Atlantis pt. 2

This is the second part to Atlantis =] Enjoy. & Please leave comments!
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As we got closer to The Square we could hear the buzz of the village gathering and the sound of The Horn echoing off the buildings. The Horn was only used when there was an emergency or there was to be an unplanned announcement of importance being made. As we came into The Square we found it crowded and we couldn’t see the front of the Council Hall where no doubt the speaker would be. Grabbing my hand Chris led the both of us through the crowd, attempting to push closer to the front. About half-way through, near enough to see a little better, we came across our friend Sylvia and her younger brother Trenton.

“What’s going on?” Chris asked immediately as we came within ear shot to Sylvia.

“I’m not sure. We were inside earlier with our father when suddenly a few of the other council members came running in. I was sent out immediately. There was a stranger with them…” Sylvia seemed worried, though as curious as any child would be. A stranger? Who wouldn’t be curious?

“Silence! Silence!” a loud voiced suddenly called over the crowd. I had been expecting Kiamin to speak, but that was not his voice. I stood on tip toe, attempting to get a better view.

“Everyone, please, quiet down.” The voice repeated. Finally, the crowd began to tone down. The man before them all straightened himself, standing proudly and he had a presence to him that made you want to listen. He seemed nervous as well, though I could not blame him. He was young, hardly older than myself, but he stood tall and with confidence. His name was Joshua, the son of Kiamin and the youngest member of the council. Standing before everyone I couldn’t help but feel proud. Joshua was a friend of mine and often wished that the rest of the village would take him more seriously. While he was wise beyond his years many found his youth to be a negative feature, for youth came with naïve and misguided perspectives. To see him addressing everyone made me glow, realizing he was finally being given than chance to prove he could hold his own within the council.

“The Council was approached this morning by an outsider concerning some very important news. While we had considered waiting until we made a decision on the matter before bringing this news upon you, we do know that whispers are already beginning to travel throughout the village about this stranger and what his message may have concerned. I am here to put an end to these rumors and inform you what the purpose of the stranger’s visit was centered towards.” The rest of The Council sat in chairs on the steps behind Joshua, who stood alone in front of the crowd. We all watched in silence, waiting.

“I have always felt that directness was the best means of relaying information, so pardon my lack of warning. The stranger today has come to us requesting that a family from his nation be allowed to come here for trade. The nation he is from…” I couldn’t help but notice the slight pause in his words and the stutter in his voice. “The nation his from is Atlantis.”

The moment those words left Joshua’s lips the entire Square was up in arms, speaking loudly to everyone around them, yelling all sorts of opinions on the matter.

“No! Their kind isn’t welcome here!” some shouted, while others hollered back that everyone was welcome in Gentue. The words flew back and forth and people were quickly becoming restless.

“Silence!” Joshua’s voice boomed over the crowd and immediately the noise came to a halt. “This man wishes to bring only one small family, a family of which is merely attempting to help their nation rebuild itself. I need not remind anyone of the attack by the Eastern Islands on Atlantis not long ago,” Joshua said almost as a warning, “and we can not deny they need all the economic help they can manage. We are not saying that we are allowing them in, only that the idea is being considered and voted on by The Council. Once a decision is made, you will all be informed. We only pray you stand beside us when that time comes.”

Staring over the crowd with an almost pleading look in his eyes, Joshua recollected himself and turned from the crowd and gave a nod to Kiamin. The men behind Joshua rose from their seats and the chatting began again. I couldn’t help but watch with a curious eye as The Council returned to their quarters.


“They can’t be serious! Why would a place as prestigious as Gentue ever let the likes of them into our village? The idea is preposterous!”

I was shocked when I later heard Chris shouting these words in a variety of ways as we returned down the path to the spot we had been so happily been talking before. The fact that he was so angry surprised me, for children rarely cared much for the politics of society, blowing it off and giving it to the adults to deal with.

“It’s not that big of a deal, Chris,” I said in an attempt to calm him down. Sadly, these attempts failed miserably. If anything, I only enraged him more.

“Not a big deal? Penelope! They are the most … appalling nation of them all! Do you pay attention in history? They nearly wiped out the Eastern Islands a century ago, only a decade after attacking the Western Coast! They have no respect for anyone, not even their own people! They are a monstrous society and deserve what they got!”

“How do you know this family had anything to do with that?”

“They are still trying to support their entire nation and because of that, I don’t care what they had to do with anything.”

The conversation died. I stayed near Chris as the crowd slowly began to disappear around us, heading back to their business or to their own houses. It was silent between us for some time. Sylvia and Trenton departed, sad to see Chris in such a foul mood and asking me what was wrong. I apologized on his behalf, wishing I had an answer to give them.