The Ravenous Undertaker

By William E Wilson

The story begins as a couple from Europe sails to America to begin a new life. It is a brief look into the trials and tribulations as they strived to re-establish themselves in their new world. Kris VanStecklensburg was highly disappointment in finding work in New York. He was forced after a year in reloc

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book Vine Press
• Release date: Oct 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9781959450153

William E Wilson

Mr. Wilson begin writing after retiring and has published four different genres of fiction to date. This being his latest. He debated as to the subject matter, but once again settled on writing another suspense thriller. He likes combining the feeling of surprise, anticipation of success, vagueness and uncertainty, including the readers expectation of what comes next. So many areas are open to him giving his readers that array of variety, range of moods, and diversity which he includes in all his works.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Arrival in America (1922)

The year was 1921. The ship was filled with European tourists and immigrants slowly sailed into New York Harbor ending a long but successful voyage from Europe. The immigrants aboard began feeling a sense of profound pride as their dreams, and aspirations were coming to fruition. Looming ahead in the fog-shrouded aloofness, a magnificent silhouette slowly began appearing off the starboard side of the ship. They stood silently on deck in reverence, marveling at the silhouette as it slowly came into focus.

In the distance was Lady Liberty, welcoming them as she had so many before. The Statue of Liberty was known to all aboard as the symbol of freedom. Standing silently in the shadows was the Lady of the Harbor awe-inspiring symbol of freedom. Those on board, seeing her for the first time, were filled with renewed hope of a prosperous and new life that was now only a stone’s throw away. Lady Liberty, in her right hand, held the lighted torch high above her head, a guiding light showing them the path to freedom.

As the ship entered the calm waters off the east coast, many aboard felt a spiritual awakening as their long-awaited voyage was coming to an end. Anxiety and pride were visible throughout the ship’s complement and among the many new arrivals.

Kris and Helga Van Stecklensburg’s two of the new arrivals for the first time realized their dreams lay just out of reach, but that, too, would change soon. They were among many making the journey, and each was looking for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

As the ship slowly inched its way through the fog, it quickly registered to all aboard as the voyage was nearing its end. Soon, memory of the long voyage across the Atlantic would be but a fleeting reminiscence. Everyone who made the trip felt assured at having made the right decision as they stood on deck that morning in awe.

As the fog-shrouded harbor slowly lifted its white mysterious veil; all eyes were focused on the city’s skyline as it gradually became visible in the distance. The fog continued lifting, exposing more and more of the city’s enigmas. The immigrants gazed across the vista in wonderment of the city’s mysterious and secretive landscape. They stood in awe as the city appeared closer and closer as the ship moved nearly motionless through the tranquil waters of the harbor. It was as if a mystic aura had encircled the ship as it entered the harbor. New York City was slowly emerging through the shroud of fog for all to see. It was a remarkable sight to witness the first time in all its splendor, but she was holding on to her secrets a bit longer before unveiling her earthly mysteries.

A feeling of euphoria began sweeping through the ship as it inched its way ever so near. With emotions running high, no words could describe their pent-up excitement. The passage across the huge expanse of the ocean was ending as they prepared themselves mentally for the arduous journey ahead. They were still filled with hope as they approached the land of opportunity and equality. A better life was theirs for the taking.

Ellis Island, the first official stop before entering this new republic. Ellis Island opened its immigration services in 1892 and received the bulk of immigrants entering the United States from Europe. Other processing stations were eventually opened to relieve the immigration influx on the east coast. Only one immigration-processing station opened around the same time as Ellis Island on the West Coast, known as Angel Island. Angel Island is located in the center of San Francisco Bay near another famous island, Alcatraz. Soon other stations were opened on the West Coast due to the invasion of new immigrants from Asia.

Ellis Island would be Kris and Helga Van Stecklensburg’s first stop, with many other immigrants who shared their dreams and visions of a new life in a new world. The voyage from Europe has been a somber yet a joyous and momentous event. Once they reached Ellis Island, the rigorous process of gaining legal status into the new world awaited them. Here they would be processed by customs officials then by health personnel before being granted permission in continuing their trip.

