Phones
By: Emma
Once upon a time, far up on Mount Olympus, lived the gods and goddesses.
Zeus, the king, was sitting down until he saw something odd on the floor beside him. What could it possibly be? Zeus pushed a little circle at the bottom of the jet black screen and a light shined brightly in his face.
“Ah!” Zeus screamed as loud as a little kid who just got their favorite toy taken away from them. Then Zeus looked away.
His voice echoed across the mountain and all of the Gods and Goddesses ran to Zeus to see why he yelled.
“Why did you yell?” astonished Apollo asked Zeus.
“It’s so bright!” Zeus shouted.
Apollo picked up the thing Zeus had found and stared at it intently.
“What is this?” Apollo asked Zeus.
“I don’t know,” muttered Zeus.
“It’s a device!” Aphrodite called from the back.
“Well, it needs a name,” Zeus announced pacing back and forth.
“I think it should be named after me,” Persephone said. I will call it a phone!
“It should be named after me! Athena argued. “I will call it an Ath.”
This was a hard decision for Zeus because they both wanted to be named after this device, and Zeus didn’t want to be the person to pick who it would be.
“Hey, I called it first so I get it!” Persephone yelled.
“But I deserve it more!” Athena yelled back.
Zeus was starting to get really miffed by their fighting, but didn’t know how to settle it. But, they just kept fighting and fighting.
“No, I deserve it more!” Persephone argued.
“You are being so mean!” Athena shrieked.
“Your being so annoying!”
“You're the one who is being annoying!”
“No, you are!”
“No, you are!” Athena repeated.
This went on forever. Zeus didn't know how to stop this madness. But he had to stop it somehow.
“Ugh!” Persephone screeched, “I hate this!”
“Stop being mean!”
“Enough!” Zeus cried.
Everyone was silent. Everyone, especially Athena and Persephone, were scared. Everyone finally sat down to hear what Zeus had to say.
“You two, go make this device but better. I will blindly pick which one I think is better and whoever’s device I pick, will get to name this device. You both have 24 hours to make a device and everyone will meet back here, same time,” Zeus explained.
All of the Gods and Goddesses left, and Athena and Persephone went to go make their devices. They both thought that their ideas would win. But only one person can win. Athena’s idea was to have a device with nothing but books. She wanted that because Athena was the Goddess of battle and wisdom so, she loved books.
Persephone, on the other hand, didn’t just want to have one thing in this device. Her idea was to add things where you can click on them and you can do different things on them. For example, instead of giving someone a letter, you can just type a message on the device and send it to someone. Some that she added was a calendar, clock, notes, and many more that she thought would be useful. Athena and Persephone were both very confident they would win and proud of what they created. The next day, everyone came back to their meeting place. Athena and Persephone hid their devices so Zeus wouldn’t know whose was whose.
“Alright,” Zeus started off, “Apollo, hand me one of the devices and I won’t look so I can examine it.”
“Ok,” Apollo said grabbing Persephone’s device. “This one is letter A.”
Apollo handed the device to Zeus and he examined it closely. Then he turned it on by pushing the little circle on the bottom.
“Well, it’s definitely not as bright as the one I found, that’s good,” Zeus began, “What are these? Wow you can message people on here without sending a letter. Cool! Hey, there is also one for a calendar, a clock, a note, this is so cool! This thing has everything!” Zeus beamed handing it back to Apollo, “Now, give me the next one.”
Apollo grabbed the next one from Athena. “Here is the next one,” Apollo said, “This one is letter B,” Apollo handed this one to Zeus.
Zeus examined this one and pushed the little circle on the bottom. “This one isn’t as bright either! Cool! Let’s see, wow there are lots and lots of books. I love books! It has all of my favorite books too! I love this!” Zeus said happily handing this one back to Apollo.
“I've got to go with...A,” Zeus finished.
“Yes I won!” Persephone bragged celebrating her victory.
“And I lost,” Athena mumbled sadly walking away.
“Athena, wait!” Persephone pleaded. I will name all those things I had on my device after you. You know, like the clock and the messages and stuff like that. I will call them… apps! Yes, apps because they both start with A.”
“Aw, thanks Persephone!” Athena smiled and gave Persephone a hug, “I’m sorry
I got so mad at you yesterday, I didn't mean it.”
“It’s okay,” Persephone sighed, “I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to yell.”
“Alright,” Zeus said, “now let's have a party!”
Everyone got some food and they all had a nice dinner in celebration of Persephone’s victory.
Then the phone was created, and ever since, companies like Apple and Android have created their own version and sold it to people and given themselves the credit but, it was really made by Persephone. Who created the device that Zeus found? No one will ever know.
The Tale of Three-Headed Dog
By: Sawyer Webb
In a village in Ancient Greece there was a maiden named Hebe who could make magnificent portions of different effects. She could make love potions that made people topple head over heels with the tears of a person, she could make strength potions that rivaled the gods if she figured out the secret ingredient, she could make people swift with her potions that made Hermes mad, and much more, some of which tasted like death.
The king of this city was very troubled of his agreement to participate in the Delian League, for Athens was treating the other continuing cities, including his, like peasant servants. He had heard of this maiden and her amazing potion making skills and he hatched a plan to use her skills to take over the Delian League. He made his guards detain her on false charges. He met her in the dirt filled dungeon.
“Little lady you have done some pretty bad crimes,” he said.
“No, I didn't do those things King Cerberus, you must believe me,” she pleaded.
“I will make you a deal in order to let you go,” he told her.
“I’ll do anything Your Majesty!”
“Then you must make a potion that will make its user as strong as three dogs and not susceptible to magic,” he instructed her. “It must be finished by tonight and you will have any material that you will need to create this potion.”
