Escaping the Cataclysm Read online

  To all of my adventurous friends, both past and present. You have helped to shape my creativity and provided source material for the characters that inhabit my stories! I am indebted to all of you.

  Contents

  Map of Noah’s Ark

  Map of Odin’s Domain

  Foreword

  Prologue: Visions of the Past

  1. Urgent Decisions

  2. Lisa

  3. Rodinia

  4. Vandals

  5. The Invitation

  6. The Narrow Door

  7. The Ark: Upper Deck

  8. The Ark: Middle Deck

  9. The Ark: Lower Deck

  10. Ancient Documents

  11. Dark Discussions

  12. Memories and Premonitions

  13. Farewells

  14. Return to the Pyramid

  15. Entering the City

  16. The Wickedness of Mankind

  17. Arngrim’s Shop and Jerome’s Secret

  18. Asgard

  19. Odin

  20. Noah’s Diary

  21. The Calm Before the Storm

  22. The Dungeon

  23. Mysteries Revealed

  24. Arngrim’s Fury

  25. The Beginning of the End

  26. Escaping the Cataclysm

  27. Goliath’s Story

  28. Confessions

  29. The Dawn of Time

  30. Adam

  31. Answers

  32. Forgiven

  33. Home

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Suggested Materials

  Acknowledgments

  Other Novels by Keith A. Robinson

  About the Author

  Foreword

  Who were the “sons of God” in Genesis 6? Who or what were the Nephilim? What kind of technology did the pre-Flood people have? What was the world like before the Flood?

  These are questions that scholars have debated for many years, yet no clear consensus has been reached. This is due to the fact that, frankly, the Bible gives us very few details about the world that perished.

  However, due to the very nature of writing a novel, one must choose a theory and go with it. The ideas and interpretations that I included in this book were chosen for the following reasons:

  They fit the original biblical text and are based on mainstream interpretations.

  They make sense of ancient cultures, ancient artifacts, and legends.

  They follow logically from clues found in the Bible.

  They make for an interesting story.

  While I am sure that there will be many who disagree with the direction I took, I want the reader to know up front that I do not take a hard and firm stance on the issue of the pre-Flood world. I also do not want the reader to confuse my fiction with the facts that we know about Noah’s Ark, the effects of the Flood, and how it explains the geological structures we see around the world. For this reason, I have footnoted the novel so that the reader will know what is based on real research and what is purely made up.

  God didn’t reveal much to us about the pre-Flood world, because it was not necessary to the narrative. What is included in Genesis is enough for us to know that the accounts are not legends or fairy tales. They contain all of the elements of a true, historical record and should be treated as such.

  Keith A. Robinson

  Prologue: Visions of the Past

  “Well, they’re at it again.”

  Jeffrey looked over at his new friend as he sat down at the table, an ice cold mug of Miller Genuine Draft in his right hand. Sitting on Jeffrey’s left side, two of their other classmates, Kevin and Rich, were nursing drinks of their own. As the twenty-one year old African-American man rested his six-foot, two-inch, lanky form onto one of the barstools around the circular table, Jeffrey turned toward Kevin and Rich.

  “Hey, guys. You remember Jerome, right? He’s in Dr. Eisenberg’s Ancient Civilization and Archeology class.”

  The three quickly exchanged greetings and handshakes before Jeffrey responded to Jerome’s prior statement; his voice forced into a shout in order to combat the dissonant strains of heavy metal music that suddenly burst from the establishment’s speaker system. “So, who’s at it again?”

  By way of reply, Jerome pointed toward the image currently being displayed on the fifty-two-inch flat screen TV hanging on the wall, just over the bar. “Those crazy creationists. They’re back over in Turkey trying to find Noah’s Ark again.”

  As one, the three other men turned to regard the picture on the screen. They watched the news coverage for just over a minute until the story finished. Turning back around, Kevin shook his head. “What a bunch of whackos! You’d think they’d just give up after all these years, especially considering that the only thing they’ve found so far was a lightning storm,” he said. Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his right hand over his bald head and laughed. “Didn’t one of them get hit and almost die?”

  “Actually, I think all three of them got struck by lightning, if I remember correctly,” Jeffrey smirked. “And they got guns waved in their faces by the local crazies. I don’t know about you, but that’d be enough to deter me.”

  “What’re you talking about?” Rich chimed in. “I’m deterred just by the fact that no one in their right mind believes that there even was a real Noah’s Ark. Why waste your time risking life and limb looking for something that doesn’t exist?”

  The three other men grunted in agreement. Then, after a moment of relative silence, Jerome commented, “Ya know, I just don’t get it. I mean, I was raised in the church, and I can tell you that most of the people I knew believed that Noah’s Ark was just a story. It was a myth. What kind of brainwashing have these ark-seekers been put through to make them believe that there is a real boat stuck up there?”

  Rich reached up and scratched the dark stubble that had already begun to form on his chin. “Personally, I think they should lock up every one of these ‘creation scientists.’ Anybody who thinks that two of every different kind of animal could fit on one boat is truly loony.”

