Short Story Press presents "Passing Eternity", by Jane Beckman.

The reenactment of the iconic battle of the American Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, is in its second day, and the paramedics at Aid Station Three have seen their share of cuts and scrapes and heat exhaustion, as oppressive heat and thunderstorms plague the recreated battle scenarios. Fortunately, the more serious injuries have been taken directly from the field to the hospital by emergency medical personnel. The aid station is more like a social club where the paramedics and victims of minor injuries can chat about their favorite topic: the American Civil War. All that is about to change.

With 20 minutes until the start of the next battle scenario, Eric, the senior EMT, sends the minor injury cases on their way, readying the tent for any injuries that might happen during the battle. Only Joe, a heat-exhaustion case, plus two fellow EMTs are left in the aid station. His fellow medic, Monica, who became a paramedic because of a fascination with medicine that started with her great-great-grandmother’s tales of nursing at a field hospital at Gettysburg, starts to share insights on what it was like at the real Battle of Gettysburg.

Suddenly, a cannon shot booms, followed by more in quick succession, followed by thunder. Has the battle started early? Strangely, it sounds more like the sounds of battle are coming from the actual site of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Then an injured Yankee with a serious leg injury appears in the doorway of the medical tent. He starts to talk to their heat-exhaustion victim and seems to be very good at his period impression - far too good.

They start to treat the man, only to be interrupted by two Yankees bringing a new victim into their aid station, a man with an actual gunshot wound to the chest! Instantly, our paramedics are plunged into a very real life-and-death situation as they struggle to save the man’s life. And as the sounds of battle rage outside their tent, they try to summon help only to find their two-way radio has gone dead.

Is their patient a tragic accident, a ghost, a traveler in time - or something else? Will their patient live or die? Who are these other men who have also appeared from the fog of battle? What’s really going on, and is there a reason why they suddenly seem to be in the midst of the real Battle of Gettysburg?