Chapter 1: Erudite always
Today is the day of the aptitude test. I can feel the tension buzzing around the school, as everyone walks these corridors for what will be the last time. My friend Lucy slips her hand into mine, and for once I don't shrink away. The Erudite, our faction, are not supposed to show any affection, but as I may no longer be Erudite in 24 hours, I don't think it matters. We reach the corridor where we have to separate and I turn left instantly, my heart hammering in my chest. I hear Lucy's cheerful goodbye and wonder if she will stay in Erudite. Lucy, like me, is too kind for Jeanine. But, while I can see her settling down in Amity, I know I can't do the same. The only other faction that I want to call home is the enemy. Abnegation. I force these thoughts out of my head and focus on the maths problems we were just given.
At lunchtime, we arrive in a new section of the building and wait for the tests to be administered. We cannot prepare for them and I have no idea what to expect, and I am always wondering if it is possible to receive an aptitude for more than one faction. Could I be neither Erudite nor Abnegation? Before I can consider this further, the volunteer worker stands and calls out the names of who goes first. 'From Erudite: Layla Young and Joseph King.' I walk shakily to the doors, my thoughts swirling in my head. Joseph doesn't even look at me. I already know that he will stay in Erudite. But me? I don't think I'm brave enough to change, but I'm not Erudite enough to stay.
I walk into room 1 and freeze. A chair sits there with all kinds of wires attached to it. The Abnegation volunteer looks up at me and smiles reassuringly. That's why I want to be with them. They try and help everyone, even us, when we release articles about how corrupt they are. But I don't think I'm forgiving enough. 'Don't worry, Layla' the man says. He has a gentle voice, easy to listen to. Calm. 'The test is a kind of simulation. You will be absolutely fine. Now, do sit down.' I obey, moving awkwardly to the device and climbing into it. He attaches the wires to my head and looks at me. 'I hope you aren't afraid of needles' he said, and before I can react he's jabbed me in the back of the neck and I'm not in the room anymore.
A basket sits next to me with two items in it- a knife and some cheese. 'Choose' a woman says, her voice coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. An all too familiar voice. 'Jeanine' I say, fighting the urge to laugh. Of course the Erudite would design the test. 'Choose,' she speaks again, and this time I do, taking the knife. Stupid. You can only use a knife to harm. A voice in my head snarls at me. Suddenly, a dog appears. It is black, a vicious beast that looks like it would only do harm. Its eyes are a gleaming black, but something stops me from killing it. Cautiously, I hold my hand out, kneeling so that I am lower than it- the dog seems huge, and I've never been that big- and let it reach its nose out. I wait for it to bite me, wondering if you can feel pain in a simulation, but it doesn't come. The beast licks my fingers, tail wagging. 'You're not so vicious, are you,' I say softly, scratching it under the chin. 'I could never kill you, you know. Don't know why I took the knife.' Then an eager squeal from behind me cuts across my thoughts. 'Ooh! A puppy!' the young girl wears a yellow dress and has a white balloon on a string tied around her wrist. The dog growls and I don't think, I just jump, wrapping my arms around her to shield her from the dog that charged her, and everything goes white.
I'm sitting in the chair in the test room, and the abnegation man is watching me carefully. I feel his eyes digging into me, trying to understand what just happened. 'Layla, your result was inconclusive' he says. 'Your test only removed two factions from the total- Dauntless, and amazingly, Erudite.' My heart pounds. What will they make me do? Am I automatically factionless, or do they test me further, trying to understand what I am? 'You are in a lot of danger. People who do not fit into a signal faction are known as Divergent… Ad in some factions, they tend to die. Do not share your result with anyone. I can manually submit your result as Erudite, but hey will be suspicious. Dauntless is dangerous, Divergent tend to die. Candor is where the divergent are forced to say what they are. I cannot change your mind, but be careful what you choose. Good day, Layla.' And he walks out and I leave to sit down next to my friends and say nothing.