My name is Marcus Veovin. While I’m a man who feels well past his prime on most days, I can clearly remember a time when that wasn’t always the case. At one point in my life, I was a young upstart with plans of grandeur for my future. If I could, I’d like to relive a story about that bold, young man who lived for the moment without an ounce of fear in his being. Back then, I was a different man with goals to reach for and dreams to obtain.

It was a time before we had any of the fancy technology we presently take for granted. I often scoff at the kids I see walking through the grocery store with their phones and earbuds as I recall a time when my friends and I thought our buddy Grant was so damn cool for having a pager. Nowadays, I see twelve-year-olds with their faces buried in contraptions I wouldn’t even begin to know how to work while life passes them by. The world is certainly a different place from the one I grew up in.

Back then, we would fall off our bikes and skin our knees…and simply get back up and shake it off before climbing back on the horse and doing it all over again. In this day and age, though, kids are now treated like antique dolls that the world revolves around. I probably sound like a grumpy old fart, but heaven forbid if they manage to get a paper cut…on what paper, I’ll never know since we live in a mostly paperless world and everything’s done on computer screens.

Enough of my bitching, though. I said I had a story to tell, and I do. It takes place during a glorious time when the world was a much more rational place, and it was when I was a young man on the comeback trail after a few unexpected dips in my life. At the time, I was in my mid to late twenties and had a lot to look forward to…although I may have disagreed with that last statement during the time this story takes place.

Autumn was quickly approaching and I was coming off the end of a relationship that had been going downhill for the last few months. I had been with the same woman for a little over two years and we were both well aware of all the good things we had going for us during that time. When I look back at that relationship, I can honestly say that marrying that woman would have been the best thing for me…but I was so terribly afraid of hurting her. My sordid past began interfering in an otherwise perfect courtship in unforeseen ways, and I knew that sticking around would endanger my angelic girlfriend. The eventual decline in our rapport was one hundred percent my fault due to my fears, and I have no problem shouldering every ounce of the blame. To better understand what happened, though, I have to go back to some events in my early twenties that pushed me in the direction of leaving my homeland for an extended period of time.

It was right at the end of my first year in college when I was confronted by a trio of mysterious people and told that by following them, I would in some extraordinary way be safeguarding the future of the world. While I know that sounds about as farfetched as most plots from science fiction movies, the three of them were exceptionally convincing…especially the female member of the group. She just had a way with persuasion that had me believing she had seen some of the worst shit the world has to offer in her lifetime. Even though she appeared to be no older than fifty, she acted like she had lived at least five times that, and her intelligence was almost sagely. Looking into that woman’s eyes had me completely converted to her way of thinking within the first few days that I traveled with her and her fellow operatives…and the things I witnessed while with them remain nearly implausible to this day even though I observed those astonishing wonders with my own eyes.

Surprisingly, I wanted nothing more than to dismiss most of what I had learned from this enigmatic group. Even though I knew what they were telling and showing me to be fact, I think most people are in the same boat and want to disregard the negative truths they hear about and pretend such things don’t exist. These covert operatives actually did their best to help me see the legitimacy in their claims and carried out their end of the bargain in order to show me everything they believed me to be capable of, but in the end, I wanted no part of it. They may have opened my eyes to a good many things I needed to be made aware of, but at heart, I was still just a naïve kid in my early twenties. I didn’t want to believe some of the information they had given me, and I had absolutely no idea how to handle it. I went to great lengths to drive some of those truths from my mind…but that has nothing to do with the tale I currently want to tell.

I think what can be taken from all that exposition is that there’s a period of my life better left in the past, and when I finally came to terms with things, I returned to my homeland to acclimate myself to a somewhat normal existence once again. I did my best to adapt to a regular routine and tried my hardest to find a nine-to-five job in a comfortable setting like a grocery store or a warehouse where I could just move boxes around, but everything around me was so…different. Seeing the world from a grislier perspective had changed me in more ways than one. I was ashamed to hug my own mother after some of the things I had done. I wasn’t sure how to cope with things until a wonderful woman was introduced into my life who did everything in her power to help me forget the horrors I had witnessed, and for the first year and a half I was with her, I was truly happy.

