The Tale of Junazahite: Dance with the Devil

Chapter One: The Founding Day

1. Junzahite is not human but in human form.

Everything changed when the earth's momentum slowed down gradually, and finally, it came to a halt, leaving one side in chilling darkness and the other bathed in searing heat. Oceans moved, drowning people and countries. Earthquakes ruined all the buildings, and everything turned into dust. But people, somehow, survived. With technology, they saved water and reproduced animals. They created a nation of what was left, a country called Nejat. This newfound land symbolized hope, a testament to the unyielding determination of humanity to forge ahead despite the cataclysmic trials that befell them.

John Monsire was cleaning one of the fences, covering his face with a piece of cloth, and dusting the dust.

"It's just a beginning," his colleague, Reymond, moaned, cleaning the other fence. "God! I hate this day!"

"Shush!" John barked immediately, looking at him with anger and horror. "Do you want to get executed on the Founding Day?" he started rubbing the fence again. "Also, after we clean this unit, they give us two bottles of clean water. Then we can celebrate the bloody Founding Day."

"May the power remain as long as Junazahaite rises." Reymond quoted the Republic of Survivalists' slang sarcastically.

After cleaning all the fences, John tied himself up with four metallic robes. They were also covered in beige dust. Reymond ensured that they were safe, and then he gave John safety glasses, wishing him luck.

"When I tab three times, move me upper. When I tab four times, move me down. Okay?"

"I know. I know. Don't worry."

Reymond pushed one of the buttons on the surface, and the machine moved John up, making many annoying noises. When it stopped, John started cleaning the dusty pieces. The engine was way more complicated for John to understand how it worked. It was called the Absorber. There were hundreds of them in the nation. They absorbed the humidity of the air and turned it into water, and also cleaned the dirty water which was in the ground. The sharp pieces of Absorbers had killed so many workers while cleaning.

John hoped that if something were to happen to him, he'd die. He couldn't bear to lose his fingers, eyes, or legs. He had been doing this job since his step-dad, David, got fired from Parliament because of alcoholism. Since they didn't want to live in the 2nd or the 3rd areas, John and his step-sister, Joan, had to work all the time. However, John's life could've been much worse if Monsires hadn't adopted him from the 3rd area. He would have been a nomad living in the hot desert, desperate for food and water. His life was like heaven compared to that.

He started rubbing the circular shapes in the Absorber. On the Founding Day, so many people in the capital would spend lots of water, so if any Absorbers stopped working, chaos would happen. John and his family also celebrated the day when David was working for the government. The other areas were forced to celebrate it, but so poorly, with no fancy food or so much clean water. If somebody didn't celebrate this day, they simply would get executed.

John tapped three times, and Reymond moved him 10 inches higher. His muscles were starting to hurt, but he ignored it. He began to work faster, but suddenly, he cut his right arm, moaning beneath his mask.

"You okay?" Reymond asked immediately.

John taps four times in a row. "Pull me down!"

"Oh my God!"

John removed the robes as soon as his feet touched the floor, cheeking himself, blood spreading all over his arm.

"For God's sake!" suddenly, his boss, Mr. Nial, shouted. "You had to injure yourself on the Founding Day!"