No excuses, it takes me a long while to juggle university and make sure the chapter is as perfect and entertaining as possible. This is double the amount of words I usually write per chapter to make up for the wait ;)
Thank you so much Dragonmaster65, you catch so many mistakes its not even funny. Love ya!
Eris interaction alert!
-o0o-ERIC-o0o-
"Eric, Eric, Wake up," someone whispers in my ear, waking me from my dreamless slumber. I sit up and rub my eyes groggily, squinting to see who decided to piss me off today. Shawn Frost was standing there with a stupid smile that I wanted to slap off his face.
"The f-heck dude!" I hiss, barely catching myself from saying fuck. I am trying very hard to become as Abnegation as possible, and that includes no swearing which sucks!
"Get up boy. We're going to Amity today!" he says excitedly and I can't help but groan. Isn't it bad that I gotta spend my entire life in Stiffland? Now we gotta go to Amity for a week? Fuck!
I get up and decide to run so I can shower first but damn that Shawn! He got a head start due to my groggy state. I wonder if I can close my eyes for a minute.
I feel a hard kick to my leg and open my eyes to see the clock proudly displaying 7:45. Fuck! I just closed my eyes and can't believe I slept for an extra half an hour. We are so gonna be late.
I rush to the bathroom and take a shower in a record speed of 5 minutes, put on my ugly grey robes, and run out. I can hear Shawn snickering in the background, but I am too late to care.
Last week, we volunteered in the Factionless sector and distributed the bags we had prepared earlier in initiation. The entire week was boring as hell and even though I am not a religious person, I kept praying for it to be over already. Guess what, that was the longest one week of my life. The only good thing was that I saw Merry again and she smiled and hugged me after I gave her the bag. That totally made my day. Beatrice was with me again and I couldn't help but feel my cheeks heat up at the thought. She looked proud. Proud of me.
We reach the Great Hall and I check my phone and it helpfully displays 8:02. God, no! No. No!
We quickly make our way in and I sigh in relief, no other transfers are here. They all must think they can do anything they want since no one fails Abnegation initiation but with how we all are behaving, I can't be sure.
At around 8:05, the transfers start trailing in and I look up in time to see Marcus Eaton coming in too, a frown on his face. I don't know why, but every time I see the man, he just looks familiar, like I personally know him from somewhere and I can't pinpoint why I feel that way.
We go through the normal routine of breakfast and Marcus Eaton leaves as soon as breakfast is done. I can't help but find that I don't like him. I feel bad for judging but seriously, the guy gives me a bad vibe even though he's my leader.
We spend the last day volunteering in the Factionless sector, courtesy of Marcus Eaton and before I know it, it was five PM.
"Go home, take a shower and rest. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow," Tobias says and I can't help but agree.
No one says a word, then again someone hardly does anymore and we all go our separate ways. We take turns taking a shower. The Abnegation borns offer me and Shawn to go first like always and before I know it, I fall into a dreamless sleep.
We walk towards the great hall in a group, the Abnegation borns and us transfers together. It's the second time today and I hope to god whatever it is isn't too important. I'd like to go back to sleep.
Who am I kidding? If they called us to the hall at twelve PM, it means it's important so I should forget about my hopes for getting a decent night's rest.
Rubbing my eyes, I see a flash of red and look up. Beatrice stands there looking like a goddess in red. How she manages to rock anything she wears is beyond me, but I like the form fitting red knee-length skirt and shirt she's wearing. Even her naturally highlighted blond hair is pulled into a braid resting on her left shoulder. French braid, my mind reminds me. Her cerulean blue eyes look alive and happy. It's a look I've never seen before, but it's quickly becoming my favorite.
I think she felt my eyes on her as she looks me in the eye and gives me a small smile. She's definitely happy.
"Hi again everyone," she says and the majority of the initiates groan. Why is she so chipper at this god forsaken hour? Did wearing the Amity dress make her talk like one? I know I am being ridiculous.
"We are going to Amity today and before you all try to murder me with those sleepy eyes, I am doing this as a favour. I want to make this initiation one of the best and most memorable times of your life. It only happens once and right now, we have an excuse to show a little selfishness but trust me, you'll thank me later." Beatrice says and no one says a thing.
"Moving on, we are going to board a bus in 10 minutes which will take us straight to Amity. Johanna has been informed of our plans and has our sleeping quarters ready. We will spend a full week there and each day we will do a different task.
"The first day we will have a grand tour of Amity, which will take hours as Amity has the largest land area. Then you can explore. Afterwards we will eat together and then we will retire for the night.
"Day two, we will be picking various fruits and vegetables from the farms. Day three, we will help with harvesting the crops. This task has two different areas, as in,half of you will help outside and the other half will help inside. Day four, we will learn how to take care of different farm animals and a few tricks on how to tame them. On the fifth day, we are going to help store and preserve foods for all factions and help with cooking a large feast Amity style," Beatrice rattles off and gasps are heard from some initiates.
