The Long Dark “The Alien and the Creature of Darkness”

By Chuck Kurt

Tom Holden is perfectly content with his laid-back lifestyle. Living in his cabin in the quiet solitude of the Minnesotan wilderness, his fishing pole, his coffee, and Thor—his fun-loving, carefree Labrador—are all he needs for an idyllic day. But his picturesque existence is shattered as irreparably as the ground around him as the earth quakes, rocks fall, geysers erupt, and the sky darkens. Nothing could have prepared him for...

The end of the world.

His naturally catastrophic brush with mortality finds Tom in mixed company as he meets the alluring and beautiful Ilse Gustavson, her overbearing and critical parents, and his aloof, eccentric neighbor, Baldy. As the days slowly pass, tensions grow higher and tempers run amok. Each survivor is faced with terrifying questions: How long will this last? Will I ever get to go home? Are we the last ones alive? This unlikely family must endure close quarters and conflicts of personality in order to survive these trying times...

But someone is keeping a secret that’s out of this world.

Seemingly impossible circumstances and miracles suddenly become commonplace. With no logical explanations for these events, the ragtag crew can only start to wonder if they might share their makeshift home with someone—or something—else. Join Tom on his journey to discover the answers to these questions and survive in a world forever changed. Experience the joys of new relationships kindled, the trials of survival, and the mystery of the unknown as you enter...

The Long Dark

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brighton Publishing LLC
• Release date: Oct 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9781621832676

Chuck Kurt

Born in 1956 in a small town in Iowa, Charles was to become the eldest of six siblings. He was raised in a happy family by his college professor father and registered nurse mother. They relocated to suburban Chicago where Charles attended a prestigious college preparatory school. He went on to college which he found to be unfulfilling and he set off to see the country.Working such disparate jobs as railroad conductor, welding shop foreman, drummer in a rock band and building construction cranes took him from Texas to Minnesota. Finally ready to settle, Charles bought a home outside of Chicago and went to work at the Post Office. Here, he met the love of his life and fellow animal lover, Debbie.They gave up their secure but mundane lives and moved with their three dogs to an off the grid cabin on a remote lake in Minnesota’s north woods. Married on their own lakeshore, they strived to be self-sufficient. Gardening, raising poultry, and cutting firewood proved to be difficult but rewarding. Tired of living without electricity, Charles ultimately designed and installed a solar and wind power system that was used to write this book. Living this simple lifestyle proved ideal in fostering Charles' dream of becoming an author.

Book preview

The Long Dark

The Alien and the Creature of Darkness

Chuck Kurt

Brighton Publishing LLC

435 N. Harris Drive

Mesa, AZ 85203

www.BrightonPublishing.com

ISBN13: 978-1-62183-267-6

Copyright © 2014

eBook

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Cover Design: Tom Rodriguez

All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. The characters in this book are fictitious and the creation of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to other characters or to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Chapter One

The dark of night was giving way to a sun as crimson as the foliage it rose above. The nip that had painted the leaves was still in the air causing wisps of steam to rise like so many snake heads from the still-warm lake. A groggy Tom gazed out from his cabin window and took in the glory of his idyllic littoral setting. He thought to himself that this is how perfect days begin.

Thor, his energetic and stout black Labrador, was bouncing at the back door barking to be let out. That’s the last thing I would be doing if my bladder was full, said Tom as he shook his head and opened the door.

He went to the kitchen to begin his daily coffee-making ritual. While waiting for the water to heat, he watched as Thor happily trotted from one Norway pine to the next leaving messages only another dog could appreciate.

The whistle of the kettle announced that the water was ready. Tom turned off the burner, and then held his French press under the antique coffee grinder on the wall. One, two, three, four, five, he counted aloud until he had dispensed the exact amount of fresh grounds. He poured the steaming water into the press, and left it to steep while he looked to see what his dog was doing.

Tom stepped out onto the porch and through his dense stand of tall pines could see the neighbor’s truck going past down their common driveway. Even at this distance of several hundred feet, Tom could see one of his neighbor’s signature long plaits flapping against the truck door. Ironically, the only name Tom knew for this man with the long braids of silver hair was Baldy.

On seeing that Tom was on his porch, the driver of the fifty-year-old International Harvester truck honked and waved. The truck was once white, but its flanks had been stained a rusty red from years of driving on the iron mine tailings they use on roads around here. Dually rear wheels, a homemade flatbed welded from thick diamond plate, and a big winch mounted on a massive custom front bumper gave the old truck an intimidating look.

Strangely, while theirs were the only two houses on the lake, they shared the driveway for the half-mile trip out to the logging road. Two miles down, the primitive, red rock road led out to the blacktop. It was here that their next closest neighbors, a retired couple named Gustavson, lived. Up here on Minnesota’s Iron Range, that’s considered high population density.

