Kapp Adams spent his last night on Earth the same way he spent many nights—drunk and daydreaming in a Las Vegas dive bar. Slouched over an empty coaster, tired eyes drifting from tap to tap, he silently waited his turn in a long row of thirsty men. Looking up,  he let his mind wander. Decorative doors hung from the ceiling of the bar, painted in various colors. Kapp’s thoughts drifted far beyond the confines of the doors as he imagined opening one and floating through it.

His...