Greenwich

Stephen Goldhahn

Description

What happens when time lines and family lines converge, and history and sanity are preserved only to the extent that one is willing to embrace madness? On the eve of the new millennium, John Samuel Weston, owner of a small biotech engineering firm in Haddonfield, New Jersey, is about to find out.

Centered around the historic Greenwich Tea Burning of December 22, 1774, the narrative follows two parallel story lines over the same six-month period leading up to the events of December 22nd: one set in colonial New Jersey, 1774; the other in modern day Jersey, 1999. The story opens in 1999 as our hero, John Samuel Weston, wakes up in the psych ward of Our Lady of Lourdes hospital (Camden, NJ) recovering from an apparent psychotic break following a Labor Day weekend trip to Greenwich, Cumberland County, NJ. His friend and business partner, Bob Fenwick, experienced a similar “breakdown” on a July 4th fishing trip to Greenwich, which is what prompted John to go to Greenwich to investigate. In time, John comes to suspect that his recurring dreams and visions of 18th century time travel were real, and uncovers a common link between family lines, a certain variety of greenhead fly found only in this area, and a peculiar form of mental illness affecting this back-bay region since 1774—the so-called “curse of Greenwich.”

Beyond historical science fiction, Greenwich a story of love and passion, a tale of family lines past and present, genetic engineering gone awry and the supernatural, as our modern day hero (John Samuel Weston) embarks on a mission of time travel to “lift the curse” that has rendered present day Greenwich a virtual ghost town. John’s quest becomes a burning obsession and race with time as he employs his biotech engineering skills and the unwitting aid of professional associates to “go back” and set things right before the window of opportunity forever closes with the passing millennium.

 

To the Reader ix

Prologue xi

PART ONE    1

Chapter 1       1999, Thurs, 16 Sept, Camden, NJ 3

Chapter 2       1774, Fri, 16 Sept, Haddonfield, NJ 12

Chapter 3       1999, Thurs, 16 Sept 30

Chapter 4       1774, Fri, 16 Sept, Greenwich, NJ 40

Chapter 5       1999, Thurs, 16 Sept, Camden, NJ 68

PART TWO    73

Chapter 6       1999, Fri, 2 July, Haddonfield, NJ 75

Chapter 7       1999, Sun, 4 July, Moorestown, NJ 83

Chapter 8       1763, Greenwich, NJ 93

Chapter 9       1999, Tues, 6 July, Haddonfield, NJ 99

Chapter 10     1999, Tues, 27 July, New Brunswick, NJ 107

Chapter 11     1979, Nov, South Jersey 123

Chapter 12     1774, Greenwich, Agatha Greene’s Story 146

Chapter 13     1999, Wed, 28 July 158

Chapter 14     1999, Labor Day 179

Chapter 15     1999/1774, 12 Sept, South Jersey 210

Chapter 16     1999, Fri, 17 Sept, Lourdes Hospital 248

PART THREE    257

Chapter 17     1774, Sat, 17 Sept, Greenwich, NJ 259

Chapter 18     1999, Sun, 26 Sept, Camden County, NJ 268

Chapter 19     1999, Wed, 29 Sept, Rutgers University  283

Chapter 20     1774, Thurs, 29 Sept, Greenwich, NJ 295

Chapter 21     1999, Sat, 2 Oct, Moorestown, NJ 301

Chapter 22     1999, Sun, 3 Oct, Haddonfield, NJ 311

Chapter 23     1774, Mon, 3 Oct, Greenwich, NJ 316

Chapter 24     1999, Wed, 6 Oct, Haddonfield, NJ 321

Chapter 25     1999, Sat, 9 Oct 330

Chapter 26     1999, Oct, South Jersey 352

Chapter 27     1999, Oct, Thousand Oaks, CA 357

Chapter 28     1774, Wed, 19 Oct, Annapolis, MD 368

Chapter 29     1999, Wed, 20 Oct, Simi Valley, CA 374

Chapter 30     1774, Sat, 22 Oct, Annapolis, MD 380

PART FOUR    387

Chapter 31     1999, Fri, 22 Oct, South Jersey 389

Chapter 32     1999, Sat, 30 Oct 401

Chapter 33     1999/1774, Halloween 411

Chapter 34     1999, Thurs, 4 Nov 443

Chapter 35     1999, Mon, 8 Nov, Lourdes Hospital 448

Chapter 36     1999, Nov, South Jersey 455

PART FIVE    461

Chapter 37     1774, Early December, Delaware Bay 463

Chapter 38     1999, Nov-Dec, Thousand Oaks, CA 466

Chapter 39     1999/1774, 18 Dec, Haddonfield, NJ 473

Chapter 40     1774, 19 Dec, Greenwich, NJ 486

Chapter 41     1999/1774, 22 Dec, South Jersey 492

Chapter 42     2000, Early Dec, Haddonfield, NJ 509

Acknowledgements 517

About the Author 518

Selected Bibliography 519

 

