We arrive at the pavilion where the ceremony is held. The area is located outdoors and is a very short distance away from Lake Michigan. The structure is on a large field, over us lays long metal beams that cover the entire grounds. When I look up, the beams catch the light and reflect it. I think it is incredible how someone could come up with this idea and share it with the world. It used to be called the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, but today we just call the whole area The Millennium.
I see that me parents are already seated in the front row. My father is Chief Ambassador for Abnegation. He and the other Chief Ambassadors must make a speech for the entire audience. I have been to every Choosing Ceremony for the past eight years. This time is different, because I will not be watching the sixteen year olds take a blade in their hand and cut their skin. I will be among them.
I am separated from Caleb and Tobias. All of the sixteen year olds are split into gender groups and are brought up on to the stage. The girls start the ceremony every year, they line up in alphabetical order and the people with ending letters of the alphabet go first. On the stage there are five metal bowls and each is filled with a different substance; gray stones lie in the Abnegation basin, dirt is in the Amity bowl, shards of glass in Candor, dimly lit coals in Dauntless, and the Erudite bowl is filled with water. Once a persons name is read out loud, they are to grab a knife from the Ambassador of the faction they want to live in and walk to the bowl of that faction. From there they must slice their palm and let their blood spill into the bowl while the audience claps for them. Afterwards, he or she walks down to sit with their new faction and watches the rest of the ceremony.
My group is led on to the stage and I try to calm my nerves so I don't end up tripping in front everyone. It takes a few minutes for us to assemble alphabetically and when we do I look into the crowd and see my mother smiling up at me. My father is on the stage with me now, he is the first of the Ambassadors to read his speech.
I try to pay attention to the sound of my fathers voice, but I can't. I still don't know what I am supposed to do and honestly I would be extremely happy if I could run away.
I have to make a decision now. I have to come up with my answer before my name is called. Carefully, I decide that I do not want to live in Erudite. From what my father has told me, they lie and cheat to get to the top and I don't want to be like them.
Dauntless is different, very different. Everyday of school, the Dauntless would arrive by jumping off of a train. As ridiculous as that sounds, it seems exhilarating and something I would like to try. They are unlike any of the other factions. They are dangerous, strong, and brave.
I can't leave home though, my parents need me and I need them. I want to have my father at my wedding and I want my mother to be able see her grandchildren. I grew up here. Abnegation is a part of me and I can't cut that out of me.
Several of girls have gone now and I only recognize a few until Susan Tanner. Susan along with her brother, have been my neighbors for years now. They were always nice to me and Caleb has had a crush on Susan for the longest time, although he won't admit it to anyone. She has blonde hair like me also, but it's shorter and she looks more like the typical Abnegation than I have ever been. She slowly walks over to my father and takes the blade that rests in his hands, walks over to the owl and cuts her hand above the bowl of stones. And like that it is done, she is Abnegation now.
A few more girls are called and then they begin on the last names starting with P. Two other girls go before me, they both end up selecting Amity and they skip down the steps to sit with the others wearing red and yellow.
"Beatrice Prior." Someone calls my name and I step forward. I want to scream and cry that I'm so nervous. I lift my head to look at my mother. She is there with a look that I cannot determine on her face. Her mouth is moving, but I don't understand what she is saying.
I shake it off and know what I must do. I take long strides until my hand makes contact with the handle of the knife. It is cold and suddenly I remember the feeling when I shot the ominous man in my test that was only hours ago. I feel a single tear drop down my cheek as I run the blade of the knife across the soft delicate skin of my palm. I see red appear from where I cut myself and I turn my hand over so that my blood drips into the bowl.
I turn and see my father looking at me. I can't take all of this right now so I end up walking really fast until I get to the section where I am supposed to sit. That's when everything sinks in and I begin to wipe away the tears running down my face. I have cried so hard today, more than I ever have in my entire life and that has to stop now.
I am no longer Abnegation.
I am Dauntless and now is the time for me to be strong.
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