The Golden Hour

Patricia Dianne Pintar

Description

Judith’s Story 

The story begins in the University of Wisconsin Hospital Emergency Room on a stormy November evening as doctors and nurses struggle to save Judith Von Trier’s life. Twenty minutes earlier Judith had crashed across the center line into oncoming headlights. Critically injured, under the brilliant operating lamp, Judith lifts and floats near the ceiling of the trauma room, looking down at herself in the scene below. Defibrillator paddles slapped in place jolt her like a blast of lightning sending her into an oppressive black void. In that moment, she realizes she is in "The Tunnel" looking to the far-off white light at the end of it. A small object begins to materialize out of the light and draws closer. Moments later, a newborn infant girl drops into her arms. Judith is struck with immediate understanding that she holds her future life, her next incarnation in her arms and she knows what she must do to survive.  

First, she must travel back forty-seven years to watch her life relived. It is April of 1954 again. Judith views her own birth through the eyes of a newborn. Her life revealed before her just as it happened; a happy early childhood, tragic losses, first love and heartbreak. She is driven to avoid any future pain and takes harsh control of her life and everyone in it until she reaches the moment of the crash again. 

"Baby’s" Story

Then, more frightening, Judith must see into her possible future life as “Baby” should she die. Judith, wraithlike, is compelled to watch as surreal scenes unfold before her. For the second time in the span of one hour of her life, she sees the moment of her own birth. Judith must wait until Baby’s story is finished, knowing all this will happen if she dies, and the terrifying white light tries to claim her. She must stand by helplessly while trying to find her one chance to survive.

Sujets

• Fantastique
• Romance fantastique
• Romance
• Romance paranormale
• Fiction
• Time Travel

Informations

• Publié par: Outskirts Press
• Date de parution: 30 mai 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781977263902
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Golden Hour All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2022 Patricia Dianne Pintar v1.0 r1.1
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
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Cover Photo © 2022 www.gettyimages.com . All rights reserved - used with permission.
Outskirts Press and the "OP" logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Prologue
November 9, 2001 5:45 p.m.
Part I: Judith’s Story
Chapter One
November 9, 2001 6:05 p.m.
Judith
University of Wisconsin Hospital
Emergency Department Trauma Three

Chapter Two
November 9, 2001 6:10 p.m.
Judith
UW Hospital ER Trauma Three

Chapter Three
November 9, 2001 6:15 p.m.
Judith
The Tunnel

Chapter Four
November 9, 2001 6:20 p.m.
Judith
The Lights

Chapter Five
November 9, 2001 6:25 p.m.
Baby and Judith
The Tunnel

Chapter Six
April 19, 1954 3:53 a.m.
Judith Ann Grover
St. Mary’s Hospital Delivery Room Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Chapter Seven
April 26, 1954 11:00 a.m.
Baby Judy Comes Home

Chapter Eight
1955 to 1956
Judy the Charmer

Chapter Nine
November 9, 2001 6:27 p.m.
The Tunnel
Judith and Baby

Chapter Ten
1957 – 1958
Judy and Joey

Chapter Eleven
1960 – 1961
Judy

Chapter Twelve
November 1962
Judy and Daddy

Chapter Thirteen
November 1962
The Funeral

Chapter Fourteen
November 22, 1963
"I am Judith"

Chapter Fifteen
November 9, 2001 6:30 p.m.
U. W. Hospital ER Waiting Room
David and Jillian

Chapter Sixteen
November 9, 2001 6:30 p.m.
Judith and Baby
The Tunnel

Chapter Seventeen
November 9, 2001 6:30 p.m.
Jillian
U. W. Hospital ER Waiting Room

Chapter Eighteen
November 9, 2001 6:30 p.m.
Judith and Baby
The Tunnel

Chapter Nineteen
November 9, 2001 6:30 p.m.
Trevor
The Library

Chapter Twenty
November 1964
Judith in Charge

Chapter Twenty-One
November 21, 1964
Judith the Bridesmaid

Chapter Twenty-Two
November 1965
Bag of Rags

Chapter Twenty-Three
November 12, 1967
Judith: "Today I am a woman."

