The Serum
Tris's POV
The world is blinding. My heavy eyes open only to register a series of flickering and blinding lights. My head pulses as though someone is striking my temple with a sledgehammer. I struggle to reposition myself and find that my body is somehow immobilized; numb. Where am I? As my vision slightly clears, I sluggishly shift my head to take in my new surroundings. The words 'Hangar 04, O'Hare Airport' come into view; spray painted on the wall beside me. Through my peripheral vision, I see the room, littered with debris, pieces of ceiling and dark red stains splattered on the walls. I feel a sudden overwhelming wave of fear, panic and confusion. It seems as though in my sudden blackout, I had lost a great part of me. Somehow, my thoughts and the only recent events I remember don't add up. The only comparisons I can draw to my cloudy emotions seem to be that of me being trapped in a straightjacket…
After the moment of panic seizes me, I strain to push myself into an upright position. It takes much longer than expected and I am completely drained by the time I get up. My arms ache and my feet feel sore and unyielding. I come to notice that I had been lying upon a cold metal table, my throbbing legs bound by thick leather constraints. Yet another revelation, a sharp device had been embedded into my arm and a code had been tattooed to my wrist. I am clad in black combat boots, ripped jeans and a black halter top revealing more skin than an Abnegation should ever reveal. Not only that, but on my exposed collar bone, a flight of three black ravens had been inked onto my skin. It looked beautiful but I was in a state of complete shock.
Once again, my thoughts focus plainly on how on earth I managed to get into this strange place. I then do something which I had not done in ages. When I was a child, living in Abnegation, Dr. Jules had asked me to take deep breaths and calm my breathing and asked me to remind myself of who I really am. "You are Beatrice Prior from…Abnegation. Your parents are Natalie and Andrew Prior and your older brother is… Caleb. You are twenty two years old." My breathing gradually slows and I heave a sigh of relief, at least I remember something.
My attention subconsciously focuses on the device now deeply embedded in my flesh. I use tentative fingers and painfully coax it out of me. My fruitless attempt only triggers a steady trickle of blood which runs down the length of my arm. I flinch at the sight. Suddenly, I hear a beeping sound begin loudly to my right. The noise rapidly becomes deafening and everything in my field of vision is set awhirl… I instantaneously hear the patter of footsteps and a rough male voice yelling incoherent curse words and commands.
I stare, mesmerized by the crimson red, hot tears flowing down my face. I look up and observe the figure by the doorway to the room. The shadow takes the form of a man pacing hurriedly down the hallway wearing a sterile white coat with fingers gripping a medical clipboard. He looks alien in the light, so clean and crisp against the contrast of the sullied space. As I begin to call out, the young man sees me and rushes foreword, dropping his clipboard on the way. He makes a hasty grab for something in my peripheral vision, his face oddly contorted in concentration and yet lit with a peculiar happiness. He grabs my shoulder roughly. In his hand, he holds a cylinder filled with an unnaturally blue liquid. My face twists in horror as I realize that the cylinder is attached to a sharp needle. It looks a bit like a syringe… a serum. Before I can cry out, he plunges the needle into the tender skin on my neck. The colors begin to slowly fade; the lights gradually fade and I fall back into my restless nightmare.
Four's POV
It has been nearly three years since the accident… The one that took the life of the only person I ever fully loved and trusted. They say that the wounds would always heal but the scars never go away. Her memory, the recollections that occasionally surface of my Tris, stirs deep heaviness in my heart. Each time I remember her smile, her small laugh and her brilliant blue eyes looking into mine as she said those three words, "I love you Tobias Eaton," pained me beyond relief.
Some days were easier than others, Zeke, Christina, Shauna and Cara kept me in check by bringing me my meals and medicine and trying to take my mind off of her. Occasionally, even Evelyn would take a visit from the Bureau where she now works with Johanna, and come to stay a few days. I am not saying I am not angry at her for the way she treated Tris when she was… well… alive. But sometimes, I know we just have to let things go. Dr. Keith, my therapist asks me to involve myself more in my work to try and forget her. Although I know its for my own good, I don't think they get the point. I am not trying to remove her from my remembrance, I just… as ridiculous as it sounds… I want her back.
On other days, I simply lose it. As of recently I have stopped my weekly sessions with Doctor Keith. I forget to take meals and I have since long stopped taking care of myself.
I sometimes drink myself into a fake heaven and the morning after, in my hung-over state, I still think that she is with me, to nurse me and bring me back to life. Ludicrous, I know…
I swipe my ID on my scanner to enter my apartment. I make myself a coffee and check my watch. The watch face reads 11:45 PM. Sleep has never been my concern; regardless, even if I went to sleep at 7:00PM, I would not fall asleep for a long time. I stop to look at myself in the mirror before going to my room to finish off the blueprints for a new government building like the Hancock Building. In my reflection I see a very different man to who I used to be. At twenty four years old, my hair now curls at the edges, my face is an uneven landscape of stubble and my eyes are bloodshot. I remember her last words to me, the spark of hope Tris had that we would be able to be a pair of normal lovers with a safe future. I lift my shirt up over my head. The small unoccupied space on the small of my ribcage has her name etched into my skin. I feel the ghost of her fingers running over my frame, weary but certain, her fingers brushing over my tattoos from Dauntless initiation. I make a split second decision to shower and wash away the unpleasant atmosphere that momentarily haunts me.
