Chapter One.
Adrenaline and neropinephrine... are most probably the reason for this insane choice I made and I think I am getting tons of those now.
I breathlessly followed the other members of the Dauntless faction as they come thundering with shouts and laughter ahead of us who just transferred. They- I mean, we- bolted for the exit just as we reached for the first floor. The other members scattered across the street blocking anything they desired while I remained wandering at the some point between the back and the middle portion of the crowd they're making. Maybe four-fifths of the group? I brushed off the thought of calculating the point to which I can be located in the group. You're not in Erudite, stupid. I reminded myself.
Carried by my own thoughts, I didn't notice the presence of the other members and to where we are up to until I heard a sound of which I am somewhat acquainted to. It most certainly added to the rush I'm feeling now for I know what we are supposed to do: Illogically throw ourselves to a moving train with open cars to move into.. for fun. If I were still in Erudite, they'd explain this thing just us I had but without the 'for fun' in it. I added it in the last minute cause I bet on my senses that's what it would feel afterwards.
We lined up with the other members just as when the train approaches us. The fire inside my body ignites more as it gets closer to our place. Groups of other members unhesitantly jumped and piled in one car and at almost a blink of an eye, I and the other transfers are left. Probably the Dauntless-born initiates jumped unhesitantly just like what there faction did? But I noticed 2 of them are left with us transfers. Estimating the exact spot and time the opening of the car appears, I've thrown myself slightly sideways, completely entering it. The fire begins to extinguish inside me, relieving like it's not been yet unveiled. A moment after me, a hand appears by the handle of the car and I let her take mine to get in. Just by a few seconds, the car is filled with sharp breaths of my fellow transfers. Suddenly, I heard someone and for a while, my gaze shifted through him. He is slightly at the opening of the cart, holding out his hand for a girl outside running along another initiate. I thought at a second he would be stupid enough to hold out like that for long but then he suddenly surged himself out of the car while the other one successfully catched up and entered, leaving them behind. Ahh, 'love'.
"Never thought there would be someone to rule out 'faction before family' with 'love before faction'," someone broke, "Weak," continued a Dauntless-born girl wearing a black jacket and a mocking face with a tattoo under her left eye.
"Says a Dauntless-born initiate not capable to keep up with her lot," shot a Candor girl with a short, brown hair just opposite the direction of the other girl.
"You better shut your mouth up for I do not need your good-as-hell comments and this, IS NOT Candor. You understand?" she retorted, raising an eyebrow on her.
"Whatever," she said back.
A fight out of nowhere... nonsensical. While the two looked in each other's eyes with dread like in about a second a lightning would come out of both (though that is also impossible), I focused myself on the trip and how it is going now. It is undeniably picking up speed so I guess.. But just as I would, a Candor girl with a boy seated next to me.
"Do we always get to watch those?" she asked, looking at the girls. Not sure if it was me she's talking to or someone else so I decided not to talk, just to avoid getting mistaken.
"Oh sorry, did I interrupt your calculation of the speed of the train?" she said facing me. She had a crooked nose, chin-length brown hair and exceptionally dark eyes. I decided to define it as 'exceptionally dark' for I don't want to get the urge again to find a shade darker than black.. cause that's what hers looked like.
"Pardon, is it me you're talking to?" I faced her.
"And I thought you're Erudite," she let out a laugh. I may not be as hungry for facts as my older faction members are but I certainly am not dumb as this girl's tone suggests. I got up.
"You're mistaken then, I'm Dauntless," I grinned. Her face was then replaced by a smile. "Luna," she then let out a hand which I take. "Sorry for being a bit rude, I just wanted to say thanks. The hand, a while ago. Figured you will not look if I haven't told something offensive," So she's the girl who reached my hand? "You're welcome," I said finally, diverting my eyes to the front part of the car.
"I think they're getting us to their headquarters," a voice said beside me. I figured it came from the guy beside Luna so I retreived my gaze from the car to his place. I wanted to say 'Oh, no. They're bringing us to the Abnegation one! You know, for thrill?!'.. luckily I'm not a former Candor like them.
Instead of picking up something again, I chose to wander through the car. There are 13 of us present and not a single Erudite, except for me, was in it. Without me, there are 7 Candor, 2 Dauntless-born, an almost drained Abnegation and 2 surprising Amity-raised initiates. After thinking twice, I deemed the other two left are fellow Erudites but then I'm not really sure of it for they did something entirely stupid.. which is not an Erudite thing to do and now, they'd be factionless for it. Ahh, 'love'
For a moment again, with all the silent surrounding, I feel the urge. Instead of staring at the buildings as we past the city, I could read something else! I could find something far more sensible than that of staring at them. I resist. I shouldn't.
"THAT. IS. NOT. HAPPENING," exclaimed a Candor girl with waist-length hair after a while. Beside her, the Abnegation one welling with tears.
