Emile was then in the hospital next to Eddie’s father, who was dying. The first Ruby Pier burned down, ruining Emile’s spirit and wealth. In heaven, a woman named Ruby appears, and tells Eddie that her husband, Emile, built Ruby Pier in her honor long ago. The novel flashes back to Eddie’s childhood, during which he grows up trying to win the love of his physically abusive, emotionally neglectful father. Before leaving him, the Captain teaches Eddie that sacrifice is vital to life, and should be sought after rather than lamented.Įddie travels again, and lands outside of a diner in the mountains, where he sees his father in the window. He also reveals that he died during the escape while trying to get his men out.

In heaven, the Captain reveals that it was he who shot Eddie, trying to get him out of the fire. He comes home permanently crippled and bitter. He is then shot in the leg and knocked unconscious. While setting the village on fire, Eddie thinks he sees a small shadow moving in one of the huts, and tries to save the person. Months later, they plan and execute an escape. Stationed in the Philippines, Eddie and his unit are taken captive by enemy. The novel flashes back to Eddie’s youth, when he decides to enlist in World War II to prove his bravery. The Blue Man teaches Eddie the lesson of human connection-that all lives are connected, even those of strangers.Įddie again travels through the colors, and then arrives in a familiar jungle battleground. He explains that he died because of Eddie: when Eddie was a child, he once ran into the road after a lost ball, and the Blue Man had a heart attack after swerving to avoid hitting him. The Blue Man explains that he turned blue as a child from medicinal silver nitrate, and led a lonely life thereafter. The Blue Man tells Eddie that in heaven, he will meet five important people who will each teach him a lesson about his life. Eddie goes to save her, and dies when the cart falls on him.Įddie goes to heaven, where he travels through many shifting colors until he meets the Blue Man, who was one of the “circus freaks” at Ruby Pier long ago. Eddie quickly helps other workers get the people out, but then he notices that the cart is still falling-while a little girl, “ Amy or Annie,” stands below.

While making his ordinary rounds one day, Eddie sees a cart on a ride called “Freddy’s Free Fall” hanging and threating to dump out the ride-goers. Eddie has always wanted to leave Ruby Pier to make a life for himself elsewhere, but has never been able to. The novel begins with a countdown to the death of Eddie, a crippled, elderly man who works in maintenance at Ruby Pier, a seaside amusement park.

The five people we meet in heaven