CHAPTER TEN

That evening I go to the dormitory while the initiates are still in the dining hall to post the first stage rankings. I have just finished writing the names on the chalkboard when they begin to arrive. I turn the board towards the wall so they can not see the names yet.

"How do the rankings work?" one of them asks.

"We ranked your skill level according to..." I'm just beginning to explain when more initiates enter the room and I decide to begin again.

"For those of you who just came in, I'm explaining how the ranks are determined," I say. "After the first round of fights we ranked you according to your skill level. The number of points you earn depends on your skill level and the skill level of the person you beat. You earn more points for improving and more points for beating someone of a high skill level. I don't reward preying on the weak. That is cowardice. If you have a high rank, you lose points for losing to a low-ranked opponent."

Molly snorts.

"Stage two of training is weighted more heavily than stage one because it is more closely tied to overcoming cowardice," I say. "That said, it is extremely difficult to rank high at the end of initiation if you rank low in stage one."

I see Tris in the back of the room trying to see around the crowd to get a look at the chalkboard. Our eyes meet for a second but then she quickly looks away.

"We will announce the cuts tomorrow," I say. "The fact that you are transfers and the Dauntless-born are not will not be taken into consideration. Four of you could be Factionless and none of them. Or four of them could be Factionless and none of you. Or any combination thereof. That said, here are your ranks."

I pick up the board at hang it by it's hook on the wall and step aside.

1. Edward

2. Peter

3. Will

4. Christina

5. Molly

6. Tris

7. Drew

8. Al

9. Myra

Eric and I had argued for what seemed like hours this afternoon before settling on the final placements. Edward easily came in first and as much as I hated to admit it, Peter had done well too. Will and Christina had also won the majority of their fights and deserved to be near the top. Al, who had given up even trying to win fights anymore, ranked ahead of Myra, who had not won any fights, only because he had beaten Will in his first fight. It was 5th, 6th and 7th place that had caused the debate. Eric had ranked Tris in seventh place while I thought she deserved to be placed ahead of both Molly and Drew. Being ranked below fifth place put Tris at risk of being cut and if anyone deserved to become a Dauntless member, it was Tris. But in the end, fearing that Eric was going to pick up on my affection for her, I agreed to the sixth spot. I didn't like there even being a possibility of her being kicked out of Dauntless and being Factionless after all she had endured but I was fairly confident at least one Dauntless-born would rank below her and she would move on to stage two.

"What?" Molly shouts. She points to Christina "I beat her! I beat her in minutes and she's ranked above me?"

"Yeah," says Christina smiling. "And?"

"If you intend to secure yourself a high rank, I suggest you don't make a habit of losing to low-ranked opponents," I tell her as I leave the room.

I don't even realize that I've fallen asleep when I hear a loud knock on my door. "Four!" someone in the hall calls. I sit up and try desperately to orientate myself. What time is it? I hear the knocking again and someone asks "Four – you awake?"

"Yes" I answer. What is going on? My clock says it is after midnight.

"You're needed in the infirmary right away."

The infirmary? What happened? I put on my shoes and grab a sweatshirt, pulling it on as I leave my apartment and make my way to the medical clinic. When I arrive I see Max, Eric and Lauren huddled in a group near the entrance talking. Myra is sitting in a chair against the wall crying.

"What's going on?" I ask

"They brought Edward in a little while ago. He had been stabbed in the eye with a butter knife. They're preparing to transfer him to Erudite for surgery." Max informs me.

"Who did this?" I ask, fearing I already know the answer. The transfer initiates are divided into three groups. Peter, Drew and Molly are usually fighting with Tris, Christina, Will and Al. Edward and Myra usually keep to themselves and stay neutral in the battles. There is only one of those groups who would do something so cruel, and their leader is Peter. And Peter was just ranked second behind Edward.

"Myra thinks Peter did it. She said Peter and Edward had a confrontation earlier tonight. Something about Edward threatening to tell everyone that Peter wet his pants the first day in training when you held a gun to his head. Peter responded by threatening Edward." Eric chimes in.

For a split second I almost want to laugh. I really scared Peter that much?

"So where is Peter? What are they going to do with him?" I demand.

"Nothing," says Max.

"Nothing?" I repeat in disbelief.

Max gives me a hard look. "Four people were unaccounted for at the time of the attack. Peter, Drew and two of the Dauntless-born initiates. We found and talked to all four of them and they are all claiming innocence. The room was dark so there are no witnesses. There is no proof that Peter was responsible." From his tone I'm guessing the matter is already closed.

"I wouldn't worry about it," says Eric with a smirk. "These things have a way of working themselves out in Dauntless. If Peter finds himself accused of too many...incidents, shall we say...we might just learn that he's had an...accident...himself one day."

Max and Eric turn to walk away but I still stand there outraged. This is my faction's response when a boy is stabbed in the eye? Veiled threats? Vigilante justice? But what can I do? I can't argue...who will I argue with? This is coming from faction leaders. If I oppose them they might just arrange an accident for me too, just like Amar had an "accident" last year.

"By the way," Lauren says to me, looking visibly shaken. "Edward and Myra dropped out. And two of the dauntless-born scored the lowest so...we have our four cuts." She turns to leave the infirmary.

I look at Myra still sitting in the chair crying. I walk over and sit next to her. I'm not sure what to say but she speaks first.

"They said Edward is sedated so he's not in pain right now," she manages to say in between sobs. "He'll live but he's going to lose his eye. We can't stay here. I was going to get cut away..." She trails off.

"Are you going to be okay?" I ask her.

She sniffs and nods but what else can she say? A nurse appears and announces they are taking Edward to the hospital in Erudite. Myra gets up and follows her. She doesn't say anything else to me. I'm left sitting alone, feeling empty and hollow. I wonder if there is anything I can do to make this right and I am tortured by the thought that maybe I could have done something to prevent this.

The next morning I go to the dormitory. Someone has been cleaning and the room smells like bleach. Christina and Al are in their bunks napping. I doubt any of the initiates got any sleep last night. I didn't sleep. I strip Edward's and Myra's bunks of their bedding. I open their drawers and put their clothes and personal items in bags which can be delivered to them later. Last I walk to the blackboard and take a piece of chalk from my pocket. I draw a line through Edward's name and another line through Myra's name. Then I adjust the numbers next to the remaining initiate's names. Now Peter is first. Will is second. Christina third. Molly moves to fourth. Tris is fifth. Drew is sixth. Al stays, he is seventh.