The clatter of the old truck passing was enough to bring Thor bolting around the cabin. He had been interrupted from his morning dip in the lake as evidenced by the spray of water droplets that trailed the big Lab as he hustled down the driveway barking. When the truck passed out of sight, Thor stopped and stood dripping, satisfied that he had chased off an intruder.

Come here boy! shouted Tom as he slapped both hands on his thighs. Thor spun around and sprinted back to where his master stood holding the door open. Before the overgrown puppy went inside, he paused and shook vigorously, drenching Tom.

Inside, Tom made Thor speak before tossing him a dog biscuit, and then returned to his coffee making. Patient pressure on the plunger strained the grounds from the fresh brew resulting in the perfect morning elixir.

With steaming mug in hand, Tom and his ever-present companion went back outside and took their usual lounging positions on the porch. A pileated woodpecker flew erratically from tree-to-tree laughing like a crazed monkey before landing on the trunk of a moribund red oak. The large, redheaded bird then began noisily chiseling in search of something to eat.

Tom was carefully taking the first sip of his scalding beverage when the ground began to shake. Dammit! he shouted as coffee sloshed down his chin. He knew that earthquakes were impossible in northern Minnesota so he reasoned that they must be blasting at a nearby iron mine.

The shaking was enough to startle the big woodpecker into flying off through a shower of leaves that had been jolted loose. Unlike previous blasts Tom had felt, this one had a rolling feel to it which lasted for several seconds. Thor was now on his feet growling from deep within as his fur stood on end. It’s okay boy, said Tom as the rumbling stopped. It sounded as if he was trying to assure himself as much as he was the dog.

It didn’t take long for the two to return to their former state of relaxation as the temperature rose along with the climbing sun. By the time Tom took the last swallow of his now tepid brew, its effects were beginning to register. He stood and flung the coffee left in the bottom of his mug over the porch railing.

Thor cocked his head to the side as Tom asked, "Do you want to…go fishing?"

The energetic dog sprang to his feet and tore off around the cabin. He was thrashing around in the water before Tom could pick up his fishing pole. As the screen door slammed behind him, Tom shouted, Get out of the water, you’re gonna scare all of the fish before we even get started. Thor obediently left the lake but as he passed the rowboat, he shook water all over where Tom would have to sit.

Tom shoved the boat most of the way into the lake, and then tapped on the front seat to signal Thor to jump aboard. Thor hopped in and Tom gave the boat a final shove from shore before he too clambered into place. The boat headed towards their fishing hot spot two oar splashes at a time as the pair took in their surroundings. Tom made it a point to go fishing at least once a day to take in the lakes changing beauty.

Loons laughed out on the main body of the lake as Tom tossed in his coffee can full of concrete on a rope he used for an anchor. He couldn’t see the point of spending money on anything that he could make for free. This seemed oddly parsimonious for a young man whose successful app made a fortune for himself.

An hour or so of fishing passed with Tom catching and releasing several toothy little northern pike. He pulled his crude anchor noisily into the boat and drifted across the bay in search of something more sporting. As they neared the far shore, a nearby splash in the water caused Thor to spring to his feet.

Relax boy, it’s just fish jumping. said Tom as he shook his head. Another splash then another, and then little clumps of leaves began to drop from the trees prompting Thor to growl deeply. Tom happened to be looking when a rock the size of a basketball impacted a tall birch tree splintering it. What the hell was that? yelled Tom in reaction while Thor started to bark wildly.

Tom grabbed the oars and put his back into it trying to get back to the shelter of his cabin. In the minutes it took for him to reach his dock, geysers of all sizes were sprouting up around him in the previously calm lake. He beached the rowboat on his sandy shore and just as he and his dog jumped onto his beach, a rock the size of a brick tore through the aluminum seat Tom had just left.

Folding his arms over his head, he ran for the cabin. Branches of all sizes were crashing to earth and occasional, concussive thuds could be heard from all directions. Thor’s tail was between his legs as he sprinted ahead of Tom, and then dove under the porch. Over the din of shattered branches falling and the hail of rocks, Tom heard someone honking frantically as they raced down his driveway.

Tom stayed under the shelter of his eaves as he went to look around the corner of his cabin to see who it was. It was Baldy, his truck throwing rooster tails of dirt as he rounded the corner and came down the driveway, throttle wide-open. Tom could see four people already packed into the truck cab as it slid to a stop along side of him. The husky neighbor jumped out and shouted to Tom, Get in the back of my truck, I have a place where we’ll be safe! Thor too? Tom yelled back. Yes, Thor too! Now hurry! barked Baldy.

Tom shouted for Thor, and the big dog responded by running up and jumping onto the waist-high truck bed unassisted. Tom scrambled aboard and hollered, Let’s go! Baldy revved the engine and let loose of the clutch neatly spinning the truck one hundred and eighty degrees and tore up the driveway at full steam.

