Eleazar was right; the experience was beyond anything ethereal.

When the walls around her went black, Edith forced herself to keep breathing slowly. She could feel herself rise up, her arms spread like wings. The stars began to shine through the darkness, and then the ride began.

A brilliant star twinkled off to her left, and Edith turned to look at it fully, but as she turned, she found her body gliding effortlessly and silently through the stars. Edith passed planets and ...