⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐The Adversary Chronicles by Randy C. Dockens #TheAdversaryChronicles

 


See the excitement behind the scenes of how Lucifer became the Adversary and the part he has played in the affairs of man since the creation of Adam and Eve, including the creation of the Nephilim causing the implementation of the worldwide flood, his influence on the construction of the Tower of Babel, his involvement in the curse of king Jehoiachin, and even how he interferes in modern times in our day-to-day activities...


Title: The Adversary Chronicles
Author: Randy C. Dockens
Publisher: Carpenter’s Son Publishing
Genre: Christian / Scifi

He has many names: Lucifer, Satan, Devil, Adversary. Through the eyes of Mikael, the Captain of the Lord’s hosts, understand the conflict that starts in Heaven and how it extends to Earth. Get a different perspective on earthly events that will help you rediscover the awe of age-old Bible stories and give you a new perspective for you to ponder.

Read how Lucifer prepares for his rise to power on Earth through his deceit causing the fall of Adam and Eve, his engineering the Nephilim which God ended with the worldwide flood, how he attempted to use the Tower of Babel to prepare a superhuman off world using a time dilation field to speed up his work for world dominance, how he utilizes a curse the prophet Jeremiah gives to king Jehoiachin to try and change mankind’s history by preventing the prophecy of the coming Messiah, to how he attempts to hijack new technology today to create a plague that will target those of Jewish descent and thereby change biblical prophecy and attempt to turn it into a mere fairytale.

Title of Series: The Adversary Chronicles

Book 1: Rebellion in the Stones of Fire

Book 2: The Holy Grail of Babylon

Book 3: The Defining Curse   

Book 4: The Luciferian Plague 

Publication Date:

Rebellion in the Stones of Fire: 01-Feb-2022    

The Holy Grail of Babylon: 06-Jul-2022     

The Defining Curse: 04-Oct-2022    

The Luciferian Plague: 01-Feb-2003

# of Pages: 

Rebellion in the Stones of Fire: 320   

The Holy Grail of Babylon: 300   

The Defining Curse: 300    

The Luciferian Plague: 368

Amazon:

Rebellion in the Stones of Fire: Rebellion in the Stones of Fire (The Adversary Chronicles, 1): Dockens, Randy C: 9781952025662: Amazon.com: Books

The Holy Grail of Babylon: The Holy Grail of Babylon (The Adversary Chronicles, 2): Dockens, Randy C: 9781952025679: Amazon.com: Books

The Defining Curse: The Defining Curse (The Adversary Chronicles, 3): Dockens, Randy C: 9781952025686: Amazon.com: Books

The Luciferian Plague: The Luciferian Plague (The Adversary Chronicles, 4): Dockens, Randy C: 9781954437739: Amazon.com: Books

Also available for sale at https://www.randydockens.com/bookstore

 

Book Excerpt  


Rebellion in the Stones of Fire: Chapter 1: Disturbance in the Force

Mikael approached two of his fellow warriors who were engaged in animated conversation. His left hand rested on the bejeweled hilt of his sword to keep the weapon from impeding his quick gait. He nodded to both as he came to an abrupt halt. Both stopped their conversation in mid-sentence and looked at Mikael expectantly.

“Raphael, have you or Uriel seen Ruach today?”

Raphael gave a wry smile as he brushed his golden colored hair over his shoulder. His blue eyes twinkled with amusement. “Seen? Is that a trick question?”

Uriel chuckled but then stopped when he saw Mikael’s extremely serious expression. Mikael didn’t crack a smile.

“Mikael,” Raphael said. “What’s wrong?”

Mikael shook his head slightly. “I’m not sure.” He too brushed his long blond hair, which was somewhat darker than Raphael’s, over his shoulder. “Last time I saw him, he looked . . . different.”

Raphael and Uriel looked at each other. Both gave a slight shrug.

Raphael turned back to Mikael. “I’m not trying to be anything but serious. But how can you say he looks different? We can barely see him as it is. He’s Ruach HaKodesh, Elohim’s Spirit. He has a form, but he is transparent for the most part.”

Mikael sighed. They were taking him too literally. “Yes, Raphael. But he produces a feeling, a presence, an aura . . . that is powerful yet calming.”

Raphael nodded. “Yes, that’s true.”

“His aura, as we sometimes say, felt different . . . troubled. Unlike any time before.”

“Well,” Uriel said, “he does have a great deal of stress to unite both the love and justice of our Creator so they can both exist within him.” He shook his head. “Such stress likely takes its toll on him now and again. That’s a lot of tension to keep harmonious.”

