The spring breeze is crisp as Victoria, Kendall, Elizabeth, Mira, and I make the trek from the Initiate Complex to the bookstore in the afternoon. With Sophia determinedly walking a few paces ahead of us.
"…and we would watch the mechanics of it during Initiation Day," Kendall spoke, telling us about part of what goes on in Dauntless initiation. "We see one of the Dauntless leaders inject them with the fear serum and send them on their way to the sim room. Then we watch them react to the serum. I'm interested in finding information on every detail. Whether it affects not just the amygdala, but other parts of the brain as well."
"The Fear Serum does more than just stimulate the amygdala," Victoria answers as in confirmation. "The hippocampus plays an important role regarding how you remember how things were or any current emotional attachments for a setting. More seen in transfers compared to the Dauntless-born. Say you have a fear of losing a family member, you might see people from your faction of origin the first few times you go under a fear serum, because you still might have that attachment regardless how you adopt 'Faction before Blood'."
Mira, Kendall, and I gaze at her. I would hear Erudite dependents engaging in conversations using these drawn-out explanations, as if they had swallowed a whole textbook and vocalized their contents. It's one thing to have these explanations in a conversation directed with us.
"What?" Victoria asks. "My mother developed most of the serums. She even provided the voice for the aptitude test. Well, all she had to do was supply the AI with her voice and its mannerisms."
Then that is where is where I remember her voice from.
Serums. If Jeanine Matthews developed most of the serums, I might steer clear away from them. For it might just enhance any interest she might have in me.
"I was wondering where I heard her voice," says Kendall. "Yet, I think it's because to the three of us, it's like you swallowed a textbook and recited it's contents."
I shrug. "Well…I guess I'll have to get used it, then."
"Back in Amity, they are very simple how they explain things," Mira answers, "because they are afraid that they will make things too complicated for us."
"It's different here," Elizabeth clarifies. "Here, they explain things in a detailed manner because it is believed that less mistakes will be made."
"So, Victoria…" I swallow. These sorts of conversations are what I signed up for when I joined Erudite. Might as well keep it going. "If your mother specializes in serums, what about your father? Other members of your family?"
"Father has been researching genetics even before his initiation," Victoria answered, "and my older brother Dominic has worked with him on some studies, though he's more interested in staying in the political sector. Dominic is one of the Junior Council to the Erudite Councilmembers, and he volunteered to be one of the aids for Study Hall for this year. My brother aside –" at this Victoria grimaces – "there was controversy seven years ago when mother approved my father's request for the enhancement of genetic counselling."
"Genetic counseling happens after a couple gets together, to determine the course of action regarding offspring based on the couple's genetic history," Elizabeth explains. "Back then, the only option to avoid having a child without health problems, was to mix with an egg or a sperm belonging to a donor without troublesome family medical history like breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes…"
"My father proposed a second option," Victoria answered, lips pursed as if she swallowed something sour. "To manipulate the genetics of a couple's offspring so they wouldn't have to rely on someone else's sperm and egg to have a healthy child. Not only to delete the genes carrying illnesses but to determine the gender as well."
"Wouldn't that be eugenics?" Mira asks, frowning as she raises her eyebrow. "Because wanting to eliminate a gene carrying a disease would also be a gateway to try to eliminate personality traits the parents might deem unfavorable."
"That's why it caused such a controversy seven years ago," Victoria answered, as I catch sight of Caleb, "because of fears it would transcend medical history. However, despite the pushbacks, there are couples who still option for the genomes of their offspring to be manipulated."
When Caleb has caught up with us, I see that he's with Fernando, Samuel, Ronald, and three other initiates. Two of them a transfer from Amity if I recall correctly.
"Are you going to buy your textbooks as well?" Kendall asks them.
"Only because these two suggested it," answered one of Caleb's roommates, pointing to Fernando and a girl with Mira's same coloring in turn.
"It's not smart to wait until the end of the day to get your textbooks," Fernando points out. "Not when the bookshop closes at nine in the evening."
A group of female Erudite dependents, probably around fourteen, look at Caleb as they pass by us. I'm not surprised if girls are staring at him now that he's not Abnegation. Caleb seems to furrow his eyebrows in confusion.
"What, you've never had a girl glance your way like that before?" Ronald asks him.
"Um, no," Caleb answers. "We often tended to go unnoticed by the other factions. We weren't supposed to draw attention to ourselves anyway"
"You can't really blame them for not looking," Kendall notes. "All the Abnegation looked the same to me, no offense."
The bookstore is half the size of Erudite headquarters, and at the front of the store, is a display of our required texts, which someone is restocking.
As I'm halfway through stacking my books, a book titled So You Dropped Your Blood in the Water: A Transfer's Guide to Erudite by James Norton. Forward by Jeanine Matthews catches my eye.
"James Norton was the leader before mother," Victoria mentioned as I picked up the thick volume. "Lasted longer than many Erudite representative before his heart attack seven years ago. He thought it would be beneficial for transfers to have a condensed overview of our faction, as a way to encourage them to read more about us."
