The Adventures of Atlanta Johnson: The Golden Arrows

Chapter 5: I Meet a Living Skeloton

In the next few days I adapted to camp and made new friends. I spent a lot of time with Harmony and Andy, talking. I saw Drake a couple times, but he only smiled and waved at me then went right back to what he was doing. Even Andy became distant. I began to notice why.
I patted Andy on the back. "Don't worry Andy, you'll get claimed soon enough"
Andy looked at me gratefully. I hoped I didn't just make a promise I couldn't keep.
We were walking past the archery range when I saw Chiron, shooting multiple arrows and hitting the Bulls-eye each time.
"Guys I'll meet you at dinner later, I have something to take care of." I said
They looked at me weirdly, but nodded.
When they were out of earshot I headed down to the archery range towards Chiron. When he saw me he put his bow down and waved me forward.
"Do you need something Atlanta?" Chiron asked.
I nodded. "I wanted to talk to you about Drake."
His eyes darkened slightly, then he nodded and said: "I'll tell you what you want to know, if it's in reason"
"Drake has seemed busy lately, making plans and maps and muttering something about a prophecy Do you know what it's about?"
Chiron's gaze lowered, and he didn't look at me.
"Drake has a destiny that has come into par and he is trying to make it possible." Chiron said so quietly that I could barely make out what he said.
"Then why isn't he talking to me?" I asked angrily.
"I cannot say more child. Knowledge is not good for you." he said gently.
"But-" I stopped. I knew better than to disrespect Chiron.
Chiron smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry child, you'll know soon enough.
I nodded. And Chiron put his arrow down, and we headed for dinner.

As we were eating, I kept glancing over at Andy, who had a mischievous look in his large purplish eyes. And I knew why after Chiron called him up.
"This boy is such a jokester. Show us what you did Andy."
Andy started his show by taking a vine and his bottled water out of his pocket. He sat on the ground and poured water on the vine. The vine grew, and a girl from the Aphrodite table screamed, and Andy grinned wildly.
"Looks like a snake doesn't it?"
Drake and I laughed, at the exact same time. Which was awkward. But Drake fixed it immediately when he smiled.
While Drake and I were having our moment, a silence spread across the crowd. When I looked, a ray of purple light was dancing around and over Andy's head. I looked at Drake, and he nodded, reading my mind.
Chiron cleared his throat, breaking the silence, And straightened his back. "I had a hunch about this, God of Wine, all bow to Andy, son of Dionysus.
Andy looked surprised, but super happy. He shot me and Harmony a smile, but he winked at Harmony. I felt very happy for Andy, even though we had our problems.

After the claiming business, Chiron called Drake and I to the big house.
When we got into the room, Chiron was sitting in his magic wheelchair, writing on papyrus. When he saw us he put down his pen and crossed his arms.
"Thank you two for coming, we have matters to discuss." He said hurriedly.
Me and Drake both nodded. He was standing so close to me that the backs of our hands were touching.
"So now that Harmony, Andy, and Atlanta are all claimed, we must take these matters seriously.
"You promised to tell me why I had to wait for them."
"I did. It is because yours and Atlanta's destinies are tied together. You must work together, to make things happen."
Drake and I looked at each other. A connection seemed to shoot between us. Drake knew what to ask first.
"We're doing a quest aren't we?"
Chiron nodded. "If you willing to accept it."
"Shoosh yea!" Drake exclaimed, which made me laugh.
Chiron smiled in approval. "Very well, you both must visit the oracle together, I'm very positive that Atlanta is not ready to face it alone, nor you Drake."
Drake nodded. "I understand sir."
Chiron smiled wearily. "Better get going, before it gets dark."

When Drake and I got to the door of the oracle, I hesitated. I'm pretty sure Drake noticed it was nervous because he grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly.
"What did Chiron mean, by saying I wasn't ready to face the oracle by myself?" I asked shakily.
Drake's brown eyes were full of concern when he looked at me. "The oracle has made some newbies crazy, and I'm glad he didn't want you to go alone."
I smiled. "So am I."
He laughed. Then was serious. "Are you ready?" He asked.
I clenched his hand. "I hope."
He opened the creaky door to the attic and we walked through. We kept walking until we got to the end. When we got to the end sitting there on a rotting wooden stool was a mummy, in tie-dyed clothing.
I shivered at the sight of it. Drake clenched my hand, obviously scared.
I looked at Drake, and we said in unison: "What is our destiny?"
Green fog filled the room. The mummy's eyes glowed bright green. It breathed black smoke and a hologram appeared. It took me a second to realize who it was.
It was Maxwell. The one person I didn't wanna see right now.
Maxwell spoke this, but not in his voice:

      "Golden arrows in a set of three
       Lost and found in the sea
      Return with might for sea
      And light, with help from
     Trickery, in a great fight."

Done speaking, the oracle slumped back into its stool, as if it never moved.

When we got back to the room, I was still shaking, and I could see that Drake's mind was still trying to find out what the prophecy meant.
Chiron looked at us expectingly.
"We got a prophecy, but we don't understand it." I said flatly.
I repeated the lines, and Chiron had a look of confusion in his eyes. He looked like he had seen himself in the mirror.
"I understand enough to know the objective, you must find the lost golden arrow." Chiron said solemnly.
"But who do the arrows belong to?" I asked
"Either Zeus, Artemis, or Apollo." Drake replied immediately.
"Well, anyways. One of you must lead this quest."
"Atlanta should." Drake said immediately.
"Why me?" I asked.
"Your the most heroic out of us, and you we mentioned in the prophecy."
"So were you"
"All right you two," Chiron said sternly. He looked me straight in the eyes. "Drake is right Atlanta, you should lead the quest."
I thought about it. I didn't wanna lead the quest. But Drake and Chiron thought I was the most heroic person at camp.
"Alright I'll do it." I said finally.
Drake fist-bumped me. "You'll do great Atlanta."
Chiron nodded approvingly. "Alrighty then, Atlanta you are allowed two companions."
"Hmm." I said as I thought. I wanted to take Harmony and Drake, no question. But I didn't wanna leave Andy out.
"I don't know." I said finally. "I wanna take Drake for sure, but Im not sure if I wanna take Harmony or Andy yet."
Drake beamed, then said: " I think you should take Harmony, since she was mentioned in the prophecy. And I've been having a bad feeling about Andy lately."
I nodded. I wasn't having a good feeling about Andy lately either.
Chiron said after a silence: "You kids should get packing, you have a long couple days ahead."