FicWad

Atlanta woke the following morning in a daze. All was black when she opened her eyes. She tried to move but found that ropes bound her to the ground.

Suddenly the entire room was illuminated. She looked around to see all of her friends bound from head to toe on individual pedistals surrounding an island floating in a pit of lava, over which they were suspended. On this island, looking directly at her, was Cronus.

"Ah, how lovely of you to join us Atlanta. We were just about to start the party without you!" A figure emerged from behind him. Sherrice stared at her with an evil grin across her face. Her green hair seemed to catch a slight breeze coming across the lava's surface.

"Fantastic, isn't it? The very girl you all befriended has betrayed you!" he addressed the whole group, then turned to Sherrice. "You may claim your prize."

She turned her palm towards Archie, who;s body was lifted from his pedistal. He floated across the lava to the edge of the island. His ropes fell from his body and he ran to SHerrice. They embraced and then, to Atlanta's complete horror, he kissed her passionately.

"NO!" she screamed as the pedistals were lowered into the lava. Archie broke the kiss to look back at her with the same evil look Sherrice and Cronus had on their faces.

"NO!" she cried again. Her body began to jerk around violently, as though it was controlled by another. She heard her name being called from far away. She glanced around only to see Dani desperately trying to escape while calling Odie's name, and Jay was inching towards Theresa's pedistal from his, Herry was struggling to break free and Neil was freaking out.

Soon enough she realised that it was Archie's voice calling her though her lips didn't move.

A sharp cold pain came from her ankle as the lava was only inches below her.

"Atlanta!" Archie's voice came again. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to mentally reach Archie.

When she opened her eyes she was staring directly into Archie's eyes. Glancing around quickly she realised she was safe in her bed.

She looked down to see that Archie had straddled her waist and had his hands clamped on her shoulders. The pain in her ankle had been his ankle brace closure digging in.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly losening his grip on her arms.

"Ya, I guess I was just having a nightmare." She whispered hoarsly.

"That's a relief. I came running when I heard you scream. I thought, well, I thought Cronus might have..." he trailed off looking pained.

"That's weird, he was in my dream."

"Well what's important is that you're okay now.." He smiled, then immediately turned red when he realised he was still on top of her. "Sorry, I, uh..."

"It's okay." Atlanta knew that she must have been slightly pink as well.

Archie jumped off her bed and pulled her up. Light was peeking through her window slats. "Dani said she wanted to talk. I think she's in the laundry room."

Atlanta smiled at him and ran downstairs in a flash. She opened the door to the basement and voices wafted her way.

"...and keeps mentioning something about returning 'the message'." it was Sherrice.

"Oh, that? Easy!" Dani.

"What is the 'message'?"

Atlanta couldn't see them from where she was but she heard someone stomp their foot on the ground. She sat so she coluld watch them without being seen. Sherrice had turned pink.

"Don't take my word for it, I can't do it that well, I'm not a guy!" Dani laughed.

"Well okay, that's the 'message'. How do I return it?" Sherrice asked hesitantly.

"Uh," Dani looked around. She approached a verticle support bean and explained. "You put your right hand behind his head like this, you left on his shoulder and you left foot next to his hip." She was very graceful, considering she was pretending a pole was a person.

"Well, okay." Sherrice turned to leave and Atlanta stood as though she had just begun to decend. Sherrice smiled shyly as they passed.

Atlanta walked over to Dani. "What did you want?"

"Just your expert opinion."

"What?"

"How was I last night?"

"Great, as always."

"Cool." Dani looked happy. "So, are you planing on coming Staurday?"

"Ya, I guess. Jay said we should be there for you and Neil."

"Well, don't come if you don't want to."

"No, I want to come for you. Dani?"

"What?"

"I know you hate when I do this, but I have a bad feeling about Sherrice. I had this dream last night that she handed us all over to Cronus."

"I know what you think. But I've known her for years, she wouldn't do that to anyone."

"Whatever, hey." She added as she ascended the stairs. "You'll do great Saturday. I'm not sure about Neil, but you'll be great!"

She passed the living room entrance on her way to the front door and saw one of her worst fears unfolding. Sherrice was "returning the message" to Odie.

Atlanta pressed her back to the front door, far from the living room. Surely Dani hadn't instructed Sherrice to come on top her boyfriend? Dani wasn't that out of it, even on a bad day.

Odie's shadow approached the living room entrance and Atlanta stole out the front door before he could know she'd seen him with Dani's friend.