Enter Eve Anna Claire. Eve was the best thing that could’ve happened to me at the lowest point in my life. Here was a woman who brought me back to an ordinary lifestyle and never once had any squabbles over my more “abnormal” behaviors that I randomly suffered from. She knew that due to the “adventures” I had been on with those three operatives, I was having a hard time conforming to normalcy again. She hung in there with me through the worst of times, and when I look back at all the wonderful women I have met throughout my incredible life, I can honestly say that Eve may have done the most for me. She was an angel in a world of demons, and she accommodated me in ways I could never begin to explain.

So why would I ever sabotage what could have very easily been the best part of my life? Well, at first, it started with the simple nightmares. I think that maybe I had boxed away many of the atrocities I had witnessed when I had been around the world with those three operatives, and even telling Eve about everything I had done and seen didn’t seem to make the horrifying memories abate in the least. I guess it didn’t truly matter in the end because the nightmares became night terrors that caused me to thrash about in my slumber. This disorder became so intense as I relived some of the events I had survived that I became afraid of flailing about and injuring Eve while we slept.

Voluntarily, I started spending my nights on the couch. I hated being away from her, and she even tried to convince me that we could weather the storm, but there was absolutely no way I would risk bringing bodily harm to such a fantastic female. I could never knowingly strike a woman…especially one as wonderful as my Eve. So when things intensified, I knew what I had to do. It was with a heavy heart that I went to my lover of nearly two years and broke things off. There was just no way I could put her in jeopardy due to what I had lived through. Words can’t express what she meant to me and how much she had done for me, so until I received some kind of help, I didn’t want to be around her for fear of bringing her harm.

I was heartbroken, to say the least, but I had been raised by two extremely strong parents who instilled in me both values and traits that wouldn’t allow me to succumb to despair. I missed my girl since I had truly thought she’d be the one, but I picked up the pieces and moved on because it was the only thing I could do. I had to find a way to combat my demons from the past so I could move on to the bright future I had envisioned.

The first thing I decided to do was leave town. I had been living in an insignificant community at the time since Eve and I enjoyed our solitude, and with no ties other than the woman I loved to hold me there, I filled a couple of garbage bags with clothes and other necessities. I threw them into the back of my old, beat-up pickup as I did my best to not look back. Doing so would only hurt too much. I’ve loved each and every one of the women in my life for different reasons and carry that collective love with me to this very day…and with everything that Eve had done for me, I would certainly never forget her or stop loving her. She was my beacon of light when I had been at my darkest.

I climbed into my little black truck and started driving around since I was convinced she’d know right where to take me. I journeyed around and tried to clear my head for the better part of a week. I only stopped when I needed to sleep or refuel the tank, and then I would climb back in that reliable vehicle and drive some more. I didn’t have a plan at the time: I just wanted to put as much distance between my past and impending future as possible. I’m sure I’m exaggerating, but it felt like I covered a couple thousand miles while circling throughout the continent during that week. I put my complete trust in that amazing pickup…and in the end, she didn’t let me down.

I had absolutely no idea where I was when she finally broke down on a gravel road out in the middle of nowhere. At first, the sputtering I heard from under the hood came from out of the blue, but I realized within seconds that she wasn’t going to last. I chugged along for another mile or two hoping to spot any sign of civilization that I could, and as luck would have it, I noticed a grove of trees in the distance with a thin back road leading through them. Amidst the trunks and greenery, I was able to espy a house that must’ve been four times my age at the time, and I figured it could only belong to a farmer. He would most surely have the tools required to get me up and running until I could find an actual mechanic.

