Chapter Text
Your God person puts an apple tree in the middle of a garden and says,
Do what you like, guys,
oh, but don’t eat the apple.
The eldest’s eyes shimmered.
“We need to do this.”
The others exchanged apprehensive glances. Hyejoo bit her lip, eyes darting about as she rubbed her arm, breathing heavy and thick and denser than the fog in her mind. She tapped her bottom lip with a finger, tugging it as she considered.
Her throat was dry.
“We can’t,” she suddenly blurted, flushing darkly as everyone’s dim, dusky pupils nipped towards her, staring like ravenous wolves. She ducked her head down, backing away in fear. Trembling, she tried to face her big sister.
She was quiet.
“We’re not allowed to—”
“They’re controlling us.” The eldest sister’s tone was sharp, harsh, thick; her eyes knives that cut through Hyejoo, ripped her apart.
“We have some freedom—”
“Hyejoo, we don’t.” The older girl’s voice softened. She moved closer towards the anxious traitor, placing a hand gently on her shoulder and smiling with some warmth.
It wasn’t enough.
“Trust me, Hyejoo. This may be Heaven,” she said slowly, and Hyejoo quaked as she watched her expression flicker, and go out like a light; “but this isn’t, and it never will be, paradise.”
Faith
The apple was large and tender in the girl’s hands. It fit perfectly, lusciously, a faultless fit.
She examined it, closer, her heart fluttering like the wings of a butterfly, a butterfly struggling from its cage.
The apple glistened; smiled.
The girl smiled too.
It was meant to be.
Love
The hallways: vast. The paintings: grand.
The suspense: agonising.
She ploughed on.
Her hands slid across the walls, hugging every nook and cranny, warm and welcoming.
Home.
She frowned, dropping her hand.
She turned towards the mirror.
Hope
Her reflection.
Anger
She couldn’t do this.
She had to.
She could do this.
She was going to do it.
She lifted the apple with her shaking palms, swallowing, hard.
She brought it to her lips.
Her teeth came down with a final, loud, decisive:
Crunch.
I don’t need no garden of Eden
Sooyoung, Chaewon, Jiwoo.
Hyejoo.
I am thou, thou art me