Free The World Ends at Five & Other Stories by M Pepper Langlinais Page B

Lucifer’s betrayal angered him as it angers me and also our God . But it is ended for now.” Michael waved them on. “Go, get her to the Gate.”
    “For now?” Doria asked as Stephen ushered her on. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Lucifer will be locked in the Abyss for one thousand years,” Stephen replied absently, his mind elsewhere.
    “And then?”
    The angel sighed. “And then he will be released. But you know this; it was made known to John of Patmos in the Revelation.”
    “Yeah, but I just never thought I’d be some major part of it, you know?”
    “Nor did I,” the angel admitted.
    “It doesn’t seem fair that after all this, they’re going to let him out again,” Doria went on.
    “It is not a question of fair. It—” But he broke off when he caught sight of what they’d been looking for.
    Doria gasped. “Is that--?”
    Stephen nodded. For a long moment they just stood there.
    “I guess we should. . .” Doria began.
    Stephen nodded again. Neither one of them moved.
    Finally, with a deep breath Stephen collected himself. “Come,” he said, starting forward.
    Doria hesitated. “Does this mean I’m dead?” she asked breathlessly.
    “Not at all. On the contrary, you have eternal life in Heaven.”
    “Oh, well, in that case. . .” She started after him.
     
    It was like glass, she saw as they got closer, only you couldn’t see through it. It shone with a blue and silver light and was taller than any building she’d ever seen. When they were a few paces away, the Gates swung open and spewed forth even more light. Doria thought that it should have been bright enough to blind her, but somehow it didn’t bother her at all.
    When they reached the threshold, he stopped. “Go inside; they will be waiting for you,” he told her.
    “But aren’t you coming?”
    “Not yet. I told the whore that Heaven could only be reached by a sincere heart . No w I must make sure mine is so.”
    “You mean you’re having second thoughts,” Doria deduced.
    “Doubts,” Stephen said with a small nod. His expression was tightly drawn, as if he was in physical pain.
    Doria fought back a sudden urge to touch him on the shoulder or draw him near for comfort. “Where are you going to go?”
    “Back to the city. I must make sure that I have no . . .” he searched for a word. “Regrets?” The word tasted bitter on his tongue. He studied her for a moment. “You don’t, do you?”
    Doria smiled and looked up at the great open Gates before her. “No.”
    “You sound surprised.”
    " I am. But then, not really.” She sighed and turned back to him. “Sorry; I’m not explaining it very well.”
    Something passed along his lips that might have been a smile. “Go on in.”
    Doria stepped forward into the light.
     
    Stephen found Michael standing on top of a building that had not yet been reached by the flames, surveying the smoldering city below. “Where is he?” Stephen asked.
    Michael gave a slight shrug. “He’ll be along soon enough. The Lord’s plans are steadfast.”
    Stephen’s eyes roved what was left of the far half of the city. The fire moved steadily towards them, smoke and ash swirling with the gusts of hot wind. But there were no people; the city was deserted.
    “Fallen is Babylon the Great,” Stephen whispered. “You are concerned about what I said about Andrew,” Michael said without turning. “About hate.”
    “It is wrong to hate,” Stephen said. “Not evil. We are to hate evil.”
    Stephen considered this. “But can we not have pity on it, too?”
    Michael shook his head. “No mercy. Only wrath.”
    “But what about—”
    Michael held up a hand to silence him, then pointed down at the street. A glowing thing was moving towards them like the will-o-the-wisps in old ballads. It stopped on the street in front of the building and looked up at them.
    “Lucifer!” Michael called down to him, sounding as if he were greeting an old friend.
    The bright figure did not