I turned onto the meager back road that was barely wide enough for my small pickup. I managed to make it about halfway down the gravel pathway until my old clunker decided to completely give out. Cursing under my breath, I hopped out of my little truck and popped the hood…only to receive a face full of smoke. I coughed and waved my hands in front of irritated countenance to try to divert the toxic mist away from my nostrils. I quickly conceded since I knew there was no way I’d be fixing what I was looking at. Not all men are car enthusiasts, and I knew next to zilch about vehicles. I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at.

Walking around the black pickup to my passenger door, I pulled it open and grabbed the bottle of water I had in the cup holder before going around to the back and pulling out the two bags of every possession to my name in the entire world. I put the bottle into one of the bags before slinging them both over my right shoulder. I wasn’t the largest man in the world, but I had enough muscle to handle myself under the worst of circumstances. It may not have been optimal, but since I was near a house, I had high hopes that the pickle I had landed myself in would be resolved before the day was out…and if not, I would kindly ask the owner of the home if they knew of a nearby motel.

The further I walked down the isolated lane, the more congested and cluttered the trees became. The scent of cedar and pine almost became overwhelming. Within just five minutes, the branches above had become so thick that I could no longer see daylight. It wasn’t quite far enough into autumn for the leaves to start falling yet, but even if they had, I firmly believed there were so many entangled branches above me that the sun still would’ve been obstructed entirely from my view.

After another few minutes of walking that silent, lonely stretch of forestry, I happened upon an open area surrounded by trees. The small road opened into what almost resembled a gravel cul-de-sac, and I then laid eyes on more than I had bargained for.

To my right was the house I had spotted through the trees, but to my left was a sizable red barn with its paint peeling and flaking. Directly in front of me about forty yards away was a smaller building that I believed to be a chicken coop, and nestled back between the coop and the main house was what looked like a guesthouse. It didn’t have nearly the size of the dwelling before me, but it almost looked to be in better shape…at least on the outside. There were also a couple of tractors and even an old automobile parked in the lot that looked like an old boat my grandmother used to drive. I’m positive that it rarely saw action.

The only other thing to take note of was a trail to the left of the chicken coop that looked to wind behind some trees and lead further into the woods. When I listened close enough, I knew I could hear the tranquil sound of water. There must’ve been a river or brook off in the distance.

Even though I was miles away from home, my new surroundings appeared strangely familiar. It wasn’t exactly identical, but there was no mistaking that I had once seen a very comparable setting as I analyzed the uncanny resemblance. A friend I had attended school with back in the day had lived on a property that looked eerily similar. Just thinking of Cassie reminded me of how I hadn’t seen her in years…

I turned my attention to the venerable estate before me. Some of the shutters were crooked and one of the steps leading up to the porch was dipping low enough to create a tripping hazard. Like the barn, the house’s paint was peeling and showed signs of its age, but none of its faults took anything away from its impressive stature. Maybe it was due to the fact that I appreciated isolation and living in the country, but I thought it was one of the most remarkable residences I had ever beheld.

With my bags still draped over my right shoulder, I glanced around the analogous locale one last time before making my way toward the house and up the rickety steps leading to the front door. I had considered walking over to the barn just to have a look around, but I thought that would just make me appear nosy or even like a prowler if anyone happened to spot me from the windows of the house. Reaching the front portal, I took a deep breath of the fresh, country air before raising a fist and rapping on the wooden, outer edge of the screen door.

After a minute of nothing, I decided to knock one more time. There was no doorbell to ring, so my knocking would have to suffice. I didn’t want to pound any harder and come off as a ruffian, so I remained patient for another minute until the main door behind the screen finally opened. For whatever reason, I was a little surprised when my knocking was met by a short, old woman.

I took a step back as the elderly female with curly white hair opened the screen door and stepped down onto the porch. I’m by no means a tall man since I stand under six feet tall, but the stern woman who had come to the door could certainly be classified as short since she had to look up at me.

“Um, hello,” I greeted the round, wrinkly woman. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m having a little car trouble…”

“What are you doing here?” The withered old lady asked in the same tone a lecturing grandmother might use. Annoyed, she droned on, “Who are you? Why have you come here?”

