Elvolution

Elvolution

By Jason Kinnear

~~~

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2011 Jason Kinnear.

All Rights Reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

First published by Sakura Publishing, Pennsylvania, in 2011.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Sakura Publishing

http://www.sakura-publishing.com

Also Released by Sakura Publishing

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Death of a Black Star

Defeat Wheat: Your Guide to Eliminating

Gluten and Losing Weight

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

All About the Author: Jason Kinnear

All About the Illustrator: Mary Raudenbush

Chapter One

A small valley situated directly on the border of Greece and Yugoslavia had lush green pastures, a trickling stream, and a small village. It was a place caught between worlds. It was not a part of any country, and it was untouched by the war that had run its course over twelve years earlier, called the First War of the World. This province was simply named Elbania.

The valley was surrounded by steep mountain ridges, and the only way in was over a sturdy, covered bridge from the south, far from any main road. This place had only a few outside visitors during any year, and the occupants of the village often feared their arrival. Nonetheless, the place was beautiful, full of colorful and elaborately built cottages. In the center of the village was a large, barn-like structure, much larger than any of the surrounding houses. Inside, the barn looked like a workshop. It was filled with sawdust.

Ruryk Petrov and Mikal Ludcheck were working at a small workbench. They were building chairs. The furniture seemed large, very large compared to the two workers. The two looked like children standing next to the furniture. It was obvious that they were no longer children; however, somehow they were much smaller than expected, a little more than half the size. The barn was filled with beautiful finished furniture—rocking chairs, cabinets, credenzas, tables, chairs, and desks. The craftsmanship was absolutely masterful.

Ruryk looked very strong and muscular, although he was only about three-and-a-half feet tall. He had dark curly hair and very definitive, if not stern, features. He wore coveralls with a plaid shirt and an engineer style hat. Ruryk constantly appeared to have a scruffy five o’clock shadow that contradicted the notion of him being a child. He lived in the valley with his father, Joseph; his sister, Anya; and his younger brother, Uri.

Mikal looked very similar to Ruryk. His hair was a bit lighter and he seemed a bit shorter. He did not have the same stern features as Ruryk and was a bit softer in his demeanor. Mikal lived with his mother and father, Elise and Samuel. Elise ran the kitchen and the stores in the valley.

The fathers, Samuel and Joseph, were raised as the closest of friends and were now both considered elders in the valley. Ruryk and Mikal were born only one month apart and had spent every day together since their births. Like their fathers, the sons were the best of friends for as long as they could remember.

Well, what do you think Viktor Kleese will pay us this year? Ruryk asked Mikal.

Probably a bag of beans, and a swift kick to the you-know-what, Mikal replied.

It seems like every year we do more and more work and get less and less for it, said Ruryk. Hey, let’s take a couple of chairs and a desk up to the caves. Samuel and Joseph are down by the river getting water. No one will know. Maybe we can get the last two wheels on that wagon.

I don’t know... Mikal was cut off in mid-sentence as Ruryk continued, We can stop on the way back and see Anya.

And maybe you would want to see Bella, too, Mikal antagonistically responded.

Well, I guess that would be okay, just ‘cause we’re friends and, you know… Ruryk responded, blushing. Let’s go.

Anya, Ruryk’s sister, was the object of Mikal’s affection. He had been pursuing her as a girlfriend for several years now. She liked Mikal, but her indifference to anything in the valley often sent him the wrong signals. Anya was more interested in animals than humans and wanted to know more about the world than the valley offered. She got excited about nothing, so her comments often went unheard simply because she said them with no emotional commitment. Anya was thin with short dark hair and tanned skin. She often dressed as a tomboy, probably due to the fact that she lived with three men. Nonetheless, Mikal was constantly trying to get closer to her.

Bella was, by most measures, the most beautiful young lady in the valley. She had flowing, curly blonde hair. Her facial features were soft and warm. Her skin was clear and light and seemed to stay that way although she spent all of her time outside. She would not be seen in anything but a dress, but she maneuvered through the fields and pastures in a dress like few can in overalls. She had delicate features and was always the center of attention even though she was oblivious to it. She had a way about her that made everyone feel that she was helpless and needed to be constantly taken care of. However, her actual personality was quite the contrary. She lived at home with her mother and father, Lilly and Randal. Lilly was the local nurse and Randal was the self-proclaimed leader of all the people in the valley. Ruryk was infatuated with Bella, although he tried very hard to hide it.

Both Ruryk and Mikal grabbed a chair in one hand and with their free hand each grabbed an end of a desk. They stopped as they were leaving the barn to look in all directions for any unwelcome spectators. Upon finding none, they scurried down a path into the tree line. For two so small with such a large load, they moved very quickly. Along the path, they turned off the main road and carefully crossed a fallen tree that stretched over a small ravine. A little farther they arrived at a cave with some brush covering the entrance.

They pulled the brush aside. Inside the cave was a huge storage area. It was filled with furniture— similar to that down in the barn, only this was finer stock. There were also four completely finished wagons, one that needed two more wheels and one that was a frame only.

Both began working on the spokes for the wagon wheels. Mikal broke the silence. Do you think that we will ever get to use these things?

I sure hope so, replied Ruryk, but I’d rather have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

You might change your mind if Samuel or Joseph ever found this place. And heaven forbid if Randal ever found out what we’re doing here. Do you think we’re too old for them to take us back behind the woodshed? Mikal asked.

Ruryk stood up straight and puffed out his chest. I’m old enough that I’d like to see them try.

