The New World: A Step Backward Read online

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or places is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 by Andy Skrzynski. All rights reserved.

  For information, query Post Office Box 512, Mineola, Texas, 75773

  First Edition, July 2015

  Cover and Map Art Design by Fiona Jayde Media, www.fionajaydemedia.com

  Five Star Reviews

  The New World: A Step Backward is outstanding! I am ready for the next book so keep working! No pressure. The past few days when I started reading your book I found myself sneaking in at times just to find out what was going to happen next. I tend to project outcomes as I read, most readers do. You were able to change the plot in ways that I didn't even think of. Yes I even cried because the characters are so real, their lives had meaning, purpose, and tenderness. I like the personal touch given to each character and their purpose in the book. The setting surrounding the story was clear and provided the reader with a very good visual picture. The reader becomes part of the story, for example when they were building the wall, I wanted to help!

  — Betty Santo, retired teacher

  If you enjoy creative post-apocalyptic storylines — especially stories that seem plausible based on the world of today — this book is for you. Recent hacking threats from China, aggression from Russia, and nukes in Iran could lead to something bad indeed. What would happen if they all got together and blew up the Western world? A new world would emerge, with strong brave heroes and nasty evil villains. The New World: A Step Backward is the hero's journey, with three feisty characters — Thoruk, Stormulka, and Mercivil — who are gravely tested and evolve into true leaders. They protect their community and way of life, while battling horrible mutant creatures and an army of marauders led by the mad scientist Zolokt. The story has it all: action, horror, romance, humor, and a crazy twist or two. Escape for a few hours to the world of Ukkiville and the Lake of Dreams; you won't regret it!

  — Cindy Hewitt, retired IBMer with a BA in English

  I want you to know that my son loves your book. He hasn't finished it yet because he's reading it on my iPhone. His Middle School librarian mentioned to him that if he likes it a lot then she will order some for the school. He said it's one of his favorites!

  — Crystal Patschke, mother of 12-year-old reader

  I have been addicted from the first paragraph. I have found myself on pins and needles as I read and can't wait till the next page. I find myself at times holding my breath to see if a hero will survive. There is a good balance of drama, action and romance all under one cover and that is very different. From the very beginning I could picture this in a movie form and I feel it would be a hit. I think that this hits close to home as to the way things are going in the world.

  — Vickie Kraemer, Beta Reviewer

  Andy weaves a tale of deep loyalty between friends and undaunted courage in the face of grim adversity. The adventures and excitement of the story cause the reader's heart to beat a little faster — just like the characters.

  — Sharon Hastings, Beta Reviewer

  Contents

  Map: Ukkiville and the Surrounding Area

  What’s in a Name?

  Slang of the New World

  Chapter 1: Farewell to the Old World

  Chapter 2: The New World

  Chapter 3: Lurking in the Lake of Dreams

  Chapter 4: What Happened to Tyler Luca?

