Free Soul Conquered by Lisa Gail Green Page A

obviously forced.
    Lucifer smiles and stands, tugging his shiny suit
jacket down. “Elections will be unnecessary and, you are correct, too obvious.
Not my style, but I most certainly could if I chose to. No. You’ll be speaker
of the house by then, and we will arrange for something terrible to happen to
the president and vice president. Then you’re next in line.”
    He throws an arm around my shoulder and smacks my
chest. “You’re not going to just rule the free world, Noah. President is just a
stepping-stone to taking over the UN and then establishing a monarchy over the
entire globe. We’re talking about the future of the human race, Noah. You will
decide its fate. It’s all part of the prophecy.”
    I swallow, remembering the
prophecy as Lucifer told it to me. I might not be much for memorization in
school, but when it’s a prophecy about me? I pay attention.
     
…Heaven cannot touch him,
for he is the harbinger of the Day
of Judgment.
Through the One shall the fate of
the Earth be written,
for his blood sacrifice crowns the
King of Hell.
     
    Judgment Day. So where the prophecy says, ‘Day of Judgment,’
does Lucifer think that means I should send all the people to Hell just to be
tortured for eternity? I just want power and respect. Joe Shmoe can stay on
Earth and live his life. “Why go through all this trouble just to fool people
into believing in me? If we’re so powerful, why not just take over and do what
we want?” What I want. Like ruling with Keira. Being in charge and taken
seriously.
    “Noah, Noah, Noah.” Lucifer spins me to face him and presses
my face between his hands. His alcohol breath mingles with his cologne, and it
makes me want to gag. “The point isn’t to rule the little people, it’s to
demonstrate that they can’t make good decisions for themselves. You must take
away the inflated concept of self they have by tearing it to shreds in front of
them. Then they lose hope. And without hope? No one dares to challenge you.
That’s how you rule Hell. That’s how you rule Earth. And that’s how I will rule
in Heaven when it comes time.”
    Wait. What ?
    Lucifer lets go and takes a seat in the throne. I’ve
noticed he can’t seem to stay away from it when it’s unoccupied. Interesting.
But not as interesting as what he just said. He’s planning to overthrow Heaven ?
I’m no expert, but isn’t that how he got booted in the first place? Maybe the
stories I was told growing up are wrong. They sure seem messed up so far.
    “How did you end up in charge of Hell?” I ask.
    Lucifer turns, eyebrows raised like he’s shocked. But
he doesn’t seem angry. “Good question, my boy! You see, ‘death’ in human terms
was supposed to be up to me—well, Michael and I, but let’s just say
Michael has always been a bit childish when it comes to ruling others. I
recognized that being given free will wasn’t going to help humanity become the
ultimate heroes that The Man Upstairs hoped for. I knew they had small minds
and would act selfishly, even brutally, toward each other. I foresaw that. So I suggested they didn’t deserve Heaven. Why allow them to be with the Archangels?
Perfect creations rubbing elbows with nobodies? The very idea still grates on
my nerves.”
    “So you created Hell,” I say.
    “Indeed. But when I refused to relinquish those souls
who’d spent some time in Hell, as was suggested—mind you, suggested —by
The Man Upstairs, Michael complained. My own brother! Can you imagine? Ha! I
daresay you can.”
    I nod like I know what the Hell he’s talking about so
he’ll go on.
    “I was given an ultimatum.” Lucifer’s eyes glow red,
but it’s like he’s looking past me, seeing something else. A long-ago
conversation, perhaps. “Follow the rules or be no longer welcome in Heaven.”
Lucifer takes a drink of something he conjures and then immediately makes it disappear.
    “So you chose your own way.”
    “Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven with