He had never seen such a sad looking dead body in his entire life, which was odd because he was so used to seeing them. Every time the morgue received a new body, he couldn't help but feel curious and simply mind blown, because the fact that they were once alive just a while back was merely shocking, and he was still unable to wrap it around his head.

Levi thought of the first time he ever performed an autopsy on a body and remembered how oddly calm he was when he saw someone naked, but it was only because it didn't bother him. Naked is naked, but society often taught everyone that being naked meant something sexual. He thought a nude corpse shouldn't be seen as something sexual, especially having his job and all, because if anything were ever sexual, it was inevitable to get turned on. Necrophilia was a no for him.

There on the metal table in front of him was a deadly pale male who looked like he was in his early twenties. Levi frowned. It was sad that he had to pass away at such a young age. His eyes were closed and his chocolate brown hair was tousled in all directions, sort of looking like bedhead. He had a beautiful face, like a resting angel, but his skin was all bruised and cut up as if he fell down a mountain. Levi guessed he probably had tons of lovers in his living life, and suddenly felt sad for them on their behalf. His white and perked lips were slightly opened, making it appear like he was still breathing, but he was unmoving like stone. He was slightly toned but also a little scrawny. He was the kind of boy the girls chattered about, or fell head over heels just to be rejected or dumped, but he was kind. You see, Levi always had these internal guessing games with himself to distract him from the terrible truth of death.

"When was he sent here?" he asked his colleague, who was named Hanji.

"A few hours ago. A few people have already checked on him and suggest that he was probably drowned, but wanted you to confirm it," she told him as she jotted a few words in a clipboard. "They didn't want to open him up until you see him first."

"Hmm I see. So he isn't claimed or identified yet?" he asked as he peered as the body once more.

"Indeed, but we've received a call saying that a family might know who he is. We are still waiting for their arrival."

"Has the body been cleaned yet?"

"Yes," she answered.

Levi looked back at the body again and with hesitation, lifted up the man's head to check for any other hidden bruises.

"Did you get his fingerprints? If not, I can do it."

"No need. We did it already," she said quietly as she straightened her glasses. "Would you like me to read all the information we have on him so far?"

"Please do," he muttered as he opened the unknown man's eyelids and studied the messy but small injuries on him.

"Time of body discovery was 6:04 AM at Shigashina beach this Monday. He was found not so far from the bridge of wall Maria. Witnesses claim they saw him balancing on the edge of the bridge before leaping into the water below the night before."

"Well then, there's no need to call me over to confirm something that should be obvious. It was a suicide, is it not?"

"It's most likely. I mean, look at him and those awful scars," Hanji said sadly. "A few bones are broken as well, if you must know."

"I'll do a blood test just in case. Please get the supplies ready," he declared.

"On it."

He collected two tubes. He thought about how fascinating it was to watch as the blood poured into the vials, so dark and thick, and it almost made him think that the body in front of him was still alive. He tapped the tubes before getting up and handing them to Hanji.

"Please take these to the toxicology department and be careful. I don't want you dropping them," he instructed. "I'll study him a bit more before going home. Good work today."

"Thank you, Levi. You too."

After finding nothing new, Levi headed home after storing the body and making sure there was the right temperature in the storage room. He kept a mental note to himself to check the sample results tomorrow, and hoped that he would find something useful.

When he got home, like always, he was exhausted. His joints and limps were sore from moving around all day, and his throat was dry and felt like sandpaper as he swallowed. He felt oddly nonchalant as he drove home, because it was always the same thing everyday, the same cycle. He would get up, eat a sad bowl of oatmeal or cereal, go to work, come home and then rest. He still had a lot of time before heading to bed when he arrived home most of the time, but there was nothing to do. Levi, for some strange reason, could not remember what he used to do before he moved in a few years ago. It was a blur, but it didn't bother him at all. The past was probably not too important anyway. He had a few memories of having a lover, but he couldn't remember much about them; their face, their name, the way they laughed or smiled, it was no longer in his mind somewhere.

Levi was a forgettable person at times.

He collapsed onto the sofa and undid the first few buttons of shit shirt as he looked in all directions for any sign of his cat. Levi heard a faint meow followed by a ring of bells, and knew that he was nearby. He could feel him nuzzle against his leg as he fished for his phone in his pocket.

Levi suddenly slipped it back, figuring there was no one to call.

---

Heaven was hard and cold, the total opposite of what he thought it would be. Of course, he didn't know he was in heaven yet.

Perhaps it was because he was laying on the stiff floor.

He wasn't uncomfortable. though. His limbs were a little stiff and the tiny hairs on his skin rose on end, but it wasn't anything he couldn't tolerate. His eyes were closed, but he could spot a flare of orange and red,indicating that there was a bright light above him. Although his eyelids were heavy with sleep, he managed to open them slowly and carefully. A yawn rose from his mouth as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He was in the middle of a blank room. Literally.

The floors were nothing but marble, and the walls were painted white. Light panels shined brightly above his head, but there was nothing else. There was a door, which was white of course, just beside him. He started to panic, and could not figure out or recall how he even ended up in the empty and claustrophobia inducing  room. He stood up and went straight for the door, and tried to turn the doorknob. When nothing happened, he began to shake it violently. It was like ice in his hand, stinging it slightly and giving him an uneasy feeling. He gave up on trying to open the door and leaned against the wall. He thought that maybe he was just in some weird dream again.

Usually if he were locked up, he would freak out, but he was surprisingly calm. This room was much more different than the rooms in the hospitals. Somehow, it was more welcoming despite the absence of space and decoration. It kind of reminded him of church crying rooms, something he had learned when he had once read a book about church designs and architecture.

He felt light and warm, he felt comforted, as if he were locked in. the invisible embrace of a mother. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember who his mother was, or what she looked like. It came to his sudden shock and realization that he could not recall any important things at all. His mind was blank like an empty fish bowl. No phone numbers, names or familiar places came to mind, but he was somewhat glad. He couldn't remember anyone, there wouldn't be anyone to miss if he were to stay in the room for a while. Everything was a blur, and he seemed to only remember a few events, like holding someone's hand and kissing said someone's lips. He wondered if that person missed them. He figured they did and felt guilty, sad even.

Suddenly, the doorknob clicked as the door swung wide open. Eren turned his head to see someone standing over him, the edge of the door cupped in his hand and a massive pair of feathered white, sparkling translucent wings sprouting from his back. A golden ring nestled upon his forehead. Freckles dotted his face, and dark hair flowing from his head. He was dressed in head to toe in white clothing; a simple button up and comfortable looking pants. On his face was a small grin, and Eren could recognize it anywhere.

"Marco?" he exclaimed in surprise. He got up and stared at him in awe. "Why are you here?"

"Not the greeting I was expecting, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm glad to see you again," he flashed another grin and almost looked as if he wanted to hug him.

"I'm happy to see you too, but I don't understand." Eren felt relieved when he seemed to remember someone. "You're supposed to be dead..."

Marco was a friend of his in high school. They weren't very close, but close enough to know what happened to one another. Marco was engaged to another friend of his, Jean Kirstein, and the date of their marriage date was just about to be released when Marco had suddenly disappeared after a night of hanging out with friends as a celebration. The police managed to find a few teeth and small fragments of his ribs in a farming field, but nothing more. Despite little evidence, everyone knew he was no longer present on earth. Stricken with grief, Jean fled from the town and possibly out of the country. Eren called him from time to time as well. The only real conversations they had were only relevant to Marco.

"Correct. I am dead," Marco stated with a quick nod. The creepy thing Eren noticed was that he said it so casually.

"God. I must be high on something then," Eren mumbled to himself regretfully. He turned over, away from Marco, and closed his eyes. He wanted to go back to sleep and wake up to return to his regular everyday life where he wasn't seeing his dead friend with glittering wings and claiming the both of them are dead.

"Oh, come on. I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work no matter how long you close your eyes," Marco stated, almost cheerfully.

"Okay, well if I really am dead like you say I am, my heart wouldn't be beating," Eren said, suddenly jumping up on his feet and slapping a hand over his heart, expecting a pulse. His face fell as he had trouble searching for the steady rhythmic beat. It was nowhere to be found.

Marco smiled sadly at him. "Do you understand now?"

"This... This can't be true. I can't even remember how or when or why-" he cut himself off mid-sentence and glanced at Marco.

"That's to be expected. You would have wings by now if you knew how your death happened." Suddenly, his stare was blank and almost haunting. "If you can't remember, it means you're not satisfied even in death. Something is wrong."

"I don't understand." Eren's face scrunched up in confusion.

"You need to figure out how you died before you can get your wings. If you don't receive them in thirty days, you will be banished into the void: no suffering but no existence," Marco explained. "It may sound bad, but you have enough time."

"Pause, pause. All this new information about life and death is hurting my brain," Eren said as he raised a hand, palm facing Marco. "Okay, so what I get is that I am not high nor dreaming. I am dead."

"Correct," Marco confirmed.

"And if I don't get my wings in thirty days, I'm basically fucked."

"I guess you can say that. Don't worry too much about it. You still have many unconscious memories stuck in your head somewhere. They can help to discover how all of this happened and why," Marco told him as he patted his back comfortably. "Day two is just about to start. Let's get on with it!"