A noise like flowing silk tingles Olivia`s ear and like in slowmotion she turns round. A man is walking, or rather flowing across stage from the opposite side. He`s small for a man, slim and moves in a lissom way, that reminds Olivia of the mesmerizing beauty of a snake. His dark brown hair flows in waves down his shoulders and his eyes, even though they are brown, seem to be almost transparent, they gleam with an unearthly shimmer she has never seen in any face before. It`s these eyes that send a shiver down her spine and make her step backwards, even though he hasn`t even reached the middle of the stage.

Suddenly a rejoyicing scream breaks the silence: „Aszrael!" Luzi jumps onto stage and embraces the figure so tightly that she surely would have choken him, if he had been human. Asrael detaches slowly, but determined and produces a slight smile as if by magic. „Let me breathe, Mum." He looks amused at the blackhaired woman whose black eyes shine with love and pride. Then he turns to the audience, and nodds shortly towards God. „Father." But before God can even begin to speak, he turns to stage again and scrutinizes the people on stage who gather around each other like sheeps look for shelter from the coming thunderstorm. He lets his look roam across the group and let his look linger longer on Judas than anyone else. „Judas." He sais with low voice. „Maybe you can help me." He strides lissomly but amazingly fast across the stage, and Judas steps quickly forwards, followed by Jesus, trying to hide Olivia behind their backs again. „Ah and Jesus, my one and only brother." Azrael`s lips curl into a smile, that doesn`t reach his eyes. Jesus frowns and folds his arms. „What do you want, Asrael?" His shining blue eyes bore into Asrael`s pale brown.

„I have to speak to Mary."

„Olivia." Judas murmurs unwillingly. Asrael throws him a short glance. „Yes, Judas," he sais emphatically slowly. „That is exactly the problem."

„What do you mean?" Jesus looks confused at his elder brother, but Asrael ignores him and keeps on staring at Judas. „Where is she?"

„I won`t tell you, unless you tell me, what you want of her." Judas brown eyes are full of suspicion.

„Ah, Judas!" Asrael opens his arms and a huge grin flies across his face. „You have a protective side, don´t you? I haven`t seen this side for a while in you." He looks back to Luzi who has sat down in the audience again.

Judas slowly steps towards Asrael. „What do you want of her?" he asks with restrained anger in his voice.

„I told you." Asrael gazes coldly at Judas, who begins to tremble slightly. Asrael sinks his eyes even deeüper in Judas and asks with soft mesmerizing voice: „Where is she?" Huge drops of sweat run across Jduas forehead, he shakes like in a fever, but neither turns away his look nor begins to speak.

„I am here." Olivia shoves Jesus and Judas at a side. Judas sinks down to the ground breathing heavily. Olivia kneels down beside him looking terrified at the total exhausted man. She caresses his forehead and looks concerned at him. „What`s wrong Judas?" she asks him quietly. Unable to speak Judas just smiles and presses her hand firmly.

„He`s okay." A soft voice rings inside her ears.

She gets up again and looks directly in Asrael`s transparent eyes who send shivers down her spine. Coldness flows from him to her, penetrates her body and seems even to freeze her soul, so she looks down to earth unable to keep her eyes locked with his.

She clears her throat. „You wanted to talk to me?"

„Yes." Asrael makes a slight gesture. „Come here." He demands, and like in trance she steps carefully towards him. „Look at me." He sais and she lifts his eyes. An icy walls seems to hit her and she tumbles back, gasping for air. Asrael raises one slim hand and touches her forehead with one finger. It feels as if a speer made of burning ice pierces her brain and tears shoot to her eyes. She suppresses a whimper and stares with widen eyes at him.

„It will be better in a second." And actually the coldness retreats from her bones and she feels normal and warm again.

„What was that?" she asks completely confused.

Asrael smiles at her. „Well, humans are not made to look into a God`s or angel`s face."

„But I looked at God and Luzi."

Asrael laughs gutturaly.

„You don`t see the true nature of God, no human being could bear the view. And Luzi is not a goddess. She has been a human woman, even though she doesn`t like to be reminded of that.And the others." He points in the direction of Judas, Jesus and the disciples. „You only see their souls, for their bodies have died long ago." He looks at Olivia, a serious expression in his face. „And that is the problem. Since you`re still alive you have both, and now your soul is seperated from your body, for your soul is up here, bu5t your body is still down on earth."

Olivia frowns looking confused. „But how is this possible."

„Well, you can be separated from your body for a while without getting harmed, but this time is limited, and once you exceed the limit, the separation will be permanently."

„What does that mean?" Jesus mingles in.

„It means," Judas gets up again and steps closer, his brown eyes burning. „It means she will die, if she stays too long." He sais quietly avoiding to meet Olivia`s eyes.

Asrael nodds. „Exactly." He looks at Olivia. „And then you`ll stay here forever without having had the possibility to live your life as you were supposed to be."

Olivia looks up at him, her green eyes begin to swim.

„Then we`ll end the play now." Jesus sais firmly, a determined expression in hisr eyes. He walks over to Olivia, takes her hand and smiles at her softly. „I won`t let you die, I promise."

