and we know this.

but love does not depend on hope,

in order to survive.

love is completely self-sustaining,

so it will not wither -

even as we beg for it to die.

as is her routine
she’ll spend hours this morning
staring at the mirror
applying her makeup,
unknowingly buying into the deception of that word
the lie that she has to make up
for things she lacks aesthetically

i miss you like i miss Summer -
only when Winter mornings
grow dark,
and when Winter evenings
carry my vapored sighs
toward the cold, distant moon

i called her my moon
and she thought me romantic,
but it was because her love
waxed and waned

when I think of catching her, there are no images in my head of butterflies and mesh nets, or fireflies and glass mason jars; there are only the stars
and my bare hands

she is convinced
that our love isn’t real
because it won’t last forever
but nothing lasts forever
not even our lives
and like a refining fire
it is the finiteness
that turns things precious
this love is worthwhile
it is genuine, and it is real
because it is doomed

i turned to glance
and there it was
love
but i closed my eyes
only for a moment
and it was gone

Lucifer wandered slowly and thoughtfully, trying to discover what secrets and surprises the island might hold. The sun slowly moved overhead, from East to West, as he walked. His mind began to stray, as he considered all the misery he’d caused God and humanity alike. But it was a necessary punishment; after only a few thousand years, he had no longer recognized the world that he and Michael had once built together. The same world that eventually tore the two angels apart.

The sky grew dark, and Lucifer sighed. Perhaps, there was nothing special about this island. Just something to get your hopes up, something to look forward to. Michael had done the same with humans, too, though it would have been wrong to put the blame on him. How could he have known what would happen in the end?

Lucifer edged toward the top of a sharp, rocky incline and froze. The Wind had left this world long ago, but it seemed to suddenly pick up again, carrying with it a familiar scent.

“It can’t be”, he whispered to himself.

But he knew that Michael, for all his faults, was not one to deceive. Lucifer picked up his speed again, until he saw the back of a figure sitting on a large stone. He suddenly froze again, almost stumbling.

“Impossible!”

He hadn’t seen a human on this planet since the Revelation. A long time ago, Lucifer knew them all by name — Michael thought it important if they were to actively rule over Earth. But he didn’t recognize this one.. they had always looked alike. Lucifer scoffed and hovered over the ground, taking one last look at the burning apricot on the horizon.

“I..”, he gasped, falling back to the rock, to his knees.

No, they had never looked alike; they had all looked like her.

Eve turned slowly, seemingly conscious of his realization, and spoke.

“It took you forever.”

Even after the end of the world, she just wanted to make you laugh. As long as you were smiling, nothing else mattered to her. She would have been a dangerous god.

Eve smiled.

“And shouldn’t I be the one kneeling?”

She was Michael’s greatest creation and greatest mistake; Eve was truly the reason the universe was no longer black and white. It was no longer just the gods and.. everything else. The Revelation had changed it all. The Creator had, long ago, allowed sin to be introduced into the Infinity, but Michael had thought of worse things — time. Hope. Love. Yes, all worse, yet.. all divine. Infinity take him.

Lucifer got back to his feet and walked toward Eve, whispering something under his breath.

“What was that?” she asked playfully.

Lucifer started, not realizing he’d even spoken aloud.

“Maybe the beginning of something else.”