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Amy woke up on a painted bench in the middle of a deserted amusement park. It was warm, and the sky was a rich blue that matched the teal and maroon of the rides and stands around her. Amy took a deep breath of the salty coast air, and she was immediately struck with how easy it was to breathe. It felt as though her lungs, destroyed by decades of smoking, had been replaced with a new pair as she took deep inhales of clean air. It was salty and carried the distinct note of the ocean, mixed with the sweet and savory scents of popcorn and food trucks.

Where... ?

Amy was hit with a sudden pang of nostalgia as she stood up and explored the crowded yet empty landscape. She had memories of this place; memories so faded that she could not recall where she was.

Feeling like a child among the bright colors and sweet scents, Amy skipped past rides and attractions, until she stopped abruptly in front of a huge Ferris wheel looming above her. She suddenly remembered where she was. It was Ruby's Pier, the place she spent the summers of her childhood back in the early 2000's.

I've completely forgotten this place...

Amy continued, walking past empty attractions and almost hearing the delighted screams of children blending with mechanical rumbling and jovial carnival music.

As Amy neared the Ruby Pier boardwalk, she heard a faint melody. A rough voice was humming an old song she didn't recognize, and anxious to see another soul, Amy ran towards the sound. The thumping of her feet slowed as she approached a squat, white-haired old man sitting on a tattered aluminum beach chair, tapping his walking stick on the ground.

The old man didn't seem to see Amy, nor hear her approach. She tried to call out, but no sound would come from her throat.

Amy took one step forward when the old man stopped humming and looked at her.

"You must be Amy. I've been waiting for you."

Amy opened her mouth to speak, but again, no sound came out.

"Don't try to speak yet," the old man said. "Your voice will come later. It happens to all of us when we arrive here."

Am I dead?

"Yes. Don't worry," the old man said with a smile. "You're in Heaven."

The old man, whose nametag said Eddie Maintenance, tapped the ground in front of him with his cane as he pulled two pipe cleaners out of his shirt pocket. "Come sit, Amy. And best stay silent. It helps you to listen, and I have many things to tell you."