Immigrants arriving today and stepping onto American soil for the first time was an exciting step in fulfilling their dreams. For the majority of immigrants arriving, it would be their first, possibly last, trip across the large expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. Most would never return to their homelands; America would become their new home.

With pent-up emotions, several immigrants dropped to their knees and leaning over, kissing the earth as they set foot on American soil for the first time. The dreams and aspirations of a lifetime was being fulfilled as they arrived on the shores of this great land. For most it was the happiest days of their life as they arrived on this tiny island. Later, they would have time to reflect back on the voyage, but their journey across the Atlantic was only the beginning.

Steerage passengers, along with their luggage, were transferred from the ship to ferries that shuttled them to Ellis Island, where they began the long and arduous process for entering the USA. According to the ship’s manifest, the baggage handlers moved the baggage from the hallways on board the ship earlier that morning to the baggage claim area on Ellis Island. Customs agents checked the immigrants’ claim tags and after that was accomplished, their next stop was the main processing center. Here they dropped off their luggage to be inspected before continuing to the great hall upstairs.

If for any reason an immigrant was proven unworthy or unfit to enter, the shipping lines were responsible for their safe passage back to the port of origin. The shipping lines were careful when bringing immigrants to Ellis Island; they made sure they were reasonably healthy because it was at their expense to return them.

If all documentation were in order and the individual in good health and deemed desirable, they move from station to station quickly. Arriving at the last station, the custom agent on duty again checked their papers, making sure they were in order before stamping them with his approval and welcoming them to the United States of America.

The agents here at Ellis Island had duplicated this process millions of times since immigrants began arriving on the island back in 1892. Once they received final approval, they were sent to the baggage area to claim their luggage.

Finished with the paperwork and given a clean bill of health, they were ready for the last leg of the journey.

After a long exhausting day, prior to boarding the ferry, a custom agent briefed them as what to expect at the final station located on the docks in New York.

New arrivals were moved along quickly with their baggage down to a small dock and waited on a ferry that would shuttle them to dockside near the ship they arrived on earlier. Here, they would disembark with documents in hand as agents helped them from the ferry onto the dock.

At dockside, officials gave basic assistance if requested in locating family members, friends, or lodging. Before they were released, they were handed an information packet explaining what to expect as they began their new journey. At this point, it was time to claim their luggage ferried over prior to them leaving the island. They were shown where the luggage was stored, then shown the tag or tags corresponding to each piece of luggage before allowing them to claim and remove. Once they claimed their luggage, they were free to leave and to meet friends and families who awaited their arrival or look for somewhere to stay.

Leaving the dock, they became just another face in the crowd, heading in all directions with only meager belongings and dreams of a life time.

First- and second-class travelers who made the voyage along with the steerage passengers who remained aboard had gone through a similar experience as the ship slowly made its way to dockside. Upon the ship’s arrival along dockside, the dockworkers began their arduous task of securing the ship to the dock. Ship workers began throwing dock lines from the ship’s bow and stern to dockworkers below on the dock.

They quickly attached each line to cleats along the dock, carefully securing each one. The first- and second-class travelers had by now assembled on deck, standing alongside the railing waving at the hundreds of people on the dock awaiting the ships arrival. Once the dockworkers secured the ship, stevedores moved ramps alongside the ship for off-loading passengers. Once everything was in place, the passengers collected their belongings and were eventually given the okay to disembark.

Chapter 2

Kris and Helga stepped from the ferry at dockside to begin their new life; having no family or friends to assist with their arrival, they had to rely on help of others and their own instincts as to what to do next. After leaving the docks, they began searching for a place to stay. As they searched for what seemed to be hours in the area where they arrived, they were fortunate to find a small semifurnished one-room apartment several blocks west of downtown. The accommodations were sparse, not the most desirable, but it would suffice until Kris located work and was back on his feet.

