A/N: I am so sorry that this is late, I have been really busy lately and haven't had time to write. Pease review to tell me what you think and how I can improve.
Disclaimer: All rights go to Roth, and that is the same for all past and future chapters
I enter reality with a gasp, and spring up in the testing chair. When I turn my head to the side to check that Cara was there, I was suprised not to see her looking shocked at me for being so un-Abnegation. Instead, she just gives me a little smile as she pulled the electrodes off of her head. My fingers run through my hair in apprehension of what she might say.
"Well, Caleb, I'm afraid that you did not get Abnegation as your test result." I already knew this, considering I let the girl die instead of me, and refused to help the scarred man.
"Your test result was Erudite. Congratulations Caleb."
I feel a huge weight being lifted off of my shoulders that I didn't even know I was carrying. Now I know without a shadow of a doubt that tomorrow I will cut my palm and let my blood turn the pink water an even darker shade of crimson. But wait, I knew I was aware in that simulation, what if that changed my result? Who knows, I could have been subconsiously changing my choices to make them smart, and not kind, selfless, honest, or brave.
Cara stands up and offers me a hand, but instead of taking it I say "Cara, I don't think you gave me the right measurement of the transmitter drink, I knew what was happening in that sim."
I say it calmly, but as soon as the last part of the sentence leaves my lips Cara's fingers cover the lower part of my face, effectively shutting me up. After making a shushing gesture with her other hand she slowly removes her fingers and I stare at her in confusion. Her face is plastered with worry, and she turns her head towards the door while I sit there in silence. She stares paranoidly at the door for a few more moments, then turns her attention back to me.
"Caleb, are you absolutely, beyond a doubt sure that you knew that what you were seeing when under the sim was fake?" Why would she need to ask that? Accidental underdoses must happen all of the time in the aptitude tests.
"Yes, I am sure. Why do you ask?"
"Caleb, I gave you the right dosage of the transmitter. If you knew what was going on just now then that means that you have an extremely rare psychological condition that allows you to have simulation awareness. You are what is known as-" she looks at the door once again briefly before continuing, "-Divergent."
Cara says it with such meaning that I am sure that it is not just a psychological condition, it has to be much, much more than that. A moment before I ask her what is so monumental about the nine-lettered word, she starts talking again.
"You will be safe in the Factions Amity and Abnegation, but Dauntless, Candor and Erudite are not so safe. This means that your smartest move is one of the former two, you are least likely to be found out there. Over the years there has been a pattern of suicides from the latter three, especially Dauntless. All of the suicides we have investigated were very unusual, for a start none of the dead showed any signs of being depressed or unhappy when they were alive. As well as this, all of the suicides had abnormal test results. We are working on changing that fact."
It takes me a moment to let what Cara is saying sink in. If this is true, then someone has been murdering divergents. If I stay on the Erudite path I had planned for myself, some unknown killer could be hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right time to frame my suicide. However, if I stay in Abnegation or transfer to Amity, I would never be able to lead a full life. I would always be strangled by the two most peaceful Factions.
But why on earth would somebody want to kill people who are divergent? Other than for kicks, there are only a few different reasons why someone would want to murder someone. Either revenge, hatred, or because they feel threatened. I can rule out the first one immediately, I have been an Abnegation member all of my life and have done nothing to make anyone feel the need to avenge any crime. The second, I am not so sure. Erudite make it clear in the articles they publish that they hate the Abnegation, even though they have no reason to. This doesn't cover Dauntless, Candor and Erudite though.
I don't know enough about Divergence yet to elliminate the third reason though, which makes it the most likely. Although why would someone target us? Is this condition dangerous?
"Penny for your thoughts?" Cara says to me, breaking me away from my line of thinking.
"Why do people feel threatened by Divergents?" I ask.
"You worked that all out already now, did you? I'm impressed. They feel threatened because they can't be controlled. Divergents don't fit into any one Faction, your brains don't work that way. At least, that is usually how divergence works. In your case however, you fit into Erudite, and only Erudite."
"So then how am I Divergent?" Cara literally just said I was Divergent, yet I don't have the one thing that makes you Divergent. This makes no sense.
"Recently we have discovered that some people with only one aptitude can also be divergent. The one thing that defines every divergent is their simulation awareness. Hence the lack of control the government has over you."
"Wait, the government?" Cara surely doesn't mean...
"I am afraid so. Not the Abnegation government -of course- the Erudite government."
I feel at a loss for words. The Faction I have an aptitude for might try to kill me if I transfer there. How have I never heard about Divergence before? I have practicaly read every book in the library!
"If despite what I have just told you you still want to choose Erudite tomorrow, I promise that we will do our best to protect you. We will teach you how to conceal your gift, but you shouldn't need to worry. You did an excellent job of hiding it in the sim, and only Dauntless does more than one simulation in their innitiation. Candor have truth serum, but no divergent has ever been found out under it. The Candor that are found out to be divergent have lied to someone about there Aptitude test, and the Candor being the Candor can tell when you are lying. Erudite initiates are tested by professionals at the end of initiation to see if they are divergent, all though they disguise this as the logic sim. We will help you to learn how to hide your divergence before that time though if you come to Erudite."
