Judas hurries down the familiar hallway and stops. Leaning his head at the
cold stone-wall, he tugs at his outworn T-shirt trying to catch breath, but
it`s not the cloth that clasps his soul, it`s the sense of the disaster
he`s brought upon their heads. He swallows hard. It`s not his fault, he
had no choice, he did it for Olivia, and above all it`s just a play. Over
and over again he`s told himself that, and thhese justifications have
sufficed to calm his doubts, his pricks of conscience, until he saw Jesus
and Herod, Jesus and Pilate. Judas runs his hands nervously through his
dark hair when he remembers the unearthly aura of Jesus, this absent smile.
Jesus would die, he would carry the cross again, maybe because he felt
guilty, maybe because he realized that Olivia was in danger, but first of
all he would die because Judas betrayed him. Jesus would let them nail him
onto the cross again, he would feel the burning thirst, the raging pain,
the cold crawling through his body, turning his entrails to ice. Of course
he would survive, he was immortal after all, but nevertheless he would feel
the same pain as he did on Golgatha, and he, Judas was responsible. Of
course he had a reason, and Jesus would understand, he would forgive, but
what did it matter, if he couldn`t forgive himself?
As he closes his eyes, the image of Olivia rises up in his mind; she reaches out for him, her clear green eyes seem to promise him paradise, seem to assure him that it`s alright, that his deeds are justified. With a sudden movement Judas puts his hand over his eyes to drive away the delusion. No there`ll be no paradise for a betrayer, there are no motives that can make a disgusting deed noble. Judas sighs wearily. But he knows what to do. Annas himself told him the ways a play can end. Either the hero dies or the bad guy perishs. If he only could see her one more time! If he only could look into her eyes, hold her in his arms, touch her soft lips just one more time! He keeps on walking and stops in front of the door that looks to him like a gate to hell, and an ironical smirk curls his lips as he realizes he`s afraid of opening it. He`s been to hell before, so what should he be frightened of? With a determined movement he shoves the door open and enters.
Annas sits at the head of the table, while Simon is standing beside him. "Judas." The hightpriest gets up, but instead of walking towards Judas, he just waves him to come closer. "Come in."
Judas closes the door and steps forwards. His face is a pale mask as he asks: "Where`s Olivia?" Annas takes a look around, then turns to Judas again and shrugs his shoulders. "Not here!" "Stop it!" Judas barks and hurries forrrwards, not taking notice of Simon who watches him carefully. "Stop your stupid games!" Judas growls with hardly surpressed anger. "Game is a good cue." A slight smile glides over Annas` face, giving his eyes an unearthly gleam. "This game ends now." Judas sais determined and raises his hand as Annas tries to interrupt him. "Game over, highpriest! I don`t care, what the dramatical rules demand. I don`t care if this play is finsihed properly or not. I tell you it`s over. Let Jesus and Olivia go." Annas smirks sarcastically. "And why do you think I w ould do that?" "Because I change the rules." "You change the rules?" Annas chuckles quietly. "You don`t even know the true nature of the game and think you`re in the position to change the rules? I wonder how you wanna do it. Ah I see," he smiles evilly. "You think of the one solution I told you, don´t you? The villain sacrifaces himself to save the ones he almost rushed into perdition. Oh that`s pure drama" He looks over to Simon. "Isn`t he a little hero? And so clever!" He turns to Judas again and his eyes get cold. "But it doesn`t work this way. As you remember you`re in a weak position. I have Jesus and Olivia in my hands, and not even your death would change it, although it would be an entertaining scene I must admit." "You!" At a loss for words Judas climbs onto the table to rush upon Annas. Immediately Simon grabs his left arm and twists it violently onto his back, so Judas has to struggle to keep the balance, while tears of pain and anger are shooting to his eyes. Annas waves imperiously, and Simon lets go of Judas. Annas comes closer and grabs Judas` chin forcefully bringing his light unfeeling eyes closer to his face. "I`m disappointed, Judas. I thought you would have detected the truth a lot sooner. But apparently I overestimated you." He shoves Judas back, who loses balance and falls to the ground. Within seconds he stands on his feet again and hurries towards Annas. His dark eyes blaze furiously. "What do you mean?" he barks angrily. "But it doesn`t matter. Just keep on playing your games, I won`t participate anylonger." His clenched fist hits the table. "I`m fed up! And I want to see Olivia. Now!" He quickly turns round and grabs Simon`s collar pushing him against the wall. "Listen, blockhead!" he hisses, while Simon`s face reddens with anger. "If you hurt her, I`ll break every single bone in your body, and the human body has quite a few. And now lead me to her." Simon struggles to get free, but Judas only tightens his grip and brings his other arm under the blonde man`s chin, pressing onto his throat. "Let me." Simon gurgles. "How can you do that?" Judas sais irritated. "How can you betray us all? And above all how can you believe him? He´s a snake, a betrayer, a murderer." "Becaus I`m powerful. And now please let him go, as he asked you too." Annas sais calmly. "First I wanna know where Olivia is." "I told you to let him go." Annas reaches out and touches Judas` hand just slightly, but it`s enough to make Judas whirl round and stare thunderstrucked at him, while Simon sinks down to the ground panting heavily. "What the hell?" Judas gasps, unbelieving realization flaring up in his eyes. "That`s the right place." Annas steps closer and pushes Simon almost casually back, who put himself on his feet again trying to rush upon Judas.
