The moon gazed across the horizon, watching them with its lone eye. Stars glittered the night sky, their light falling to the ocean as small waves rolled toward the beach. A sound like thunderous applause erupted when the water clashed with the sand, appreciative of the moment, ill-content with the silence between a boy and a girl.

They sat alone together.

She bit her lip. His lips trembled.

The girl asked him a question.

“Are you alright?”

He looked at her. Frowned. Eyebrows furrowed. Nervousness shook his leg.

“Maybe.” Thoughts were cut in the editing process on their way out of his mouth. He started to chew on his fingernails.

The girl curled a hair behind her ear and moved closer, tentative. Cautious, as if he were a scared animal.

“It’s okay, Adam.”

“Eve…” he started finally. “What…what do we do now?”

Eve swallowed audibly. Her cheeks warmed till they burned. She answered.

“I’m not sure.”

Silence. Thunderous applause.

He reached out a hand. Retracted. She inched toward him.

“I’ll just hold you, okay?” she suggested, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He nodded, slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. Pulled her into his chest. She smiled, a twitch in her upturned lips.

They stared at the moon together, and it stared back.

She gave him a peck on the cheek. It burned.

Their bodies set fire. Heartbeats pounded against their chests, each breath quicker than the last. Their hands traced one another delicately, reserved as if they both might break. Then, just before their lips could touch, something pushed them apart. They sat back on their hands. Confused, they tried to meet in the middle but, again, were shoved in the opposite direction.

Adam stood, his lungs heaving. And she stood, tears falling to fade into the sand.

“What’s going on?” they asked in unison. They ran into the invisible wall. Adam threw a punch, and it redirected the blow. He shook his hand to deal with the pain. Eve fell onto her back, sat up, horrified. Mouth agape.

What on earth would keep them separated?

Adam fell to his knees, exasperated. He, too, let the tears come. Sobs mingled with the tide and Eve’s soft whimper.

Adam searched aimlessly along the sparkling grains of sand. He rubbed his face with his hands and tried to ignore the tightness in his throat.

A snake slithered onto the beach toward them, coiling next to Eve. It bared its fangs and hissed menacingly. Her mouth made a show to scream, but nothing came of it.

“Eve!” yelled Adam. He slammed his shoulder into the invisible wall.

The snake sunk its teeth into Eve’s leg. She screamed. In a blink, the snake was no longer a snake. It was now a beautiful man, tall and tanned. His dazzling green stare bore into Adam. The man chewed on an apple, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Dad’s gone, kid,” said the man, his voice oddly soothing. Smooth like honey. “You will be, too.”

Eve was still. Pale. Adam’s heart sank into his stomach. His lungs deflated. A numbing sensation began to branch out from his chest, and he fell forward, watching the world slowly drift away into darkness.

Then the moon dropped below the ocean horizon, and the stars faded into the background as the sun made its slow entrance. A sound like thunderous applause.

Then, all was quiet.