A/N: Hey guys I'm sorry this took me so long to write. I really hope I do not procrastinate the next couple chapters as much as I did this one but I will be introducing some new characters in the next chapter which I'm really excited about so maybe that will keep me inspired. But, we are getting some what close to the end here, I'm thinking about 3-5 more chapters. Oh, and for those who is having trouble picture someone for Rose, I picture her as Mia Wasikowsakea. Hope you enjoy. Remember to review, even if it's bad!
Chapter 10
My eyes flutter open to the sight of sleeping Eric. It's amazing how much younger he looks when he is asleep. I watch him roll over and mutter something inaudible. The scar that I made in the beginning of initiation remains as a thin white line across his cheekbone. I remember that day vividly. He had threatened to cut me that day, because of course, I had cut him. I thought that I was going to die that day. A small giggle escapes my throat making Eric wake up. I immediately try to close my eyes and pretend I wasn't watching him.
"Were you watching me?" Shit, He caught me. I slowly open one eye and am surprised by the smile on his face. I open both eyes and nod slowly, a grin spreading across my face. He stretches his arms and legs out making a small noise in the back of his throat. "Today is your test" I nod, keeping the smile on my face to make sure the mood doesn't lower like it usually does when I start thinking about my chances. "You'll do fine." He leans forward and kisses my forehead.
"Rose Pedrad, You're up." Max stands in the threshold of the waiting room. I look around at the scared young faces of my fellow initiates. My heart sinks into my stomach as I stand up and follow Max into the testing room. I enter the cold, uninviting room and look into the dark window on the north wall. I can slightly make out the colors of each faction. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself. Everything is going to be okay, I'm going to be okay. I sit down in the chair and wait as Max places the wires on my body. He squeezes my shoulder encouragingly before shooting me in the neck with serum. Slowly, I feel myself drift away.
I feel the cool spray of water on my face and realize immediately which fear I am in. I can either face my fear or lower my heart beat. I begin to hear the voices. I need to make a decision now.
"Goodbye" I whisper and roll off the walkway with my hands and feet still tied together.
"Rose you did not make it pass initiation, you must now leave dauntless premises or die an honorable death, which do you choose?" I do not hesitate.
"Neither" All the leaders look back at me confused as I grab the gun out of Eric's hand and shoot all of them dead.
I am in the cafeteria where some kind of dauntless meeting is going on. I spot River over in the corner and try to say hi to him but he ignores me. I wave to Hana and she also ignores me. What the hell? I feel the panic rising throughout my body. I make my way to the corridor and sit down. I take deep breaths and try not to think about everyone not knowing who I am, finally the scene changes.
A gust of wind blows my hair across my face and when I pull it back out of the way I realize I'm on the train tracks in front of everyone I love, their hands waving in sync with each other. I know what happens next. I can already hear the train rounding the corner, blowing its horn. I look around for some way to get out of this mess but find nothing. This can't be a fear about getting hit with a train. It has to be about family and loved ones. It has to be about betrayal. The train is only a hundred feet away by the time I figure it out. I quickly raise my hand and wave back at them accepting my fate. I feel the grate of the train brush my leg when the scene changes.
I am on a grey, worn out cot in the middle of room full of food. I can feel the rash on my back and legs from lying in the cot too long. Hunger consumes my body. I feel my breaths grow short as I try to lift my arm. I look around the room and realize there is a throwing knife next to the cot. I know if I can throw the knife and make it stick in the apple on the edge of the table I will be able to make an apple fall off the table and possibly roll over to me. I struggle to reach the throwing knife but I eventually am able to grab it from the ground. I lay back and try to catch my breath. If I don't try to throw this knife, I will die. I try to position my arm as much as possible but the more I move the more I feel like I'm going to faint. I swing my arm through, letting go of the knife at the right time, but as my arm comes back down to my side I hear a loud snap and pain shoots through my body, making me take in in a huge gasp. Suddenly, I'm not able to take the right amount of air back in. I drop down onto my cot, my arm falling off the side. My throat wheezes as my fingers brush the apple. I grasp the apple in my weak, thin hands and slowly bring it to my lips. My teeth bite into the skin of the apple, and the sweet juice burst into my mouth, making the scene change once again.
I'm in the bright fluorescent room once again. I know that any second Uriah was going to walk into the room. I frantically start looking around the room for a weapon, I flip over the mattress but find nothing. I could hear the door handle turning when I spot the wooden chair in the corner. I run over to it as the door opens behind me and kick the leg out. The chair tips over with a crash, wood splintering as it hits the cold white tile. I hold the wooden leg in my hand as I turn around preparing to whack Uriah over the head with it but as I turn I am surprised to find that Uriah is not the one in the white robe, it is Eric. The tip of the wooden leg is pressed against his cheek where the thin white scar remains. He looks at me with no emotion.