I scratched the back of my head with my free hand since I was obviously an unwelcome guest. “Um, I’m sorry to come onto your property unannounced, but my pickup broke down a little further down the road. It’s something I’m unable to fix, and I was hoping to maybe use your phone…”

“My phone doesn’t work,” the old bat hastily cut me off.

A wind chime hanging behind me on the porch almost made me jump when a small gust blew through the area. Ironic, to say the least after some of the things I’ve lived through. Hell, I don’t mind admitting that I suddenly felt very uncomfortable as I fished for the right words to move the conversation along. “Well, if you could maybe point me in the direction of the nearest town, I’ll be on my way…”

The woman’s suspicious and rheumy eyes looked me over. She appeared hesitant at first, but she finally asked, “Can you work?”

My voice became lodged in my throat. I didn’t know how to answer since I wasn’t sure what the woman meant. I was capable of a good many things, so I quickly surveyed the area before answering with a query of my own when I asked, “Do you need some help around here?”

“There’s work to be done in the barn,” the old woman responded almost before I had a chance to finish my sentence. “There’s plenty to do out there.”

I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and I’ve never been afraid to get a little dirty, but I had never worked on a farm before. I still wasn’t exactly sure what this woman was asking of me, but if she was willing to somehow fetch me the help I needed to fix my pickup, I would be more than willing to aid with some of her chores. I finally answered by nodding while saying, “Is your husband out in the barn? Will he tell me what to do?”

The woman solemnly shook her head. “My Albert passed a few years ago.”

I have to admit that I was a little shocked at first to hear the woman’s words. I quickly mumbled my condolences, but my real thought was how such a small, elderly woman could live alone in such an isolated area. Of course, on closer inspection, the aging female did look like the typical ornery cuss who had been born in a time when children weren’t coddled like they are nowadays. She had more than likely seen and lived through some fairly harsh times. When I finally found my voice again, I proclaimed, “I’ll gladly lend a hand if you tell me what it is you need done. I don’t have a whole lot of experience doing work on a farm, but I’ll pitch in if I can.” I wasn’t exactly sure why I felt obligated to offer my services, but at the same time, I sure as hell wasn’t doing anything else.

The short, stubby woman lifted a hand and pointed at the barn across the cul-de-sac. I was glad she wasn’t motioning toward either of the two tractors I saw parked off to the side since I wouldn’t know how to operate them without a quick lesson. “Leave your bags here and head on over to the barn. You’ll find plenty to do in there. I’ll take your things into the house.”

I was a little confused since I wasn’t being given better instructions, but for whatever reason, I complied and set my bags down. I was in the process of turning to walk down the three steps leading off the porch when the old woman suddenly stopped me by reaching out and grabbing onto my left bicep. Even through my shirtsleeve, her touch was cold and made my heart skip a beat out of fear. When I finally turned to face her, I saw for the first time how truly dark and despairing her brown eyes were.

“When you go in there,” she ominously spoke, “Don’t be afraid of Lilith. I realize she’s a little different, but she’s a hard worker and gets things done. She never speaks, though, so don’t be offended by that.”

Caught off guard by the fact that someone else did in fact live on the property, I couldn’t help but inquire, “Is Lilith your daughter?” It was the only thing I could think to say that made sense.

The old woman shook her head while looking offended by my question. “My Albert and I could never spawn such a hideous monster! The very thought of me conceiving one such as her…ugh!” The owner of the house shuddered at the mere mention of a blood relation.

I honestly had no idea what to think. The old woman’s words were truly despicable. I had not yet met the girl she spoke of, but how she could badmouth a person helping her out in the middle of nowhere was beyond me. I didn’t have the words to respond with.

The old bat’s grip tightened and her nails dug into my flesh as she warned me, “Don’t be offended when you see that vile-looking creature: I’ve told her in the past that her attire for the job is uncouth, but she doesn’t hardly listen to me. Oh, the spawn of the underworld that one is!”

