Blake J Soder

Bear and Belle Blake J Soder

It has been twenty years since the mysterious storm that decimated the earth and drove mankind to the brink of extinction; twenty years since a young man named Erik defied all odds to keep a final promise to his sister. Now, handfuls of scattered survivors here and there have begun to regroup into two main communities - the peaceful, self-sufficient farmers of Belle Plaine to the north and the violent, heavily-armed raiders of Mankato to the south. With no desire to become involved in the affairs of either community, Erik is committed to living a lonely but peaceful life in the woods. He migrates with the animals he hunts and emerges only a few times a year to trade for essentials. His intimidating appearance and solitary ways have earned him a reputation as "the bear," a mysterious, possibly dangerous man who, if not a myth, is best left alone. But Erik's resolve to continue his solitary life apart from the survivors of man is soon tested as he finds himself drawn into an impending, violent confrontation between the raiders of Mankato and the farmers of Belle Plaine. Both communities hold surprising secrets that could change his life, and the final conflict will determine not only Erik's destiny but the fate of mankind as well.