Journey in Pieces: Chapter 1

    My name's Arian Edwards. I live in the mansion on Silver Drive. I'm never seen without my friends, Jacob Daunt and Katelyn Lane. We were leading a boring, and typically normal life until... we found the shed... that's when our true adventure started. And here's the story, straight from the very beginning.

"Arian, Arian, Arian.... what have I told you about jumping onto the top of the school bus?" Our principal was cornering me again. I get straight As, am the smartest of the gifted kids, am an amazing artist (by other people), am way athletic, and good-looking to most (not really to me), but was too outgoing for my own good.
I brushed back my black-brown hair. "Um, well.... I don't really have an excuse, ma'am. Just wanted to."
"Arian, you're missing classes."
"They teach things I already know. .....Ma'am."
 She let out an exasperated sigh. "Arian, this is going to be the last time you jump on a moving vehicle from the school roof. Do you understand me?"
"I surely do, Ma'am."
"Good. If this happens again, I may cut you from baseball."
My face tightened. "Sorry? Come again, ma'am?"
"Cut you from baseball."
"It surely won't happen then, ma'am. I'll be going."

As I walked out of the office, Katelyn and Jacob snickered.
"You two are so... Well, sorry, but this can't happen again, guys. Oh, and you, Katelyn. I'm never ever going to get cut off of baseball."
Jacob laughed. "Guys? Don't you mean 'ma'am'. Yes ma'am, no ma'am, but ma'am... that's all you were saying in there."
"Oh, shut it." I snarled.
Katelyn smiled. "It's not like you're going to be cut off. I mean, you're the best on the team. She probably was making a false threat."
"Ha, sure. Oh, look at the time. It's 4:52. I'll be getting home. You guys coming?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't we?"
I started over to the door and opened it.
"Well, follow, geniuses."
They followed me.
We walked for about 7 minutes until we saw it.
Katelyn had seen if first. "Guys....... that wasn't there before. That.... thing."
Jacob and I turned our heads.
There was a gory red shed, with a gaudy yellow roof. On the door was carved

Those who enter will pay the price of their lives

I sighed. "Well, let's enter, then."

Katelyn's jaw dropped. "Are you nuts? Price of their lives."

"Pfft, those things are never true. Let's go now, before it's 5:20!"

"Arian... I think Katelyn's right. We shouldn't enter." Jacob said nervously. 

"Wimps. Come on, you fluffy little bunnies!"

Jacob sighed. "Fine."

Katelyn rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."

Katelyn tried opening the door. "It's rusted shut."

Jacob tried opening it. He couldn't. "Won't budge."

I grumbled. "Weaklings." I kicked the door softly and it opened.

"You guys are such weaklings."

"Lucky try." Katelyn grumbled.

We all walked inside the pitch black shed and felt around for a light switch. I flicked one on and we looked around. Daggers, swords, knives, bows, and many other weapons lined the walls, while the tables were covered with the necessities like sleeping bags, water bottles, safety kits, food packs, and such. 

"What are you guys doing in here?" A growling voice spoke from behind us.

We all swiveled around and were face-to-face with a very, very pretty girl. She was perfectly tanned, and her eyes were a shimmering electric blue. Her lips were blood red and she had long, ....teal hair? In a braid?

Katelyn looked at her. "Who you?"

"Jade Cyan. Does nobody listen to signs? Well, I certainly won't kill you, that's just a sign. I've been baiting someone for a journey. And I caught a good haul. Pick whatever you want. You're going on a journey."

I narrowed my eyes. "On what kind of journey?"
"Uh.... well, there's... um.... long story."

"We've got time." I said.

"No we don't, I have soccer." Said Jacob. 

"Jacob, no soccer today. So, the journey?"

"Well, there's an...er, ancient door that can only be opened by the key, a series of... um.. four... three? No, five pieces. The pieces put together make a circle... or is it a triangle?, and the shape is the key. But, the pieces are scattered throughout the world... or is it just North America... whatever, and I'm banned everywhere except Honduras and America.. oh, and the UK. So, you guys I think are going, but there's a guardian set to protect each key by this evil guy named Marshal Sattendack... or is it Satan's tack? who doesn't want anybody to open the ancient door since there is something that holds the power to make him meet his fate... or like, mortally wound him. Nobody knows what it is, but it can bring peace to the world... or is it everlasting misery?, and my family has been hunting it for eons... no, generations. The pieces are hard to find, and some lay in the Mariana trench. So that's some of the story."

"It wasn't er.... that long." Jacob said.

"Some?," Katelyn gawked. "That took ten minutes!"

"Ok, it was a bit long, and ONLY because I want to have an adventure, we accept."

Jade smiled. She tossed each of us a pure white thingy. 

Jacob grinned. "Oh cool, these are one of those headphone slash microphone thingies that you can hear and talk to people with! Awesome!"

Katelyn and I stared at him.

"Moving on.... are they waterproof?"

"Yep," said Jade. "And heatproof. And, they can find WiFi no matter where you are. So, the other stuff? Take your pick."

I immediately grabbed a silver bow and arrow.

Jacob went for one of those double-sided ninja sword things.

Katelyn took two daggers and attached them to her belt. 

I took a black backpack and put in a food pack, a safety kit, a sleeping bag, a lamp, and a package of double A batteries. Jacob and Katelyn did the same, but with a purple pack and a green pack.

"I think we're ready." I said. Jade laughed.

"Not at all." She took a large duffle bag and put in a fold-out floating water raft, and air pump, three pairs of air snorkels with air tanks, flippers, and three wet suits. She also threw in some towels.

"That would be the stuff you need for the Mariana trench. Um, and the guardians.... they're real, actual creatures, no dragons and all that nonsense, but... they're dangerous. So, keep you guard up. Oh, and also..." She handed me an underwater lamp. "You will definitely need that... there's a few.... creatures... in the Mariana trench that are sneaky, brutal, and deadlier than an angry dragon. Well, go now." The helicopter is in the back. Start off at the Mariana trench, 11" 21' North latitude and 142" 12' East longitude. Be cautious, be aware, and most of all.... be brave. You don't know the dangers that lurk in the deep."

   When we were packed and at the helicopter, Jade ran out. "Take this too!" She threw us a little gemstone. It was the shape of a rose, made of pure, prettily-colored jade. I wondered why we needed it. I slipped it into my pocket then put in the coordinates and we flew up into the sky. 

We passed places, and as we were lifting up, I saw the mansion, in the middle of my neighborhood street, Silver Drive.