Hi everyone! I've had a bit of a writer's block on my last story..:P I will do my best to update it, but I had this idea...read & review! Thanks!
/ Backstory \\ (READ- IT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND!)
The war on Abnegation did happen- it was under a different Erudite leader- NOT JEANINE. People died- but no main characters (Will, Tris's Mom, etc). Nothing about the outside the fence or whatever came up. The Erudite just wanted more government control…and the leader was insane/a drunk (aka: corrupt leader). Nobody went farther than that- new Erudite officials, everything worked out fine. Factions went back to normal.
Tris accidentally got pregnant with Tobias's child soon after. They didn't want a kid- Tobias was scared he would hurt her like his father did to him, and Tris would do want Tobias wanted. They gave the child to Christina and Will, who raised the girl as her parents. The girl thought they were her parents until….the rest shall be revealed! But that's all you need to know…FOR NOW! HAHAHAHA
Our story starts when this girl is at her choosing ceremony….
I stand in a straight line of sixteen year olds. Over half of them are gone now, already choose their faction. I haven't really kept up with who chose what. I'm not paying attention. Out of the corner of my eyes, I watch the remaining teenagers. There palms are sweaty, sometimes shaking, they watch their friend's blood drip into bowls. They bite their lip, nervously look around, tap their toe quietly.
My ears only perk up when I hear, "Jake-" Eric, the Dauntless leader, my faction leader, who is performing the choosing ceremony this year, hesitates. "Kn-Chaney." He does it so quickly I almost don't realize that he starts to say Jake's real last name. Eric's last name.
Jake walks to the podium where Eric is. His eyes dart to mine as he walks past me. But he shows no emotion, he walks with his head held high. Which I know is difficult for him to do. Eric holds the knife out to him, all muscles in his body tense, looking straight ahead, not even making eye contact with Jake.
Jake accepts the knife, and makes his way to the choosing bowls. His eyes meet mine again, and I nod. We had talked about this earlier. He makes his way to the bowl with the flaming coals. Jake moves slowly, but efficiently. He puts his hand over the flame and cuts. I watch the as the blood drips in- drop by drop. I watch as blood ignites the flame a bit.
The Dauntless whoop and cheer, and as he walks over to them, he puts a smile on his face, people slap his shoulders as he walks by to go to stand with the Dauntless- born initiates. When the Dauntless have quieted, Eric continues. Jake crosses his arms and looks straight at me. He is across the room now, with Dauntless. I am still here undecided, belonging to no one. I can't help but smile to myself knowing that this is how I will feel for the rest of my life.
Names go by, people step up to help shape the path of their destiny. I don't watch them, my eyes are focused on Jake's, a green blue mixture, which helps me do exactly what I need to do right now- think.
"Amber Pollard." I can tell that when Eric says it, the name is not unfamiliar on his tongue. It is an Erudite last name, after all. I make quick eye contact with my parents, well the ones that I am actually proud to call my parents. My little sister smiles a smile so big- it covers her whole five-year-old face.
I walk to Eric, with what I hope is the same calmness Jake was able to walk to him with. The knife is held out for me, his arm extended. When I get to him, I push it down slightly and whisper, "My last name. You got it wrong."
"I know." He hisses back. I look him in the eye, and then push the knife back.
"I don't want it." This time, I talk loud enough for all the factions to hear me, "Shoot me if you want. I'd rather be dead then live in a place where I am told to live in one mindset, where I am only supposed to have only one value." Whispers and gasps, fill my ears.
"Death can be arranged." He shouts at me, even though I'm only a few inches in front of his face. He lunges toward me.
"Stop!" It's a high-pitched shout. It's a high pitched command. Eric stops immediately when he sees its Jeanine Matthews, the Erudite leader.
"Did you not hear her?" Eric says through gritted teeth and narrows his eyes.
"Of course I did. But do you know who she is?"
"Do you not remember….the girl with red hair and blue eyes..the girl…"Johanna, the Amity leader, stumbles with her words. I know these words by heart. The Candor leader, Tyler Won, finishes them for her, "The girl with four parents. Grey to black. Blue to black. White to black. Orange and yellow woven deep into her face. "
I can't help but look at Christina and Will now. I've been calling them that for the past few months, it still doesn't fit quite like "mom" and "dad" did, but right now I'm sure who to call those titles. So I don't call anybody them. Despite her caramel colored skin, Christina is pale, see through like the glass shards she came from. Her mouth is hung open, and I can barely see her lip quivering. Will stands still, he's paler than usual. His arm is around Christina's shoulder, clutching her so tightly- like he is holding on for dear life.
