The Solution

By C. J. Rysen

Without ever even handling a gun in your life, imagine if you are ordered to execute an innocent person or you will be tortured and killed, all to happen on stage in front of thousands? But then it gets worse. You're told if you fail to kill him, then your closest friend, your brother, will be mandated to kill both you and him. And if he fails, then all three of you will be similarly tortured and killed. Will you be willing to make him responsible for making that decision...because you failed?

In other words, if you fail to kill the innocent person, he will still die anyway, but then other people will also die, and you will be accountable. But then it gets even worse. Much worse. Is there any possibility of escape from this dilemma?

The Solution is a spellbinding tale, with riveting adventure that confronts racism head-on. This third book by C. J, Rysen, author of In the Course of Three Hours, an apocalyptic thriller (www.inthecourseofthreehours.com), and coauthor of Convinced? Decisive Answers to the 21 Most Challenging Questions, results in a solution that is the only way to solve what has become the most repulsive challenge of all mankind.

Javan and Christopher - One is a well-educated successful Christian businessman. The other grew up in the 'hood", is a drug addict, and atheist. But unforeseen bizarre circumstances (out of their control)

thrusts them together on an unexpected journey. They encounter the most stressful yet also the most rewarding experiences imaginable ... all while being chased by a mob intent on killing both of them! One who has experience surviving in the wild and the other having never been outside the inner city undergo adventures and exploits while on an unplanned three-day float trip together through the wilderness, encountering bears, Sasquatch, UFOs, and unexplained paranormal phenomena. The story is quite intense and culminates in an unexpected ending that will leave the reader entranced with a solution that applies to everyone on the face of our planet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887511733

Book preview

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The Solution

C. J. Rysen

ISBN 979-8-88751-172-6 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88751-174-0 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88751-173-3 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by C. J. Rysen

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Part 2

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Iwant to express my sincere appreciation to all those who have supported this story and who have given me the inspiration to write it. First, my wife, Sandy, who has stood by my side and who helped edit the story. Second, to Dan Manternach, coauthor of Convinced? Decisive Answers to the 21 Most Challenging Questions , who is the contributing editor of this book. Third, to our pastor Andrew, who provided inspiration and ideas through his sermons. Fourth, to the other members of our weekly Bible study group who provided thoughts and additional support, including Dan, Mike, Scott, Gary, Steve, and especially Mark, who contributed in producing the graphic art design of this book's cover. However, the most thanks and highest of gratitude is extended to our God and our Savior in Christ who provided the guidance to me in writing it.

Finally, I'd like to add, as I was in the last stages of completing this book, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, could not tolerate the chemo treatments, had Whipple surgery, and was limited in what I could do. Although I was able to recover after a lengthy period, at the time of this writing, I have learned that the cancer has returned and metastasized to stage 4. That is obviously not good news, and I sincerely thank everyone who has supported me and whom through the grace of Christ fed by your prayers made it possible for me to complete the book and to meet these challenges through my faith.

I hope and pray for everyone, for everybody of every skin color, of every people group, that they all find the inspiration from this book to share it with others. The solution, as eventually explained in the story, will make our world a far better place. However, more importantly, the solution will provide the astoundingly superlative bonus rewards, also outlined in this book that are available to and that apply freely to everybody on the face of our planet.

Introduction

(Must Read)

The story you are about to read may be very controversial to some readers. The subject matter may be sensitive; however, the story intends to deliver a message that is positive and constructive in all aspects to all people and is not intended to be derogatory to anyone. If you, as the reader, find any part of this book offensive, the author sincerely apologizes and again does not intend for it to be derisive or provocative in any manner. The story does, however, weave an important message that goes to the roots of divisiveness in our present culture.

Please keep in mind that the story itself is about the central characters in the book and is not about their ethnicity. The nature and personalities of the characters in the book do not represent their race or ethnic background as it pertains to the actual intended story line. For example, when the story focuses on the violent and destructive nature of certain people, it does just that and does not exemplify the overall nature or culture of the particular race or ethnic class. In fact, for all practical purposes, any race or ethnic or cultural background referenced may be transposed, and the morals of the story remain unchanged. However, the ending of this story does intend to apply to all people of all races and all ethnic backgrounds. The author strongly suggests that the reader attempt not to misconstrue these intentions, whether it be inadvertently or deliberately.

