Crossing Over
Chapter 01
The flashing red lights alerted bystanders to move aside. The shrilling sounds coming from the vehicle were audible even to the deaf. The loud roaring motor of the ambulance warned others that they needed to get out of the way. Fast.
Peter Werner was watching the events unfold from a far off distance. A very far off distance.
The ambulance finally arrived at the scene. It was anyone’s guess if it had arrived on time. This mystery would be solved very soon.
Two skinny guys hopped out of the back of the ambulance and rushed over to a red-headed guy with freckles sprinkling his face. The paleness and stillness of his lifeless body lying on the rainy, cold concrete made it obvious that he was out cold.
One paramedic shouted, “We got a code red!” He kneeled down by the lifeless man and examined him.
While this was taking place, the other paramedic searched the man’s pockets for some kind of identification. He first shuffled through the man’s breast pocket. Nothing.
He went through the man’s right jacket pocket first, then the left. Aha! His wallet!
The paramedic opened the man’s wallet to find an ID card. Before he got a chance to read the name, the other paramedic spoke up.
“He’s breathing! I need the shock paddles! Quick!”
“Why?! He’s alive!” the newer paramedic who had found the man’s wallet exclaimed.
“Never hurts to have ‘em handy just incase, Jeff.” Jeff handed his partner, Tim, the man’s wallet. He then ran back to the ambulance to grab the paddles. Tim didn’t bother to look at the man’s ID card. He checked the unconscious guy’s pulse again.
Suddenly, Tim spoke up, “We’re losing him! Hurry, Jeff!” Jeff rapidly ran back with the paddles.
Peter, who was still watching everything unfold, sighed under his breath. He watched the rain intensify as it fell beneath him. He ran his fingers through his reddish-orange hair.
“I don’t wanna go back,” he muttered. His words echoed as something strange occurred. His past — everything from his past — flashed before his eyes. From his first day of school to his college graduation.
Soon afterward, a bright, blinding white light illuminated Peter’s surroundings, also shedding light through his, at the time, transparent body. What faded back in was chilling.
Peter all of a sudden found himself standing in a graveyard. After moments of hesitation, he cautiously and slowly walked around until he reached the first headstone in what seemed like an endless line of them. His lips took the form of an oval as a shocked expression spread across his face.
He was looking at his own headstone.
Before he had a chance to even process what was happening, he heard footsteps in the distance. Time froze. Peter was to afraid to turn around, for he didn’t know who — or what — he would see.
The footsteps grew closer and closer until they were directly behind him. Paralyzed with fear, Peter stood absolutely still.
The footsteps made their way beside of Peter. He slowly turned to his left. A relieved sigh came from Peter’s lips. Standing beside of him was a familiar woman: his ex-girlfriend whom he still loved.
With tears in her eyes, the young woman, Joanie, somberly stepped forward. She sniffed the beautiful red roses she had in her hands, then she knelt down beside of Peter’s grave.
“Why didn’t you fight harder, Peter?” Joanie asked, sniffling. Peter’s heart sunk. He lifted up his hand to comfort Joanie, but he instantly noticed that his hand was not visible. Neither was the rest of his body. He was invisible.
“Joanie!” he called out. Joanie calmly sniffled, not hearing a word he said. Joanie soon began bawling. Peter developed a lump in his throat.
“No!” he exclaimed.
Everything turned black, then the previous scenery from before dominated Peter’s surroundings. He was once again in the pure, white area above the tragic accident occurring below.
He wiped away his remaining tears and gulped. He knew what he had to do.
“Come on, buddy, don’t lave us. You have people who care about cha,” Tim said. He shocked Peter’s lifeless body, which by this time was on a gurney inside the ambulance. Nothing happened.
“Clear!” He shocked him once again.
Peter walked over to a circle in the center of the white area. The circle was his way out; it was his way back to life. He hurled himself down it, letting his body slip through it.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. His heartbeat soon became steady. Tim and Jeff sighed in harmony.
“Thank God,” Tim said. “Thank God…”
“You think he’ll make a full recovery?” Jeff asked.
“He should. He sure gave us a scare.” He sighed. “You ever get his name?”
“Yeah. Peter Werner.” Tim looked down at Peter.
“He looks young.”
“He’s in his late twenties.”
