"Uh, Tris?" Tobias asks as I pull him up the back staircase. "Where are you taking me?"
"Just relax. You'll find out soon enough. Just follow my directions and you'll be fine. We're on a flight of stairs right now, if you haven't noticed already, so just be cautious and keep walking," I reply.
"Fine, but I hope you're taking me someplace on the safer side, considering you blindfolded me," he says uncertainly.
"Tobias, would I ever take you someplace dangerous against your will?"
"Uh, do I have to answer that question?"
"Oh, shut up," I respond before opening the door at the top of the staircase and dragging him outside. The sudden burst of light penetrates my eyes, and I squint to get a better view of the train tracks. I pull Tobias toward the tracks, feeling a sudden vibration in the ground. The train's coming fast.
"Okay, how am I supposed to get onto the train without killing myself while I'm blindfolded?" Tobias asks nervously.
"I'll pull you in when I'm ready. Just jump when I tell you, okay?"
"Uh, sure, but if I die, all of my belongings go to Zeke, not you."
"You're ridiculous. This isn't even that scary. You've jumped into these cars hundreds of times. This time you can't see, but I'll just help you with that by telling you when to jump." A pair of lights appears as the front of the train draws nearer. "Here it comes," I tell Tobias. "Remember, jump when I say so."
The first car passes by us in a blur of black. I drag Tobias to the edge of the tracks. "One… Two… Three… JUMP!" I yell as I pull him into the car. He jumps on cue, and I drag him forward as I jump, too, swinging him in as I hold onto the car's handle. As soon as he's safely inside, I swing myself forward and jump into the car, landing next to him.
"See? You're completely fine," I say confidently.
"Oh, yeah. It's not like you almost just dislocated my shoulder when you swung me into the car," he replies bitterly, rubbing his shoulder blade.
"Oh, get over it already. Besides, this is for your own good."
The train approaches our next stop, and I drag Tobias to the edge of the car's exit. I take his hand. "I'll tell you when to jump again," I say over the roar of the wind in my ears. "Ready… JUMP!" Once again, I swing him forward as I hold onto the car's handle. He lands on the concrete safely, and I fling myself forward after him, jogging a few steps after I land to keep my balance.
"Glad that's over," he mutters as the vibrations in the ground fade.
"Let's go," I say, dragging him along once again. I look around to see the familiar Hancock building standing straight ahead of me. I keep pulling him forward and eventually help him walk through the building's shattered glass doors.
"Uh, where are we?" Tobias asks, the sound of broken glass crunching beneath his feet.
"I told you before. You'll find out soon enough." I bring him over to the elevator doors. "The elevators should be working. Zeke told me he was going to turn on the generator."
"Wait, what? Hold on a second. Zeke's here? My best friend is gonna see me being dragged against my will to some secret place by my girlfriend after she's blindfolded me? I am never going to hear the end of this."
"Tobias, please relax. Nobody is going to laugh at you. I promise."
"Oh, that's reassuring." I ignore his comment and push the button that opens the elevator doors. After about five seconds, the doors retract, allowing us to get inside. I drag him in and press the button for the one hundredth floor.
The elevator quickly begins zooming upward when Tobias gasps. "Tris, you're taking me to the zip line, aren't you? I should've known earlier! With the broken glass and the elevator and everything… Ahhhh! You know how I hate heights! Why are you doing this to me?"
"Tobias, listen to me. You said you wanted to eliminate one of your fears, didn't you? Well, this is the only way you're going to be able to do that, considering the fear landscape isn't helping you. Now, come on. The elevator doors are opening."
Reluctantly, he follows me while I lead him toward a hole in the top floor's ceiling. Obviously, the idea of eliminating a fear is too enticing for him to refuse. The aluminum ladder is already propped up against the hole, ready for our use. I climb up the ladder and stand on the roof, wind blowing my hair in all different directions. Then I hold the ladder in place as he gropes around for the rungs and quickly finds them. He slowly climbs up and finds my hand that I just reached out to him to pull him up.
Once on the roof, he asks, "Can I take my blindfold off now?" The wind isn't too strong today, so we don't have to shout as much as usual.