Simons steps closer his face wearing a slight red. „If you send her down, Jesus, I will go with her." Excitement shines in his eyes. „Just to make sure she`ll be safe." his blue eyes are pleading with Jesus`, who frowns, considers to say something, but only shrugs and turns to Olivia again, so he doesn`t see Simon`s blue eyes darken and the slight red on his face changes to a red of anger. He presses his lips firmly and his eyes shoot daggers at Jesus back. But noone notices that, cause all eyes are fixed on Olivia and Asrael, so Simon retreats and leans against a wall, folding his arms and staring sinisterly at the group.

„I fear it`s not that easy." Asrael replies to Jesus` suggestion..

„Yes, it`s that easy." Judas frowns and a thunderstorm grows on his forehead. „He said the play is finished, and that`s it. She can go down again, and we all can go home." He looks provokingly at Asrael, who shrugs. „No, Judas, it doesn`t work this way." He sais quietly. „You can`t stop a play."

„Yes, I can." Jesus persists. „I`m the messiah, I can do whatever I want. And I want to stop this farce now!"

„A farce?" Suddenly a voice thunders, and all heads turn to the audience where God has jumped up, his face showing clearly the signs of a bloodpressure problem. „You call my storry, your life a farce? How dare you?"

Luzi lays her hand appeasingly on the divine shoulders, making him sit down again. Her black eyes shine with amusement. „Well, I always said you pampered him. You should have given him a slight slap from time to time. Messiah or not, Children need education."

God frowns and stares at Luzi. „And you wanna say, you didn`t pamper Asrael?" he asks.

Luzi`s eyes harden. „I didn`t pamper him. I had to be his mother and father, remember his father has been quite distracted. Besides Asrael is such a good boy, he didn`t need a strong hand."

„Oh yes," God sais mockingly. „A really good boy. I remember when he was younger, he hid the key to heaven`s door, so I c ouldn`t get in anymore. I had to spend 3 weeks in this weird country called France. Have you ever tried to live from French food?" the memory makes his body shake.

Asrael clears his throat to get the attention again, and it works. He starts to explain: „„Once you have started a play, you can`t stop it anymore. The play will go on till it`s natural end." A little smirk lightens up his transparent eyes. „Of course it doesn`t necessarily go the way you would have thought. Sometimes a play develops it`s own life, and develops into a direction you couldn´t see now. But however, it will have to come to an end, you can`t just stop it in the middle."

Jesus listens carefully, thinks about what he heard and suddenly a truely unearthly smile illuminates his face. „Does this mean I don`t have to die necessarily? Does it mean we can influence the piece?"

Asrael nods. „Yes, in a way the play is influenced by it`s characters. But you can`t really direct it. It depends on the interactions between all characters."

Jesus` smile broadens and he claps his hands. „Oh wonderful! I won`t have to die, I won`t have to die. No more nails in my hand." He hugs Asrael tightly who detaches quickly and steps backward throwing Jesus a very disapproving look.

„Hey!" Judas approaches them. „Don´t we forget something here?"

Jesus turns round and looks at Judas out of big questioning eyes. „What?"

Judas points at Olivia. „her life is at stake here."

„Oh well," Jesus tries to get serious again, but can`t ban the foolish smile totally. „I`m sorry for you Olivia. But hey," he grins again. „Don`t mind! After all you can stay in heaven then."" He smiles at her, as if he had brought her the best message of all her life.

"Oh yay!" Simon murmurs ironically."What bliss! What could she want more? No excitement, no amusement, no weapons, no fights." His lips tremble and tears shoot to his blue eyes. Then he suddenly throws a knife that lands directly between Jesus feet. „Oh Jesus, you weakling! Come on, let me go down! I want to go to earth. I want to fight. I need to."

All look at Simon, whose blond hair seem to be even more spikey than normal. He stamps his feet into the ground. „Why the hell am I stuck here? Why can`t I be reborn? I would love to be a fighter, a soldier, a murder, whatever. Just give me opportunity to use my knife."

All stare starteled at Simon except Judas and Asrael. Asrael smiles slightly, obviously amused by this outburst, and Jduas rolls his eyes annoyed. „Simon, they have enough blockheads down on earth. They don`t need any more."

Simon glares at Judas. „At least I don`t pretend to be something I`m not."

Judas eyes gleam dangerously as he steps threateningly closer to Simon. „What do you mean by that?"

Simon smirks ironically. „Gosh, Judas! Our intellectual hero! You really don`t know what I`m talking about, do you? It`s so obvious for everyone, it always has been, but you, you even don`t know your own heart, and call me blockhead?" He laughs out loudly and walks away, leaaving a frowning Jduas behind. He seems to think about the words, then shrugs and turns around again. „Well, how could ever see the sense in the words of a fool?" he sais lightly.

„Well," Olivia throws in. „ON earth we say that children and fools know the truth."

„Okay," Asrael claps in his hands. „I would love to stay longetr to hear all this nunsense, but I have a job to do." He prepares to go, but Olivia grabs his arm and stops him.

„Wait!" she sais and he turns to her again. She lets go of his arm and retreats. She swallows, looks down to the ground then to him again. „What`s about Stephen?" she asks quietly.

Asrael`s face shows the hint of a smile. „He found you at the party. To him you seemed to be in coma, so he got you to hospital, and is sitting at your bed now day and night. But even he will give up one day. And when they switch off the machines that keep your body alive, the separation will be permanent."

Olivia getsy pale. „How many days have I got?" she ask quietly.

„We don`t have days and nights here." Asrael sais. „But in human words about 3 days; Then there will be no more way back into your old life." And with these words he gets even more transparent, till he disappears totally.