4
Brothers:
Visions of Paradise 4
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Introduction Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three
Introduction Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three
Chapter 4:
The Golden City of El Dorado
by Stephanie Champion
The rest of the school day went on as normal. The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. The four brothers Alex, Ty, Trey, and Andy gathered their belongings and started their long walk home. About one-fourth of a mile up the road Ty couldn't stand to hold it in anymore, "You will never believe what happened to me today!"
"Me too!" said Alex.
"Me too!" answered Trey.
The three older brothers began to relive their daydreams, Alex of the Garden of Eden, Ty of Atlantis, and Trey of Shangri-La. However, Andy, the youngest brother, felt left out. He didn't have a vision, but all the way home he heard his brothers going on and on about their utopic paradises. He began to think what paradise would look like to him. His brothers' voices began to disappear and the woods they had been walking through had become thicker. The air also had an unfamiliar sense of moisture. After walking a few hundred yards, a beautiful waterfall came into view. As he crept closer, he noticed a little girl, but when he tried to speak to her she disappeared behind the falls.
Andy had to take a second look. "Did she really disappear?" he asked himself. He decided to investigate. He very quietly began to walk across the shallow stream that led to the bottom of the waterfall. Very cautiously, Andy stretched out his hand through the falling water. There was nothing, just empty space. Suddenly someone or something grabbed his hand and before he had a chance to object he was whisked into the other side of the waterfall. He had closed his eyes from fright, but when he opened them again, his eyes were greeted with the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
"Don't be scared," a timid voice called from behind him. Andy turned around. A little girl about his age was quietly standing in the shadows. "I'm not scared," Andy answered back, "but can you tell me where I am?"
"Of course. Welcome to El Dorado! I am Ele-ana. Who are you and where do you come from? I have never seen anyone like you. How did you get here?"
Andy was overwhelmed with all the questions the little girl had. Wasn't he the one who should be asking the questions?
"My name is Andy. I was walking home with my brothers when they disappeared and I ended up here. This place is so cool. Will you show me around?"
Ele-ana agreed energetically. "Quiet," she said. "We will have to sneak past the guards. They don't like outsiders."
Andy understood, and they climbed a small stone staircase hidden behind an enormous rock and began to explore this mysterious city.
As they walked and talked about the differences in their two worlds, Andy began to notice something very unique. Everything was gold! From the simple streets to the majestic temple, golds of every color glimmered and shined in the light of the sun. Various statues and totems made of gold were everywhere. The city seemed to be built in different levels. "Ele-ana, why are there so many levels?"
"The lower levels help with irrigation of our food and wildlife, and the middle levels are where most of us live." Andy listened intently as Ele-ana pointed and explained. Assorted plants and trees grew abundantly on the lowest level, and animals of every species filled the distant fields in classic tranquility. Gardens of herbs and vegetables grew in the next, followed by two more levels of interestingly built homes. Each was constructed out of clay and built in perfect squares with flat roofs. The doors and windows were outlined in gold as were the different symbols and designs that were carved into the sides of the houses.
"Finally, the highest level is reserved for our leaders and elders."
"Elders? Who are elders and why are they so special?"
"Elders are our people who are very old and have much knowledge of our way of life."
"Really? Then I have elders in my family too. They're my grandparents. They are old too, almost sixty."
Ele-ana giggled, "In El-Dorado, our elders are hundreds of years old."
Andy was speechless.
As they continued their walk, Andy noticed that the shallow stream he had crossed to enter the city was now deeper, and gathered into a lake in the middle of the city. As the two of them got closer to the lake, he noticed the four branch- like rivers that extended in a sun ray pattern from the top. "Where do those rivers lead to?" Andy inquired.
"Each river leads to the temple of one of our gods. Each god provides something different to us. Today, we will offer gifts to the sun god for plentiful sunshine. Today, we will throw our gift into his river so that they will reach his temple and he will be happy."
Just as she said that, a loud horn sounded and, in the distance, beautiful music began to play.
"The ceremony is beginning. Come on, let's go watch!" Ele-ana took off running, with Andy close at her heels. However, Ele-ana was faster than he was and he soon lost sight of her. He yelled for her, "Hey, wait up. I can't see you." But there was nothing, not even the noise of the celebration. Andy became frightened. He closed his eyes and yelled at the top of his lungs, "H-E-L-L-O, can anyone hear me?"
"Of course we can. Why are you screaming?"
Andy knew that voice; it was Alex. He quickly opened his eyes to see his brother standing in front of him.
"Come on, Mom has snacks waiting for us on the table."
He smiled and jumped on Alex's back to be carried inside.
"Hi ,boys, how was school?"
The boys immediately began talking all at once about their adventures, including little Andy.
Introduction
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
The Golden City of El Dorado
by Stephanie Champion
The rest of the school day went on as normal. The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. The four brothers Alex, Ty, Trey, and Andy gathered their belongings and started their long walk home. About one-fourth of a mile up the road Ty couldn't stand to hold it in anymore, "You will never believe what happened to me today!"
"Me too!" said Alex.
"Me too!" answered Trey.
The three older brothers began to relive their daydreams, Alex of the Garden of Eden, Ty of Atlantis, and Trey of Shangri-La. However, Andy, the youngest brother, felt left out. He didn't have a vision, but all the way home he heard his brothers going on and on about their utopic paradises. He began to think what paradise would look like to him. His brothers' voices began to disappear and the woods they had been walking through had become thicker. The air also had an unfamiliar sense of moisture. After walking a few hundred yards, a beautiful waterfall came into view. As he crept closer, he noticed a little girl, but when he tried to speak to her she disappeared behind the falls.
