Chapter 8
Flashback from Four's P.O.V, it'll even become clear what the thing is with the three factions! Stay tuned for the next one :)
Thanks everyone!
Disclaimer: I will own Divergent when Four and Eric become besties.
Four
After we'd said our byes, I walked off to my house and sighed deep before opening the door. I knew I could take Marcus, but since I didn't: I was still scared for what he'd do this time. I didn't want Iris to see me so vulnerable, but she'd seen me like that plenty of times- every time she took care of my wounds. I walked through the door and entered the living room. My father sat on his favourite chair, holding the newspaper. He took off his reading specs and looked at me. 'And where were you?' He questioned. I could see the anger beaming from his face, he looked frenzy with rage,:it was outrageous... and it terrified me.
'I-' I started, but I couldn't think of a good reason. 'Were you with your friends?' He asked with a perfunctory nod as he stood up and stumbled towards me. Suddenly, it struck me that he was drunk. His voice slurred and during his stumble, he swayed from side to side. I clenched my fists, awaiting his punishment for being late. I knew I shouldn't disagree with him on anything, what else his fists would even disagree more with my face. 'You know, it's good to spend time with your friends, or your little girlfriend, you'll never see them again anyways,' he said as he started to take off his belt.
'Of course I will,' I said through my clenched teeth, immediately regretting it. 'You will not, Tobias. Your friends are all leaving this faction, and you know it. You're staying here to be a leader, like me,' he said, getting too close. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and I swallowed the forming lump in my throat. I'd fucked it up already, he was going to hit me, so I wasn't going to agree with him. 'I'm leaving,' I hissed. 'I will never stay here, I'M LEAVING, DO YOU HEAR ME?' I said, as I squinted my eyes. I wanted to go where ever Iris went, and she wanted to go to Dauntless. It was my first choice as well, Abnegation being our last. I looked around, having a strange feeling I would never see it again.
It wasn't to be called a snuggery, the opposite. Gray tables, curtains, couches, floors, chairs, even our clothes... EVEN Marcus' hair. I stared into his glowering eyes which were black now. I hated him so much, even though there had been I time that I had loved that same man. A time when I had looked into his eyes and wished to become a man like him. Those memories disgusted me now, and partially made me sad, as Marcus used to be a loving father... Until my mother left us. That was the day I realised he had been hitting her all those years, because then he started taking it out on me. My mother had left me with him and never came to get me. I used to love them both so much, but now it reminds me of how vulnerable and gullible children really are.
Marcus raised his hand at me and pressed his index finger against my throat. 'I will show you how to talk with respect, you clearly lack it.' I closed my eyes... This was it, it would commence. I felt the belt strike down on my back, multiple times and I tried not to scream. It was burning, and even my eyes were blurry, but I couldn't cry. I couldn't show him my weak side. It were the moments like those when I though of Iris. Her face, her eyes, smile, but most of all her voice. I focused on her voice as Marcus continued hitting me, it was the only way to get through it, what else I was scared of imploding.
"'Okay, this is how it works,' she said, grabbing my hands, holding one hand in hers and placing the other one on her lower back. 'I'm not sure if I want to do this, it's ludicrous,' I moped, frowning at her. She laughed and nodded her head. 'You have to know how to dance, should you ever consider marrying me,' she said and her face flashed a cheeky grin. We had just turned 15, so we weren't thinking about marriage, but her saying that made my heart pound. 'You would marry me?' I asked, then realising how vulnerable it made me sound. It was just, the fact that my father hit me and my mother left me made me feel quite unwanted and unloved. Even my own parents didn't love me, why would she? She smiled bright, and brought her hands to my cheeks. 'You're my future, Tobias. I love you,' she said, and brushed her lips over mine.
I felt my cheeks flush and let my hand go through her hair. I loved how she broke the rules by letting her hair down when we were alone at our secret spot. She was different from all other people in this faction. 'Teach me then,' I smiled. She squealed softly and grabbed my hands again. She brought out a side of me I never knew I had. That girl meant everything to me, and there weren't a lot of things I wouldn't do for her. We danced to her directions, and she hummed a song for us to dance to. Frankly, after a while, I'd grown to love dancing with her and not to be arrogant or anything, but we rocked."
It was still my favourite memory to think of, during Marcus' rage, as it gave me hope that the future would be better. The life I was leading then was preposterous, double, and I only felt good around Iris, her family, Jenna and Rick. The Valentines had taken me in as if I was a part of their family, and I would always be thankful to Mark and Bree. I loved them dearly and being with them was my favourite way of sojourning in Abnegation, but even they couldn't help me during situations like the one I was in right then.