Mikael rubbed his chin. “Maybe. This . . . this felt different, though.”

Uriel shrugged and patted Mikael on his shoulder. “We’ll keep our eyes out for him and let you know if we find out anything or hear anything.”

Mikael nodded to his friends. “Thanks. I’ll let you know what I find as well.”

Mikael walked on, wondering where to look, when he suddenly got the idea to head to the throne room. Ruach.

Ruach HaKodesh often sent telepathic messages to these warriors to let them know the will of their Creator. Going to the throne room sounded serious— definitely not a place to approach lightly. There were only a few select cherubim and seraphim, special angels, who had access to the Creator in his throne room. Mikael wondered: Why does Ruach want me there?

The throne room was not hard to miss. Since the place contained the Shekinah glory of the Creator, his brilliance was so bright the light would penetrate any crevice existing in a structure. In addition, with the throne room composed of various types of colored crystals, the place gave off a magnificent glow that could be seen from extremely far away. Not only was the throne room colorful, the area also sat on the highest place in the middle of the kingdom, a dimension in and unto itself. Mikael looked up and followed the path upward toward the glow—a glow he had always considered comforting knowing his Creator’s presence was always with him. Now he would enter his Creator’s dimension. That, he thought, was not as comforting.

As Mikael neared the throne room, he paused. Am I supposed to enter? There would be grave consequences if he entered uninvited. He looked around. His eyes caught a slight blur of something against the glow of the throne room. He approached.

“Ruach. I received your message. What is wrong?”

Only a vague outline of a Person could be observed. Although transparent, he appeared like heat waves between an observer and an object. “Thank you for coming. I didn’t want to alarm the others. You’re the archangel, the leader of our Creator’s heavenly host.”

Mikael often wondered why he was the leader of an army. Shouldn’t an army have an enemy? They certainly trained as if there was one. But everything here was so perfect. What was the need for such a force? Unless . . . Ruach was about to now tell him.

Mikael took a step closer to Ruach. He lowered his voice. He was unsure why he did, but doing so seemed the appropriate thing to do. “Ruach, tell me what’s going on.”

Ruach shook his head. “Mikael, I can’t yet reveal what is going on. All I can say is, I have felt a change, and it’s not a good change. There is a disturbance brewing. I can’t tell you what it is or who it is, but . . . ” His voice trailed off.

Mikael cocked his head. “But what? You can at least tell me where this disturbance is originating from, can you not?”

Ruach nodded.

“Okay. So, where?”

“That’s why I called you here.” Ruach’s form turned toward the throne room.

Mikael looked from Ruach to the throne room and back, realization slowly dawning. In almost a whisper he said, “What? Here? But . . . why? How?”

Ruach turned back to Mikael. “That is why I need your help.”

Mikael put his hand to his chest. “My help? But you’re the one who can sense all. What do you need with my help?”

Ruach put his hand on Mikael’s shoulder. Mikael could not see his hand, but he could feel it, as well as the warmth now radiating from his shoulder down through his very being. “That’s the point, Mikael. The time of choices is approaching. I need you to question the cherubim to see what they know. If a rebellion is brewing, I don’t want them to think I know.”

Mikael’s eyes widened. “Rebellion? Here? How—” He paused, his mind trying to catch up to such a thought. “How is such a thing even possible?”

Ruach shook his head. “It is a mystery. But a mystery you need to get to the bottom of.”

Mikael nodded slowly, then stopped. His heart sank. “Wait. You said ‘them.’ Why did you make this plural?”

Ruach seemed to look down and then back to Mikael. “It is plural, I’m afraid. The feeling I’ve received has gotten stronger over the last several days.”

Mikael took a step back in shock. “I can’t comprehend even one of us rebelling, much less several. Are you sure?”

Ruach slowly nodded. “Yes. I am certain.”

Mikael glanced back at the throne room. “And you think the rebellion is from one of the cherubim?” He shook his head. “They are the closest to our Creator. They reflect his glory back to him. How could rebellion be in one of them?”

“It is either one of them, or one of them knows something. You must find out what they know.”

“But how do I do that? They are in the throne room almost constantly. They come out only rarely, and for short periods of time.”

Ruach nodded. “Yes, that is true. And that is why you have my permission.”

Mikael cocked his head slightly. “Permission? For what?”

“To enter.”

Mikael’s mouth fell open. “The throne room!?” His voice was one of disbelief. “But won’t they know something is amiss if they see me in the throne room? Only the cherubim and seraphim are allowed.”

