Her sneakers squeaked against the linoleum floor that was a stale yellow with age. Brialla sucked in a deep breath, grinning as she saw Joy and Kris sitting on the bench waiting their turns. She ignored Kris as was their habit for the past few months, turning her attention to Joy.

"Are you nervous?" Joy tittered.

The doors leading to the testing room were large and ominous. Made with thick wood that was difficult to open. Not that Brialla was trying to rush anything. She wasn't worried about herself, it was almost a done deal she would get Amity, she was worried about her friends. She already knew what it was like to lose someone. She didn't want to experience that again.

Joy took Brialla's hand, placing it against her chest so Brialla could feel the pitter-patter of her heart. It was beating fast enough to worry Brialla. "Hey, hey. Joy, don't stress. You're not going to get water."

"You can't promise me that," Joy moaned, letting out more air than sound in the noise. Her hand shook and Brialla tilted her body towards Joy as she gripped her shoulder to look her in the eyes.

"It's going to be okay."

"You don't know that."

"I do."

"Sometimes people die in the testing. What if I die?"

"It's been three years since the last death. There's nothing to worry about," Kris said gently.

Joy let out a soft whimper, breathing out until her head dropped against Brialla's shoulder. "I want to be a farmer."

"I know."

"I want to live in a farm house and have five kids that drive me insane and a husband that makes me laugh every day."

Brialla's throat dried and she licked her lips. Something about that statement touched her with Kris sitting so close. "You'll have it."

Joy pulled away. "You think so?"

"I know so. You deserve nothing less than that Joy."

"Thanks," she whispered, taking her hand out of Brialla's grasp and leaning back against the bench to finally relax.

"It's nothing. I'm glad I could help you."

The doors opened and another name was called, Joy only relaxing once they were firmly shut. "You know, I never forgot what you did for me all those years ago."

Brialla's nose scrunched, blinking a few times as she struggled to figure out what Joy was talking about.

"I was seven and we were all playing hide and seek in the forest. I thought I saw an Abominable and fell as I was running away. Only you came to help me, and you were the only one not laughing. You were calm as you were now. Brialla, you're so earth."

Brialla couldn't remember it no matter how hard she wracked her brain. They played outside a lot as kids. It was all they could do. There was nothing else. Some of the factions had TV's and electronics, but Amity only had the basics. There were cars and tractors to help with the farming; a bit of heavy machinery for the same reason. Nothing too flashy. Life was simple here.

"I would have fallen too if I thought I saw an Abominable," she sympathized.

Abominable's were people infected with the lycanthrope disease. It drove them mad, forcing them to kill everything in their path. Once infected the host became more beast than man. They were all locked behind the wall with all the other monsters of the world. Dauntless guarded it from strategically placed towers making sure nothing slipped through, but every now and then there was still an accident.

"Joy Carrows."

Joy shook out her hands to get rid of the nerves, giving Brialla and Kris a wavering smile as she disappeared behind the doors.

Brialla had no clue what to expect in there. She knew once they came out the elders finished the ceremony on the other side in front of friends, family, and neighbors. It was disconcerting to be so in the dark.

"I'm sorry." Kris rubbed the back of his neck, staring sheepishly at the floor. "I didn't mean for things to get like this. Everything has just been so… strange."

Brialla's throat bobbed and she gave a slow nod. "I didn't mean for this to happen either. I just feel like every time we're near each other-"

"People have all these expectations?" Kris finished.

It was a big part of why they began their silent treatment. Ever since the announcement people looked at the two as if they were waiting for them to fall in love. To commit their lives to each other and be so happy about what the elders had chosen for them. But it wasn't like that. Neither of them had ever felt anything more than the stirrings of friendship for one another.

"We have no rush. My mom said it will be years before they expect us to marry." She tried not to grimace at the thought, but she wasn't sure she was successful considering the look of amusement Kris gave her.

"Years? That will be… nice."

"Yes." She cleared her throat. "In the meantime we shouldn't try to force anything. Let's just get used to the idea of it."

"Kris Hwang."

Kris stood and Brialla reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze before letting it go. Things still weren't what they used to be, but this was a start. At least she knew they were on the same page.

"Brialla Llewen."

Brialla took a deep breath in, sliding between the double doors and going inside. The room was eerily barren. The walls and floors were the same slated, industrial cement. The ceiling was vaulted but Brialla could not see more than that with the shadows mingling in every corner. A single chair sat illuminated in the center of the room. It was the only piece of furniture besides a computer that had seen better days. Dusty, with some of the letters on the keyboard worn off from continued use.

The woman administering the test to her was air. She could tell by the blindingly white ensemble the woman was wearing. It was a feat in of itself for it not to get stained in such a dingy, decrepit room. The Erudite's hair was in an immaculate blonde bun pulled back so tight that it tugged on her features making them harsh. She noticed a name tag reading 'Sarah Highland' against her chest.

"You will want to lay back. You may experience nausea or discomfort during the process. If so, there is a sick bucket beside your chair to aid you."

Brialla glanced down and sure enough there was one. She turned her nose when she noticed someone had already made use of it.

"Understand the answer you receive is final and there is no way to get a wrong one." Sarah placed two wires with suction on Brialla's forehead, belting her arms down to the seat. "This is for your protection and mine." It was the only explanation given.