By this point, I had no problem admitting that I was thoroughly confused. The woman helping in the barn clearly was not this old loon’s daughter, and yet, the elderly lady allowed her to work in the barn…while fearing her at the same time? Something didn’t add up. I would’ve been lying to say I wasn’t intrigued, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell I had stumbled into.

The older female struggled lifting one of my bags, so I turned and offered to do it myself. She simply waved me off and told me again to make my way toward the barn. I didn’t bother to question her and did as I was told.

In hindsight, walking toward that barn out in the middle of nowhere was probably one of the most harebrained things I could have done. For all I knew, maybe the old bat was robbing me and had a gang of hooligans stationed in the barn poised to murder me and steal what little money I had on my person. It may sound ludicrous to think that such an out-of-the-way place would operate in such a manner, but I couldn’t deny the setting was a little spooky even in the daylight. And keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who’s seen some shit in his time.

I made my way up to the massive double doors of the barn and saw that the left one was closed, but the one on the right was cracked open ever so slightly. My heart raced and I had no idea what to expect. I was wearing a pair of jeans and one of those gray t-shirts with a breast pocket, so I wasn’t worried about dirtying myself with work…but all I could think about was the woman named Lilith. I had no idea what I’d find in the barn.

I grabbed the outer ledge of the closed door and peeked into the massive structure. On the left, I espied the typical stalls for animals separated by wood that looked to be even older than the house just across the way. There was hay strewn about the floor, and my nostrils were assaulted by the odor that usually accompanies such a setting. As my eyes continued to scan the area, I noticed that the right side of the barn resembled something more akin to a workshop. It looked strangely similar to the way one of my grandfathers used to keep his garage.

As I stood there gazing into the barn, I decided it wouldn’t do to meet this Lilith woman by barging in on her and scaring ten years’ growth out of the poor thing. From where I stood in the doorway, I continued to look around as I shouted, “Hello?”

The response I received was the whinny of a single horse. I knew there had to be more animals than just the one, but it was the only one who apparently felt like greeting me. I quickly recalled how the old woman said that Lilith never spoke. It made me wonder if the female I was looking for didn’t speak…or couldn’t speak.

What am I doing here? I asked myself in my head. Thirty minutes ago, I had been out on the open road singing along to the radio while trying to clear my head and deciding what to do next in my life. It seemed quite odd how drastically things can change in such a short span of time.

My eyes suddenly picked up movement on the far end of the barn. It was quite dark on that side of the building, but since I’ve always prided myself on having excellent vision, I knew there was no way my orbs had made up what I convinced myself I had seen. Someone had clearly darted from one side of the barn to the other.

I took a few more steps into the aged building and called out once more. “Hello? My name is Marcus. I was told I could find a woman named Lilith in here. I’ve come to lend you a hand with some of the work.”

It was deathly silent.

“My pickup broke down just down the road,” I explained in a voice just below a shout. “I’m not exactly sure how I can be of help, but I’d like to do whatever I can to aid you until I can get my vehicle up and running again.”

There was still nothing. Even the horse I still hadn’t laid eyes on had grown silent.

I walked up to the closest workbench and started examining the tools. There was everything a handyman would ever need hanging neatly from a pegboard on the wall. I quickly realized that if anyone in the barn had thought of me as hostile, they had plenty of weapons to choose from to put me down with.

I took a step back from the bench and placed my hands out with hope that Lilith could see me from wherever she hid. I wanted her to know that I didn’t have malevolent intentions and that I was unarmed. “I’m truly sorry if I’m interrupting you, but I’d really just like to lend a hand while I can. If there’s a telephone I could use around here, I would be more than appreciative to make a call so I could fetch a tow truck and be on my way. I don’t mean to bother you.” It’s crazy to think that even in that time, we hardly had all these cellular devices people can’t live without today. The times sure have changed.

