Luke

Maybe it’ll be different this time, I couldn’t help thinking, Maybe they’ll still let me stay, even after… after they find out.

I flopped down on my bed–Alex’s bed, technically, but he was letting me use his room while he’s at the Angel Academy. So it was mine for a while. And it was incredible. Hadn’t had a proper bed in a long time, much less one that was actually made for avians. Regular beds wreak havoc on wing feathers, and are way too flat. Beds for angels and ‘cubi are constructed differently: basically a bed frame with a stretchy tarp and a giant, thick pillow. It conforms to your body and provides support on all sides so you aren’t putting too much pressure on one spot.

I was going to miss this.

Zack and the others knew I’d been on the run for whole life. But they didn’t know the real reason. It’s not just because of the people chasing me: it’s because of my brother, Lucifer.

Wherever I go, he follows. To say he’s a trouble-maker would be putting it lightly. He’s a sadistic psychopath who takes pleasure in causing death, destruction, and misery. He talks people into suicide. Nobody wants to be anywhere near him. So they kick us out as soon as he causes enough havoc.

I sighed. As much of a pain as he is, I feel bad for him. He’s omniscient, so he knows exactly how everything will play out. Not just in our lives, but in the whole world. Somewhere across the ocean–or across town–someone is being raped, assaulted, murdered. An innocent man gets the death sentence while the true criminal goes free. And, of course, the Angel-‘Cubi War, and all the violence and hatred that fuels it.

The world is full of despair and tragedy, and Luce can’t ignore it, or do anything to stop it. So he has to take pleasure in it, just to keep himself somewhat sane.

He needs me. I’m the only one who understands what he’s going through. He needs to have someone to talk to. And he needs someone to tell him when he’s gone too far. To try to keep him under control. Make sure he doesn’t decide to sell the world’s nuclear launch codes or something.

And, of course, he’s my brother. A part of me, in a way. I can’t abandon him. Even if it means sacrificing my own happiness. Besides, I kind of owe him. Sure, he’s the reason I can’t stay in one place for long, but he’s been watching out for both of us, telling me when danger’s on its way. Without that, I’m sure the angels–or someone looking to kill mortal gods–would’ve killed me a long time ago. I guess you could reason he only keeps me in the loop because he needs my help dealing with our attackers, but I’d like to believe there’s more to it than that. I’m sure deep down, a part of him truly cares about me.

I shook the thoughts away. No sense in worrying about it. Luce wouldn’t be back for a while, so I could relax until then. Sleep on a comfy avian bed. Watch TV. Learn to use this computer.

Everything must come to an end. We can’t stop it, so all we can do is try to enjoy it while it lasts.