“Others are allowed with permission.”

Mikael swallowed hard. As far as he knew, no one— at least as yet—had ever entered the throne room except for select cherubim and seraphim.

“The glow of one has faded,” Ruach said. “Likely almost imperceptible, but perhaps you can notice so you will know where to direct your questioning. Don’t approach directly. Not yet at least. Let’s talk after your visit. Don’t engage. Just observe.”

Ruach stretched out his transparent arm and directed Mikael’s attention toward the entrance of the throne room.

Mikael’s eyebrows raised. “You mean, now?”

“Is there any better time?”

Mikael knew the answer was no, but he wasn’t sure he was ready for this step without further preparation. He started to ask if the Creator was expecting him but caught himself as he realized Ruach HaKodesh was one component of the Creator-Trinity. Ruach giving permission was the same as the Creator giving permission.

Mikael slowly walked toward the entrance of the throne room. Two large angels with broad shoulders and a muscular build stood next to the doorway. Each had blondish-colored hair and blue eyes that highlighted their tanned appearance. Both wore a sky[1]blue robe that contrasted with the golden sash around their waist and the other across their chest that was in place to hold a large, sheathed sword along their back.

“Hello, Azel,” Mikael said.

Azel nodded. “Ruach has already informed me to allow your entrance.”

Mikael nodded. “Thank you.” He paused briefly at the entrance. Would the portal to this dimension open?

He briefly glanced at Azel, who merely smiled.

The entrance seemed to simply fade, revealing a myriad of colors within. Mikael swallowed hard and stepped through the opening and into a dimension few—if any—had ever been invited into.

 


About the Author


Dr. Randy C. Dockens has a fascination with science and with the Bible, holds Ph.D. degrees in both areas, and is a man not only of faith and science, but also of creativity. He believes that faith and science go hand in hand without being enemies of each other. 

After completing his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Auburn University he went on to graduate school at Auburn and completed his first doctorate degree in Pharmaceutics. He began his scientific career as a pharmacokinetic reviewer for the Food and Drug Administration and later joined a leading pharmaceutical company as a pharmacokineticist, which is a scientist who analyzes how the human body affects drugs after they have been administered (i.e., absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted). 

Through the years, he has worked on potential medicines within several disease areas, including cardiovascular, fibrosis, and immunoscience to see and develop new and novel medicines in these therapy areas. 

He has also had his attention on the academic study of the Bible. He earned a second doctorate in Biblical Prophecy from Louisiana Baptist University after receiving a master’s degree in Jewish Studies from the Internet Bible Institute under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Congdon. 

Randy has recently retired from his pharmaceutical career and is spending even more time on his writing efforts. He has written several books that span dystopian, end-time prophecy, science fiction, and uniquely told Bible stories. All his books, while fun to read, are futuristic, filled with science to give them an authentic feel, have a science fiction feel to them, and allows one to learn some aspect of Biblical truth one may not have thought about before. This is all done in a fast-paced action format that is both entertaining and provides a fun read for his readers. 

Website: https://www.randydockens.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/RandyCDockens 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Randy.C.Dockens    

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16453941  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randydockens/
 
 


Sponsored By:


⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐A Divisive Storm by David E. Feldman #ADivisiveStorm

 

Someone is murdering a group of friends at the John Farmer Club, whose membership harbors a barely hidden racist agenda and a white supremacist past. It's up to Dora and Missy to find and stop the killer before becoming victims themselves…

Title: A Divisive Storm: Dora Ellison Mystery Book 6
Author: David E. Feldman
Publisher: Eface Media
Pages: 233
Genre: Thriller Noir

Ray Drucker is shot in the face while sitting in his car in the parking lot of a drug store. His wife, Katie, hires Dora Ellison and Missy Winters of Geller Investigations to find his killer. Soon, another murder occurs, and these are linked to a third murder, five years earlier. Dora and Missy learn that these men were all members of a club with a barely hidden racist agenda and a white supremacist past. As the bodies pile up, Dora and Missy are faced with their most daunting, dangerous case yet!

Fans and lovers of Noir, Hard-Boiled and LGBT Detective Mysteries will love the Dora Ellison Mystery Series.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Divisive-Storm-Gripping-Mystery-Thriller-ebook/dp/BoBF1FKNVV/
 

Book Excerpt  



Prologue

 And there he was.

I knew where he’d be. I knew of several places he would be and times he would be at those places. I had all the information. All I had to do was wait for the right opportunity. An empty parking lot or a busy street. Either might do, if they were right.

