Near-Life Experienced

Prologue: Pre-Flash The sound of the vital signs monitor was almost annoying despite its job to detect the signals of life through the electronic transmission from the body to which it was attached. The Henry Shein Eden M3 blared on, with its loud, rapidly constant, shrieking, high pitched “beeee…” Flatline. Dr. Lauren Colangelo commanded the ER triage team of five medical specialists to stand back. Twice already she had expertly secured the plates to the patient’s chest. Mickey Rybak had already experienced the two previous jolts from the medical device but to no avail. His heart rate was still registering a convincing “already gone” signal. This would be her last attempt. According to her Hippocratic oath, she had to do it, even though she was certain her patient was dead and this would only add to the burnt flesh she had already inflicted on his body by the typically lifesaving device’s untold side effect. Her heart told her as much, yet her soul was not at all convinced. “Prep one-hundred migs of adrenaline stat! Elapsed time?” Colangelo barked, as she inquired how much time had passed since the onset of the flatline began. “Six minutes and forty-nine seconds,” the anesthesiologist returned while staring at the Eden M3’s screen, oblivious to the irritating sound it spewed forth. It was enough time to have brain cells die. At the ten-minute mark, the waves would cease completely. Mickey Rybak was in that zone between clinically dead or alive. This would be the third and final syringe to enter his heart with adrenaline to jump-start it again. After three injections of adrenaline, if no pulse returned, then the time of death was to be recorded from the prior injection. All part of the standard operating procedure. After Dr. Colangelo stabbed Mickey’s chest for the last time, she then seamlessly moved to the electronically charged cups to apply the next automatic external defibrillator (AED) bolt of electricity to his chest while rubbing their surfaces together. “Clear!” The familiar command compelled the staff to get at least a foot away from the patient and not touch his bed’s frame. Stretching her arms out as far as they could reach over Mickey’s chest, due to her short stature, she then pressed the handle trigger and applied the electric surge. The powerful pulse caused Mickey’s upper torso to raise his chest to the point of practically breaking his back. The third AED pulse delivered again the three-thousand-volt charge in less than a thousandth of a second. That’s with enough electricity to light a hundred-watt bulb for twenty-three seconds. She then immediately stared at the M3’s signal. Suddenly, a steady, low, and slow “beeping” returned. Amid the chaotic procedure, the calmness of the machine’s “voice” seemed to well up tranquility, like an echo call “hello” across a vast mountain range. “He’s back!” Dr. Colangelo’s jubilant voice broke the momentary silence and would have awakened even the most agnostic staff member in the ER. Life was real. Near life was far more complicated. “He is alive!” Numerous voices proclaimed. Mickey Rybak may have been comatose, but he was still alive. Thanks to Dr. Colangelo and her team, he lived to see another day. It was his birthday this very day, after all. Born again. Mickey Rybak’s mind had gone from a cognitive dream-like state while being wheeled through the doors of the ER. Then everything went pitch black. Nothing. No sight, no thought, no sound. And then the bolt of light came just as the monitor flatlined. __________________________________ FLASH! ____________________________________ Chapter 1: Vision As the flatline signal remained on the Eden M3’s screen, Mickey had a vision of himself. He was suddenly above everything and viewing what was happening. He could see himself on the emergency cart. He could see Doctor Colangelo attempting to revive him. Then, he saw a bright light that started as a dot in the center of his field of vision. It grew larger until it filled his entire view. Bright white. Nothing but bright white light. Suddenly, he heard a voice inside his mind. He tried to speak and asked, “What is that?” It started speaking to him. The voice said, “You have lived a miraculous life. You have had so many experiences that most people will never have. There were so many close calls, yet you managed to survive them all. Throughout your entire life. You have also been committed to a cause. Your philosophy of serving—in the order of God, family, country and yourself last is commendable. Yet it has not always been practiced in that order. There are so many unresolved issues. You have put country first many times. Has it not been putting yourself first? You have also lived the order in reverse. Now, you have to decide. What you decide, will determine where and how your life goes from here. Will it go on in the world as before? Or do you choose to leave that life and enter into immortality? Do you want to resolve all those things left unresolved? If you do, there is no guarantee you will ever be given this choice again. The outcome is still to be a mystery until you decide. Then and only then it will become clear to you.” Mickey asked aloud, as his voice seemed to echo, “How? How can I be sure of making the right choice?” The appeal to somehow go into the light was growing stronger. Stronger than anything he had felt before. It pulled at his heart as he felt a warmness inside start to fill him and surround him.