Chapter 11.
Waking up early the next morning, I go over my results and rankings I did last night. Calculating and going over each fight's scores from the last couple of days, each lesson and including the capture the flag game. The last fight today will determine their final scores, some needing drastic improvement if they want to stay part of the Dauntless faction. I look down at where Tris's name is. She's 8th. I have tried scrambling things around as much as I could to bring her score up higher, but in doing so I have already put myself in line for questioning. Today will be her last day to prove herself.
And God knows. I'm worried.
I walk down to the dining hall, grabbing a muffin and a cup of coffee, not meaning to stay long. I look over to where Lauren is sitting and pop down next to her. "Morning" I say to her, taking a bite of my muffin.
"Morning to you to." She looks at me with a worried expression. "These rankings are giving me nightmares." She tells me, swirling her coffee around in her mug.
"Yeah, I know." I don't know what else to tell her. I have my own initiates to worry about. At least with my transfers, they all have said there farewell's to their faction. With her, she still has to face the Dauntless born parents. See their anger and disappointment on a daily basis.
"Yeah. I don't know how I'm gonna break them the news tomorrow. Especially after a day like today. They still –."
"Hold on. What do you mean tomorrow?" I interrupt her. "The rankings are supposed to be up tonight aren't they?" Dragging out the inevitable isn't going to help her.
"What are you talking about Four? Tomorrow is visiting day remember. You can't very well go give them their scores the day before they meet with them." She looks at me with shock in her eyes. "Some of their parents probably won't even show up and for those who do. What. You going to make them tell them they factionless now?" she carries on.
"Shit. Shit. Shit…. Hey. Don't look at me like that." I look down. How can I be such an idiot? I completely forgot about visiting day. It's probably because no one has ever come to visit me since I have come here. Marcus would never set his feet in this compound, not after he thinks I betrayed him. "I completely forgot about it." I look back up to her.
She stare at me, then she starts smiling. "You know, for a moment there, I thought you were becoming one of the Dauntless brutes." She says shaking her head. "I nearly wanted to smack you of your seat."
"It's not that big a deal. It's just one more day. Listen I need to get going. Get ready for the last day. Get the ones that are slacking to take things a bit seriously." She stands, squeezing my shoulder. "Remember, we're meeting with Eric and Max tonight. We going to go through our combined list of rankings to determine whose out." She says and walks away.
"Thanks." Hopefully that means Eric won't be joining me for the last day of fighting today.
I take the last gulp of my coffee before getting up, walking past Peter and Molly's table. I hear them snickering something about the stiff's skinny naked body. What? I turn around, looking at them sharply. "What did you just say?" I demand.
"Nothing." Peter looks at me, his cheeks turning red. Molly and Drew looking down at their breakfast. I lean down, slamming my hands down on the table. "If I get one complaint about any of you today. Trust me, I don't care how well your scores are, I'll throw you out!" I hiss at them. Peter, opens his mouth as to say something but decides to keep it shut. Good. I look at each of them and walk away.
Still busy clearing the training room of the target we used yesterday, the initiates start to file in two at a time.
"Line up. I'll be with you soon." I tell them, walking over to the board and writing down the names for their matches. I notice that Tris isn't among them. What did they do to her?
"Where's the stiff?" I ask them, directing my question to Peter. He just shrugs and looks away.
"She's on her way. She just running a bit late." Al says, not looking convinced.
I nod at him and finish up the names. Matching Edward with Peter – Give him a taste of his own medicine and Tris with Molly. She needs to win this one. And hopefully, she has a good enough reason too this time. Just as I finish putting the chalk down, Tris comes running in, her eyes looking swollen from crying. Looking at Peter, I ball up my fist.
"Today will be your last day fighting one another. Remember, you can improve your score in round two. But you need to make it there first. This is not a game, this will determine the outcome of the rest of your life." I tell them, looking at each and every one of them.
"Will. Myra. You're up first." They move towards the centre of the room. Myra looking nervous as they stand across from each other in the arena. For a second they both shuffle back and forth, one jerking an arm forward and then retracting it, the other kicking and missing.
