A/N: Hey y'all, hope you're doing well! A huge thank you to Charms22 for reviewing my story so far. This chapter has a couple of my favorite events from Divergent that I hope you'll enjoy. I realized the timing was off a little bit so I added a little more to this chapter to follow the book,
Al asks us when the fights are considered over and Eric answers that it is whenever one of them cannot continue but I correct him by saying that they could concede as well. Eric says that is the case for the old rules but now, no one can concede.
I tell him that a brave man acknowledges the strength of others but he says that a brave man never gives up. Eric then gets close to my face with a smirk and whispers to me "Remember, I have the authority here and everywhere else." He disgusts me. I hate having to work with him let alone stand by to watch the initiates beat each other to a pulp.,
The fights finish quickly with Will and Edward easily winning against their opponents. Molly and Christina are next, I am nervous and I can tell that Christina is too. Molly beats her until she is slumped over with blood running down her face from her nose. "I'm, I'm done!" she surrenders and Eric looks pissed. This isn't going to end well, I know it.
Eric asks her with a clear sense of rage in his voice "Youre done?" and she nods. He commands everyone to follow him. We stand near the chasm and he orders her to hang over the chasm for five minutes to forget her cowardice. My stomach twists in knots as I question him, it's a challenge to him I know.
He asks me if I'm willing to take her place and I nod. She whispers a soft "Sorry" to me as I climb over the railings and hold on for dear life. I hold on tight easily at first but after a few minutes, my hands struggle to maintain a grip as the water and time spent make it more difficult.
Water splashes up my back and sprays into my face. I'm panting, trying not to focus on the water below me. Al announces that the five minutes are up so I climb over and try to calm down. Eric dismisses the initiates for the day and I'm relieved that the day is over.
"Don't question me around the initiates again, I'm the leader with the authority here." he whispers then comes up behind me as he grips my shoulders "You wouldn't want a repeat of the night during your initiation, would you?" he finishes as a chill runs down my spine. He's so vile. A slimeball, Disgusting.
The day after is the second day of training for the initiates and I gulp as I see that Four is paired with Peter. Four is strong but Peter can be vicious as well. The other fights of the day end quickly so only Peter and Four remain.
Four steps into the ring with a look at determination on his face. They both assume a stance and begin sparing. Four manages to punch his jaw while Peter hits him so that he falls and stumbles. Come on Four, come on Four! I think to myself.
The brutality of this fight between becomes too much to watch, seeing Four struggle is horrible to watch so about half way through the fight, I leave. When I return, I'm pleased to find an unconscious Peter and a victorious Four standing over him.
II smile as I circle his name for winning and try to catch my breath. The next morning, we take the initiates to visit the fence. Shauna is there guarding the fence so I say a quick hello to her as the initiates cluster together while waiting for the train.
I don't find the fence trip too exciting but unbeknownst to the initiates and I hope to beat Eric again this year. At midnight, we head to the dorms and begin waking everyone up.
I am tired from the day but buzzing with energy at the same time as we board the train, explain the game and pick our teams. Eric picks Edward first and I say without hesitation "I want the Stiff."When we're finished, my team consists of Four, Drew, Christina, Will, Marlene and Uriah.
Marlene tries to beg me into where the people in my initiate class hid the flag but Uriah ends up telling everyone where Zeke's team hid it in the Navy Pier. I chuckle to myself as I should have known Zeke of all people would give this away.
Everyone talks all at once when we reach the Pier and I try to tune them out as they do. Coming out of my haze, I notice Four seems to be walking toward the old ferris wheel. I sling a paintball gun over my shoulder and follow him as he starts to climb.
He turns his head to face me for a moment as he says I don't have to follow him but something compels me to. He's trying to look from a higher level for the other team's flag as none of his teammates seem to notice.
My hands are clammy and my breathing quickens. I hate heights but I try to focus on him while we climb. He watches me carefully as well. "You're afraid of heights!" he blurts out and I grab the next railing. "How do you make it living in Dauntless?" he continues as we are at least about forty feet above the ground now.
"I ignore or avoid it as much as possible. Being up this high doesn't scare you?!" I yell as the increasing height further terrifies me. I try to stay calm and focused as I ask what he thinks it's point of the game is and he answers by saying "Learning about strategy or teamwork maybe?" and I laugh at the mention of teamwork
I explain to him about how it used to be a priority and the ways in which initiation has changed. We reach the top and sit next to each other on a narrow railing. I resist the urge to put my head on his shoulder, losing myself in thought until he whispers to me while pointing at the other team's flag "Look, it's there!"
I climb down behind him and we meet the rest of the team. Four tells them where the flag is and everyone seems to form a strategy together finally. Will sneaks in and grabs the flag, leading us to victory. I can tell Eric isn't pleased by the way he sneers and glares at me.
