The Hidden Truth (Book 1)

Chapter 23- Congo

Athena POV...

"Athena?" 

"Yes, Britt."

"Where were you last night, I couldn't find you anywhere?"

"I fell asleep in one of the guest room down the hallway," the lie came out smoothly but the look on her face I could tell she didn't believe me.

"Well I looked in all the rooms and couldn't find you anywhere, did you leave this dimension again?"

"Something like that," I heard Alec voice said in my head.

"Everyone please eyes on me," I look around and realize that everyone had on a different colour jersey, "team red and green you'll take the left corner, team yellow and blue you'll have the right corner."

"I wonder what crazy thing this woman is gonna make us do today," one of the guys said beside me.

"Well the crazy thing this genie is gonna let us do today is we're gonna play a healthy game of dodgeball, ultimate dodgeball that is," she snaps her fingers and in front of us appeared 20 balls, "these balls are all enchanted once you've made up your mind about your target," she flung the ball towards me but instead of hitting me it changed its course to the guy who spoke beside me earlier, but the ball didn't just hit him, he disappeared, everyone started to look around asking 'where did he go?' 

We all looked up when we heard a scream as he fell from the ceiling before landing on the ground the genie snapped her finger and he stopped where he was before she put him gently on the ground, "I bet you'll never bad mouth me again," she says with a smile, "Any question?" 

"Um, Mrs Abasi?"

"Yes, Ann," she responds.

"This is a pretty big group, but its a small gym how are we going to be playing in here?"

"Thanks for reminding me, we will be playing in the," she snaps her finger, "Congo jungle," I look around to be surrounded by trees, and staring in the face of a monkey looking down at me. In the sky appeared a scoreboard, "every time a person is hit a point will appear under the colour of the team who made the person disappear, well good luck kids, and remember don't die," she said before disappearing.

I was the first to grab a ball before everyone started to run towards the centre, everyone who had a ball, started to look around to see who was the first one to make the first move, I made eye-contact with Marcus and Micheal, before grabbing Brittney and run off further into the jungle. 

"You know when I watched tv, usually the gym teacher doesn't just leave us in the middle of the jungle to fend for ourselves," I said.

"Are you forgetting our gym teacher isn't human, but a damn genie!" 

The crunching of leaves made me come to a standstill, "shhh, let us go back to back," I whispered.

We were looking in every direction taking a quick glimpse of the scoreboard and saw the there were only 8 of us left, sinking my nails into the ball, "At the count of three we will run off the longer we stay in one place we're more likely to get caught."

An arrow flying towards my head caused me to grab Brittney and shove her to the ground when I looked up men in tribal paintings appeared, with gold spears pointing at us, one of the men held onto his comrade, he stared at me, as if he recognized me from somewhere.

"Athena who are these people."

"I have no idea."

"Where're my manners my name is Imari, Athena please follow us," I was about to reach for the chopstick in my hair, "you are in no danger, you are safe."

I watch as the scoreboard showed only 4 people left behind, I dropped the ball behind me and followed them further off into the jungle, I watched as every animal that was in their way moved and clear the pathway for them, "we are the keeper of this jungle, this tribe has been around before this jungle existed."

"I think you are trying to say that this is where life began," Brittney said.

"I am not trying to say anything, this is where life originated, you're telling me you haven't felt at home yet, or is it that their history books cloud your judgment to the point where you thought Egypt was found in North America," at first she opened her mouth but then stopped herself as she thought about what he said, "besides we are not here to discuss simpleton history we are here to talk about you," he says as he turned and look at me.

"About what?"

"Your destiny," we came to a stop where a waterfall was, "follow me," he said as he held his hand out to me.

Hesitantly I grabbed his hand, "Alec,"

"I am here," I looked up in the sky to see him in hawk form.

I watched as Imari follow my gaze, "You can invite him, he needs to be at your side doesn't he?"

"How do you know all of this?"

"All will be revealed."

"You can come down, just be cautious trust no one," when he landed, I listened to his bones shifting and reforming into a wolf.

They parted way for him to come as he came to my side, "Please part the falls to see what lies beyond," Imari says.

Inhaling I use both my hands and almost like a curtain I separated the falls, but what came into view amazed me, I and Alechimus were the first to make a step, the water below my feet parted, everything was made out of gold. I entered through the falls and ran my hand across the golden walls, to see my reflection.

"Athena look."

Brittney came to my side we both look at each other before turning back to the statue, "Athena, why is there a statue of you there in the centre of everything?"

"Brittney, you asking me?" I replied as I took in every last detail of me and beside me stood Alec in an exotic creature I have yet to see.

Imari came to my side, "please explain to me why I am here?"

"You still don't know," he looks down at Alec, "allow me to touch her," Alec nodded his head and gave him way, he ran his hand across my face, I could feel his touch becoming electrifying almost as if he could feel my essence, I watched as everyone took me in, "that's why you don't know who we are, the world has yet to soil you, you are still pure, you are to find us when anger has consumed you and your heart," he touched my chest lightly, "is corrupt."

"what does that mean?"

"In a few years you will know, and I, we will be waiting," I watched as not only his eyes but everyone's eyes shifted from its dark brown colour to purple, "besides I believe it is time for you to return back to your home, but before you go," he closed his hand tightly and when he reopened them, an amulet appeared in the middle of his palm, "I believe this will come in handy sooner than I hope," he placed it in my hand and pulled me closer to him, "tend to your wounds before they break out and fester, those are the wise words I will leave with you until we meet again," he said before we were back in my gym.

The bell went off alerting that gym class ended, "good everyone is back," Mrs Abasi said.  Alec was back in his hawk form on my shoulder, "good, please everyone run off to your next period before you're late," she looks around and held my gaze for a second, "I hope everyone enjoyed this little adventure."