arms. A large black beetle scuttled quickly over and under the fallen leaves on the ground. She spoke to him, but he ignored her as he moved around to the other side of the tree. Odd, she thought, he didn’t even tell me his name. 

Adam returned and offered her a drink of water.  They had left in a hurry, but had managed to bring some useful objects from home.  This skin container was one of them. Adam sighed as he sat down next to her. He took her hand and squeezed it gently. 

“What shall we do for dinner, Eve?”

“Well,” said Eve, as she opened up her sack, “I brought some figs.”