Rev's Odyssey by R. R. Kaufman (the reading list .txt) 📕

Title Page

 

 

 

 

 

REV’S

ODYSSEY

 

 

R. R. Kaufman

Copyright

 

 

 

 

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents

either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used

fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,

events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

 

Copyright © 2021 by R. R. Kaufman

 

All right reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced or used in any manner without written

permission of the copyright owner except for the use of

quotations in a book review.

 

Cover art © 2021 by R. R. Kaufman

 

ISBN: 978-1-7778973-0-7

 

 

  Dedication

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Julie, a true survivor.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

 

Rev ran with all her might. The junkyard ahead was poorly lit. She tried to shake off the droke that was chasing her and found a hiding spot between some large scraps of metal. The droke stopped within reaching distance of Rev.

It started shining its light around the yard and gradually moved away from Rev. She peeked out through a sliver of space between the metal scraps. The droke’s head revolved in a complete circle, flashing its light from revolving eyes.

Rev had never seen a droke this close. It had thin tubes of steel for arms and legs that joined in the middle of its body to a small triangular plate. The droke could grow taller by extending its legs and longer by extending its arms. Its steel hands and feet were extremely large compared to the droke’s overall size.

The droke started back towards her. Rev ducked down just in time as the droke shone its light through the narrow peephole. Then Rev saw her reflection in a shiny piece of metal to the right of her.

She had been found.

Without a second thought Rev darted from her hiding place and ran through the large metal tunnels in the yard. The droke lifted the heavy metal beams and scraps with its huge gripping hands and tossed them aside as it chased after her. It was gaining ground. Rev was within its grasp.

She stumbled across a huge piece of machinery with a long metal arm and massive claw attached to it. Just as she was about to climb up to the control room she felt the droke’s hand grab her shirt collar. Rev knew if the droke got hold of her that she would be crushed. She twisted back and forth violently. She felt her clothes tear loose and was free as her sweaty palms grabbed hold of a handle and she lifted herself up to the control cabin.

She swung open the door, slammed the door shut and locked it. She nervously tried to make sense of the claw’s working mechanisms. Rev noticed a red button that read START under it. She slammed her fist down on it.

The huge crane like machine roared to life.

Rev sat down on the seat and noticed a lever on each side of the seat. Without hesitating she moved the left lever forward and the big engine below her lurched the machine forward. Suddenly the front window shattered and the droke’s giant hand just missed her head.

Rev instinctively grabbed the right lever and the long crane arm swung around violently. She moved the lever back and forth and in a circular motion. The action managed to move the droke farther down the crane but it was stilling clinging by one hand to the metal railings of the crane.

Rev took hold of the left handle and propelled the big machine forward towards a big metal pile. At the same time she clung to the right lever and swung the crane furiously to the left crashing the droke into huge iron posts.

The droke lost its grip and crashed to the ground.

Rev quickly pushed the button on top of the right lever. The big claw came crashing down and just missed the droke. Rev pushed the button again and the claw retreated higher up as the droke got to its feet and started to run towards Rev.

Rev kept attacking the droke with the claw but missed it each time. Rev was no quitter and kept her calm. This time she took a bit more time and focused her aim. She had been studying the droke’s movements and quickly dropped the claw just to the right of the droke.

It worked. The droke had moved to the right and the claw grabbed hold of the droke’s head as Rev hit the button again and it clinched around the droke’s neck. She slammed the right lever back hard and the crane swung real high in the air. Then she thrust the lever forward and caused a whiplash effect on the claw.

The droke’s tubular body fell to the ground with just its head in the clutches of the claw, high up in the sky. Rev pushed the button and the claw opened up. The head crashed to the ground and split in half. Rev breathed a quick sigh of relief and jumped down from the machine.

She rushed over to the shattered pieces. She knew that she didn’t have much time. Shadows grew larger at the entrance to the junkyard as more drokes were rapidly approaching. Rev crouched down and studied the smashed head. A shiny yellow object caught her attention among the grey metal parts. A small thin square piece. She tried to loosen it from the middle of the head but couldn’t budge it. The shadows grew longer and larger as two drokes started flashing their lights through the scrapheap in the wrecking yard.