“Poor guy. This man is a perfect example of how suicide attempts can go wrong.” Both looked down at him, then they sighed and watched the raindrops trickle down the window of the ambulance.
Peter Werner was watching the events unfold from a far off distance. A very far off distance.
The ambulance finally arrived at the scene. It was anyone’s guess if it had arrived on time. This mystery would be solved very soon.
Two skinny guys hopped out of the back of the ambulance and rushed over to a red-headed guy with freckles sprinkling his face. The paleness and stillness of his lifeless body lying on the rainy, cold concrete made it obvious that he was out cold.
One paramedic shouted, “We got a code red!” He kneeled down by the lifeless man and examined him.
While this was taking place, the other paramedic searched the man’s pockets for some kind of identification. He first shuffled through the man’s breast pocket. Nothing.
He went through the man’s right jacket pocket first, then the left. Aha! His wallet!
The paramedic opened the man’s wallet to find an ID card. Before he got a chance to read the name, the other paramedic spoke up.
“He’s breathing! I need the shock paddles! Quick!”
“Why?! He’s alive!” the newer paramedic who had found the man’s wallet exclaimed.
“Never hurts to have ‘em handy just incase, Jeff.” Jeff handed his partner, Tim, the man’s wallet. He then ran back to the ambulance to grab the paddles. Tim didn’t bother to look at the man’s ID card. He checked the unconscious guy’s pulse again.
Suddenly, Tim spoke up, “We’re losing him! Hurry, Jeff!” Jeff rapidly ran back with the paddles.
Peter, who was still watching everything unfold, sighed under his breath. He watched the rain intensify as it fell beneath him. He ran his fingers through his reddish-orange hair.
“I don’t wanna go back,” he muttered. His words echoed as something strange occurred. His past — everything from his past — flashed before his eyes. From his first day of school to his college graduation.
Soon afterward, a bright, blinding white light illuminated Peter’s surroundings, also shedding light through his, at the time, transparent body. What faded back in was chilling.
Peter all of a sudden found himself standing in a graveyard. After moments of hesitation, he cautiously and slowly walked around until he reached the first headstone in what seemed like an endless line of them. His lips took the form of an oval as a shocked expression spread across his face.
He was looking at his own headstone.
Before he had a chance to even process what was happening, he heard footsteps in the distance. Time froze. Peter was to afraid to turn around, for he didn’t know who — or what — he would see.
The footsteps grew closer and closer until they were directly behind him. Paralyzed with fear, Peter stood absolutely still.
The footsteps made their way beside of Peter. He slowly turned to his left. A relieved sigh came from Peter’s lips. Standing beside of him was a familiar woman: his ex-girlfriend whom he still loved.
With tears in her eyes, the young woman, Joanie, somberly stepped forward. She sniffed the beautiful red roses she had in her hands, then she knelt down beside of Peter’s grave.
“Why didn’t you fight harder, Peter?” Joanie asked, sniffling. Peter’s heart sunk. He lifted up his hand to comfort Joanie, but he instantly noticed that his hand was not visible. Neither was the rest of his body. He was invisible.
“Joanie!” he called out. Joanie calmly sniffled, not hearing a word he said. Joanie soon began bawling. Peter developed a lump in his throat.
“No!” he exclaimed.
Everything turned black, then the previous scenery from before dominated Peter’s surroundings. He was once again in the pure, white area above the tragic accident occurring below.
He wiped away his remaining tears and gulped. He knew what he had to do.
“Come on, buddy, don’t lave us. You have people who care about cha,” Tim said. He shocked Peter’s lifeless body, which by this time was on a gurney inside the ambulance. Nothing happened.
“Clear!” He shocked him once again.
Peter walked over to a circle in the center of the white area. The circle was his way out; it was his way back to life. He hurled himself down it, letting his body slip through it.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. His heartbeat soon became steady. Tim and Jeff sighed in harmony.
“Thank God,” Tim said. “Thank God…”
“You think he’ll make a full recovery?” Jeff asked.
“He should. He sure gave us a scare.” He sighed. “You ever get his name?”
“Yeah. Peter Werner.” Tim looked down at Peter.
“He looks young.”
“He’s in his late twenties.”
“Poor guy. This man is a perfect example of how suicide attempts can go wrong.” Both looked down at him, then they sighed and watched the raindrops trickle down the window of the ambulance.