Futurist 2062

By Dr John D Sheuring

The years is 2032 and the change has evolved. Over half of the world population has died and the changes to every life left on earth will go through changes because of decisions that were made behind the public. Because of those life defining changes, people are having to alter their lives. Thirty years later, in 2062, a man called Phyllias is forced to relive the past thirty years and make decisions that could again, change the way the country evolves. Will he be able to become the man he once was? Will he have the stomach to take on the Federalist, the State and the Futurist? The year has come for Phyllias as he turns 100 years old. He will discover that he has become of interest to a group that is seeking him out.The years is 2032 and the change has evolved. Over half of the world population has died and the changes to every life left on earth will go through changes because of decisions that were made behind the public. Because of those life defining changes, people are having to alter their lives. Thirty years later, in 2062, a man called Phyllias is forced to relive the past thirty years and make decisions that could again, change the way the country evolves. Will he be able to become the man he once was? Will he have the stomach to take on the Federalist, the State and the Futurist? The year has come for Phyllias as he turns 100 years old. He will discover that he has become of interest to a group that is seeking him out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J D Sheuring
• Release date: Jul 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798224873494

Dr John D Sheuring

I currently reside in Wake Forest, NC. I am an Instructor at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, NC. I teach IT Cybersecurity and Business Information Systems. My hobbies include restoring a 1971 Rover 2000 TC, rock collecting and writing. My adventures to the mountains of North Carolina inspired me to write about some of the adventures I have had in the mountains. There are so many great people in Spruce Pine, NC and I hope that you will go and explore such a unique area, full of history and gemstones.

Book preview

By

JD Sheuring

Futurist 2062

The Year of Phyllias

JD Sheuring

Steam Mountain Rock Publishing

2023

COPYRIGHT 2023 BY J D Sheuring

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2023

ISBN: 978-1-312-73812-6

Steam Mountain Rock Publishing

P.O. Box 125

Wake Forest, NC 27588

Ordering Information:

Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, educators, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the above listed address.

U.S. trade bookstores and wholesalers: Please contact Steam Mountain Rock Publishing. Email at [e-mail]

Website:

www.jdsheuring.com

Dedication

My Father, John Robert (Bob) Sheuring

Always a fan of a good Sci-Fi book

Previous Books

DR. JOHN STOURTON CHRONICLES

The Palace in Spruce Pine

The Roan Mountain on Roan Mountain

The Estate at Wake Forest

Acknowledgement

I want to thank God, the Lord Jesus Christ for the talents on loan by Him. I continue to be blessed by the gifts that He has given me and it is with great happiness that I can be creative and write from my imagination as long as I am living on this world.

I want to thank all of my wonderful, loving dear colleagues and friends in my life. They have stood beside me and have listened to me prattle on at times sharing my passions. Thank you for allowing me to prattle on. You are all wonderful and you have given me ideas to help this book come to fruition.

I want to give specific thanks to Carolyn DeSimone. Thank you for your care and guidance at Wake Technical Community College. You have been a great supporter of me, and I know at times, you have endured me because of me being me. You are amazing and loved.

I want to thank Mabel and Robert Benjamin. They own and operate RocksAndThings in Spruce Pine, NC. These two are dear friends and the store is an amazing place filled with any type of rocks, minerals, and gemstones. Plus, both have an incredible knowledge of Spruce Pine and the history of the mining in this area.

I want to thank Barbara Warner. We have laughed a lot and continue a fantastic friendship. It truly has been an honor to call you a dear friend and to listen to my long-winded conversations. You have also been amazing to me, and I am humbled.

To my oldest, dearest friend, John Drake. We have known each other many years. With both of us growing up in Jackson County, GA, I have been and continue to be thankful of your sage advice and your ability to just being a normal caring man. Your friendship has meant a great deal to me.

I want to thank my newer friends and colleagues of Carolina Cyber Center and Montreat College. You have humbled me with having me work in a field that I truly am passionate about in my life. I can be involved in Cybersecurity and talk about God. It is like having your cake and eating it as well. Thank you, Larry, and Michelle, for giving me the opportunity of serving.

Forward

The idea behind Science Fiction is to imagine what the future may behold for all of us. I am sure at some point in your day you let your mind wonder what you would do in the future. What would the world hold in the future? What will be ahead of us in the future? And for many, the fear of the world becoming something so different that one could feel overwhelmed at the possibilities. There is also the fear of aliens who could land on earth and dominate us or worse, eradicate the human species This book is not about aliens, but this book explores a ‘what if’ situation for the future. Some Sc-Fi books are about the extremes in life like a post-apocalyptic time or that we are so advanced in our technology that, like Star Trek, where we are exploring other universes. Sci-Fi is the true expression of vivid imagination as there are no limits to the story you are creating.

