Ch. 7
D o n ' t G o . . .
The Shepherd's journal...
A legendary book that is said to be found somewhere within Iceland-a book that could pinpoint the location of the lost city of Atlantis.
It was unbelievable at first, a whole island inhabited by an enhanced civilization and technology that somehow completely vanished from the planet and to the bottom of the sea. However, my disbelief began to fade away after listening to Thaddeus Thatch's research and theories about the mysterious island. Thatch was a very close friend of Mr. Whitmore's. The two of them had complete faith in the vanished island and plans of finding it someday. Unfortunately, to accomplish that, you must retrieve the Shepherd's journal. Whitmore sent a crew of professionals to find the book and bring it back and among the crew will be Helga Sinclair. I didn't approve of her risking her life for a book, but she managed to arrive home safely, with the exception of a small bruise on her arm but nothing serious.
After Thaddeus Thatch passed away, Whitmore intended to fulfill his comrade's dreams of discovering Atlantis. Somehow, I had a strange feeling deep inside me that something was going to happen. Something horrible.
Several times already, I have asked Helga not to attend the voyage and each time I have received the same answer: "Nothing will happen."
This was the day right before the journey. Helga had packed up for the trip and was scanning through the files of the crew members. The same assembly of people will be joining her except Thaddeus Thatch and Manuel Ramirez. Instead, Thatch's grandson and Ramirez's 18-year-old daughter were going to take their place. How a teenaged girl managed to take part in such a dangerous mission astounded me.
That night, as Helga was getting ready to sleep for the night, I stood by the doorway. "Must you really do this?"
"There isn't exactly a choice. I have to," she responded.
"It's the money, isn't it?"
Exhausted, she ignored my question and told me to go to bed. I didn't mean to annoy her, I was just worried...
With my mind drowning in fear and concern, I could hardly sleep. Biting my lower lip, I clutched onto my pillow with my trembling hand. The feeling was intense; I knew something was going to happen. Attempting to close my eyes and drift off the sleep, visions began fluttering in my eyelids.
First, appeared a gorgeous paradise, a paradise surrounded by glistening crystal waters and drenched by natural beauty. Atlantis? It had to be... Suddenly, the sky became dark and the sound of maniacal laughter stuck through the air. For some reason, I felt like was falling...
Terrified, I opened my eyes-what was this vision telling me exactly? I couldn't understand.
Why did Helga have to go?
The next day, while Whitmore and Helga went over some paperwork in his office, I snuck into the martial arts training room in his mansion. This room and the fighting equipment brought back memories of Helga and I.
Curious to see to I still had the skill, I began performing the moves Helga spent 3 weeks teaching me. Surprisingly, I was pretty good at it despite the fact that it has been years since I've practiced. I jumped up and attempted to high-kick the large kicking sack. Without success, I bounced off and landed in someone's arms.
"H-Helga?? When did you--?"
"5 minutes ago. I see how still haven't mastered that kick yet," she chuckled. "I thought I'd find you here. Listen, I have to drop by Milo Thatch's apartment in a minute. Can you stay with Whitmore for a while?"
I nodded.
Questions raced across my mind. Will she be okay? Are there strange diseases lurking in Atlantis? Was it even real?
After Milo accepted to become a part of the expedition, we gathered into a gigantic ship and traveled far out into the sea, where the Ulysses will dive into the ocean and journey to Atlantis. As Helga was about to leave and step into the submarine, I held her hand and pleaded one last time, "Think about it Helga: what if Atlantis isn't real? Jeopardizing your life for a mythical city that might not even exist? That's ridiculous!"
"What's ridiculous is how you keep irritating me about this whole thing! Stop concerning about me; nothing will happen," she hissed back in an aggravated tone.
Refusing to give up, I gripped her hand, refraining her from stepping onto that submarine.
"Why do you even care?"
"Because I love you!"
She looked back at me with a stunned expression on her face. "What?"
My cheeks were heated. I couldn't believe I just blurted it out. "I...…love you," I repeated and sighed. "These past years of serving you had been a wonderful experience. For once, I actually loved someone and they had somewhat loved me back deep inside, or so it had felt. Even though you appear heartless to others, I know you act that way because of your deceased husband and inside is a desire for a companion. I've tried preventing myself from developing such feelings for you but it's hard to rid of them. I'm sorry to blurt all of this out at once and making you feel uncomfortable...gomen..."
Just before she was about to respond, Mrs. Packard, the communications expert, announced for all crew members to aboard the ship.
Helga looked at me and then down at my hand. She seem as she were somewhere between the lines of sadness and confusion. Knowing she would not stay, I held her hand to my lips and kissed it for luck. Loosening my grip on her hand, she started walking away slowly...
"Lebe wohl, Elaine," I heard her say back to me.
"Farewell, Helga," I replied.
