Hereafter

Hereafter: Part I Crossing Over, Chapter 6

6

THE DORM WAS ON THE way so we stopped in and I dropped off the Starfire Shoppe packages before heading to the orientation meeting. Walking at a slow, steady pace, Lydia soon pointed out the incredible edifice looming in the distance. Its size was immense, so much so that although we were still a couple of miles away, because of the perspective distortion it seemed as if we should have been right there able to walk in. The building was designed to resemble a flower that had blossomed, unfolding at the top of a central shaft emerging from a circular base. Imagine a sturdy tulip shaft rising from a proud round bulb, then the glorious flower and leaves unfolding at the apex.

It bore a resemblance to Earth’s 21st Century Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau, but where that building had to compromise its design due to the pressures of normal gravity, this structure continued to extend its architectural interpretations of flowers and petals without the apparent need to support the obvious mass from below or above. When more meeting rooms were needed, the building was able to “grow” them, like a plant adding leaves and stems.

The buildings in heaven weren’t named, probably because there was no single word-based language used here. Communication was based on thoughts and pictures, more like using telepathy than language. The purpose of a building was etched in its design instead of in a name that might be hewn on a cornerstone. The animated look of the magnificent building projected the theme; Welcome, Let’s Grow Together.

It took another 20 minutes to reach the entrance, but by that time we’d joined one of several lines of new arrivals also heading for the orientation meeting. Dusk was settling in and while still a couple of blocks from the main entrance, the building began to light up like a Christmas tree! Primary lines of colored lights simulated the main veins of leaves in this building designed to look like an unfolding flower. That effect alternated with the entire surface turning into a giant LCD flat panel screen projecting a series of animated images from amazing cascades and streaks of surreal Aurora Borealis-like color to gigantic depictions of exotic plants.

“Do we have to go in right now? I want to see some more of this! It’s better than any fireworks display we’ve ever had on Earth!”

“You newbies . . . sure, let’s back up in the line, but this happens every night, so it’s not really that big a deal . . . but sure,” Lydia kindly complied.

The display was spectacular and I just couldn’t get enough. When night finally settled in we were still in line and I noticed more lights off in the distance to my right.

“Lydia, what’s going on over there?” I asked.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you, we have amusement parks here, and you won’t believe the rides!”

“You’re kidding . . . you mean like Great America back on Earth?”

“Are you in for a treat . . . our parks put Great America to shame!”

“Oh . . . my . . . G . . .”

“Fallon, don’t forget where you are.”

“Sorry, oh my gosh . . . when can we go?”

“Look, we’ve got all the time in the world to see and do everything there is to do here. Calm down, girl . . . one thing at a time!”

Resolved to being more patient for the time being, I turned back to Lydia only to find it was our turn to enter the building.

I felt like Lucy, who going into the magical wardrobe closet was unexpectedly transported into the weird world of Narnia where everything was strange, yet oh so wonderful. Instead of snow and ice, I was embraced by the pulsing warm tropical sense of being inside of a living thing. The walls were humming with activity as some type of sap was being pumped toward the upper floors. The colors were a painter’s palette of unique organic forest green, sandstone rust, charcoal ebony, and white marble ivory.