That night passes as quickly as it came for me. I did nothing but ponder what would happen if I chose Candor, and what would happen if I chose Dauntless. I did manage to get a small amount of sleep, even if it was only an hour or two. After laying in bed for a few minutes, my parents come and get me from my room. We eat our breakfast, get dressed, and head to The Hub for the Choosing Ceremony.
The drive is about twenty minutes from where we live, and the entire time I'm worrying about the consequences of my soon-to-be actions. We pass over bumpy, badly maintained roads. What can you expect from the Factionless though? We get into town after about a fifteen minutes, where we see everyone walking around, and in the sky, about a mile away, is The Hub. It's a huge skyscraper where everything important happens. We get out of the car, and start walking towards it, and my new future. Every step that I take, I feel myself get shakier, until we're finally in the building. It has a smell that burns the nostrils, and it's extremely cold. We walk towards the elevator, press the button, and get in along with a few other people from other factions. There is a pair of siblings from Amity, however, one is too young to partake in the Choosing Ceremony yet. Standing behind them was a couple from Abnegation, along with their son. All of whom refused to make eye contact with anyone.
The ride in the elevator was soon over, and we all got out. My family went to take a seat in their designated area, as well as the other two families. I took a seat in my designated area, along with the other teenagers who would be deciding their futures today. We all sat around talking for a few minutes before an unfamiliar women walked up to podium. I looked down and shook my head. She was from Amity. The most annoying of the factions. They talk with a pep in their voice, and always smile. It's polite to the point of almost being sickening. They're such sweet people that you feel sick to your stomach, and need to go to the dentist afterward. She started to speak.
"Welcome to Choosing Day. Today is when our lovely young adults will choose what faction will best suit them not only now, but also in the future." she said with a smile on.
"Today is a very very important day for them. It is exceptionally important for them to choose their brand new home with extreme care, and caution." I was getting irritated with her voice at this point, and just wanted to strangle the pep from her vocal chords.
I ignored the rest of her speech, because it was making me sick to my stomach to hear the pep and brightness spew forth from her smiling mouth. After her speech was finally over, all of the Amity in the room began to clap and hug each other, which was a tradition I could never wrap my head around. She began to call out the names.
The first kid was from Abnegation. He wore the standard grey clothes that his faction issued him. He cut his palm, and squeezed the blood over the stones. Abnegation is where he was born, and Abnegation is where he will stay for his life.
The second name was called. This time a girl. She was from Erudite, and wore the blue clothes that made their faction stand out. She took the knife, glanced over all of the bowls, made a cut, and squeezed it over the glass. The first faction transfer, and the first set of family ties cut, just like her palm. She goes over and sits with her new faction.
Name after name was called, and more and more blood was spilled over the bowls, and their contents. Family ties were cut, and new lines were created. Eventually it was my turn. My name was called, and I walk cautiously up to the bowls.
I take the knife firmly in my hand, and rake it across the fleshy part of my palm. The cut stings for a second, but eventually pools with blood. I hold it over my bowl, close my eyes and squeeze. The blood doesn't sizzle, but rather splashed on the glass in the bowl, and runs to the bottom of it. I walk over to my new faction, Candor, take a deep breath, and come to terms with the fact that these people are my family now.
The Ceremony goes on for a little while longer, and then comes to a close. Everyone gets up, and follows their new factions out. The Candor pile into a bus, and ride back to headquarters. Everyone is talking, but I sit in silence. The ride back is awkward, and lonely. After what seems hours, we eventually arrive at Candor headquarters. It is the most beautiful piece of architecture I have ever seen. Its made completely out of glass on the exterior, and resembles a courthouse.
We all walk in, and some of the older faction members show the initiates to their rooms. Our rooms are standard, with a dresser full of black and white clothes, a few beds, and a bathroom. I get changed into the black and white two-piece suit they have provided, and sit down on my bed. Not long after, a voice comes up on the intercom.
"At this time, we need every initiate report to the meeting room for briefing, thank you."
We all get up, and make our way down the winding hallways into a big open room. In the middle of the room is symbol for Candor. A circle with a scale sitting between it. I try my best to imitate the way everyone stands. Everyone suddenly stops talking as a man takes the podium. I immediately recognize him as Jack Kang, the leader of the Candor.
"Welcome initiates. Over the next few weeks, you will be placed under many tests to score how well you belong in Candor. You will be hooked up to lie detectors all day, every day. If you should fail a test 3 times in a week, you will be asked to leave. Those of you who make it through the three weeks of constant surveillance, and testing will be asked to take the truth serum. This is your official induction into Candor. You will have extremely personal, and intimate questions asked to you, and you will spill every fact. This will get everything in the open, and you will no longer have a reason to lie. You will not be judged, and nothing bad will come of you. You are dismissed." and with those words, everyone left the giant room, and returned to the more cramped ones where they will be sleeping and living for the next few weeks.