As Earth Churns…22c. East of Eden

Anak changed the subject, “So, Cain, what are planning for sacrifice day? Dagon and I have a little pile of crops set aside so we can at least qualify as givers. Shouldn’t take much time and won’t cost us much either.”

“See that pile over there,” Cain pointed behind him at the edge of the woods on the west side of his acreage. “Planned on giving that.”

“That much? All of it?” Anak snickered.

“Well, I was, at least until I heard what you guys said about the new acceptance policy,” Cain stated thoughtfully.

Dagon took his turn, “You know, Cain, Anak and I figured that since we’re doing all the work down here with absolutely no help from God or anybody else, why should we worry about giving God anything. He’s up there in heaven with his gold streets, all that massive wealth.”

He paused allowing Anak to jump in, “We figured that since we planted the crops and cared for the crops and harvested the crops, they are all ours.” Anak didn’t even take a breath, “What ours is ours and God doesn’t need it anyway.”

Cain replied with his brow raised thoughtfully, “I see what you mean. That’s just about what I was thinking when Jesus showed up here the other day with his holier-than-me attitude, his judgmental words, and his condemning tone of voice.”

“Exactly!” stated Dagon jumping on the anti-Jesus bandwagon. “That kid’s always butting in where he’s not needed or wanted! What does he care about you for anyway, Cain? He’s got it all up in heaven including his own little throne next to the Father’s. How cute is that?”

Anak interjected with the finishing touch, “By the way, Cain, Dagon and I were just discussing on our walk over here that we might not even do any sacrificing next year. Keep it all for ourselves. What do you think?”

Cain hurried his answer, “Sounds like a plan to me. I’m sick and tired of sweating and straining all year only to give a bunch of the fruits of my labor away to those that already have it all.”

Dagon added, “Precisely. We’ll get through this year and then it’ll all be for us.”

Anak stepped in, “Lookin’ out for Number One!”

“Yeah, Number One! I like that!” Cain agreed. Then staring for a moment at his large pile of stuff he’d set aside for the upcoming sacrifice, “Might even whittle that heap down a might. Say, to about a tenth of what’s there.”

“Atta boy!” shouted Anak.

“Now you’re talkin’!” added Dagon.

Then all three uttered nearly simultaneously, “Number One!”

After a few more minutes of rhetoric, back slaps, and high fives, the angels left, walking back the way they had come nodding satisfactorily to each other knowing their report to Lucifer would be well-applauded. Cain returned to his crop-tending tasks but now with a smile on his face. “Good to have neighbors besides Abel,” he thought.
[to be continued]

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