First Residents of Eden Part 3 [TFTG]

Appearing in the form of a great albino gorilla, the Creator was nearly invisible in the blinding glow of his nimbus. “Be not concerned,” He said, attempting to comfort the panicking females. “This child will not die, but will live with me in heaven.”

“Oh, no he won’t,” Ooh-Ah dared.

As E-E quickly snatched her son from before the feet of the Creator, Ooh-Ah fell deliberately to her hands and knees to where the child had lain. Seeing this, Ape bolted from the woods and slammed into the Creator, sending Him tumbling over Ooh-Ah. The males had stockpiled boulders at the edge of the clearing, upon which Nock and Grrr armed themselves, tossing the rocks at the fallen God. Ape picked up a boulder too massive and too heavy to throw. He struggled to carry it as he staggered to the Creator and dropped it on His head, instantly killing Him.

A thick blanket of black clouds choked off the daylight. The group stood about the dead Creator, and as the aura about His body diminished, the sky took on such a rumbling that it shook the Earth.

“We’ve done it now,” Grrr said, in a state of alarm. “It’s the end of the world.”

“Our sacrifice was worth it,” Ape assured his group. He pointed to the deceased God. “We did the right thing by putting Him to death.”

"I exist, Ape, and you have sinned beyond forgiveness."

“Then kill us,” Ape said, unrepentant, even with his group pulling back and away from him. The clouds evaporated, revealing that the sun had moved to the top of the sky; blinding Ape with its brilliance. “You made us what we are, Creator, yet you persist in making demands that conflict with your own design. Kill us and put us out of our misery.”

"I will not end your lives, but will make you as the other animals: dumb and without conscience. I see now that I must give the world to a less combative species; one that will come to love me as their Creator.”

Ape snorted at this. “You mean to create weak-minded creatures who will quake at the sound of your voice. This is not love, Creator, but fear. And I will give you neither.”

"What you refuse me in your sentience you will now give to me until the end of time. You will forever be bowed to me in your mindless existence."

Ape began to feel pressure building in his lower back and hips, as with the other gorillas. In order to retain some semblance of being upright, they had to bend forward and press their knuckles against the Earth. Ape still laughed at the Creator, even though he could feel his intelligence diminishing. “We may bow to you with our bodies, but we will n-n-never worship--”

Ape’s mind slipped into neutral. He looked confused for a moment, before registering the cry of his son. With E-E sitting and holding the infant in her lap, the new father gently touched his offspring. The baby was alive. They were all alive. Though Ape could no longer put his thoughts into words, something felt right to him. Whether it was that he had beaten the Creator, or that he felt truly free for the first time, he didn’t know and couldn’t say. He beat his chest and roared his un-named joy, with the other gorillas joining in the celebration.

In the meadow, the patch of dust swirled unnaturally, and then settled. An entirely new life form lay naked and breathing, waiting for the Creator to call down from the heavens: "Arise, Adam, and gaze upon the wondrous new world before you."

The frightened human scurried from the dust to prostrate himself upon the meadow. And the Creator was pleased.

End

Wow.


Bravo on that piece of artwork. Fabulous, absolutely fabulous.

I saw your story in your signature on my thread, and read all three parts. Loved it!

Nicely done man!