Atlantis

By Kryptonite

Disclaimer: This is my original work and no one else's.

A/N: Hello. This is a different take on an idea I've already tried to write. Much different. I'm trying to keep it in first person, present tense, so please tell me if I mess up with that. Also, the spell check I have on the comp I'm using to type this isn't the greatest in the world and as much as I hide it, I'm not that great a speller, so point those mistakes out too. Please review, it means a lot to me. Thanks and have a nice day.

Okay. So here's the situation I, Christina Elizabeth Thesman, found myself in the summer after ninth grade. I thought it was just going to be another summer. You know, hanging with my friends, going on dates with my boyfriend, shopping and generally gearing up for the next year of school.

Instead my parents dropped this huge bombshell on me and my life. Ten years ago the government had started construction of this huge facility that was currently residing at the bottom of the Pacific ocean. Then last year, they started asking for volunteers to colonize it, as a test subject to see if living under the ocean was possible.

My parents volunteered.

‘Way too many boxes this year.' I just got back from the movies with my boyfriend, Josh Parker, and my friends. From all the sidestepping I had to do, we were having a very, very big garage sale this year.

“ Mom?” I walked into the living room to see my very emotionally strong mother crying. The simple fact that there were tears falling down her face, silent or not, scared me out of my wits.

“ Mom? What's wrong?” Mom came over and pulled me into a hug.

“ I think it's time we told you. Or, I, told you.”

“ Mom, you're scaring me.” Mom wiped at her face. In my head, I was going over the list of relatives and trying to figure who would cause mom to have this kind of reaction.

“ Sit down honey. Your father and I should have told you kids this when we did this, but we wanted to make sure we were accepted first.”

“ I don't understand. Mom what's going on?”

“ I've already told Sara and Jayson. Kat's parents were accepted as well.”

“ Mom. Stop crying.” I wiped at her face with a tissue. “ Accepted for what?”

“ We're going to be helping colonize Atlantis.”

“ You mean that colony place under the Pacific?”

“ Yes sweetie. I'm sorry. I know you don't want to leave but your father and I feel that it'll be a better environment for you and Sara and Jayson. Kat's parents feel the same way.”

Katherine Broderick was my best friend, and has been since before kindergarten. If she had known, she would have told me. We didn't keep secrets from each other.

“ When did you find out?” I had ‘shut off' as Jayson, my little brother, liked to say when I was trying to hide my feelings.

“ Two days ago. We have to pack quickly. We're leaving in a week.”

“ Yes ma'am.” I stood up and left my mom in tears, sitting on the couch. My face was a void until I locked the door to my attic room. I started crying.

I had heard Josh's father's opinion on Atlantis all too clearly and loudly. I would be leaving and Josh would not be coming with me.

I didn't want to leave. The phone ringing jerked me awake a few hours later.

“ Hello?”

“ I just found out. I'm so sorry.”

“ It's okay. I just found out too. At least we still got each other.” I sat up, trying to wipe the crud from my eyes.

“ Talk about some birthday present, huh? The day we leave is my birthday. No time for a party or presents or anything.”

“ We'll just have to have it before we leave.”

“ I guess. Have you told Josh yet?”

“ No. I want to wait. Hey, how about you come over and spend the night tonight?”

“ I'll ask my mom.” Kat put the phone down to go talk to her mom. Pushing a button on the intercom, I connected with Jayson in the kitchen.

“ Jayson, put mom on.”

“ Okay.” Mom stepped into the viewer.

“ Can Kat come over and spend the night? I promise we'll be quiet.”

“ Sure honey.”

“ Thanks mom.” I turned the intercom off just as Kat came back.

“ My mom says I can.”

“ I'll see you in half an hour, okay?”

“ Bye Chris.”

“ Bye Kat.”

“ Hello Mrs. Thesman. How are you this evening?”

“ I'm doing just fine. Lizzie has her door locked so you'll have to knock.” My mother was the only woman in the world who called my Lizzie.

“ No you don't. I saw you coming through my window. Come on up.” Kat and I bolted up the stairs before my parents could find a way to keep us downstairs.

“ So ‘Lizzie' what's up?”

“ Please don't call me Lizzie. Only my mom does that.”

“ I know, but you don't seem to mind.”

“ Only because it's my mom. I still have to tell Josh. He's gonna be so pissed.”

“ He'll be more ‘pissed' if you don't tell him.”

“ Point taken. Here goes nothing.” I dialed Josh's number.