Kenor, The Independent Country

PART ONE

“Life in Kenor is very different from the life outside, as if Kenor is another planet independent of the other nations. Kenor is divided into two parts: the base life in which it finds corruption, poverty and freedom to do what you want, and the higher life in which it finds peace and development, but its citizens are devoid of their freedom. Some of them are afraid of it, while others wonder how its people live in such harsh conditions. These are legends that speak of the Kenor, but it is difficult to find this country as if it was from a wild fantasy of a small child.”

My mother’s voice interrupted me, and she said, “My son, what you say does not give any sense! It's all from your imagination, Khalaf, Stop wasting your time and go pack your bags, your trip will be off soon.”

I answered her, saying: “Believe me, mother, that I am telling you the truth! And why would I lie to you?!”

“May God guide you to the straight path, O Khalaf. Come on, you don't have enough time to get to the airport.”

“I got up angry from where I was… why doesn’t anyone believe me?! , I decided at the time to find the state of Kenor to prove the validity of its existence. I arranged my bag, and said goodbye to my mother. On my way to the airport, I began to feel anxious and afraid, as I suffer from a phobia from high places , but I insisted on traveling keeping on my mind that I am only just sick with phobia and that bad nothing will happen me.”

“While the plane was flying I was ready to take my phobia pills, My fear just vanished once I took the pills, I felt like as if I am someone else. The pilot started to greet us on the plane and that the plane would be flying in a few seconds. When the plane began to fly, I looked out the window, the clouds were racing with each other, an hour passed while we were on the plane, and the thing I was afraid of happening has started to happen as I listen to the pilot’s instructions, I can hear in his voice the intense fear as if he was unable to control the problem, Suddenly he started yelling in gibberish, I froze in my place and started hearing people's heartbeats getting faster."

“We need help!!! Plane number VXZ10, the plane will crash!!” - Pilot’s last words

PART TWO

“My head hurts — oh where am I?!”

I started feeling my bones crack, I looked around until I realized that I was in a cave with a woman next to me who praised and thanked her Lord, with herbs in her hands.

“Oh, thank God for your safety. Are you okay?? Tell me what hurts you and I will try my best to treat you.”

“My bones are breaking, it hurts so much, I feel like I have been cut into pieces.”

She proceeded to ask me a question that filled me with joy no matter how hurt I am right now, “Tell me, are you an upper or lower Kenor?”

“Kenor?!” I replied curiously.

“I’ll assume you’re not from there, but where did you come from?” I got up, as I felt pain from all my sides, and asked her. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Rouda, and you?”

“I’m Khalaf from Saudi Arabia and I came to find Kenor, so can you tell me where is it found?”

“Saudi Arabia? But how do you know about Kenor? It is a semi-fictional area that no outsider knows about!”

“No one believes me when I tell them about it because it is just —”

She interrupted me, “Legend, Kenor is a region where there is no justice.”

“I want to go to Kenor, I will do anything you ask for! I have to prove its existence.”

Rouda replied, with signs of tension on her face, “But I —”

“But what?!”

“Kenor is an unjust country where there is no mercy… and life there is hard.”

I replied, “I want to prove its existence so I can help to free it from this injustice .”

“But we will put ourselves into a lot of danger.”

“Okay, just show me the way to Kenor then.”

“Khalaf, you are very tired right now, you should relax. After you recover, I will show you the way to Kenor, Okay?”

“Okay…”

Weeks passed and the news of the plane crash has spread around Saudi Arabia, as Khalaf’s death reached his mother, her heart started breaking down crying over her only beloved son, as she wishes to turn back time to bring her son home.

“I can’t believe that the last conversation we had was about a mythical place that has no place.”

“Are you still willing to go to Kenor?” Rouda asked nervously.

I shook my head yes, I began to hear some type of fear in her voice, “Okay—we’ll go first to the Lower Kenor, then slip our way to Upper Kenor, but on one condition.”

“And what is your condition?”

“If they caught me in Kenor, then you must find your way out, and do not try to help me in any way, basically just forget that you have met me.”

“But why?”

“This is only my condition, and if you do not agree to it, I will not help you.”

“Whatever you want, Rouda” Khalaf replied.

“We will go tonight to Kenor then.”

PART THREE

Hours passed and as we made our way to Kenor, as the silence separated me from Rouda , until I broke it, asking, “Rouda?” May I ask you a question?”

“Say what is in your heart.”

“Why do you live in a cave? Why didn’t you try to travel to countries abroad?”

“I have escaped from Kenor, it was very difficult for me to do so , as I am not educated about life abroad and I have no recent maps.”

“Do you mind if you tell me about the life in Kenor?”

“I can’t, I don’t remember anything from my past life in Kenor, the only thing I remember is that I hated that place from the bottom of my heart, —here we finally reached the lower Kenor.”

“But why is it so sophisticated like this?”

“This is nothing compared to Upper Kenor, the lower Kenor has deteriorated, they are using old technology that were used before in Upper Kenor. Now wait for me here until I find a place for us to eat.”