As I stand on my usual spot, I see Eric strolling in and look away back to the fight. Great. At least he doesn't say a word. Just stands next me and watches, making frustrated sounds as the fights goes on. As expected, the next fight between Christina and Al is quick and painless. Al falls after a few hard hits to the face and doesn't get back up, which makes Eric shake his head. I don't blame him though, ever since yesterday Al really has shown that he doesn't fit in here. I'm just sorry he'll be factionless.
Edward and Peter take longer. Though they are the two best fighters, the disparity between them is noticeable. Edward's fist slams into Peter's jaw, making me smile. I keep my eye on them, looking from Peter and Edward to Tris, watching her reaction. She doesn't blink though. She just stares, calculating, eating away at her nails. She looks out of sorts, like she's ready to cry again. I look back to Edward and Peter, Edward dodging Peter's punch, turns around and hits Peter square on the jaw with his elbow. Peter just falls back, making no sound.
"That kids good." Eric says looking at me but I just ignore him.
"Will, please help Peter, get him to the infirmary." I tell him. I would take him myself, but I want to see how Tris does and I won't trust Eric alone with them again.
"Tris. Molly. You're next." Tris looks at me for a fraction of a second before she looks down and walks over to the arena. I frown at her. What is she thinking?
I watch as Molly stands across from her, still she gives her no reaction at all. "Was that a birthmark I saw on your left butt cheek?" she says, smirking. "God, you're pale, Stiff."
Molly starts toward Tris and throws her weight into a punch. As her body shifts forward, Tris ducks and drives her fist into Molly's stomach, right over her bellybutton. Before she can get her hands on Tris, she slip past her, her hands up, ready for her next attempt. She's doing well. But still, I hold my breath the whole time. Tris is different today, almost like she wants to do permanent damage to Molly. Not for the first time I wonder what exactly they did to her this morning.
"Looks like I underestimated the stiff." Eric says, not looking away from her. "First she stands up to me yesterday and now she looks like a savage animal." he says.
As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. She looks savage.
Molly runs towards Tris like she's about to tackle her, and Tris darts out of the way. I want to encourage her, I want to tell her she's doing well. She's actually listening to me, using her body to her advantages. But I'm not sure how far she's going to go with this.
Tris blocks Molly's next punch with her forearm. That blow looks like it might have stung, but doesn't stop. She grits her teeth and lets out a frustrated groan, more animal-sounding than human. Molly tries a sloppy kick at Tris's side, which she dodges, and while her balance is off, rushes forward smacking her with the end of her elbow witch Molly narrowly misses, lifting her chin up just in time. Molly turns around quickly, punches Tris right in the ribs, making Tris stumble to the side. Both Tris and Molly just stand there, watching one another, calculating, measuring. This fight could go either way and I'll be damned if I say I didn't want Tris to beat Molly.
Tris looks at Molly for one second longer before taking a step towards her, aiming an uppercut low, below her bellybutton making Molly double over from the impact. As she gasps, Tris sweep-kicks her legs out from under her, and she falls hard on the ground, sending dust into the air. Tris doesn't hesitate once she's on the floor, pulling her leg back, kicking her in the ribs. Hard. Molly screams out in pain.
I stand up, meaning to announce Tris the winner, feeling proud of her, but she doesn't stop there. Molly curls into ball to protect her side, and Tris kicks again, this time hitting her in the stomach.
"Tris!" I call out to her, but she doesn't hear me. I look over to Eric, laughing at what's happening.
Tris pulls her foot back again and again, kicking her in the ribs, the face, blood bursting from her nose. '''Tris. Stop!' I say running over to her. She really is going to kill her.
I get to her just as she's about to kick Molly again, yanking her hard to the side, forcing her to stop. She swings around, looking at me with gritted teeth, hatred marring her beautiful face.
I look down to were Molly is lying hearing a gurgling in her throat, watch blood trickle from her lips and look back at Tris almost horrified. "You won," I mutter "Stop."