I’d know. I had lived for this.

The parking lot was all but empty. A few cars. No people.

I approached the car I’d spent so long looking for and smiled when I saw he was behind the wheel. He looked different, but the changes that came with age were superficial. The gray hair, the wrinkles, the heavier face (and probably the belly), and whatever other changes that came with time, couldn’t hide the fact that all my hard work had paid off. I’d found him.

He saw me and smiled at first, not knowing who I was, and rolled down his window. When he glanced up again I saw recognition but not understanding. He knew me, but didn’t understand what I was doing there.

I watched the process, as if in slow motion. He knew the person behind these different, aged features, just as I knew him. The difference was I had context. I knew who he was, why he was in front of me, and what he’d done to deserve what was about to happen.

He had no idea.

At first.

Then it began to dawn. It took only seconds, but his benevolent smile faded into awareness as he remembered. An oh-so-brief confusion followed. What was I doing here, at his car window of all places?

He smiled a little at the memory at first, for just a fraction of a second—which made the terror that followed all the more rewarding. Because then he knew.

The terror was a big part of my reason for being here.

And I said one word—the word I had waited to say. “Justice.”

All he said was “Please!”

Then I put the gun against his cheek and shot him in the face. That was the other part of my reason for being here.

Best damn moment of my life. 

 



About the Author

David E. Feldman has written 8 books of his own and ghost-written many others. He has made several films, won 2 film awards and won a playwriting contest in 2022. His first in series Not Today: Dora Ellison Mystery Book 1 was a Best Mystery 2022 Killer Nashville Claymore finalist and was followed by four, soon to be five, more Dora books. His novel The Neighborhood was a 2023 finalist for The Book Excellence Awards.

He plays piano and sings professionally and loves to paint, which he does both for fun and commission. He adores his wife, two sons and their Yorkie. He has an MLS degree in Library & Information Science.

His books include: The Dora Ellison Mystery Series

Not Today, Dora Ellison Mystery Series Book 1    

A Gathering Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Series Book 2  

A Sickening Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Books Book 3  

A Biological Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Series Book 4  

A Special Storm, Dora Ellison Mystery Series Book 5  

Pilgrimage from Darkness Nuremberg to Jerusalem  

Bad Blood, a Long Island Mystery  

Born of War: Based on a Story of American Chinese Friendship    

How to Be Happy in Your Marriage    

The Neighborhood

His work can be found at https://www.davidfeldman.com/books.shtml.

He works extensively as a ghostwriter, via his ghostwriting website at https://longislandnyghostwriter.com. His film, Everyone Deserves a Decent Life (directed, produced) won the Alfred Fortunoff Humanitarian Film Award at the Long Island Film Expo, 2014. His film, Let Me Out! (Written, directed, produced) won Best Psychological Thriller at the 2009 New York International Film Festival. His play, Love Lives On, was a winner of the inaugural Artists in Partnership Inaugural Playwriting Contest and was performed in Sept. – Oct. 2022 in Long Beach, New York.   

Website: https://www.davidefeldman.com/books.shtml   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidefeldmanw1   

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DavidEFeldmanAuthor    

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidefeldmanwriter

 



 
Sponsored By:


PUYB Author Talks: ⭐A Bookish Conversation with 'Hush Hush City' Jo Denning⭐ #HushHushCity #interview




Jo Denning is the author of the Saoirse Reilly series. She has spent her career as a behavioral health therapist supporting kids and teens who struggle with addiction. Jo began writing supernatural crime thrillers as a way of processing the traumatic things she has seen and heard. Her characters may be supernatural but their stories, their fear, and their pain are real. So, too, are the triumphs over impossible odds.

When she’s not writing, Jo enjoys baking, drawing, and watching trashy reality TV. She makes her home somewhere in the contiguous United States with her husband, one fluffy cat, and one barely domesticated cat.

Let’s Connect!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 



Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself? 

 

Before beginning to write Hush Hush City, I researched Nordic and Eastern European mythology and folktales about vampires and the undead. I also did a lot of reading about the history of Ukraine and their relationship with Russia.


Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub? 

 

I always self-publish. It lets me be in control of all aspects of the final product.

 

If self-published, did you hire someone to format the ebook version for you or did you do it yourself?  Can you tell us what that was like?

No, I always format the e-book and print manuscript myself. Honestly, the ebook is pretty simple. There are a lot of great programs that can generate e-books or convert other file types to ebook file types. The print manuscript is the real monster! I have a 30-step or so checklist that I knock out all in one sitting to be sure I don’t forget anything.