An immense whooshing sound overhead caused Tom to look up just in time to see a sedan-sized boulder falling toward the lake. He watched as it hit the water in front of his cabin sending a high-speed tsunami toward it. The water’s impact tore the roof from the structure dashing it against the trees, while the logs that were once its walls scattered like jackstraws.

Untold gallons of water poured down on the truck as it made a sliding turn around the corner towards Baldys place. The tires splashed muddy red sheets of water into the air as the truck careened through the unending hail of rocks.

Tom was surprised when Baldy sped past the sturdy stone cottage and raced into a grove of trees using a path known only to his rescuer. Through the shattered windshield, Tom could see that they were approaching what looked like an old mine adit framed by huge timbers. The truck threaded the opening and screeched to a stop inside.

The trucks door swung open and Baldy jumped out. Tom hopped off on Baldy’s side and excitedly asked, What the hell is going on?

I heard on the radio that a super volcano exploded in Yellowstone, said Baldy breathlessly.

Incredulous, Tom shouted, A volcano?

Baldy stroked his white beard and answered, They were saying how contact with Denver and Omaha had been cut off when the radio went dead.

The trucks other door opened and the three shaken passengers piled out into the sanctuary of the cavern. Baldy pointed over to the trio, You know the Gustavsons, right? That’s their daughter Ilse, fresh from college and up to visit her folks. The statuesque blonde raised her hand and meekly said, Hi. Tom seemed a bit dumbstruck before he introduced himself, Hi, I’m Tom, Tom Holden.

Thor leapt from the truck and stood at the entrance watching the deluge of stone pummel everything outside. Tom turned back to his host and asked, So, what are we supposed to do now?

Baldy stood silent for a moment looking for all the world like a burly, white-haired Willy Nelson. He answered, stating the obvious, I guess we’ll stay in here till it stops raining rock.

Oddly, that seemed to satisfy the rest of the group. Their haven was hewn into solid granite and seemed like it could take a direct hit from a nuke. Industrial-looking lights in wire cages shined reassuringly from the caverns ceiling some fifteen feet above. It did seem strange to Tom, though, that the rock walls had so smooth a finish.

Ilse walked over next to Thor and stood staring at her cell phone as she waved it around in search of a signal. I can’t get any bars. she lamented as she slipped it back into her cut-off jeans shorts.

Baldy responded, There might not be any signal to get anymore.

Ilse turned to face Baldy and said, Oh well, anyway, I want to thank you for getting us out of that, as she pointed out to the ongoing devastation. Baldy replied, I’m just glad I was there to help.

He turned back to Tom and went back to his story, I was coming back from town, listening to the radio when the first little rocks started pinging off my windshield. They interrupted my music and started ranting about the volcano. I stopped at Gustavsons on the way in to offer them this shelter, and then I picked you up.

Just then, a loud thump was followed by Thor jumping to the side as a black rock as big as a melon rolled inside. It stopped at the front of the truck where Ruth stood clutching her husband and sobbing. What’s wrong with her? asked Tom.

Ole looked up and said, She thinks this is the end of the world and I’m not so sure that she’s wrong.

Baldy tried to comfort Ruth by saying, I don’t know how bad it is out there but I assure you that we will all be fine in here.

The emotional Mrs. Gustavson broke her embrace with Ole and began gesturing wildly with her arms. She shouted, What if there’s nothing left out there? What will we do for food and water? What if we’re the only people left alive? Weeping, she walked to the far end of the cavern with a concerned Ole right behind her.

While Ole rubbed his wife’s shoulders, Ilse told the others, She’ll be alright, Dad will settle her down. She does have a point though. What if there’s nothing left out there? How long can we live in this cave?

Baldy let out a snicker and answered, Yesterday you would have called me crazy if I told you that I had a huge cache of survival supplies in this cave. Who’s crazy now?

That brought a smile to Ilses perfectly Scandinavian face. Her blue eyes sparkled as she said, That makes me feel better but you’ve already done so much for us Mr. er…umm. Ilse began to blush then said, I’m embarrassed I don’t even know your last name.

Baldy folded his arms across his chest and stated adamantly, Here, I go only by Baldy.

Ilses smile was lustrous as she said, Baldy it is then. I’m going to see how my Mom is.

After she walked away, Tom asked Baldy, So what do you suppose is left out there?

The furrows on his brow deepened as Baldy answered solemnly, "Probably not much. I didn’t want to say anything in front of the others but I think our troubles

Reviews for The Long Dark “The Alien and the Creature of Darkness”

[KelKurt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Entertaining and gripping right from the get go. Artfully written and full of fleshed out, real characters. I read it in one sitting and found myself wanting to read more from this author. Well done!!