The pain in my eyes is visible; I just don't know how much longer I can go on without her…
Tris's POV
My eyes waver open. Steadily, the morphing colors and shapes take their correct forms. I realize that I am no longer in the same grimy room I was held captive in earlier. My mind is still dull from the effects of being sedated; my mind is somehow at peace. I now lay on a hospital bed like those in the Amity compound and there is clean furniture and medicine in my vicinity. The man who drugged me earlier is nowhere in sight. My attention is drawn a string of words coming from the corner of the room. I vaguely make out nonsensical vocabulary such as Memory Serum… Death Serum… The Bureau and the epitome of Genetically Pure and so on… I strain my neck up to see the two new faces at the doorway of the room. A middle aged man with golden, gray strands of hair and a beard sits on a wheelchair with a strange contraption clamped around his leg, while a beautiful woman with a stern face converses in a serious manner with the man.
The next surprise, is when the woman says the names 'Beatrice and Natalie Prior' in her exchange. At the sound of my mother's and my name, I give a small gasp. Both strange heads turn my way. The woman breaks out into an artificial grin while the man appears somewhat weary but attempts a smile.
The woman trundles the man in his wheelchair towards my bed. Suddenly conscious of my appearance, I sit up, wincing and clutching my head. They both introduce themselves as Evelyn and David respectively. I mumble, "Beatrice Prior" in return. The woman, Evelyn, begins to speak confidently although David on the other hand hangs back, almost as if he were afraid of me, the innocent Abnegation girl who somehow wounded up far away from home. She tells me about how my health is gradually increasing and how I no longer need an IV. The longer she confers with me, something dawns on me… The possibility that I could have met or known both of these people seems increasingly likely. Evelyn even reminds me of someone, I just can't place who.
David asks if I ask any questions and I ask the one question that has been eating away at me for days now. "Where am I" and "How did I get here?" He proceeds with caution, as if he were afraid of triggering a bomb. "You are under rehabilitation in the Bureau of Genetic Welfare in what used to be the O'Hare Airport. After a rebel attack, your home was destroyed, leaving you as the single survivor. Evelyn and I found you and with the help of our talented scientists, we brought you back to health from a near death experience. I know it's a lot to take in, but, don't worry, were your family now…"
Evelyn's mouth twitched, somewhere between a grimace and smile. I'm not sure I trusted either of them. I felt deep in my gut, that there was much that he left out about the 'rebel attack'. Either way, I was too tired to pry; the new knowledge that everyone I loved had been killed was depressing and tugged at my heart making silent tears spill over my cheeks. I did not even have the will to hide my crying as grieved for my family and friends.
Evelyn awkwardly comes foreword and pats my back hoping to soothe me. Both strangers look rather uncomfortable in their own skin. I then shock myself by quietly asking, "Who were the rebels and why did they attack my home?" David visibly fidgets in his wheelchair, adjusts his tie and ruffles wisps of his graying hair. Evelyn looks to him and David gives her an imperceptible shake of the head. Evelyn simply smirks and says, "The rebels were a group of Genetically Damaged people of this society who worked in partnership with a group of sympathizers to overthrow the bureau. They failed to defeat us and only resulted in their own community being destroyed." She then shrugs; nonchalantly she says the names of a few perpetrators: "Christina Hendricks, Uriah Pedrad," her eyes glint when she says, "Tobias Eaton and Caleb Prior". The cold in the room increases by at least ten degrees. I flinch at the sound of the names. A single image appears in my head, causing millions of other memories to ignite in my head. In my peripheral vision I see Evelyn clench and unclench her fists, her face now frowning while David cowers, actually cowers in the corner.
Suddenly, an uncanny resemblance strikes me, Evelyn strongly bore resemblance to someone I knew and I remembered. Suddenly, without thinking, I am on my feet with my hands clamped around her neck. "Evelyn Eaton…" I rasp in a voice that makes my own blood run cold. Then, "Where are they, what did you do with him?" I tighten my grip on her neck. It causes me much pain as it causes her. I still haven't recovered from my wounds so I bite my lip fighting away tears. Then I shove with all my might and I punch David who looks like a lamb to slaughter. I don't care. I need to know that they are safe. I know what he did… Then there is an abrupt explosion of light in my vision as I feel the impact of a blunt force hit my head and soon after a needle enters my neck. I crumple to the cold ground and blackout.
Four's POV
After a restless week, I decide I needed a break. I call up my buddy Zeke and his girlfriend Shauna and we head over to what remains of the abandoned Dauntless compound. The faction headquarters was one of the only buildings in New Chicago that did not get renovated. Johanna and I are still working on how to make use of the long abandoned building; in all honesty though, a part of me is glad that it still stands as a memoir of my old life.
