Death is the ultimate mystery, and ever since the first priest gave the first sermon, to some crowd huddled around a campfire in misty prehistory, religions have done their damnedest to pierce that mystery. Yet despite promises absolute happiness in the afterlife, detailed descriptions of the heavens are in relatively short supply.
How do the fully blissed residents of heaven spend their time? Do they have needs or wants, or, if they are lacking in such, are they still human at all? Perhaps it is impossible to depict something that at its core builds on such a vague and elemental longing. Perhaps descriptions of logistics are the antithesis of eternal bliss. (Interestingly, humans have never had much trouble describing highly specific hells and endless torments.)
Despite, or because of, these contradictions, the few depictions of heaven and angelic beings that do exist in the Christian and Jewish traditions are wildly diverse, disquieting, and often psychedelic. My story draws on descriptions from the books of Ezekiel, Isaiah, Enoch, and Revelations, as well as Maimonides' hierarchy of angels. Other inspirations included William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle, and The Wrestler's Cruel Study by Stephen Dobyns. I have also compiled a short playlist highlighting some of the story's musical references, which you can find here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist.
Interesting! Thanks, Nathaniel! Be sure to check out "The #1 Punk Band in Heaven" and the rest of the stories now!
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