I jumped to as I awoke, expecting Lucifer to be there ready to reach out and grab me. I felt at ease for a moment when I saw no one, but the peace I experienced was short lived. As I looked out the window, I noticed the setting sun. I had stayed up all night reading my mother’s Bible and slept all day. That meant my twenty-four hours were almost up, and Lucifer and The Man would show up at any time.
I wanted to run and hide, but I knew there was no place I could go where Lucifer, or The Man Wrapped in Darkness wouldn’t be able to find me. I didn’t want to die, but I knew I couldn’t go along with what Lucifer wanted either, and I still wasn’t sure what The Man’s question meant.
I kept remembering Psalms 91, where it said God would be with me in times of trouble and deliver me. I lowered my head. “God, would you please be with me, and protect me from my enemies?”
“Ask, and you shall receive, my son.”
I snapped my head up on hearing the unexpected voice, but there he was.
Lucifer stood in the middle of the room. I jumped to my feet, my desk being the only thing between us. My thoughts raced to all the verses I read about God’s protection from the enemy. God, please deliver me, God, please deliver me.
Lucifer smiled from ear to ear, and he wore a gaudy robe that made him look like one of the kings of old. Colors of purple, green, blue, and gold made up the fabric, and it was draped over his solid black armor. His left hand rested on the hilt of a sword on the same side, and his armor was so polished, it reflected the light. When it did, I could make out images of upside-down crosses, pentagrams, and many other terrible and blasphemous images. He also had several daggers attached to both sides of his armor, just below his arms, and I hadn’t the slightest idea of why he placed them there. The item that terrified me the most to look at was the whip on his right hip. I recognized it right away, and I didn’t need a web search to understand what I was looking at. A Cat of Nine Tails with broken shards of what appeared to be glass, bone, and metal stared right back at me. It appeared Lucifer was intent on getting what he wanted.
As I looked at the weapons that adorned his body, the same strength I used to resist Lucifer on the mountain top filled me again. This time I knew it was from God. “You’re not God. You’re Lucifer.”
He smirked and let out a slight chuckle. “Lucifer I am. But not a god? That’s where you are wrong, young man. I am the god of this world.”
“That doesn’t make you the God of Heaven.”
Lucifer tapped his fingers on the handle of the whip. “I want you to listen to me very carefully, and really consider your next response. How am I not God? God promises to provide for and bless his children. I have promised you blessings and provisions beyond your wildest imagination. Money, women, fame, power, and unmeasured success in all you do. Why, I bet people will start calling you King Midas, because everything you’ll touch will turn to gold.”
He paced a line in front of my desk. “God protects his children, so their foot won’t strike a stone, correct? I promised nothing and no one would ever be able to hurt you again. Who else could provide you with that level of protection besides God?” He stopped and pinned me with a fake caring stare. “For the sake of the argument, God strengthens his people with his power. I promised you power and authority to rule the kingdoms of this world, to rule as you see fit. So please, tell me how I am not God?”
I pointed to my mother’s open Bible on my desk. “I read about you last night.”
Lucifer rolled his eyes and the smirk on his face rapidly changed to one of irritation. “You did, did you? Please tell me, what did you discover?”
“I read you were once an angel of God, and you wanted to be better than him. You said you would raise your throne above his.”
“And I will.”
“But when you tried, God cast you and all those who followed you out of Heaven.”
The grotesque features of Lucifer began to show again like they did on the mountain when I refused his offer, and I gagged on the scent of rotten poultry. Had Lucifer given off that odor when his face flashed? He did look like a rotten corpse at the end of my last visit with him.
“Tread lightly! You are on very dangerous ground. You do not know of what you speak.”
“Oh, but I do. I read it all here in my mother’s Bible. Everything she told me about you, and everything I read last night is true.”
Lucifer’s eyes zeroed in on the book laid open on my desk. “Where did you get that?”
“I received it when my mother died. I thought I had lost it, but a friend found it and returned it to me.”
“So, you read a few stories written and inspired by men, and you’re going to believe everything they have to say about me. I knew those men who wrote those stories when they were alive. They were all degenerates and failures who were jealous of me, because they wanted to be the ones to rule over this heaven and earth, and they knew that I would. My plan to take back Heaven has been in effect for years, and I have been far more successful than anyone could have ever imagined. The One has perpetuated those lies about me for years in hopes to stop people from knowing the truth. I don’t know who he’s trying to convince more that I will fail in this holy war—the race of man or himself. I may seem severe, harsh, or shrewd, but after all, I am at war, and in war one must be decisive in order to take what is rightfully theirs. However, I will prove to you I am not what they say, so tell me something, would you like to have your mom back? I can give her to you.”
As he uttered those words my mother stepped out from behind him with her arms outstretched. “I’m here, son. Oh, how I missed you.”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. There she stood again in my office. I wanted nothing more than to reach out and wrap my arms around her. I started to make my way from around the desk. Lucifer stepped in between us.