Also, in order to better understand this story line, please note that similar to the author's first book, In the Course of Three Hours, this book has been strategically written in several ways as follows:

First, the story contains well over a hundred hidden meanings, symbolisms, clues, and hints that point the way to the ending of the story as well as represent ideologies, doctrines, and other items of all facets that may be of interest to anyone who notices them. Some of these are very obvious, some not so much, and some are so subtle they may require an extra effort or even some degree of research to ascertain them and understand what they mean and their purpose in the story. In fact, there are well more than a dozen of these either portrayed or hidden on the cover of this book! However, it is not necessary or required for the reader to look for or identify any of these in order to enjoy the story; however, they are there for anyone who may be interested.

Second, also similar to the author's first book, In the Course of Three Hours, this story may be read at two different levels. The book may simply be read as an enjoyable story for entertainment and enlightenment. Reading this book in this manner does not require the identification of the numerous hidden meanings, symbolisms, clues, and hints in order to enjoy the story.

However, this story may also be read at a much higher level, wherein discovery of and understanding the abstract elements, including the hidden meanings, symbolisms, clues, and hints in addition to some obscure subplots, will result in a higher level of appreciation and discernment, including ascertaining a hidden narrative. Most readers will not discover the abstract reasoning and intangible aspects of the story, or if they do, they may not understand it, nor this hidden narrative; however, it is there for anyone who desires to attempt to read the story at a more sophisticated level.

It is also extremely important to recognize that there are events and dialogues from the very beginning of the story and throughout that will play an important role at the end of the book. It will be easy to forget some of these as they may appear to be insignificant or of no real consequence during the reading of the story. However, when the reader does remember them and is able to connect the dots, so to speak, and understand how they interplay with subsequent events and dialogues, especially at the end of the book, the reader will be able to enjoy the story much more and will be able to decipher the more abstract aspects of the book, which will also help in comprehending the story at the aforementioned higher level of reading.

This book may also be an informative educational tool or study guide as it may be used to solicit answers to interesting questions. For example: Does the devil or his demons appear in the story? If so, where in the story and how many times? In what forms? Does an angel appear in the story? If so, where in the story and how many times? If so, what does the angel do? Does anybody in the story cry? If so, who? Did anyone cry unexpectedly that surprised you?

The story has a surprise ending and is generally unexpected in multiple ways. Were you surprised how the story ends, or were you able to predict it? If so, at what point in the story were you able to figure it out? Perhaps a most interesting question would be, is anybody's life saved in the story or not? If not, then what is the reason why? But if so, who saved who and how was it done? These questions alone could solicit a wealth of endless discussion.

As there are multiple twists and turns, especially at the end of the story, which ones surprised you, and which ones did not? Why? These are only a few examples of questions wherein the study of these developments can result in interesting observations and discussions. Some of these involve the more abstract elements of the story; however, many of them do not and can be easily determined.

Regardless of how the reader reads the book, the author hopes and prays that it will be enjoyable and that the ultimate message is understood for the merits that are intended to apply to everybody.

Part 1

Chapter 1

Run, White, Run!

As I run as fast as I can, I can hear gunshots, people screaming, an incredibly deafening noise coming from every direction, and I see fires erupting all around me. Stores are being looted along both sides of the street, and people are running everywhere. There is total pandemonium and complete chaos. I then realize I have unknowingly encountered an anarchist mob of protesters numbering into at least several hundred while casually walking down the street downtown.

All I'm out to do is get a few more supplies for my overnight fishing and camping trip I had planned for tomorrow. But now as I run by the stores, each is being bombarded with firebombs hurled by the mob. The scene is utter mayhem and violence at its worst. The mob consists of mostly African Americans sporting all sorts of logos on their hoodies and caps. I recognize many as Antifa and some BLM and a few representing NBPP and NFAC. Well, I'm aware of what some of these are, but the number of them and the crowd is overwhelming. I have heard that such violence was springing up across America, but why in this small town?

And where are the police? No sight of them anywhere. I hear police departments are being defunded in certain cities across America, but here? Even if they were here, they'd be overmatched by this crowd and would be putting themselves in mortal danger. I assume they are not staffed and/or don't want to get involved fearing for their own safety.

Well, this is clearly a protest march and, as I wonder exactly what they are protesting, I hear a loud voice over a megaphone that drowns out all other noise for a few seconds: "White privilege must pay the price. We need a sacrifice. Maybe they pay several prices, maybe we need more sacrifices."