Kris realized that it was going to be difficult finding a job in or around New York City similar to the one he left in Germany. Kris a master toolmaker, a profession highly sought after in large industrial towns, but New York was more of an import/export town with little manufacturing. Locating an engineering job in this area was limited. Finding work here was difficult in the best of times. It did not take long to discover finding a job locally was far more difficult than he envisioned. Immigrants arriving before him had filled what few positions existed in that area of expertise. Finding employment was next to impossible. Although vigilant, he never gave up, hoping against hope that something would open up and he would eventually find that elusive job.

Kris, while still in Germany, considered looking for work at other factories, but he learned quickly that they offered little or nothing new from the job he had. So leaving his job became a nonstarter. With little or no hope of advancement or pay increase, he decided to make a life-altering change. He and his wife, Helga, talked it over and decided to look for a better life elsewhere; that was their sole purpose for traveling to America. They wanted more out of life than just a dead-end job; Kris also wanted security for him and his wife. In Germany, this was not possible. They realized if they stayed in Germany, things would remain the same with no advancement in the near future, but in America, Kris stood a chance at improving his position.

Kris and Helga settled in New York City for the first year after their arrival. Kris pounded the streets for work day after day, but he always came up empty-handed. There were no job opportunities for someone with his experience, expertise, or background. New York City, he eventually learned, was limited to small factories with little or no use for his highly sought-after skills in large manufacturing plants. He searched every nook and cranny but always ran into a dead-end for that elusive rainbow, leaving him pessimistic about finding work in this metropolitan mecca. With no job or prospect of work after a year, he and Helga decided to move on and look elsewhere.

They decided to move farther inland to a place called Detroit, Michigan. Detroit, a large manufacturing area with a number of automobile factories. In Detroit, Kris stood a better chance finding work at one of Detroit’s automobile plants where a master toolmaker’s skill was in demand.

In June of 1923, Kris and Helga packed their modest belongings, purchased two one-way bus tickets to Detroit, and leaving New York behind, and headed west.

They arrived two days later at the bus station in downtown Detroit, early afternoon. First things first, they needed to find lodging. Shortly after their arrival, they found a modest furnished apartment and arranged with the landlord to move in that same day. Once settled in their new apartment, Kris eventually contacted the property owner and asked.

Could you tell me where I might start my search for work? The landlord informed him.

"If it were me, I would first try down at the unemployment office. I pass it often, job opportunities are posted on a bulletin board out front.

Can you tell me how to get there?

Yes, it’s located only a short distance from here. If you turn right after leaving the apartment and walk three blocks west, you can’t miss it. It’s on the corner of the third block.

Thank you. I’ll get ready and visit it this afternoon.

Returning to the apartment, Kris told Helga, I’m going to get dressed and walk to the unemployment office to check the bulletin board and see what kind of job opportunities are available. Maybe there’s a master toolmaker’s position posted for one of the automobile factories located around town.

Leaving the apartment, he walked the three blocks west where he located the unemployment office. Reading the bulletin board posted on the side of the building, he noted nothing posted for work at any of the automobile factories. Upon leaving the employment office, he walked around the area and ran across a newspaper stand where he purchased one of the local newspapers. Checking the back pages for local employment ads, he once again came up short. He found nothing resembling what he was looking for.

Several days later as he checked the bulletin board at the unemployment office, he was surprised when he came across a newly posted ad for a master toolmaker. Ford Motor Company was looking to hire a full-time master toolmaker. This was the first real break at a job since arriving in America. He was not going to miss this golden opportunity. Kris would have no problem qualifying for the job if still available.

Given his extensive background in toolmaking and design, it was a no-brainer. Out of the blue came the opportunity of a lifetime, and he was not going to let it slip through the cracks. Hurrying home, he told Helga of the opening. He decided on the spur of the moment to visit Ford Motor Company that afternoon and find out if the job were still open; and if so, he would fill out an application and maybe land his first job. Oh, happy days, he thought.