"Eric?" He doesn't respond. He doesn't even look me in the eye. Suddenly, the door swings open again when Marcus and the woman from my dreams comes running in.
"Judith, put the weapon down!" Marcus yells frantically. Judith? Is he talking to me?
"Sweetheart, you don't need to hurt him." The woman takes a step closer.
"Who are you?" I look at them both, still holding my make-shift weapon against Eric's cheek. They nervously glance at each other.
"We are your parents, Sweetheart."
I gasp to catch my breath and shoot up from the chair, ripping the wires off my body. I look at the time in the corner of the room, five minutes and twenty-two seconds. Max enters the room with a grin on his face.
"You did really good Rose. Probably the best we have had all day." I nod, still freaked out from the last simulation. "Good luck" He removes the rest of the wires and leads me out the back door.
I watch as Eric approaches me with a smile in the cafeteria. Once he gets close enough he wraps his hand around my lower back and pulls me into a kiss.
"Hey" he loosens up but doesn't remove his hand from my back. "The rankings go up in five minutes" He just got back from figuring out the ranks so he is one of the few people who already know my fate. Though judging from his overwhelming happiness, I'm guessing I made it. "You did really well on your test. You almost beat Four's record." I can't help but smile.
"We should start making our way to the training room." Eric and I take our time walking to the training room so we won't have to wait for the results to be posted. Once we enter the room, I immediately see the crowd standing in the corner. I spot Roma and Elliot hugging and kissing and smiling. I'm glad they made it. I get closer to the board when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to find River.
"Good job, Rose." He smiles for the second time since he has been at dauntless.
"Thank you River." I smile back at him though I have no idea how well I actually did. Finally, the rankings are close enough for me to see the whole board:
1.River Carpenter
2.Darren Beck
3.Ebony Hugh
4.Greg Wong
5.Rose Pedrad
6.Katherine Quinn
7.Harry Schneider
8.Roma Tilton
9.Roxanne McGuire
10.Elliot Mercy
Five, I'm number five. A huge grin spreads across my face.
"Good job, Rose." Four rubs his hand across my shoulder blades encouragingly.
"Thanks Four" I call back absently, remembering the simulation and what the woman had said. Back when I was with Uriah I had found out that Four's real name was Tobias Eaton making him related to Marcus Eaton, also- according to the simulation- making him related to me.
I walk back to Eric who is grinning smugly. "I have to be honest with you, Pedrad, I didn't think you were going to make it." I catch Uriah turn around at the sound of his last name but once he realizes who Eric is talking to he turns back around.
"I'm not a Pedrad." I say sternly. Eric places his hand on my back.
"I know" he pauses for a second to sigh, "So, do you want to go to the initiation party tonight?" I stop in my tracks and turn to face him.
"I would rather stay in tonight" I wrap my arms around his neck and press my body against his. He places a hand along my arm and takes it down.
"I have to make an appearance but we could meet up in my apartment after." I think about everything I have to do.
"Yeah, that could work. I need to go by Max's office to choose a job assignment and then we could meet back at your apartment later."
"Okay" He smiles and kisses me. "I'll see you later."
I walk up to the government office door and look up at the camera. "Hi, I'm here to see Max about Job Assignment." The heavy metal door slides open and I enter the dark corridor, full of doors. As I am making my way down the hall I accidentally bump into a man coming out of Max's office. I immediately turn around to apologize, as the man does the same, and I first notice the gray clothing, then I notice the familiar brown eyes.
"I'm sorry to bump into you, Miss. Have a nice day." Marcus Eaton winks at me. My heart drops and I stay completely frozen as he walks down the corridor and exits the office. Why the fuck was he in Max's office? I shake it off and enter the room. It was probably just a government meeting.
"Hello Rose" Max folds his hands together. "Congratulations on initiation. Why aren't you at the party?"
"I need to pick my job assignment" I look down at the desk and look at the piece of paper that lists all the jobs. Max shifts in his seat when I pull the paper closer to read. I find the jobs available for my ranking. I have two choices: Fence Worker or Factionless Patrol. Fationless Patrol is barely available to me. It is literally only available to rank five and up. Maybe, I can find my mother. "I'll take Factionless Patrol" Max shifts in his seat once again.
"Are you sure? It's 12 hour shifts and 6 days a week." I narrow my eyes at him. Is he hiding something?
"Yes, I am absolutely sure" I say sternly. Max writes something down on a piece of paper.
"Okay you will start tomorrow."