She went to work immediately, for she did not know that the king had no evidence against her. Once she had finished the potion, the king instructed her to brew another batch. The king was very cunning and was favorited by Athena, until now.
Athena looked down at Cerberus and Hebe with a crease in her forehead. She was worried about the fate of Athens, after all she founded it. Athena called upon her uncle, Hades. She pleaded to him, “Please Hades you must stop Cerberus before he takes Athens!”
“Why can't one of my brothers do it?” he asked with a crease in his eyebrows.
“Hera won't let Zeus interfere or interact with mortals unless she says so, and Poseidon is still mad at me for taking the glorious city from him,” Athena explained.
Hades replied reluctantly, “Fine,” Athena flashed a smile for a second, “but you need to give me information on Penelope, for I need a queen to rule with me in the lonely Underworld.”
Back in his kingdom, Cerberus heard from a credible prophet that Hades is coming for him on his way t
o check on Hebe.
“No matter,” he said to the prophet, “my potion will protect me from anything Hades will do.”
In the Underworld, Hades was studying Cerberus and collecting magical gear. Hades knew from Athena that Cerberus may have many potions with him and Hades brought gear that will defy any potion. However, Hades did not know that Cerberus’ main potion would block any magical effects.
Hades teleported from the shadows of Cerberus’ throne room where the king is waiting with armor and his potion on his belt. Hades charges at Cerberus. Cerberus dives to the side and slips a skinny potion off his belt. Hades grabs his spear. Cerberus popped the lid off of the vial. Hades took aim. Cerberus chugs the potion. Hades let the spear fly with incredible speed. Cerberus dropped the potion, jumped up, and caught the spear mid-air. He looked at Hades with the look of a wild dog. It was his turn to charge Hades. He was too quick and Hades was tackled. From there on, it didn’t take long. Hades had no way to harm or dodge Cerberus. Hades was beaten like a dog. Cerberus took Hades unconscious body and took him to lovely Hebe.
“With Hades blood, you must create a stronger potion and make the effects last longer,” he gets an insane look in his eye, “I will take Athens with an army of men on this potion.
Hebe cowered in a corner and started to shake.
“What are you doing!” he yelled as he started to shake as well, but out of anger not fear, “Get to work now!”
Hebe swiftly got to work. She drew golden blood from Hades and prayed to Athena.
“Goddess of Wisdom please help me in these dire times and give me some way to stop Cerberus before he destroys all of civilization.” She did not know how quick her prayers would be answered.
Athena appeared in front of Hebe and started to instruct her on what to do.
“Take this ambrosia for it is the drink of the gods and mix it with the potion. It will make anybody who drinks it incredibly vulnerable to magic, but it will make it taste the same,” she said with hastiness. Hebe took the vial of ambrosia. Athena held Hades and teleported out of the dungeon.
As soon as Athena left, she poured a little amount of ambrosia into each skinny vial of the potion and then stirred it.
Athena took Hades to Olympus and went straight to Zeus. When she found, him he looked happy until he saw his brother, Hades in such a terrible state. Zeus went straight to him and clutched him with his mighty hands. Even Athena teared up a bit. When Zeus looked up, he had lightning cackling in his eyes.
“Who, who did this to him!” he bellowed as he shook with anger, the smell of smoke coming from him. The sky got dark and thunder clouds began to roll in.
“Cerberus, who now is marching off to Athens take the city,” Athena said while wiping away tears.
“You will take my brother to Hera to heal. I need to stop this madman for defying the gods in such a terrible way,” he instructed her as he walked away. Athena took Hades to Hera with a frown. If she hadn't put the right amount of ambrosia into each vial, then Hades and Zeus will take part in the same fate.
Outside the gates of Athens, Zeus appeared in front of Cerberus and his army.
“King of Olympus to what do I owe this pleasure,” he said with a smile as he took a vial of the potion off his belt.
“What should we do King Cerberus?” a soldier whimpered out.
“I will beat Zeus like a dog then we will take Athens!” he shouted. His army roared in reply. Zeus wasted no more time and took his lightning bolt and rose up in the sky.
“Are you too much of a coward to fight me like the god everybody worships. I don't want to just beat you, I want to show the world that you are a false god and then everybody will worship me!” He chugged his potion and when he was done Zeus threw his powerful lightning bolt at Cerberus.
Cerberus started to shake and moan. His skin turned into fur. In place of his hands, grew the paws of a dog. On his shoulders sprouted two dog heads. Finally he fell over on all fours and bowed his head. When he brought his head back up, it was the vicious head of a dog.
Hebe was rescued by Athena and was turned into a god. She now bears a potion in which whoever the drinker drinks from it turns immortal. Cerberus was taken by Hades to the Underworld to guard the dreadful place.
“You once beat me like a dog, now whenever you mess up I will return the favor,” he warned him coolly.
Athena spread all of Cerberus’ citizens to many different cities and then all of the gods destroyed the city and no mortal was able to rebuild it. Sometimes you can smell the smoke of lightning and the howl of a dog can be heard from behind the last door that is laying on the ground with stairs underneath.
Unbreakable
By Christian Wood
Aidan Coole is a 16 year old boy who is the best pitching prospect in the country.
He wants to be in the MLB, but he would do anything for his country. Aidan enjoys the summer so much mostly because of baseball.Aidan’s dad played one game in the major’s then his arm blew out.
Aidan pumps his fist in the air as he marks down another batter in the world junior baseball classic game against North Korea. “ Everything is going great for Aidan, and he is going to LSU for college baseball.” He has 5 MLB teams looking at him, but then everything changes forever. The USA has declared war that starts world war 3 against North Korea. USA is looking for young soldiers. The next day Aidan meets with a general; he is going to war.