While she left the place, I began to look around the life of the lower Kenor, they live as if they are a one family, by then the place got dark and the moonlight began to shine, I heard the sound of Rouda she was calling.

“Oh Khaalf! I found a safe area for us to stay the night in, and look I found a camera too, its going to help you to prove the existence of this town!"

I ran towards her wondering why did she get me a camera, I didn't ask for one… the day has passed safely, I woke up and started to take pictures of the robots and flying machines. Life is strange here, but it is only the beginning. The residents of the lower Kenor has told me that life in the upper level is beautiful, but there is no complete freedom in it, everyone here has chosen to leave the upper Kenora, or have found a way to escape it to leave in somewhat peace.

"Let me tell you something about Upper Kenor.” As Rouda gently tapped my arms.

I replied, “Say what you want.”

“Upper Kenor has a high security, so it is difficult to get out or enter it, but fortunately I know someone from the security guards who will let us in easily .”

“But how do you know that he is on our side?” I questioned her “Because he is a friend of mine for a long time, he knows the place well as he knows his name”

“So when will we go to the upper level?”

She answered me nervously, “Tomorrow and from there the adventure will end and each of us will go his own way.”

“Don’t you want to live abroad? Life inside the cave is not interesting.”

“No.” She answered me calmly.

“Well, I respect your point of view, but why?” I answered her with confidence.

“Because that cave is my home, I lived in it for 9 years with an old woman I didn’t know until she passed away - may God have mercy on her, as this cave contains many memories that I cannot leave behind . Listen to me Khalaf, it’s getting late, you have to sleep.”

It was hard for me to fall asleep so I decided to walk around the streets, I noticed that there were phones around the city, so I tried to call my mother.

“Hello?”

“Mom!! I missed you so much!!”

“Is that you, Khalaf?! Son are you really still alive!!”

“Yes, mother! And I'm in Kenor!!”

“My son, forget these legends and please come back home.”

“I will return, with evidence of Kenor, so that you will believe me for the first time!

- hello? ” The line has been cut.

The next day the adventure to the upper Kenor has started, it was going to be short but a interesting one.

“Let’s go Khalaf. We must hurry to get there on time.”

Here we are at Upper Kenor, words fail to describe the place. The degree of development here is imaginary. We sneaked our way inside with the help of Ahmed the security guard. As we were walking quietly around Upper Kenor, Ahmed broke the silence by asking about Rouda.

“I haven’t seen you for a long time, Rouda, so where were you hiding ?” Ahmed asked.

Rouda did not respond to him, so he continued his talk by saying, “The residents of Kenor believed that you are among the dead. If you seen your father’s grief over you, you will not believe that he is the same cruel person.”

At the same moment, Rouda stopped, recalling her old memory, saying, “Dad?” She remembered her old life in Kenor and how her father was cruel to the people of his country. So he continued his dialogue, “Yes, your father! After the news of your death spread, your father changed as if he was the other person! After couple of months they will unite upper and lower Kenor to find peace in this country,”

Rouda jumped out of her place, “Take me to my father! I must talk to him, and you, Khalaf, continue on your way and tomorrow, you will return to your country in peace.”

But I insisted that I go with her to meet her father. Ahmed then went his way to go make a call to inform the head of state about the news Rouda still being alive and that she is in the country right now. Rouda sat under a tree to lay off for a few seconds.

“You are the daughter of President Kenor!, the president of a very developed country! Why would YOU be living in a cave from any other places?” Khalaf said in shock.

“I told you that my father is not fair around people, so I used to see corruption in Kenor. Believe me, life was different before I fled this country.” Rawda answered him calmly.

Ahmed came back while he was running, repeating the name of Rouda, “Your father is waiting for you in the upper section! He can’t believe that you are still alive! Let's go." "

"Rouda?! My daughter!!” The president shouted to his daughter. “Where did you disappear in all of these 9 years?! I missed you a lot!”

“Dad… honestly, I tried to run away from you.”

The father was shocked, wondering why, “Have I treated you badly?” He asked.

“No, but you have treated the residents of Kenor badly, and I could not stand living here!”

The father stood silent and began to apologize, “I know that I was not a fair person among my people, but I will change for you and for the future of this country Rouda, your escape from Kenor has changed me for the better - I saw your plan for Kenor's state after my death and I was touched by it... Kenor needs you Rouda, so don't run away again please stay for us". Tears began to fall from the father's eyes.

“Don’t be afraid, father. I will help you from now on and we will make this country one of the best”

The situation affected me a lot. Whatever happened, the family will remain strong.

“And from where are you from son? Upper or Lower Kenor? ” asked President Khalaf.

“I am not from here, I am from outside,”

The president asked, “so what are you doing here? And from where did you enter Kenor?!”

Rouda explained to her father what happened to Khalaf, and he decided to help Khalaf to return to his country safely. Life does not stop at anyone, discover its beauty and do not be afraid of any adventure that comes.