“Not so fast, my son. You see, this gift comes with one string attached to it. I can give you back your mom, and the two of you can start to make up for all of the time you lost over these past years. First, you must pledge your loyalty to me and keep running this company the way I see fit. Just look at how successful your previous family members have been. This was a small mining and railroad company, and now it has its hands in almost everything around the world. I did that for your great-grandfather, Frederick, at this request. You see how this works? Economics 101. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. You remember that don’t you? You give a little, you get a little. In your case you get your mom back, and I get to continue on with my direction for this company. A relatively small price to pay to have your dear sweet mommy back, wouldn’t you say? Let’s not forget you will still live in the lap of luxury like you do now. Just something to keep in mind.”
I wanted so badly to hug her again, and I almost agreed to his demands, but something seemed out of place. She looked and sounded like my mom, but at the same time, she didn’t. I looked back at my mom’s Bible, and I remembered the things I read in the red and black leather book. I knew even if I agreed to Lucifer’s terms, I could never live with myself, and my mother would never want me to go along with a system that destroyed the lives of others. She couldn’t be my real mom, could she?
“Son, say yes, and we can be together again. I have missed you so much. Please don’t let us be apart anymore. It will be like it was before. You need someone here to help you now that your father and best friend are gone. Aren’t you tired of being alone? Just say yes and we’ll never be apart again.”
My eyes filled with tears, and I kept looking at the Bible and then at my mom. The pressure in my head would surely split my brain in two. I wanted it to stop. I wanted to be happy, but I knew I couldn’t do it at the expense of the lives of other people.
My mother stepped forward with a loving look on her face.
“Say yes,” Lucifer said, “and you can have your mom and all I have promised you. You know you want to. You deserve it. You, of all people, have suffered enough in this life, and it is time for you to be blessed. Don’t yo
u think it’s time for you to have what you want? Let me bless you, my child.”
The remembrance of the flash of grotesque features and horrible stench brought everything into perfect focus. Something was off. It had always been off. Didn’t I have the answer all along? If I didn’t recognize it before, I certainly did then.
Yes, I could have used a break. I was lonely. I had lost everything. I didn’t want to die.
I also couldn’t let the corruption continue.
I was insignificant in the big picture.
I’d desired Rachel, a woman who was never truly interested in me. I’d wasted time and lost Tiffany—the love of my life—in the process.
Paul was dead...
Tiffany had moved on...
My mother was a memory, and certainly not the hologram-like thing who stood in my office.
Most importantly, Lucifer was a liar.
The Lord’s strength grew and surged within me, supplying me with power from his Holy Spirit. The tears stopped flowing, and I no longer felt sorry for myself. I knew Lucifer lied to me, and that thing in front of me was not my mother. “No.”
Lucifer looked surprised and horrified at the same time. Like he’d been hit with a brick that came out of nowhere. “Come again, my son? I don’t believe I heard you correctly.”
“You heard me. I said no. I will not go along with whatever your plans are for this company or my life, so get out of here and take my fake mother with you!”
Lucifer’s face went for a look of anticipation to solemnness. “Hmph. Okay. If that’s how you feel. I guess you leave me with no choice then.” Immediately he reached out and snapped the neck of the figure posing as my mother.
“Oh no, now look at what you made me do. You made me kill your dear sweet mommy again.”
“No!” I darted toward the limp body on the floor. It didn’t matter if the person wasn’t my mother, I had to make sure she was okay. I couldn’t let Lucifer kill someone on my account.
Lucifer stepped in front of me and delivered a fierce right uppercut to my stomach that sent me flying over my desk and backwards into the wall. I had been fortunate to land to the right of the window, and not go flying through it to my inevitable death below. Recent wounds came undone throughout my body from the healing process. I was wracked with pain as all the air rushed from me like an untethered balloon, and I swore his fist had touched my spine.
I writhed on the floor, desperate to get my chest to unlock and air back into my lungs. I tasted blood in my mouth. I knew that wasn’t good and wondered how much longer I had. I was able to roll over onto all fours, and then I saw the body of my mother turn into a twisted and charred monster on the floor. There was the proof of Lucifer’s deception lying dead in front of me.
Lucifer shook, his body contorted as he growled, and his breathing became labored. He appeared to be in pain as he struggled in vain to keep his flawless appearance in place. He hunched over and moaned and barked as his face flashed back and forth from immaculate to scarred and pitted, and his body went from looking full and healthy to emaciated and sickly to looking healthy again. His hair went from golden blonde to black and patchy. I could clearly see he was in a tremendous amount of agony as he fought to regain his composure. His majestic form seemed to be the only thing he could concentrate on as he clawed at the air.
I slowly began to breathe again. I was grateful for the break, as disturbing as it was to watch. But then the rapid swaps back and forth gradually started to slow as his skin became smooth and his hair went back to golden blonde. Lucifer’s breathing returned to normal, and he stopped growling and making other weird noises.
I pulled myself up and leaned against the wall, and remembered he said something about killing my mom again. I had to keep him talking as I collected myself so I could figure out my next move.