Suddenly, I realize I'm not dressed like they are and become scared to death. I imagine they may view me as a lone White person among a sea of dark, and I decide to duck behind some dumpsters and assume I'm hidden…at least for a while. If that wasn't enough to scare the daylights out of me, what I hear next has me instantly shaken to the core: That dude dressed in jeans and the fishin' shirt and the fishin' hat…let's get him! He looks like he's White. He'd be the perfect sacrifice. He went that a way. They point in my direction.

I know that's me. But why me? Perhaps because I'm wearing a wide-brimmed bucket fishing hat and a shirt with a big fish on the front and back of it.

But then it gets worse as I hear what sounds like the entire mob start screaming and chanting, Yeah, let's kill him! White privilege must pay the price. The fishin' dude's our sacrifice.

If I didn't think it could get any worse, it does. As the violence and uproar increase, I hear another voice yell out, I know who he is, I know who he is, and I know where he lives.

As the voice screams out my name, I become absolutely petrified and realize that I likely only have a few more minutes to live. Gunfire is still breaking out everywhere. How do they know my name and where I live? My guess is that this is a small town where nothing goes unnoticed, and perhaps a store clerk recognized me or something. But I realize it is done, and my life is at stake this very minute and beyond if I ever survive this ordeal.

Somehow, I manage to run ahead of the mob. I realize they'll soon catch up and find me, and so at the first opportunity before they round the corner, I quickly jump up and climb into a dumpster and close the lid. How utterly disgusting. The garbage and trash are up to my chin, and the stench is so bad that I want to puke. But if that isn't enough, hundreds of flies are attacking and biting me as if I'm their ultimate feast of the month. And then something brushes against my neck and tries to crawl down my shirt. As I imagined, I am also accompanied by rats. I quickly dispense of the critter by instinctively brushing it away and doing a shake-and-bake dance for a good minute.

But more importantly, even though it is pitch-black and dark as could be in the dumpster, I figure I'm safe for the time being. I get myself into a more comfortable position, cover my face and hands with what seems like newspaper, and lie there in absolute silence, trying to hear what's going on outside.

While lying there, waiting for another possible rat encounter, I briefly recall the events of the day. Although I live in a major city in the Midwest, I have come up to this town to close on the sale of a condo that our family owned that we used for summer vacations. The town is on the outskirts of a much larger city along some mountains near the Canadian border and is along a river which has tributaries downstream that are among my favorite fly-fishing places anywhere.

We decided to sell the condo since my father recently bought a summer country cabin on the river which is more convenient as a home base for our fishing expeditions for trout and salmon. My father is away on business but expects to conclude those meetings in a few days and then meet me up here to help with the closing and then to do some fishing together for several days. I had just arrived in town and got settled in and thought I'd scout out the river system before he arrives.

I realized the stores in town were going to close soon, and I wanted to get a few last-minute supplies before it got too late. I planned to float the river and fish the tributaries over the next few days and had previously parked my car at one of the take-out places further downstream from the cabin. Then I remember, I have a wife and two very young children at home whose last words when I left were Stay safe, you never know what might happen. ABCATT. They reminded me. That is an acronym I taught my children, Always be Careful All the Time. I think, Uh-huh…how appropriate.

I was casually minding my own business, simply walking down the street, when they suddenly came out of nowhere! I'm in a dilemma of the sort that any ABCATT can't help me with at this point. I am scared to death and begin shaking as I hear the crowd pass by, all hollering out my name and We's a gonna get you, no matter where you fled, wherever you hidin'. You as good as dead!

As I hear part of the mob stop and surround my dumpster, I wonder, What am I going to do? What's going to happen to me? But as I contemplate the situation, I didn't know that another person was also being chased across the street. I lie there as still as I can, holding my breath, which is not that hard when buried in such filthy stinking muck. Then I hear gunshots riddle the dumpster and ricochet everywhere.

Chapter 2

Run, Black, Run!

As I run as fast as I can, side by side with everyone else, I can hear gunshots, people screaming, an incredibly deafening noise coming from every direction, and I see fires erupting all around me. I also see people running and carrying all sorts of things out of stores. I then realize I'm part of a movement that I don't think anybody can stop. I really wasn't planning on being here but was sort of thrown into the mix after visiting with some old friends in town who dragged me into this. I was invited to a get-together that was a pre-march party that I didn't know about and just had the high of my life and felt more than good, but part of that good feeling was just being around my kind with a full-blown purpose. I'll be twenty-one years old as my birthday is next week, but those at the party were mostly older than me, with many in their later twenties and several older than that, but that doesn't matter. We all have one thing in common.

