When all the initiates are on solid ground again, Lauren and I lead the initiates down one of the narrow tunnels leading down to the Pit. Lauren beckons to the Dauntless-born, and I watch them dissolve into the shadows. Then I begin to survey the nine initiates that are left. There are no Amity, and Tris is the only Abnegation. The rest are Erudite and Candor. I address the new initiates.
"Most of the time, I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor." I say. Out of all of them, I can feel Tris' gaze burning into me the most. I can already sense when she's around. Stay focused. I continue, "My name is Four."
"Four, like the number?" The Candor girl, who jumped after Tris, speaks. I think her name was Christina.
I stare at her, trying to act scary. I honestly don't know how much of an act it is, though. "Yes. Is there a problem?" Tris is staring at Christina as if she's trying to say with her eyes, Are you out of your mind? Smart girl.
"No." Christina seems to cower beneath my gaze.
"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-" The same Candor, Christina, snickers.
"The Pit? Clever name." I walk up to her and lean close to her face. Now, she's just getting on my nerves. I narrow my eyes, and stare at her for a few seconds. Then I ask, in a quiet voice, "What's your name?" That was more for being scary than really needing to know. Tris is still watching us, probably scared, and judging by her personality, maybe defiant that I am challenging her rights to be here.
"Christina." She manages to squeak out.
"Well Christina," I hiss, "If I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction. The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"
She just nods.
I start toward the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moves behind me in silence.
"What a jerk." Christina says from behind me, to Tris. I don't bother to correct her- she's been scared enough by me for today. For today, I repeat to myself, smiling.
"I guess he doesn't like to be laughed at," Tris replies. She's sticking up for me? Another faint smile curls up my lips.
I push up the doors to the Pit, and hear an almost collective gasp.
"Oh," Christina whispers to Tris, "I get it." And she's right- "Pit" is the best word for it. It is an underground cavern so huge you can't see the other
end of it from where we stand. Rock walls rise unevenly several stories above our heads. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities. Narrow steps and paths carved from rock connect them. There are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side. I can remember the first time I saw this place. It was enough to finally convince me that I was never going to be under my father's thumb-or belt-again.
A slant of orange light stretches across one of the rock walls. Forming the roof of the Pit are panes of glass and, above them, a building that lets in sunlight. It looks like a random building when passed by train.
Blue lanterns dangle at random intervals above the stone paths. They grow brighter as the sunlight dies. People are everywhere, all dressed in black, all shouting and talking, expressive, gesturing. A group of children run down a narrow path with no railing, and I hear Tris gasp. She must think that they'll fall off any second, but Dauntless children walk those paths from the they they learn to crawl. I smile.
There is truly something wonderful about Dauntless chaos.
After I believe they've had enough time to look around, I start talking again. " If you'll follow me, I'll show you the chasm." I wave them forward.
I can feel Tris watching me again. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I realize she must be looking at my tattoo. Just the top peeks out from the collar of my shirt. I lead them to the right side of the Pit, which is darker than the left. Tris' eyes leave me and she looks around, obviously trying to figure out where I'm taking them. I feel icy fingers replacing the welcoming warmth of her eyes. I realize that a Candor boy with reddish-brown hair is watching me. He looks away when he sees that I noticed his stare. I can already tell that he will probably be trouble through initiation. I turn my attention back to Tris and see her looking over the side of the chasm. My chest clenches and for a second I am afraid that she will fall in, but then I shake my head. She's not leaning far enough in- now I'm imagining things. I decide to start talking to clear my mind.
"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy," I have to shout over the water to be heard. "A daredevil jump off
this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned." I lead the group across the Pit towards the crowded dining hall. When we walk in, the Dauntless inside stand, and make as much noise as they can. They applaud, stamp their feet, shout. The noise surrounds us and fills us. Christina smiles, and a second later, so does Tris. I start to a mostly empty table and find Tris next to me with Christina beside her. While Christina starts eating, Tris pinches the hamburger in front of her and stares at it. I nudge her with my elbow and say, "It's beef. Put this on it," while pushing a bowl of ketchup to her. Christina stops eating long enough to ask, "You've never had a hamburger before?" with wide eyes.
"No." Tris replies, "Is that what you call it?"
"Stiffs eat plain food," I explain to Christina.
"Why?" She asks. Tris shrugs and says, "Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary." Christina smirks.
"No wonder you left."
"Yeah." Tris says, rolling her eyes. "It was just because of the food." The corner of my mouth twitches, but I continue eating.
The doors to the cafeteria open, and everyone goes silent as someone walks in. I turn around, and tense when I see Eric scanning the room, no doubt trying to find me.
"Who's that?" Christina hisses.
"His name is Eric." I say. "He's a Dauntless leader."
"Seriously? But he's so young!" I give her a grave look. "Age doesn't matter here."
When Eric's eyes settle on mine, he smiles coldly and saunters towards our table, sliding into a seat next to me. I can feel the tension radiating off of Tris- no doubt she can tell what Eric's personality is. For a second, all of us are silent. Finally, Eric speaks up. "Well, aren't you going to introduce me?"
I grip the table so hard my knuckles turn white and say, "This is Tris and Christina."
"Ooh, a Stiff" Eric says, smiling at Tris. "We'll see how long you last." By now, I want to punch him in the face, but that would get me nowhere.
"What have you been doing lately, Four?" So that's why he's here. "Nothing, really.' I lift a shoulder. I can feel Tris' eyes flicking back and forth between me and Eric- I hope she doesn't think we're friends, since we're anything but.
"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up." Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you." Yeah, right. Max stopped trying to get me to be a leader a couple months ago. Eric must be trying to find out how threatened his job is. "Tell him I am satisfied with the position I currently hold." I say.
"So he wants to give you a job." Eric hides his emotions well, but I can sense an undercurrent of worry in his words and his eyes. "So it would seem." I say shortly.
"And you're not interested." He says.
"I haven't been interested for two years." I reply.
"Well." says Eric, "Let's hope he gets the message, then." he already has, I think. He claps me on the shoulder hard enough to show we're not friends, but not hard enough to hurt much. Then he gets up and leaves.
"Are you two… Friends?" Tris asks.
"We were in the same initiate class." I say, "He transferred from Erudite."
"Were you a transfer too?" I ponder the question. I don't think I've ever met an Abnegation this curious before. Something inside me is urging me to tell her the truth, but I know I can't, not with all these people around. So, I decide to be the intimidating Dauntless she thinks I am.
"I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions." I say, my voice cold. " Now I've got Stiffs, too?"
"It must be because you're so approachable." She says flatly, boldly. "You know, like a bed of nails." I stare at her, challenging, and she meets my gaze. This surprises me- I've never met anyone who hasn't looked away.
"Careful, Tris." I say softly, and turn back to my food. Thankfully, I hear Zeke call my name and get up, walking over to my friends.
As soon I sit down, my friends started bombarding me with questions. I mumble something about inquisitiveness, but mostly just listen to them talking about their day.
After a few moments, I stand up and mutter a good night to the table, slipping out of the dining hall mostly unnoticed. Eric is going to show the initiates the dormitory and announce the rules, so I don't have to worry about them until training starts tomorrow.
I walk through the winding hallways leading to my room, thinking about today. Well, mostly about Tris. Even though I met her just today, every time I get near her, I feel like I'll jump off a building or burst into flame. She just does that to me, and I don't know what it means.
Oh, well. I think as I open the door to my small apartment. I'll figure it out tomorrow.