I want to thank the current events to helping my imagination in creating this book. Today, we live in a world that is not at rest. There are countries that are struggling with themselves while other have dictators that want supreme control over every aspect of people and the country. Currently, at the time of this writing, there is a war currently with Russia and Ukraine. This has lasted for a year and there is no evidence of the war ending any time soon. China is on the news every day whether because of social engineering, land grabs, threats to Taiwan or making most things sold in America. China has been and continues to infuse themselves into other countries, to pay off their debts and to supply resources to those countries. China has become our adversary and our number one country that will take the place of Russia as enemy number one. And to add insult to injury, it was China who gave us COVID. It has been three years since COVID hit the US and the world. There have been over 6.83 million lives lost in the world, 1.12 million alone in the United States because of COVID. The fact that this originated from China is a fact. As to whether this was intentional, I do not think we will ever know for certain.

And based on the past three years, I used this to help with the forming of the future world. I wanted to extend the thought of what would have happened if those who got all of the shots and boosters would survive or die in the future and would China take the opportunity to invade the United States. You will have to read the book to discover what lies ahead.

I do hope you enjoy the reading. Let me know if you like the direction of the book.

Prologue

He arose to the chirping sound of the clock which was a holdover from before the He looked at the clock, noticing the small date notification showing that it was January 10, 2062. He was 100 years old today. He had dreamed of making it to a hundred and then saying that the good Lord to take him. Guess God has other plans for him so he arose and walked into the bathroom. After completing his business, he washed his hands and looked into the mirror. He still looked 50 years old. He felt 50 years old, if that was possible and yet, he was 100 today.

Trixie welcomed him in the hallway, and both went to the kitchen. He pressed a button and fresh food was provided for Trixie. He pulled the water tap and reached for the coffee beans. He turned the tap off and took the beans and dumped them into the grinder. He hit the button and the beans were immediately shredded to very small grains. He put the contents into the brewing machine and hit the on switch.

‘Well Trixie, ole girl, that is my 100-birthday present to me.’

Trixie looked up and went back to eating.

It was there morning ritual; food for Trixie, coffee for him. He then took a cup and sat at the table. He opened the tablet and looked at the information provided on the news feed. Most of the news was government news with little commentary. No commentary was allowed. The government had the final say.

‘What a bunch of hogwash Trixie. These government types are all the same. Speak a lot of words with hollow meaning.’

Trixie jumped up on the small stool next to him, waiting to be rubbed which was also a morning ritual. It was time for their next morning ritual.

He found the leash and attached the leash to his companion Trixie. He looked over at the monitor and punched in the code to access the cameras outside. The monitor lit up and he could see everything outside the home. He touched the keypad, and the new information informed him that the temperature was 50-degrees Fahrenheit. He then looked at other numbers that monitored the air quality and outside activity. It had been 30 years since the change had come and everything had changed.

The first three years was a bad memory. He suffered greatly on the first year and the other 2 years, he survived, hidden away. The Chicoms had invaded the United States during the virus outbreak and caused such severe pain with their communism views. Those that survived the change were thrust into another hell called the Chicoms. That lasted three years

The population of the world evaporated in a six moth period of time. Over 50% of the world population disappeared. Overnight, his neighborhood had decreased by 70%. It was just him, the neighbor next door and one on the other side of the street that were left on their street. The other homes just sat there, empty.

Eventually, the empty homes fell into disrepair, collapsing on themselves. Then, one day, there was the heavy sound and when one peered out the window, there were people and machines that removed the homes.

Life changed on Grove and all over the world. Beside the loss of family and friends, the lives of those that were of the living had to deal with terrible military and people; Chicoms.

Trixie barked and his attention was brought around. ‘Are you ready for a walk my friend?"

Trixie barked, grabbed her leash, and sat down.

‘Okay my friend, let us go for a walk.’

He took the leash and clipped the leash onto Trixie’s collar. He then removed the several latches that secured the door. He nudged Trixie away from the door and pulled the door open. He looked down at the front porch, seeing the milk and cheese waiting for them.

He would pick those up when he and Trixie came back. He took a small case and slipped the case into his pocket. He decided that it was okay, so he and Trixie stepped onto the front porch. He stepped down the three steps and let Trixie lead the way. The day was bright, and the sun felt warm. He looked up and down the street, seeing only three of the homes. Trixie headed up the small incline and turned right. She was heading to the old Flaherty Park. Once a place to play, now a quiet wilderness where few ventured. Nature had taken over the area and trees were growing back. One could see beautiful pines, maples, birch and oaks growing peacefully.

Trixie knew the way and she ventured through the path that they had taken for so many years. It was just the two of them to keep each other company. The cat had passed away last year and then there was two.

While Trixie walked, he took out his pipe, packed it with his home-grown tobacco and struck match. The tobacco caught and he pulled on the pipe The result was that the smoke left his lips and the breeze took away the smoke from the pipe. The faint aroma of vanilla was the only thing that gave his pipe away.