Chapter Twenty-Four
November 9, 2001 6:34 p.m.
Judith and Baby
The Tunnel

Chapter Twenty-Five
1968
Judith

Chapter Twenty-Six
April 16, 1970
Judith

Chapter Twenty-Seven
Spring of 1970
Judith in Love

Chapter Twenty-Eight
Summer 1970
Judith and Jeff

Chapter Twenty-Nine
August 1970
Judith and Miles

Chapter Thirty
August 1970
Sandy Cove
Judith and Miles

Chapter Thirty-One
Judith Next Day

Chapter Thirty-Two
October 1970
Judith Survives

Chapter Thirty-Three
November 1970
Judith and Alex

Chapter Thirty-Four
November 1970
Alex

Chapter Thirty-Five
Late November 1970
Judith and Nan

Chapter Thirty-Six
Christmas 1970
Judith and Allie

Chapter Thirty-Seven
February 1971
Judith: Hawaiian Awakening

Chapter Thirty-Eight
Summer 1971
Judith

Chapter Thirty-Nine
August 1971
Miles Confesses

Chapter Forty
Fall 1971
Judith and Alex

Chapter Forty-One
November 1971
Judith

Chapter Forty-Two
Thanksgiving 1971
Judith’s Betrayal

Chapter Forty-Three
Thanksgiving Night 1971
Judith’s Revenge

Chapter Forty-Four
The Party 1971
Judith and Alex

Chapter Forty-Five
December 1971
Allie and Miles

Chapter Forty-six
Christmas 1971
Judith and Mother

Chapter Forty-Seven
Winter and Spring of 1972
Judith

Chapter Forty-Eight
May through September 1972
Judith

Chapter Forty-Nine
September 6, 1972
Judith "It was God’s Will"

Chapter Fifty
October and November 1972
Judith and Jacob

Chapter Fifty-One
November 9, 1972
Judith

Chapter Fifty-Two
November 9, 2001 6:36 p.m.
U. W. Hospital ER Waiting Room
Trevor

Chapter Fifty-Three
November 9, 2001 6:36 p.m.
Judith and Baby in the Tunnel

Chapter Fifty-Four
December 30, 1972
Judith Memories

Chapter Fifty-Five
Spring 1973
Judith and Alex

Chapter Fifty-Six
April 19, 1973
Judith and David

Chapter Fifty-Seven
June 1973 through March 1975
Judith

Chapter Fifty-Eight
April 1975
Judith and David

Chapter Fifty-Nine
September 4, 1976
Judith’s Wedding Day

Chapter Sixty
July 17, 1977 2:32 a.m.
Judith and Jillian

Chapter Sixty-One
1977 – 1978
Judith Makes Plans

Chapter Sixty-Two
1978 – 1980
Judith and the Children

Chapter Sixty-Three
1980 – 1982
Judith and David

Chapter Sixty-Four
June 3, 1983
Judith and Jacob

Chapter Sixty-Five
April 1984
Judith and Alex

Chapter Sixty-Six
1986
Jillian and Trevor

Chapter Sixty-Seven
June 1986
Judith

Chapter Sixty-Eight
June 1986
David and Beth

Chapter Sixty-Nine
September to December 1986
David and Beth Judith and Alex

Chapter Seventy
Spring 1987
David and Beth

Chapter Seventy-One
November 1987
Judith and Jillian

Chapter Seventy-Two
December 1987
Judith and Alex

Chapter Seventy-Three
November 9, 2001 6:38 p.m.
David
U. W. Hospital ER Waiting Room

Chapter Seventy-Four
April 1988
Judith and Alex

Chapter Seventy-Five
May 1988 to April 1990
Judith

Chapter Seventy-Six
April 30, 1990
Judith

Chapter Seventy-Seven
November 9, 2001 6:39 p.m.
U. W. Hospital Trauma Room Three
Judith