"Not yet," I reply, afraid that if he sees how high above the ground he is, he'll panic and climb down into the building again. Then I lead him over to the extra-thick steel cable that we use as a zip line, pick up a black sling big enough to fit him, and attach it to the pulley that hangs on the cable. I then help him into the sling, making it as comfortable for him as possible, and tighten the straps around his shoulders, his back, and his thighs.
I look at his face and say, "I'm going to take off your blindfold now. You have to face your fear." I untie the knot at the back of his head and pull off the piece of black fabric. He squints, his eyes trying to adjust to the sunlight, before he stares down at the ground that lies a thousand feet below him, his face freezing in fear.
"Tris? Uhhh…" Tobias just stares down, the feeling of impending doom evidently settling inside him.
"On the count of three," I reply. "One… Two…"
"Tris, NO –"
"THREE!" I shout, cutting him off before he can start ranting in my ears. I push him forward, building momentum for him until the sling slides by itself.
Tobias gets smaller and smaller from my perspective as he zooms forward on the cable, screaming, "TRIS! WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME? WHY NOT JUST KILL ME? THIS IS –"
"SEE YOU AT THE END OF THE LINE!" I shout over his yelling, only realizing how horrible the pun is after it comes out of my mouth.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" he shoots back at me before his voice becomes lost in the wind. I wince sympathetically. I know how hard it is to face one's fears, but I just had to bring him here. If there's a way to eliminate his fear in a mostly harmless way, take the challenge and eliminate it, right? I mean, I wouldn't be a good girlfriend if I just let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers!
I climb down the ladder and run to the elevator before pushing the button to open its doors. I then quickly walk into the elevator and push the button for ground level. Down, down, down I go until the doors open once again, and I step through the broken glass doors. Run, I tell myself as I sprint down the old pavement, my heart racing against my chest, my legs flying beneath my waist. Abandoned buildings zoom past me, their shattered windows showing no light, just black pits of nothingness. The wind makes my hair flutter, icy blows stinging my face, and my legs ache beneath me, pure adrenaline flowing through my veins. I feel like a bird, light and free and airy. This is what I live for. This is why I chose Dauntless.
I run for about two minutes before I see the mob of black in front of me, approximately one hundred meters from where my feet currently beat against the pavement. My chest like a cage containing my fluttering heart, I sprint as fast as I can toward the mob, never stopping for even a short breath. Pump, pump, pump, I tell myself, right before skidding to a halt behind Marlene and Uriah. I smile at them as they turn around, taking in my quick breaths, my pink cheeks, my windblown hair.
"You did it!" Marlene exclaims while slapping me on the back. "You actually got Four to do it! I never thought it would work, but it did! While he was slowing down, he had this look of pure shock on his face, and then he realized he had to jump down, but he didn't even panic! He just jumped into our arms like it was no big deal! Actually, I think he's finally eliminated his fear! Who knew the answer to his problem was right in front of him? The zip line! Great idea, Tris!"
"That was a really good idea on your part, Tris. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed. I mean, I could've come up with a better way, but you know… I'm just way too busy shooting muffins off Marlene's head," Uriah says, grinning cockily.
Marlene and I laugh at his ridiculous comment. "Where is he, anyway? Where's Tobias?" I ask them.
"Right here," Tobias replies, the Dauntless crowd making way for him as he walks toward me, a crazed grin etched onto his face.
"Enjoying yourself?" I ask him smugly.
"Well, I guess heights aren't so bad, thanks to you," he says, his face inches away from mine.
"So you admit it! You admit that dragging you all the way here to eliminate your fear of heights was a brilliant idea!"
"Well, I don't know about brilliant…" he says softly, moving his face even closer to mine, our noses only millimeters away from each other now.
"Admit it," I demand with a determined look in my eyes. He knows I'm just playing, though, because a smile dances across my lips.
"Okay, I admit it. It was absolutely brilliant," he replies, his voice dropping to a whisper, our lips only centimeters away from each other. I smile and look into those dark blue eyes, so full of mystery and wonder, and realize how far I've come from knowing absolutely nothing about the stories those eyes hold to knowing almost everything about them. Then I come to the realization that I'll never really figure out all the mysteries behind those dark blue pits of wonder, and that's what makes me want him even more.
And with that, I pull him forward and bring his lips to mine, never dropping his gaze before closing my eyes and letting my thoughts wander.