Red Sun and the Book of Dawn: Part 1

By Neeko Jetson

The story follows the journey of four teenagers brought together by circumstance as they traverse a pre-dystopian Earth descending into chaos. The ozone has mysteriously ruptured, causing massive climate change, planetary storms and earthquakes. In addition, the sun has turned red- releasing new radiation into Earth’s atmosphere and, on top of all the unnatural disasters occurring globally, the four teenage protagonists must locate their parents- whom have gone missing along with thousands of other people from all over the world. As the teenagers begin the search for their parents, they start to uncover monumental secrets about the true history of the people on Earth. The group uncovers a connection between the new red sun and their own ancestry that gives them power in ways they would never have imagined. Initially, the teenagers are ignorant to the true potential of their newly acquired power, but, when mysterious men in black suits start abducting people and ravenous monsters begin hunting and lurking in the shadows of their city, they bond together and embrace the power, using it to fight for a truth buried deep in humanity’s skeleton closet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spines
• Release date: May 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798893831832

Book preview

*Solar Crisis*

The Millennia Solar Crisis transformed the world into an extremely unstable place to survive. The crisis, itself, represented the innate volatility of the planet and the volatility of true human nature. After two polarizing elections and a global catastrophe hit the planet consecutively, the indistinctness of the world’s ethical and moral capabilities became ever present- ever more.

       My name is Jediah Morris and I was born four years before our world’s two most infamous leaders took office- President Proud and President Glenwise. Before President Proud’s two consecutive terms, his predecessor, and our first melanated President, President Marcus Glenwise, led the free world. He also served two consecutive terms. Characteristically, they were two completely different types of leaders and this legislative opposition created a social divisiveness across the land that instigated racial tension.

     My mother would tell me that, before the sun crisis, and in the midst of President Glenwise’s campaign, melanated ones were treated much like second class citizens, as they had been for many years prior. She would speak of systematic oppressions put in place to stifle our progression. As a result, my mother told me that we had forgotten the knowledge of our true culture and heritage and that melanated ones had no welcomed or original place in the world today.

     Views on race had changed since before I was born. You were either considered Melanated or Anglo. Melanin was the word from which melanated was conjugated, but I would, eventually, learn that is was much more than that. Melanin would become one of the single most coveted things on the planet- equal to food and shelter for some. The original discovery was that melanin possessed a unique chemical composition that allowed for the neutralizing of the harmful UVC rays produced by the sun, but it’s affects were even more evolved than that.

     In the very beginning of President Proud’s second term, the planet’s ozone layer cracked and formed a hole the size of a small city. The small hole spread, gradually, over the course of two years until, eventually, only fifty percent of the planet’s protective layer remained. I remember these times vividly. They were angry, depressing, strenuous, and extremely difficult times. These times would build a new land and shape a new kind of people. 

     The cracks and holes in the atmosphere appeared suddenly, but spread at a steady pace. At first, everything seemed normal. The sun still glowed a bright golden yellowish- orange and the sky still changed from dusk to night to dawn as usual. The seasons on the western hemisphere of the planet were transitioning from summer to fall and the holiday season would soon be around the corner. Everyone was getting ready to celebrate Halloween. I was seventeen when it began.

     The average temperature for the first week in October jumped twenty degrees higher then the historical average for that same week in the past. As uncomfortable as this was, the degree change went fairly unnoticed. However, the temperature elevations that followed could not be ignored. The temperature jumped thirty degrees, that week, reaching a sweltering one- hundred degrees the entire week everywhere above the planet’s equator.

     Although the Eastern hemisphere was supposed to be experiencing pre-spring exposure to the sun, the heat that had seeped through the planet’s atmospheric rips had begun to evenly distribute itself. Some vegetation began to suffer. Many animals were in danger and tried to adapt. The equilibrium of the entire planet was destabilizing.

*Reckoning*

The first set of hurricanes were massive and came at the end of the second week in October. The storms completely annihilated most of the southern half of The United States and northern Mexico. Miami, Corpus Christi, Houston, Mississippi, Alabama, San Diego, San Francisco and most other major cities that lined the southern coasts of The United States and it’s southern borders had all been flooded or severely eroded. Millions of people were killed, lost, or had been displaced. Animal displacement was also prevalent. Animals, all over, were being found in places they shouldn’t be. The strike was so sudden that the American government could barely respond in time before the second set of hurricanes hit the other side of the world.

     The second set of storms hit the northeastern hemisphere of the planet the third week in October with as much as power as the first set. The storms decimated entire countries: France, Spain, Portugal, and Iceland were all reduced to  crumbled and mangled remnants of society and country- unrecognizable. Refugees flooded mainland European countries with incalculable impact. The entire west coast of Africa was completely eroded off. The world was devastated. The Southern Hemisphere of the planet and, all places unaffected, scrambled to help those who had been displaced. Families and loved ones all over had been disconnected.

