THE REJECTED TECHNOLOGY

Deadly Karisan Zuga Forest

Joe and I had just arrived home, and I was not very comfortable with Joe’s presence around me. Although I was thrilled to see him back alive, knowing fully well that Joe had spent over two years in the deadly forest, I couldn’t hide my fears seeing him around me and even being in my home.

Khan: Joe, is this you? I must be honest; I am not comfortable seeing you around me now. I need an explanation, not just any explanations; I need it to be very detailed.

Joe frowned his face, turned around, and looked at my compound. He didn’t say anything; instead, he walked straight to my door entrance, and as he approached the door, it opened by itself, and Joe walked himself into my sitting room. Things became scarier, and at that point, I knew that Joe was not an ordinary mortal again; he was now a supernatural human. I began to take some steps backward at the same time stretching my neck to see what he was doing inside my sitting room; I couldn’t see him through the windows because my curtains had covered all parts of my windows, as I kept stepping back, I felt a touch in my shoulder, as soon as I turned around, it was Joe. I was very shocked, and for that reason, I passed out, and the next thing was that I saw myself on the floor of my sitting room. “What’s happening? What’s happening?” I asked with great fear in me. “You’re okay. Safe and sound, you just passed out, and I brought you into the sitting room and revived you,” he replied. Things became even more complicated and complex; I couldn’t utter a word, and at that point, I began to fear for my life. I couldn’t do anything, nor could I run away because Joe had the new powers to think faster and act ahead of people.

Joe and I did not talk throughout the night again; we were both silent, I couldn’t sleep because I was so afraid; Joe had also refused to sleep for reasons best known to him alone, we both stayed awake until the following morning when he walked into the sitting room to meet me.

Joe: Good morning; how was your night?

Khan: Not okay, as you can see. Do you expect my night to be okay after all you made me pass through yesterday? I was just an inch closer to death.

Death? Joe asked with big laughter, “I can’t hurt you, and you know that.” I sat down calmly and requested him to join me on the couch to have some friendly conversation; Joe obliged my request as he sat down beside me, and we began talking.

Khan: Tell me everything I need to know, Joe. You have changed a lot; you are not an ordinary person anymore.

Joe: I can’t tell you everything now, but I can brief you on some things. What exactly do you want to know?

Khan: Tell me about Karisan Zuga forest. How did you survive it?

“Karisan Zuga forest?” Joe asked as he shook his head slowly. “No one hears the full story about Karisan Zuga forest and lives to see the next day, so if you want me to tell you about the forest, you need to be fully fortified; otherwise, you may die within 24 hours”. I became afraid, but I still wanted to know about the dangerous forest, that was my only opportunity to understand what the forest entails as no one had ever heard the whole story about the forest because those that went there never made it back alive, so no one has the complete knowledge about what the forest is all about, the only thing everyone knows is that the forest is dangerous. No living thing ever goes in and comes out alive. Here I am with a living being who has gone into the forest and not only made it out alive but came out stronger.

After about 10 minutes of staring at each other without any word from either of us, I asked him, “Fortification? Do you mean rituals?” I asked out of surprise. Joe responded, “To be fully fortified, you must offer some rituals,” at that point, I realized that I had gotten myself into a severe mess, I shouldn’t have requested Joe to tell me anything about the deadly forest, now I must get my hands dirty to know about the forest. I wasn’t interested to know about the forest anymore, and before I could tell Joe this, he had already stood up and screamed, “No way! There’s no going back. I’m sorry to tell you this, sir. The Queen of Karisan Zuga forest had instructed that the first person I speak with after getting out of the forest must be told everything I passed through in the forest; otherwise, the person will die slowly until He is completely killed. As it stands now, you are the first person I spoke with” I immediately stood up and was speechless for a while; tears rolled down my eyes, and I said to Joe, “How could you do this to me? So, you planned this all along? Do you want to put me into your dirty games? What have I done wrong to you, Joe? Why me?” I cried bitterly as I never wanted to have anything to do with that deadly forest; all I wanted was to know what the forest was all about; now, I have two options, which may lead to my death. If I refuse him to tell me about the forest, I will die; if I agree to listen, I need to be fortified, and to be fortified, I must visit the deadly forest of which I am not sure I can make it back alive. I became baffled and helpless; both options I have will lead to my death, so deciding which option I should go for is more like asking me which death option I choose.