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The Field Trip

O
4.10.

kay let me start off by saying I never wanted to be an Atlantian. Its horrible; you can die a painful death or even get tortured into insanity by Lord Kratos! Thanks to Dioma for doing research were stuck in the life of Atlantis (sorry Im getting

ahead of the story). Hi Im Shane Hollingberry. Im a 13- year-old boy in the 7th grade, and an orphan at the Barbara Orphanage. Im also African American with short jet black hair and Im small for my age -

Today was the last day at my horrible military boarding school. I go to Santa Barbara Mission Institute and today we were going on our end of the year field trip. Alright class I want complete silence from all of you gibberish talking children, including you Tyler Maxwell, Mrs. Archer said as she was looking at all the permission slips.

Everyone hated Mrs. Archer, and I mean everyone! She was a short light-skinned woman with short dirty blonde hair and had a witchs nose. Honestly, I felt bad for Mr. Archer because usually shes a demon, but today for some unknown reason, she became the devil.

Alright come on class lets hurry before the bus leaves, she said with a croaking voice. As she got her purse, we walked through the hall and looked at the class pictures from 1935 to now. In every one, kids in the picture made a funny face until 1997 when Mrs. Archer was new to the school. The kids, at first, started to make faces, then every year they got more serious until their faces looked scared. I stopped at our class picture and saw that I was the only one making a silly face (which got me a week of detention by Mrs. Archer). Shane come on were going to miss the bus and I want to sit in the back, Dioma said pulling me to the front of the line. Dioma Yale is my only friend and Im her only friend because like me, shes an orphan. She has light skin, black long hair and she always wore some of the most random things. Alright, I just wanted to look at this picture one last time this year, I said, and then followed her to the front of the line.

We waited about ten minutes in the nice cool weather because the bus was late. Finally when the bus arrived, we hurried to the back. The whole ride there, kids were singing The Wheels on the Bus which made me pull out my iPod and turn it up so I wouldnt have to hear that horrible song again.

This year, the field trip is going in a submarine two miles off the coast and one mile underwater. I usually hated field trips, but a submarine sounded cool so I didnt act like I was sick (which I did for every other field trip) and I got my permission slip signed by the orphanage woman, Maddy Simpson.

After about twenty minutes we got to the submarine dock called Axels Sub Dock. The submarine was surfaced in the dock next to Axels shop, a small white building with a gift shop inside.

We met Axel, a small, bald, grey bearded, dark-skinned man in a wheel chair coming out of the gift shop and rolled down the ramp. Welcome everyone, Im Axel and Im going to be your tour guide today, He said with a low deep voice.

He took us inside the building and we stepped into a huge room with dark green walls and hardwood floors, with a giant window showing a terrific view of the Pacific. There were pictures of everything that has to do with the sea: a real life jacket from the Titanic, a stuffed shark, and picture of Axel holding a huge cat fish. We walked around the room (which was Axels office) and he was telling us about a great fisherman he once knew. Dioma and I were in the back of the line and she spotted a stone on Axels desk. It was a stone, not just any old stone, but a clear stone with blue misty water filled in it. We decided on not asking Axel about it, so we moved on to the submarine.

It was a huge navy blue bullet- like submarine with three windows on the side. Axel took us inside and told us about all the controls while he sealed the hatch shut. Now as we descend into the ocean youll see all sorts of fish and reefs that they live in,

We went one mile underwater and sped two miles off the coast. I got out my camera and took pictures of clown fish and Pacific seahorses.

I noticed something very strange. A group of seahorses were swimming down underwater. Not just five or seven seahorses, but 17 to 20! I was confused at what Id just seen so I asked Axel, Would seahorses swim in packs of maybe say, twenty? I asked curiously. They can swim in groups, but usually about three or five, he said. I kept looking out the window and right before I was going to turn away from the window, I saw something curiously particular. It was white and had designs on it, just sitting on a small rock reef and it looked burnt at the top. Before we floated away from it, I hurried and took a photo of it. Alright were going to be heading back to the dock so get ready to be surfaced soon, Axel said while pushing some controls. About two minutes later we surfaced at the dock and we got out one by one.

While Axel went to his office, we went to the gift shop, a small room with an ocean blue floor and a picture of a giant wave on the wall. The shop had toys, books, and maps of the Pacific Ocean. I bought the book Great Sea Legends of the World for five bucks and went out to the front for lunch.

