-this is my second attempt at this chapter- new and improved-

You have all been tricked, if you succeed you will get what you have come here for, but few of you will succeed and even less will get the chance. And all others who attempt to enter this place shall face pure evils flames, and the few who survive that shall satisfy the devils hunger. I have warned you and you must spread my warning, for no others will open this book and read these words.

You must tell all the children scattered around camp fires. All those mere children competing for something more powerful than life or death. Too desperate to even accept the consequences, desperate enough to die.

Who am I to talk though? I would do the same thing myself if I were free, but when I first came here I did not come here for greed or any impassioned longing. It was not desperation that brought me here. It was simply destiny, a destiny I’d forever tried to avoid.

I wonder who you are, why you of all people are here, why any of this is happening to you. I should know the answer by now, it’s been proved to me time and again. Every single thing we do is done because it has to be, because that it is the will of ultimate power, they don’t chose us, they chose the tasks that we could do for ourselves.

Ah! But you don’t know who they are, the powers that govern our world and all others. It will take more than the words i can spare to explain it to you, later maybe for who can ever tell what shall appear on a book not yet written? Not the author, not the reader, not even the powers can tell whether we succeed or fail, they give opportunities, we are the ones who control what becomes of them. But I am explaining what there is no time for now, your opportunity has now come.

The deceit is now over, a secret I have kept from you, in reading this far you are now bound to me. To see me in your sleep till this horror is over, my fate shall be your guilt, and my life your curse. If i had not lived, you would still be collecting firewood, you would not be standing as the snow swirled around you, and burning tears would not run down your pale cheeks. All i’ve seen of you is a small figure in a black cape on top of a hill, you bend and find this journal hidden under leaves. You gasp as the journal opens by itself and the blank page before you fills with words. Your intelligent eyes, the only part of your face I can see scan the page quick as lightning. You try and drop the book but all attempts fail, then success it is spinning away from you, you are running, fear coursing through you the stench of it enough to take me back in time.

wow its amazing

i agree it is amazing when can we expect more and where did u get the idea from?

Really!!!
I'll put on a bit more tonight!!
I just started writing one night and i suddenly began to get something good.

Elaina
The book bearer

“Its time you told me what’s going on” I said but again no-one replied.
But of course there was nobody to reply, there was nothing there but shadows. Cruel shadows, haunting me, taunting me, sometimes with words sometimes with pictures, but there was nobody there.
“Get the book, get the book, get the book” whispers, whispers cold as the night telling me to fetch that cursed book, if only I had gone north with the others, but I had gone south to look for firewood and now the south was calling me back.

“There’s something for you” I turned and was silenced, for there she was, almost alive, the reason I had come here. “It’s all wrapped up and ready, you must see.”
Slowly I followed my mind else where, for now I was truly walking with spirits, my mother was proved right again.
“Hurry up, I spent ages on it, I can’t wait another second” I shook my head smiling my blonde locks taking flight, blinding me.

Then they were gone and so was reality for before me was the past, just three months ago, there she was hopping around my bed like a sparrow.
“There’s something for you” I woke and was still groaning when she pulled away my duvet. “It’s all wrapped up and ready, you must see.”
Slowly I lifted myself out of bed as she runs out the room, I groan at the clock and am about to turn off my alarm when she’s at the door squealing “Hurry up, I spent ages on it, I can’t wait another second.”
I was hurried into the lounge to see my birthday presents, birthday’s supposedly a joyous occasion seemed rather grim at the time, I look around wondering if any of these presents were worth such an early start.
“You must open mine first.” She begged.
“And why should I do that? After all Sophie’s present is closest.” I reach to lift it but she’s already got it and is running across the room.
“Now mine’s the closest” She squeals
“True, but Katie’s is the biggest” She screams and grabs the present.
“Now you can’t open this one till you’ve opened mine” she smiles triumphant.
“Then first I’ll open the smallest” I smile
“but I’m holding the smallest” She says smiling
“Then I guess I better open your present first” I laugh and am about to pick it up when the alarm echoes from upstairs.
“I’ll just go and turn it off” I said.
“Wait, you can’t” but I’m already heading up the stairs laughing as I go.
I shout down to her “I’ll open your present when I get back.”
I reach my room and flick the switch when her screams drown my world, the screams of her being taken away from me, screams that will make me cross this border.

Then I’m back, and there she is arms outstretched, the present in her arms just as it had been then. It had disappeared when she had and I had almost forgotten, my poor sisters desperate mission that she had come back from death to finish. This time I take it and slowly pull at the string. I gasp and look to my sisters spirit but she is gone, her job done; now it is up to me. I weep on the book it’s words not even smudging, two words that prove this book alive, two words that had not been there before, two words that broke my barriers.
Two words “I’m sorry.”