"Yes it is," a guy of her former faction broke with a smile on his face. "Exciting, isn't it?" he added. From behind him another Candor guy smirking appeared. "Sure is," he said.
As I see what the other members are doing, which is to say, another illogical thing, the fire ignites again- bigger and faster now though. It felt like an invisible body walked past mine and the electric feeling stayed there, even rising so to speak. Each of them leaps from the train we're in to the rooftop, a gap between the two. Another illogical yet fun thing to do.. for us. Then I have to ask myself why? Why am I doing this in the first place? What's in it anyway? But there's no time to think. As the other initiates lined up, I am feeling it again- the fire. A Candor boy I am not familiar with was the first to jump after the Dauntless-born did while next were his 2 comrades. I forced myself not to but I just can't help myself but look at the side. The waist-length haired Candor girl is talking some sense with the Abnegation girl I think she just befriended.
"You should at least try! You chose this," she says with such a strong-willed voice I'm wondering if she could actually carry on.
"I.. I just can't," the Stiff broke.
"But.." her voice trailed off as I tried to focus to what I'm about to do. Too bad, I thought, you wouldn't succeed with that.
Before me stood the two Amity-raised with some Candor guy. I followed as they jumped but when I caught them by the eye, I figured only one Amity will do it. It's with the posture and how you do it. They missed. I looked at them both and they sure are brave.. but a little weak.
The thought was brushed off as I saw the last who jumped off were Luna and the Candor guy she's got with her. For a minute, I wondered what happened to the Abnegation girl and the Candor one but then I stopped. That's when I saw her, the Candor one, crying while walking with the rest of us. I turned back.
"Okay, okay. Listen, all of you! My name's Allen and I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" shouts the man at the other side of the roof we just jumped in. He stands on the ledge of the roof like it's something he does everyday. Well, maybe he does. "Several stories below us is the members' entrance to our compound. If you can't manage to jump, then I believe you're not one of us. Initiates are privileged of going first."
"So jumping off a ledge makes perfect sense?" the Candor girl, quite done with crying obviously with her tone, asked.
"To us? Perhaps. Perhaps not," Allen answered.
"Is there like, anything to protect us there?" another of her comrade asked.
"Who knows?" he answered again, this time, raising his eyebrows.
After the inquisition which I find quite nonsensical too for this is Dauntless and not Amity they're in (Why bother about safeness and peace?), the pack of Dauntless members splits as they're making the initiates a path. A wide one, I might say. I do not intend to jump first so I just stood there, my eyes just on the ledge.
"What do you think is it at the bottom?" a voice I heard which I reckon is from Luna's guy friend asked. I turned to my back and saw them.
"Probably something practical to put? Course they wouldn't let anyone die just yet just scare, I suppose. Hmm, a net I guess," as I said it, a member eyed me. Well, my guesses are often right.
"Okay.. is that what you're looking for?" Luna suddenly asked.
"No," I simply said. "What was your name again?" I asked her, just to say something while listening to the scream of a girl.
"You know it. You're just acting like you don't. Well, it's not my name that matters cause the two of you know me now," she said, referring to me and her guy. Candor-born, lie-detector machines. "What matters is yours and his."
"Oh. I realized I haven't said it," he said, "I'm Drake," he reached out his hand with a smile in his face. The screaming stopped at the same time, 15 seconds.
"Nice meeting you then," I said, reaching out his hand. "You'll find out mine soon."
I turned to the ledge. So this is quite high, 15 is a high number I think. As I come near, I saw a huge hole in the square concrete which unables me to see the bottom of it. Deception. And yet I feel the same feeling I get when I leapt towards the train or the roof. Fight and Flight hormones.
I bent my legs and surged towards the hole unhesitantly, the crowd behind me with cheers, laughs, shouts and taunts. 12.. Their voices trailed off as it is replaced with howls of wind in my ears. If in under water in which you are submerged with a kind of fluid obviously called water, you hear a grubbling in your ear, same thing happens I think when you are free falling while submerged in a kind of fluid called air (as somebody might not know) for you also hear some howls in it. I'm not so sure though, maybe I could.. no. 6.. Now I realized I am supposed to be falling, scared and shouting yet I am explaining being submerged. 4.. 3.. 2.. This is about time.
I hit something which I feel traps me. And just as expected, a net. It heaved me off after falling down a roof for jumping for no particular reason but to.. why is it again? I am far too distracted by the fire that wears off now. I feel it crawl inside again.. again..
A hand that slapped my shoulder snapped me back to reality. I reached it and it supported me as I far as I can stand but after that.. it's all gone.
"Perceived it, didn't you? Erudite." a voice hissed but it was too distant for me to know who or where he or she is. Just as I was thinking of it, a hand slapped me at my back that made me aware of the cheering the Dauntless was making let alone the fact that Luna and Drake are standing behind me, expecting something. I turned to them reaching out my hand and with a grin, "Aislinn... Dauntless."