Prologue — Nothing to Lose
Hey everyone! So here's a new story that I've created ever since I've fallen in love with the Divergent Series once again after finally seeing both movies, and this is a little inspiration that I have collected from the books and the movies. It centers on my OC Ashely and Eric from the original series. This is set one year before Tris enters Dauntless, so things are a little earlier than the books and movies here. Disclaimer: The Divergent Trilogy belongs to Veronica Roth (and the movie producers, etc, etc) and so do all of her characters and settings, other than my OC Ashely. I hope you all enjoy it and please, please, pleaseeee favorite, follow and review for updates and it helps me become a better writer for you all! Please enjoy the Prologue to Fire and Ashe!
It was time.
The clock on my bedside table rang, the shrill noises filling the room around me. I stayed in bed and didn't move a muscle, letting the alarm cry. I stared at my ceiling, the grey walls and glass windows a signature of the Erudite faction, along with the dark navy blue accents. I didn't have a mother to burst through my door and tell me that it was the day, or a father to pat my back and tell me that I would be okay. I had nothing keeping me here. Nothing to hold on to. My fingers grasped the side of the bedside table, body craning to turn off the alarm. I continued to stare at the ceiling for a few moments, silently wondering if I would ever see these walls again. I had a choice. Five answers but one choice. I inhaled sharply and threw my legs over the side of the bed.
I wrung my hands in my lap and looked outside my window, the buildings around me not tall but not short either. They were confident, if buildings could be confident. I chuckled to myself at the thought, my eyes wandering around my small apartment. I didn't have many items that I needed nor wanted. A mirror hung over a black cabinet filled with blue clothes, a couch and a desk with a computer near the entrance. I stretched my hands above my head and stood, walking to my cabinet. I pulled a navy peplum blouse out of my top drawer before taking out a pair of black slacks. I was sure that none of my other faction members would be wearing black on such a day where we were all supposed to celebrate our factions, but I pulled the clothes on and stood in front of my full body length mirror that sat against the back of the bathroom. Ugh. Signs of my lack of sleep were evident under my eyes and my normal olive skin seemed paler than usual.
I was tall–taller than most in my classes, and my hair was a crow black. It hung in lifeless strands–straight locks. Hilariously I thought to myself that I was never truly Erudite, no matter what faction or family I was born into. No. I'd always had a quick mind and a sharp tongue, always looking for adventure over books and peacefulness. I didn't know who my parents were; perhaps they had been from an entirely different faction. When I was younger I prided myself on the possibility of being the loving Amity or the selfless Abnegation. I brushed my hair with a small, black comb with pearls interwoven inside of it. The small brush was given to me as a gift when I first graduated out of Erudite Major, the last set of training for Erudite members before the initiation, yet I always wondered if I truly deserved it. It meant nothing now, since I didn't plan on staying in this faction.
With careful and fine movements, I stroked the mascara brush over my eyelashes, my green eyes popping out of my face. Light brown freckles covered my cheeks, but I ignored them. I hated my freckles but all of my old friends had told me to take pride in myself. I guess if I didn't have pride in myself, what did I truly have?
There had only been one. At least in the last few years. Sure plenty of people defected from their older factions for Erudite, but only one had left this place after the aptitude test and choosing ceremony to go to Dauntless. And now he was a leader. I had only seen him around campus a few times, his parents usually close at hand. They had been high orchestrators in Erudite technology, but he had always seemed nice. But I was young then. He was young then. I had heard news that Eric was cold now–a killer in his own right. I suppose the saying was true; faction before blood.
I walked out of my room, following the long crowds of people out of the building and to the train. From there, I knew, we would be led to a facility with the other factions, all of us cramped together for the ceremony. All of the children waiting for their tests, their futures, their lives. Suddenly I felt very cold even though it was fall, the breeze hadn't even come around this time of year and the trees had barely even begun to change to red and orange and yellow. My favorite time of year was fall, the beautiful scenery and the smell of earth so close to home. I didn't have any memories of anything else. Just the buildings and the trees.
I sat on the train amongst my faction, the other girls chattering amongst themselves while their parents looked on, the boys playing some sort of game. I just sat there alone, with no family and no one to mourn the loss of me in the faction.
I looked out the window of the train before it began to move, the buildings and the pavement giants against the ground. I sucked in a deep breath, knowing that whatever memories or things that I had left there wouldn't matter anymore. I would enter a new home and a new place and it wouldn't be forgiving. A new life was ahead of me, something that for once I had the power to choose and the will to change. I was in charge of my fate now.
If I said that I wasn't afraid, it would be a total and complete lie. I was terrified. I had no idea what laid before me and what I was supposed to do. I had nothing compelling me one place or the other except the strong feelings in my chest and the thoughts running through my brain. There was only one girl that I saw that shared the same fear as me, it seemed, her eyes scanning the train car as the other girls and boys played their games and talked. She blinked and swallowed harshly, the blue cotton jacket around her neck obviously constricting. Our eyes met and we shared that brief moment of terror before she snapped her head back to her hands in her lap. The train pulled to a slow stop.