Its pretty good...It might make it more enjoyable tho if it wasnt in a diary form...just my opinion tho

I struggle to write well in other forms
i like to become the person
and say the experience

the chosen eleven

the innocent = Betty
the warrior = david
the guide = Elizabeth
book bearer = Elaine
spirit sister = Ellie (Elaine's sister)
the youthful = oliver
the fierce = Tyler
the ....... = arthur
Zita = the seeker
katharine = the healer
fred = the peacekeeper

thats nicely done. keep it up.

Its sounding good

i love it
i havent had time to work on mine yet tho

Just something odd I noticed-your third paragraph talks about your wondering who will discover "this diary," but then in your last paragraph you seem to be saying that you know who this person is, or at least have seen them. Could you clarify that, please?

Besides that, it's wonderful, especially the last phrase..."fear coursing through you the stench of it enough to take me back in time"...and by the way you're missing a comma between "you" and "the". Sorry, I had to say that, being the picky person I am.

She saw an image
she doesn't know anything about the person
she can't even tell the gender from what she saw

it's different now...
but i haven't finished it...
my dad says its the best thing i've ever written but i doubt it...
maybe i'll post it.

Chapter 3
Hospital Cred
Katharine
“Hey Kate” I glared at Sam she knew how much I hated that name, just because she preferred a nickname she decided to talk to everybody in slang, well as much as she could learn. The way she said it didn’t help, it was like she didn’t know a thing, like all street kids didn’t know a thing, like I didn’t know a thing.
“Sam, it’s Katherine and you know it, so what do you want this time?” I wasn’t in the mood to be patient, I wasn’t in the mood to give.
“I been hearing things, things that don’t make much sense” I glared at Sam i knew exactly what she was talking about. “I been hearing that you’re a doctor”
I nodded and said “You can learn anything in a library”
“What you been doin’ in a library?” she asked as if she couldn’t read, as if reading was a crime.
“Well, at first it was free warmth and shelter, I could hide in the corners in winter and even though the librarian knew I was there she’d let me sleep. So I said cool no sleeping on the street’s in the cold. Then I thought well I’m living in a library why don’t I read? It just so happened that I recognized a flower on the cover of a book and it was called the miracles of nature. It was a really common flower I just thought what’s so special about that? And i found out along with loads of other, so I put it all into practice. I learnt how to heal wounds and it worked so now I’m a doctor so to speak.” I had spoken for too long and Sam’s expression was a bored one.
“So what is this the orphan’s dream?” She said her voice filled with sarcasm and going on to a high pitched squeal of a tone “Live in a library, learn to heal the sick, don’t smoke or do drugs!”
“We aren’t all obsessed with self destruction! Some people like to give back to the community” I said in a tone I wasn’t sure I liked.
“What did the community give to us? They didn’t feed or cloth you or offer you shelter! They’ll chuck you a couple of pennies and a pound, not enough for a stale roll these days let alone a bleedin’ meal! Yet you’re willing to sell you’re soul for ‘em?” I looked at her surprised.
“You didn’t feed me, you didn’t cloth me, you didn’t shelter me all you did was offer me drugs or a fag, all you offered me was suicide and starvation”
“How’d you do it then really, you need equipment for all that crap, so what did you steal it?”
“Theft was never my style, I got some help gave up a few meals, showed what i knew. The librarian helped me get a poultice kit and it wasn’t even plastic, it was actual stone!”
“Wow stone crap you don’t know how to use!” She squealed as if with delight.
“I learnt how to use it and it worked, I set up a small practice at the librarians home and people came, I’ve done so much and this is the first time you’ve heard about it all, your spy network must be faulty!” We were standing close to each other and I know in the old days when she’d run this town she wouldn’t have hesitated to slap me, but we were around the same age and I was no longer the weakling I had been. I was about an inch taller than her now and as she looked up at me she realized I was now the superior.
“Some people wanted to see you, some doctors from the front, they’d heard about you from one of your patients, if you run to the town centre you’ll see their wagon, take this and they’ll know who you are” She handed me a tattered cloth that might have been pink a decade ago which I tied it round my wrist before I started running. I ran faster than I ever had before and when I finally stopped it was to slowly step into a world so much larger than any I’d even known.


I opened my eyes and heard shouting the memory disappeared, and something inside me told me to follow the noise. I was disappointed by what I saw, disappointed but not surprised. There in front of me were two nurses one cowering against a wall, the other filled with rage and almost ready to hit her victim.
“What’s wrong with you? You’re pathetic!” I was almost impressed with the venom in these words, almost. What didn’t impress me though were the tears falling down that poor kids face I didn’t even remember her name but I felt sorry for her.
“What are you doing?” I asked stepping in between them my back to the weeping nurse and staring straight into the eyes of Elise, I’ve never liked Elise I met her on my way here and she was always causing trouble.
“What business is it of yours?” she asked her voice filled with spite.
I tapped my foot impatiently “Come on we both know why don’t we? It’s the same reason you’re so jealous of me”
“Just because you’re a doctor, wait I’m not jealous of you!” Halfway through she realized what she was saying and tried to fix it. I laughed at her confirming that I wasn’t as foolish as she tried to make out.
“Oh my poor little nursing friend, I’m the doctor because I earnt the name. I know this may come as a shock but mummy and daddy just can’t match up to experience in the field.” I was smiling smugly not even realizing my obvious mistake.
“At least I have parents, I mean you don’t even have a surname” She snarled I didn’t laugh then.
“Aren’t you supposed to be Christian?” I asked not even raising my voice despite the anger and pain that screamed to be let out, that begged for vengeance.
“Yes, what’s that got to do with anything?” Elise asked confusion stopping her spitting out more poison.
“Well you’re supposed to be God-fearing right?” she nodded still confused -and she called me dumb- “Well God doesn’t let sinners into heaven and you’ve been sinning ever since i met you”
She didn’t say anything then I stepped to the side and back. I gently took the weeping nurse’s hand and led her away from Elise to where it was a bit quieter.

