The car ride to Faction High is long and boring. It's only about an hour and half away from my house, but the entire ride is silent. The only noise is coming from the light hum of the engine. This will be the last time I see my parents for two months, when the school holds visiting day, and yet not a word is said. While it is normal for my family to be more quiet and reserved than most, today feels… different. It must be my nerves getting to me. I've had weeks to figure out what I will chose, but yet I still find myself factionless. I can only make my choice once and once it's made there is no turning back, so it's either pick right and be happy, or pick wrong and be miserable for three years. My brother is lucky, he's just like my parents. Thinking of others before himself comes easy to him, he'll fit right in with Abnegation. Me, I want to be selfless, I want to think of others, help people, but it just doesn't come as easily to me. Although, I'm happy I managed to eliminate Erudite from my possible choices. When I got home that day after the aptitude test I did some research on all three factions I had an aptitude for. Apparently, there's a big ego problem with the Erudite. I thought about asking my parents about it, since they went here, but I didn't want them to wonder why I was asking. While, my parents haven't said anything about it, I'm pretty sure they expect both of us to be in Abnegation. Especially since my father was one of the leaders of the factions when he went here.
Caleb and I are waiting back stage. All the new students are wearing the colors of the faction our parents were in. While it was unusual if there was a mix faction marriage the kids would wear both colors. So Caleb and I are both wearing a dull grey color. In a minute all the new students will go out onto the huge stage and stand alphabetically. We will be called in reverse alphabetical order. One by one we will approach the five bowls: the stones that represents Abnegation, the water that represents Erudite, the coals on fire that represents Dauntless, the glass that represents Candor, and the dirt that represents Amity. New students used to have to cut their hand and let their blood spill in the bowl of the faction they wanted to be in, but now we just drop in ceremonial rings.
We are ushered onstage. We are all wearing the colors of the factions our parents belonged to. My brother and I wear all grey. Children of mixed faction families wear colors of both factions their parents belonged to.
I look out and see the people watching us. They are seated by faction with each section being made up of current students and parents. They all wear a different color. The colors of their faction. The Amity students and parents sit all the way to my left. They wear a mixture of red and yellow shorts, skirts, and shirts. Next is the Candor section. They wear a mix of white and black their attire almost business like, formal. Erudite is next. They are a sea of blue and white. They are wear modern clothing. Many have glasses. I heard once that some don't need glasses but they chose to wear glasses anyway to seem more intelligent. The Dauntless, although they are only wearing black, are the most noticeable. Their pants are ripped in places and their shirts show their stomachs. There are pops of color here or there with some students who have died some of their hair one color or have many colorful piercings. Finally, is the Abnegation section. They are all wearing different shades of grey. None of them wear anything tight. They stick to somewhat baggy clothes. In the back of the section I make I see my parents. I make eye contact with my father, but I quickly look away. I don't want him to see the worry I know consumes my eyes.
A man steps up to the podium to speak, but I don't hear him. I don't hear anything, only the beat of my heart. My hand is clenched around the ring so tight I can feel my heart pulsing. Family has always been important to me and I want to make my family happy, yet, I also want to be happy. Choosing Abnegation would prove that I'm selfless enough to be there, but choosing Dauntless would prove I'm brave enough to belong there. Suddenly, I feel something squeeze my unclenched hand. The something is a hand, my brother's hand. He gives me a quick smile before he goes up to the bowls. Wait, what?! It's his turn already? I put my own worries to the side to watch my brother. I watch him walk towards the Abnegation bowl. He suddenly stops in between the Abnegation stones and Erudite water. In one quick motion he puts his hand out over the water and drops the ring. The ring makes a loud plop as it hits the water. The sound seems so loud against the quiet room. Was it always this quiet? More importantly, what just happened? My brother, Erudite? I take a deep breath and think. Of course. Although I didn't go in it much my brother's room was filled with books. His room was a mess with books. One side was dedicated to read and the other side was for the to read books.
He has sealed my fate. I have to pick Abnegation. Someone needs to carry on the Prior name in Abnegation. I hear my name called. The voice sounds as if it is miles away. I walk slowly to the bowls. The whole room seems to disappear, except for those five bowls. I make my way between the stones and burning coals. I hold my hand out between them. I hear a gasp. I think it might have been me. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and move my hand over the bowl. Without taking another second I open my hand and drop the ring. The fire crackles as the ring gets added to it. I am selfish, I am brave.