Ruryk lived under the delusion that he was invincible. This made courage a strong attribute for him, unfortunately at the expense of common sense. Mikal laughed uncontrollably. Yeah, I wouldn’t mind watching that myself. You know your dad is still the strongest man in town. I remember my dad talking about how Joseph Petrov knocked down Viktor Kleese. Mikal often helped ground Ruryk. He admired Ruryk for his courage and natural leadership ability, but he stayed cool and calm in most heated situations. Without Mikal, Ruryk would struggle to control his anger. They made a very good pair.

Well, if Viktor Kleese had brought the medicine for my mother like he had promised, my dad wouldn’t have had to take a swing at him. Ruryk sighed heavily as he looked toward the ground.

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories, Mikal apologized. Has Joseph ever told you what actually happened there?

No, Ruryk responded sadly, all I know is that Viktor Kleese had something to do with my mother’s death. Yet somehow my father blames himself. I know that he hates that man, but at the same time he is afraid of him. Ruryk recognized that he and his father were very similar and couldn’t imagine how Joseph could be afraid of anything, let alone Viktor Kleese. It was a sore spot in his relationship with his father.

Maybe someday he’ll tell you.

Maybe someday, Ruryk repeated as if in a daze. Ruryk was afraid that if his father did tell him, it would not live up to the image he had in his mind. The fact that he did not know the story gave him the ability to tolerate his father’s obvious lack of initiative in confronting Viktor Kleese. If it wasn’t such a big secret, Joseph might lose some of his hero status in Ruryk’s eyes. Given the fact that Ruryk derived a lot of his own inner strength from his admiration for his father, the truth might influence his own self- confidence.

Mikal laid down his tools. My wheel is done.

Mine, too. Let’s go see the girls. We need to hurry—we have to be back for dinner and a town meeting tonight.

The two walked out of the cave, making sure to conceal its location with brush. They skirted the steep cliffs and plodded toward the pasture. As they approached the edge of the wood line, Mikal grabbed Ruryk’s arm and whispered, Let’s get them. Ruryk reluctantly shook his head to agree. They crept along from rock to rock, until they saw Anya sitting on a rock, knitting. Bella was nearby tending a lamb’s leg.

The two made hand signals at one another to set the path and timing of their ascent on the girls’ position. Both were completely quiet and moved quickly and silently, stalking their prey. They were quite a ways out when Anya, who was facing away from the boys, lifted her head and said, Bella, the boys are trying to sneak up on us again.

Bella replied, Tell the boys I have more important things to do than their childish games. Bella focused on the animal’s injury. She kept working on the little lamb while making soothing noises to keep the animal from moving.

Ruryk and Mikal looked at each other in bewilderment. Mikal yelled, How did you know?

Without looking up from her knitting, Anya simply replied, The sheep told me. Anya had a way with animals. She could often read their actions to determine what they were sensing, as well as what they wanted or needed.

Mikal walked toward her, shaking his head and murmuring, The sheep told her.

Ruryk walked to Bella and saw that she was putting some kind of leaves on the wounded lamb’s leg. What happened? he asked.

He decided to play in the rocks and he fell. He’ll be okay, but he just bought himself a night or two in the barn. Your brother is bringing up a mule to help carry him back to the village. Joseph tried to find you and couldn’t, so Uri is on his way. Bella’s last sentence was proclaimed like a teacher scolding a student in her class.

Mikal and I just went for a walk, to a, to look for some more good oak trees ready for harvest. Ruryk could lie to almost anyone and they would buy it, with the exception of his father and of Bella, since his interests in her had started to rise.

She knew he was hiding something, but held the belief that ‘boys will be boys’ and did not care to push him any further. You do that a lot, she stated in an antagonistic tone to let Ruryk know that she was on to him.

Well, I’m here now. I’ll carry him back, Ruryk proclaimed. He was always trying to show off his strength to Bella, while Bella was desperately looking for the softer side hidden deep under his pride.

No, just wait for your brother Uri to come with the mule.

No need. Ruryk smiled as he lifted and cradled the lamb in his arms. The four began the long walk back to the village. Neither boy had announced his intention to court his girl. Therefore, moments like this, where the four walked quietly with no pressing topic to discuss, were quite awkward.

Before they could even get back to the trail, Uri came out of the wood line with a mule in tow. Uri was only thirteen years old and was the town clown, as well as the town bum. He avoided work like the plague and ate more than any other in the valley. He was just slightly smaller than Ruryk, but his features were more boyish than his older brother’s. His attire matched his personality. He wore brown pants and a red and white striped shirt with suspenders every day.

As he saw Ruryk carrying the animal he got suddenly upset. You know, I was fishing when father came and told me to do this. Where were you? You know I don’t like walking all over the valley just for giggles. And this dumb mule has fought me the whole trip.

I’m so sorry I interrupted your nap, Uri, Ruryk replied sarcastically.

No, I wasn’t napping, Uri protested. However, he caught Mikal’s eye by shaking his head up and down as if to say ‘yes’. Mikal chuckled to himself at the ribbing.

Ruryk carefully placed the lamb on the mule. They all turned down the path toward the village, just as the first hint of darkness started to overtake the valley.

Later that evening, the entire village gathered in the town hall after another less-than-complete dinner with their limited supplies. The meals typically got sparse as trading time approached. They stretched the supplies to the max during the year to get from trading period to trading period.

Randal Smutz, the valley’s elder, stood in front of the group. Sitting alongside him were the boys’ fathers, Samuel and