Here is my submission for round three of The Herculean, a complete summary of the story. If you like this entry and want to help it move on to the next round of the challenge you can help! Just write "I pledge my loyalty to you in the Herculean" in the comments bellow. The entry with the most pledges will gain immunity from elimination for the round. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading <3

Main Theme: Extreme change for the sake of salvation can destroy the very people it is purported to be saving.

Subthemes: Faith in community and religion can bring emotional strength, peace and comfort but just as easily spread fear, violence, and turmoil.

General themes touched upon: Politics, xenophobia, religion, community, self-preservation

(Ok yeah...I kinda love disecting themes...hehe)

Complete Summary:

In the World of Wreckage, there is little guarantee of tomorrow. Ever since the comet destroyed so much of the earth, the land that remains is treacherous, filled with crumbling buildings, wild animals, and roving human tribes all intent on self-preservation. The acid rain that pours from the heavens is deadly for those caught too long without shelter and all who face exposure bear scars from bits of skin they could not protect. But fifteen-year-old Jemma is willing to face these perils and proud of the marks on her hands, neck and face. In their community, these are badges of honor and the men and women who risk their lives hunting are considered heroes in their willingness to face danger in seeking food and shelter for all.

Everything changes the day Jemma, her father, and the rest of her hunting party are caught in a freak rainstorm and are forced to remain outside of their enclave for the night. Returning home they find the rains have destroyed a large portion of their residential shelters, eating at the already strained concrete walls and reducing them to dust. The survivors of the community claim to have been saved by the strange visitors who came just before the storm and helped all to safety.

While outsiders are usually met with distrust, all cannot help but express their gratitude for the warning this small group provided in coming to the community's rescue. Jemma and the other hunters learn that these visitors have expressed interest in staying. With the whole community united once again, the new members come before all to introduce themselves. Jemma is shocked when the woman among them removes the large brim of her hood to reveal a face and hands entirely untarnished by scars. Those who were there to witness her arrival claim that she single-handedly brought her people to safety with the aura of light that surrounded her as she led them through the deadly rains and that her body was immune to the sky's poison tears.

The religious among the community (including Jemma's mother) proclaim the woman to be a messiah sent from the heavens to answer their prayers and help them combat the dangerous rains to rebuild but not all are so trusting. Fascination with the Woman of light quickly reaches obsession but some believe her new ideas are dangerous as she encourages them to put up roots in one place and cease their semi-nomadic existence. Jemma herself is caught between the growing division within the community and even within her family. When the Woman of light begins to suggest that they rid their community of those members who "don't belong" however Jemma finds herself wondering how benevolent this savior might be.

Strangely however, most of the adults in the community, both the "Followers of Light" ( as they now call themselves) and those who question the Woman's divinity, seem to unite in the belief that the more recent additions to their community ( a tribe of wanderers who joined them the previous year) might indeed be the enemy. Few seem willing to continue to feed and shelter the former refugees. Though Jemma herself was always wary of the newcomers, she nonetheless feels it is wrong to simply throw them out to fend for themselves. She wonders too if the Woman's ideas of fortifying their enclave will really be enough to keep them safe from the mounting terrors that will surround the community if they don't move again soon.

Caught between her family's internal turmoil, a struggle to find her own sense of right and wrong, and a growing fear that the Woman is not who she says she is, Jemma must learn to make her own decisions. The key seems to lie in understanding the followers who came with the Woman's arrival. Who are they? More importantly, who were they before they became "Followers of Light" and what happened to their old home? But the question remains, is Jemma brave enough to challenge the community and even her own parents? Is there a "right" choice when they are all fighting for survival? And more importantly, should Jemma continue to fight for the "greater good" when everyone seems to be out for themselves...

Word Count: 705 

Old Cover:

 New Cover: