Memories.
This contains spoilers for Insurgent as well as Divergent! Set at some point during Insurgent.
I look around. It's the field.
A storm seems to be gathering up ahead, and there are no trees in sight for as far as the eye can see. The tall grass sways slightly as the wind begins to pick up, whistling past my ears. Then, I hear the first caw.
I feel a sudden weight on my right shoulder, and turn to see my dreaded tormentor. He's returned.
I breathe out but can't help release a sharp cry as the black crow's talons sink into my soft flesh.
Think. What can I do to get rid of this?
I begin breathing in and out slowly; a wave of calm overcomes me. But that doesn't work for long.
The crow begins pecking with its sharp beak at my face. I wince against its clawing and scratching.
I hear more screeching in the distance, and look up to see a cloud of crows, all of them jostling against each other above me in the wind, all eager to join the first crow in its murderous intents.
It's then I lose my nerve. I bat the first crow away with my arm wildly, and my fist clips its wing. The crow loses its balance and falls onto the ground. It cries angrily as it stands up on the grass by my feet. I kick it away as it goes to flap at me. It squawks and I back away.
I turn.
I run.
Animal instincts kick in, and I find myself sprinting through the tall grass surrounding me.
The sound of my own heartbeat is like a siren in my head and blocks the noise of the crows that are still behind me as I continue to run.
Up ahead, I see a small flash of light.
It's this moment that I trip over a large, hidden rock in amongst the long grass and fall to the ground, landing on my wrist at a strange angle.
A strange, guttural cry emits from my throat from the pain and it's then I see the crows in the dark sky above my head. The first one dive bombs me, its beak sharp against my flesh.
I wince and try not to cry out as a second crow swoops down. This one's wing only brushes against my cheek. It missed. It shrieks in anger and flaps back up into the air with its mob.
Then another and another crow appears, until I'm surrounded with a thousand black beaks all desperately pecking at me.
I scream.
One crow stands back slightly for a moment from its attack. I look straight into its beady black eyes. My own eyes are beginning to play tricks on me…
Tris! Tris!
It caws at me and I seem to forget the gang of crows trying to pick me apart, piece by piece.
I am focused on this one crow, the one that seems to speak.
Tris! Tris!
The pain seems to dull as my eyes begin to close, with that single image of the talking crow before me as black surrounds me…
"Tris!"
My eyes shoot open.
Panting and heaving, I look around.
There are no birds in sight, no thunder clouds above, no large field. And no talking crows.
I sit up, aching all over from what I suspect was the crow attack. All that surrounds me is four walls.
I jump as a figure stands before me.
It's the same woman as before. The one from my other simulations.
I survived the crows…
"Get up."
I look up at her, her icy cold beauty that seems to emanate and make me shiver.
I don't need to be told twice. I leap to my feet, my bones aching slightly and light-headed.
Jeanine reaches out her hand, at first; I think she's greeting me. Then I see how wrong I am.
She holds out a gun.
"Take it." She commands, thrusting it to my chest.
I grasp it in panic and she begins to walk away. As I follow like a lost puppy, a terrible feeling grows in the pit of my stomach, but I'm not sure why…
The she stops, and I stand beside her, the gun firmly in my hands. It's then, it all comes back.
Sure enough, as I glance in front of me, I can make out four silhouettes.
I recognise the first as my mother, my beautiful, kind mother. The second is my father, with his brave determination. He stands beside me mother, unnerved by my weapon or our presence. Beside him, I see Caleb. He stands strong; however, his face is kind and understanding, just like my mother's. But I don't fall for it, not anymore. Not since his betrayal. Never again.
Beside him, is the silhouette I fear the most.
A pair of cold, steely eyes stare back at me, blue and radiant, yet powerful. Tobias dips his head slightly, his face illuminated by a far away light that makes his skin shine a dazzling bright white. His mouth is set in a hard line, and his jaw is clenched. His short, dark hair flutters in a slight breeze as he stands tall, proud even.
Eventually, he looks away.
"You know what needs to be done." Says Jeanine, pointing at the gun I hold in my hands.
