Um, no one's been posting, so I guess I will...

Dan~

The woman led me briskly down the long corridor, passing door after door. How could a simple testing facility have so many doors? And which one were we going to open?

Finally, the woman stopped at a row of three green doors. One was labeled survival, one combat, and the last navigation. There was also a symbol on each door, a sword for combat, a canteen for survival, and a compass for navigation.

The woman turned around to face me. "Mr.Barnum," she said, "We have divided the six students who passed the test into three groups of two based on your answers. You are in the group 'combat.' Please go through the appropriate door. When you are finished in there, come back out so I can introduce you to the other five students."

"What do you mean?" I asked confusedly. "How will I know when I'm done in there?"

The woman smiled. "Trust me, you'll know."

I shrugged and walked through the combat door. No sooner had I done that when the door slammed behind me and all of the lights went out. I was about to yell for help when the lights came back on again. I saw I was in a small, square room. In the center of the room was a rectangular pole with a picture of a handprint on it. It said PRESS HERE.

I pressed my hand to the picture. Suddenly, there was burning sensation on my palm, and I couldn't take my hand off of the machine. After a few seconds, the burning stopped and I was able to pull my hand away.

I looked at my palm. Tattooed on it was the same symbol on the door of the room I was in. A sword. 

Top! Don't die, we've barely even started!

Rickie~

I watch as the other students come into the room. My hand still slightly stings from the tattoo, and I wince. Come on, Rickie. Deal with it. You have a scar that hurts even more than this!

Finally, that last student slips into the room, and we start.

"Hello, everyone," a voice calls out. I turn around. A man stands on a stage-looking thing, his hands cupped around a microphone.

"You all know why you're here. You have passed the test!" He makes a forced "Yahoo!", and no one replies. Seeing he was getting nowhere, he continues.

"First off, we would like to introduce you to your fellow students." I glance around.

"Rickie Tena and Dan Barnum, please step forward," he calls out. I gulp air and walk toward the stage. Dan Barnum follows me, who looks about in his 20s and with a tattoo on his left arm. I grumble and keep my chest out.

"These are the two men of the group 'combat'." I listen, cracking my knuckles. 

A guy. I have never written from a guy's POV. *sigh* This will be... interesting.

Quinn-

The tattoo on my hand stung, but nothing compared to-do previous injuries, I've had. I glance at my wrist, where a hand should have been. (I forgot to say, when he was sixteen, he was climbing a momountain, and his left hand (he was left handed) got crushed, under a bolder. He was trapped for days.) I smirk. I made it through. "Yippie!" I say, in a quite enthusiastic voice.

"Oh, just shut up!" Aaguy (his name is Rickie, I believe), called at me.

I look extremely shocked, and glance around. "Are you addressing me, sir?"

"No, I'm talking to my fifth-grade Lunch Lady."

"Glad we got that cleared up."

"Children! Or, adults, I mean. Have you completely forgotten why you are here? Quinn Breakdawn, Gorge(a) Smith, step forward. These are your navigators," said the announcer.(????)

I grin stupidly.

-

Sorry, all I have time for. 

Atticus~

The tatoo on my hand hurt, but everything was there for a reason. At least that's what the lady said. The man called up Rickie and Dan up for combat, and Quinn and Georg(a) up for navigation. Finally, they got to Survival.

"Atticus and Rachel, please step forward," the man said. This curly haired girl and I stepped up onto the platform. I took a look at everyone. These people are my team.

(Short post sorry!)

Dan~

After the man introduced the rest of the team, he walked back onto the stage.

The man cleared his throat. "So," he began, "if you haven't already guessed, my name is Professor Abraham. I'm the headmaster at this college."

Several people started muttering. Professor Abraham signaled them to quiet down.

"Anyways," he continued, "I do apologize for the tattoos. They are for identification purposes."

Abraham paused, as if he expected people to start asking questions. All six of us stared up at him with blank eyes. 

"I expect you're wondering what the final test will be. Well, the truth is, it will not take place in this building."

"Quit the drama and just tell us where and what the test is." I grumbled.

