Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent or it's characters. They belong to Veronica Roth. I'm only making up another story within her universe.
Chapter 1
"Beatrice, sit still."
It is hard to hide my agitation at my mother's command. Normally, haircuts are quick and painless for me, but today I suppose I am a little bit more on edge. I get a little restless when I'm nervous. I glance up and catch her eye in the mirror. Instead of scolding me for looking too long, she gives me a smile. I guess she must understand why I'm so wired.
"Don't be nervous," she says snipping away at the edges of my hair. I have half the nerve to tell her to cut it all off. I'm sure she wouldn't, though, even if I asked.
"I'm not nervous," I say half-heartedly.
We both know I'm lying. Today is test day. The aptitude test is given to each student who has reached the age of sixteen. It's supposed to tell us which of the five factions we belong in. I currently reside in Abnegation, the faction which values selflessness. Living here my whole life should have ingrained these values into my core but I've always felt different. More selfish than I should be. I suppose it all makes sense now. Now that I know that this has all been a lie.
My parents had, or so I thought, also grown up in Abnegation. They have always been selfless and kind. My father, Andrew Prior, has been in leadership for nearly ten years now. The others look to him with great admiration and he has done well co-commanding this faction. My mother has been in charge of distributing food and clothing to the factionless for as long as I can remember. The factionless roam the streets with no real purpose. They either failed their initiations or were kicked out of their factions for one reason or another. Either way, they are frowned upon by the rest of the faction. Leave it to us, the selfless, to feed and clothe the poor.
The other factions are either too busy doing research or farming or jumping off trains to do one small act of kindness. Each faction has a purpose, though, and it works. It has worked well for a hundred years. However, I have been recently informed that it is beginning to crumble.
I've always thought we were the only ones left. After the Great War, the city was fenced off and the faction system began. We've been taught that the war annihilated the rest of the outside world and that we were the lucky ones.
"What are you thinking about?" my mom interrupts my thoughts. She is pushing the pins into my hair and looking at me with worry.
"I just think its strange is all," I muse to her, "Just last year I figured I'd take the test and live the rest of my life out in Abnegation."
We make eye contact in the mirror, "But it's funny how time can change things."
I feel her hands grip my shoulders again and she guides me around on the stool to face her. She looks sympathetic, just as she has for the last year.
"I know that this has all been a shock to you," she says gently, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."
I scoff, "Yeah, and then what? Leave it all up to Caleb?"
"We could figure out another way."
"No," I shake my head, "You couldn't."
She pulls me into her chest and cradles my head as though I might fall apart at any second.
"I never meant for all this to happen," she sighs, "I just thought you all should know the truth."
The truth.
Last year my parents decided to take my brother and I on a little trip. I don't remember how we got there, I know now it's because they gave us memory serum as precaution, but hours later we were outside the fence and sitting in some building labeled: The Bureau for Genetic Welfare. It is in this building that I learned my parents were working with the Government outside the fence to hold the faction system together and protect a group called the Divergent.
The Divergent are people who do not fit in one category, but in some form or another, have an aptitude for multiple factions. They are selfless, brave, and kind. Smart and honest. They cannot be controlled, which is why they need protection. They're being hunted by those who don't like the inability to control someone. They are believed to be dangerous.
According to the leader of the BGW, our system is the only one left running out of multiple and they need the Divergent in order to help them fix the country as a whole. Apparently, our little scuffles within Chicago are nothing compared to what they're faced with out there. My parents have been heavily involved with the BGW for many years and now, since Caleb and I are of age, we have been brought into the small circle as well.
My father has lived in Chicago his entire life, born and raised Abnegation, and was only introduced to this organization when he and my mother got married. She was planted within the factions when she turned sixteen, after being recruited by the BGW, in order to keep an eye on things. He was shocked at first, but agreed to work with them because he loves my mother and wanted to protect innocent people. Then they had Caleb and then me. Things got a little messy after that, so I'm told. After we were debriefed, we were given the option to back out. If we decided we didn't want to help, we wouldn't be punished nor would our parents. They'd just give us a dose of memory serum and we'd forget all about the encounter. But neither Caleb nor I wanted to back out. We didn't want to forget.