     I can remember the panic in our household as we watched the disaster and turmoil unfold- the fear and desperation on my parent’s face as they tried to contact my grandparents and cousins and aunts. Power was out most places south of us. My parents lived in Atlanta which would turn out to be one of the better places to be. The city was far enough inland, so the storms hadn’t reached us- only the outer rings. We were also the closest and largest metropolitan city south of the Mississippi River that had remained relatively unscathed. The weather was bad but not debilitating where we were.

     It didn’t take long for the multitudes of refugees to flood our city like rain water. People were everywhere within days- children, parents, odd singles, random teenagers, elderly. Most were homeless. Some slept on street corners, in parks, or under overpasses. Others found relatives or very kind strangers that would offer assistance. The wealthy locked themselves behind automated gates. The middle class did what they could. The government set up camps and bases and had the military and its other various operations administering aide and voucher cards, but the sheer volume proved to be overwhelming for any and everyone. There was chaos, but not anarchy- yet.

     The same week the hurricanes hit Europe, on a Wednesday, my parents went out to get water, non perishables, and other supplies we might need. I stayed home and patiently waited for them to return. When they did, I listened as they approached the front door and could hear a third voice I didn’t recognize.

" Y’all really don’t understand how much this means. Y’all are the angels I prayed fa."

     When my parents entered, they did so with three faces I had never seen before. A shorter melanated woman wobbled in after my mother. She was round but not obese and she walked slightly slumped over. A red scarf wrapped her naturally puffed hair and she had a, larger than average, mole on her right cheek. The woman had a backpack on and a tote and stuffed plastic grocery bag in her hands. When she spoke, she did so with a strong southern drawl that I recognized as a New Orleans accent.

 " How you doin baby?"

" Good." I replied.

My mother introduced me to the new guests.

" Jediah, this is Ms.Price and this is her son, Phillip, and her daughter, Cheyenne."

 " Hi. " 

I replied and the siblings responded in unison.

" Hey."

 " We ran into the Prices at Kroger. They’re from New Orleans but had to evacuate here to Atlanta because of the floods and, after hearing her situation, and, since we are blessed enough to have food and shelter and power ourselves right now, we are gonna try and extend that blessing to them and help them out a little."

Ms.Price replied with gratitude.

  And, once again, we really preciate you fa openin’ yo home to us like this. I only had enough fa two nights at the hotel until Friday when the vouchers reset... so this is a blessin.

My father chimed in to reassure Ms.Price.

" Stop. It’s no problem at all. Nobody expected these storms to hit or for our sky to just open up like it did and especially not that everything would happen so quickly. Well maybe the government did, but not us regular people."

     The brother, Phillip, was taller than me by a few inches. This made him the tallest one in the house. He was athletic and sturdily built. His sister was dainty with a slight edge. Ripped up skinny jeans, and fresh make-up made her pop with an interesting appeal. They both seemed generally normal. Inside, I was curious and a little lonely and bored. I welcomed the idea of teenage company and, of course, since we only had one guest bedroom, it only made sense that Phillip and I would now be sharing a room.

" Well, Jediah, help Phillip get settled into your room. You two can pull up the extra cot from the basement if you want. Me and your mom will get Cheyenne and Ms. Price set up in the guest bedroom." My father decided.

     Phillip had a backpack on and an athletic bag clutched in his right hand. I grabbed his bag and led him upstairs to my room.

" So where y’all from? Y’all got accents... like West Indians or some shit."

 He probed.

" We do? I thought you all had the accents."

" I mean, yeah, but erybody know a Newalins accent when they hear it... but them West Indians and Caribbean’s and Africans... can’t eva tell da difference. Yo shit sound mo American though."

I let out a tiny smirk.

" My dads family is from Texas. He was born in Dallas and my mom is from Zambia, but she was raised here in Atlanta. I was born and raised here."

" Fasho. Y’all all exotic and shit. We ain’t never been no where but Newalins and Houston... back and forth... and both them gone now."

Yeah. That’s crazy. These storms are messin’ everything up. I can only imagine what those people are going through. Shit seem like it’s gon get worse befo it gets better too.

Phillip responded with a stale look.

 " They goin through the same shit we goin through."

I handed Phillip his bag, and pointed towards the closet.

True... well... atleast y’all can chill here now. Welcome to my room. Make yourself at home bro. Here... you can put your bags in the closet. We can get the cot a little later. Got the PS7X there... the new virtual simulation joint... if you into gaming.

Phillip dropped his bags by the closet and sat down on the floor against the wall.

Reviews for Red Sun and the Book of Dawn

[jb7qjdqwh6 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“Red Sun and the Book of Dawn” is a triumph of fantasy storytelling. Neeko Jetson has created a world that feels both familiar and wondrous, filled with characters that stay with you long after the last page is turned. This book is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy and anyone who enjoys a well-told story of adventure, mystery, and hope.

[antpenn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was really well written. Couldn't put it down

[ajpenn20 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book was captivating. Couldn’t put it down! Literally can’t wait for part two!

Neeko Jetson just might be one of those underground authors that you start seeing a lot more of.

[mdh45807 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book really caught my attention love it keep up the good work

[law.endymion · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting plot…. Literally never read anything quite like it. Can’t wait for part 2!