Light {Chapter 2 - "Lunch With Lucifer"}

I rushed across the charcoal asphalt of the square, dodging cars and pedestrians alike to the opposite sidewalk. I looked up at the crisp new letters of the Koffee Klutch's awning. An odd place for such a meeting, but it was my favorite coffee house, besides Starbucks, so why not?

I took a deep breath and pulled the door open. I looked around. I knew who he was instantly. I quickly crossed the small expanse of floor over to where he was sitting, looking relaxed and comfortable on the red couch before the fireplace. He had long hair. Longer than most girl's I had ever seen. Like Sephiroth from Final Fantasy long. It was a cream color, and flowed down in shining tresses around his form. I could tell that if he were to stand, he would be a good seven feet tall. He turned and looked at me, unblinkingly. He was beautiful and handsome at the same time. His eyes were a pale silver, his face very pale and angled. His lips were thin, yet perfectly shaped. Except for his hair, eyes, and exquisite beauty, he looked like a normal human. Even his clothes, a cream cashmere sweater and brown dress pants and brown dress shoes, were perfectly human. But I knew he was anything but.

I gave a hesitant smile and sat down next to him, keeping a foot or two between us. I didn't know him, didn't know what to expect or anything.

"Ahem, nice to meet you---um---er..." I started, not knowing how to address him.

"Lucifer is fine," he replied, a look of amusement on his face.

I blushed, embarrassed. "Why do you look so normal? Er human, excuse me," I blurted out. Great first impression, Ariel.

He grinned, perfect white teeth gleaming. "I can conform to whatever the current mortal fashion is when I please. Pants aren't really my favorites. They're very constricting, if you understand me."

I laughed nervously, not sure if that was a joke or if he was serious. Either way...

"Um, well, do you have wings?"

Again, he smiled, like a father trying to explain the most obvious fact of life to an imbecile. "I have several pairs of wings. They're white and feathery, like you mortals see them in pictures, if I wish them to be."

"Then why do we get all these horrific images of you all the time? You know, horns and such?" I asked, perplexed.

Lucifer rolled his eyes and snorted. "Oh, that. That's just superstitions nonsense from the Catholic Church from ages ago. Most of the people of Europe were pagan, and one of their gods was a horned being. In an attempt to frighten the people into submission, the Catholics stole from this idea and made hell and the horned creature to represent Satan."

I nodded, understanding. "That makes sense. I've done research on that myself. Most of our holiday traditions are derived from pagan practices, as the Catholic Church couldn't get the followers without their love for a good party."

"Exactly," he said, with a serene smile upon his face. His face was like marble; pure, white, and unmarked. I had trouble not staring in awe. He just smiled and put one hand under his chin, his long, tapered fingers perfect like the rest of him.

I shook my head slightly to clear it. "Yes, um so...there's no hell?" I asked.

He leaned forward eagerly, his face inches from my own. I gulped. He grinned.

"Think about it. Why would God honestly give me earth and hell to rule if He hated me so much? That doesn't make sense to me, and I'm sure it doesn't to you, either. Am I correct?" His voice sent chills down my spine. Sensuous and soft, each word like a stirring of a feather in a soft winter wind...

"No," I whispered. "No, it doesn't."

"And as for it being a place of punishment in the far distant future? That's even more ridiculous," he said, laughing, leaning back against the arm of the couch.

"Why?" I asked.

"Oh, let's be realistic, here! If God really hated me, He wouldn't be waiting to send me into eternal damnation, so I could wreak havoc among His precious little experiments and take them away from Him, dragging them all to hell with me until that time. And why would He add his pets to the burning inferno, anyway, if that's all hell is intended to be - a place of punishment for myself and my followers? None of it adds up."

"So, what's the true story then? I'm confused..." I questioned, hanging onto his every word.

"The truth? God is no more powerful than I am. He has never made anything perfect. I, the most trusted and beloved of angels rebelled against Him, and yet I was His creation. Adam and Eve? Betrayed Him. The Garden of Eden? Had the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in it, along with the Tree of Life. Cain and Able. Sodom and Gomorrah. Noah's Ark. Jesus's crucifiction. Take a look out the windows, there. Not exactly white lambs, are they?"

"Why did you rebel?" I choked out, my head spinning with this information buzzing around in my head like a swarm of angered bees.

Lucifer's eyes flashed with eagerness. He leaned forward again, and whispered in my ear, "I want to be God." He pulled back a little, but continued staring hard into my eyes.

"I wanted to know everything. I wanted all the answers. He told us He created us. He told us He was all powerful. He told us so many things. But all I could see were lies and cover ups and secrets. I wanted the truth. I wanted to know ," he hissed, fiercely, like he was daring me to say something to rebuke his passions.

I gave him a lopsided smile. "I know exactly how you feel. I want to know everything too. I want to be God. I don't want to have to pick and choose what to believe out of the Bible, because that's even worse than not believing at all, I think. You can't half-ass religion. It's all or nothing!"

He nodded. "Yes. You understand me. That is why I rebelled. I demanded answers from Him. He wouldn't give me them. I told Him that His time was over and that it was time for a new leader to take over. I had many who were on my side. They believed in my cause and wanted someone who would be honest with them, too. I just couldn't stand not knowing anymore. Not knowing if it was all a lie..."

"Well, we fought. Like I said, I had many followers. But not enough. God's followers were so many, total loyalty and trust in whatever His holy lips uttered. They defeated us. The war lasted for nine days. That is nothing to an immortal, you must understand, but as far as battles go, this was very long and wearisome. We were forced to surrender. God forced me and my followers out of heaven. We traveled around for years and years until one day, we stumbled upon earth. I saw all of God's little experiment running around there, and I grew enraged, knowing the lies or half-truths He was telling them. Turning them against me, as well. I immediately went down there to try and spread the truth."

"Satanism?" I mused, curious.

"Those people are ridiculous. They don't even really worship me. Just see me as some kind of rebel against authority and made up their own foolish mortal traditions. There was so much more than just a "rebel against the constituted authority" that they believe in," he scoffed.

"And heaven?"

Here, he leaned back and held his chin in his hands, staring daggers into the crackling flames of the fireplace. He then turned his head to me.

"I know no more than you do on matters of humans and their place in heaven..." he said finally.

"Oh..." I sighed, dejectedly. I really wanted the answer to that question.

"It's just death...There is no hell..." he said, a little smile of asurance on his face, though it didn't reach his eyes. They still blazed with frustration of not knowing all the answers.

"Whoever said ignorance is bliss is a freaking moron," I grumbled.

"I agree." he said.

"Well, if that's all then, I'll have to be going. Demon business, you know." He said "demon" with an eye roll to show he was joking.

And with that, Lucifer left the little coffee shop, and I stood there as he disappeared into the crowd...