"I won't back out now," I say to my mother firmly, "I just don't want to mess up."
For the last year, I have made multiple trips outside the fence with my family. We have been caught up on the history of Chicago and the outside world. It's messy and gruesome and part of me wishes I never had to hear it. After that, the leader of BGW, David, gave us the best course of action. Caleb and I were to transfer into the most problematic factions; Caleb to Dauntless and me to Erudite. Caleb's main job would be to protect the Divergent and patrol the city while I gained access to serum research as well as any suspicious planning. The leader of Erudite, Jeanine Matthews, has been the one causing the most problems. Basically, I was to become her top confidant while reporting back to the Bureau. Easy enough, right?
But there was the chance that I would mess up. I'm relatively smart, but the Erudite are extraordinarily intelligent and logical. As someone who grew up in Abnegation without access to books and technology, my abilities are limited. They tried to cram me full of knowledge in the last year, but am I really ready for this? I can't help but think I'm not.
"I'm proud of you," my mother smiles, "You are so young and I'm sorry for putting so much responsibility on you. Your brother too. I do believe that this is all for the greater good."
The greater good. I've heard that phrase more times in the last year than ever in my life. Something inside of me felt off about the whole thing, but another part also felt that this would be for the best. I never felt good enough for Abnegation, even before I knew all this. I've always felt more selfish than I should. I enjoyed looking into mirrors, talking without having to get permission. I felt pride, on occasion. I don't belong here and now, I get the chance to start over.
"You should get going," mom breaks me from my thoughts.
She embraces me once more before sending me out the door, hollering for Caleb to do the same. He joins me on the sidewalk and we begin our journey to school. My brother is older than me by a little less than a year, but he looks to be a few years more. Perhaps it is because of my childlike stature; I am short and boyish. There isn't much to me and I'm almost positive I could pass as a small child. Caleb, however, towers over me and looks to be more man than boy. He also inherited my mother's dark hair and green eyes. My hair is a lighter shade of blonde and my eyes are contrastingly dark. Sometimes I feel like we aren't related at all.
"You ready, Beatrice?" he asks as we walk. He may not show it, but I can tell he's nervous too. He's been more reclusive than usual this past week. I know he's been just as conflicted about everything as I have as well. We both still pinch ourselves sometimes to make sure it's even real.
"As ready as I can be, I guess," I shrug, "You?"
He nods, "Just a little nervous."
"Me too," I admit.
And then we are silent, both mulling over how this aptitude test will go. I know the test is a simulation, one in which we are presented with choices and actions to take. We have each been told to make our decisions based off what we've learned. I know Caleb is supposed to take the more risky, courageous path while I am supposed to make logical decisions. But how do I know if my idea of logical matches the same way of thinking as Erudite. There are so many ways this can go wrong. The Bureau must be desperate if they are putting their faith in two sixteen year olds.
We finally arrive at school and go our separate ways for class. Today is a half-school day, so I'm only forced to sit through faction history until it is time to take the test. They call over the PA and we are all stuffed into the holding area while we wait for our names to be called. All the factions attend school together, but not once have I ever seen them intermingle. Each sits according to group, period. I find Caleb and our neighbors Susan and Robert at one of the last tables and take a seat. Something tells me that had Caleb and I rejected the offer to join the Bureau, we'd end up married to these two. They are the only friends we've ever really made, and they are both generous, perfect abnegation matches. Now, I'm not sure what my future holds. I never felt anything romantic towards Robert, but now that I know he isn't in my future, I miss him. The hypothetical him and the potential life we would have had.
As Susan and Caleb talk in hushed voice, Robert is spouting off something he learned in agriculture class. I'm only pretending to listen. My attention is focused behind him on the Erudite. They carry themselves well, although they've always seemed a little pretentious to me. While I may not be a prideless abnegation, I also don't see myself as being borderline narcissistic.
