The New World: A Step Backward (2 page)

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."

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.

Soon they were jogging down a steep hill, passing beneath a lush canopy of ash, poplar, and birch trees as they neared a trickling brook.  Thoruk savored the soothing aura, enhanced by the chirping of birds swooping from one tree to another.

A few minutes later, a plump cotton-tail scampered across their trail, weaving and dodging as if being chased by a wolf seeking a snack.  Spooked by the bunny's frantic retreat, a huge stag snorted and bolted into the thicket.

Sliding across the leaf-strewn gravel, Thoruk and his running buddies skidded to a halt.  His broad, rock-hard chest expanded as he sucked a quick breath. 
Whew, so much for a peaceful jaunt.

Stormulka's eyes widened as he turned to his friends.  "That was a gigantic buck.  I'll be back to check out this area when I need venison."

Mercivil snickered.  "You'll have to get the beast before I do."

After continuing their jog for a while longer, they neared the opening overlooking the Lake of Dreams.  Thoruk pointed to a weeping willow on the shore.  "Let's go sit over there."

Mercivil kept running in the direction of the tree.  "Okay, but not for too long.  I still want to run some more before it gets too hot."

As they approached, Thoruk looked at her.  "It just occurred to me.  I can't remember where you got Fluf — you've been together for so long."

"My grandfather — bless his soul — brought her back from an Arctic expedition as a gift.  He found her wandering the frozen land alone.  You know the lake on my place — how cold it is all the time.  The near-icy water is filled by an aquifer supplied by the runoff near the Arctic Ocean.  Grandpa thought she'd be fine around such a habitat.  He was right.  Fluf loves Arctic Bear Lake and spends most of her free time cooling off in its water."

When they reached the willow's shade, they slumped to the ground, but Stormulka scrambled to his feet.  "Blazes, I can't believe it.  I just sat on something warm and wet.  I hope that wasn't some animal's pee!"

Like his friends, forever joking to relieve the daily stresses of their primitive lifestyle, Thoruk smirked.  "Might be.  A doe and her fawn ran off into those trees when we came over the hill."

"Well, Stormy dear, people are going to wonder if you have a problem with that yellow spot on your shorts."

"What spot?"  He rotated in a circle trying to see what she meant but couldn't find a thing.

She rolled her eyes.  "You are a fool, dancing around after nothing at all like a cat chasing its tail.  We should get moving so you can dry your panties.  Let's go to the other side of the lake.  We haven't been there in a while."

Thoruk rose.  "I was just getting comfortable.  Come on, Storm.  You need to air out your britches.  We don't want you developing a rash."

"Ha, ha, Your Majesty.  I'm going to stay ahead of you guys.  Just follow the yellow spot and hold your nose."  He whacked Thoruk in the shoulder as he dashed by.  "Keep up, Oh Great One."

Thoruk helped Mercivil to her feet so they could catch up with their soggy-bottomed friend.  She gestured to where Ukkiville kept a community boat for the villagers' use.  "Let's head to the dock."

Halfway around, she surveyed the park area as it became visible in the distance.  "I love water hyacinth — their purple blooms are gorgeous this time of year.  There's a huge cluster floating over there."

"They may be pretty, but that stuff can overtake a lake.  I've seen it consume a small lake by the base of that peak."  Stormulka motioned to the distant mountain range behind the north side of the lake.  "You can't even get a kayak through the vegetation any more.  It's a fisherman's nightmare if it gets out of hand."

"You're such a killjoy."  She waved him away.

Thoruk extended his strides.  "Pick up the pace, we're almost there."

After reaching their destination, he looked at his buddies, panting heavily.  "That must have been a four-mile jog.  I need some air."

Mercivil ambled out onto the dock and began waving her arms about her head.  "Whoa, the flies are horrible over here."  She took a closer look at the big patch of hyacinth about 40 feet from the dock.  "Shivers!"  She placed both hands over her mouth, then pointed.  "Hurry!  Look!"  A body, drenched in blood, floated near the cluster of flowers.

Monday ~ August 5, 2075 ~ 9:42 am

Thoruk sprinted to Mercivil's side to untie the worn, chalky-white boat, tethered to the dock.  He looked back at his friends.  "Come on, let's see if we can help — he may be drowning!"

Mercivil glanced at her pet.  "Fluf — stay!"

Hopping in first, Thoruk seized the oars.  "Be careful getting in."  The small vessel wobbled as water from its bottom soaked his moccasins.  "Here we go."  He rowed toward the victim who was floating face down.

Stormulka blocked the sun with his palm for a better view.  "What on earth happened?  Whoever it is has long hair — can't tell if it's a man or woman yet."

As they approached, Thoruk stopped rowing to observe. 
What could have done this?  Not a bear or cat — they wouldn't strip the skin like that.  There would be missing chunks of flesh.
  He placed his hand over Mercivil's eyes.  "I'm not sure you want to see this."

Pushing his arm away, she opened her eyes.  "I've got to."  After peeking, she sucked in a terrified breath.  "Shivers!  This is a demon's work!"

Stormulka's mouth gaped wide.  "From what's left, it appears to be a woman.  There's no way she's alive.  Something has been chewing on the corpse.  There's bloody water everywhere!"

Thoruk maneuvered nearer the lifeless body.  "I've never seen anything like this.  It looks like a thousand razor-sharp bite marks."  Almost all the skin had been eaten off, and the wounds still appeared fresh, less than a couple of hours old at most.  "What could have done this?"

He scanned the shoreline and pointed to a particular area.  "See the big skid mark by that hyacinth cluster on the shore?  That's probably where she fell.  Let's check it out."  He tossed a rope to Stormulka and gestured toward the victim.  "Here, tie this around her arm."