She walked over to the computer, Brialla on edge after Sarah's speech and watching her every move. Did that mean it would be painful? Was that why things were kept so quiet about the test? Because if one knew how bad it was they would never do it? The woman came back with a cup of something black that looked as if it had the consistency of tar. There were chunky swirls of brown in it making the drink look even more undesirable for consumption.

"When you are ready open your mouth."

Brialla let out a quivering breath, staring up into the woman's eyes attempting to get any inkling of what she was in store for. The woman only looked back at her calm, waiting for Brialla's permission to continue. Brialla swallowed, throat bobbing before opening her mouth in acquiesce.

The texture was as appetizing as it looked, but luckily it did not have much of a flavor. An aftertaste of something similar to rancid eggs filled her mouth as soon as she thought that. She nearly gagged, rearing her head before falling limp against the chair. Vertigo hit and it was the only warning she got before her mind began to race.

Images flashed so fast she could not process them. Some of the backgrounds were dark and she was unable to make out any forms. For others, the lighting was tinged blue. Then it looked as if she were somewhere behind the wall. Everything was dead, dust hanging thickly in the air. The ground cracked and barren, no green in sight. The visions stopped and she paused raking in the last one. It looked as if she were staring at the wall, except it was from the outside. It didn't make any sense. She had never been past it to imagine. The wall was what kept them alive. No one left as only death laid behind it.

Then Brialla was back in the chair staring up at the ceiling where she could make out a few spider webs. She took a moment to gather herself and to ensure the nausea abated before bringing her neck up.

The woman was staring at her eyes wide and unmoving.

Brialla smacked her lips, tugging at the restraints on her wrists. "Can I have some water?"

The Erudite didn't react. It made Brialla worry. She tugged at her restraints again, skin chafing with the motion. "You will let me out of this, right?"

The woman burst into a flurry of motion, tossing the cup she still had into the garbage and heading over to the computer where she began to type something in. "Your results are inconclusive."

Brialla blinked, the fog beginning to lift from her brain. "You said the results couldn't be wrong."

Sarah unstrapped Brialla's arms from the chair and met her gaze, weariness in them. "They're not."

"I have no gift at all?" She rubbed her wrists noticing they were a bit raw and sore. She hadn't realized she fought against the restraints while getting the visions. She could only deduce no results meant Abnegation. The place everyone who did not have an element lived.

"Oh, you have the gift."

"So I am earth," she settled, standing up and stretching her back.

"Yes," Sarah agreed, and Brialla nodded unsurprised. "And water, and air, and fire."

She froze, a frown marring her face as she struggled to make sense of what the woman said. "That's not possible."

"It is," she said shortly. "It's just people like you are normally killed before others hear about it."

Brialla's muscles clenched as she struggled to read the Erudite. The constraints suddenly made sense. Perhaps they were not only for safety reasons. Sarah let out a sigh, walking over to fix Brialla's collar making her relax.

"If anyone else was testing you Brialla Llewen, you would be dead right now. You have wonderful luck." She pulled Brialla closer, her breath curling around Brialla's ear making her shiver. "You can never tell anyone what happened in this room. If you do we will both be killed. I am taking a risk for you. Do you understand?"

Brialla nodded rapidly enough to make herself dizzy, a sinking feeling in her gut.

"Good, I will put down your strongest attribute. Be careful, and never reveal yourself."

"It was earth?" she pressed. But the woman merely shoved her out the door as if elated to rid of her. "Can you tell me anything else?"

The door only showed a sliver of Sarah's eye as she stared at Brialla between the crack. "You are called an Anathema."

The door was shut with an audible click. She leaned against the wall with a groan, rubbing her face as she struggled to manage the migraine raging through her.

Anathema.

She had never heard the word before. With a grunt, she pushed off the wall and began her trek down the narrow corridor. She could never talk about what happened today. The consequences of it were too steep. She would hide it. She had to. It was the only way to survive.

More natural lighting began to flood the corridor as she got to the end, squinting her eyes and using her hand to shield out the sun. She took in the crowd of people in the stands finding her mother and father smiling in the front row. Her sister Anna was even there with her fiancée. Anna gestured towards their de facto leader Johanna with a grin and Brialla dragged her feet towards the stage.

Johanna gave a short smile, crow's feet beginning to tug at her eyes as she brought her thumb to Brialla's forehead. Brialla had watched this from the vantage point of the crowd every year. Now her chosen element color would spill through her eyes and mouth, pouring from her palms as a light filled her only to never happen again.

It did not hurt, but she was surprised to find her vision went dark during it. She lost all her senses. It couldn't have lasted longer than a few seconds, but the sensory deprivation had been discerning. When she could finally see Johanna was no longer smiling. She was staring over at the crowd of ever-growing initiates. Towards Kris who she saw was pallor in color compared to when she saw him earlier. Joy was next to him, mouth gaping and arms limp at her sides. Brialla grinned upon seeing Joy was earth just like she said the girl would be.

Johanna shook herself, face void of emotion as she called out the words that would forever change Brialla's life.

"Brialla Llewen: Dauntless."


Reviews:

Cathy Lovelady- Thank you so much for the review! I hope you continue to like it. I posted this chapter so soon for you!