After what seems to be an eternity, I finally hear my name along with Caleb's and we are being led down a long, narrow corridor by an Erudite woman, indicated by her blue clothing and spectacles.
"Line up in front of a door," she instructs.
Each one of us files in front of a door. A few seconds later, they slide open. I take one last look at Caleb, who looks more terrified by the moment. I smile at him before stepping into the room. The door slides shut behind me, and I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror…or wall? The walls look to be made of mirrors. I immediately avert my eyes. Old habits die hard.
"What is it with you abnegation and mirrors?" a voice asks sarcastically.
A woman stands in the middle of the room next to a long chair like one seen at the dentist's office. It is terrifying and inviting at the same time. I can't see her face, but her black clothing indicates she's from Dauntless.
"Sit," she commands.
I obey without question and lean back into the chair. She bends over to adjust something and I catch a glimpse of a large tattoo on the back of her neck. It is a hawk with is wings spread and a red eye. Definitely intimidating, definitely dauntless. When she leans up, I am able to get a good look at her face. She is older, maybe late twenty's. Her eyes are serious and there are wrinkle lines already engraved in her forehead.
"My name is Tori," she says fiddling with the machine beside the chair, "I'll be administering your test today."
She pulls up two wires with electrodes on the end. Gently, she sticks them to each temple and secures them with pieces of tape.
"Relax," she says and gives me a small smile, "It doesn't hurt."
I try to relax, as she says, but my nerves are bundled up tight. I try to distract myself from my impending nightmare by looking in the mirror. Seeing my own reflection makes me uncomfortable, not because of my abnegation upbringing, but because I hate how childish I look. Swallowed by the abnegation dress I'm wearing and my already thin figure makes me feel small. Fragile. I catch a glimpse of Tori's tattoo again, and decide to ask.
"What's your tattoo mean?" I ask bluntly. I worry I may be crossing the line but she just raises an eyebrow.
"Never met a curious abnegation before."
Guess it's just the Erudite in me, I think. Curiosity is a good sign. I'm acting like an Erudite already. I just shrug at her, unfazed.
"The hawk symbolizes the sun in some ancient cultures," she explains while adding another electrode to the back of my neck.
"If I always have the sun on me, I'll never have to be afraid of the dark."
"You're afraid of the dark?" I blurt out accidentally. For someone who seems so stern and confident, it seems strange the she'd be afraid of something so small.
"I was," she says casually, "But now it just reminds of the fear I've overcome."
She finishes fiddling with the wires and hands me a small cup of blue liquid. I sniff it but it has no smell and I know it isn't just water.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Just drink it," she pushes.
I try not to overthink it and I chug the liquid. I do my best to relax in the chair, but instead I grip the arm rest and close my eyes.
It's almost as if I blinked and no time had passed. Except I'm not in the testing room anymore and Tori is nowhere to be seen. Instead, I stand in the cafeteria alone. The tables are gone and in front of me sit two podiums. On one there is a hunk of cheese while the other holds a knife. I look around to see if there is any clue to which I should pick. Nothing.
The bureau didn't prepare me for this. They just said to be logical. But how can I be logical when I don't know what I'm going to use this for?
"Choose," a voice says from behind me. When I look, I am face to face with myself only this version of me is demanding that I pick something.
"Why?" I ask myself, "What do I need them for."
"Choose!" my clone demands again.
I am agitated. I can't pick something when I don't know what I'm picking it for. I cross my arms in defiance. My clone disappears and when I turn back around, the podiums are gone as well. Instead, I am face to face with a ferocious looking dog, bearing it teeth and growling, guttural sounds that make my skin crawl. I have no weapon, I have no distraction.
What would an Erudite do? I think logically and to me, the answer seems simple. Show the dog that I won't hurt it and that I am not afraid of it. I lift up my hands to show that they are empty. I slowly and carefully move down to my knees to show my surrender to the beast. Moments later the growls turn to whimpers and I feel something rough and warm on my cheek. The dog, a more playful version, is licking me and begging for attention.
