Humanities Choice

Disclaimer: This story uses themes and ideas from Judeo-Christian Idealogies to create a picture of the human state. This is not meant to be viewed as a theological story. Only a metaphorical fiction story.

Caroline woke up. She did not recognize where she was, nor did she know how she came to be there. The room was warm but not uncomfortable. The leather chair she was seated in was quite comfortable. As Caroline looked around she realized that she was in a well-furnished study. A fireplace crackled while the rest of the room was quiet. Some bookshelves stood along the walls. The books on the shelves seemed old and worn. All over the room were relics from the distant past.

The door opened slowly and in walked a tall man with a kind face. He was wearing a well-tailored burgundy suit. As the man walked in he smiled at Caroline. ‘Welcome my friend.’ He said in a kind but stern voice.

‘Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here?’ Caroline asked pleadingly. Her voice was shaking but she did not care. She needed answers.

‘Once I answer your first question I am sure that you will infer the other answers. I have had many names but you may call me Lucifer. I am here to answer any question you have.’ Said the man with a grin on his face.

Caroline was at a loss for words. What could she say to that? She knew that it was true. She had no clue why it was true but it was true. She simply stared at the man for an uncomfortable amount of time. Finally, she got her composure together. Caroline was always a very certain young woman. She often said to show no emotion in stressful situations, but that was because she did not see the point in panicking. Things were as they were and there was no getting around that. She could not change the past nor the future, so she was content with the present.

‘Why did you cause the human race to fall into sin and chaos at the beginning of the world?’ Caroline asked. This time there was no shake in her voice. She had always been curious about the basic sin nature that seemed to reside within all humans.

‘Now that is usually not the first question I am asked’ answered Lucifer chuckling. ‘Usually, they ask why they didn’t get into Heaven or what I will torture them for. It is refreshing to have someone who actually thinks clearly.’ Lucifer seemed genuinely pleased. He walked over to the chair opposite Elizabeth and sat down. ‘Well, to answer your question; all I did was simply open your human eyes to the possibilities of a whole new world. You’re the ones who decided to go and use all of that information. All I had to do was show you how much fun a life of sin and pleasure was. I had nothing to do with the rest of it.’

‘What do you mean?’ Caroline was genuinely interested now.

‘Well, anything that our great and powerful God gave you was almost immediately turned into something for humans' own selfish pleasure.’ Lucifer began. ‘God gave you sweet grapes and you let them rot so you could temporarily poison yourself to feel a buzz. God gave you other humans in your life and you hated them. God gave you creativity and you constructed weapons of destruction and sorrow. Humans would kill each other over a slice of bread if it came down to it. The only creative species on the planet and instead of using that power to be happy and make a world of wonder and joy, you have now ruined it. The sin and chaos in the world are not of my doing, for I simply showed you it was possible. You were the ones who actually decided to do it. All on your own. I never had to do another thing. The humans ruined their own chances at a perfect life. It could change at any point in time but no, you filthy bastards like it. You love the high you get from creating chaos out of order, from taking the beautiful and making it fit your ideals. All you humans love is simply yourselves. All you want is to lie, steal, and cheat. Furthermore, instead of taking ownership of these facts, you decide to blame it all on me. You blame everything that you have ever done wrong on me. Does it not ever occur to you people that you could make any choice you please? You could help the unfortunate, you could all be better people; and yet, you still choose the way of sin and pleasure. Now here you are for me to welcome, to your new permanent home. There is no escaping. As you choose your life on earth, so you also choose your eternal life in the nether. At least you were happy for a little bit.’ Lucifer then took a deep breath and stared at Caroline.

Instead of the room being pleasantly warm it was freezing cold. Caroline knew that everything he had said was true, but she did not want to believe it. She couldn’t accept that it was all her choice. Caroline could have changed, she could have been a better person but instead, she did what brought her only momentary pleasure. Delighting in the small highs she would get when her sins went seemingly unpunished. Now that was all coming to an end. It was time for her to face the choice that she made. She never said another word to Lucifer. Instead, she walked to the door and turned the doorknob to accept her fate.