I had no idea what I was doing, the fear of my decision and the heat of the sun bearing down on the back of my neck as sweat gathered in my brows. I stood in line, like I was a cow being herded to death. The thought only made my heart race harder in my chest and the thudding in my ears increase. My feet led me to where I was needed, my place in line absolute. No one helped each other much in Erudite. You were either smart enough to survive or you weren't. There was no middle. There was a very distinct line crossing one from the other. I bit my bottom lip in fear, my hands beginning to shake uncontrollably at my side. I stood on line with the other Erudites, the noise louder now that other factions had joined us. Each line was directly in front of the small doors with windows and booths that represented each of our factions. Erudite. Amity. Candor. Abnegation. Dauntless. The brave. The police–the fighters. They were the strongest, and that's what I quietly wanted to be. For myself and for others.
"Ashely Carr?" My head perked up and I peeked at the woman in the small booth behind the door. I walked forward and glanced at her, my still Erudite eyes analyzing her. She had big black earrings and piercings all over her face. Tattoos riddled her neck and arms, and she was clad in black leather and tight cotton. She was Dauntless. A small shred of hope poured into my heart as I saw the woman, realizing that she had the choice of who she wanted to be. I took a tentative step forward and put my arm under the glass as she placed a small band around my wrist with a number on it.
"Next!" She shouted, her eyes already moving past me. I wet my lips and moved forward before a rumbling came. The small gravelly pebbles began to shake and fly off the ground as another train moved forward, this one going much faster than the other. It wasn't going to stop, I thought with new realization. I peered around the booths and saw men and women jumping off of the train, their bodies hitting the earth with hard thumps and rolling into the dirt. Only a few brushed themselves off, and the rest just smiled and ran towards the booths. Dauntless. I couldn't help a smile from crossing my features, the idea that I would soon be one of them. It helped me move through the crowd quicker, my steps light and my heart more steady.
As I entered the waiting rooms, the air hit me like a stone wall. It was heavy and there was obvious anticipation strumming through everyone, including myself. I looked around me, the different factions all clustered in different groups, doors lined up for the test taking. Dauntless members stood outside of each different door, their faces impassive and indescribable. Most of them wore black, their eyes staring into the crowds with dark, gleaming orbs. The riotous entrance of the Dauntless members obviously weren't over since when they came into the room, they all stood around and talked thunderously. I noticed many of the Abnegation watching them with disapproving eyes, their clothes grey and loosely fitted. They reminded me of the factionless who roamed the streets and the meeting places, lost names and families. Wandering forever.
I took a seat near the Abnegation, their soft spoken conversations and simple movements making me feel less nervous as I waited for my name to be called. Of course I stuck out like a sore thumb amongst them, but no one said a word to me. Not even my own faction. I had never been much of a socialite but I had never felt more alone. I felt someone tap my shoulder and I turned sharply, my eyes connecting with the fierce ones of a young boy, obviously my own age with dark brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
"Hi," his voice was velvety soft and he appeared to be from Dauntless. He took the seat next to me and held out his hand. "I'm Jacob, but you can call me Jake." I bit my lip and took his hand in mine, shaking with firmness.
"Ashely." Jake quirked an eyebrow at me but turned without saying anything, crossing his arms against his chest. He was confident and relaxed which surprised me and made me curious.
"You seem calm, Jake." He smiled and glanced at me, fingers beginning to tap on his other hand which he grasped tightly.
"Quiet storm, I suppose. You defecting, eh?" My eyes widened fractionally.
"How–," I was smarter than giving my moves away like that. "Why do you say that?" He rolled his eyes as if it was common knowledge.
"You keep staring at my faction like we're a bunch of new creatures," he waved his fingers in front of me. "Like we're magical. I've seen the look from initiates before. Gotta tell you, it ain't easy." He shook his head at me and leaned back.
"And everything in life is easy?" The smile on his face dimmed.
"No, but I doubt an Erudite like yourself can take it on. Amity may seem like family, but you'll never get anything tighter bonded than Dauntless. You have to make friends to survive and you have to never trust people to move ahead. You don't seem like you're doing such a great job at it."
"Doesn't that idea of making friends and not trusting people just cancel each other out?" He scoffed.
"That would be an Erudite question." He maneuvered himself again so he was sitting towards me, his elbows resting against his knees. I was slightly angry at the comment, but I knew better than to get into a fight, and it wasn't like it was the first time I had heard quips like that. "Hey, you wanna get yourself killed? Cool. I guess it would be a half-honored death. But I'm warning you, because joining Dauntless will test you. I haven't just heard it, I've seen it. Stronger people than you have gotten killed." Indignation rose in my chest and bloomed with a fiery blast of anger and hurt feelings.
"You've got some nerve coming up to me thinking you have me all planned out, Jake." Jake's gaze took on an emotionless tone, one that I felt like I would begin to recognize if I was to join Dauntless. They were fighters. Killers. They had to block out their feelings. "I have nothing in Erudite, nothing to live for, no one to prove right or wrong. All I have is myself. And my will. If that's not enough for you, then it won't be enough for anyone and then I'm good as dead." I stopped as I realized what I was saying and I put my fingers against my mouth. He raised his eyebrows in shock.
"Well then, Ashe, I plan on seeing you on the other side." The Dauntless boy smiled crookedly at me and stood, just as his name was called. Jacob Fryer. His gait was confident as he neared the Dauntless member, the assistant smiling at the boy and clapping him on the shoulder. Both of their bodies disappeared behind the room, and that's when I heard it.
"Ashely Carr." My name.