God's Gone AWOL

[10] Lucy's Breakdown (A-Minor Arrangement for Piano)

[Episode 10: The Brewing Storm]

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Above the choir of crickets buzzing out their midnight hymn from the darkened bushes, the heavy wooden sound rang out in the moist night air. Lucifer was leaning slightly against the side of the stone cottage, his breathing irregular as he desperately held onto his composure. His balled up fist rested on the old door, trembling with a combination of suppressed anger and sadness. For a moment, everything was painfully still.

Then a golden light flickered on from within the cottage, illuminating the glitter of the wet grass outside. A set of footsteps on creaking floorboards came before the opening of the heavy door. The light from inside spilled out across Lucifer's solemn figure for just a moment, before a small and slightly disheveled silhouette blocked it out.

"Hello Lucifer," Micaiah said gently.

Her entire body was backlit by the warm lamp within, casting her in a strange sort of halo. Even though it was the middle of the night, she looked entirely unbothered and unsurprised by the prince's sudden appearance. Her colourless eyes were filled with a kind sort of sympathy as she gazed at the hunched figure in the doorway. He looked nothing like that dazzling and extraordinary archangel everyone saw him as. He looked more like a wilted plant or a wet bird, drooping over in the darkness.

The moment he registered that she was there, Lucy abruptly fell forward, collapsing into her arms and wrapping her in a tight hug. After a moment's breath, Micaiah raised her arms and accepted the gesture, pulling him towards her in a motherly fashion. Even though he was significantly taller than her, Lucy still found himself squeezing her and pressing his face into the side of her shoulder as though he was nothing more than a child.

"Ah," She said, resting a hand gently at the back of Lucy's head. "It's starting,"

"Why won't you let me stop it?" His voice was muffled.

"Because what comes next is only a small piece of the puzzle," Micaiah explained, "There's a much bigger picture and a much deeper plan,"

"But why?? Why does this have to end this way?"

At this, Micaiah released herself from the hug. Lucifer stared into her eyes, his lips quivering as he awaited her answer.

"This isn't the end. This is hardly the first book in the series, Lucifer,"

Lucifer didn't respond. He just remained in the light of the doorway, eyes red and swollen. The expression on his face was conflicted, as though he was trying to decide whether he should cave in to his grief and start crying properly, or whether he should allow his anger to take hold and start shouting. Either way, the instability was written all over his face.

Of course, Micaiah was the only thing in existence who truly knew what was happening in Lucifer's heart. With a humble sigh, she turned and waved him forward.

"Come inside," She said expressionlessly, "You're upset,"

Her voice was filled with sympathy, but not empathy. And she didn't address the issue. Lucifer was already at his wits end, so he couldn't help but raise his voice slightly.

"You would be upset too if you cared at all about anything!" he said suddenly, "Just because you don't have any friends doesn't mean the rest of us are as cold and empty as you are,"

Micaiah blinked at him. Her expression did not falter for even a second as she had already predicted this exact reaction. As soon as the burst of anger had passed, Lucifer instantly regretted his words, and a sudden rush of cool air passed over him.

"I'm sorry," he told her.

But Micaiah just smiled.

"Until very recently, you didn't have any friends either. I'm glad to see you connecting with someone," She told him.