Kris was overjoyed with the prospect of finding a job and once again earning a respectable living for him and his wife. It had been too long since he was employed, and their finances were slowly being depleted. If he were fortunate enough to be hired by Ford, he and Helga would be able to dig themselves out of this rut they found themselves and put aside a few extra dollars aside for a rainy day. His dream of a new beginning was becoming a reality.

The job description listed in the Ford ad was comparable to the job in Germany.

Kris hurriedly dressed in his best work clothes, then he told Helga before leaving, Wish me luck.

Good luck, she said to him as he was leaving out the door.

After leaving the apartment, he located a bus stop nearby. The arrival and departure times were located on a board next to the stop with routes and times. Looking at the routes, Kris spotted a bus route passing by the Ford factory. He was delighted. Knowing he could ride the bus to the factory from this location. As he stood waiting on bus number 10 to take him to the factory, it was not long before the bus arrived. As the driver pulled the bus alongside the curb and stopped then opened the door. Prior to boarding the bus, Kris asked the driver.

Is this the bus that goes by the Ford factory?

Yes.

Kris boarded, paid his fare, and turned back, looking for an empty seat. As he walked through the bus, he found an empty seat and sat down. As the bus pulled away from the stop, he began thinking, If the job at Ford is still available, it is the chance of a lifetime, a life changer.

As the bus approached the factory, the driver looked back in his rearview mirror at Kris and told him, The next stop is yours.

Kris got up out of his seat and walked back to the front of the bus, where the driver told him, You’ll need to stop at the guard shack and sign in before being allowed to enter.

Thanks for your help, said Kris.

The bus stopped directly in front of the main entrance where all workers checked in and out with security guards before allowed to enter or leave the factory grounds.

Looking around after getting off the bus, Kris was amazed how large the factory was compared to the one he worked at in Germany.

Kris walked to the guard shack, where he saw two security guards inside. As he approached the gate, one of the guards opened the door then stepped outside to meet him. The guard asked him, What is your purpose for visiting the factory?

I’m here to apply for a job I saw advertised on a bulletin board at a local employment near my home.

The guard was somewhat familiar with the opening since he had seen several applicants come through earlier applying for that position. The guard motioned Kris to come inside the guard shack where he was asked several pertinent questions as he filled out paperwork required before allowing entry. Once the necessary paperwork was completed, the guard handed a copy to Kris, then told him, You take your copy of the paperwork to the employment office and give it to clerk on duty inside Building B.

The other guard then handed Kris a temporary pass to placed around his neck and wear at all times while on factory grounds. The guard reiterated, Wear the pass at all times while on the premise.

The guard pointed in the direction of the employment office located only a short distance from the main entrance. Kris hesitated and told the guard, I was not paying attention when you pointed out Building B. Could you point it out again?

The officer on duty offered to walk Kris to the employment office; it was easier showing him where it was than to tell him again. Reaching Building B, the guard told Kris, Go inside, check in with the clerk behind the counter, and tell them you are there to make application for the master toolmaker’s position advertised at your local employment center. Kris thanked the guard.

Kris turned and started up the steps to the employment office. The guard, before leaving, wished him luck, turned away, and headed back to the guard shack.

Entering the employment office, Kris looked around and spotted a sign above the counter that read, Information.

He walked over and stood under the sign when a young man came up, looked over at Kris, and asked, Can I help you?

Yes, I’m here to fill out an application for employment.

Take a seat over there in the waiting room. Someone will be with you shortly.

It was not long after that another young man from personnel came around the counter, walked to where Kris was sitting, and handed him an application along with a pen and told Kris, Fill out the application. I’ll be back when you’re finished. At that time, if you have any questions about requirements for the job opening, I’ll be more than happy to assist you. Your application will be checked prior to your leaving this afternoon to make sure you filled it out correctly. At that time, you will be informed if you met all the criteria and qualifications for the position. Then you will be notified later in the week if you were accepted or not for the position.

Kris finished the application and returned it to the clerk. The clerk looked it over and told Kris, It looks like it’s filled out correctly. We will inform you later on this week if you qualify for the position and what you need to do next.

