Kindred

by TheRaven32

Taking place in the time of Tobias Eaton's own initiation, we look through the eyes of 16 year old Kyle Whester. An Erudite born boy who feels that he doesn't belong with Erudite, despite his glowing aptitude test results. There's not much I can say about the story itself, as it's unfolding before my very own eyes. Who knows what will happen and what we will learn.

Kindred

Chapter 1

Not so little

I wake up, with sweat dripping down my face. I haven't had a nightmare like that since the day my mother died; seven years ago.

. . .

Today is the day; The Choosing Ceremony. I glance over at my alarm clock. 9:42 in the morning. I need to get ready or I will be even more stressed than I already am at this point. I get up out of bed and study myself in the mirror. I'm tall, but not too tall. 5' 11'', maybe even 6'. My shaggy dark brown hair waves a bit when I move. I have a slim build. As fit as an Erudite boy could hope for I suppose.

The casual blue Erudite clothes I put on make my green eyes seem almost alive. I wish I felt that alive right now. All I felt was nervousness in the pit of my stomach. My aptitude test said that I'm Erudite through and through, but for some reason I feel this longing in my chest every time the Choosing Ceremony is brought up. Could I really just be Erudite? I don't know what to think.

I walk downstairs into the blue living area of the place I call home. Instead of the normal scene of my dad typing away at the laptop his work let him bring home, and my sister humming along to her own little song like usual, I find them both hurrying around the house getting ready for today. They both seemed stressed out of their minds and I couldn't help but laugh. "This isn't a joke Kyle, you need to get ready!" my sister yells at me. She's definitely not Amity, although her attitude sometimes says otherwise. Sometimes. "Don't tell me you're going like that." She says, with an almost disgusted look on her face. I look down at myself to see what she's talking about. "You're one to talk Sophia. You're wearing a DRESS to the ceremony?" I laugh sarcastically. "What a little girl."

My sister is beautiful, don't get me wrong. She has the same color hair, with the same striking green eyes. After all, we are twins. She even has the same sharp features; making her face almost scary, but not quite. I have been trying to observe her lately, and guess which Faction she's going to choose. A puzzle I've been having trouble figuring out. There I go acting Erudite again. "I am NOT a little girl!" she stopped what she was doing just to throw a temper tantrum. We may be the same age, but I've always considered her my little sister. She's always looked up to me and I've always been there for her. Ever since our mom died, she's been the most important woman in my life. I can't lose her.

We arrived at the Hub five minutes before the Choosing Ceremony was scheduled to begin. The Hub is so tall I can't see the top, and I wonder if anyone ever has. We go inside and squeeze into the nearest elevator. I watch a few stiffs moving very nonchalantly towards the stairs. One of them catches my eye just before the door closes and I swear, if I'm not crazy, I saw her smile at me.

I sort of half-stumble into room where the Choosing Ceremony is held; all around me are parents of kids that they might never see after today. The thought makes me shudder. I am Erudite. I have an aptitude for Erudite. So why do I not feel very Erudite right now? I brush the thought away and take my spot in line. Sophia takes her spot in line right behind me, and I curse under my breath. I can't make this decision without knowing what she's going to choose first. I whisper to her as silently as I can "What are you going to choose?" She reaches out and puts her hand in mine. It's not much, but it's comforting. "You know I can't tell you that Ky." She breaths to me "We can't talk about our aptitude tests." I tighten my grip on her hand slightly; pained that she doesn't understand why I need to know this.

"Tobias Eaton." The lady calls and he steps forward from the line. I've heard about him. Supposedly his father abuses him. Not very selfless if you ask me; which just goes to show how corrupt the faction that is leading our government really is. I'm sure Tobias will grow up to be another 'for the good of humanity' Abnegation Leader and will beat his son, just like his own father beats him.

Although usually the crowds of Abnegation are very quiet throughout the Choosing Ceremony, I hear them all start murmuring to one another. I look up and see Eaton's hand; bloody and outstretched over the one bowl I would have never expected. Dauntless. My eyes quickly scan the crowd of Abnegation, looking for only one person. When I find him, he's wearing a face that could whither a flower and make the birds stop singing in the morning. Marcus Eaton looks very displeased that his only son decided to leave behind his home. I can't help but smirk.

The line gets closer and closer to me, and I feel my heart sinking. When there's just one person left, Sophia tugs the hem of my shirt to get my attention. "What is it Sophia? It's almost my turn" I say, unintentionally sharp. "I just wanted to say." She says, struggling to find the words. "Whatever choice you make, I'm coming with you." I look her in the eyes, and I see that something is seriously bothering her, but before I can ask what it is they call my name.

"Kyle Whester" the lady chimes a bit too upbeat. As if I had won a prize or something. I walk towards the center of the circle and take my knife. I look at all the bowls in turn: the simple gray stones for Abnegation, earth for Amity, lit coals for Dauntless, glass for Candor, and water for Erudite; My faction. The faction I belong with. The faction I was born with. But I couldn't fight this feeling that, that's not what I was meant to be. The more I thought about it, the less I knew what I needed to be or even wanted to be. "We're waiting Kyle." The lady says, still in that strange upbeat tone. She must be Amity.

I lift my hand above my head and run the blade along it slowly, clenching my fist so I don't drip blood on myself. I feel the blood trickling down the length of my arm and I close my eyes. I stretch my hand out in front of me, then count to three in my head. On three I start spinning in a circle slowly, and under my breath I slowly sing a song from my childhood. "Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies, ashes to ashes, we all fall…" I stop spinning and open my hand. I hear the blood land in the bowl, then I hear a slight sizzling and smell my own burnt blood. I know what it is before I open my eyes. My chest feels tight and I breath "down…" The edges of my vision turn black and I pass out in the middle of the floor.