She looks at me wiping the sweat from her forehead, not looking like she is registering what she's actually done.
"I think you should leave," I tell her "Take a walk."
"I'm fine," She says, pulling her arm free from my grip and takes a deep breath. "I'm fine now,"
She looks back down to where Molly is lying, not even looking slightly guilty over what she has just done and walks over to where Christina and them are standing.
I continue staring at her, not recognising the person standing there.
Visiting Day.
I walk to the dorms where the initiates are, meaning to tell them that they shouldn't get there hopes up for today. I have seen in the past, initiates running down to the pit expecting to see a family member, a friend, anyone from there past life only to discover that no one is there waiting for them and they are crushed. Defecting from a faction isn't a small thing. Parents don't understand or agree with their children's choices so much so that they never want anything to do with them ever again. The same happened to me when I defected. Marcus never came to see me again. Not that I ever minded. If I never had to see him again, it would be too soon. I know that there were rumours going around in Abnegation that the reason I left was because he was an abusive parent, that he beat his son behind closed doors. He dismissed it though, blaming me as some problem child and eventually people forgot like they normally do in situations such as mine. Little did they know how right they actually where.
Just as I am about to turn the corner to the dorms, I see Eric approaching them and quickly duck behind the wall. I don't want to talk to him today. I don't want to hear what he thought of Tris's fighting yesterday.
I listen to him speak to them though.
"Attention!" Everyone in the dorms goes quiet, listing to him.
"I want to give you some advice about today. If by some miracle your families decide to come visit you... which I doubt... its best not to seem too attached. That will make it easier for you, and easier for them. We also take the phase 'Faction before blood' very seriously here. Attachment to your family suggests that you aren't entirely pleased with your faction, which would be shameful. Understand?"
I'm sure everyone understands, not being able to miss the underlining threat in Eric's voice.
I look around the corner and see Eric approaching Tris, just as she's about leave telling her something I can't make out. I hate it when he talks to her. She just nods at him, running toward where Christina and Will are, laughing.
Well, I don't need to give 'the talk' to them, since Eric has already done that for me. Albeit in a threating way and walk towards the pit.
Even though I know there's no one waiting for me I always get this pang of jealously, some misplaced feeling of unworthiness. I was never wanted. I suppose that's why I always come down here, no matter how many times I tell myself I'm here for the initiates. Hoping. Dreading.
I lean over the railing, listing to parents and initiates shouting and exclaiming in excitement at seeing them for the first time in ages. Some initiates, looking out of place when they notice they have no one there. It's never an easy thing to go through. I should go over there, give them a word of advice or some kind of support, but it wouldn't matter. So it best just to let them be.
I look over my shoulder when I hear someone talking about me. "He's handsome." they say and I freeze. Standing in front of me is Natalie Prior. Tris's mom. Shit.
She's been friends with my father. We use to go over there some evenings for dinner when I was a child. She's the only person here that could recognise me. But it's been years since she saw me. I have changed so much since. I'm not the scrawny abnegation boy anymore.
Natalie smiles at me, reaching out her hand. "Hello. My name is Natalie. I'm Beatrice's mother." She's always been a friendly lady. I take her hand, shaking it and look over to Tris. She looks like her mother. Same big eyes, same mouth. Shaking hands has always been awkward for me. Any physical touch has, as being abnegation, it was seen as a form of self-indulgence.
"Four." I look back over to Natalie. "It's nice to meet you." and I mean it.
Natalie smile's at me. "Four. Is that a nickname?"
"Yes." But I don't elaborate. I'm not ready for Tris to know my real name just yet. Besides if Natalie knew my real name, she would immediately know whose son I was. Not many kids defect from Abnegation, making everyone who does, that more memorable "Your daughter is doing well here. I have been overseeing her training." I say in way of veering the conversation to another direction.
"That's good to hear," she says. "I know a few things about Dauntless initiation, and I was worried about her."