Trixie had stopped and looked up at him.

‘I know, I should stop smoking but it is a small pleasure for me.’

Trixie looked down and continued on her journey. If one had to guess, this had become a safe routine with her. After the night of change, that is what everyone called the moment, no one left their home because it was not safe.

He was left to his thoughts. It had been what, 30 years since the change had happened. He was 100 years old while Trixie must have been 32 years old. Both of them should be dead or in a home and yet, they felt young and vibrant.

What had happened that day was like The Book of Revelation from the bible. And yet, that is not what happened. What did happen was something that he had spent the last 30 years researching and studying any and all information he could get his hands on, almost losing his life. He had discovered the secret by accident and by doing so he held the keys to safes that held the library of knowledge as it was called.

Trixie barked at him, and he looked at what she was barking at. In a short distant, he could see a vehicle traveling on Royal Mill. It had the markings of the regional constable on the sides, but it was the color that gave the vehicle away; the vehicle was cover in reflective blue and yellow tape. All vehicles constable vehicles were marked this way. The vehicle stopped and two constables exited the vehicle. They spotted the man and his dog and walked down the path to meet him. Trixie barked a couple of times until the woman bent down to rub her head. She then jumped up on the woman’s leg.

Good morning, Dr. Stourton, I see you and Trixie are out for a morning stroll.

Good morning to you Chief Constable Brattleboro, what brings you to look for me? I am just a humble professor who is old and walking his dog

The chief chuckled outloud. He thought, yeah, right, you are just a professor. I know better. You were once the president of the US for eight years and here you are, just walking the dog.

I see the chief has a sense of humor this morning

The woman stood up, Sir, you are being summoned by the regional judge. He needs to speak with you on something that was discovered just last night.

And may I ask what is so important to take me away from my walk?

Chief Constable Brattleboro looked uncomfortable, Doctor, someone appeared last night from the past and was asking for you. Someone that was registered as deceased. A woman going by the name of Kira.

Chapter 1

YEAR 2031 (THE CHANGE)

The United States had changed on November 7, 2031. That night over 50% of the population disappeared without a trace. It seemed random which caused havoc and mayhem. The loss of total control to the law disappeared. What was left was damage caused by the disappearance of people. Cars and trucks, with no drivers, collided with other vehicles, many with people still in the vehicles. The carnage was terrible. Planes falling from the air, trains running into stopped equipment which caused explosions and fires. With only a reduced force in the EMT, fire and rescue, it was impossible to address the human toll that took people’s lives. The homes and businesses enveloped by fire ran rapid through towns and cities with no care on the pain that the flames possessed. The ensuing inferno was magnificent and deadly. The loss of so much was now at hand.

For months, fires burned, infrastructure like electricity, water and sewage stopped. Cars and trucks lay in the streets, abandoned or worse, buried with their occupants. The air carried a smell of the dead and no one seemed to know what to do. Few areas were able to manage the devastation and bring order. Of those that took control were rural and mountain towns. These areas tended to have people who were used to tough life and had overcome many obstacles. To them, this was just another obstacle to overcome. And in these areas became known as the new cities.

For the next three years, the loss of infrastructure and order caused a near total breakdown of law and order. Most law enforcement kept to their home and families. Some joined militias to help sustain their lives. Other joined the Chicoms that had invaded the US. Most states had regional sites set up for the Chicoms to operate in. Within these sites, they required total obedience to there cause and religion.

If life had not been bad enough, the Chicoms had invaded the US and set up government in the US. They had taken advantage of the change and used their extensive forces to land on American soil. They moved troops and resources to all American bases where the Chicoms ran into resistance. However, they were eventually overcome by the mass of Chicoms and either surrendered or died at their post.

The Chicoms demanded total and absolute allegiance to them. They required information on anyone that was considered a rebel or troublemaker. Those people that stood up against the Chicoms or were know antagonists were sent to camps that were manned by Chicoms and Chicomericans. They would be retrained and if they proved they had been successful in retraining, they were allowed to work in support of the Chicoms.

In addition to the Chicoms, there evolved a group of people that just assumed they were in control and assisted the Chicoms in setting up the regional locations, they also helped in making way for there to be little to know resistance to the Chicoms getting what they required from each state. Most states were cooperative in their assistance however there were extensive holdouts.

In the mountainous region of the Appalachian, Azores and Rookies, these areas proved to be very difficult for the Chicoms. They had not taken into consideration the challenges of the mountainous regions which caused them a great deal of heartburn. They finally chose to keep an eye on the major highways and limit the flow of people. The loss of men in the fights were not worth throwing more men when they could cut off the supply lines. The Chicoms also lost many lives through the change.

