Sneak Peek: Make the Modern World

Today, we feature a sneak peek of H.C. Turk’s novel, Make the Modern World.

A young American woman on a Western Pacific island must relive an ancient, tortuous journey through a primitive environment in order to save her family from nationalist killers.

Make the Modern World is available from Amazon.com.

Here is an excerpt from Make the Modern World:

“Put me down, put me down!”

Connie came to only to find herself miserable. Bony ropes around her torso and legs secured her to a car that dragged her along a rough road. No, dear god, these fiends were carrying her in their arms as they traipsed through the jungle. They stank. They stank like sweaty men just home from a hard day of stabbing people to death.

They complied, carefully placing Connie on her feet and stepping away. Woozy, she immediately sat on her butt in the mud, leaning forward, her head supported by both hands. Now her skirt was ruined.

“We bless this relief, for you are a burden.”

Not believing that she heard such crap, Connie stared up to the man who had spoken. She hated him at once because he was handsome, though he had only one ear. The other might have been removed with a scalpel, so tidy was the scar. Yes, he did have a hole in his head.

“I’m sorry I’m such a burden. Next time steal someone skinny. Like my mom. Did you kidnap her, too?”

“We are blessed to deliver the Blessed Fem. Others might guide the commoners.”

She looked up to the three. This talking nomad was empty-handed. One man carried a stiff bag of waxed fabric. The other held two spears and a blow pipe. Seeing those heinous points, Connie felt nauseated. She had been seeing those spears in her sleep.

“Where are we going?”

“We go to the Temple City, where the final foreigners will release us from our burden.”

Connie looked up sharply. “I know that story. The city is near Monkey Mountain. The foreigners are me and my family. Let’s get it over and done with so I can go home.”

She stood. None of the gentlemen present aided her.

“Let’s go. I’ll walk. Wait a minute. Monkey Mountain is fifty miles away. I’ll never make it. We need a car. I can’t believe any of this. I can’t believe I’m so selfish that all those people died and I just want my folks to be all right.”

Connie was now weeping freely while she rambled on. Only One Ear looked to her. “Are you the only talker here?” she asked, wiping her eyes.

“Yes. The spirits have not informed me yet if this is a blessing or a curse.”

“Your buddies killed hundreds of people in Batuba! If your god thinks that’s a blessing, his name is Lucifer.”

“God does not hear when the foreigners blaspheme. Perhaps your god will listen.”

Connie brushed past him while walking away. “Let’s go,” she said, looking to the ground.

The men did not begin carrying her again until she passed out. The three rushed near, grasping Connie before she hit the ground. One Ear looked to his brethren.

“She is colorless and fatty. She has the grace and softness of the best fruit.”

Not quite conscious, Connie mumbled, “You’re a jerk.”

They followed her story.

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