Andy had to take a second look. "Did she really disappear?" he asked himself. He decided to investigate. He very quietly began to walk across the shallow stream that led to the bottom of the waterfall. Very cautiously, Andy stretched out his hand through the falling water. There was nothing, just empty space. Suddenly someone or something grabbed his hand and before he had a chance to object he was whisked into the other side of the waterfall. He had closed his eyes from fright, but when he opened them again, his eyes were greeted with the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
"Don't be scared," a timid voice called from behind him. Andy turned around. A little girl about his age was quietly standing in the shadows. "I'm not scared," Andy answered back, "but can you tell me where I am?"
"Of course. Welcome to El Dorado! I am Ele-ana. Who are you and where do you come from? I have never seen anyone like you. How did you get here?"
Andy was overwhelmed with all the questions the little girl had. Wasn't he the one who should be asking the questions?
"My name is Andy. I was walking home with my brothers when they disappeared and I ended up here. This place is so cool. Will you show me around?"
Ele-ana agreed energetically. "Quiet," she said. "We will have to sneak past the guards. They don't like outsiders."
Andy understood, and they climbed a small stone staircase hidden behind an enormous rock and began to explore this mysterious city.
As they walked and talked about the differences in their two worlds, Andy began to notice something very unique. Everything was gold! From the simple streets to the majestic temple, golds of every color glimmered and shined in the light of the sun. Various statues and totems made of gold were everywhere. The city seemed to be built in different levels. "Ele-ana, why are there so many levels?"
"The lower levels help with irrigation of our food and wildlife, and the middle levels are where most of us live." Andy listened intently as Ele-ana pointed and explained. Assorted plants and trees grew abundantly on the lowest level, and animals of every species filled the distant fields in classic tranquility. Gardens of herbs and vegetables grew in the next, followed by two more levels of interestingly built homes. Each was constructed out of clay and built in perfect squares with flat roofs. The doors and windows were outlined in gold as were the different symbols and designs that were carved into the sides of the houses.
"Finally, the highest level is reserved for our leaders and elders."
"Elders? Who are elders and why are they so special?"
"Elders are our people who are very old and have much knowledge of our way of life."
"Really? Then I have elders in my family too. They're my grandparents. They are old too, almost sixty."
Ele-ana giggled, "In El-Dorado, our elders are hundreds of years old."
Andy was speechless.
As they continued their walk, Andy noticed that the shallow stream he had crossed to enter the city was now deeper, and gathered into a lake in the middle of the city. As the two of them got closer to the lake, he noticed the four branch- like rivers that extended in a sun ray pattern from the top. "Where do those rivers lead to?" Andy inquired.
"Each river leads to the temple of one of our gods. Each god provides something different to us. Today, we will offer gifts to the sun god for plentiful sunshine. Today, we will throw our gift into his river so that they will reach his temple and he will be happy."
Just as she said that, a loud horn sounded and, in the distance, beautiful music began to play.
"The ceremony is beginning. Come on, let's go watch!" Ele-ana took off running, with Andy close at her heels. However, Ele-ana was faster than he was and he soon lost sight of her. He yelled for her, "Hey, wait up. I can't see you." But there was nothing, not even the noise of the celebration. Andy became frightened. He closed his eyes and yelled at the top of his lungs, "H-E-L-L-O, can anyone hear me?"
"Of course we can. Why are you screaming?"
Andy knew that voice; it was Alex. He quickly opened his eyes to see his brother standing in front of him.
"Come on, Mom has snacks waiting for us on the table."
He smiled and jumped on Alex's back to be carried inside.
"Hi ,boys, how was school?"
The boys immediately began talking all at once about their adventures, including little Andy.
Introduction
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Author's Note: The story of
El-Dorado is commonly found throughout different cultures and time
periods. The word el-dorado coes from Spanish, meaning golden one
or golden man. The original reference to the name El-Dorado began
in the early 16th century when a local tribal chief in South America
dove into a lake of pure mountain water covered in gold dust.
However, like most legends do, the story transformed and El-Dorado
became associated with a golden city and not a golden man.
El-Dorado, the city, soon became associated with the city Muisca, which
was an ancient nation located in what is now modern day Colombia.
Soon after, conquistadors set out on many expeditions to find the
magical city of gold. Many voyages were attempted, but the most
famous was in 1541. Explorers Francisco Orellana and Gonzalo
Pizarro became obsessed with the legend and set out from modern-day
Quinto (in Ecuador) in search of El-Dorado.
El-Dorado has now become associated with many different aspects of life. Most importantly, however, it has become associated with the ultimate prize in life. Everyone wants to find that utopic peace that is filled with wealth and happiness.
In my story I tried to keep that same concept. Andy wanted to have a vision much like his brothers. He wanted to attain an utopic dream. As with my other stories, I used a great deal of imagination to provide you with a mental vision of what El-Dorado looked like. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Bibiography
1. "El Dorado." Provided by Wikipedia.
Image
"El Dorado". Provided by Adventure Archive.
El-Dorado has now become associated with many different aspects of life. Most importantly, however, it has become associated with the ultimate prize in life. Everyone wants to find that utopic peace that is filled with wealth and happiness.
In my story I tried to keep that same concept. Andy wanted to have a vision much like his brothers. He wanted to attain an utopic dream. As with my other stories, I used a great deal of imagination to provide you with a mental vision of what El-Dorado looked like. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Bibiography
1. "El Dorado." Provided by Wikipedia.
Image
"El Dorado". Provided by Adventure Archive.