"Selfish I know but look at it this way, we are helping them feed people so its all good," she says with a smile.
"On the sixth day, we will help everyone with extensive cleaning of the Amity compound and we will plant new plants and trees as well. Finally on our last day, we will learn how to ride and interact with horses, and then at twelve PM sharp a bus will bring us back to Abnegation. We will sleep and then the next week of initiation will resume in the morning, any questions?" she asks and the nasally voiced Candor, Suzanne I think decides to interrogate her.
"What is the purpose of this activity? Like aren't we supposed to not interact with other factions? Why are we going at this time of the night when we were supposed to go early in the morning?"
Beatrice doesn't seem fazed and if I knew better, I'd say she was prepared for this.
"The purpose of this activity," she repeats Candor's wording, "Is to help a faction that supplies everyone with food, like a show of appreciation. We aren't interacting with them for leisure. It's a requirement. We are Abnegation not those snooty Erudite or Candor who look down on others with disgust." She challenges Suzanne with her raised eyebrow and Candor huffs.
"The reason I - yes I - decided to change the time of arrival to Amity was simply out of selfless reasons. The Abnegation take the bus to go to places and Amity is an hour drive. It would inconvenience those who leave for work very early so I thought a few hours of lost sleep is good enough if we are being compassionate," she spits and it takes me by surprise. I have never seen her pissed but I am fairly certain she is controlling herself.
"Besides, I sent you all early to sleep with specific instructions. It's your fault if you don't listen to your instructors. We tell you to do things which are in your best interest," she finishes but it obviously isn't having the impact that Beatrice would hope.
I can hear Suzanne muttering under her breath "Should've told us earlier, bitch." I want to punch her in the mouth, the same one she uses to spit bullshit. I know Beatrice will call it service to humanity and cover my tracks. Or at least that's what my half-awake brain thinks.
"Tobias will join us at the bus stop," Beatrice says as she checks the time on the simple wall clock we have in the Great Hall.
"There's a pile of Amity clothes there." She points towards a corner. "There are only red and light yellow there as we don't want to draw attention to ourselves. Go and change in the bathrooms and meet back in 5 minutes," she says and walks away.
I am among the first few who changed and I think I look ridiculous in my light yellow shirt and dark red jeans. When I come back the initiates start talking in hushed tones. I stay quiet and sit in a corner where I am partially hidden by the shadows. Taking out my cell phone, I pull out a small screwdriver and take it all apart. I study each part intently and try to remember what each does and when I am sure I got it all, I carefully reassemble it just in time to hear Beatrice call us together.
We all walk out towards the bus stop and the silence is almost too much for me. It's way too quiet, and I feel a chill run down my spine as I remember what Jeanine wants to do to this faction. I have been in many early morning meetings with her when the Erudite were asleep. The silence was eerie for me then. It's unbearable now. My thoughts are interrupted as I see Tobias approaching.
We all bow our heads respectfully and he bows back. Within a minute of his arrival, a bus drives by us without stopping, and I am confused until my eyes meet an excited Beatrice's. She's up to something.
Tobias runs ahead and jumps in through the open door of the bus. Beatrice grins at me and Shawn and jumps next. After a moment, I run and jump in, followed closely by Ace and Shawn, the Dauntless borns.
I thought everyone else will wait, being too Abnegation or sleepy but I am surprised as I see a red head jump in and then another.
The girl turns towards us, initiates and holds out her hand. I shake her hand.
"I am Sienna and this is my twin brother Etienne," she says with a smile.
"Why Sienna, your name is almost as beautiful as your hair, which also happens to be Sienna, too, if I am not mistaken," Shawn says, stoic, and we all burst out laughing at the lamest joke to exist.
"Hey! Why do you think we are helping the Amity? Aren't we supposed to stay in Abnegation and volunteer or something?" Ace asks and Shawn nods too.
"Some of us can also end up working as Abnegation volunteers to Amity so we are being trained that way too," Etienne says and Sienna nods.
"What he said," she adds and we all laugh again. Man this lack of sleep must be messing with our brains. I don't remember ever laughing at nearly everything I heard.
I like them. They aren't uptight like most Abnegation born, which is why we all seem to be getting along, and I can't help but think that this is the start to a beautiful friendship.
Too soon the others manage to get inside and from there on, we all chat among our respective friend groups. It's gonna be a long ride but I think we all will do well with some bonding.
"This is where we get off and then we have to walk for about five minutes to reach the Amity compound. Stay close to me and Beatrice," Tobias says and we all nod.
We follow Tobias and Beatrice through the meadows and trees and Shawn and Ace take off their shoes and walk barefoot on the grass. I do the same and we enjoy the feeling of the grass under our feet. It's a little soothing for some reason. I look around and realize there are benches near the trees in the meadow and can't help but wish I could sit and enjoy it for a while. Shaking my head, I follow the others.
We move towards our destination which I guess are the sleeping quarters. Beatrice said we would sleep here and I, for one, am looking forward to sleeping on a better bed. At this point, any bed is better than the miserable slabs we are forced to call beds back in Abnegation.
"Four initiates per room again. It's better if you group and stay like you do in Abnegation," Tobias says. We say goodbye and go to bed.
It doesn't take long for my roommates to fall asleep. The bed is comfortable and soft, the weather is pleasant, and there is a peaceful silence; but despite it all, I can't sleep for the life of me. I can't help but wonder if my body has gotten accustomed to the stiff mattresses.
With a tired sigh, I get up and make my way outside, where I remember the grassy meadow was.
It takes me a couple of minutes but eventually I find the place and sit down on the grass, leaning my back against a tree. The cool breeze blows my black hair. I didn't tie it since I was planning to sleep. There is silence everywhere, not even crickets or owls are heard. The eerie silence is the only reason I hear the light footsteps.
I turn around and am face to face with a pair of celery green eyes, ones I have seen every day for 18 years. I look to the right and am met with the blue eyes of my mother, Beatrice stands just a foot behind them.
"My baby!" Mom whisper-shouts and pulls me in a tight hug. I stiffen. Damn you, Abnegation!
I quickly stand up and hug her back, reveling in the scent of strawberries, vanilla and simply her. As soon as she releases me, my idiotic brother hugs me too and I chuckle and hug him back. Like everytime I used to do it when I was trying to look more older-brotherly. I pull back from the hug and ruffle his hair with my knuckles, snickering when he tries to bat my hands away. Some things never change.
"Mom, William, what are you two doing here?" I really want to know what made them take such a reckless step. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I got to see them but there is the looming threat of faction before blood in the air, and I don't want my family to get hurt because of me.
Mom decides to ignore my question and instead turns to look at Beatrice.
"And who is this beauty, Eric?" she asks me with a smug smile, as if she knows something I don't.
"Hi Mrs Coulter," she has a faint blush on her cheeks which, I think, has everything to do with my mom's compliment.
"Ahh Beatrice, please call me Michaela. I was wondering where you disappeared to after helping me plan this visit." At her words, I look at William with a questioning look who shrugs at me.
"I am sorry for asking such a thing of you. You're in trouble with your leaders, are you?" mom asks and this time my inquiring gaze is on Beatrice.
"Mrs. Co- I mean Michaela contacted me late last night on my way home. She wanted to meet you urgently, but she was being watched. We didn't want either of you to go Factionless. It's not her fault to care for her son, so I helped. Right now, your dad is in an Erudite control room and has looped the city wide cameras for two more hours and here we are. As for getting in trouble, the leaders were impressed with my selfless offer to take the group out here at night so the Abnegation who take the bus in the morning don't have to walk. Marcus was proud." She finishes with a smirk and I am rooted to my spot.
My mother had wronged her and here she is, willing to take a risk for us. I can't help but be grateful. And then it's as if the wind is knocked out of my lungs with the realization.
It's not the first time I noticed her being anything except selfless, and I am sure she's Divergent which means her life is in danger, too. No! not Beatrice…
"I will leave you guys alone to talk." She smiles and adds, "Text me if you need anything, Eric, And remember, Michaela, you have no more than 50 minutes left if you want to safely return to Erudite." She bows and walks away.
"Listen Eric, we don't have much time so I won't repeat myself. Don't play mind games ok?" mom asks and I nod dumbly. She gestures towards where Beatrice is sitting on a bench a little further and William walks in her direction.
"Mom what is this about?" I ask, feeling like something bad is coming.
"What were your test results, Eric? And don't you dare lie," she says sternly and my mouth drops open. Mr. Prior had said I shouldn't tell, but this is my mom. She put her and a few other lives at stake to come and talk to me.
With a deep breath I reply, "Abnegation, Erudite and Dauntless. Inconclusive."
"Three," she says in awe but straightens. "Do you know about Divergence?"
"Divergent means people who don't confirm, those who can fit in more than one faction," I recite Jeanine's words. Of course I know what Divergence is.
"That's not all sweetie. Divergent react differently to serums and simulations. They are very good at what they put their minds to, and it's rumored that they have strange super powers. Well not that dramatic but what they can do defies science," she tells me and I nod.
I don't know why, but I tell her how I did my aptitude test. She listens intently.