This group has a passion for violence against what they believe to be White privilege and White supremacy. They view all Whites as privileged and oppressive no matter who they are, no matter what they do, no matter how much they've worked, and no matter what type of actual relationship they have with minorities. They also feel discriminated against in every fashion, whether true or not, and they are out to kill them for revenge. I'm not even sure what organization they belong to but believe it to be a new secret group that is well organized and recruiting new members all over the country. I understand them to be separate from Antifa and BLM, although the group has all sorts of members including some of them.

I don't know anything about this group, but I want to find out. And now, after living a life without ever doing much of anything for almost twenty-one years, I finally feel worthwhile, and it didn't take me long to fit right in. I look down and admire the black hoodie that the group gave me to wear instead of the knit shirt I had on. I also admire the semiautomatic tucked in my belt that they gave to me at the party before we left for the protest march. Suddenly, I felt a sense of great pride and that I had been granted some sort of power that I should have had my entire life.

But then things turn from interesting to an uh-oh to a what? and then to the most frightening experience I've ever had.

First, I hear a loud voice over a megaphone that drowns out all other noise for a few seconds: White privilege must pay the price. We need a sacrifice. That dude dressed in jeans and the fishin' shirt and hat…let's get him! He went that way!

Well, that's interesting, I think. I wanna see how this is all gonna shake out.

Then I hear my name barked out, and I'm told that to be initiated into the group, I have been assigned to kill this guy. Uh-oh. Although I have been around guns most of my entire life, I have never really fired one, and I certainly have never shot anybody.

But then it gets worse…a lot worse. The leaders of the march approach me and tell me they've put the responsibility of killing the White dude on me, and if I fail and don't kill him, they will kill me. What?

I quickly learn that they want to see how much devotion I have to their cause. If I don't obey them, they will torture and kill me so others can learn a lesson as to what happens if one bails out and is not loyal to them.

Well, I was not planning on any of this at all and become frightened. I'm immediately confused. It's all happening so fast. As the chaos continues around me, I find myself briefly running apart from the others, and my head is spinning trying to figure this all out. Part of me says, Whoa, not so fast. The other part of me says, Go for it. You are part of all of them. Go ahead and kill the dude. It's like the angel and the devil sitting on my shoulders.

What a supreme bummer this is as I'm peaking from an extreme high from whatever it was that they gave to me at the party. In an effort to buy some time to gather my thoughts, I duck behind some dumpsters to try to hide from everyone. There are dumpsters in the alleys at the opposite sides of the street, and as the crowd crosses the street and mingles among those across the way, apparently looking for who they believe to be the White dude, I'm able to quickly hide behind these dumpsters on this side of the street. I know they are all looking for him…but I know they now are also looking for me. I know they all wanna see me do it. And I think I can do it. If I don't, I'm a dead man. But for now, nobody knows I'm here…I think.

Chapter 3

Javãn and Christopher

After several minutes, which seems like eternity, the crowd moves about a block up the street, but they can still be heard yelling and screaming: Where are you, Christopher? Christopher, where'd you go? Chris, come out wherever you are. Hey, hey, hey Javãn, we's coming for you too! Where are you?

Then another voice is heard, Maybe they's hiding at the dumpsters. They start to look around the dumpsters a block away. Then silence.

Both Javãn and Christopher separately peek out at the crowd down the street and realize this is their chance to escape. Javãn decides he can't stay any longer and makes a run for it down an alley. Christopher comes to the same conclusion and runs across the street and down another alley. He turns around when he arrives at the intersection of the alley and street and comes face-to-face with Javãn. They are about ten feet from each other and all alone.

Both stare at each other for a good ten seconds, and neither makes a move. It now is dark, but the shiny metal of the gun glows in the streetlight and can be seen as it's removed from the belt and pointed directly between the eyes underneath the brim of a fishing hat. But before he can shoot him, the crowd spots them and runs toward them at full speed. Both Javãn and Christopher are instantly surprised and take off running in the same direction, running through alleys, behind and around buildings, and finally coming to a spot behind some parked cars away from the mob.