Thoruk paddled closer. 
Is there something in this lake we haven't seen before?  Rumors of a five-foot-long sturgeon were discounted several years ago.  Is one actually lurking in these waters after all?  It would be huge by now!

Pictures of prehistoric-looking sturgeons from a tattered encyclopedia in the village's library flashed across his mind.  A faint motion caught the corner of his eye.  "Did you see that swirl — by the hyacinth?"

"Yea, I saw it too."  Stormulka brushed his shimmery, black hair from his face and squinted.  "There, it's moving again."

The nearer they got to the buoyant mass of purple flowers, the greater the underwater commotion.  Thoruk extended the paddle to the edge of the pads floating on the surface.  "What is that?  Be careful!  Don't stick your hands over the edge of the boat until we know what this is!"

As soon as the oar touched one of the plants, three jaws erupted from the lake, attacking the wooden paddle.  The sudden pounce startled Thoruk, causing him to fall backward.  Vicious jaws with hundreds of tiny, sharp teeth gnashed at the oar.  Each plum-sized chomper extruded from a pod at the top of a stem in the larger hyacinth cluster.

Getting antsy, Fluf crawled along the shoreline toward the commotion.  One of her paws got too close, and a merciless chomper sprung from the lake and nipped her foot.  She yelped, clutched the assailant with her huge, ivory teeth, crushed it and tossed the crumpled mass aside.  She roared as blood stained her paw.

Mercivil pivoted.  "Fluf, get back!  Stay!"

The injured bear limped away to lie in the grass.

A strong breeze blew the rickety craft closer.  As it neared the edge of the vegetation, another botanical jaw leapt from a pod and clenched the edge of the boat, fiercely chewing and grooving the oak with each bite.

Thoruk tried to tear it off, but another brutal muncher bit his finger.  Unsheathing his knife, he sliced off the stem, pried the mandible from his finger, and chucked it in the lake.  A small chunk of his flesh went with it.  Blood streamed down his pinkie.  He yanked his shirt off and wrapped it around his hand, exposing his lightly-tanned and muscular back.

The wind swung the vessel into the floating monster as hundreds of ferocious mouths emerged to gnaw at the bottom of the craft.  Gripping the other paddle, Mercivil whacked and smashed the savage, snapping creatures as fast as possible with all the power she possessed.

The harder she swung the makeshift weapon, the more she bit her lip, until blood dripped down her chin.  The wicked, purple-flowered beast thrashed about feverishly, churning and splashing the lake around them.  Terror shrouded Mercivil's face as she screamed.  "Get us out of here!  Now!"

Thoruk glanced at her feet.  Dozens of miniature, white teeth ripped at a splintered hole in the bottom of the boat.  Where it had slowly leaked earlier, now the water gushed.  "Storm, plug that hole with your shirt.  Mercy, give me that oar."  He took both paddles and rowed with all his might to get away from the bloodthirsty carnivores.

The contorted specter of a plant with flesh-gashing teeth confused him with a quirky mix of wonderment and horror.  His heart pounded as if ready to explode.

As they cleared the tumultuous waves, Thoruk noticed the corpse drifting behind them and spotted a handful of jaws still clamped onto the shredded flesh hanging from the victim.

Stormulka stood, panting.  "I can't believe what just happened — that was insane!  The blazing plant tried to kill us!  That was more vicious than anything we've seen before!"  He pulled the vessel toward the dock and tied the line to the post.

Still trying to wrap his mind around the weird events that unfolded, Thoruk stepped out of the mangled craft.  "We've got to get the body to the doctor to check it out.  Let's pull the boat on shore first.  It'll sink by evening otherwise."

After Thoruk secured the vessel on land, he grabbed two hideous jaws still hanging from the neck of the woman.  "Let me get a couple of these chompers for Intellulka to study."

Using his knife, he checked to make sure they were inactive.  He spread their mouths to detach the unearthly mutant clones, known in the New World as muclones.  After loosening their grip, he wrapped them in his handkerchief and stuck the specimens in his pocket.

He turned toward Mercivil.  "Is Fluf alright?  Can she carry the corpse?"

"She's fine.  She just acts like a big baby once in a while."  Mercivil gently grabbed his hand.  "How's your finger?  Will you be able to help Storm get the dead woman on Fluf's back?"

"Yea, I'll be okay.  It's just bleeding a little."

"Here, try some of this."  She squeezed a little dab of gel from a small pouch in her belt.  "I always carry some with me just for such an occasion.  It's a salve my aunt makes from plants.  Trust me, this will do the trick.  Now go on and help Stormy boy."

After draping the mutilated victim across the bear, Thoruk placed his hands on his knees.  "That was exhausting — give me a second."  He took a couple of deep breaths, then grabbed a towel from a cedar storage bin by the dock and carefully placed it over the body, covering the face so villagers couldn't see what had happened.  He knelt next to Fluf and put his hand on the corpse.  "May God rest her soul."

His friends joined, bowing their heads.  "Amen."

Still breathing heavily, Stormulka slouched over as sweat dripped from his bulging, bare-skinned chest.

Thoruk strode onto the dock and surveyed the lake.  Thousands of floating bubbles surrounded the area of the skirmish with the tenacious snappers. 
What will Intellulka think about these creatures?
  The crotchety, scientific-minded scholar was always intrigued with such freakish curiosities.

Thoruk returned to his friends.  "Let's get going.  When we get to Doc's cabin, I'm going to run next door and get our old tutor to investigate the samples.  Please explain to the doctor what happened.  Come join me afterward.  We'll stick to the main road and keep our eyes open." 
No telling what else might be out there.