ATN 3: THE JAR IN THE MAZE

I DO A TERRIBLE THING

Yes, I did. What you are going to read here is the worst thing I have done. In all my life. I meant well, but just put everything in jeopardy. All our plans, battles, successes, everything.

However, in my slightest defense, if what happened to me had happened to you, and you had the power to do what I did, you would have probably done the same. Anyway, let's see.

Next morning, we got ready to leave. Right after breakfast, the four of us jumped inside the entrance that we had used while going in search of Hephaestus. As soon as we did, the entrance closed behind us. Abhro pointed to that. "Don't worry." Tina said, "It's fine. There are other openings to this."

"It's like a video game." I said, "Cracked walls to be broken, which lead us to Themiscyra. And these openings are like saved game profiles."

"Huh!" Dadai laughed, "Anyway, now that I am here, you two stay a hand away from each other. I am chaperoning."

I and Tina laughed so hard at this. Even Abhro laughed. He said, "You are chaperoning, Dadai? Who's chaperoning you?"

"What do you mean?" Dadai asked.

"Why? Don't you think I noticed how close you have gotten to the Queen? Night, day, afternoon, all the time, whenever she calls, you are like, 'I'm coming, Delilah'."

"Abhro, you are small. Stop it."

"Oh no no, I am leading the quest." I said, "Abhro, go on. What did you see?"

"He is head over heels in love." Abhro said.

"I am not." Dadai said.

"How do you know you aren't?" Tina asked.

"I don't know her for long. We have seen each other for nearly two weeks. Plus, why would she like me? She is a Queen, I am..."

"The eldest of the Chatterjees." Abhro said, "The elders of the Chatterjees normally have a good love life."

"Dad doesn't." I said, "He loves Mom still, but the two can't be together."

"Does Hecate love him?" Dadai asked.

"She does. She still does."

"Then, I guess, it isn't bad." Abhro said.

"Whatever. I am not in love. I do like her. I hope she does too." Dadai said.

"That's the spirit." Tina said, "You accepted."

"Okay, guys. Now let's get serious." I said, "There's something I need to tell you."

"Go on." Tina said.

I told them all about my dreams last night. To that, Abhro responded with an 'Ooh!' Tina said, "I can't understand whether to be afraid or happy about that."

"Are Ares kids ever afraid?" Dadai asked.

"No, I..."

"Then you know. Be happy."

I took out the string from inside my bad. "Let's get this started." I said, as the other three hovered over me, excitedly. I touched the screen to turn it on. Hephaestus's idea of digitizing the string was pretty successful. I typed the name 'Pandora's box'. The screen buffered for couple of seconds, and then, the string glowed bright purple. "That's so cool." Abhro said.

The string moved straight. "Come on." I said. We followed the string. We went straight for a while, until the string turned left. We went left, and saw a door, which was closing slowly. The string pointed straight. So we had to get past this door. The door was a different one. It was closing downward. I sent Tina first, as walked under the door easily. Abhro went next, as he had bend slightly to get past. At Dadai's turn, it had come down quite a bit, so Dadai bent nearly half of his body to go past. I went last with the string. The door had nearly closed. My brothers and my girlfriend were shouting, urging for me to hurry. I ran, slid under the door, and just made it as it closed behind us.