If self-published, how did you determine the price?

I  sell exclusively through Amazon. Most of their well-selling books are priced between 3 and 7 USD so I pick a number in that range.

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book?  Why?

Hush Hush City will be published the Monday of my birthday week. Usually, I don’t pick a particular month but it lined up nicely this time.

How did you choose your cover?

I work with James Egan of Bookfly Design. He is very talented and has tons of experience with cover design. Hush Hush City has some winter vibe monsters and an overarching theme of lies and secrets. I already had in mind some major elements, like the blue colors, the embers/frost vibe, and Reilly’s pose. James is great about including my ideas but polishing them with his own expertise.

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I revise as I complete each chapter and then revise several more times when I’m done writing. Some experts say write it all first because revising gets in the way. I disagree. Sometimes I’m not in the right place to write new content but I can still devote time to the book by editing and revising. The revision process has also sparked ideas for new content to write.

Did you come up with special swag for your book and how are you using it to help get the word out about your book? 

No. I spent time and money on swag for the first book but it didn’t really pay off. I encourage any authors with a (relatively) small fanbase to focus on writing more books instead of swag.

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

I give away the first book in the Saoirse Reilly series, Dead Blood City, to anyone that subscribes to my mailing list at JoDenning.com. Subscribers also get a collection of several short stories that act as a low-key prequel to the main series. I like to give readers a taste of the series in the hopes that they’ll read Hush Hush City and my other upcoming books.

What are some of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

Edit your ass off. Set up a book tour. Remind your mailing list and social media followers. Celebrate!

What are some of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Engage with your book tour and take the week off from other writing projects.

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out?

I sent out regular updates and excerpts to my mailing list. I also posted a few excerpt videos on TikTok. 

Do you have a long term plan with your book?

The Saoirse Reilly series will have a total of eight books so my plan is to keep writing that next book!

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

I’ve told readers and fans everything I need to in the book! Pick up a copy and check it out for yourself. And I always love hearing your thoughts! Leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads or message me any time.


 

Inside the Book

Title: Hush Hush City
Author: Jo Denning
Publisher: Leabhar & Fola Publishing House
Pages: 330
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy Romance

Cruel Prince meets Law & Order in Hush Hush City, the thrilling sequel to Dead Blood City and second installment in the Saoirse Reilly series! Saoirse Reilly, police detective and wayward psychic, is still reeling from the events of Dead Blood City. Her lies are piling up but there’s no time to deal. She and her loved ones are in danger once again. While investigating the murder of a Boston blueblood, Reilly is drawn into a supernatural power struggle centuries in the making. 

Ancient monsters are prowling the streets and Domenico Alderisi, newly installed vrykolakas master, needs Reilly’s help securing his territory – which just so happens to be her hometown. Alderisi, once her enemy, may be the only one who can save the city. But he has his own agenda and a taste for Reilly’s blood. The only way for Reilly to protect all she holds dear may be to rely on her two-faced teacher, Dr. Emrys Somerled. The criminal psychologist and occult expert is something more than human. If anyone can take on monsters, it’s him. And he’d like to get closer to Reilly than ever before. There’s just one problem. Somerled is keeping secrets, too, and there’s nothing more dangerous. After all…

Stepping out of the silence is scary but secrets can kill.

Will Reilly escape the web of death and deception?

Find out in this urban fantasy meets gritty noir detective novel featuring imperfect heroes and slow burn dark romance with beautiful monsters who can’t be trusted.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/41Z1UUq






 


⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐The Five Watches: An Accident of Time by John R. York #TheFiveWatches

 


What might happen if a handful of people living in different eras became entangled in time?

Title: The Five Watches
Author: John R. York
Publisher: DocUmeantPublishing
Pages: 316
Genre: Time Travel

What might happen if a handful of people living in different eras became entangled in time, some intentionally and some accidentally? The nineteenth-century scientist, Dr. Wilhelm Gussen, is passionate about improving the welfare of mankind, and so he begins a journey through time in a quest to learn about future advances in epidemiology. Physicist Emory Lynch, from the twenty-seventh century, studies an old pocket watch, said to be a time travel device, and accidently stumbles into the twenty-first century. In 2019, Jim Zimmerman, the de facto neighborhood go-to guy, finds himself caught in the middle of a clandestine, future conspiracy. True to his character, he becomes inextricably involved in future affairs that involve saving humanity from itself—dragging his wife and a few neighbors along for the ride. Thus, begins a time travel adventure that examines the stubborn predictability of human behavior and how some things, even over time, never seem to change.