“So what’s your name?” I asked her having comforted her with hot chocolate and biscuits.
“My name’s Betty” she said politely looking up at me nervously.
“So how did you earn the wrath of Elise?” I asked curiously wearing the broad smile I used for all my patients.
“She has a crush on my brother” she looked away from me then and I swore.
“That jerk who...” I stopped talking I’d just stopped her crying I didn’t want to start her again.
“Stabbed the French boys?” She nodded grimly “Arthur tried to stop him but Tyler’s just out of control and he’s too powerful for either of us to stop”
I looked at her then, properly I mean, and I realized I’d badly misjudged her. I’d looked at her blond hair and blue eyes filled with tears and thought that she was inexperienced with suffering but now, I could see the pain all too clearly. There were bags under her red-rimmed eyes and a thinness which just wasn’t healthy. On her arms were bruises and scars, on her neck I saw gashes where the skin had recently been torn away.
“I’m sorry” and for the first time since i arrived here i meant it, I felt truly guilty and I hadn’t even done anything.
“That’s why i started at the hospital you know, I wanted to make up for it but all i’ve done is fail, fail, fail!” I smiled understanding.
“When I started back in America I didn’t know anything about modern medicine, I started off with herbs and poultices, it was all so simple back then. There’ll come a day when you’ll know if you’re a healer or not, you’ll know what you really want to be.” I felt as if I’d burdened her with something so I started talking again as if to take away the pressure by telling her more of my past. “I became famous back in my town and a doctor and some nurses came to talk to me. I was right on the edge of the war front and they took me on as an apprentice. I learnt more there than this place could ever teach you. It was quite strange for me when the war ended, I mean I didn’t remember anything else, I was only three when it all started and it was right on my doorstep.”

Me and Betty became firm friends and surprisingly and with no actual teaching from me she improved. She began to pick up things and soon she was no longer called inexperienced but a good nurse on her way to becoming a doctor. I was proud of her even though I’d taught her nothing, I think my friendship was enough to make a difference.

“He’s ill, he’s got fever and Elaine will tell you he actually vomited” Jane said insistently, “you’ve got to go see him, please”
“Jane I’ve been up ten minutes only that because I’m on shift in half an hour! I haven’t got time!” I said it was true and I didn’t have time for him.
“Please, I’m so worried about him” I sighed I wanted to help her, I loved the way she cared about her brother it was something I’d never had.
“Betty will you cover for me?” I asked sighing.
“You think I’m ready?” You’re not just doing this because of her brother?” She asked uncertainly maybe this would be good for her, a sort-of confidence boost.
“Look if I didn’t think you were ready I would have got another doctor to do it, anyway I won’t be too late you’ll mostly just be setting up and then I can come and supervise you.” I smiled warmly at her as she rushed off to get ready.
“Let’s go” I said to Jane and off we went to her tent.

I entered her tent and shuddered to myself it was so dark, shadows filled it at unnatural angles so I couldn’t even see Jane’s brother, Oliver.
“Oliver” I called into the darkness silently wishing to myself I hadn’t sent Jane away.
A figured appeared out of the darkness the bags under her eyes as dark as the shadows.
“Hello Katharine” she was trying to smile but she seemed on the brink of tears.
“Elaine, what’s happening to you?” I asked I tried to keep eye contact but she turned away from me.
“You’ll find out and soon too, Oliver’s been telling me things some of them that you need to hear, you need to be ready” she said her voice grim and haunting.
“He’s not ill is he?” I asked something else was happening, something was worrying them both, something to do with me.
“No, he’s had some disturbing dreams and he’s learnt a few things he’s not ready for.” I nodded, it made sense but I had to ask something.
“Does this have anything to do with Betty?” I asked knowing that Destiny must be up to something, to bring us so close together not even throwing up an obstacle along the way.
“Apparently, maybe not, nothing is clear yet but the truth is coming and I don’t think it’s going to be one we’ll like”
She left me then and I stepped into the shadows completely unprepared for what I was about to hear.

what time is it set in

it's set in the future after nuclear bombing, war and global warming have taken effect