I go to the Dauntless section and stand behind my new peers. Deciding it was worth the risk I look over at my parents. I find that they are both looking at me. My mother with a knowing look. Like she knew all along I would end up in dauntless. Like she accepted my choice. But when I looked at my father and comfort that my mother gave me was gone. His face was full of disappointment. Even worse than the one time I didn't help our elderly neighbor bring in her groceries because I wanted to play with a stray cat. I look way. Tears are threating to spill, but I push them back. I made my choice. I knew what dropping that ring over the burning coals meant.
Finally the last name is called. The girl goes to the bowl and drops the ring in the Candor's bowl. The Speaker, Mr. Eaton, says a few closing words, then it's chaos. Complete and utter chaos. Everyone around me starts screaming and running. I join in and it feels… liberating. My parents never really let me play sports, hang out with friends, anything fun. They made me do a certain amount of community service hours a week before I could consider doing anything remotely fun. Hell, the only reason I have a phone is in case of emergencies, and it's a flip phone. We go flying out of the auditorium. It's dark outside by now, but there are just enough streetlights to get places without tripping over everything. I have no idea where we are going, which only makes the running seem like it lasts forever. Finally, I see people ahead of me start going into a building. I'm a little surprised once inside everyone is still running. We all file into a stairwell. The noise is defanging. The continuous sound of feet pounding on hard concrete stairs. I am doing pretty well until the fifth flight of stairs. I can feel my heart pumping, my calves throbbing, my breathing heavy. Then the adrenalin comes in. I no longer hear my heart, I no longer feel my throbbing calves, I no longer notice my heavy breaths. Finally, we exit on the seventh flight onto a roof. People are still moving forward. Where are they going? Then after the people in front of me have disappeared I see it. They have jumped onto the roof across. Are they serious? There are less and less people on the roof every second.
"They don't really want us to jump do they?" a dark skinned girl next to me asks
"I think they do," I say. " Why don't we jump together on the count of three?"
She nods. We take a few steps back not sure how far away the roof is. There are very few lights here and I can barely see five feet in front of me.
"One," I yell.
"Two," The girl yells
"Three." We yell together.
I start running I see the girl next to me start as well. She has longer legs so she makes it to the edge before me. She jumps. A second later I'm at the edge. I take a deep breath, close my eyes and jump. I land awkwardly, on the toes of my feet, which causes me to fall on my face. I look over to see the dark skinned girl laying a few feet away.
"You made it," she smiles. "I'm Christina by the way."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Beatrice," I say.
I get up and brush myself off there is a small tear in my shirt by the elbow. My skin is peeling but it's not bleeding.
"Ooh scandalous! A Stiff is flashing some skin!" The boy, Peter, if I remember correctly teases.
A scream rings threw the air and Peter's comment leaves my mind as I look for the source of the scream. A girl is kneeling near the edge with her hands covering her face. Her friend is trying to calm her down. "Rita! Rita you have to calm down."
I go over to the ledge and look down. There is a girl down there. Her legs are bent at weird angles. A dark liquid is starting to spread out around her. Is she dead?! Can someone survive a six story drop? I turn away quickly. If I look any longer, I'll break down and cry and I can't cry. Not now. Not in front of these people. Suddenly I feel my stomach drop. If this is what initiation is going to be like am I going to make it? I quickly compose myself. That's how things are going to be around here. I just need to get used to it.
Suddenly a voice rings out. "Listen up! My name is Max. I'm one of the leaders of your new faction." He stands at the other end of the roof, his skin is dark and his hair is turning grey. "Several stories below us is the members' entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump of, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."
"You want us to jump off a ledge? How does the government let you do this?" asks an Erudite girl.
"This is sanctioned and run by the government. Faction High is an elite school where only alumni may attend. All of you signed wavers and release forms when you first applied to the school. So yes, we expect you to jump," Max says. He looks amused.
"Is there a net at the bottom or something?"
"Who knows?" He raises his eyebrows.
Then it's silent. No one moves forward. They all look at anything but Max. Peter is looking at his nails trying to fix an imaginary nail problem.
I am proud. It will get e into trouble one day, but today it makes me brave. I start walking towards the edge. I hear laughter behind me as I make it up unto the ledge but I ignore it. I look down, but I can't see anything. It's completely dark. They have no light shining anywhere.
There has to be something at the bottom I tell myself. They wouldn't have students jump to their death one after another. With that thought and knowing that it is too late to back down now. Everyone is expecting me to fail, but I won't. I can't.
I take another look at the black hole. I can feel my stomach drop to my feet and goose bumps cover my arms. I take a deep breath. It's now or never.
Before I can think of anything else I bend my knees and jump.
***The plot base is not mine it is Victoria Ross's. I change some of it to make my story, however, I do take some quotes directly from the book Divergent***