All of a sudden, Marcus stopped hitting with his belt. At first I was relieved, because my back was aching, burning and I saw blood dripping onto the carpet. I had fallen onto my knees at some point, and my hands were tangled into the rug. He had beaten me longer than usual, the cuts were probably atrocious.
I just wanted to crouch away from him, when I felt myself falling onto my side and a sharp pain in my abdominal region. 'You will learn how to respect me, son,' he said curtly, and I realised he'd just kicked me in my stomach. 'Stop,' I coughed, panting as I stood up and teetered away from him. My body was hurting so badly that I could hardly walk, so I couldn't get away from him fast enough, causing him to pull me back. 'Stop?' He asked, laughing angrily. 'STOP?' He punched me in my face, so hard that I became dizzy. 'YOU'RE WEAK!' He yelled malignantly and continued punching me. I tried to defend myself, but the pain in my back was too bad, I just couldn't. I was about to black out when I closed my eyes and thought of Iris. 'I love you,' I whispered... And blacked out.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Why was that annoying beep beeping in my ear? Why was there even a beep? I didn't have an alarm clock... I opened my eyes and a bright white light shone into my eyes. I squinted my eyes to adjust my eyes to the incoming light. Where was I? I wasn't in my house, as everything was somewhat dark in there due to the gray colours. That meant, I wasn't at Iris' house either, but then where was I really? I shifted, and cried out from sudden pain. My head, back and sides were hurting badly. I threw back the white sheets from the bed I was in and pulled up my ragged shirt. My entire stomach was covered in black, blue and green bruises. I tried to remember what had happened to me, and realised the last thing I remembered was Marcus beating me. I drew in a shaky breath as I sat up and felt my back ache.
I looked around and saw a few machines and curtains: I was in an infirmary, but it wasn't the infirmary from Abnegation, that one looked different. I knew that because I'd volunteered there for awhile, together with Jenna. She and I had to take care of ill people, factionless people sometimes. I wanted to get out of bed when the curtain was pulled to the side and Amar walked in, accompanied by an intimidating man. 'Tobias,' Amar said as he took a seat on the chair next to my bed. 'You're supposed to lay down, that's what the bed is for,' he said. I raised my eyebrows, then cringed because it stung. I brought my fingers to my right eyebrow and felt a palpable bump. 'He got you good, T,' he said and shook his head. 'Am I at Dauntless?' I asked surprised.
The man behind Amar nodded. 'Tobias, I am Damon Masters, leader of Dauntless. Amar and Tori brought you here, because they have been watching you for the past few weeks,' he explained. I was confused. 'Why have you been watching me?' I asked Amar. 'Well, my sister kept alluding that the training I'd been giving you was of great importance, and I decided it must have had something to do with your father, as I was quite certain it had nothing to do with mine. So I asked Tori to come with me, and we found out my prediction was true. We decided to keep watching you so we could interfere when things got too bad. However, you always seemed to get away from him, but not this time, so we stepped in and took you with us,' he explained.
I sighed relieved and thankful. 'What happened to him?' I asked. 'Tori was so mad she knocked him out and dragged him to the city centre so people would get suspicious of his leisure-time activities,' he smiled slightly. I smiled- I liked Tori. Ever since Iris and I had gotten together, she treated me like family. I wasn't actually supposed to know her, but Amar brought her along to train with us sometimes and she'd taught me a lot. 'Does Iris know I'm alive?' I asked. 'Right, it's time for you to decompress,' Amar said quickly and stood up, wanting to walk away. What was he doing? 'Hold it,' I snapped, 'why doesn't she know?'
Amar looked at Damon, raising his eyebrows. 'Tobias, there's a lot to tell you. Because Tori and Amar have brought you here, Marcus will have people searching for you. It's for the best if Iris doesn't know you're here, should she be put under truth serum,' he explained. 'Then at least tell her I'm alive,' I asked pleadingly. I could imagine her going crazy as she didn't hear from me... I would if it were her, I'd probably go out on my own, trying to find her. 'We can't do that,' Amar said, his voice doubtful. 'Why?' I asked, my teeth gritted.
'Because you're dead to everyone,' Damon said. DEAD?! How could I be dead, I was alive!
'WHAT?' I yelled.