Sujets

• Historical fiction
• Time travel
• Science fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Rigel Publishing
• Date de parution: 04 décembre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780996555111
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Final Project

A Novel

By Stephen Goldhahn

http://www.rigelpub.com/
Copyright 2016 Stephen Goldhahn

Published in the United States by Rigel Publishing

All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspaper, magazine, online, radio or television reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author/publisher. Write to: [e-mail]

Paperback ISBN-10: 0996555102

Paperback ISBN-13: 978-0-9965551-0-4

e-book ISBN-10: 0996555110

e-book ISBN-13: 978-0-9965551-1-1

Manufactured and printed in the United States of America.

All maps, diagrams and illustrations were drawn by the author.

Lyrics to “Green Eyes” © 2012 reprinted with permission from Kevin Goldhahn and The Gantry

Cover design by Deborah Bradseth of Tugboat Design. ( http://www.tugboatdesign.net )

E-book formatting by Polgarus Studio. ( http://www.polgarusstudio.com )
To my wife, Janet, and our two sons, Kevin and Michael
Contents
Maps
To The Reader
Prologue
PART ONE
Chapter 1—1999, Thurs, 16 Sept, Camden, NJ
Chapter 2—1774, Fri, 16 Sept, Haddonfield, NJ
Chapter 3—1999, Thurs, 16 Sept
Chapter 4—1774, Fri, 16 Sept, Greenwich, NJ
Chapter 5—1999, Thurs, 16 Sept, Camden, NJ
PART TWO
Chapter 6—1999, Fri, 2 July, Haddonfield, NJ
Chapter 7—1999, Sun, 4 July, Moorestown, NJ
Chapter 8—1763, Greenwich, NJ
Chapter 9—1999, Tues, 6 July, Haddonfield, NJ
Chapter 10—1999, Tues, 27 July, New Brunswick, NJ
Chapter 11—1979, Nov, South Jersey
Chapter 12—1774, Greenwich, Agatha Greene’s Story
Chapter 13—1999, Wed, 28 July
Chapter 14—1999, Labor Day
Chapter 15—1999/1774, 12 Sept, South Jersey
Chapter 16—1999, Fri, 17 Sept, Lourdes Hospital
PART THREE
Chapter 17—1774, Sat, 17 Sept, Greenwich, NJ
Chapter 18—1999, Sun, 26 Sept, Camden County, NJ
Chapter 19—1999, Wed, 29 Sept, Rutgers University
Chapter 20—1774, Thurs, 29 Sept, Greenwich, NJ
Chapter 21—1999, Sat, 2 Oct, Moorestown, NJ
Chapter 22—1999, Sun, 3 Oct, Haddonfield, NJ
Chapter 23—1774, Mon, 3 Oct, Greenwich, NJ
Chapter 24—1999, Wed, 6 Oct, Haddonfield, NJ
Chapter 25—1999, Sat, 9 Oct
Chapter 26—1999, Oct, South Jersey
Chapter 27—1999, Oct, Thousand Oaks, CA
Chapter 28—1774, Wed, 19 Oct, Annapolis, MD
Chapter 29—1999, Wed, 20 Oct, Simi Valley, CA
Chapter 30—1774, Sat, 22 Oct, Annapolis, MD
PART FOUR
Chapter 31—1999, Fri, 22 Oct, South Jersey
Chapter 32—1999, Sat, 30 Oct
Chapter 33—1999/1774, Halloween
Chapter 34—1999, Thurs, 4 Nov
Chapter 35—1999, Mon, 8 Nov, Lourdes Hospital
Chapter 36—1999, Nov, South Jersey
PART FIVE
Chapter 37—1774, Early December, Delaware Bay
Chapter 38—1999, Nov-Dec, Thousand Oaks, CA
Chapter 39—1999/1774, 18 Dec, Haddonfield, NJ
Chapter 40—1774, 19 Dec, Greenwich, NJ
Chapter 41—1999/1774, 22 Dec, South Jersey
Chapter 42—2000, Early Dec, Haddonfield, NJ
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Selected Bibliography
Notes
Maps: New Jersey circa 1774
Greenwich Map Inset
To The Reader
Greenwich is a work of fiction, a story told against the backdrop of real places and historical events of eighteenth-century colonial New Jersey on the eve of the American Revolution. While the main characters of the story are imagined, certain persons of history are referenced and make cameo appearances from time to time. I have tried to make these interactions as seamless and faithful to the character of the persons represented as possible, but in no way imply that such encounters actually occurred. Where appropriate, endnotes are inserted to clarify the historical context of these interactions. Beyond this, any resemblance of fictional characters to persons living or dead is purely coincidence.
Historically, the colonial story line revolves around major political events of 1774: what might be dubbed “the year of tax revolt.” Triggered by the 1773 Tea Act—and the unfair tax and business advantage it gave to the East India Company over tea trade with the colonies —unrest soon led to action, culminating with the famous Boston Tea Party of 1773. This event spawned a series of what, in today’s parlance, might be called “copycat crimes” against the Crown, hitting Parliament where it really hurt—in the pocketbook. The burning of the merchant ship Peggy Stewart with its seventeen chests of tea in Annapolis Harbor in October, 1774, was arguably the high mark of expression of discontent. However, it didn’t end there. Two months later, on the evening of December 22, 1774, a cargo of tea, recently off-loaded from the brigantine Greyhound , was burned by a band of patriots in the open market square of Greenwich, Cumberland County, West Jersey Province, in a final act of defiance against Parliament and the Crown. That this event happened is an indisputable fact of history…at least, that's how modern historians now record it.
While all reasonable attempts were made to avoid anachronisms, some liberties were taken with certain historical dates and events to better support the fictional narrative. For example, the current Indian King Tavern building, which plays a key role in the novel’s 1774 colonial story line, did not, in fact, acquire its name until 1777, when both ownership and name were transferred from another nearby tavern operated by a Sarah Norris. It is hoped that such occasional lapses in historical accuracy will not offend the purists among us. Greenwich is, after all, first and foremost a work of fiction.
Prologue
L ike hordes of angry fireflies bent on a common mission, streams of glowing embers ride the hot currents of air high into the cold, night sky, challenging the moon’s dominion over its star-spangled realm, rising ever higher against the broad canopy of stars, mingling at last with the ancient gods-strewn constellations in a final moment’s burst of glory. Their fiery tracks, traced back to earth, reveal the source of their being: flames rising from a great fire, spawning and spewing forth fresh embers in crackling pangs of birth, the newly born gushing upward in great swarms, playing catch-up to their brothers and sisters gone before, dispersed on cushions of a calmer air high above. Orion the Hunter looks down from his celestial perch with passive, star-eyed wonder.
Now, against a backdrop of orange flame and smoke, vague new forms in erratic motion appear and disappear, coalescing at last into a vivid collage of images and sounds: human silhouettes in wild, dancing rhythm; men, some naked to their waists, joined in common celebration around a raging bonfire; human voices, chants, and shouts of victory; and then an odor, pleasant, sweet, and familiar, but difficult to place.
Focusing on the heart of the flames, the vision of a woman’s face slowly takes form. It is the face of an older woman, worn and haggard, wrinkled, discernible now as the crackle of flames is replaced by the sinister cackle of an old crone. A frightening specter! Lingering awhile, she fades back into the flames, her laughter supplanted by the muted cries of a much younger woman, affronting the senses in a crescendo of torment—they are the cries of anguish and pain. (I try to run, but my hands and feet are tightly bound, somehow.) The sweet scent is replaced with the stench of burning flesh, the cries fade, the dancers dance on, as cooling embers dissolve deep into the cold, long night of a distant winter solstice sky…
Part One