Praise:

The Five Watches is filled with interesting characters and enchanting tapestries woven into the fabric of time itself. John explores not only the ravages of time but more importantly the impact of individual kindness, caring, and selflessness towards others that is heartwarming. I enjoyed this suspenseful page turner, the connection to everyday people and to imaginable heroes that we can all strive to become. Uplifting! – Jim Richards, Beta Reader

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/46fjjp6f
 

Book Excerpt  


Excerpts from three different parts of the book:

 

1868

The alchemist stared at the blood pooling steadily beneath his body. The increasing pain from his injuries heightened his awareness of the fragility of this human body he was inhabiting. A sense of regret overcame him, not due his likely death, but because the experiment of being human would soon end.

Another man knelt beside him. “Master Votava! Oh, my God! Master Votava, you have been badly injured.” Distraught, the man was rocking back and forth overcome with grief. “Oh, look at you.”

“Calm yourself, Baysongur.” This interruption in fully experiencing his death gave him a moment to realize there was something he needed to do. “Go, gather the charm quark warp appliances. You must take them away from this cursed, violent city. Take them far away.” Votava coughed, wincing with pain as he did so.

“I must try to save you,” Baysongur pleaded.

“You cannot save me. If you must save something, save the stones. Do you understand? Go, get the stones.”

“Yes, yes, but what should I do with them? Where should I go?”

“I don’t know,” Votava growled with irritation. He wanted to get back to concentrating on this unique process of dying. “Take them to Leipzig.”

“What should I do with them?”

“Keep them safe. If you need help, find somebody you can trust, perhaps a scientist.” Where the stones were taken didn’t really matter. Votava would find and recover them once he was released from this frail casing.

Ignoring the chaos of the riots still churning just outside the shop, Baysongur hurriedly collected the stones and stuffed them inside his old leather valise. After a moment’s hesitation, he also grabbed all the documentation his employer had created regarding the mysterious devices. Finally, he added a few articles of clothing and a loaf of bread sitting on the apothecary’s counter.

“I should stay with you,” he said as he knelt back down next to Votava.

“No. Leave now but be careful of the mob outside. Protect the stones.”

“God be with you,” Baysongur said earnestly, a tear rolling down his bearded cheek.

Votava smiled. “Go.”

As he lay on the floor thinking his mortal life would end at any moment, he focused on all the sensations of being in this carbon-based body. Upon further reflection, he couldn’t really say it was a comfortable existence. The sentient beings on this planet were inherently violent and the living conditions left much to be desired. Yet, a biological body was quite novel.

Several hours passed before a lone figure entered the shop and found him lying in a pool of blood on the floor. To his shock and growing concern, he was still alive. Two men eventually placed him on a stretcher and carried him out to a horse drawn ambulance. The degree and length of his suffering was unbearable. His original essence could not be released until the biological body expired. Although this lingering death was unexpected, there was little chance it would impact the recovery his precious Star Stones. After all, what could go wrong?

2019

Jim walked into the house and plopped down in his recliner. He was tired. The afternoon was all but gone and he wasn’t sure he felt like starting any new projects. Perhaps he would go relax in one of the lounge chairs on the back porch and have a cold beer after all. On second thought, maybe the porch was too exposed, too accessible. He could go to the garage, leave the light off, get into his car, and recline the seat back low enough that nobody would be able to find him. Jim smiled at the idea.

His next conscious thought was a vague awareness that someone was knocking at the back door. Where were Zoe and Michael? He got up from the recliner, trying to shake the cobwebs from his mind, and saw Emory standing on the other side of the sliding glass door. Now what?

Jim rubbed his eyes. “Hello, Emory. What is it?”

Emory stood stoically for a moment, regarding him intensely, but saying nothing. After what seemed like an eternity, he continued, “May I speak with you, privately?”

“I have something very urgent to discuss with you, and it must be a private conversation.” Emory’s gaze was so intense that Jim felt mildly alarmed.

“Um, uh. Can you tell me what it’s about?” Jim was now searching the backyard for some sign of Zoe or Michael, but nobody else was around.

“It is something very important, but quite unusual,” Emory said just above a whisper. “Please.”

“Okay, okay. Come in. I have a small office at the front of the house. We can talk there. There doesn’t appear to be anybody else home right now anyway.” 

Jim led Emory through the house to his office and shut the door. “Have a seat.”

Emory perched precariously on the edge of an armchair positioned next to Jim’s desk, and Jim sat in his plush leather chair and waited expectantly. 

