Eve: What’s that?
Adam: A dove.
Eve: And that?
Adam: A squirrel.
Eve: That squirrel looks different than that one. Are you sure they’re the same thing?
Adam: That one’s a squirrel, and that one’s a chipmunk.
Eve: You really did name everything.
Adam: God told me about lots of things, like the trees and the flowers. Then He told me to name all the animals.
Eve: Did you name yourself?
Adam: No, God named me.
Eve: Adam, if we ever find something that doesn’t have a name, can I name it?
Adam: We’re not going to find anything else, Eve.
Eve: But if we ever do find something, can I name it?
Adam: Sure.
*****
Adam: I miss how good the plants tasted in the garden.
Eve: Me too. Oh, there’s some food on your face. On that little spot that’s sort of an indent between your mouth and your nose.
Adam: Did I get it off?
Eve: Yes. Is there a name for it?
Adam: For what?
Eve: That little spot that’s sort of an indent between your mouth and your nose.
Adam: There’s no name for that.
Eve: I think we should name it.
Adam: We don’t need to. It’s not like we’ll be talking about it much.
*****
Eve: There’s food on your face. On that little spot that’s sort of an indent between your mouth and your nose.
Adam: You say that every day.
Eve: You always get food there. I think we should name it.
Adam: In the garden, God said our language was perfect.
Eve: But we’re no longer perfect, and we’re no longer in the garden.
Adam: Maybe we should both pray about it.
*****
Adam: I think it’s fine with God if you name other things, things that don’t have names.
Eve: That’s the answer I got too. Philtrum!
Adam: Phil—what?
Eve: Philtrum. That little spot that’s sort of an indent between your mouth and your nose. It’s now called a philtrum.
Adam: That’s a really strange name to choose.
Eve: Well, I thought elephant was a strange name, but I never complained.
*****
Adam: You’ve named shawl, rotten, hangnail, rope, and hungry. How many other things are you going to name?
Eve: As many as I can find.
*****
Eve: It feels like it’s going to happen soon. We should call it childbirth. It’s a good thing we helped the cows with childbirth, or I would be really—what was that word I came up with?—scared.
Adam: I’m a little scared.
Eve: So am I.
*****
Eve: This really, really hurts!
Adam: You’ll be fine. We have a word for this. Pain.
Eve: Pain isn’t good enough. I need a stronger word.
Adam: What do you want to call it?
Eve: You name it. It hurts too much for me to think of a name.
Adam: Let’s call it agony.
*****
Eve: Let’s call him Cain.
Adam: He’s perfect.
Eve: I want to name this feeling.
Adam: We already have the word happy.
Eve: I know. But it doesn’t feel quite strong enough. Let’s call this joy.
*****
Adam: Can I name this baby?
Eve: You said I could name everything else.
Adam: Fine. What’s his name?
Eve: Abel.
Adam: That’s a good name.
Eve: You can name one of our children, some day. But I get to name all of the rest.
*****
Adam: He’s not breathing. And his skin is cold.
Eve: His body is here, but Abel—Abel is gone.
Adam: There is no name for this. This thing that happened.
Eve: I suppose we need one.
Adam: Yes, I suppose we do.
Eve: We’ll call it murder.
Adam: What about what we’re feeling?
Eve: I don’t think I can name this.
Adam: I don’t think I can either.
*****
Adam: Eve, I don’t think we’ve ever spent so much time praying.
Eve: I think we still have a lot more praying ahead of us.
Adam: But I feel slightly—not better, but I feel, I feel—
Eve: Adam, God already gave us a name for this.
Adam: Did He? What is it called?
Eve: Hope.
Katherine Cowley teaches writing classes at Mesa Community College. She has a Masters of English from Brigham Young University. In addition to writing, Katherine enjoys making short documentary films, reading to her children, and taking walks in the sun. She currently lives with her husband and two daughters in Mesa, Arizona.
