Athena ran through the thicket of trees, her black hair flying behind her. The tree branches were blocking out almost all light causing her to stumble over roots in the ground. She ran, and ran, and ran. Soon, she saw a light ahead and ran even faster.
Athena burst into a clearing. The sudden bright light hurt her eyes for a second but she soon adjusted to light. She looked around and saw that there was only one thing in the clearing: a small well.
Athena stepped forward towards the well and looked inside. The water was clear and as she was about to put her hand into the water it rippled. She pulled back her hand in surprise and gasped as a picture appeared.
The picture was the most amazing thing Athena ever saw. It showed a beautiful kingdom with unicorns, fairies, peasants, witches, warlocks, goblins, cats, and warriors. It looked like a fairytale had come alive right there. Everyone was crowded around a giant castle. Soon, a woman dressed in a beautiful gown stepped out.
“The queen! All hail the queen!” People shouted. The unicorns reared up and whinnied and the cats mewed. The noise died down and soon everyone was quiet. Then the queen began to speak.
“As you all know, we are in a fierce battle with the Land of Sorrow, and are in need of as many warriors as we can get. Apprentices have been forced to war before their time and armor and ammunition is running low.” Everyone gasped. The queen quieted them with a hand motion and she began to speak again. “But do not fear, the head wizard had a vision of a girl from another world coming to our aid. He has sent her a vision about our land and how we need her help. The only information the wizard was able to find about her was her name. And her name is Athena.”
Athena gasped and sat straight up. She looked around. She was back in her bedroom in her small city apartment. She looked at her clock; it read 9:00 A.M. She laid back down and closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her black tabby cat, Venus, jumped onto the bed next to her and mewed loudly.
“Hey kitty.” Athena whispered. She patted Venus on the head as she laid down next to Adelina. Venus purred softly.
Suddenly, there was a bang as something clattered to the floor outside Adelina’s door. She sat up as her mother, Elana, burst into the room carrying her handbag and Athena’s laundry. She threw it onto Athena’s bed and walked halfway back out the door before turning around and looking back at Athena.
“I have to go to work.” Elana said quickly. “Please clean up a little around here, it’s a mess. Just because it is summer doesn’t mean you don’t have do anything.” She open her handbag and took out $20. She held it up to show Adelina then put it on the dresser by the door. “For food only.”
Athena smiled. “I know ma. Now hurry up, you’re gonna be late for work.”
Elana looked at her wristwatch. “Oh, I’m going to be late anyways. I’ll be back at around eight. Have fun.” She blew Athena a kiss before walking out the door.
Athena sat in bed for a minute, listening to the sound of her mother bustling through the house getting ready for work. Finally, when she heard her mother leave, she slowly got up and walked out of her bedroom. Venus jumped off the bed and followed.
The house was just as her mother had said, maybe even a little worse. The kitchen was a disaster. The cabinets and drawers were half open, the sink was full, the counters were filthy, and there was food on the floor. The living room wasn’t any better. Athena’s homework and books covered the coffee table in front of the couch, clean clothes hung from a clothes rack, the pictures on the walls were crooked, and little white specks of kitty litter were all over the furniture and floor.
“Wow.” Athena said. “It looks worse in the light.”
Athena started cleaning in the kitchen. She took the clean dishes out of the dishwasher and put them back in the cabinets in drawers (which she paid special attention to make sure closed all the way), cleaned the counter tops, and swept the floor.
As Athena moved on into cleaning the living room, the phone rang. She jumped over the couch and searched through her piles of homework until the found the phone and answered it.
“Hello?” Athena said.
“Oh my gosh, Atti! You won’t believe the news I have!” The voice on the other line said.
“Priscilla?” Athena said to her best friend. “I’m really busy. I don’t really have ti-“
“Oh trust me! You’ll have time for this!” Priscilla said, squealing.
“Why don’t you come over and tell me? Then maybe by the time you get here I’ll be done with my work.” Athena said, already knowing what Priscilla was going to say.
“But Atti! It’ll be faster if I just tell you now!” Priscilla whined on the other line. She sighed. “But I guess if you’re so busy I’ll just come over. See you in an hour.” She hung up before Athena could say anything else.
