The Mountain Prophecy: Chapter 5

"Hey, hey! Over here! Yeah, you! You're in danger! You can't go on that quest! No, don't look at me like that. I can't tell you why. I just have a feeling. Yes, a feeling! Fine! If you must know, his men will be waiting. Be careful."
                                                 මමමමමමමමමම
I woke with a start, and thought about what that girl had said. I didn't ask her name, and she didn't ask mine, but I had a feeling we knew each-other somehow. Suddenly, as if the village was on fire, someone burst through my door. It was- who else- Slip. Now that he had opened up to me, he had been crazier and more reckless, not as withdrawn or shady. I wondered why.
  "Hey man! ready to go?"
  "Go? I just woke up! I don't even have my quest yet."
  "I know right? I heard they were sending you to-"
  Red opened the door- loudly.
  "SHUT IT SLIP! No wonder they call you Slip, every secret ever just slips right out of your mouth!" She rolled her eyes and glared menacingly at Slip.
  "Hey, sorry girl. you know how I get sometimes!" He explained with a shrug.
  "Yeah, but that doesn't excuse it!"
  "Guys guys!" I shouted. "It's not a big deal!"
  "Yeah but-"
  "She just-"
  I rolled my eyes. They fought like they were an old married couple!
  "Come on. lets go get some food, then head to the Council Hall."
  They silently agreed. 
                                                  මමමමමමමමමම
  After a hurried breakfast, we walked to the Council Hall to receive my quest. As we approached the doors, I kept getting more and more nervous. Where would I be going? What would I be doing? And- yikes- would I be alone? 
  As soon as that last thought popped into my head, the doors opened, and we were ushered inside. The first person I saw was Head Council Member Mikel. He was not standing up on the podium like he was before. Maybe he wanted someone else to do it?
  "Welcome, young Nolan! I am- well, you could say that I'm the boss around here." As he said this, he turned and gave head Council Member Mikel a hard stare. It made me think that their leader system wasn't as amazing as they made it seem.
  "Any way," He continued briskly. "Today this young man- er- Nolan is receiving his quest. This quest shan't be a dangerous one, but it will have its challenges. Nolan, before we tell you where you will be going and what you will be doing, do have anything you want to say?"
  I didn't. My throat was to dry with nerves, and my head was pounding.
  "Alright! Let's get started." He pulled out a very musty smelling, dusty old scroll and began to read:
                                               He who is the weary traveler
                                               Must seek what we cannot find
                                               His trials will test him
                                               His faith will leave him
                                               His strength will perish
                                               And so shall his courage.
                                               He must go to the place of the Ever Rolling Stones
                                               And find the Forgotten. 
                                               Find the Forgotten. Find the Forgotten.
                                               Find the Forgotten.  

I shivered. Those instructions stank like a prophecy. I wondered briefly if the village was just sending me to do their dirty work. But as soon as the thought reached my mind, I banished it. I would never believe that of my new village. Well. Almost.
                                                මමමමමමමමමම  
Right after the meeting, I headed outside to find my friends. I still had not told them my name, or what to call me. I still wasn't sure I wanted to give them my real name yet, and I was starting to regret telling the council member. I stopped and turned when I heard a noise. It was- who else- Slip. I was starting to get tired of this kid.
  "Hey Slip."
  "HEY man!! SO! What's the quest?"
I told him what the 'boss around here' had said. Slip nodded like it was no big deal. 
  "Yea man, we go on quests like that all the time. It's no biggie."
No biggie? No biggie? Who was this kid?
  "So," I questioned him. "Are all going to go? The 'boss around here' didn't specify."
  "I dunno, man. Maybe you should go ask him, or somethin'." I decided that was a good idea, and headed back to the Council Hall. 
  As I stepped up to the door, I slowly, ever so quietly, opened the big, thick wooden door.
  "HEY! What are you doing here, kid?"
  "I need to talk to Head Council Member Mikel."
  "Oh. Why didn't you just say so? Go right ahead."
  As I walked away, I rolled my eyes at the custodian. Really, dude?
  I got to Mikel's office really quickly. I really really needed to ask that question. And then ask some more.
  "Hello? Mikel? I need to ask a question."
  "Come right in, then. "
  "Do I get to bring anyone with me on my quest?"
  Mikel paused at that, and smiled slowly.
  "I should think so! No one can go on a quest alone these days, its to dangerous. You may bring two people of you choice. Now, it seems as if you have something else to ask me. Spill."
  "No, sir, that was the only question I had." At least, the one I knew I wouldn't get in trouble for asking.