I guess I look a bit better now, I shaved properly and trimmed my hair; not short, but so I could maintain it. I jog down in a pair of black Nike's, cutoffs and a blue red hoodie. Turns out that Shauna is pregnant with Zeke's kid and they seem happy. I am pleased for them and especially for my best friend Zeke since he had to endure the pain of losing his brother Uriah. He forgave me pretty quickly for my mistake and I love him for it. Zeke and I leap off the roof and freefall onto the net below while I yell; turns out after all these years, my fear of heights still hasn't left me. Shauna prefers to take the newly built staircase on the way down. The only reason I used the net was because Zeke practically begged me into it and also because it reminded me of the first time Dauntless got a glimpse of Tris's bravery.
A few hours later, Zeke, Shauna and I gather around the chasm and sit talking about our past life, where we met for the first time. I still linger after they go home, aimlessly wondering the compound and even going back to my old apartment which now has the words 'Fear God Alone' peeling off the wall. I sit down on the empty bed frame and lay my head against the bedpost.
Tris's POV
I wake to be standing in the grounds of a faction building at home. I am suddenly aware of how I seem to be the embodiment of perfect health since I am no longer afflicted with restlessness and aching in my limbs. This building was not like the Abnegation sector, with its gray and quiet undecorated homes, but a loud cavernous place with bright lights and laughter echoing around it. It somehow dawns on me that this is the Dauntless compound and I am standing in the social center of the Dauntless chaos. A voice inside my head supplies me the words 'The Pit' and I suppose that's what this place was.
Some sort of weight tugs me towards a darker alley in the compound and I follow it. Resisting the pull is useless. My instincts lead me to a door above the pit. I pass many rooms on my way to the destination; each assigned a nameplate with the apartment owner's name. Amongst them are familiar yet foreign names including Eric, Max, Tori and Zeke. I come to a complete stop at the door which oddly has a number instead of a name. It reads: 'Four, transfer initiate instructor.'
I push the door open tentatively and enter quietly, not wanting to disturb whoever owned this home. I see that as I enter, someone already awaits me, a handsome boy of also in his early twenties. I immediately apologize for invading his private space but he just laughs it off. His eyes soften and he walks towards me, still laughing while saying "Tris! Where have you been?" I look around and laugh nervously searching for someone named Tris. He couldn't have been talking to me, but seeing no one, I kindly stick my hand out (since shaking hands seems to be all the appeal in Dauntless) and introduce myself as "Beatrice". He takes my hand awkwardly shakes it as if even he doesn't shake hands regularly.
"Four," he says laughing again as if he can't take me seriously. I scowl inwardly. Then without releasing my hand he tugs me towards him and puts his other hand around me. I suddenly become nervous and remember that I am only an Abnegation girl who just rudely entered someone's quarters and now am being embraced by this seemingly kind boy called Four. The fear is soon replaced by another feeling, heat rushes into cheeks as I think that he is actually quite handsome… His face, like the many others I've seen seems familiar and maybe even special to me.
Without control over my own actions, I set both hands on Four's waist and smile up at him. He presses his lips to my temple, another surprise, and we stay that way, my hands on his waist and his around shoulders, for a long time. I realize that something about the boy, Four, excites me greatly. Maybe it's even the feel of not having been accustomed to touch back home in Abnegation. Our heads slowly gravitate towards each other and soon his lips are softly playing over mine. We're both smiling while he is sighing Tris into my mouth. I pull away immediately, the name striking a match in my thoughts. Tris! Of course! I nearly say aloud. I now understand what Tris is. Four is simply saying a nickname. My nickname. I look back up at Four and he looks slightly bewildered so I kiss him again, jumping up and he catches my while I wrap my legs around him. Four's hands trace the small of my back and tangles in my hair while he plants kisses on my lips, behind my ear and the tattoos on my collarbone which I nearly forgot about. All the while I'm smiling at him.
He moves and sets me down on his bed. He moves to a stereo like device (which was one of the only ones I had ever seen since they were scarce in Abnegation) and plays a few songs I have never heard. I was told by my mother that I had a liking for music since my dad used to dance with me while I stepped on his feet and tried to copy his moves. I smile to myself at the memory as he lies down beside me and holds me hand. I turn to him and he smiles back at me. I lay my head on his chest and drift off held by Four, who I grow to like more by the minute.
I wake up in his room and Four gently tugs me out of bed. He smiles but he no longer looks like the man I met earlier. His smile expresses many emotions I am not sure I like. He kisses me too hard and he eyes look almost predatory. I am weighed down with sudden doubt and I push him away from me. He grabs my wrists with his strong hands and glares at me. I cower away from his menacing expression and he rasps, "Remember who the real enemy is Tris Prior…" Suddenly the room changes into a field with a mass flock of crows clawing at me. I finally wake from my reverie gasping, sweating and panting. I don't remember anything except for the fact that Four is not to be trusted.
To Be Continued...