I look over to Tris, thinking of yesterday and all her previous fights. At least the marks are mostly gone, barely showing any kind of attack. "You shouldn't worry." I tell Natalie, still looking at Tris. Her cheeks start go red and she quickly looks away.
She tilts her head. "You look familiar for some reason, Four." At that I turn away, looking at the chasm. Shit, she can't recognise me, not here, not now.
"I can't imagine why," I reply, sounding cold. "I don't make a habit of associating with the Abnegation."
To my amazement Tris's mom starts to laugh. That was not the reaction I was hoping for or expecting. Tris seems to have inherited her mother's personality as well. She has a light laugh, half air and half sound. "Few people do, these days. I don't take it personally."
I relax a little, glad that I didn't come across too rude. "Well, I'll leave you to your reunion." And walk away, not looking back. I walk out of the pit, stopping when I notice Al siting at the top, by the glass ceiling. Hiding.
I know his parents are here, looking for him. Maybe he just hasn't seen them and thought they never showed up. Sighing I walk up the stairs, the ones all the parents and family members stare at, worried.
"Al. Your parents are down there you know. " I tell him just as I clime the last step. "They're looking for you."
"Yeah. I know, thanks." But he doesn't even look up at me. He just sits there, playing with the loose gravel.
"You don't want to see them, do you?" I ask kneeling next to him.
"What am I going to tell them? They're the ones that wanted me to come here you know. They have always envied the Dauntless." He says carrying on. "They are expecting me to tell them how well I'm doing here, and we both know I'm not."
"Then don't tell them anything. They don't need to know about your tests results. And you don't know them anyway." I say. "Just see them Al. They have come all this way just for you. It's the least you could do. Don't sit up here, cowering. That's not what I have been teaching you to do."
"Albert?" We both look up, seeing two people standing there. I stand up to introduce myself, but they don't even notice me, staring at Al.
"Mom. Dad." Al says, standing up to give them both a hug. I take that as my que to leave.
I head over to Laurens room to finalise the rankings before dinner and end up staying there much longer then intended.
By the time I get to the dorm rooms, all the initiates are starting to get back after dinner. I just stand there, waiting for them to fall in, the black board with the rankings leaning against my leg.
"Why can't we see our rankings?" It's Peter, "Just put it up and the ones that aren't here yet can see it when they come in." He really is quite annoying. It's a pity he's going through to the next round.
"Because, there are a couple of things I need to explain to you." I say.
"Like?" It's Molly.
I see Tris in the others run back to the dorms, all eager to see their results.
"For those of you who just came in, I'm explaining how the ranks are determined," I say, clearly so they don't have to interrupt me. "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." I say looking straight at Peter.
"If you have a high rank, you lose points for losing to a low-ranked opponent."
Molly lets out an unpleasant noise, like a snort or a grumble. She knows her fight yesterday cost her.
"Stage two of training is weighted more heavily than stage one, because it is more closely tied to overcoming cowardice," I carry on "That said, it is extremely difficult to rank high at the end of initiation if you rank low in stage one." I say, looking straight at Tris. She could still make it here. Mental strength is something she has a good handle on. I look back to the rest of the initiates.
"We will announce the cuts tomorrow," Four says. "The fact that you are transfers and the Dauntless-born initiates 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 turn and hang the board on the hook and steps back so we can see the rankings:
1. Edward
2. Peter
3. Will
4. Christina
5. Molly
6. Tris
I look over to Tris, seeing her shock expression at her being number six on the board. I want to smile at her, give her my congrats, but she doesn't look at me. Everyone in the room seems dead quiet, like they can't believe the rankings.
7. Drew
8. Al
9. Myra
"What?" demands Molly. She points at Christina. "I beat her! I beat her in minutes, and she's ranked above me?"
"Yeah," says Christina, crossing her arms. She wears a smug smile. "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 snap at her and walk out. What is it with these people? Never mind that some of them will be kicked out of Dauntless tomorrow, all they can think about is who beat who. Even though they are safe.
For God's sake!