I look at it, and then glare back at Jeanine.
"No."
Her face stays the same, cold and unmerciful.
"It's ok honey, we understand." My mother's voice echoes around me.
"No!" I turn, "No! It's not!"
My voice echoes through the darkness, but the only person who seems to have heard is Jeanine. A cold smile lights her face.
I turn my gun to face her, and aim for Jeanine's forehead. Her smile is replaced with a scowl.
"I'll kill you." I growl, shaking from the weight of the gun in my palms.
As I stare back at Jeanine, she disappears. It's no longer her. It's now him.
With his blond hair and the crease between his brows, with his charming attitude and sense of humour, my friend.
"Will."
I drop the gun back to my side, my entire body shaking and tears threatening to fall. I see Will disappear back into my guilty mind and he's replaced with Jeanine's smirking face.
"Can't do it, can you?" She grins, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
I let the gun drop to the floor and it lands with a thud, the noise reverberating around me and Jeanine and the four people behind us.
"Shoot me instead." I blurt out, grabbing the gun and lobbing it at her.
She aims it at me, and then, my world fades into black…
Glass. I'm in a glass box. I feel my heartbeat accelerate. My palms grow sweaty; a small puddle of icy cold water soaks my bare feet. Panic overwhelms me.
I'm trapped.
No, no you're not.
I shake my head and realise the water has sped up and now surrounds my waist. I begin to pound on the glass, breathing heavily.
As I whimper, the water envelops my entire body and all that's left of me above the water is my head. I splutter as water invades my lungs and I struggle to tread the water.
I'm going to drown.
I'm going to die.
No you're not.
My head snaps around.
Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up.
"Tobias?" I mumble, searching desperately for him in my cold and watery prison. I can't see him, but his voice lingers in my ears.
Suddenly, the water covers my head and fills the box to the brim. My world becomes a blur of blue and bubbles. It's silent and I'm all alone.
My hair floats around me in tendrils and I swipe it out of the way as I swim to the side of the box and begin to pound on it with all my might, willing myself to break free.
Relax.
I stop hitting the glass, and feel the cool-ness of the water sweep over my bones.
Concentrate.
I let my breath go and try to steady my heartbeat as my animal instinct to live attempts to pull me back into a panicky mess.
My eyes close, the water begins to fade away.
Thump- thump, thump-thump…
I gasp, and push to the top. Storm clouds are up ahead. The sky rumbles above me. I catch my breath and begin swimming to the shore. As I grab a hold of the shore, I am thrown backwards, back towards sharp pointy rocks. I latch onto another rock and hold on until the waves have gone out again. I jump. I roll onto the shore and land on my back. It begins to rain. I cough and choke up sand and seawater and glance around me.
I am shivering, shaking.
The crow appears before me. It chants my name.
Tris! Tris! Tris!
"TRIS!"
I gasp and open my eyes. My head's pounding violently, I can't move, can't see, and can't even think.
"Tris! Tris can you hear me? Tris!"
It's Tobias, he's here.
Right beside me.
"T-Tobias…" I murmur…
"It's ok Tris. You're gonna be ok." His voice hitches slightly at the end, he sounds laboured and worried.
Eventually, my eyes open, and I'm greeted by wide dark blue eyes. Tobias.
He hugs me tight, and I gladly embrace him back, worrying that when I let go, he will no longer be here.
"C'mon, we've got to get a move on."
I turn to see Peter.
He stands weakly, panting and sweaty. He stares at me with relief, and taps his foot. Tobias sends Peter a sharp look, but begins to stand up and reaches down to help me up. I take Tobias's hand, it's warm and comforting.
"We've got to keep moving." Peter says, leading the way.
I glance at Tobias; he bends down and kisses my cheek.
"I'll never leave you again." He murmurs.
I hear Peter calling us, I pull away from Tobias.
He holds my hand tight.
So I can keep my memories for tonight.
Hope you like it! I haven't written anything in ages, and I wanted to do something Divergent-y so that was it! If you have any questions, don't fail to review them to me.