This makes me feel slightly better, but what does Cara mean by 'we'? Is there some secret organisation of Divergents?
"What do you mean by 'we'?"
"I can't tell you that now, the supivisors might get suspicious if you are in here much longer. If you join Erudite tomorrow then you will know within the week. Come on Caleb, if anyone asks why you were in here so long just tell them you felt nauseous and I gave you something to help with it. Usually I send Divergents home early, but because I don't need to delete your sim I have to send you back to the cafeteria. Protocal."
She stands up and walks to the door and beckons me to follow her. I see that she has written on both of her hands in perfect handwriting. That's unusual, she must be ambidextrous. Pushing myself up using the armrests, I follow her out of the door. My reflection is a lot paler than it was when I walked in, and my finger tips are trembling slightly.
"It was nice meeting you Caleb, I'll see you again soon." Cara says with a smile. My new friend seems certain that I will be an Erudite initiate by the end of the week. She steps to the side to let me pass through, and I head out of the door and walk back down the corridor to the cafeteria. Feeling too stund to process much, my legs guide me back towards were I was sitting earier next to Beatrice.
One hour later I am walking out of the bus at the stop for the Abnegation. The only people who are walking out with me are Susan and Robert, the other Abnegation dependents let other people from other factions on the bus before them and the bus filled up. I am worried about my sister not coming out of the Aptitude test room, so I wanted to get home as soon as possible to make sure she was okay.
I walk in front of the Black twins slightly faster than a normal Abnegation member would, and drown out there conversation. When we reach the road where we all live on, I am greatly relieved to see Beatrice on the front step of our house, her chin resting on her upturned palm. Her head snaps up when she hears Susan and Robert let out an un-Abnegation laugh, and she looks a little relieved to see me. I wonder how long she has been sitting there for.
"Beatrice!" I say running over. "What happened? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." She answers, shrugging. "When the test was over, I got sick. Must have been that liquid they gave us. I'm feeling better now though."
My little sister tries to smile convinsingly at me, but fails. Then suddenly I realise that Beatrice just told me the same cover story that Cara nearly had to make for me. This means one of two things; A, she really is sick and is pretending to be fine, or B, she is a stronger Divergent than I am.
"Did you two take the bus today?" Beatrice asks the twins.
"Our father had to work late, and told us we should spend some time thinking before the ceremony tomorrow." Susan tells my sister.
"Your welcome to come over later, if you'd like." I politely offer. Beatrice and Robert exchange a look out of the corner of my eye, and I wish my sister would realise that I don't have a crush on Susan Black.
"Thank you." Susan replies. I watch her and her brother walk back down the street, until Beatrice grabs my arm and pulls me inside. Seeing my chance to ask her about her test before our parents get home, I think about how to phrase my question.
"Are you going to tell me the truth now?" I say, and I hope that if she is Divergent she won't tell me, because if she is that trusting then she could end up dead before the new year.
"The truth is..." my sister says, "I'm not supposed to discuss it. And your not supposed to ask." There's my stuborn-as-ever sister.
"All those rules you bend and you can't bend this one? Not even for something this important?" If she doesn't answer me now then I pretty much know for sure that she is Divergent.
"Will you? What happened in your test Caleb?" Sneaky. Answering a question with a question.
"Just...Don't tell our parents what happened, okay?" My sister tells me, a hint of worry in her eyes. A few seconds later I nod, not wanting her to think I'd snitch. She shuffles into the kitchen, her Abnegation bun making her look taller than she actually is. I think about following her, but I did make breakfast this morning and it is her turn to cook. Usually when I have nothing to do I read up on a subject that I find interesting. The only subject I am interested in right now is Divergence, which must fall under psychology. I borrowed a book on that subject last week, but I read it from cover to cover two nights ago and it didn't breathe a word of the subject. Nor has any book I have ever borrowed out of any library.
With nothing better to do on my last abnegation night, I go into the Kitchen to help my little sister. She is boiling peas on the stove, and when she turns around to look at me she scowls slightly. I am too tired to be offended or to try and work out why she made a face so I pretend I don't see. She continues to boil the peas, stirring occasionly. Her expression of absolute boredom makes me want to laugh, but I feel strangely comforted knowing that I am not the only one who is not satisfied with this life.
I do hope that Beatrice will transfer tomorrow, I know that if she does stay she will regret it. I wonder if we are the only Abnegation members who crave a different lifestyle, one where we can complete slightly selfish tasks without being scolded, such as getting on a bus before a Candor for example. A life in Erudite has been my desire for as long as I can remember, and the thought of it only being a few short hours away is enough to make my face home to an exuberant grin.
A/N: Hope you liked it, the next chapter is going to have a different storyline from the book.
-Shay