  Chapter 5: Ruthless Tentacles

  Chapter 6: Taking the Red Eye

  Chapter 7: The Shrewd Tutor

  Chapter 8: Angry Green Eyes

  Chapter 9: The Cave Dweller

  Chapter 10: Wolverine Forest

  Chapter 11: The Buck Stops Here

  Chapter 12: Here Kitty Calf

  Chapter 13: Protuk’s Adventure

  Chapter 14: Animal Talk

  Chapter 15: Wolfuk Returns

  Chapter 16: Facing His Demons

  Chapter 17: Born to Lead

  Chapter 18: Unknown Origin

  Chapter 19: Use Your Noggin

  Chapter 20: Blood, Blood Everywhere

  Chapter 21: Courage in the Face of Fear

  Chapter 22: The Bonfire

  Chapter 23: More Than Just Magic

  Chapter 24: Zolokt

  Chapter 25: Preparing for Battle

  Chapter 26: Tree Droppings

  Chapter 27: Visitors From Texas

  Chapter 28: Amelia Earhart of the New World

  Chapter 29: Muclone Mission

  Chapter 30: Dodging and Weaving

  Chapter 31: Battle Stations

  Chapter 32: Threatening Storm Clouds

  Chapter 33: Everlasting Devotion

  Chapter 34: Battle Like None Before

  Chapter 35: Pain of Duty

  Chapter 36: Untapped Feelings Unleashed

  Chapter 37: The Revelation

  Chapter 38: Broken

  Chapter 39: The Tribute

  Chapter 40: Life’s Twists and Turns

  Chapter 41: Homecoming

  Chapter 42: Three Times Two Makes Six

  Chapter 43: Blue Moon Magic

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Reach Out to the Author

  Ukkiville and the Surrounding Area Area

  View map at http://www.ukkiville.com

  What's in a Name?

  In the New World, the villagers of Ukkiville used only one name, constructed of two parts.

  The first part was derived from a child's natural disposition within their first five years of development. For example, the "Thor" portion of Thoruk, came from the Norwegian god, Thor. From early childhood, Thoruk displayed unusual strength, lifting objects other kids could not. He also demonstrated strong leadership at a very young age, and other children followed his example.

  "Merc" of Mercivil's name came from "mercy," reflecting her childhood tendency to help those around her who suffered.

  The second part of each name came from their original family. Names ending in "uk" were from the Uke family. Those ending in "ivil" were of the Belivil family, and "ulka" from the Ulka family.

  The beauty of their names was that people knew from which family they were born and the individual's predisposition upon the first time of introduction — with no need for last names.

  Key Villagers of Ukkiville:

  Thoruk (thôr·´ōōk): leader/protector of Ukkiville

  Mercivil (´mer·siv·il): teacher/protector of Ukkiville

  Stormulka (stôr·´mōōl·ka): Thoruk's sidekick and protector of Ukkiville

  Intellulka (in·tel·´lōōl·ka): intelligent professor and scientist

  Odinuk (´ō·di·nōōk): Thoruk's father, named after the Norwegian god, Odin

  Gracivil (´grā·siv·il): widow and Mercivil's graceful mother

  Protuk (prō·´tōōk): Master of Arms and protector of both Ukkiville and its leader

  Wolfuk (wool·´fōōk): tracker/warrior and Protuk's cousin

  Foxuk (fäks·´ōōk): tracker/warrior and Wolfuk's younger brother

  Without last names, the villagers didn't use Mr. or Mrs. titles but occasionally used Missy for young girls and Miss for unmarried women or widows, a carryover from the past. During the adventure you are about to undertake, you will have the opportunity to learn more details of the naming convention.

  Slang of the New World

  The younger generations of the New World, like those who preceded them for centuries, developed their own preferences for slang. The common dialog among people in and around the territory surrounding Ukkiville in
cluded the following slang words.

  Blazes* for "dang," "darn," or other four letter words

  Spit out the seeds for "spill the beans" or "say it like it is"

  Shivers for "man," "OMG," or "shoot"

  Stunning for "wow," "amazing," "awesome," or "incredible"

  Such words might have seemed odd to some people, but were they any more peculiar than "far out," "put a sock in it," "my bad," or "groovy" from prior generations?

  *While blazes was used on rare occasions in the Old World, its use became much more commonplace in the New World.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Farewell to the Old World

  Easter Sunday, 2019

  A blaring alarm reverberated through Tyler Luca's ears, jolting him from his peaceful slumber. His heart pounded like a booming drum while he scrambled to his feet and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. The large, blue numbers flashed 1:47 am. Shaking his head to orient himself, Tyler realized what was happening. This is it!

  The nerve-wracking shrill continued from two large, oak-encased speakers in his make-shift office. Triggered by a coded message from his former college friend, Cassie, who worked at the Pentagon, the alert was a warning that Internet chatter by Iran, Russia, and China had spiked like never before. This meant only one thing to Tyler and his two closest friends. What they had feared for months — a concerted global strike against the Western world — would soon be at hand.