"This is condensed?" Mira frowns as she examines the book. "It's a doorstopper of a book."
"I don't think we should be surprised," Caleb points out. "I doubt they give transfers a manual that's fifty pages long."
Staring at the book, I'm leery about anything that would even have Jeanine Matthews' writing in it. Anything by any Erudite leader before her even.
You got to set aside your bad blood at this time, Beatrice, the logical part of my mind scolds me. How are you going to get through initiation, let alone survive it, with this mentality?
I'll try, even if will prove to be a challenge.
I shrug. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to buy something that would help me to get to know my new faction. Maybe they expect every transfer to buy these anyway.
My companions are deep in conversation as I drift away from them. Towards the shelves and displays that don't have anything like our textbooks. Attached to each shelf and display is a black, plastic looking stick.
Step One: Place the clear end of the 'Preference Scanner' to your forehead.
Step Two: Press the button until it glows blue.
Step Three: Your results should appear on the black end of the scanner.
I frown. I never would have thought they have a device to help me look for my preferences. When I think of it, it's probably more for those who didn't have much access to books. Who could only read books when it came to our school. For people like Me, Mira, Samuel, Kendall, and others who have transferred.
I don't know about Caleb though, when I think about the books stacked on his desk. I take a scanner from the socket in it's display and use it according to the instruction.
There's a list on the reader when I turn it to look.
The genres that Beatrice Prior would be more interested is: Historical Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Business/economics, Alternate history, Politics & Social Sciences, True Crime, Political Thriller.
The list doesn't make sense to me. At least it doesn't until I realize that outside my spurts of curiosity, reading was the last thing on my mind. I had to think about others first.
"The Preference Scanner takes information from your frontal lobe." I jump at the sound of Vincent's voice before I see him standing next to me. "Now, the frontal lobe is involved in your personality characteristics as well, so the device actually determines what books you might like depending on your personality."
I swallow. I remembered thinking how exhausting it must be for the Erudite to speak the way they do. Though it seems they are more comfortable with how they speak. It might be one of the things I would have to get used to. "Alright then," I say. I'd rather not be carrying seven books in my arms doing this, so I deposit them in one of the blue baskets at the entrance of the shop and steer it towards the section of books that have the history banner over them.
Yet, there are shelves dedicated to all branches of the subject: Faction History, Erudite History, Twentieth and Twenty-First Section History, Ancient History, and there is even one dedicated to the War of Humanity that preceded the Faction System.
What we were taught in school is that people's refusal to set aside political and ideological differences to work on issues like the economy and human rights led to this conflict that had spread to other countries. It had made all the wars in the world that happened before like child's play. Even those not in uniform engaged in conflict and would slaughter their neighbors. Radioactive fire even engulfed a good part of the country.
I've always wondered about the details not taught to us, and it wouldn't surprise me if Erudite has extensive books covering the subject. Among these books, I recognize titles such as A Life Torn Apart: The Diary of Hannah Smith, which was required reading during Upper Levels. Yet, there are books I haven't even read like How Millions Died in One Day, and The Massacre of San Francisco, and So This Is How Society Breaks Down.
But it's not the title of the last book that had caught my attention. It's the author's name that draws me in.
It is Edith Prior.
Edith is a name that is a name that is mostly found in Abnegation, though some names are interchangeable in factions, that is probably one of those names. It would make sense for her to be an Erudite, as only they would write the books about the War of Humanity.
Prior. I have to be related to her in some way. Vincent did say that Prior was more of a Erudite surname than a Abnegation one.
Maybe it wouldn't hurt to do some research. The Erudite would keep records of family trees. It's in their nature to document everything. I'm sure they won't see a problem with it, as curiosity is something that they encourage here. Maybe after Study Hall tomorrow I'll ask.
I just want to get situated first.
"Three years of being here and I still can't buy enough history books," says a voice from behind.
The speaker is a young Erudite woman in one of the standard, immaculate Erudite blue outfits. Her black hair pulled back in a bun more reminiscent of the simple Abnegation twist and her glasses dangling from a chain around her neck. There is something familiar about her, as if I had seen her before. Not as if we knew each other personally, but from a distance.
She was probably a transfer, though. Given that she said that she's been here for three years.
"It is a lot," I concur, not knowing what else to say. "I've always liked history myself." I hold up the book I am currently holding. "I've always wondered about what Faction History didn't teach us."
"Trust me, there is a lot." Her lips curl in a smile. "The teachers have to keep things age appropriate. Also, to not exhaust the dependents from the other four factions." She offers her hand. "Abigail Brigham."
"Beatrice Prior." Then I remember who she is. Abigail Brigham. Daughter of Abnegation Councilman Benedict Brigham. The one who transferred to Erudite three years ago.
"Prior. The Abnegation Branch, I would presume," she acknowledges as she withdraws her hand.