Then voices are heard from the crowd, yelling, Did you see that? Did you see that? They's runnin' away together! He's supposed to shoot him, and he didn't. They's helping each other! Other voices follow screaming at the top of their lungs, Javãn, you are a dead man. You hear me? Christopher, you get your sorry @$$ out here so we can see you. You both are gonna die, you mother #^&%*?$!

Both Javãn and Christopher are out of breath and hunched down behind the parked cars. They continue to stare each other down. This is the first time they had ever met, and neither knew of the other. But again the stillness is broken by the sight of the gun rising in the air from the belt.

Again they are spotted, and they both take off running away from the mob in the only direction they can which is across a field full of high weeds and toward the woods and the river. After about a half an hour, panting and hardly able to stand up anymore, they both collapse behind a clump of trees out of sight. But the gun is still in a hard grip.

A whisper breaks the silence, You know, man, I have to kill you.

Why?

Because if I don't, they'll kill me.

Well, if you think God wants you to shoot me, go ahead and do it.

What?

The gun is again aimed dead on right between the eyes.

I said…if you think God wants you to kill me, then go ahead and do it.

What does God have to do with this?

Everything that is important to you.

Hey, man, there is no God. There's just me and you. And if I don't do it, I'm a dead man. Hey, lift your hat up and take off that scarf around your face and neck. I want to take a good look at you.

As he begins to remove his scarf, and they begin somewhat of a brief dialogue about the philosophical element of the moment, they are surprised by part of the mob looking for them and hear gunshots aimed in their direction. Both Javãn and Christopher have caught their breath, jump up, and instinctively run again, together, deeper into the woods, finally stopping at the edge of the river. The mob knows the general direction they ran and scatter about looking for them. They are perhaps only a few minutes ahead of the mob.

When they stop, the gun once again makes an appearance and once again is aimed three inches underneath the brim of his hat. There is dead silence, each other's eyes fixed upon the other's. The hoot of a great horned owl in a tree above them makes him jump, and he almost loses his grip on the gun. Then they both hear the howl of a pack of wolves not far away. They also hear the mob coming after them, with flashlights scanning the field and the woods.

Chapter 4

River Time

Y ou know, my father owns a summer cabin just down the river, and he has a boat hidden along the bank just a few feet from the water. Nobody knows about it except for me. We can get away from them in the boat and float down the river.

Really, man? Now why would I want to do that with you? Me get in a boat with you and float down this river with you in absolute darkness? I'm supposed to do you in!

Then go ahead and do it.

Not now.

Why not?

Brief silence.

Why don't you go with me? The cabin and boat are not that far away. I think that is the only way to escape. That's where I'm headed. You can join me if you want or you can kill me now or deal with them when they get here or perhaps be a wolf dinner. Even if you kill me now, how do you know they won't kill you anyway because you didn't do it before when you had your chance? You heard what they were screaming, didn't you? It's totally up to you.

Silence and total stillness fill the air. Then as we hear the mob running toward us only several hundred yards away, I begin walking briskly but silently in the dark along a path by the riverbank, and he reluctantly follows several steps behind. After about a half an hour, we reach the vacant cabin and boat. He stands at the boat, and I run quickly up to the cabin to get some camping and fishing supplies. We can still hear the mob in the distance following us, but because it's dark, we know we can't be seen.

As I run up to the cabin, I hear him mumble, What am I doing? I could take the boat myself and leave him here.

But he realizes that this is the first time in his life he has been out of the city and in the countryside, and after hearing the eerie sounds of the canine howls growing much nearer and hearing the other night sounds of the forest, he becomes afraid for his life. He then steps right into the middle of a giant spiderweb and immediately does a quick dance with some moves even he didn't know he had. Then he's scared by me coming up behind him, and he jumps again.

What are you doing jumping around like that? Here, take this stuff and put it in the boat. I've got a small folded-up tent, a sleeping bag, some camping supplies, an extra blanket, flashlights, and a few other things. I'm going back to get some fishing equipment and some other stuff. Make sure everything is in the boat before I get back.

In a very short time, I return with fishing rods and reels, nets, waders, and a few other items.

"Hey, I told you to put everything in the boat. Don't just stand there doing nothing. We've got to go. I hear them coming, and they're getting closer. But I think I have enough time to go back to the cabin to get one more thing. There's a marine battery that I know is already charged which we can use for the electric trolling motor. The motor is already