It is 2 02 3, and the clouds for a perfect storm are gathering. Most of the world's population is desperately fighting for survival. In the midst of the chaos and confusion, some countries have descended into civil war while others are attacking their neighbors. The timing is perfect for a monumental jihad to be launched against all infidels and the Great Satan. The world is about to experience a catastrophe event. After Islamic terrorists annihilate much of the world and the dust and radiation finally settles, the reality is stark. Millions are dead, and now the survivors must test their resourcefulness in order to rebuild their communities. As civilization slowly comes back to life, Alex Foster attends college and is enthralled with the political history his professor shares in class. But someone else has captured even more of his attention-fellow student Lyra Ricci. As the two lovers begin a passionate relationship, each struggles within the aftermath of a catastrophe that has replaced security and happiness with uncertainty and fear. Only time will tell if Alex and Lyra will realize their own truths in order to help recreate a better world.

2032 Was a Very Good Year

By J. William Mauck

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 J. William Mauck
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-1390-6

Chapter One

Our story begins once upon a time in a parallel universe.

February 12, 2032 a musty odor permeated the dimly lit room. The paint had long since faded from the sheetrock on the pockmarked walls. Most of the bullet holes had been filled with some kind of plaster paste. There was a large open space in the false ceiling that exposed water pipes and electrical conduit. Water stains from the leaking roof discolored the remaining ceiling tiles. Water had trickled down the walls and onto the tile floors. This caused some of the tiles to lift up, and many were broken or missing. There were political posters of politicians' faces with fake toothy grins leftover from before the upheaval. This combined with the clammy, penetrating dampness and a smattering of graffiti helped to create a surreal atmosphere on the second floor of Macy's department store.

After surveying the room, Alex Foster stood straight and with an air of confidence walked slowly to the back of the room and sat behind an old retail dump table on a gray metal folding chair. He was now seated somewhat uncomfortably in what was once the shoe department in Macy's at the Mt. Shasta Mall in Redding, California. It wasn't for lack of interest in what Mr. Hagen, (affectionately known as "the professor") had to say; Alex just felt more at ease in the back row.

Alex was slightly uncomfortable being twenty-four and the oldest student in the class, but his discomfort was likely due to his life's experiences, and he just felt safer being near an exit. But perhaps even more importantly, this is where he could observe some cleavage and specifically the gentle rise and fall of Lyra Ricci's breasts. God, she was such a distraction.

Although she seemed friendly enough, Alex felt awkward trying to engage her in conversation. During the professor's lecture, Alex tried to stay focused, but he could not stop fantasizing about her. Sometimes, when the class ended, Alex, in an effort to avoid embarrassment and to conceal the state of his condition, had to wait a few minutes after the class was over so he could slip unnoticed down the back stairs to the mall parking lot.

Alex was tall and slim and had light brown skin. He had an athletic build, square shoulders, high cheekbones, straight black hair, and dark eyes. His strong chin had a dimple in the center. He trimmed his dark facial hair with scissors. Razor blades were hard to find, and Alex had not developed the knack of putting a sharp edge on a straight razor.

Alex was meticulous about his personal appearance and hygiene. He didn't like jeans and preferred wearing slacks, sport shirts, and polished leather shoes. He had a nice leather jacket he wore when it was cold. Alex liked to feel good in his clothes.

Alex knew he was some kind of mongrel, of mostly European descent. He had been told that his beloved grandmother was Cherokee and Mexican. Alex loved Cona, as he called her. She died of colon cancer in 2016. Alex was eight years old. She could have been saved, but she was living on Social Security and some bureaucratic panel had issued her a high number for the operation that could have saved her life. By the time her turn came up, the cancer had metastasized. The free clinic gave her some pills and sent her home to die.

Up to that point, Alex had known only the love of his family. This sad experience was a kind of awakening. In a perverse way, the state's indifference to his grandmother's suffering helped to prepare the young boy for a challenging and perplexing future.

Despite a nasty scar on his nose and having had part of his left ear blown off in a firefight with the urbanites, he was still a reasonably good-looking young man. Although he didn't realize it, his manly appearance and his lust for Lyra were not lost on her. Just knowing that Alex was obsessing over her gave Lyra a smile on her lips and a warm feeling in the pit of her tummy.

Chapter Two

Alex wasn't sleeping well. When he wasn't thinking about Lyra, his thoughts took him back to his childhood. When he finally did fall asleep, he was having nightmares. Sometimes he would awake in the night with his heart racing, and his sheets and pillowcase would be soaked in sweat.

Try as he might, he couldn't drive the memories of what he had been subjected to out of his mind.

Under the provisions of The Fair Progressive Enlightenment Act (FPEA) of 2014, Alex and just about everyone else of school age had been required (forced) to attend the Teachers Union State Controlled public schools.

And every morning all the little children chanted:

    Mmm, mmm, mm!
    Barack Hussein Obama!
    He said that all must lend a hand
    To make this country strong again.
    Mmm, mmm, mm!
    Barack Hussein Obama
    He said we must be fair today.
    Equal work means equal pay.
    Mmm, mmm, mm!
    Barack Hussein Obama
    He said that we must take a stand
    To make sure everyone gets a chance.
    Mmm, mmm, mm!
    Barack Hussein Obama
    Yes!
    Mmm, mmm, mm!
    Barack Hussein Obama!
    Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

This chant replaced the Pledge of Allegiance in the United States of America. There would be no mention of America the beautiful, "The Star-Spangled Banner," or God in textbooks. Teachers were instructed not to bring up these disputed subjects in the classroom. This was all part of a politically engineered social evolution designed to indoctrinate students in grades K through 12 into the new progressive educational system in compliance with the fair and safe provisions granted under the FPEA.

In 2016, Alex was initiated into The People's New Communalized Social Order. It may have been due to his upbringing that Alex would not accept this convoluted concept despite being subjected to extra sensitivity training.

Alex was in the ninth grade when the government fell under the weight of the Great Upheaval of 2021 that was closely followed by the First World Catastrophe of 2023 (IWC23).

No one knows exactly what happened. It was the Fourth of July 2023. In the United States, there would be no fireworks. All fireworks had long since been banned. Actually, anything that went bang was against the law. There wouldn't be any celebrating of Independence Day. Those who still had government jobs got the day off, but in America the holiday had long since degenerated into something more akin to "dependency on government entitlements day."

With most of the entitlements gone, there was not much to celebrate. In the days leading up to IWC23, most of the world's population was desperately fighting for survival. In the midst of the chaos and confusion, some countries had descended into civil war, while others were attacking their neighbors.

This implosion was brought on by worldwide socialism, the failure of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and elements of the New World Order. These events lead to a massive worldwide monetary collapse. The clouds for a perfect storm were condensing. The timing was right for a monumental jihad to be...