“The body is often curable, the soul is ever so”

Marble inscription above the main entrance to

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Camden, NJ
Chapter 1

1999

Thursday, 16 September

Camden, New Jersey

N oon. John Samuel Weston lay on his back, motionless, eyes closed as self-awareness slowly replaced the fog of troubled sleep. Images and echoes of a bad dream faded to join the crushed remnants of discarded memories buried deep inside his mind. Nearby, a low, mechanical hum muffled the more reassuring sounds of human activity farther off.
Open your eyes, John! commanded a voice from within.
Reluctantly, John obeyed, forcing his lids apart, slowly, painfully dragging the sandy remnants of sleep across his eyeballs. Mind and eyes now connected, he found himself staring blankly at the bare, white tile ceiling above, and for a fleeting moment he was lying in his own bed, back in his home in Haddonfield, New Jersey. His eyes scanned slowly, left to right and back again, surveying the full extent of this small room: bare white walls melting seamlessly into ceiling, filling the room with the brilliance of the noonday sun. This was not his home, and this was not Haddonfield.
Reacting to a lingering ache in his wrists, John lifted his hands to his face, rotating them for a thorough inspection. He tried massaging away the burning soreness of the red, banded indentations left by the leather restraining straps, which he now recalled as only part of a bad dream. Feeling a similar ache in his ankles, he lifted the sheets and looked down: no problem there. He was now free to move about.
To his left, a soft summer breeze tossed the window curtains lazily aside from the only window in the room: a tall, double-hung sash with a heavy metal grill cage mounted to the outside, similar to what you might find in an inner city high school