I pulled out my horrible, poisonous, orphanage-made peanut butter sandwich and threw it away. Want my pear? I asked Dioma as she sat down next to me on the bench. Im good, but can I read your book? she asked as she looked at the Great Sea Legends. I looked at the Pacific, just waiting for three oclock so we could leave and finally go home.

After a minute or two of Dioma reading through the pages she said, That looks like the stone that we saw on Axels desk! She kept reading, It says that this stone called the Water Stone of Atlantis", can produce anything you wish for, as long as youre an Atlantian... Well Atlantis is a myth, and that stone we saw on Axels desk was probably a gift shop item. I said doubtfully. Yeah, but still it looks so real like the one in this book! She kept reading, Supposedly, the person who can control the stones power would become the ruler of Atlantis. But it says here that around the year 1623 B.C., Atlantis tried to invade the Athens, they failed and through that day and night, Atlantis sank underwater and the stone was lost for good. Lets talk about this later; now I need to think about what to do this summer. I said thinking. It was true, because at school, kids were going to Paris, Australia, Russia, everywhere! Even Dioma was going on a trip, because the girls at the orphanage are going to New York and I already know theyre going to hate it because of the horrible heat New York has in the summer. So I would be stuck at a house doing nothing, but waiting for school to start. Time flew by quickly from one to three oclock and we were ready to leave. As Axel was telling us more about his life at sea, the buses arrived and he dismissed us to leave. It was nice meeting you kids, and I hope you enjoyed the trip! He said waving. Wheres Mrs. Archer? Tyler Maxwell said out loud Yay! Shes gone missing! he said cheering.

Ill go find her. Shes probably in the gift shop Axel said as he turned around and rolled back inside the gift shop. I need some water I said to Dioma as I walked back into the gift shop also. While getting water, I looked for Axel in the shop, but saw no sign of him. I kept walking till I heard noise out of his office. It was Mrs. Archer and Axel arguing! Axel Im telling you, the boy and the girl found the stone! Mrs. Archer said I saw them as you gave the class the tour in here! Besides Axel, you need to hand in the stone to the White City Council members; theyll keep it safe, Maggie please, its not like Kratos knows about the Water Stone, so whats the harm? Axel said trying to reason with her. Kratos is in disguise! He could be anyone! Now Mrs. Archer was yelling a little louder. Alright well hes not going to know that I have the stone, so please your class is waiting, Axel said rolling to the door. I coughed on accident, and everything went silent... I ran to the bus as fast as I could, and got in my seat in the back with Dioma. Shane I was on the phone with Maddy, and she said you have a roommate, Brennan Huff, Dioma said turning her phone off. Okay, Dioma when we get to the orphanage, were going to talk more about this Atlantis stuff we read about in my book. I said worried.

We rode back to the institute and instantly I packed my clothes. My books, laptop, shirts, pants, and shoes were all packed first and then I packed everything else. As I pulled my luggage down to the front of the school, I saw Dioma and helped her with her bags. Come on Shane the shuttle is about leave, she said as we put the bags in the bus. As we got into the last shuttle bus, I took one more look at the school and thought to myself Ill be an 8th grader next year.

The ride to the orphanage was long and boring as usual. First we dropped off a couple of kids, and then we got gas. Finally Dioma and I were dropped off in front of the orphanage, a big twostory brick house with a giant TV dish antenna in the front lawn. Welcome home, I said as I got my bags out of the trunk. Welcome home, Dioma agreed. Maddy Simpson, the orphanage woman, helped us get our bags and she led us inside.

Maddy is a tall 21-year-old woman here on a part time job. She has long blonde hair and always wears yellow. She looked a lot like Britney Spears but a little taller. Hey Shane, earlier today I called Dioma and told her you have a roommate. Did she tell you? Maddy said with a high voice. Oh yeah, I remember, his names Brennan right? I asked. Yes and hes been dying to meet you, she said turning around. Brennan! Shanes here, she yelled and smiled back at us.

Im coming! Im coming! said a high voice, and coming down the staircase was a short blonde, skinny, athletic boy wearing a Padres uniform and khaki with green converse. Hi, Brennan said holding his hand out. Im Brennan. I shook his hand and introduced myself too. So, how do you like the orphanage so far? I asked Brennan as he helped carry my bags to our room. Its been great, He said as we put my bags in the closet. So whats your story? I asked him out of curiosity. What do you mean? He asked curiously. I couldnt help it, because basically everyone had a story of why theyre here at the orphanage.

