Chapter One MayDot's Haven I never really thought about what happens after you died. I always figured that we'd all go to some abstract nothingness forever. I didn't give much thought to some sort of supreme figure, a God. I guess I've just been too busy with life to debate on death. When all this is thrown at you, it's a bit hard to comprehend. "Benji Autumn Cliff, right?" The glowing figure behind the podium adressed me, picking up the white feather to use as a writing utensil. "Yes," I gulped. The figure jotted down something on the scoll laying on it's podium. "Welcome to MayDot's Haven," It said warmly. I noticed a golden gate appear beside It. "After you enter through the Gate, Windy Night will show you around and give you your first pair of wings," It continued, folding up the scoll and tucking it on a shelf on It's side of the podium. "Thank you," I hurried through the gate, anxious. What was this 'MayDot's Haven'? It looked nothing like Heaven was envisioned on Earth. It looked more like the set of Alice in Wonderland, with bright, swirling colors and abstract nonsense. "Welcome to MayDot's Haven, Cherry Blossom," A voice said as I looked around. "Cherry Blossom?" I asked without pondering. "That's your name in MayDot's Haven," A girl with beautiful multicolor butterfly wings and turquoise hair braided into two long braids, reaching down to the bottom of her chest approached me. "Why Cherry Blossom?" I questioned. "Because your hair is red like a cherry and you dreamed of going to Japan," I felt my cheeks turn hot when she mentioned my lifelong dream. "What is MayDot's Haven?" I changed the subject, not wanting to know what other things she knows about me. "The place people who had a satisfactory life go after they die," She explained in her blissful, fluent voice. Satisfactory life? How was my life at all satisfactory? "Oh yeah, and I'm Windy Night," She gave me a slight smile, "I'm MayDot Haven's official greeter." I returned her shy smile and waved my hand hi. "Well, first things first, let's go get you a pair of wings," She turned around and started walking away. I followed.
Chapter 2 Wings The shop was covered floor to ceiling with racks of wings ranging from beautiful and majestic to crazy and colorful to monochrome and pitiful. "Good morning, Windy Night," A expressionate voice filled the shop room. "Morning, Cloud," Windy Night addressed the corner of the room. "I see you've brought a newcomer," A man with cornflower-colored hair and big glasses that completely covered the top half of his face came out from the corner like a chameleon. He was wearing a white buttoned-up lab coat with splashes of colorful paint and black rubber gloves. "Now who are you, my dear?" He turned to me. "Ben-" I glanced at Windy Night, "I'm Cherry Blossom." "Very nice to meet you, Cherry Blossom," The man took my hand and shook it violently, "My name is Cloud Nine, but most people just call me Cloud." "Nice to meet you too," I smiled despite me feeling like my arm would fall off any second. "Now, for a pair of wings," Cloud retracted and studied me. He furrowed his eyebrows and whispered something to Windy Night. After a quick whispering discussion with Windy Night, he disappeared to a back room, concealed by a pair of flowing, magenta and midnight bl ue wings. Windy Night continued to study me with a worried expression until Cloud came out of the back room. After a bit, Cloud came out of the backroom. "There's nothing I can find, we're just gonna have to make a custom handmade one," He said sadly. "Make a custom what?" I asked. Was something wrong? Why was I the odd one out? "A winghold, most people come to MayDot's Haven with a winghold already installed on their back, but you don't," Windy Night explained. She turned around and pointed to a blue thing sticking out of her back, keeping her wings intact. "It's how you put your wings on, but less than 1% of people who come here don't have one." "That's right, I was the only one I knew of without one until you came along," I noticed that Cloud didn't have any wings either. "It's my suspicions that it's either a glitch or we weren't supposed to be here in the first place." "Why didn't you make a custom one for yourself?" I wondered aloud. "My job doesn't require me to have wings, and custom wings would have to be stiff with some type of metal and I don't want to rip any of my precious wings," Cloud explained with obnoxious hand motions. "I see..." I envisioned me trying to fly with ugly, metal wings. "Well, I'll see you in a week for you to collect your wings," Cloud shooed us out of the door, "I have to get working." I went through the rest of my tour thinking about my wings and wondering why I didn't have a winghold.