I continued to stand there in the light from the doorway and from a single window above beaming in on the side of the barn I stood at. I patiently waited for something to happen…and when it suddenly did, I can honestly say that I have never been so shocked and stunned at the same time. I was instantly rendered mute when I laid eyes on the woman named Lilith for the first time.

From the shadows, a female suddenly emerged. At first, I could only see her face, but then the rest of her body became visible as she slowly crept forward into the light. It was almost as if she was afraid to approach me, but even looking back on our first meeting, I’m positive that I was more amazed by her than anything. I was by no means frightened… just speechless. When I had been told about Lilith working in the barn by the old woman, I had started picturing hundreds of different hideous creatures in my mind… but not a single one of them came close to what actually appeared before me.

Lilith was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

When she first came out of the shadows and locked eyes with me, I was practically floored by the unique color of her spheres. They were almost a yellowish green, and behind them was an innocence that not even a newborn infant possessed. I’m not lying when I say that I could’ve gazed into those radiant orbs for hours on end.

Lilith also had long black hair with barely noticeable streaks of red running throughout her locks. The tresses were neither straight nor curled, but somewhat crimped if I’m using the right vernacular. She also had these amazingly full red lips, and her ears were actually pointed almost in a way similar to those of an elf, but maybe even a little longer. They protruded from her beautiful hair and her oval-shaped face.

Oh, and did I mention that she was blue?

How I had failed to notice right away, I’ll never be able to explain. Maybe it was because of those dazzling eyes that drew me in, or maybe it had something to do with that long, black hair that I’ve always been so drawn to, but somehow, I managed to miss the fact that the gorgeous woman standing just over five feet tall before me had azure skin. It was obviously like nothing I had ever seen before. To this day, I can honestly say that I’ve never seen another woman who even comes close to matching Lilith’s beauty. She looked like a supermodel out of a magazine…with the obvious differences I just listed.

I can only imagine what Lilith thought of me on first sight. I’ve never been much of a looker, nor have I ever been vain enough to really care about my appearance. Sure, I bathe and groom regularly, but I’ve never exactly cared what others think about me. Accompany that with the fact that I was so stunned by the beauty of the woman before me that I was just standing there staring at her with my mouth agape, and I’m sure she thought she had probably just encountered a man with special needs.

It took everything in my power to snap back to reality and finally mumble, “My…uh…my name’s Marcus…Veovin! Um…yeah! Marcus Veovin! I…um…I was wondering if you could possibly be Lilith?”

The blue-skinned woman who couldn’t have been much older than her mid-twenties lifted a hand to her mouth and giggled. I’m not stretching the truth when I say that the humor emanating from her sounded like a choir of angels…perhaps with a slight twist.

Like a doofus, I started scratching the back of my head as I tried to find the right words to say next. As I pondered my forthcoming sentence, I finally realized that Lilith was wearing nothing more than a pair of bib overalls. She didn’t have any kind of shirt on underneath or even socks on her feet, and where the top straps met the top panel was just barely enough to conceal her moderate-sized breasts beneath. I won’t pretend I didn’t have a dirty thought or two in that moment since side boobs were spilling all over.

Lilith smiled at me and I nearly fainted. The best way to describe it would be to ask any guy how he’d react to having his dream girl touch him in an impure way…and that’s how I felt in that moment.

I’ll never know how, but I managed to remain upright as I continued to study the enchanting woman. I knew I had to say something else so I didn’t come off like a total buffoon, but I didn’t know what to talk about without sounding like a complete dumbass. No matter what words came out of my mouth, I knew I was going to stumble over them because of the effect this gorgeous woman standing before me had on me. It was nothing eloquent, but I finally managed to point back over my right shoulder with a thumb toward the house as I said, “There was an old woman back there who said I should come help you.”

Lilith’s expression suddenly soured and she closed her eyes while sticking her tongue out. I received the impression that this blue-skinned beauty felt the same way about the old bat as the grumpy hag felt about Lilith. I wondered how the two were able to coexist under such conditions.

