Z2012AdmiralshouseAdmiralsHouse

Marker:

Story: This journal was recovered in the wreckage that remained in the Admirals House when the investigators arrived. Two weeks after the beginning of the investigation the house was found on fire. The fire was put out, but many of the clues that may lie there, are damaged. Pages of the journal have been lost or are now illegible. The first few entries however are still readable. Here is what they say:

Entry One:Me I am one of the women working at the Admirals Correction Home. Forced to be strict with the girls, but easily one of the most caring of the teachers and caretakers. We are not supposed to console the girls about anything that happens to them. It is for their own good. The strict punishment, rigid rules, no laughter, and strengthening of the body, soul, and mind. Yes it is for their own good, even if the techniques are considered harsh, or unconventional. I sometimes wonder if it is too much for the girls. Already there has been cases. For example, when some girls had tried to leave without getting permission. It was never made clear why they were trying to leave, or where they were trying to go. They were all caught and punished. Except for one girl of thirteen, Anne, whose whereabouts were unknown. It is rumored that the Admiral and headmistress found her, and because she was leading the escape, had punished her severely. I had tried to ask a few of the girls what had happened to her, but they had been scared into silence and wouldn't speak of it. Of course they must have deserved whatever punishment they got. The headmistress would never hurt the girls, only help correct them. I had to keep in mind that it was all for their own good. If they wanted to become a correct woman then they had to cut out these childlike behaviors. Still sometimes I wonder what is so secret that it has to be locked in the hut on the edge of the grounds. This is where the headmistress always punished the girls. Whatever she did was certainly effective. They always come out of it quiet and obedient.

Some girls thrive under the teachings. They rise to the tops of their class, are best in sports, are great at sewing and cooking, and are continuously chosen as the Leaders. Leaders are chosen, one girl for every age, making twelve in all. They are supposed to be appointed by their classmates, but everyone knows it is the headmistress who decided these things. She has the final say in everything. She is married to the Admiral and is a very severe and austere woman who never smiled. I often think that even the Admiral fears her a bit. She has a confident, commanding personality and scares all the girls, including me. Her intimidating and steely glare holds absolute and unwavering control, and she is treated with utmost respect.

Entry Two: The Mystery Box While doing the last rounds of the girls before bed, I found something. After giving Melissa her medicine, I was walking out of the room when my foot hit a book half-hidden under one of the empty beds. I kneeled down to pick it up. It was peculiar, with a solid green cover and a gold lettered title. It was not one of the regular books we supplied for the girls, and none of the girls claimed to have seen it before. It was as if it had just appeared. I turned off the lights, said a quick goodnight to the girls, and was going to bring it to the headmistress. But I debated whether I should wait until morning. Normally things like this were to be brought to her attention immediately, but she had been in a bad mood all week. I flipped through the pages in the dim hallway lighting. They were all a faded yellow and appeared well worn, but they were blank! On one however there was a faded rectangle. I held the book up to the light to try to see it better. However the Headmistress turned the corner behind me, and because I didn't notice, cleared her throat loudly. Hastily, I gave her the book, said I had found it under Anne's empty bed, and rushed to my room. I felt like a child caught in the act of stealing. I hurriedly undressed and prepared for bed, the memory burning in my mind. I turned off the light and tried to go to sleep. But as I lay there I couldn't get the strange box out of my head. It did not help that the journal was titled "The Markers."

Entry Five: I am beginnning to regret taking this job. There are too many inexplainable accidents and dissappearances. Things that just dont make sense. I want to understand what is going on but I am afraid that if I do, something will happen to me. I had another good friend who worked here with me, named Caroline. She was closest to my age, only a few years older than I, unlike the others who are much older. We were very close and talked to each other every day. But yesterday I noticed that she looked ill. She said everything was fine though and just went to bed early. I assumed she had a cold. But I have not seen her at all today, which is unusual. The house and grounds are not very large, and there was no scheduled trip into town. I am not sure where she went and I fear for her safety.

Entry Seven:I now know what happened to the girls who dissapeared. I almost cannot believe what I have heard to be true. But it makes sense. There is no other explanation. I must put an end to this somehow. But what can I do? I am but one person. Can I actually make a difference in this insane organization?

Entry Eleven:I have met with my new friends again. Well, it was in fact not much of a meeting, that would be far too risky. I picked up the note in the location that was given to me. It contained a map and a set of instructions. It was my duty to get the mystery book back from the headmistress. The math showed underground passages and sewers that could be used to travel, it showed where the boat would be waiting, the entry and exit points, the places with cameras, and the places with the guards. It even showed where the explosives would be placed. That must mean they really trust me. Otherwise they would not give me so much information. Maybe they felt they needed to, in order to make sure I would stay on their side. If only they would tell me what the book would be for, and what its role in this was.

Entry Twelve: Tonight is the night that I must take the book back. The headmistress will be at a meeting until nine oclock. At eight-thirty sharp I am supposed to use the key I was given to sneak into her room and take the book. Maybe now I will finally understand what all this means. I hope I am successful. If I am, I will write in this again tomorow night, in the safety of my tunnel. If I am not... well. I do not know what will happen. Wish me luck.

The rest of the pages in this journal were torn out, with no clues as to where they may have gone.