  Slight but wiry, the young man grabbed a fistful of clothes and started dressing on the fly, as he sprinted to his computer. While tying his shoes, he read the decoded messages streaming across the screen: "Attack imminent! Leave NOW!"

  Tyler's chest tightened, knowing Cassie's ominous and final advisory left little time to react. His dear friend in D.C. had only the remotest chance of surviving, and he'd likely never see her again. Get out of there, Cassie! A fist-sized knot in his gut swelled and churned.

  Clenching his teeth, he snatched his phone from a blue, glass bowl and called the number atop his contact list. It rang six times. Come on, Jacob — answer the phone!

  Finally the scratchy voice of his buddy broke through. "Is that you, Tyler?"

  "Yes — we have to go — NOW! Meet me where we store the truck in 15 minutes!"

  An Hour Later

  Still angered by Cassie's looming fate, Tyler squeezed the shift stick and slammed through the gears of the red 18-wheeler kept just for this occasion. The engine of the old, weathered rig roared. Rumbling along Interstate 94 near Madison, Wisconsin, he and Jacob traveled west.

  While the bright glow of the cab's headlights bounced along the expressway, Tyler turned to his friend. "Just as we expected — a Christian holiday." Easter was one of a few critical dates circled on his calendar as a potential day for an attack.

  Mesmerized by the road's white center lines, Tyler ticked through his mental list of items in the rig as it hurtled down the highway: food and other essentials, pipes, solar panels, small-sized windmills, and five prototypes of an invention he and Jacob created.

  A bluish-green flash from the rear-view mirrors blinded Tyler, causing him to swerve to the shoulder. Blinking and squinting to erase the intense glare imprinted on his retina, he reached for his pal's hand. "That must have been Chicago! We've got to get away from here fast!" If they hit Chicago, that means New York, D.C., and the other strategic spots are nuked as well.

  He continued the hasty retreat westerly on I-94 through Minneapolis to Fargo, then turned north on I-29. Barreling through Grand Forks toward Canada, he drove the fastest speed possible with the load behind him.

  Given the attacks that were surely underway across the United States and Canada, his mind raced. It's only a matter of time before the electrical grid and communications get knocked out. We can't afford any delays!

  Saying little to his partner, Tyler drove on as a constant blur of vehicle lights streamed by from the other side of the interstate. Tormented visions of the devastation unfolding across the country he loved invaded his thoughts. Tyler shook his head, whipping his long, jet-black hair to and fro as a scorching burn torched his heart. Now is not the time to think about this!

  He focused his attention on their destination: a valley of forests and lakes northwest of the Riding Mountain National Park, a relatively safe distance from Winnipeg. I sure hope they didn't hit that area.

  CHAPTER TWO

  The New World

  56 Years Later:

  Monday ~ August 5 ~ 8:30 am

  On a summer day in 2075, a chorus of songbirds awakened the settlement of Ukkiville, nestled in a resource-rich valley northwest of an area previously known as the Riding Mountain National Park. Under a sprawling oak tree, three inseparable friends, Thoruk, Mercivil, and Stormulka, carried out their daily stretching routine. As usual, Mercivil's creamy white polar bear, Fluf, accompanied her loving master.

  The trio, who had declared themselves blood siblings in their teens with a vow to protect the townspeople, regularly exercised and sparred to keep their muscles and reflexes tuned for battle. With an unrelenting bond formed from numerous journeys and skirmishes, Mercivil and Stormulka staunchly supported Thoruk. The honorable, young man was entrusted as the leader of their community when his father, Odinuk, was assassinated four years earlier.

  Their favorite gathering spot to train lay just outside the village walls, constructed of pine logs to protect 80 cabins from menacing marauders. Ukkiville had survived several attacks by its most detested enemy, the Skalags, for many years after the Old World collapsed during the World Annihilation Period of 2019 to 2025. Like the rest of Earth's remaining inhabitants, settlers of the surrounding area suffered through 50 years of transformation following that time.

