The second story contained no statues, but its walls were decorated with paintings that depicted persons—all more or less resembling the effigies below—engaged in various activities such as quarrying stone, tending plants, spearing wolves, cooking, and copulating. Perhaps a dozen souls occupied this space, all of them well advanced toward having complete forms. It seemed that they were all paying keen attention to the pictures and rehearsing the actions depicted. “This is where they learn the ways of the world El has made, so that when they go down into Eltown they may be of some use. Others, larger and better formed than these, go out into the hills or down into the town, accompanied by the other priests of El, to practice and perfect their skills.”

“And the third story above us?” Eve asked.

“That is for me and the other priests of El,” said Lookseast, “and it is off-limits.”

“What then becomes of the new souls?”

“When they are fully formed,” said Lookseast, “they go down into Eltown and dwell there in whatever way they choose.”

“Who are the bringers of firewood?” Adam asked.

“You ask a great many questions,” said Lookseast. Which struck Adam and Eve as a curious sort of observation for the priest to have made. But after an awkward pause, he answered, “Eltown is, as its name suggests, devoted to the service of El. And so it is expected that all who dwell in it will do their part to keep the fire burning and otherwise help the priests carry out El’s will.”

It now seemed that the conversation was over. There was no place for Adam and Eve to stay here, and nothing for them to do, and so they left Elkirk behind and began to descend a zigzagging path toward the town below. This they could smell better than see. The air did not stir much in the valley, which had filled up with a hazy atmosphere of smoke and humidity that glowed a dim red in the light of the fires burning below. It smelled strongly of wood smoke and faintly of shit. But as they descended the switchbacks they were able to see Eltown spread out beneath them, a network of streets, mostly irregular, as it conformed to the banks of the river that snaked through its middle. The streets were nothing more than the unbuilt strips of ground between houses. Raised in the Garden, Adam and Eve were new to such ideas as streets and houses, but Mab supplied them with explanations during the hike down, and so by the time they verged on Eltown itself they understood the general notions.

“When we were growing up in the Garden,” Adam remarked, “we asked many questions of El and his host, which they were pleased to answer. But that Lookseast did not like our questions one bit.”