On the roof
They ran across the roof, lit by the evening sun. After they already made a third of the way to the ladder, there was a loud crash behind them that made them all turn around. They saw how Gabriel flew in a high arc out of a (now broken) window and crashed ten meters further on the gravel. The force of his impact made him roll just as far, until he came to rest not far away from the small group.
Chloe gasped as he stirred again despite the unimaginable impact.
He tried to get up and leaned groaning on the gravel. Blood dripped from several wounds on his body and he seemed to be only a shadow of the glamorous man they had seen only a few minutes ago on the gallery.
„Lucifer wins ...", whispered Ella.
Gabriel's head shot up and frowned in her direction. The three policemen were frozen. He seemed to pin them down with his cold eyes. They felt like a rabbit squatting in front of a big wolf, trying to push itself into the ground to hide from its hunter.
Their tension eased as Lucifer appeared behind Gabriel, nailing him backwards against the gravel. In his hand he held a large, pointed iron bar. He rammed it through his leg.
„MMMMMRRGH", came from behind Gabriel's tight shut lips. He would not give Samael the satisfaction to scream for him.
Lucifer stroke his face.
Once. Twice. Again and again, with the still functioning hand. Gabriel lay under him, dazed. Unable to escape as his leg was fixed to the roof.
With a groan, Lucifer reached behind him. Only now Chloe noticed with horror the dagger sticking out of his left shoulder. With an angry growl, he slowly pulled it out. The air around him seemed to vibrate. Chloe had never seen him so angry. A heat seemed to pulsate from him that even she could feel from her distance.
"So what Samael?", Gabriel spat. Lucifer stood panting over him, the curved blade at the ready.
„Will you kill me now?", his eyes narrowed
„As you killed Uriel?"
Lucifer took a step back, startled. Gabriel laughed bitterly.
Dan's eyes widened. „What does he mean by that?", groaned Chloe. Lucifer gave them a furtive look. Pain and guilt reflected in his eyes.
This look… just like after my car crash, she thought. There was a buzz in her head. Was that the reason why he had behaved so strangely back then? Why he tried to get hit by the sniper? Why this murder today disturbed him so much? Chloe didn't want to believe it.
Lucifer.
Her partner.
Her friend.
The man who tried everything to fulfill people's desires.
The man she thought she could love.
A murderer?
Lucifer dropped the dagger, weakly. „Just leave!", he whispered in Gabriel's direction.
„Why?", he hissed back. "Have you become soft Samael? Do you think I will stop if you leave now? You did not seem to hesitate when Uriel ..." - "I NEVER WANTED THIS!", Lucifer shouted at him.
His eyes, so full of shame and guilt, seemed to glow. An unwelcome tear stole down his cheek.
"Oh you did not? Seems you have to be a bit dedicated to be able to surprise the Angel of Providence."
„HE WANTED TO KILL MOM!"
„As if you have ever cared for her.", Gabriel hissed back. „I know you hated her!"
Lucifer turned away from him, looking into the setting sun.
„She sent you to hell." Gabriel tried to sit up. „You never forgave her ... ggGRHH." With a jerk he pulled the metal bar out of his leg. „So why should you care what Uriel was up to?" He got up and reared up behind Lucifer.
„No, mom was not the true reason ..." and Gabriel looked directly into Chloe's eyes.
Chloe froze. She looked at Lucifer, who stood tall and lonely in the evening sun. His hair messed up and full of dust. His shirt torn and full of blood, fresh one as well as dried. His otherwise benevolent, dark eyes seemed red in the sun.
And then he looked at her.
And she knew it.
All his pain, all his guilt, all his anger at the past flowed through her. And she knew it was her fault. Tears welled up in her eyes.
„Lucifer, if I had known ... WATCH OUT!"
But it was too late. Lucifer whirled around, but Gabriel's foot hit him right in his chest. The force of the kick tore him from his feet and he was flung from the roof. The last thing Chloe saw of him was his black silhouette against the evening sunlight…
… then he disappeared under the roof.