I came because when I was four, my mother and father died in a car crash, and my family lived in Italy at the time so they couldnt take me. I mean like, why are you here? I asked. Oh, well I really dont know anything about my parents because I grew up in an orphanage, but I started escaping just for the fun of it, and thats when they put me in here, he said. We were in silence for a couple of minutes till I said, Dont worry, everyone here has worse stories and youll make friends here as long as you dont try to escape. I said confidently.

I went downstairs into the TV room and started watching the California news. Thanks Don! All these white clouds right here in the Pacific indicate heavy rain and to my theories, it will hit Santa Barbara in four days on Friday. Well Tim, thats the first Ive ever seen of heavy rain in Santa Barbara, and Ive lived here my whole- I shut off the TV. Then I remembered about Atlantis. I ran up to Diomas room and told her to meet me in my room. Then I ran to my room and opened up my laptop. Brennan, can you pass me my book on my bed? I asked as I logged on to my laptop. Finally after five minutes Dioma walked in and I got on a search website called TypeIt and I typed in Atlantis. Instantly I clicked on different links, while Dioma and Brennan introduced themselves. Hi Im Dioma, She said quietly as she looked in my laptop. Oh hello, Im Brennan Huff, He said coming over to shake her hand, and she took it. You guys looking at Atlantis? Howd you know? I asked curiously. Well I saw the computer screen and it said Atlantis: Myth or Fact? Yeah were just trying to do our summer homework so we can get it out of our hair, Im sorry but I had to lie. Who would say Atlantis is real and not get put in a Mental Asylum? It says here that the Atlantians used Greek columns... I paused Like the one I saw burnt on the rock reef. I said quietly.

I kept looking and saw that Atlantis was built with bronze columns but when it sank underwater, they were transformed into white columns, as a sign of distress. I tried to keep my mind off of the conversation between Mrs. Archer and Axel. Dioma I found it! I found the water stone! I yelled excitedly out loud You dont mean the Water Stone of Atlantis that had gone missing? Brennan asked curiously. Howd you know about the water stone? I asked shocked. Well I like to study about the ocean and I always read about Atlantis. Maybe I can help? he asked. Well we would like to know where Atlantis was located. I said looking through different websites. Well supposedly Atlantis was located near Greece, but most people say that it was in the Pacific, or even the Arctic Ocean. He said grabbing something from his drawer. He pulled out a big blue book called Atlantis: The Legend Never Found by Rick Skylark. What are you looking up? Dioma asked Brennan curiously. Well, the Atlantians supposedly planned to rule the Mediterranean, but once they failed the invasion of the Athens, they sank underwater through that day and through that night, He took a breath and continued The water stone had been pulled away by the currents after the emperor of Atlantis, who had the stone in his pocket at the time, drowned in his palace. Brennan read aloud.

Do you believe in Atlantis? I asked Brennan. Of course! There are so many theories of Atlantis, and Plato himself even talked about Atlantis, he replied excitedly. Okay, well Brennan, Dioma, I need to tell you something... I paused, Dioma when we were at the submarine harbor and we were already underwater, I saw something just lying on a rock reef. It was a burnt Greek column. I said. And the stone we saw on Axels desk! Dioma said. Also Dioma, when I went to go get water in the gift shop before we left, I was looking for the fountain when I heard Mrs. Archer and Axel talking about Atlantis, I took a breath. Are you telling me that you guys mightve discovered the lost city of Atlantis, Brennan asked, looking astonished. SHHH!!! Dioma and I said together. Then all was quiet like it was before. Brennan, this is a secret that I can only say with you guys, I said Now what happened was, Mrs. Archer was telling Axel that Dioma and I had seen the stone on his desk and that some man named Kratos was in disguise and he could be anyone. I said as Brennan and Dioma listened closely. Okay, heres the plan, Brennan you look in your book and jot down any information we never spoke about on a sheet of paper. Shane, go and print out some locations of Atlantis. Ill go and get ready, Dioma said.

What are you getting ready for? Brennan and I asked at the same time. Were going back to Axels of course! she said confidently. And just how are we going to get there? I asked. Im going to look up all the information on cabs in Santa Barbara and then well call a taxi and leave, And just when will we leave? Brennan asked. If all goes well, then well leave in two days...