Addictive

      Sheila’s eyes widened in delight--and fear when she took that first crisp, crunchy bite. This is delicious! This is incredible! She looked around her in wide-eyed wonder; the whole estate; plants, animals, waterfall and brook seemed to be pulsating with mystery. Everything is inviting me to reach out and learn more and more! It is thrilling! Why did I hesitate for so long when all this knowledge was at my fingertips? She whirled around and raced off to find Manley.

     “Oh, Manley, Manley!” she cried. “We have been deceived! 

There is nothing wrong with this fruit! It is the most delectable in the whole garden! “

       Manley gave her a long, thoughtful look as she eagerly offered him the produce, but kept his hands rigidly at his sides. 

     “Come, Manley, try it. It has an exciting new flavour. Nothing else has ever effected me in such a thrilling way. It as if new doors--new insights-- have been opened to me.

     Manley drew back, frowning. Sheila pouted girlishly, and took another bite.

     “See, it doesn’t hurt me! It’s irresistibly delicious. I want more of it.” She batted her eyes up at him; “If you don’t hurry, I will eat all of it.
 They hardly noticed the silvery, but mocking laughter from someone curling around the vines.

Manley’s arm felt wooden when he reached out to sample the fruit. I know this is wrong, totally wrong, but if she is going to be punished, I might as well bear it with her.” He took a bite, but it was hard to swallow.

Sheila stared at him intently. All the natural light, the glow of happiness had faded from Manley’s splendid features.

“What’s wrong, Manley?”
But he kept his eyes averted, as if he was ashamed to look at her.

“Manley?” He turned and walked away. Something he had never done before.

Sheila glanced back towards the Magic Tree, but it had lost much of its appeal. Someday I will want to eat from it again, but not right now. She was concerned about Manley’s response to her. She went to find him, but he kept looking down and suddenly she felt ashamed. We have been exposed. Mr. Serpent really did show us evil. Now we can’t even look at each other without feeling guilty! Maybe I plucked the front one. He had said good and evil. Maybe if I took another one I would learn more about good instead of evil. Her heart was too heavy to dwell on for long so she dismissed it.

Sheila walked around aimlessly, wondering why the garden had lost its splendid glory which they had commented on so often. She came across a patch of something that grew gigantic, attractive leaves and idly tore some off. The plants looked denuded but she didn`t care. For the first time in her short, happy life she was ashamed of her lovely body and awkwardly tried to make a dress of sorts out of the leaves. I don`t know the first thing about sewing, she muttered to herself. Manley came and looked for her and without looking up she ripped off some leaves and handed them to him. With a frightened cry a small bird fluttered protectively over to her nest of newly hatched eggs and watched them. Never before had they heard a cry of alarm.

Manley looked uneasily towards the gate. `Father will be coming soon.`

`What will we tell him``
Manley looked down but didn`t answer. For some reason I have never realized what a powerful, authoritive Man my father was before. His heart pounded. What will I tell him. He glanced furtively at his wife whose lovely face was shadowed.

A cheery whistled floated through the air. `You hoo! Where’s my precious children?`

`Quick hide!`` Manley cried, but it wasn't necessary. Sheila had already disappeared among the ferns so he ducked behind a huge boulder while a laying hen squawked in protest.