Estrella's Prophecy

✢ TWENTY ✢

"There is nothing more we can do to the protect the child."

"Of course there is."

"We are nothing compared to them."

"We're better!"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"I'm sick of Earth, I want to return home for good."

"So do I, I didn't volunteer to do this!"

"She's been fine so far, they haven't killed her."

"Yet."

"I do not believe they will, she's human and it's against their nature."

"The child is not human."

"The child cannot be killed!"

"Silence!" Lucifer roared. The office occupied by demons and Archangels fell deathly silent. Lucifer rubbed his tempers to try to ease a migraine coming on. "Estrella and my child needs protection. I do not care if you volunteered or not. I am not concerned if you are tired of Earth. I am in charge and you will do what I say, and whoever fails to complete their order will die an agonizing death!" he roared. No one dared to speak a word against him. "shes needs better protection and I called for this meeting for ideas. The hellhounds can no longer be in sight or her."

"Why not?" interrogated a recent-born demon.

All eyes were on him now, how dare he ask that?

Lucifer snapped his fingers and the demon appeared at his boots, fear glistening in his red eyes.

"Do you need a better reason than my word?" asked Lucifer. The demon shook his head quickly. "what is your name demon?"

"Manny," he swallowed difficulty. "my Lord."

"I'm going to make things very simple for you to understand, Manny. You do not question me, do you understand?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Repeat it!"

"I do not question you."

Silence fell once again in the room and Manny started to feel a very hot sensation on his palm. He looked down, breaking the stare with Lucifer, and panicked when the words "I do not question you" engraved themselves into his skin. The painful burning grew worse and he screamed out loudly for mercy.

"Congratulations," said the elderly woman enjoying the cup of black coffee. "when are you due?"

Estrella smiled softly, gathering the empty plates from the table.

"August," she placed a hand on her round belly. "five months to go."

"I bet you're excited!" said the lady.

Estrella said she was, before walking away. These shoes were hurting her feet and her back was aching, thankfully she only had eight minutes left on her shift. She planned to take a warm bath when she gets home. Things have been usually calm, it's like the Archangels have forgotten about her and like Lucifer has too. She hasn't seen him since December. Estrella wondered if something terrible had happened to him but she had no way of knowing, not even the demon that sometimes visited her would answer questions. Estrella had no acknowledge on anything and it bothered her - but she tried her best to concentrate on nothing but the baby.

"Penni," said Estrella to a woman in her late forties. "I'm going home."

Penni glanced at her wrist-watch.

"Fine, but be in tomorrow at eleven thirty."

"I don't work tomorrow?"

"You do now; Lauren called in sick."

For the fourth time in two weeks, Estrella wanted to add but did not. Since she last seen Lucifer, she went back to being as independent as possible. She rented a 2016 Ford Escape, got hired at a crappy diner, and even started on a nursery all by herself. The living room was a mess though; baby furniture and clothes were slung around but the nursery wasn't ready for anything to go in yet. Estrella needed to paint the walls one more time and deep clean the carpet. When she got home she went straight to the bedroom, reached underneath the mattress for the journal, then found a pencil lying on the nightstand. She wrote in the journal daily;

It's march 10th, I am almost five months pregnant with you. I have not named you yet but have came up with multiple names; Emerald, Anabelle, Esmeralda, Luciana, and Nikolina. I want your Father's opinion on them but I have not seen him since December. Anyways, you are moving and kicking! I haven't gone to the doctors because I am afraid but I did buy my own heart monitor online and your heart is very strong. Your Father may not be around right now but we're okay, I promise.

Estrella stared at her handwriting for the longest time until tears began to fall heavily. She was scared and alone with an Archangel baby on the way.