Atlantis Burning

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A family caught Beatrice's notice. They had three small children, and a fierce looking dog. The parents kept their children close and hurried past the crowd. The dog was alert, vigilant and Beatrice set out following them.

"Hold up, Bea. You are racing off and we need to make certain we don't lose our way."

"That family, they looked scared." She turned around and the family was gone. "I don't see them, come on." Beatrice headed off in pursuit. She saw them on a bridge, crossing a canal.

Edward was studying the landscape, as Bea's curiosity kept her focused on moving forward.

"The canal is perfectly curved, I bet we're in the concentric circles Plato wrote about. This must be Atlantis!"

Once across the bridge, the family got onto a barge with a cover over it. It wasn't like a sun shade, more like a shelf and it had a few boxes on top of it. The woman made sure the kids were out of sight and then she ducked under the cover, as well. "I don't suppose we can keep up with them on foot."

"Where did they go?"

"Right there, on that boat," Bea said pointing. The canal had several boats, all with a driver working a tiller. Most of the boats were flat with no sides or cover, and hauling cargo. "The covered one."

They walked along the water's edge. Edward noticed some larger rocks with perfectly round holes that went straight thru. The holes had ropes attached that went down to the water. "The stone anchors, there are still some just like them on the islands. People have been wondering who they belonged to, for years."

"Right, we saw some on Pico and Corvo."

"Have you noticed that nobody really looks as if they are out for pleasure- shouldn't there be girls in bikinis, soaking up the sun."

"Should I be concerned about you looking for bikinis?"

"You know I've only got eyes for you. How are those boats powered? No oars or motor that I can see."

"They are almost around the bend. If they were running from someone, it seems they got away." Bea stopped to notice the curve of the streets, the rows of buildings with sandstone bricks, limestone columns, balconies and short porticoes so that nothing entered the road. "Did you want to see the pyramids?"

"You know I do." They headed off down the road until they came to a break in the buildings, where there was another town square. They cut through the market and past another temple, and another blazing altar. Beatrice was careful to not look in that direction and quickened her pace until she was on the other side of some market stalls.

"What era do you think we are in? The clothes look Greek or Roman, not much variety before the industrial revolution,"Bea said curiously.

"Look for some clues, that anthropology degree should tell you something. I wonder if they have books, I'd like to take some with us." Edward reached out and tried to pick up an earthen vessel off of a market table, he was unable to grab it and knocked it over. They moved out of the way, as the shop keep set the pitcher back upright, shaking her head in confusion.

They came out of the square at another waterway. "The curve is tighter, we are getting closer to the center. "

"How long do you think we've been here?"

Edward looked at his diver's watch. "Twenty-two minutes. I reckon we should turn back." As they approached a pyramid, they began to walk along it's side. "Look, Babe, it has the white casing stones. Do you hear that gentle hum?"

"Yep. The side is so even and smooth, not like the bricks we're used to seeing."

"I reckon  this is where those boats get their power. Do you think we're lucky enough to find an open door?"

"Maybe our little space pod can pass through walls," Beatrice said as she reached out her hand only to be stopped by the pod. "I guess no souvenir for dad."

"We'll grab him something from the other side of the portal. Since there are columns out there I bet we can find some artifacts. We can show him our oxygen tanks are still full, so he doesn't worry."

"I hope so, we don't know if the feed resumed, or if he is watching the monitor."

"Of course he's watching the monitor, you're his girl. And didn't you see he rocked Rover when we waved? I'm sure he can see."

Bea nodded in agreement while pointing at a closed door. "Your door."

Edward tried to push it open, but to no avail. "That's OK, we should get back to your dad." Edward  took his wife's hand and they headed off down the road.