In that moment, I was suddenly struck with an epiphany that I didn’t necessarily like. I glanced back over a shoulder at the house through the crack in the doors before turning my attention squarely back to the radiant female standing before me and asked her, “Lilith, does that woman make you do this…against your will?”

The beautiful, blue-skinned woman crossed her arms and looked away from me. I felt like a pig for noticing that the moment she did so, one of her pleasant breasts almost fell completely out of its confinement.

I knew it wasn’t exactly my place to do so, but I took a step forward and placed my hands on the young woman’s upper arms. Her skin was smooth to the touch – almost like butter – and I held her gently as I tried to get her to look in my eyes so I could ask, “Lilith, does that woman…hurt you?”

The raven-tressed girl wouldn’t meet my gaze. I felt her tremble momentarily and decided I had my answer.

I released my hold on the blue-hued stunner and placed a hand to my chin as I tried to piece together everything going on in this strange neck of the woods I was unfamiliar with. The old bat back in the house had nothing good to say about the young woman standing before me, and the “spawn of the underworld” herself didn’t seem too keen on the elderly lady. I needed more answers.

“Lilith, do you live alone out here with this woman, or are there more people in the house?”

The eyes of the innocent beauty told me that she didn’t know how to answer my question.

I quickly realized my mistake and reworded my sentence structure so I wasn’t asking two questions at once that could be answered in different ways. “Is it just the two of you out here other than animals, Lilith?”

The blue-skinned doll nodded her head.

“There are no other people in the immediate vicinity?”

The vision of loveliness shook her head.

“Do you live here against your will?”

Lilith’s answer came in the form of a look that was peppered with a bit of confusion. If I had to guess, I’d say the expression on her face was doing everything it could to inform me that the answer I desired was complicated.

I looked around the barn a bit as I asked the spectacular girl, “So, what exactly is it that you do out here? Is there some way I can help you?”

A smile suddenly lit the young woman’s face as she grasped my right hand with both of hers and started dragging me to the other side of the barn. I watched as she energetically grabbed a bucket full of feed for the animals. She then led the way to one of the stalls before setting the bucket down in front of it and reaching into the pail to scoop some of the food up in one hand. Her face radiantly beamed as she held her overflowing appendage full of sustenance in front of a brown horse that looked quite thankful to be eating from the palm of her hand.

When Lilith glanced in my direction with that glowing smile still gleaming on her face, I couldn’t help but return the look. How long had it been since I had smiled in such a manner? I was also a little surprised – and maybe even a little rattled – when I realized in that moment that I could no longer picture Eve’s face. It’s not like it had been that long since I had last seen her, but no matter how hard I tried, the visage wouldn’t make itself apparent. As much as I loved Eve, I wondered why that was…

Lilith suddenly reached over and grabbed my hand again. She forced it down into the bucket and wanted to see me try doing what she had just done. I chuckled at her enthusiasm and then held a handful of food up to the horse’s mouth. It quickly devoured what I had to offer. As it did so, the raven-tressed angel next to me placed her hands to her mouth and giggled in delight.

I was elated to see that the dazzling young woman looked so happy. I’m not ashamed to admit that it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside to know that something as simple as feeding a horse made her express such bliss. It may have sounded like a dumb thing to do, but I couldn’t help but turn to the ravishing female and tell her, “Lilith, I’m glad I met you! I like you!”

I was more than a little surprised when the blue-skinned beauty stared directly into my eyes and suddenly said in a sheepish voice, “I like you!”

Those three simple words almost bowled me over since I was under the impression that the young woman was unable to speak, but emotionally, I have to admit that I had never heard a voice full of as much tenderness and longing as I heard in that one simple exclamation. I know it wasn’t like we were professing our love for one another, but somehow, the way Lilith spoke those words made them feel like they were packed with more meaning than some of the most monumental speeches or lectures ever given throughout the history of mankind.