"Eric," she breathes. "Sweetie there was no way to avoid choosing the knife or cheese and it's impossible to face the dog without these choices. I think one of your powers is making choices in simulations that aren't allowed or impossible to make. In all my years, I never heard of anything like this." And now I feel genuine dread.
"You have to control yourself. Act the way your faction wants only. Divergents are a threat to the system and are in fact in danger. Whatever you do, don't trust anyone with your secrets except Natalie Prior. she can protect you with her life." Too late, Beatrice and Andrew Prior already know…
"Do as she instructs and meet her as soon as you are done with simulations. You also have to try your hardest to be worthy of a leadership position. Cara is…" mom trails off and that piques my curiosity.
"What about Cara?" I ask and she shakes her head and takes out two photos.
They are blurry but I can see a small boy, four or five years, in Abnegation clothing. The stark white background suggests he's in Erudite. In the second picture, the boy's features are visible. He has dark hair, black or brown I guess, hooked nose and dark eyes. He's also holding something tight to his chest.
"I want you to know that we all loved you and always will Eric. This changes nothing," she tells me firmly and I feel my heart thumping wildly against my chest.
"What are you talking about mom?" I ask. I'm not able to control my voice and it's apparent how scared I actually am in how it shakes.
"Eric," she pauses, "Do you know why you don't look like any of us?" I feel dizzy. I have asked myself this question many times but dismissed it. I am nothing like mom with her blond hair and blue eyes and dad's red hair and green eyes aren't seen in my features either.
"No!" I exclaim and mom immediately pulls me in her arms. Mom? Do I still call her that? Is she still my mom after I left Erudite?
She runs her fingers through my hair soothingly and I focus my eyes on the star filled sky. I am not gonna cry. I am not gonna cry…
"Fifteen years ago, an Abnegation boy was spotted in Erudite. When word got around, the boy had disappeared once more and a few days later, the investigation was closed. The only abnormality was that there was a toddler who was found outside the infirmary. The boy was poked and prodded. His blood sample didn't show anything except that one of his parents, his mother, was Erudite born and chosen. The mother knew about the boy's biological father but kept his identity a secret. She took the boy once more, but a few days later, the boy was left outside an apartment."
"He was a happy boy and kept playing with his blanket quietly. A mother of two children opened the door and when she saw the boy, she instantly fell in love with him. She took him in and raised him as her own. This year, the boy chose Abnegation…" Now I can't stop the tears streaming down my face, and I don't care if I look weak. I don't care!
She hugs me and tells me everything will be okay. After a few minutes, the urge to cry and scream has subsided but I stay in her arms.
"What was his name?" I know I will regret this.
"Alaric. His file is in the archives but hardly anyone knows which Erudite gave birth to him." My blood runs cold.
Alaric. No last name. Divergence confirmed at age 3. Abnegation, Dauntless and Erudite.
Of course I had seen that file. He was Jeanine's prized possession. I was Jeanine's prized possession. Fuck! She knows! God what do I do now?
How did she get the permission to experiment on a three year old? She must've done it when I was 'being poked and prodded'. I am not safe. She knows, she knows…
"Eric, I couldn't leave you in the dark any longer, but this doesn't change anything. We still love you like our very own. You are our very own," she says. I choke back a sob.
"Can I still call you mom?" I ask and she smiles a watery smile and nods eagerly.
"You will always be my happy little boy Eric." I can't keep my eyes open any longer, crying really does drain all of a person's energy. It doesn't help that I barely slept tonight-
"Mr. Coulter, wake up," I hear a female voice say.
"Mr. Coulter!"
"Eric, wake the fuck up!" I sit up suddenly, rubbing my eyes and see a curvy blond woman in Amity clothing sitting beside me and her crumpled skirt indicates I was sleeping with my head in her lap for god knows how long.
She looks familiar, like Beatrice. It takes my sleepy brain a few extra seconds to realize that she is Beatrice.
I look around me and see we're still in the grassy meadow.
"We gotta get out of here before someone finds us, it would look suspicious."
Nodding I offer her my hand and she reluctantly takes it but we keep sitting.
"What?"
"I can't see straight, will you help me get into bed?" I ask her hoping she says yes, I don't think I will make it to bed myself.
She doesn't answer, just gets up and tries to pull me up, I get up with an annoyed sigh and she puts an arm around my shoulders and one on my chest. I see her eyes widen a bit and she moves her hand up and down a few centimeters. Even in my sleepy state I can't help but say
"Feel something you like?" and attempt to wiggle my eyebrows. I must look ridiculous but I don't care. I see her cheeks slowly tint red and she smacks my chest and starts moving.
It takes us longer than normal but by the time we reach my room, I can see the light blue hues in the sky indicating that the sun will rise soon.
She helps me in bed and tucks me in. Yawning, I close my eyes and feel something soft on my forehead.
"G'night Eric," and before I can respond, I am out like a light.