  “Yeah, not to mention that supposedly only eight humans took care of all of those animals for over a year!” Kevin added. “There are so many species of animals, the boat would have been bursting at the seams. And can you imagine the smell? The sheer amount of waste must have been enormous!”

  Jerome just shook his head. “And ya know what else puzzles me? How do they even attempt to explain where all of the water came from to cover the tops of the mountains? There’s not even close to enough water on the earth to reach that high. Besides, there’s not enough water in the atmosphere to cause it to rain constantly for forty days and nights. It’s just ludicrous!”

  Jeffrey chuckled derisively. “The water issue is just one of many inconsistencies. These Christians always talk about how God is so loving. But if that’s true, then how could He justify killing all those people in a massive flood? What about all of the innocent children? How could a ‘God of love’ punish them along with everyone else?”

  The more he spoke, the more his sarcasm and cynicism rose. “Think about the carnivores on the Ark. What did they feed them? Did they bring along a year’s supply of dead carcasses? Wait, I can see it all now…” Standing up, he put his hand on his hip as his face took on an air of irritation. Speaking in a high voice, he said, “Noah, honey, those doggone lions are at it again. They just won’t leave the poor lambs alone. They ate the unicorns last week, and if you don’t get over here quick, sheep are gonna be extinct next!”

  Kevin and Jerome guffawed loudly, while Rich choked on his beer, nearly spraying it all over the table. While his friends wiped tears of laughter from their eyes, Jeffrey dramatically ran a hand thr
ough his shoulder-length, dark brown hair, then resumed his seat.

  Having finally recovered his voice, Jerome slapped his hand on the table. “Man, that’s funny. What a bunch of idiots! Only a fool would believe the story of Noah’s Ark could be real…”

  Only a fool…

  The words echoed loudly in Jeffrey’s head as his mind snapped back to the present. His feet were rooted to the grass-covered hill as he stared at the boxy shape resting on the horizon in front of him; his mind stubbornly refused to believe what his heart knew to be true.

  He was staring at the real Ark of Noah.

  No! It can’t be! There has to be some other explanation. Still, no matter how long he stared at it, he simply couldn’t come up with anything plausible. This has to be some kind of dream. Becky’s crazy theories have caused me to start imagining things. That has to be it.

  Jeffrey felt a momentary flash of anger at the thought. If Dr. Eisenberg had minded his own business and not encouraged Becky to come to the dig, then things would have been a whole lot easier. Sure, it wouldn’t have changed the fact that we were attacked by two cyborgs…or animal-like giants…or whatever they were. And it wouldn’t have changed the fact that we would have had to launch the pyramid prematurely, but at least I wouldn’t have had to deal with her being around. And now that she knows about my relationship with Lisa, things can only get worse.

  For a moment, Jeffrey let his anger drown out that small, soft voice that nagged at his conscience. It was easier to focus on his bitterness than to admit the truth. Yet, like the slow brightening of a room at sunrise, Jeffrey could feel the uncomfortable thoughts returning.

  Although he wouldn’t—couldn’t—allow himself to admit it openly, he knew that Rebecca’s theory made the most sense of their current situation. Mack’s idea that they had travelled into alternate realities explained how they could have met living Mayans and dinosaurs. It also neatly explained how the ancient Greeks they had met could have had maps of the entire globe. It even explained the intelligent Neanderthals that lived during an ice age and the high technological level of the people that were building the so-called Tower of Babel.

  However, Mack’s theory could never have predicted what they witnessed at the tower itself, or what they had observed just before arriving at their current location. In his mind’s eye, Jeffrey could once again see the giant warrior, Nimrod, staring down at Dr. Eisenberg with sword in hand. He could hear Rebecca’s cry as the cold metal pierced the doctor’s body. Then, suddenly…chaos erupted all around them.

  Jeffrey couldn’t remember a time that he had felt such pure, unadulterated fear. Some force was at work around him…some power that made him want to crawl into a hole and flee from its wrath. He knew that he would never forget the look on the faces of those at the tower who ran here and there frantically searching for someone who could understand them. What kind of power could instantly create scores of languages and make a man lose his ability to communicate? What other things could the wielder of such power do at a mere whim? Unbidden, a stab of fear coursed through Jeffrey’s body, leaving him feeling weak and causing his hands to tremble.

  Even more than that, it seemed that they had witnessed the destruction of the whole world, albeit in reverse. The memory of the entire globe covered with water burst to the forefront of his mind. He could once again see the swirling clouds, the massive continent-sized hurricanes—and the water. Wherever the clouds were absent, nothing showed through but bluish-brown water. Jerome’s question, spoken so long ago, now became his own: Where did all of the water come from?

  I can’t believe I’m even thinking this! Jeffrey chided himself. Pull yourself together, Jeff. You know that evolution is true. Don’t let a few strange experiences cause you to start doubting what you know to be factual. Some other logical explanation will present itself. The Bible is just a book of stories and myths. Noah’s Ark is NOT REAL!