Chapter Seventy-Eight
November 9, 2001 6:39 p.m.
Judith and Baby
The Tunnel

Chapter Seventy-Nine
February 1992
Judith Oscar Time

Chapter Eighty
July 1995
Judith

Chapter Eighty-One
November 1999
Georgia and Robert

Chapter Eighty-Two
January 2000 to November 2001
Judith and David

Chapter Eighty-Three
November 9, 2001 11:30 a.m.
Judith and Jillian

Chapter Eighty-Four
November 9, 2001 6:43 p.m.
Judith and Baby
The Tunnel
Part II: Baby’s Story
Chapter One
November 9, 2001 6:43 p.m.
Amy

Chapter Two
November 9, 2001 6:45 p.m.
Judith

Chapter Three
November 9, 2001 11:30 a.m.
Madison, Wisconsin
Amy Lee Forrester

Chapter Four
March 2001
Amy

Chapter Five
November 9, 2001 6:40 p.m.
Baby

Chapter Six
November 9, 2001 6:46 p.m.
Amy and Baby

Chapter Seven
November 11, 2001 to December 31, 2001
Amy and Baby Confrontation

Chapter Eight
December 31, 2001
Baby and Xander

Chapter Nine
April 9, 2002
Baby

Chapter Ten
April 14, 2002
Xander

Chapter Eleven
June 2002
Amy and Baby

Chapter Twelve
October 2002 – January 2003
Baby

Chapter Thirteen
February 2003
Amy and Xander

Chapter Fourteen
March 2003
Amy

Chapter Fifteen
April 15, 2003
Xander and Baby

Chapter Sixteen
April 15, 2003 to May 30, 2003
Amy and Beth

Chapter Seventeen
May 31, 2003
Amy and Xander

Chapter Eighteen
June 30, 2003
Amy and Xander

Chapter Nineteen
November 9, 2003
Amy and Baby

Chapter Twenty
January 15, 2004
Amy

Chapter Twenty-One
February to September 2004
Amy and Baby

Chapter Twenty-Two
October 30, 2004
Baby
Part III: Judith’s Story
Chapter One
November 9, 2001 6:40 p.m.
The Tunnel
Judith and Baby

Chapter Two
November 9, 2001 6:45 p.m.
U. W. Hospital Trauma Three
Redemption Deliverance Revelation

Chapter Three
November 9, 2001 6:45 p.m.
University of Wisconsin Hospital Trauma Three
Judith Revives

Epilogue
November 12, 2001
UW Hospital ICU
Judith and Jillian A Shocking Revelation
D EDICATION
To Tom, my writing partner and my dear husband who read every word more than once. Tom’s patient editing and sharp eye made my writing journey a joy. As always, he is my point of Light and Love holding my hand and leading the way.
A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Two most important people I’d like to recognize are Dr. Raymond Moody and my Uncle Robert Sonnenberg.
A special thanks to Raymond Moody, M.D. and his 1975 book "Life After Life" in which he described his interviews and studies of the phenomenon of near-death experiences of over 150 survivors. At the time, they all told similar stories during their life and death struggle. I read this groundbreaking book in 1976 after the death of my 29-year-old brother, John. It gave me a profound sense of peace to know from survivors there is something waiting for us all after life. This book was the inspiration for "The Golden Hour." Though I didn’t realize it at the time. So much of his research became the foundation of my novel.
Closer to home, my Uncle Bob was also inspirational. In the early 1980’s Bob had a cardiac arrest immediately after a cardiac catheterization. Incredibly, he was the first person ever to be resuscitated by the hospital’s brand new "Code 4" team. Finally, after many years, he was able to relate in vivid detail everything including his out of body experience during his Code. I must have tucked away every word somewhere because his experience resurfaced almost verbatim in the ER scene with my protagonist, Judith.
Thanks to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Liberal Studies and the Arts program in 2000 for giving me the tools to call myself "writer."
I would like to thank my first readers from the Coloma Book Club of a very rough first draft: Judy Merola, Joanne Katzmarek, Maura Robinson. Thanks for setting me straight with my complicated timeline and insightful comments.
For my patient family