"The girl that will represent us all." I can't help but say with a sarcastic tone in my voice and smirk on my face. I narrow my eyes at Eric, who looks although is a pouting toddler.
"You don't need to recite that to me. I know." Eric now sounds the part of a pouting two year old.
"It's about time the factions did though." I can't help but think 'Oh shut up Candor.' But then I realize that because 'I represent them all' I have to represent loud mouth Candor's too. In my mind, I eye roll, but I don't actually do it. It is time that I actually look at Jake. He is gritting his teeth; his jaw is clenched, watching every move.
In the eerie silence, Jeanine speaks, "And my favorite part- the girl with gifts beyond imagine." Her eyes light up at 'gifts' and 'imagine'. She has been trying to control me for years, but I have been resistant. She doesn't even know what I am capable of.
"And save us all." Johanna speaks up- for once. Those Amity pansycakes. I can't help but smile using my 'Uncle' Uriah's word. We aren't blood related, but he more like family then my blood parents are. My eyes scan the crowd for him. His eyes are dead set on me. When he sees me looking at him, he winks. I have to stifle a smile.
Uriah gives me the courage to speak, "Enough about me and all that prophecy crap. Let's get on with the ceremony. Shall we?" Then, I realize that is stupid to say, because it's my turn, and I'm standing in the middle of the bowls.
"It is your turn Amber. Make your choice."
"I represent all factions."
"Not until it is time." This time, I really eye roll, because Jeanine administered my aptitude test. She knows my results came back as all of the above. She knows I already represent them all.
"Jeanine, you know what I am going to do."
"I don't believe you are brave enough for that."
"Want to bet?" I narrow my eyes at the blonde in the blue dress. I feel my anger rising. I don't realize my hands are moving. I don't realize the walls are moving. "Because I swear- I swear! I will never choose one of these-" A shriek interrupts me. I stop mid-sentence and look around. I have lifted the walls, they are above us now. Light streams in on us.
"With the right training-"
"Shut. Up." I slam the walls back down. There is a large crashing noise, plenty of screams, but the walls don't break.
Tyler steps forward, "Gifts beyond imagine, indeed. You are truly astonishing Amber." He smiles at me. I can see the hunger for power- for using me deep within his eyes. I can hear it in his mind.
"So, my turn right?" I sigh and gather my thoughts. The faction leaders step back to their factions to watch me. As Eric walks back to the podium, he hands me the knife, "Choose wisely." Is all he says.
I tilt my head slightly. I am right in the center of the bowls. One step, one step, defines me. One step chooses my life.
I don't like it one bit.
I spin the knife in my hand. I try to speak, but no words come. Finally, "I don't want to be a part of this corrupted government, this corrupt way of living. I don't care who I am! Who you say I am." I look from faction to faction. "I'd rather be anywhere but in a faction." More gasps.
"So you will be factionless." Eric clasps his hands together and smiles an evil smile. He is obviously enjoying this.
"No. I will not be factionless." I spit out the words like they are trash, "I will be free." With that, I move my hands ever so slightly so the faction bowls break, there contents spilling on the floor, mixing. This mixture of glass, water, earth, stones, and flaming coals stops at my feet. I repeat myself, "I will be free."
I turn to leave, "Get her!" It's Eric.
I keep walking, "I'm not really in the mood to be a bloodthirsty murder right now Eric. But I can easily be one, if you want." I look over my shoulder slightly. With the flick of my hand, I push him to the wall, hard enough to make him not want to mess with me, but not enough force to kill him.
Everyone is petrified of me. The factions are silent. Once voice pipes up from the crowd, "Where are you going?" I turn to look at her. She is right next to Will. Who is saying "sshhhh" to her. He must be afraid of me too. Something inside me breaks.
It's my sister. The girl with wide smile and innocent eyes. "Outside the fence, Char. Where I can be honest, and kind, and brave, and selfless, and smart. Where I can be myself. Where I don't have to worry. Where I can be happy. Where I can be free." I am walking backwards slowly now. I take one last look at my family.
I turn to leave again, and am halfway to the door when I feel a shoulder brush mine. It's Jake. "You're pretty stupid to follow me."
"Love can make people do stupid things."
The doors open at my small movement, and we step out. They shut loudly behind us.
Please review! Thanks!