Kris left the employment office feeling good about coming to the factory and filling out the application. He believed he had a better than a 50 percent chance of landing the job. After returning to the guard shack, he handed back the temporary pass, then he thanked the guards for their help. He walked back to the bus stop and caught the next bus for his return trip home.

Kris was notified by letter a couple of days later that he had been accepted for the job. He was to report to work the following Monday. After receiving the notification, Kris went searching for a pay phone to call and tell them he’d received the letter and would be to work Monday morning.

It was official; Kris had accepted the job, and Ford had hired a winner. This was a giant step for Kris and Helga. They could not have been happier at the news that Kris was now employed.

Making the decision to leave New York and relocating to Detroit had been difficult one, but in the end, it was the right choice.

With a job and money coming in, Kris and Helga could begin planning for their future. One more hurdle was cleared, and their hopes and dreams of a new life were on track. It had been a long rocky road since leaving Germany, but their time had arrived.

They were ready for a completely new level of existence, which had been a pipe dream only a short time before. They left Germany with thoughts of a new beginning. Those thoughts and dreams had come full circle.

It was time to begin thinking of the family they had so often thought about. There was renewed hope and goals to achieve, which in the past had eluded them. They reminisced how difficult it had been to leave their home and travel to America. That was the past; today was the first day of the rest of their lives. They were determined to live it to its fullest.

Chapter 3

A couple of years had passed since the Van Stecklenburgs moved from New York City to Detroit. Kris has been fortunate in finding a job soon after his arrival with Ford Motor Company. Soon after being hired, the economy began faltering; factories began slowing or shutting down. Money was becoming harder to come by as the country found itself heading into a deep depression. Kris was among a select few still gainfully employed during this most dreadful time in America’s history. It was during this time that Helga became pregnant. She was overjoyed at the prospect of having a child, but why now? Although Kris had a steady job and was able to feed his family, times were still difficult. He learned of Helga’s pregnancy, and one more mouth to feed only added to the pressures already straining their budget.

Several months later, Helga informed Kris that he should take her to the hospital; it was time to have the baby. It was not the normal nine months, but more like seven and a half months since becoming pregnant.

Both were excited that morning as Kris helped her get ready for the trip to the local hospital. She got ready with Kris’s help, then there was the fast trip down to the local bus stop. It was not long they were on a bus heading toward the hospital. They were lucky the hospital was only a short ride away.

The city hospital built years earlier was the only hospital located on the south side near the campus of a local medical school. The medical school over the years furnished grad students helping elevate the workload on doctors and nurses; it also allowed the students to assist with certain procedures, depending on their level of experience.

Students not only received on the job training but also acquired much-needed experience with different jobs around the hospital. The doctors and nurses were glad to have graduate students lend a helping hand, relieving some of the pressure of the everyday workload. It set free the doctors and nurses in a lot of cases to make more rounds and care for the more critical patients. The arrangement between the med school students and hospital proved beneficial to both doctors and students.

Arriving at the hospital that evening, it was not long before Helga went into labor, which lasted an exhausting eight hours. A young intern by the name of Mike Hubbard, a graduate student intern who was on duty that evening, volunteered his assistance with the delivery.

Kris and Helga were eternally grateful for having Mike’s help in the delivery of their firstborn. Dr. H., as the nurses referred to Mike, was more than glad to accommodate

Reviews for The Ravenous Undertaker

[mary campbell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book, although dark, will keep you wondering, right to the surprise ending, what will happen next. Mr. Wilson very skillfully delves into the mind of the young Hans as he develops his plan (along with his new friend Winslow) to exact revenge on the evil Isaac, with whom he had a relationship as a teenager. Although this is a dark book, readers will be intrigued by Hans’ most unusual idea of how to rid the world of Isaac. Congratulations to Mr. Wilson for his story-telling skills.

[Brenda Rock · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Had to hold my breath while reading The Ravenous Undertaker as Hans planned his "sweet revenge" on Isaac. I had never heard of revenge like what Hans had for Isaac and Hans carried it out on a grand scale. Bravo to Mr. Wilson for having such a creative writing ability.