  Even as the words passed through his mind, he felt the uncertainty that came with them. No matter what he told himself, the pieces of the puzzle just seemed to fit together too perfectly, and the picture they created pointed directly to one fact: the Bible’s history is true. Although, before that conclusion could even be contemplated with his rational mind, it was sent hurling to the deepest recesses of his subconscious, for the ramifications of that conclusion were simply not acceptable. If the Bible’s history is true, then that means that there must be a God, and if there is a God, then He will hold all men accountable: accountable for the things they did in their past…

  “Look, Jamie, can we talk about this another time? I’m heading out of DeKalb now and it’s getting late. And to make matters worse, it’s beginning to snow again.” There was silence for several seconds as Jeffrey listened to the voice coming from the other end of his wireless, in-ear phone piece. “C’mon, don’t start that. I’m not ‘blowing you off’! I’ll just be in Chicago for the weekend. I—”

  Jeffrey listened once again, his hands tightening their grip on the steering wheel as his anger built within him. Barely slowing as he approached the stop sign, he turned right onto the two-lane road heading toward the bridge over the interstate highway. “What’s with you lately? Every time I turn around you’re harping at me!”

  Jamie’s voice dissolved into tears, causing Jeffrey to roll his eyes and curse silently to himself in frustration. “What’s wrong now?” he asked, his voice taking on an unmistakable air of impatience. “Jamie… Jamie I’m really getting tired of all of the drama. I—”

  Jeffrey’s car climbed the bridge as his expression suddenly changed; his mind processed the words that were coming through the phone. His previous annoyance evaporated instantly, replaced first by shock, then anger. “WHAT?! Oh great. That’s just great!” he yelled, his voice oozing with sarcasm. “So, what are—”

  As he spoke, he yanked the steering wheel in anger; turning the car quickly to the left and toward the entrance ramp of the expressway. Suddenly, a blaring horn caught his attention. His head snapped immediately to the right to see two large headlights shining through the passenger window of his car…

  Shaking his head, Jeffrey fought against the memory that stubbornly refused to return to its banished state of forgetfulness. In an effort to focus his mind, he closed his eyes to block out the sight of the Ark on the horizon. Reaching up with both hands, he began massaging his temples slowly.

  Then, with a suddenness and clarity that shocked him, several thoughts came rushing at him simultaneously. Don’t dwell on the past. What’s done is done. Besides, it has absolutely no bearing on the current situation. No matter what that box-like thing in the distance turns out to be, it won’t change anything. Science has revealed what is true. There is no God – no “cosmic scorekeeper.” And when you die, you’ll simply cease to exist, just like everyone else.

  Jeffrey furrowed his brow in confusion. The voice in his head was his own, and he had certainly had thoughts like this before. Yet, something seemed different somehow. It definitely didn’t feel right. Shaking his head to ward off the unsettling feelings, he opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Get a grip, Jeff. You’re letting yourself get spooked. In control once more, he turned away from the view of the ship.

  Action. That’s what he needed. That’s how he always handled these kinds of uncomfortable feelings. If he just did something, it would keep his mind occupied on the present.

  Once again, he had succeeded in burying the past. But deep in the secret places of his heart, he knew it wouldn’t remain buried forever…

  1

  Urgent Decisions

  The multi-colored and beautifully-shaped leaves on the myriad of different trees of the forest began to rustle, blown by a gentle breeze. Curious mammals, both small and large, flitted in and around the majestic trunks, scrounging for food. All around the forest, strange yet wonderful birdcalls and animal sounds were carried on the wind, like finely-crafted canoes floating lazily on a slow moving river. Next to the forest, gentle hills rolled, their ea
rthen surfaces covered by wave upon wave of soft, vibrant, green grass.

  Yet, despite the sheer beauty that surrounded her, only one sight held Rebecca’s gaze: Noah’s Ark. The rectangular barge, though far off in the distance, was unmistakable. Under just about any other circumstances, Rebecca would have been elated and overjoyed, for the discovery of the Ark should once and for all cause the others to see the truth of her theory. It was proof that they had not only gone back in time, but that the Bible’s accounts were indeed true. The theory of evolution and its accompanying history were wrong.

  However, Rebecca could not afford the luxury of her philosophical victory. For she knew, based on what they had viewed from space before landing the pyramid, that the worldwide flood of Noah could begin at any moment.

  And the pyramid wasn’t functioning.

  Rebecca stared around at the others standing near her on the hilltop, just outside the main entrance to the pyramid. Based on the expressions of shock, fear, and confusion, she could tell that their minds were struggling to come to grips with this new development. She knew exactly how they felt. At least for her, the discovery of the Ark was confirmation of what she already believed to be true. For Jeffrey and the others, it turned their whole worldview upside down. She could almost see on their faces the battle being waged between their beliefs and their senses.