black, black, black and again...do not show me what you see in me because if it continues more than this, my lord, i will surely cease to be inspired. what are you playing at, behind those beautiful eyes...wondrously hermaphroditic...lusciously sculpted from the blackest ebony. i think i know. i think i know the extent to which you are willing to push the denizens here; they will not like the idea of a cenobite queen...your attempt at "humanizing" the brood is perhaps unique but, my lord, if i may say, a bit romantic in its hierarchical structure. it is not in their nature to think in terms of any hierarchy other than theirs as beneath you and no others...ah, well, HE does not think you are beneath him, i know...and perhaps we should have dismissed him long ago, but the immensity of his intellect...did you not yourself comment on his pure poetic beauty? the loveliness of his vicious nature? that no human would react toward one of us ever again as they have unto him? ah, well, it is well to say so...but i do not think I could ever fill his infamous boots, my lord. i am so conservative these aeons, i seem to extract so little pleasure from the decimation of those small creatures. and i might add, there are so few left anymore...to what end? they will soon be extinct and then we will have to turn upon the angels again anyway. so why not pursue the inevitable? heaven is surely as ripe now for the plunder as it will be in a million...years? ah, the difficulty of human thought even now escapes me; when did i die, lord? one hundred thousand years ago? indeed..how it goes. ah, as i was saying..of course, my lord, god is such the annoyance now. i believe it is directly related to humanity's extinction. what, two million now? on the entire world? and the other planets? indeed? oh my, and did we do ALL that! well, i shall endevour to please, my lord. yes, yes, yes, i can easily announce the news to HIM myself...never fear. though i still insist that tak ing his place is not a comforting move for me. the thought of being queen of the cenobites is something i fear will gain me no immediate respect; and if we are to move on heaven, it is that respect i shall require forthwith, do you not think? ah, my lord, i shall move closer. yes, your velvety wings do always bring me comfort. i wonder, what expression will HE be wearing when he sees me...when he finds that no sooner has he fallen from heaven and become one of us, that jesus is pushed aside by mary magdalene and ruled by the new new queen of the cenobites? i shall be sure to have him at my side when the first angels fall burning from heaven, my lord. can you imagine? then i will know if those tears are of sorrow or of relief...finally, the world of spirit will end. -------