My eyes gently opened up to blinding white pouring into my eyes, like I was waking up in the middle of the afternoon and the blinds were left open, I lay on what felt like the perfect mattress, a soft mist rolling around me like waves, they smelled like caramel popcorn and summer nights. Above me were beautiful white clouds in a cotton candy sky that made me feel so at ease. Then I remembered a bang that reverberated through my head. My hands shot to my body, but I wasn't sure why. I noticed then that my clothes had been replaced for a white top and white linen pants with white summer casual shoes. Weirdly, I wasn't terrified or worried, I felt euphoric. I had a smile on my face and I felt content like I couldn't be burdened with anything. I got to my feet and looked around. Before me were a set of stairs that ascend further into the sky and behind me, the stairs continued into darkness, I had an odd pull towards it but I pushed it down. Along the sides of the stairs were golden railings with elegant marble cutting hold it together and over the railing was the dark abyss that whispered for me. Instinctively my legs took me up, turning away from the darkness and toward the light at the end of the staircase.

When I reached the top I was met by a large platform that's extended forever to the sides of me, it was probably this huge to accommodate for the giant golden gate that grew past the clouds and pierced the sky with their pearl pickets. The gate was designed with beautiful swirls, precise images forged into the goldenrods that fused together with pearl bezels extending up each rod that made up the gate, it almost more like a story that told itself through its craftsmanship and the intricacy of the design with zero imperfections, a home decorator or architect would come to tears its sight. It was overwhelming to just look at, let alone be in its presence that seemed to radiate peace.

"You there!" A voice called out. I searched until spotted a kiosk in front of the gate, microscopic compared to the gates behind it. At the kiosk, a man waved to me. I walked over to him beginning to notice his features, soft skin, silky black hair, hazelnut eyes, perfect jawline, gorgeous daisy white wings folded up neatly behind his white and gold suit, flawless eyelashes that complemented his peach skin and milky white teeth that sparkled in the light. It took me a while to realize I had completely glossed over the man's feathery appendages that protrude out of his back, I couldn't seem to take my eyes off them, each feather was evenly shaped and brushed against each other like flowers in a garden, the wings exuded a similar energy to the gate but not as powerful. I caught myself when I realized the man was patiently waiting for me to have his full attention.

"I'm sorry, they are just so beautiful," I exclaimed. He blushed at the comments.

"Why, thank you. I haven't had much time to keep it super tidy up, but I appreciate it." He said gleefully.

"Can you tell me where I am and what's going on please?" I asked the winged man.

"Well, of course I can. This is Heaven." The euphoria dropped and a weight formed inside me. Everything hit me at once, I remembered talking to Pepper. I remember her with a gun, the smoke rising slowly from the barrel. I remembered Stephy holding as I took my last breath. I stumbled back a bit, but the man was already behind me, holding me up. "Don't worry, I've got you. The flash of memories is normal."

"So, I'm actually dead." I readjusted myself, the man had already moved back behind the kiosk.

"I'm sorry but yes. I am the angel Belariel, the Welcomer. My job is to greet the souls that have found their way into the eternal kingdom." He said, a smile across his face that sent a calming force through me.

"Why are we the only people here, people die every second and how in the hell did I make it to Heaven? Wait, is that allowed for me say?"

"Oh, it's fine. Curse all you want. Also, it's normal to feel like you don't belong. Everyone thinks that, but your soul was deemed pure enough to pass into Heaven. To explain why you are the only one here, think of this spot in Heaven like a terminal at a train station. I am one of many angels who were given the task to welcome new souls. It's odd you are here though, I wasn't expecting anyone for a while."

"Okay, I feel like you have me confused with someone else. I killed people, isn't that like a rule in the bible." I asked.

The angel looked at me confused, "What is your name, child?" he pulled a book out from the bottom of the kiosk.

"Oliver Stark," I said with caution, I wondered if I had just butchered my chance to enter Heaven.

He ruffled through the pages, his calm demeanour quickly shifted to worry. "Oliver Garfield Stark? Son to Francis Stark and Samantha Mercer?" He asked, to which I nodded. He turned the pages back and forth between a set of pages as if trying to make something appear or find the last line he had read before closing it previously.

"There are empty pages."

"Pardon?"

"Every living being has a certain number of pages in their story dictated to them from before they are even born. The story always ends on that last page, except for yours. You still have more pages left to your story. I need you to tell me about the events leading to your death, everything." I explained to the angel everything that happened to me from the moment everything changed for me, the convenience store explosion. I told him about my powers, The Nestry's, the Transgress base in Colorado, Juan being the Silver Fox, Revilo and the graveyard, everything until Pepper shooting me. With every detail, he cross-checked with the book, moving back and for the between pages. I couldn't tell how much time had passed when I was finished because the sky stayed the same pastel pink colour. The angel looked distraught, trying to piece everything together, he forked his hands through his hair and leaned against the kiosk with his elbows planted into it and his hands holding his head for support. "This job was supposed to be easy." He sighed into the air.

"Belariel, can you explain to me what happened?" I asked the perturbed angel.