Emory began. “First, allow me to tell you that I have selected you out of several potential candidates. I have been here for about a month, looking for someone to help me, someone trustworthy, strong of character, and pure of heart.”

These words surprised Jim causing him to feel a little self-conscious. “Sounds like you’re looking for Sir Galahad,” he chuckled. “Well, I hope you have the right guy.”

“I do,” Emory said flatly. “I am here from another time, a time far in the future, and I am going to need your help.”

After taking several seconds to let Emory’s unexpected announcement sink in, Jim was thinking he should be laughing at the incredulity of such a claim, but for some reason he wasn’t. Perhaps it was the solemnity of Emory’s demeanor and the conviction with which he spoke. Given how the rest of his day had gone, this actually didn’t seem so unusual. Just another person in the neighborhood assuming he would help without question.

The silence stretched between them as Jim mulled the announcement over and Emory waited for a reaction. Jim tried to process this in his typical analytical manner, but there was ‘insufficient data’.

“Let me ask you a few questions, Emory,” Jim began thoughtfully. “First of all, are you human?” He asked this as a mostly serious question because of this man’s unusual features.

“Yes, Jim, I am human. I am what nearly all humans look like in the place and the time from which I came. I am aware that I do not look exactly normal, as you would probably define it. My appearance is due to an extended period of genetic engineering, and, of course, centuries of evolution. This condition is partly why I am here asking you for help. I realize that most people would assume that I am not mentally stable in making such a claim.”

2619

After his narrow escape, he immediately made his way to Ronald Reagan Airport and purchased a ticket to Orlando, a place he already knew would be one of the last outposts of human civilization. When he arrived at the Orlando airport, he immediately reset the watch he’d used to escape his would be captors and inserted the key. 

After the jump in time, the bustling airport he’d been standing in just moments before had become an overgrown ruin of crumbling buildings connected by the metallic skeletons of structures no longer recognizable for the function they once served. The crowds of people were gone, the aircraft were gone. The terminal’s cacophony of sounds had been replaced by soft whisper of the wind and the songs of distant birds. The contrast was unsettling.

He'd chosen this time, 2616, because he was determined to find out what had happened. Why had humans become nearly extinct? What were the living conditions this far into the future? How had we evolved?

A patrol of securitymen found him wandering along a path about a mile or so from the Compound, and not a moment too soon. The subtropical air was hot and humid, and the heavily wooded area was teaming with unfriendly wildlife.

Although glad to be rescued, Wilhelm was apprehensive about the demeanor of the men escorting him. They seemed stiff, stern, and displeased with his presence. Only one of them said anything at all, and that, he presumed, was a simple question: something to the effect of “Who are you?” Although he didn’t exactly understand what the man said, he responded instinctively with his name. The same man then barked and order that he assumed meant, “Follow us.”

When the Compound came into view, Wilhelm felt relief. The place appeared quite substantial, like a walled city. Everything within sight was entirely white. After a quick exchange between his escort and the city guards stationed at the entrance, they passed through a large, solid gate, and then on to an official-looking building. Once inside, he was escorted through a large, austere anteroom, down a long hallway and, finally, deposited into a room containing little more than an ornate desk and chair enthroned upon a dais-like platform.

His escort filed out and shut the door behind them, leaving him standing alone in the middle of the room. Wilhelm looked around, trying to determine the room’s purpose. There were a few chairs lined up against the walls on both sides of the platform and a door in one corner of the back wall. Heavy, white draperies adorned the back wall immediately behind the desk chair creating the impression that somebody important normally sat there.

The back door suddenly opened, and four men entered. These men looked nothing like the guards, but they did look remarkably similar to each other in their physical appearance and dress. They all wore khaki-colored trousers and white pullover shirts with lace ties below the neck. The clothing reminded Wilhelm of the way simple workingmen dressed in 1868, except these people were much cleaner.

Perhaps the most striking thing about them was that their features appeared stretched: their faces, necks, arms, and hands all appeared elongated. They all had large, dark eyes and long, dark hair that was styled, or perhaps just grew, in a thick mane along the top of their heads and down their necks. They could almost be quadruplets, he thought.

Wilhelm and the four men stood and stared at each other. He was dressed in twenty-first century business attire, and he realized he must look as strange to them as they did to him.

“Hello, gentlemen,” Wilhelm said in German-accented English.