Lucifer stood with his eyes closed, and as the changing stopped, he opened his fiery red eyes and glared at me.
I fired daggers back. “You said I made you kill my mom again? What are you talking about? Did you kill my mother?”
He smiled. “Why yes, in fact I did.” His tone was so pleasant, it sickened me. “I already killed her on your tenth birthday, and I greatly enjoyed the pain it caused you all of these years. To be honest, I should have killed her a whole lot sooner than I did and maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation. She filled your head with the nonsense of The One, and how he would protect you, keep you, bless you, and blah, blah, blah, and now you will suffer for it.”
I wiped some blood off my chin. “You’re wrong. God will protect me from you. I acknowledged him as my Lord. You’ll see.” I knew he was getting angry, but I had to stall. I decided to jump out the window if he got close. I figured I was going to die anyway at that point. Might as well go out my way instead of his.
His eyes fluttered closed and he seemed to be savoring the moment. I noticed long claw-like blacked talons begin to grow from the ends of his fingers, and he sadistically licked his lips as his eyes changed from human to serpent-like. He flashed the razor-sharp teeth that now filled his mouth.
Yep. The window looked like my best option.
“Well then. Tell you what. I’m going to spend the night torturing you in a way that will bring me great joy, and you excruciating and horrendous pain up until the moment I end your life. During which time, please call out to your new savior and I’ll stop hurting you the moment he shows up. By the way, if you’re thinking about jumping out the window, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Even if you make it through the glass, I’m fast enough to catch you before you hit the ground, so make no mistake, you’re not escaping from my hands.”
Lucifer took a step toward me and a bolt of bright blue lighting struck the ground in front of him and shook the room. He stopped in his tracks, covered his face, and stumbled back as he tried to regain his balance. The flash startled me, but I stayed propped against the wall, and blinked hard several times to regain my sight. Everything looked like it did after the bright flash of a camera.
The air buzzed with electricity and dread. The Man Wrapped in Darkness stood to the right of Lucifer. Lucifer looked surprised as he stared at the black cloud next to him. For a moment, I swore he looked panicked at the sight of the darkened swirling abyss. He reached out and tried to touch it, but he shouted and quickly pulled his hand back, it was as if the darkness had hurt him.
“What are you doing here?” Lucifer barked at The Man. “I didn’t summon you!”
I heard the distinctive gravel-like voice come from the cloud. “I don’t take orders from you.”
“The hell you don’t. Now you better leave, or you will suffer the same consequences as this one.”
I couldn’t believe what I just heard. Lucifer and The Man were arguing, and it appeared they forgot about me for the moment. I’d never thought I would be happy to see The Man, but if he could distract Lucifer from killing me, then maybe I could slip away while they fought it out.
“Be quiet,” he snapped at Lucifer and turned his attention toward me. “Alec, I have come for your answer.”
Crap. He’d looked at me, even as Lucifer stood next to him. I wasn’t happy to see The Man Wrapped in Darkness anymore.
I still couldn’t identify the face of The Man through all of the darkness surrounding him, but it didn’t matter. I had my answer to his question. My death seemed all but certain, so nothing else mattered.
“Okay,” I said. “Here is my answer. I’m not going the way of my family members before me. I will not continue committing the same evil acts they did. I will also not go the way of either of you.”
In my final act of defiance, I looked up to shout with all the strength I could muster. “Jesus, my life is yours! Please save me now, and I will follow you for the rest of my life!”
A thunderous crack and a bright, blinding light entered the room. That was it. My time had come. I sunk to the floor and waited for the pain of Lucifer’s whip or one of the many other sharp objects he had to stab or
filet me like a fish. I sat there and shook until I could see again.
When I focused, I found myself seated in my chair at my desk. I checked my arms, legs, and torso and saw no blood, cuts, or even the faintest scrapes. I was fine, and I didn’t feel the pain from the lethal uppercut Lucifer delivered to me just moments ago.
I began to laugh. “Thank you, Jesus,” I shouted out in excitement. I had never been happier in all my life, but then I saw him. I couldn’t believe I had missed him still standing in the room, but I figured my excitement of not being dead had distracted me.
The Man Wrapped in Darkness had never left, and now he stood alone in the middle of the room. I had no idea of where Lucifer had disappeared to, but that could wait.
The darkness surrounding The Man began to dissipate.
I gazed upon the face of the one who had terrorized me for weeks.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Alec Williams
Williams Estate – Private Home Office
Williams Point, New York
“NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. It can’t be. You’re dead! What is this, another one of Lucifer’s tricks? Get out of here in the name of Jesus.”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Standing in front of me, dressed in an all-black military officer-like uniform was Paul Luca.
It seemed as if power and authority radiated from his very being. He had a sober look on his face, and then broke into a smile. There appeared to be no depths to how low Lucifer would go to in his never-ending quest to ruin my life. He killed my mother, caused my father to hate me, killed Paul, and now he sent another demon look-a-like.
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