"From what it looks like, you weren't meant to die. All the people who were directly connected to have had their story's altered. Pages have been removed, lines of what was meant to occur have been crossed out and changed. The change that set this all to the motion was Pepper, she was meant to come with you to the church when you left A.R.D.O labs from what this line says but she stayed. This could send ripples throughout every life on Earth. Oh father, this could change a lot on Earth."

"Wait, so, I should be alive right now?"

"Yes, you should. However, you are now in Heaven. Be happy."

"I still don't understand why I made it to Heaven after everything that Rev made me do."

"That is honestly the easier thing to explain. Revilo, your second personality, he was like a second soul. Everything you did because of him was put onto Revilo's soul. When you died, your soul was seen as worthy while Revilo's wasn't. He is probably in Hell at this moment being punished for all that he did."

I wanted to be happy that he was getting what he deserves, but I could only think what he last said to me before I woke up here. He was a piece of me that although poisonous was still me. "What now? What do I do?"

"Enjoy the afterlife. You have all of eternity to explore Heaven." He said with a smile as a small door in the gate opened up. "Come let me I've you a tour of where you'll be staying."

Heaven was indescribably beautiful. Belariel explained to me that Heaven took the form of the place you loved the most and for me, that was my neighbourhood where I grew up. Even though I looked exactly like I remember it, it was still so much more. It felt livelier and more open, it was a replica that was polished and buffed out, all the things that made it feel depressing and unpleasant were gone, creating the perfect Cross County. The atmosphere was like breathing in the fresh air and not having it weigh in your chest like there was baggage being held within. It felt like I was looking through a filter or the warmth of the scene was turned up, the sky was a breathtaking sunrise pink that stunned me every time I looked up and the tarmac road now clear of potholes and was brandishing fresh gold inlays that made everything look so picture perfect, I was beginning to say why it was called Paradise.

"Heaven is truly beautiful and you are lucky to be here, When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we'd first begun." Belariel said as he flew beside me, his ivory wings made a harmonic beat each time they flapped, every-so-often a feather or two would glide through the air.

"Speaking of God, where is he?" I asked the angel.

"Our father is in his palace to be undisturbed." He said almost immediately. "Doesn't take questions like 'What was my purpose?' Or 'Why did insert situation here happen to me?' he has many things to do."

"I just wanted to know about the whole 'more pages left to your story' thing. Maybe that means I could go back to Earth and-"

"I will stop you there Oliver." The angle flew in front of me and landed in my path, "God doesn't do revivals anymore. No matter the circumstance. There is no way in Heaven that will take you back to Earth. The eternal kingdom is your new home, now come. I have something special to show you."

We walked a little more, following the familiar row of houses until we were outside my home, the one that was burned down. It stood in front of me without a scratch but things like marks made by my sister and I growing up was all there like permanent memories that the house brought back with it when it burned down and made its new place in heaven. Belariel landed on the porch and rung the doorbell, the same tune I heard for years growing up could be heard, dulled by the walls. A few seconds passed before the door opened up.

"Belariel, what a pleasant surprise. I thought you'd forgotten about us." A voice too familiar to forget sang.

"I'm just here to drop off someone." He said before stepping aside. Now in full view looking down at me, blue in her eyes glowed with happiness and sadness at the same time behind her glasses. My mother's hand flew up to her mouth in disbelief. I sprinted up the stairs and into her arms like a magnet, everything about her touch felt so real. My emotions short-circuited, I wanted to cry and laugh with joy but I couldn't do anything but hold her. She took me away from her embrace to look at me, just stare at my face, scanning every single detail as if to never forget the image. "My sweet boy." she sobbed, her voice tightening as she held herself together.

"Hi, Mum," my voice following in suit.

"What are you doing here? What happened Oliver? Did Colts do this to you? Is Stephanie-" She broke off, her fear becoming more and more prevalent in her questions.

"Stephy is Okay. As for me, it's a long story." I laughed, my mother let on a small smile.

"Come inside, munchkin. Let me make you something to eat." She said as she walked through the door. I turned behind me to say something to Belariel, but he had already left.

It was exactly as I remembered it would be. Every detail was the same from the pictures to the placement of furniture. I looked around the room, not really knowing how to react, was I supposed to be happy to be standing in the image of my old house or in pain seeing it was the place I watch my mother die. My chest felt conflicted, the happy atmosphere of Heaven was forcing the negativity away but it wasn't moving, nor was the thought that I still had a story to tell according to the angel. I walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch, my mother in the kitchen making something for me and in that second it felt like I everything was normal. That my life, my afterlife didn't have to be a remnant of the life I had lived but a new start.

"Honey," A deeper voice called out from stairs followed by footsteps. "I heard you talking to Belariel. What did he want, he never comes around?"

I got up from the couch instinctively and watched as the person walked into the living room. We stood face to each other, his hickory brown eyes stared at me with confusion and sadness. His skin was like coffee beans in the delicate heavenly light. He walked over to me, mesmerized by me as I was by him. He was like a dream that I wasn't sure I wanted to come through. Each step he took, the man became more known to me until who he was couldn't be refused.

"Dad."