Chapter 1

176 2 0
                                    

The year is 2018. In Brisbane, Australia, there was a museum that not only held lots of artifacts, but they also funded expeditions. In the boiler room, a teenage Black labrador named Jean-Luc, who grew up in Quebec, was practicing his proposal to the heads of the museum. He cleared his throat and began with,
"Bonjour, ladies and gentlemen! First things first, I'd like to thank you for your time to listen to what I have to say"
Jean-Luc had several boards showing maps and possible routes to where Atlantis was to support his proposal.  As he pointed to each specific one, he said
"Now, you all know about the myth of Atlantis.  Said to have once been a civilization located in the mid-Atlantic that had technology far advanced from our own.  And as Plato once said, the city was struck by a mysterious force, causing it to sink deep into the ocean.  You all may be wondering, 'Why Atlantis?  Isn't it just a myth?  It's only a legend!'  Well, that my dear dogs, is where you're wrong!"
Jean-Luc then got out some cards showing ancient imagery of the kind of technology Atlanteans had.
"Thousands of years ago, before the Egyptian pyramids were built, Atlantis had electricity!  They had modern medicine!  They even had flight!" said Jean-Luc.
"You might think, 'That's impossible!'  Well, not for them!  Many ancient cultures from all around the world have agreed that Atlantis had this power source that was more powerful than anything.  More powerful than coal, more powerful than steam, more powerful than our modern industrial combustion engines!"

     With confidence, he then announced,
"Ladies and gentlemen, I propose we find Atlantis, find that power source, and bring it back here!"
Jean-Luc then got out a page from an ancient book.
"This here is from an illuminated text that describes something called the 'Sheepdog's Journal'.  That journal holds the key to getting to Atlantis and where it is exactly" he said.
Jean-Luc then pointed to a board with a translation showing what seems to be the location of the Sheepdog's Journal and he said,
"Now, according to a centuries old Norse translation, many historians believed that the Sheepdog's Journal lies somewhere in the coast of Ireland"
He then pointed to a large ancient shield that had similar text written.
"However, after comparing the text to the ruins of this shield right over here, I found out that one of the letters had been mistranslated!", said Jean-Luc.
When he fixed the translation, he said,
"So, by putting in the correct letter my good dogs, the Sheepdog's Journal lies not in the coast of Ireland, but rather the coast of Iceland!  Pause for effect...ok ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy to take any questions now!"

     Suddenly, the phone rang, startling the black lab.
"Oh!  Just one moment please" he said as he hopped over a board containing a map, getting chalk on him in the process. 
He answered the phone with,
"Linguistics and cartography!  Jean-Luc speaking!...mhm...oh, let me fix that for you"
Jean-Luc turned on the lights and made his way to the boiler. 
"Excuse moi, pardon!" he said as he bumped into a few structures.
When he reached the boiler, he turned a few knobs and then banged the pipe with a wrench, causing the boiler to work better.  He went back to the phone and said,
"Is that better?  Ok, good.  Au revoir!"
He hung up and went back to practicing his proposal.
"As you can see by this...this...this map that I've drawn, I've plotted a route for me and a crew to go to in order to find that Sheepdog's Journal!"
Suddenly, a clock of his chimed.  It was almost time for his proposal.
"Ok Jean-Luc, here we go!  For real this time!" he said while wagging his tail.
He grabbed his stuff that will support his proposal and he began making his way upstairs. 
"Finally!  I'll be getting out of here!" he said.
But then he stopped briefly to look at a photograph of him as a puppy and his grandfather.  As he looked at the photo with a warm smile, he remembered the day that photo was taken.  It was all the way back in Quebec and he had wanted to try his grandfather's hat.  Naturally, it was too big, but they both had a good laugh over it.  Jean-Luc kept that same hat safely with him and he put it on.  It was still too big for him, but he chuckled.

     But just as he was about to go upstairs, a letter came in for him.  He opened it up and he read it out loud with,
"'Dear Jean-Luc,
This is to inform you that your proposal has been moved from 16:00 to 15:00'"
He looked at a nearby clock and to his horror, it was 15:45.  Just then, another letter came in.  Once again, he opened it and he read it out loud with,
"'Dear Jean-Luc,
Due to your absence, the board has voted to reject your proposal.  Have a nice day,
The chairman's office'?!  They can't do this to me!!"
Jean-Luc quickly grabbed his stuff and rushed upstairs.  Meanwhile, many of the board members came out of their offices, laughing to themselves.
"That black lab kid is driving himself crazy!" one said.
"If I hear the word 'Atlantis' come out of that mouth one more time..."
"Wait!!  Monsieur Chairman!  Wait!!" Shouted Jean-Luc.
The board panicked seeing the black lab.
"Oh no!  Here he comes!  Run!!" said the chairman.
Many board members ran to many different offices, leaving the chairman behind.  Jean-Luc shouted from a distance,
"Monsieur Chairman!  Sir!  Please listen to me!!"
The chairman attempted to hide behind a plant, but it was no use.
"Sir!" said Jean-Luc, peeking behind the plant.
But to his avail, the chairman quickly booked it for the exit.  Jean-Luc chased after him while saying,
"Monsieur Chairman!  Sir!  Wait!!  I have-I got-wait!!  Please!!"
The chairman got into his car, but just before he began driving, Jean-Luc caught up to him.
"Monsieur!  Wait!!" he said.
"Sir, if you can just listen to me for one second-"
"Kid, this museum only funds expeditions based on tried and true facts!!  Not myths and legends everything else in between!!" shouted the chairman, causing Jean-Luc to drop his stuff out of being startled.
"Besides, we need you right here in the museum.  We depend on you" said the chairman with promise in his voice.
"You do??" said Jean-Luc, with brief hope.
"Yes, with winter approaching, that boiler will need lots of attention!"

     This caught him off guard and he said,
"Wait, boiler??"
The chairman began driving off and Jean-Luc began chasing him again while saying,
"But sir!!  There's a journal located in Iceland!  I just know it!!
The chairman rolled his window up as a way to ignore him, but to his shock, Jean-Luc hopped in front of the front window holding up a significant letter.
"I was hoping to not do this, but this here is my letter of resignation!  If reject my proposal-woah-!" said Jean-Luc as he was wiped away by the windshield.
Jean-Luc got up from the ground and shouted,
"I'll quit!!"
The car came to a stop, backed up to where the young black lab was, and the chairman angrily stepped out of the car.
"I mean it, sir!  If you reject my proposal-"
"You'll do what?  Get rid of your entire career just like your grandfather??  You're still young, Jean-Luc.  You have lots of potential.  Don't waist it all on chasing fantasy stories, mate" interrupted the Chairman.
"But I can prove that Atlantis exists!  It's real!!"
"You want to go on an expedition?  Here!!"
Said the chairman tossed a dollar to Jean-Luc out of anger.
"Take the bus to the dock!  Maybe the cold water will clear your head! Now goodbye!"
The chairman then drove away while the wheels splashed water onto Jean-Luc.  After that whole ordeal, he felt hopeless.  It was a terrible day for him.  But it wouldn't last forever.

This special episode of Bluey is called, "Atlantis"!Where stories live. Discover now