Willow Island

Chapter 15

The light was blinding within the curtain. I found it necessary to close my eyes and walk blindly through until the glare on my eyelids subsided and I knew I had emerged on the other side of the barrier.

Arriving in the nineteen-hundreds was rather uneventful. I don't know what I expected to happen, but nothing was not what I expected.

"Well, that was easy," I said as I emerged from the brightest light I had ever seen. "What beautiful buildings."

Divinity replied. "I love the mix of Victorian-styled buildings with the Colonial-style ones. Most here choose the Victorian facades but I think a Colonial representation now and then is delightful."

Freyja chimes in. "Leave it to my sister to admire the architecture well we are trying to find a way to save our afterlife." As Freyja throws her arms in the air clearly exasperated she floats ahead of Divinity and me. Leaving us to talk about the beautiful sights all around us.

"I agree with you Divinity. The buildings are breathtaking. I personally have always loved Victorian architecture. It still exists in the modern world you know. You can find it salt and peppered amongst the current building trends. A home design that only the wealthy can afford. Therefore, I have never had the pleasure of living in such a magnificent building. Does that mean that when I die I can choose to live in this time in a Victorian-styled dwelling?"

Divinity looked right at me her demeanor becoming serious. She matter-of-factly stated, "You can live in any time you choose, however, choose wisely because your choice is permanent. That being said, your dwelling can be from any period. You are not locked into living in the same period your building style originated or was most common in." Then she returned to admiring the buildings around us in the joyful way she had been before. As if someone had flipped a switch into serious mode and then flipped it back to casual.

"This is what I was talking about Luna. Look at this block of houses. All of them have high peaks that resemble church buildings." Divinity began to sound happy maybe even excited as she spoke and pointed toward the different buildings. "This blue one on the left has sharp rectangular windows while this red one on the right utilized all curved windows. However, both have high peaks and steep valleys. They are similar yet quite different."

"To be honest, they remind me of castles, nobility, and royalty. Things that the common person cannot attain. They are gorgeous yet untouchable by most. They are just stunning." I replied.

Divinity continued, "Look up ahead on the right. Do you see the white house tucked back away from the rest?"

"Yes," I replied.

"That is a brilliant estate. Tucked away on its own yet surrounded by buildings so different from itself. That is my favorite Colonial-styled building in the otherworld," Divinity expressed.

"I must agree it is magnificent. I do not believe I have ever seen a building quite like it. It is as large as the buildings that surround it but completely different. It feels more like a home than a castle. Still magnificent and only for the richest of citizens, however, not in a ruling way, but in a plantation way. If that makes sense to you. It made more sense before I said it out loud." I stumbled and almost fell as I attempted to explain my point of view.

When I looked at the ground I realized what had happened. As Divinity and I were sightseeing the ground beneath our feet had changed from asphalt to bricks. The bricks were uneven and felt very different under my feet. I must have caught a protruding edge of one as I was taking a step.

When I had recovered I looked ahead to see Freyja waiting in front of another barrier curtain.

Divinity looked ahead at her sister and then back at me, "We should get going. Freyja hates to be kept waiting. A trait she kept even after death."