Chapter4: Tris's Choosing Ceremony

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than the storyline.

Tris

I sit in my seat beside my brother waiting for the ceremony to start. I glance around the room stopping to study the Erudite. I watch as the blue colored crowd mulls around waiting for Marcus, the Abnegation leader to start. I know that I won't chose their faction, due to the horrible articles they have been coming out with over the past couple years. I pass over the Candor and Amite factions before stopping at the Dauntless crowd.

I think back to the promise I made to Zeke all those years ago and wonder if I can really do it. Really leave my family and selfless life behind. I turn my head to the Abnegation faction and immediately spot my parents in the crowd. I study my mother's pale face with her blonde hair pulled back. I look over at my father and see an aged man in his early forties, with Abnegation short brown hair.

Watching them I quickly realize my choice is either Dauntless or Abnegation. Friends or family. Bravery or selflessness. The decision is simple. It will require a great act of selflessness to choose Abnegation, or a great act of bravery to choose Dauntless. Perhaps just choosing one over the other will prove I belong.

I turn my head back towards the stage as I hear Marcus clear his throat. I watch as he starts a speech I hear no word of. Slowly people are called forward and choose their faction. I wait until I hear "Prior, Caleb" I watch as my brother walks forward and hesitates over the Abnegation stones before finally letting the blood spill from his hand and mix with the water in the Erudite bowl.

I gasp. The Abnegation crowd behind me stirs. My brother chose Erudite! He left Abnegation, I couldn't believe it! I always thought he would end up in Abnegation, marrying Susan Black and spending the rest of his life there. I never thought he would become a traitor!

I faintly hear my name being called over the noise as I stand and walk to the stage. I stand there as Marcus places a fresh knife in my hand and stand between the Dauntless and Abnegation bowls; I slowly cut my palm allowing the blood to gather in my hand before closing my eyes and thrusting it out. Slowly I tip my hand to the left and hear the sizzling as my blood hits lit coals.

Stepping back I hear the cheering of my new faction mix with the outcries of my old faction. Look over to my parents and see the looks of betrayal on my father and the look of love and worry on my mother's face. Turning away I walk over to dauntless and sit beside an initiate dressed in candor clothes.