Athena smiled to herself. She had one more hour to finish cleaning the house and get ready, knowing that Priscilla would want to go somewhere. Even though they only lived a block away from each other, it took Priscilla a while to get ‘prettied up’ as she called it. Athena put down the phone and continued cleaning.
It was 11:30 A.M. by the time the house was clean. Athena only had about half an hour before Priscilla would be over. She rushed into the shower and put on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and her favorite purple shirt.
As she combed her hair, Athena’s cell phone rang. She answered it quickly when she saw the called ID said Priscilla.
“Yes?” Athena said.
“I’m coming over! Are you ready? I want to go get something to eat.” Priscilla said. Athena could hear the sound of the city streets loudly in the background.
“Um, sure. Let’s go to that coffee place down the street.” Athena said, trying to finish combing her hair and talk to Priscilla at the same time.
“Ok. I’m walking out of the apartment building right now. See you in a few!” Priscilla said.
“Bye.” Athena said, then closed the phone.
Athena grabbed her black bag and put her cell phone in it, rushing to get ready knowing that Priscilla was not a patient person. She gave herself one last look in the mirror, then walked to front door.
“Meow.” Venus rubbed against Adelina’s legs.
“I’ll be back later, kitty.” Athena said, lightly pushing Venus away with her foot. She opened the door, and gasped.
“What took you so long?” Priscilla said, standing in front of Athena’s front door, holding her cell phone in the air like she had just hung up the phone.
“How did you get here so fast?” Athena said, turning around to close and locking the door.
“You sure don’t sound happy to see me.” Priscilla said. She and Athena walked to the elevator together.
“I didn’t think you would get here so fast. Did you run?” Athena said. She pushed the down button and the elevator doors opened immediately. They both walked inside and Priscilla pressed the button for the first floor.
“Please, me? Running? In your dreams.” Priscilla laughed, and then put her cell phone in her back pocket. The elevator dung, signaling that they were at the first floor. “I don’t get why you take the elevator all the time when you live on the second floor.”
“Have you seen those stairs? They’re nasty. I don’t think they have ever been cleaned.” Athena said. They both walked out the front door of the apartment complex and onto the sidewalk.
“So where are we going again?” Priscilla said.
“Um... down the street to that old coffee shop. Then you can tell me what you were so excited about.” Athena said.
“Great. I want to get a donut. I haven’t had one in centuries.” Priscilla said. They both laughed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A bell dung as Athena and Priscilla stepped into the coffee shop. The door closed slowly, quieting the sound of the streets behind them.
“Wow, it’s dead today.” Priscilla said quietly to Athena.
Athena walked up to the counter with Priscilla behind her. “Well, ever since they opened up the Starbucks down the street, it’s been getting all the business.” Priscilla shrugged and went to go sit at a table near the window.
A young women about in her early twenties came up to the counter where Athena was standing, waiting to order.
“What can I get for you today, miss?” She said is a soft, but clear voice.
Athena smiled then answered, “Hi, um, I’ll have 2 glazed donuts and caramel iced coffees. Oh, decaf of course though.”
The woman nodded and went to get the donuts. She put them on the counter in front of Athena and punched in some numbers on the cash register. “That will be $4.59.” Athena handed her a five dollar bill, took the donuts, and went to go sit with Priscilla.
As Athena set the donuts down on the table and sat down, Priscilla tapped her finger on the table anxiously. “OK, now can I tell her my very important news?”
“Yes, you may.” Athena said and grabbed a donut.
“So, you won’t believe was Marcus said he found in the hills!” Priscilla exclaimed.
Athena took a bite of her donut before answering. “What hills?”
Priscilla sighed. “The Hollywood Hills! Those hills!” She gestured out the window. “He said he found a well. An old well.”
“A well?
“Yeah, a well! In the hills!” Priscilla took the other donut and began to eat it.
“You got me all excited… about a well?” Athena said.
“Well, it’s not just any well, because it’s in the Hollywood Hills. And now, how often do you find wells in the Hollywood Hills?” Priscilla said. She got up and went to the counter to get their drinks. When she got back, Athena grabbed her drink and set it down on the table next to her.
“Prissy, it’s a well! What all can we do with an old well nowadays?” Athena said, getting angry.
“You know I don’t like it when you call me that.” Priscilla mumbled, then continued, “We can at least go and check it out. Maybe it’s special!”
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