"It will be in...," Abraham paused for effect, "the Amazon Rainforest!"

I knew it. This guy's a lunatic.

"In approximately 37 minutes, a chopper will pick the six of you up and fly you to the Amazon," Abraham says. "You will have one month to cross the rainforest with limited supplies. If you fail to find the artifact before the time is up, you fail the test. If you succeed, you will be accepted into my university completely free of charge." Abraham looks around at everyone, a suddenly serious look coming over his face.

"Now then," he says, "this is your last chance to opt out. Does anyone not want to participate in the final test?"

Atticus~

When the Professor gave me the chance to opt out, I took it like it was the one thing I held dear. Because it was. A chance to get away from this nuthouse of a school, A chance to do what I wanted to do without my stepdad, Jerry, knowing. This was freedom.

I thanked Abarham for nothing, and strolled out of the gray complex, lead by the suit lady. I skipped along campus, the ones who failed looking at me like I was from another planet.

"Why is he so happy?" one kid said. Well, my good friend, that is none of your buisness. It was all mine. And for once, so was my life.

I took a taxi downtown to the library, so I could look at scholarships.

Atticus is not gone for good! Just wait, and you'll see what I'm doing with him!

George(a)-

When Professer Abraham tells us that the test taking place in the Amazon rain forest I grin. I can't help it. I come from a relatively poor family and the prospect of traveling out of the country is amazing. 37 minutes later I walk outside with a few things and see the helicopter. It is green with ' The Amazon' written in gold letters on both sides. I hear a gasp from behind me as I walk forward. I almost forget to duck as I walk forward but I do and I enter the helicopter.  

 
Sorry for the short post. I don't have much time.  

Dan~

I was surprised Atticus left. He seemed like a nice guy to me.

Soon, all of us minus Atticus were in the helicopter, heading south towards the Amazon. The flight was about six hours, most of it in silence except for the sound of the helicopter blades and the munching on granola bars we were given halfway through the trip.

Eventually, the rainforest came into view. I pressed my nose against the glass, taking in the beauty. When we finally landed, a second helicopter that must've been following us the whole time touched down as well. Two men dressed in gray uniforms jumped out of the second chopper and unloaded what must've been our supplies. A canoe, hunting gear, hiking boots, canteens, a compass, and a first aid kit, among other things. Right away I knew transporting all this stuff was going to be a problem.

After the men finished unloading the supplies, one of them walked up to us and started talking hurriedly.

"Listen guys, I'm a sophomore at the university and I took this test before you. Let me tell you, it is hard."

My soldiers slumped, but the man held up a hand. "Don't get discouraged, dude. Professor Abraham doesn't like to give hints, but there's a few essential things you need to know." The man motioned for us to come closer, and we leaned in to hear what he had to say.

"Stick to your assigned jobs," the man said in a bushes voice, as if he thought Abraham might overhear. "Don't let your guard down, and don't carry anything  you don't need to carry. And above all else, keep going southwest. That's where you'll find the artifact.

Southwest. Southwest. Even though I wasn't a navigator,  I was scared to death of forgetting the most important thing.

The man wished us luck and headed back to the chopper. The two helicopters lifted off, leaving us alone with the supplies. It had begun.

Atticus~

I skimmed over the affordable scholarships:

~General Bob's academy

~AFGUS university

~Ugly Bird's school

~Ski Lodge Mystery college

None of them looked good. I logged off the library computer, walked outside, and sat on a bench. I felt something by the side of my leg, and picked it up. Some card for some orginization. It looked like it has been there for a long time, and nobody around here seemed to want it, so I slipped it into my pocket.

I looked in my wallet, and I had just enough for a scholarship, or a sports car, some plane tickets, or a house or something like that... It depended on how I wanted to live my life. And I think I decided right then and there. I didn't want to do what Jerry wanted, but I could be the worst adventurerer he'd ever seen. It was time to put my mom into a right mind. It was time to humiliate Jerry.

The bus pulled up, and I pulled up my sleeve. The black canteen was going to be there for a while. I hopped on.

"Where to, kid?"

"Airport."