"Yeah, you aren't so bad, huh?" I pat it on the head and whimpers in joy.
I'm happy I didn't pick up the knife. I'm not so sure I would have been okay with the killing the poor thing.
"Puppy!" I hear a childish voice squeal from across the room.
When I turn, I see myself again, only it is the ten year old version of me. She runs towards us, arms outstretched in excitement. I hear the growling again, deep and vicious and when I turn, the dog is once more poised to attack.
It takes off towards the girl and she becomes frozen with fear. I don't have time to consider the most logical thing to do. I act on instinct. I am running after it and just before it can leap onto the girl, I throw myself onto its body, tackling it with all the force I can muster.
I prepare myself for the impact of the floor, but it never comes. Instead I find myself standing on a bus, holding on to one of the poles as all the seats around me are taken. I glance over to see a man reading the paper. His hands are severely scarred and they are gripping the newspaper so hard, the knuckles are turning white.
"Do you know this man?" he taps the front page where a large photo is printed. It is a man with a plain face and beard. Something inside of me thinks I know him, but I can't be sure. I read the headline below it and the words 'Brutal Murdered' basically scream at me. I don't like the way it sounds. It makes me uncomfortable.
"Well," the man prods, "Do you?"
I try to think logically about this one as well. The abnegation in me tells me that I should admit to knowing him. But I have to think Erudite. I work it out in my head that telling him that I do know the man could end bad for me. So I need to convince him that I don't.
"No," I tell him firmly, " I don't."
He removes the paper from in front of his face and I am forced to see his face, also heavily scarred to match his hands. He stands up and comes inches from my face, staring into my soul.
"You're lying," he hisses, "I know you're lying."
I close my eyes to convince myself that it isn't real. It's just a test, I tell myself.
"I'm not lying," I say a little louder.
"You could save me," the man begs, "Just tell the truth and you can save me."
I feel a pang of guilt, but again I remind myself that it isn't real.
"I don't know him."
I half expect the man to throw me off the bus, but just as quickly as it all started, it's over. I barely have my eyes open before Tori is pulling all the electrodes from me head and forcing me out of the chair.
"Get up," she hisses.
I am disoriented as I stumble out of the chair. She is gripping my arm tightly and pulling me to a door on the side. It is not the one I came in through. I feel my heartbeat increase drastically as I see the look on her face. She looks terrified.
"You're going out the back door," she says, "You'll tell your parents that the serum made you sick and that I sent you home early."
"But what were my results?" I ask frantically. Here she is trying to throw me out the door and I don't even know what I got. Erudite, like I'm supposed to? Am I doing the right thing?
She stops and looks at me for a moment before sighing "Abnegation."
Maybe I am selfless after all, I think. I'm surprised by this but not disappointed either. It makes sense.
"And Erudite," she continues speaking.
And?! I can't be more than one.
"And Dauntless."
My head is spinning. I am Abnegation. But I'm also Erudite. And Dauntless. Having three different aptitudes means one thing. I'm…
"What does that mean?" I demand, although I already know. I'm too scared to admit it.
Tori looks at me sympathetically before leaning closer to whisper that one word in my ear.
"They call it Divergent."
I am selfless. I am smart. I am brave.
I am dangerous.
Hey guys,
So after attempting and failing to write two separate Walking Dead stories, I have moved on to Divergent. I feel like I know these characters better and I've also had this story in my head for a long time. So welcome. I may go back to TWD eventually, but for now I'm going to try and focus on this. I love Divergent, the characters, and the story so here we are.
The universe will be similar, with a few differences. I may recycle some lines, and I'm sure you'll notice when I do. Other than that, I want this to be pretty original. I kept in the aptitude test from the book because I like it.
Either way, I hope you all like it. I am going to try and update frequently. I'd like to finish this before I go back to school. Anyways, read and review. Who knows, maybe if I get multiple reviews, I'll be more inclined to write ;)
Thanks you all!
-Liz