"Who are you?" Judas whispers hoarsely, his dark eyes flickering. "You know who I am." Annas leans towards Judas, a cruel smile gliding over his transparent features. "The ultimate evil, the angel of death, master of disguise." Suddenly his look changes. He shrinks, transparent blue eyes change into unearthly brown and long dark brown curlies grow and fall in waves upon his shoulders. "Asrael!" Judas gasps and staggers back. "In person." Asrael takes a deep bow, his eyes glowing diabolically.
As he closes his eyes, the image of Olivia rises up in his mind; she reaches out for him, her clear green eyes seem to promise him paradise, seem to assure him that it`s alright, that his deeds are justified. With a sudden movement Judas puts his hand over his eyes to drive away the delusion. No there`ll be no paradise for a betrayer, there are no motives that can make a disgusting deed noble. Judas sighs wearily. But he knows what to do. Annas himself told him the ways a play can end. Either the hero dies or the bad guy perishs. If he only could see her one more time! If he only could look into her eyes, hold her in his arms, touch her soft lips just one more time! He keeps on walking and stops in front of the door that looks to him like a gate to hell, and an ironical smirk curls his lips as he realizes he`s afraid of opening it. He`s been to hell before, so what should he be frightened of? With a determined movement he shoves the door open and enters.
Annas sits at the head of the table, while Simon is standing beside him. "Judas." The hightpriest gets up, but instead of walking towards Judas, he just waves him to come closer. "Come in."
Judas closes the door and steps forwards. His face is a pale mask as he asks: "Where`s Olivia?" Annas takes a look around, then turns to Judas again and shrugs his shoulders. "Not here!" "Stop it!" Judas barks and hurries forrrwards, not taking notice of Simon who watches him carefully. "Stop your stupid games!" Judas growls with hardly surpressed anger. "Game is a good cue." A slight smile glides over Annas` face, giving his eyes an unearthly gleam. "This game ends now." Judas sais determined and raises his hand as Annas tries to interrupt him. "Game over, highpriest! I don`t care, what the dramatical rules demand. I don`t care if this play is finsihed properly or not. I tell you it`s over. Let Jesus and Olivia go." Annas smirks sarcastically. "And why do you think I w ould do that?" "Because I change the rules." "You change the rules?" Annas chuckles quietly. "You don`t even know the true nature of the game and think you`re in the position to change the rules? I wonder how you wanna do it. Ah I see," he smiles evilly. "You think of the one solution I told you, don´t you? The villain sacrifaces himself to save the ones he almost rushed into perdition. Oh that`s pure drama" He looks over to Simon. "Isn`t he a little hero? And so clever!" He turns to Judas again and his eyes get cold. "But it doesn`t work this way. As you remember you`re in a weak position. I have Jesus and Olivia in my hands, and not even your death would change it, although it would be an entertaining scene I must admit." "You!" At a loss for words Judas climbs onto the table to rush upon Annas. Immediately Simon grabs his left arm and twists it violently onto his back, so Judas has to struggle to keep the balance, while tears of pain and anger are shooting to his eyes. Annas waves imperiously, and Simon lets go of Judas. Annas comes closer and grabs Judas` chin forcefully bringing his light unfeeling eyes closer to his face. "I`m disappointed, Judas. I thought you would have detected the truth a lot sooner. But apparently I overestimated you." He shoves Judas back, who loses balance and falls to the ground. Within seconds he stands on his feet again and hurries towards Annas. His dark eyes blaze furiously. "What do you mean?" he barks angrily. "But it doesn`t matter. Just keep on playing your games, I won`t participate anylonger." His clenched fist hits the table. "I`m fed up! And I want to see Olivia. Now!" He quickly turns round and grabs Simon`s collar pushing him against the wall. "Listen, blockhead!" he hisses, while Simon`s face reddens with anger. "If you hurt her, I`ll break every single bone in your body, and the human body has quite a few. And now lead me to her." Simon struggles to get free, but Judas only tightens his grip and brings his other arm under the blonde man`s chin, pressing onto his throat. "Let me." Simon gurgles. "How can you do that?" Judas sais irritated. "How can you betray us all? And above all how can you believe him? He´s a snake, a betrayer, a murderer." "Becaus I`m powerful. And now please let him go, as he asked you too." Annas sais calmly. "First I wanna know where Olivia is." "I told you to let him go." Annas reaches out and touches Judas` hand just slightly, but it`s enough to make Judas whirl round and stare thunderstrucked at him, while Simon sinks down to the ground panting heavily. "What the hell?" Judas gasps, unbelieving realization flaring up in his eyes. "That`s the right place." Annas steps closer and pushes Simon almost casually back, who put himself on his feet again trying to rush upon Judas.
"Who are you?" Judas whispers hoarsely, his dark eyes flickering. "You know who I am." Annas leans towards Judas, a cruel smile gliding over his transparent features. "The ultimate evil, the angel of death, master of disguise." Suddenly his look changes. He shrinks, transparent blue eyes change into unearthly brown and long dark brown curlies grow and fall in waves upon his shoulders. "Asrael!" Judas gasps and staggers back. "In person." Asrael takes a deep bow, his eyes glowing diabolically.