The Day the Earth Broke
The end of the world begins...
Ottawa, Ontario. October 21, 2071.
Caught in the fading light of a chilly autumn afternoon, the young woman gathered her young family outside the deserted daycare, her face knotted with worry. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of fallen leaves, and the sounds of city life had fallen into an unsettling stillness. Her son, all bundled up, fidgeted in his car seat, oblivious to the eerie calm that had descended upon the streets. Her husband stood tensely at her side, gripping their elder daughter’s hand. At first glance, they appeared to be an ordinary family, caught in the mundane rituals of daily life. But as she leaned over to fasten her son's seatbelt, an unexplainable dread took hold of her, clawing up from her gut, and clouding her vision with ominous images of a dark fortress suspended against a vast crimson sky.
What… was this?
Time seemed to freeze; her breath caught in her throat. Then, a child's cry sliced through the eerie silence and pulled her back to reality. She blinked, her heart pounding, and her attention returned to her son, whose face was now a mask of agony. Not now! Not when they were so close to escaping. His little body started crumbling like dry, unfired clay, black blood pouring from the widening cracks. Panic surged within her, and she reached out a trembling hand in alarm, "Jason!"
But even as she cried out, she felt it—a searing pain radiating from within, her own body succumbing to the same inexplicable decay. Her fingers trembled as they brushed her deteriorating skin, and terror welled up inside. It wasn't just her son; it was spreading, consuming them all, and she was powerless to stop it. The world blurred around her as the chilling truth sank in—their existence was unraveling, their bodies disintegrating into a nightmarish oblivion.
Overview
As I take a brief respite from my grueling self-publishing journey, I invite you on an exploration of the Sundering, the cataclysmic event that created the dystopian, post-apocalyptic Earth that serves as the backdrop of my book, THE END OF THE WORLD. As the first installment in THE PRIMORDIAL ENGINE series, this initial book only teases at the catastrophic event looming over us. What dreadful future lies ahead?
The Sundering
Until 2071, Earth had continued its steady trajectory of technological and societal progress, blissfully ignorant of the cataclysm brewing beneath the surface—one that would forever alter the course of our world.
Earth’s ruination came swiftly. Entire populations vanished within days, succumbing to a plague that devoured them from the inside-out, leaving nothing behind. Massive rifts tore open the body of our planet, breaking it into pieces, swallowing entire civilizations. Unnatural abominations emerged from the Earth’s fractured body, spilling into a desolate world.
The survivors were thrust into a savage existence where the strong survived, and the weak perished. THE END OF THE WORLD chronicles the story of their descendants.
A Thousand Years Later
Fast forward a thousand years to the setting of THE END OF THE WORLD, and you’ll find a world transformed beyond recognition. Cities now lie in ruins beneath the Earth’s crust, their remains locked in stasis, refusing to decay further from the day they plunged underground. Nature, once tamed, reclaimed dominion with mutated landscapes and untamed wilderness. In the former United States, the authoritarian Technocracy rose to counter humankind’s descent into savagery, reconstructing civilization to fit their draconian schemes. In the North, beyond the massive rift dividing the continent, remnants of Canada exist. Here, technology is forbidden, and each day is a battle for survival against the soul-hungry Dreamers lurking in Earth’s cracks.
So, what was the origin of this terrible, catastrophic event?
According to Technocracy Propaganda
The Technocracy, an authoritarian regime that maintains an iron grip over what was once the United States, offers its own narrative. According to their version of events, a colossal meteor, possessing an otherworldly force, collided with Earth, shattering all known laws of physics. This cataclysmic impact triggered a massive molecular shift that, like a domino effect, set in motion a series of apocalyptic geological disasters, deadly plagues, and mass extinctions.
But the question lingers: Do they possess evidence supporting their claims, or is this an elaborate fabrication designed to maintain their control over the remnants of society?
According The Four Peoples of The Witherlands
The Four Peoples, dwelling in the Witherlands (formerly Northeastern Canada), are the descendants of resilient First Nations peoples who had endured numerous historical tragedies. Their unique experiences equipped them with the skills and knowledge needed to survive the immediate post-apocalyptic turmoil that followed the Sundering.
Oral traditions passed down by their ancestors speak of humanity's reckless construction of machines designed for perpetual warfare and fueled by the very life force of the Earth itself. To the Four Peoples, the Earth is not merely a planet; it is a sacred entity known as the Earth Mother. In their beliefs, the Earth Mother’s destruction signifies the awakening of Mishibijw, an ancient harbinger of chaos, often referred to as the Great Lynx.
In a desperate bid to heal the Earth Mother before Mishibijiw unleashes devastation upon the world, the Four Peoples entered a covenant with the Great Spirit, the Creator. This covenant required them to sever all attachments to the Old World, shunning technology and anything linked to their past way of life. Through these self-imposed taboos and abstentions, they hoped to achieve Earth's restoration. Meanwhile, they tirelessly defend their communities against the Dreamers that prey upon them, all while awaiting the day when the Earth Mother might be reborn.
Conclusion: So, What Really Happened?
As we delve into the shattered world of THE PRIMORDIAL ENGINE series, you've caught a glimpse of the aftermath of a catastrophic event and the conflicting narratives shaping this post-apocalyptic realm. However, these mysteries—the Sundering, the Earth Mother, and the enigmatic Dreamers—are only the tip of the iceberg.
If you're hungry for hidden truths, join me in exploring THE END OF THE WORLD, the captivating inaugural chapter of my series, set to be unleashed on February 5th. Prepare to enter a realm where the past, present, and future entwine, and become one of the first to uncover the secrets that will shape the destiny of this universe. Together, we'll unravel the mystery that is THE PRIMORDIAL ENGINE, and I promise you won't want to miss it.