D o n ' t G o . . .
The Shepherd's journal...
A legendary book that is said to be found somewhere within Iceland-a book that could pinpoint the location of the lost city of Atlantis.
It was unbelievable at first, a whole island inhabited by an enhanced civilization and technology that somehow completely vanished from the planet and to the bottom of the sea. However, my disbelief began to fade away after listening to Thaddeus Thatch's research and theories about the mysterious island. Thatch was a very close friend of Mr. Whitmore's. The two of them had complete faith in the vanished island and plans of finding it someday. Unfortunately, to accomplish that, you must retrieve the Shepherd's journal. Whitmore sent a crew of professionals to find the book and bring it back and among the crew will be Helga Sinclair. I didn't approve of her risking her life for a book, but she managed to arrive home safely, with the exception of a small bruise on her arm but nothing serious.
After Thaddeus Thatch passed away, Whitmore intended to fulfill his comrade's dreams of discovering Atlantis. Somehow, I had a strange feeling deep inside me that something was going to happen. Something horrible.
Several times already, I have asked Helga not to attend the voyage and each time I have received the same answer: "Nothing will happen."
This was the day right before the journey. Helga had packed up for the trip and was scanning through the files of the crew members. The same assembly of people will be joining her except Thaddeus Thatch and Manuel Ramirez. Instead, Thatch's grandson and Ramirez's 18-year-old daughter were going to take their place. How a teenaged girl managed to take part in such a dangerous mission astounded me.
That night, as Helga was getting ready to sleep for the night, I stood by the doorway. "Must you really do this?"
"There isn't exactly a choice. I have to," she responded.
"It's the money, isn't it?"
Exhausted, she ignored my question and told me to go to bed. I didn't mean to annoy her, I was just worried...
With my mind drowning in fear and concern, I could hardly sleep. Biting my lower lip, I clutched onto my pillow with my trembling hand. The feeling was intense; I knew something was going to happen. Attempting to close my eyes and drift off the sleep, visions began fluttering in my eyelids.
First, appeared a gorgeous paradise, a paradise surrounded by glistening crystal waters and drenched by natural beauty. Atlantis? It had to be... Suddenly, the sky became dark and the sound of maniacal laughter stuck through the air. For some reason, I felt like was falling...
Terrified, I opened my eyes-what was this vision telling me exactly? I couldn't understand.
Why did Helga have to go?
The next day, while Whitmore and Helga went over some paperwork in his office, I snuck into the martial arts training room in his mansion. This room and the fighting equipment brought back memories of Helga and I.
Curious to see to I still had the skill, I began performing the moves Helga spent 3 weeks teaching me. Surprisingly, I was pretty good at it despite the fact that it has been years since I've practiced. I jumped up and attempted to high-kick the large kicking sack. Without success, I bounced off and landed in someone's arms.
"H-Helga?? When did you--?"
"5 minutes ago. I see how still haven't mastered that kick yet," she chuckled. "I thought I'd find you here. Listen, I have to drop by Milo Thatch's apartment in a minute. Can you stay with Whitmore for a while?"
I nodded.
Questions raced across my mind. Will she be okay? Are there strange diseases lurking in Atlantis? Was it even real?
After Milo accepted to become a part of the expedition, we gathered into a gigantic ship and traveled far out into the sea, where the Ulysses will dive into the ocean and journey to Atlantis. As Helga was about to leave and step into the submarine, I held her hand and pleaded one last time, "Think about it Helga: what if Atlantis isn't real? Jeopardizing your life for a mythical city that might not even exist? That's ridiculous!"
"What's ridiculous is how you keep irritating me about this whole thing! Stop concerning about me; nothing will happen," she hissed back in an aggravated tone.
Refusing to give up, I gripped her hand, refraining her from stepping onto that submarine.
"Why do you even care?"
"Because I love you!"
She looked back at me with a stunned expression on her face. "What?"
My cheeks were heated. I couldn't believe I just blurted it out. "I...…love you," I repeated and sighed. "These past years of serving you had been a wonderful experience. For once, I actually loved someone and they had somewhat loved me back deep inside, or so it had felt. Even though you appear heartless to others, I know you act that way because of your deceased husband and inside is a desire for a companion. I've tried preventing myself from developing such feelings for you but it's hard to rid of them. I'm sorry to blurt all of this out at once and making you feel uncomfortable...gomen..."
Just before she was about to respond, Mrs. Packard, the communications expert, announced for all crew members to aboard the ship.
Helga looked at me and then down at my hand. She seem as she were somewhere between the lines of sadness and confusion. Knowing she would not stay, I held her hand to my lips and kissed it for luck. Loosening my grip on her hand, she started walking away slowly...
"Lebe wohl, Elaine," I heard her say back to me.
"Farewell, Helga," I replied.