When I finally recovered from my momentary shock, I tried to think of a quick way to respond. “Lilith…your voice is so…lovely!” I wasn’t sure I had said the right thing. I hoped she didn’t think I was going overboard.

“I like you!” The young woman simply repeated.

I was glad to see that she was still smiling as she made her declaration. I was also positive that she understood each and every word I had said since entering the barn, so I knew she wasn’t just copying my phrases just for the fun of it. She understood what I was saying…and meant her words when she spoke them back to me.

I continued to smile at her the way a teacher would smile at a younger pupil. I tried to think of something else to say as I looked around the barn. It wasn’t earthmoving, but I decided to inquire, “Are the animals here your friends?”

Lilith continued to smile as she bent down to scoop up more of the food. She fed the horse another handful while answering my query with a simple nod.

Wanting to hear her speak a few other words, I tried to devise a question that would have to be answered with more than a nod or a shake of the head. Remembering what I had seen when I first arrived in the area, I decided to ask, “Where are the chickens? I’m sure you have some here.”

The young woman continued to flash me her pearly whites as she pointed in the direction of the chicken coop.

I thanked the astonishing female for her answer and let out a small sigh when she momentarily turned away from me. Hearing her voice had been one of the highlights of my life. I know that probably sounds silly, but describing the timbre of her vocals in words is next to impossible. I just had to hear it again, but I didn’t want to push Lilith into doing anything she didn’t want to do. She probably didn’t speak much for a reason…so I wasn’t going to force her to do so.

I watched as the young woman picked up the bucket and started hauling it over to the next stall. I offered to carry it for her, but she responded with a smile and by shaking her head. I think she wanted to prove to me that she was capable of doing the work alone.

I took a brief moment to study my surroundings once more. As focused as I was on Lilith, I still felt that there was something terribly amiss brewing on this small stretch of land. That old woman I had originally talked to looked like someone I’d see on an old black and white horror film, but Lilith resembled something from the very heavens above. I don’t care if some people find this blasphemous, but she looked like a goddess who should’ve had a celestial body named after her.

I watched my new compeer continue to have a good time as she fed the animals and motioned for me to come stand with her while doing so. I enjoyed my afternoon with her while continuing to ponder what exactly it was I had stumbled upon.

The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted Lilith to become a normal fixture in my life.

                    *

The time flew by. I’m not exactly sure what time I arrived in Lilith’s neck of the woods, but if I had to guess, I’d say it must’ve been around eleven in the morning when my pickup broke down. I know for a fact that it had been before noon…so when she motioned to me that our “workday” was over and that it was four o’clock in the afternoon, my mind was blown.

“Where did the time go?” I asked the energetic young woman. I wasn’t expecting a verbal answer, and I didn’t receive one. Instead, I received a completely different response that I hadn’t been anticipating.

With a huge smile plastered across her face, Lilith grabbed one of my hands and started leading me out of the barn. I easily could’ve followed her on my own, but I didn’t attempt to break free from her since I cherished the feel of her hands. I obediently followed as she giggled and guided me to wherever it was she was taking me.

I was more than a little surprised when she didn’t lead me toward the house as I had been expecting, but instead toward the trail I had barely managed to spot when I had first arrived at her home. I looked around and took in all the tall maples surrounding us as we trudged forward for several minutes. The entire time we jogged, the blue-skinned beauty never released my hand. I was totally fine with that.

When we finally reached Lilith’s destination, my jaw fell open when I saw that I had been right in my assumption about the water I had heard. We were at a large creek with some of the clearest liquid I had ever viewed. The surrounding land was both beautiful and peaceful. There was no way a person couldn’t appreciate the majesty of what Lilith was showing me.

“Lilith…this is incredible!” I exclaimed as I turned in my spot while gazing upward. I tried to take in all the sights and smells around me while appreciating the nature that the wonderful woman beside me had decided to share with me. “I’ve never seen something this…glorious!” Boy, was I ever proven wrong within three seconds.

END OF PART ONE OF SIX