  "Alright. Trova il Dimenticato. That means Find the Forgotten in Latin."
  "Thank you sir."
  "You are very welcome. Remember: Trova il Dimenticato."
  I nodded, and walked out of the room.
                                                   මමමමමමමමමම  
That evening at the mess hall, I sat thinking. Alone. None of my friends- were they friends?- had come along yet, so I was all alone at a table by myself. I knew who I wanted to come with me on my quest, but I had yet to tell them. When I first started to think about it, I knew I did not want Slip to come. From what little I knew about him, I saw he was reckless and quick to jump right in without thinking it through. I did not want a daredevil on my team. I also wasn't sure I could trust May, so I decided against her.
  "Hello," I whipped my head around so fast I almost got whiplash. "Can I sit with you?" It was May. Well... I thought. I guess I could get to know her better, see what her deal is.
  "Um, sure, May."
  "Thanks! I've been meaning to talk to you."
  "Uh... about what?" I asked, skeptically.
  "Oh, just about who your going to take with you on your quest."
  "How'd you know about that? I didn't tell anyone, and Slip just keeps bursting in, when I'm talking to myself."
  "Oh, I hear things. Now, who are you gonna bring? Me?"
  "Um, well... uh... see... I just..."
  "Sooooo... that's a no, then?"
  "Yeah, I guess." I told her, sheepishly.
  "Oh no worries, I was just wondering." She said, almost bitterly.
  "Okay, good, I was not trying to leave you out of anything." May didn't answer, so I turned away, feeling my cheeks warm.
  "I wanted to come on that trip with you."
  "Huh? Who said that?"
  "Me."
  "Sylvester?"
  "No, stupid. ME." May abruptly grabbed my shoulder, and turned me to face her. She had a very strange look on her face. Almost as if she was drilling holes in my head with her eyes. Trust me, you did not want to see her when she was like this.
"I wanted to come on that trip. I wanted to. Really, really wanted to. I hate it here in this village. No one will take me seriously. They just think I am a sweet little girl, who wants to stay at home. I am not a sweet little girl who wants to stay at home. I am not a ninny. I am not naive. I am especially not just a toy who the village leaders want to play with. Do you understand? DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"
I nodded emphatically.
"Good. Now, who are you taking with you?"
"Um... you, I guess... and... Louie."
"Louie? But he's not good for anything!" She rolled her eyes at me. I thought even if I hadn't picked Louie, she would disapprove of my choice. What was her deal?
"A-Anyway, I b-better go... get ready... for my trip...."  I stuttered. That was weird, I'd never had a stutter in my voice before. Maybe I was just overtired. Not good for going on a quest.
I decided to walk back to my bunk and pack and get some sleep. But right as I was walking out of the mess hall, Cooper- who else- stopped me.
 "Hey! Boy! Come here, I need to talk to you!" He called loudly. I groaned. I didn't want to talk to Cooper, but if I didn't do it now, he would barricade me at my bunk. And I really did not want that. I slowly walked over to him, dread piling in to my stomach.
 "Hi, Cooper."
 "Hi, kid. Look, I just want to tell you: Don't listen to May. She is not who she says she is." Duh, I already knew that.
 "I think she's really a girl called Quest, who is on a quest for him." Okay, this was getting weird. I quickly nodded my head and made to turn around and walk away, but Cooper grabbed my wrist, and pulled- no, yanked- me down so he could wisper this in my ear:
"He is coming. Do not resist, and he will show mercy. Resist, and you will be killed." I frantically shook him off, and ran out of the mess hall, to my house. I rushed in and shut the door, and put a pile of cans and a chair against it, so I would know if anyone was trying to get in. Then, I flopped on my bed to think. When Cooper had whispered in my ear, he had sounded almost snake like. Sylvester! Of course! I thought, maybe he could tell me about this snake guy. 
 "Sylvester!" I said. "Are you still in there?" But of course he was not. He had probably slipped out when I was with May. I sighed, and started to pack.  I didn't want to go without him, since he seemed to be my only friend, and Ali. Oh well.
 Once I finished packing, I slowly, methodically, pulled back the measly little blanket covering my measly, thin mattress on the floor. I was in for a cold night. I rolled over and sighed long and slow, thinking. How was I going to Find the Forgotten? Would May turn out to be a good Ali? Where was Sylvester? What was tomorrow going to be like? As these thoughts rolled around my head, I was slowly becoming more and more sleepy, until I couldn't put it off anymore. 
 "Good night mom." I whispered. And promptly fell asleep.