Rev’s hands started to shake. She knew this was an important part of the droke’s workings. She was not going to leave it behind. She found a metal shard and pried it loose just as the drokes’ lights shone on her. She put it in her pocket and zipped it up.

Rev ran for her life.

With long strides Rev ran for the edge of the high cliff. The drokes were gaining on her. Just a few more strides, Rev thought. One of the drokes extended its legs and jumped in front of Rev, then twirled around and faced Rev.

Her heart sank but she took a deep breath and dove between the droke’s long tubular legs with a somersault tumble. With a few quick steps she dove from the top of the cliff into the darkness.

 

Chapter 2

 

 

Rev plunged into the cold seawater. She unzipped her pocket and brought out her breather. She placed the jelly like device over her mouth and nose with goggles that were attached for her eyes. A clever underwater breathing device invented by her father, Kosni. She pressed a suction device that made the breather cling to her face.

The fight with the drokes had zapped her of energy and she was glad to be heading home to Genus. She started to relax and maintain a steady flow of oxygen from the breather. A dark massive object appeared to be heading towards her. Its cold lifeless eyes became more visible as it quickly approached. Rev recognized it immediately. A large grey shark. It took a sharp turn and came up from behind her. It slowly touched Rev’s body. She smiled and held onto the large dorsal fin of the shark.

She was happy to accept a free ride down to Genus with her underwater friend. She could see the lights of her home in the distance. A safe feeling swept over her. It was a stark contrast to Brix, the world that she had just escaped from. But she knew that she must return to Brix very soon. Her father would be anxiously awaiting her return, hoping for good news about the disappearance of her mother. Rev would have to disappoint him.

A sense of peace fell over Rev as she approached Genus. The towering glass structures lit up the shelf on the sea floor. All different sizes and shapes made up her underwater world. Long glass tunnels connected each structure. Genus had always been here, her father told her years ago when they moved here from Brix. But it had fallen in disrepair. Her father was a brilliant engineer and restored the city with a lot of teamwork. But now the future looked bleak. Drastic action was needed.

The citizens of Genus were peace-loving people and could not defend themselves against the foreboding menace at their doorstep. Once a month Rev and her mother would always visit Brix and their friends. But the past three and a half years all contact was forbidden by their father. The reason was because of Razor, a threating woman who came out of nowhere and controlled the city with her drokes. She changed everything. The people were empowered by her to work harder for her interests. In doing so they suffered the loss of their businesses and quality of life. Her army of drokes brought fear and hopelessness to the people. Now the dark toxic water from all her factories was poisoning the sea and presenting an ominous threat to Genus.

Rev could see the chute entrance that would transport her into Genus. She released her grip on the shark and thanked it for the ride. She swam over to the entrance chamber and turned the metal wheel to the left. The entrance door slowly swung open. Once inside Rev pulled on a large lever and the door shut and started to drain the water out of the chamber. When it was empty Rev took her breather off and opened the door on the other side. A large chute spiraled downward with a steady stream of water.

Rev slid down the enclosed glass chute feet first and wound around several curves before she landed in a shallow pool inside Genus. Several friends greeted her warmly. Rev knew her father would want to see her immediately. Rev cleaned up in her room and put on fresh clothes. A few minutes later she stood outside her father’s door. She took a deep breath and knocked softly.

 

Chapter 3

 

 

As Rev entered her father’s office she noticed her father gazing out the massive thick glass window that showcased the underwater sea world. He was a man in his late thirties with a short salt and pepper beard. The urgency on his face turned to joy as his daughter approached him. Kosni was the chief engineer for Genus and Rev knew he had a lot on his mind. He moved as fast as he could with his injured leg and they both hugged each other for some time.

 

Kosni

Oh Rev, I’m so happy to see you. It was a long night. What news from Brix? Here, sit down over by the window. I’ll fix you a drink.

 

Kosni directed Rev towards a low table near the window. Rev pulled up a chair across from her father’s seat. As she waited for her father to return, she peered deep into the sea outside, slowly moving and endlessly changing. It was so serene compared to the chaos in Brix. The thick glass magnified large and small fish, all