  Relying on basic amenities typical of the pioneering days of the 1800s, Ukkiville's families lived like many primitive communities dotting territories across the globe. Most of them had no electricity, retrieved water from wells, used candles or lamps for light, and visited outhouses when nature called. Such was life in the "New World" — an existence spiked with occasional danger and peculiar challenges but accepted with pride by most villagers.

  On this particular day, while the morning's shadows melted under the glow of the yellow-gold sun, the trio and their four-legged guardian prepared for a jog to the Lake of Dreams, southeast of Ukkiville.

  Leaning forward against the trunk of the shade tree, Thoruk arched his back. "Blazes, my muscles feel stiff."

  Mercivil, a local school teacher, relished any opportunity to poke at her buddies. "That's funny because I don't remember you taking so long to limber up before you reached the ripe old age of 26."

  Thoruk shook his head. "Speaking of getting older, didn't we just attend your birthday party a month ago?"

  She peered at him with her deep sky-blue eyes. "Yea, but I'm a couple years younger than you two. It only takes me a few minutes to loosen up — unlike you old men."

  Putting both hands on his hips, Stormulka squinted his dark amber eyes. "Hey Princess, don't include me with him. I don't turn 26 until October."

  Thoruk rubbed his wavy, bronze-red hair. "Alright, let's change the subject. We're lucky today; the temperature's pretty cool for August. Let's run further and enjoy this weather while we can. I'm sure it's going to get a lot hotter."

  "Sounds great to me, but Mercy might have trouble keeping up." Stormulka, whose playful antagonism and mischievous nature were rarely suppressed, winked then spun toward Mercivil.

  Her nostrils flared, and before he squared around, she punched him so hard he almost tripped over a fallen branch. "I'm not the one who trails wherever we go."

  She mocked him with a sassy tone. "Oh Stormy, I sure hope you don't choke on my dust when you cross the finish line." Her hair, the color of honey, shimmered when she pivoted toward Thoruk. "He may not even be that close. We'll probably have to send a search party to find him."

  Thoruk badgered him further. "It won't be hard. All they'll have to do is listen for his whimpering."
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br />   Stormulka grunted as he bent over to tighten the laces of the thick-soled moccasins he wore for jogging. "Yea, we'll see who's waiting on who in the end." Lumbering over, Fluf goosed him with her nose, almost knocking him over. After regaining his balance, he wheeled toward Mercivil, shaking his head. "Dearie, I've seen what you can do with animals. I know you can control her better than that. Your ball of fur gooses me every time we meet."

  She laughed. "What makes you believe Fluf isn't doing exactly what I want her to do, Stormy boy? You know how it is — she knows what I'm thinking." She twirled gracefully and flipped her long ponytail in his direction.

  Stormulka grinned. "Just because Powderpuff thinks it strange that your friends don't always circle and sniff each other's behinds doesn't mean she needs to go around nosing mine all the time."

  Jerking her head in his direction, Fluf growled.

  Thoruk chuckled. "You better stop messing with her or she may eat you for breakfast. Come on, let's get going."

  Pulling up his saggy, sheepskin shorts, Stormulka took off down a worn trail they used for a shortcut to the lake.

  Within a few seconds, Thoruk zoomed by him with Mercivil and Fluf trotting behind them. Thoruk slowed to a medium pace and deeply inhaled a long drag of air through his nose. I love the smell of pines.

  His eyes darted back and forth as they passed a cluster of high weeds along the path. Something twisted and slithered through the ferns, causing him to careen from the rustling leaves. An icy shudder shot across his body. Shivers, I hate snakes!

  After regaining his stride, he glanced toward the sky. He whizzed by the swaying pines, enjoying the billowy, white clouds against the morning's light blue haze.