I sit here, in my mother and father's kitchen, at the table where I ate every single one of my meals whilst growing up. Today I successfully completed my Abnegation initiation, and I am now having my last meal as a child of this house. My life is starting to change, it has already, and I can sense that there is more to come. Sometimes I have to remind myself of who I am and what I have done in order to keep a grip on reality. My name is Beatrice Prior. I am sixteen years old. I took the aptitude test. It was inconclusive. I am Dauntless, Erudite and Abnegation. I am Divergent. I am Dangerous. I am in Danger. My brother left for Erudite. I chose Abnegation. I chose to stay for my parents. But I am Dauntless.
I place another forkful of peas in my mouth when my father bursts through the front door.
"They're coming!" The look on his face is adrenaline filled and desperate. My mother's eyes widen and she gives a slight nod, turning her attention to me.
"Beatrice, I need you to listen to me. The army is coming after Abnegation, and we need to run now."
"W-what? An army? Mom what are you talking abo-"
"There's no time to explain, please hold this, we need to leave"
My mother places a large, heavy hunk of metal in my hand. A gun. She grasps onto my other wrist and pulls me out towards the back door. Once we're outside she places her arm against my chest telling me to stay back. My father hesitantly looks around the corner of our house, turning back to us and ushering us forward. "Time to run" He exclaims.
My mother keeps a steel grip on my wrist as she drags me towards the back alley of Abnegation. Usually my mother and father would scold me for running, but now, to run is the only choice that they are giving me.
As we reach the alley, I start to hear screams. Blood curdling screams from men, women and children. I'm running too fast to turn my head. I don't think, just run.
The length of the alley way seems almost endless, until it is clear that we are outside Abnegation. We weave between buildings, taking cover between the dark dank walls of the alley ways that run through our city. My legs burn and my heart aches with the pain of its constant speedy beating. Eventually, my mother and father come to a sudden halt. They look around us, my mother holding out the gun from her chest. Where did she learn to hold a gun with such confidence? However, I know that now is not the time to be asking questions. My father nocks on the door that we are facing. Twice, then three times, then six. The door slowly creeps open and I see a familiar face, Marcus Eaton. He beckons us to come inside and we do, my mother shutting the door behind us.
"Andrew, Natalie, let us discuss our options as leaders" Marcus instructs. My mother and father and the other Abnegation leaders huddle into a circle, speaking in hushed whispers that I cannot understand.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and spin around. It's Caleb.
"Beatrice" He faintly smiles at me before pulling me into a hug. My body tenses, a hug is not something we have ever done before.
"Caleb, please tell me, what's going on?"
"It's a war, Beatrice. Erudite is destroying Abnegation"
"Erudite have created an army?"
"No, they have created a simulation and injected it into the Dauntless members, turning them into an army that they can control." His face looks sad, ashamed.
"Why? why would they do that?" panic bubbles in my throat.
"Because, they're power hungry. Jeanine Matthews despises Abnegation, she wants all of the factions to turn against them so that they won't get in her way any more"
"So that's what the articles have been for. But why would we get in her way?"
"She wants to lead. She wants us all to live in greedy, unnecessary luxury, believing that Abnegation and the Factionless are a drain on the cities recourses"
I'm speechless. I stare into my brother's eyes in shock. How could Erudite be so selfish? My faction is being destroyed, innocent people are being murdered. I suddenly feel numb, what will happen to us? My mother steps forward and interrupts me from my panicked thoughts.
"I am leaving for Dauntless Headquarters. I believe it is where Jeanine will be controlling the simulation for the Dauntless army. I must end the simulation to put an end to this" I snap out of my haze and look more closely at her. She is no longer wearing her Abnegation grey, she has changed into black Dauntless clothes. Her hair is no longer in a tight bun, it flows around her shoulders, and she has tattoos covering her arms. Then I realise, my mother was Dauntless.
"Here, put these on quickly, it will stop you from being a target" She hands us a pile of black clothes each, I take them and pull on the black pants under my grey dress. Then I hurriedly pull my dress off leaving me in my grey undershirt. I pull on the black sweatshirt and then I no longer look Abnegation.
She looks at Caleb and I, placing a hand each on our shoulders.
"Children, I must go, I am the only one here who can do this. I know you must be scared and confused but please trust me" She turns to Caleb "You will take a place in leadership until I return, we are in need of someone else to help Abnegation, and seeing as though you are knowledgeable of serums from your time in Erudite, you will be useful" She faintly smiles at us both and walks towards the door, leaving almost silently.
I stand there, staring at the door. Stunned. Caleb takes in a shaky breath and walks towards the group of leaders who I can only assume are discussing our escape plans.
I turn back towards the door that my mother walked through and I feel a tight pang in my chest. I know it is dangerous out there and my mother has gone, alone. She has most likely gone to her death whilst I stand here, useless.
My mother taught me to be selfless, and right now that's what I must be. I glance at the group of leaders who are speaking in panicked voices, they are too engrossed in their plans to notice me. I retrieve the gun that my mother gave me when we fled Abnegation, and without thinking, rush out the door.