They all exchanged a look but said nothing. The door at the back of the room opened again. An older man, dressed in white trousers and a knee-length tunic, strode to the desk, closely examining Wilhelm as he went. He sat in the chair and motioned for the others to come forward. The four men ushered Wilhelm closer.

The man at the desk, clearly the person in charge, said something to Wilhelm he could not understand, although he thought it sounded a bit like English.

Wilhelm shook his head slightly. “I am sorry, I do not understand the language you are speaking. Sprechen sie Deutsch?”

The man looked at him, tilting his head as if trying to figure something out.

Wilhelm tried again. “Tu parles Français?”

The man in charge looked at the four men standing by Wilhelm, apparently expecting some assistance.

The one closest to Wilhelm spoke something unintelligible, and the man in charge nodded as if this seemed to solve everything. Then he closed his eyes for several moments.

“You are speaking a very old form of English. This is quite odd. Where do you come from and why are you here?”

Wilhelm didn’t understand what had just happened, but he was relieved they could now communicate. “My name is Wilhelm Gussen. I am originally from Germany.” Perhaps countries have different names in this age. “Germany is in Europe, across the Atlantic Ocean. But I came here to Orlando from Washington D.C.”

The man in charge was looking at him in a most peculiar manner. He noticed the other men were also looking at him with the same expression.

Wilhelm laughed apologetically. “Oh, I forgot that everything has changed in this time. I suppose Washington no longer exists or is in ruins like the airport here. I should tell you that I am from the past. I came here from the year 2016. I know that must sound ridiculous, but it is true. I have a device that allows me to travel through time.”

The man in charge continued to stare at Wilhelm without saying anything. Finally, one of the men standing near him spoke.

“Time travel is quite unlikely. To what tribe do you belong?”

“Tribe?” Wilhelm wasn’t sure he knew how to answer this question. “I suppose I belong to the German tribe, although most people no longer think of themselves as belonging to tribes. I believe the American natives, the Indians, as people refer to them, still identify with their tribes I suppose.”

The man in charge and the man standing next to him had a conversation in the language Wilhelm didn’t understand.

One of the other men said, “Do you have something from 2016 you could show us?”

Wilhelm thought for a moment and began going through his pockets. “Well, I have my plane ticket from Washington D.C. to Orlando.” He waved it in the air and the man took it. Wilhelm fished his wallet from his pants. “I have some American money and an identification card. I can tell you these items took many years to obtain and no small amount of gold.”

The man examined each of the items. Wilhelm didn’t produce any of the gold he had left. That was sewn into his coat lining. The items were presented to the man in charge, who examined them carefully.

Finally, he said, “This is quite extraordinary, Wilhelm Gussen. If you are a time traveler, I suppose you are familiar with incredulity.”

Wilhelm chuckled. “Yes, indeed. I began my journey through time in the year 1868. In that time, I am a medical doctor and a research scientist. I have been searching for scientific remedies for the devastating diseases that have plagued humanity for centuries. I presumed that solutions to contagious diseases must have been discovered in the future, and, as I suppose you know, that assumption was largely correct. But as I continued to move farther into the future, it seemed that, despite the fantastic advances, the fate of humankind became increasingly bleak. I am hoping to understand why.”

They all now regarded Wilhelm with tentative admiration. The man in charge spoke again.

“I am Cecil Mandel, Council Chairman of the New Order. If you are, indeed, a time traveler, then I welcome you, and I will be interested in hearing more about your discoveries. These men are from my Social Order Committee. Zachary Jones is the head of this group, and I will commend you to his care for now.”

When the Chairman stood, the men around Wilhelm bowed slightly. Then, Cecil Mandel turned and left the room. The man named Zachary said something to one of the other men, who then led Wilhelm to a small room within the same large building.

“You may stay here for now,” the man said. “Please make yourself comfortable. I must join the others to discuss the situation and we will then determine what we should do with you. Please remain here.”

Wilhelm had many questions, but the man turned and left, closing the door behind him. As he had expected, when he checked the door, it was locked. The room was furnished with a small table and chair, a cot, and a small washroom. There was a slit of a window high on the wall above the cot, allowing a surprising amount of light into the all-white room. These people have a penchant for white.

 


About the Author

John R. York has been writing and publishing his stories since 2016, but he’s always been a storyteller, even as a kid in Central Ohio where he grew up. His life experiences provided him with a wealth of tales to share with others and resulted in his debut work, Wolf’s Tale. He has since published five more novels, including the award-winning Journey to Eden. A retired high-tech executive, he currently lives with his wife, Paula, in New Port Richey, Florida.

Website: www.johnryork.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.york.9277

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