A fact which was to prove how wrong the Chicoms really misunderstood those that live in the mountains. The tenacity and knowledge of the mountains was a strength for the locals and they used that to their advantage. The area was filled with many tunnels and mines that were either vacant or disused. Most of these places were brought back to life. They used these places to store supplies, create working shops to build equipment needed to protect themselves and set up gardens that were used to grow their own food.

Those in the mountains also had electricity. If electricity was available, it came from the hydro dams located in the mountains. These locations were of significant value and most were controlled by the locals. They knew how to operate and manage the damns as many were employees of the power companies that owned the damns. They also knew how to build and maintain the infrastructure of power. The Chicoms just connected into the lines so they could use the power. Eventually, a strange arrangement evolved from the need of power and not wanting to involve the mountaineers. The process took six months to complete with the negotiations between the mountaineers and the Chicoms. Through a single messenger, communication had been formed to discuss the need of the Chicoms for power. The mountaineers asked for neutrality from the Chicoms. They wanted to be left alone. Over the months, terms had been hammered out and the result was that the Chicoms would pay for the power in exchange for a no trespass on specific regions in the mountains.

Communications continued through messengers that both understood English and Chicoms. This worked out well for both sides as the mountaineers could go on and live their lives in peace and Chicoms could have all the power they needed. This relationship lasted until the end of the year of 2035.

There was one mystery that no one realized had evolved during the change and that was the change to those that lived through the change. No one knew except the Chicoms of why the population drastically reduced in six months or less. The loss of so many souls could not be explained, normally scientists and doctors could study and research as to the cause but the loss of half of the population and then the loss of the infrastructure to support the research or even diagnose the problems was out of the question.

The Chicoms had mass graves dug for the bodies as they were not interested nor did they want any interest into finding out what had happened to those that were dead. They knew why there was so many deaths and destruction but better to put a lid on this damage and then seal the lid.

The Chicoms slowly over time through media and poster campaigns explained the deaths to the epidemic stating that the deaths were caused by an Ebola strain that was brought over from Africa. People read and heard the propaganda but they had little choice in there lives which was made miserable because of the cruel Chicoms. The Chicoms were not interested in any luxury to people’s lives; they expected work and progress.

China wanted the raw materials to help build up their military and their own population. There regional base was located in Henderson. They had cleared the buildings out and removed anything of use. They blew through the walls and had those locally start setting up manufacturing for weapons including military vehicles and supplies. In another part of Henderson, they built a pharmaceutical building that produced the medicine specifically for the Chicom people. Again, everything was built for the Chicoms purpose, not for any of the locals. They were left with providing their own sustenance.

The exception to those rules were the ones politically loyal to the communist party. These America’s or Chicomericans as they were called were given everything they so desired to have in their lives. This included the best in foodstuff, transportation and even people to do with as they wished. This last part was something that many people avoided because the rumors eventually filtered out that most of the loyalist to the Chicoms were fornicators.

The stories of the parties that the loyalist held were similar to the biblical story in Genesis of Sodom and Gomorrah. The treachery that many of them did was to so many unspeakable. Many of those people who survived were left alone in places that would see them eaten by the many pack dogs that roamed. If one did survive it was simply a miracle however most perished as the brutality of the deeds were too much for most of the innocent victims. They survived the change, survived the take over only to be cast into a vile and horrible place to be used and abused.

One person though knew the secret to the change and the reason behind the Chicoms.

Chapter 2

CURRENT YEAR 2062

Dr. Stourton stepped into the patrol car. The woman constable lifted Trixie and handed Trixie over to the doctor. Trixie turned, looked at his owner, knowing that he had treats and sat. In the normal ritual, he pulled out of his pocket a treat and handed it to Trixie.

Chief, can you give me any information on this person, Kira, to me?

Doc, all I can tell you is that she was discovered at the old house on North Main. She stepped out in front of the patrol car and the constable had to take drastic maneuvers to keep from hitting her.

Is she speaking?

No sir. Said she speak only with you.

No more was said until they arrived at the constabulary.

The door was opened and Trixie and Dr. Stourton stepped out and walked up to the front door.

The female constabulary walked up, and she stopped in front of a camera. The camera read her eye and something that the doctor could not put his finger on.

The door opened and they went in.

The constabulary was clean and tidy. Everyone was dressed properly and looked busy. With what they were busy doing was anyone’s guess simply because there was so little crime.

A constable came over and lowered himself to rub Trixie. She let the officer rub her; she was good at judging people. If she did not like someone, she growled at them which was rare.

Thank you, constable. She loves to milk the attention from anyone who will come to her level and rub her.

It was my pleasure sir. You are sort of celebrity around here with you two living here for 30 years.

Me a celebrity, I am flattered. I think of myself as a general professor and scientist. I am just thankful that I am here and can walk Trixie for another day.

But sir, you were so famous many years ago. You were more than a scientist.

"Days of the past. So much has changed. I mean, I am 100 years old. I should be