"Yes," I answer, noticing how she didn't seem to acknowledge that her parents knew mine. Perhaps she was one of those that took 'Faction to Blood' to heart and she doesn't want others to hear her speaking positively about Abnegation. Except that refraining to speak of one's past is a Abnegation platitude taught to transfers, for it's selfish to glance back at the lives we had before when the lives of others are more important.
I want to mention that our parents knew each other, but if she doesn't want to, it would be selfish of me to put her on the spot.
Also, Abnegation Branch of the Prior family. This is like the second time I have heard it since coming here.
"Well then, I don't want to hold you up from your friends," she says, her smile reaching her gray-green eyes. "I should be seeing you soon."
The way she says it, she must be involved in initiation somehow. Victoria mentioned that her older brother volunteered to be a Study Hall aid for this year. Maybe Abigail is one of those.
Ten minutes later, I find my brother and our roommates. Joining them at the register.
At home, my mother and I picked up nearly identical stacks of clothing every six months or so. It's easy to allocate resources when everyone gets the same thing, but everything is more varied at the Erudite sector. Every Erudite gets a certain amount of points to spend per month, and while we get our books for half those points as offered, the additional books cost at least thirty altogether.
"Who was that you were speaking to, Beatrice?" Caleb asks me in a whisper as we exit the bookstore.
"Abigail Brigham," I whisper. "Her father is Benedict Brigham."
"Aah." He nods in understanding. "I remember her. She'd help us with our Mid-Levels homework. She knew a great deal of math. She probably read math books under the covers."
Is that what Caleb did? Crawl deep under his blankets and read when he was supposed to be sleeping? Thus, confirming my earlier thoughts about him hiding his books.
Eventually, the conversation turned to our book purchases.
"The book by Edith Prior is one of the informative books about the transition from Pre-Faction society to how the system came to be," Elizabeth tells me as we make the trek back to the Housing Complex. "She spends a few chapters talking about her life prior to the War, but that's to give the reader more background."
"Too bad Sophia has to be insufferable, or she'd be going on about she's related to Edith Prior." Kendall turns to me. "You have to be related to her in some degree."
"I mean, it doesn't seem to be illogical," I answer. Choosing Day and the trip to Erudite was only yesterday, but it feels like it's been months. As if it had been months when Victoria and Vincent revealed about the Prior family being Erudite, at least the main branch.
We separate from Caleb's group, and by the time we reach our apartment, my companions appear as if they want to wind down before the first day of initiation classes. I set my bags on my bed and find myself going to the kitchen out of habit.
Might as well be the one to cook being the only Abnegation here. I don't know about my roommates though. In the kitchen, finding the food wasn't hard. Like the cafeteria, there is food and other things here that one wouldn't find in an Abnegation kitchen. Prominently small canisters of powdered material – seasoning.
I am in the process of looking at the instructions how to make the salmon when Elizabeth comes in the kitchen. "You need help there?" she asks me.
Her question prompts me to look from the salmon packet. "Um, no," I answer nervously. "I've done this before. We take turns cooking back home."
"Except you're sharing an apartment with new people," Elizabeth tells me. "Some of them having certain sensitivities or intolerance to some foods. Sophia, for example, is lactose intolerant. She can't drink milk without developing an ulcer or two. Victoria doesn't have any sensitivities or intolerances. I don't have any as far as I know of. I don't know about Kendall or Mira though."
"Gluten," Kendall answers, looking up from her Communications book in the living room. "My father is the same way, and we avoided eating in the mess hall because of risk of cross contamination."
"I can't eat anything with nuts of any kind," Mira answered. "I break out in hives just by eating a peanut."
"So, that means no peanut butter for you, then," Kendall points out.
I would have been content with preparing dinner by myself, though Elizabeth seems to want to help me. Apparently, this is not her first time operating at a kitchen.
"We had to learn some cooking skill before our aptitude tests," Elizabeth reveals to me, as she works on the vegetables. "The little stuff first, and then the complicated dishes. Cooking is a lot like chemistry, really. What you get depends on the combinations, and you have to make sure your portions are right."
"I never thought of it that way," I reply truthfully as I continue working on the rice. I've made rice before, so it's not a problem. The salmon, I have to use it's carton for instruction to make sure that I did it right, as I've never cooked it before.
Sophia must have come back the moment my back was turned. For once the food was done, Elizabeth asks Victoria, "Do you know if Sophia wants anything?"
"I'll check to make sure." And I thought I hear her mutter, "As long as I don't have to force her to a chair and feed her as if she's a few months old," as she walks towards the bedroom.
Sophia does come out to eat, though she does not address at all during dinner. I don't address her. She probably thinks it would be best if she ignores me. At least she's not saying anything derogatory towards me and my former faction.
My roommates seem to differ. Kendall, Victoria, Elizabeth, and Mira are not subtle in their exasperation with her. If this continues for longer than I like, I might spontaneously combust.
Whether I am wearing blue or not.
There's only two bathrooms between the six of us. In Abnegation, we rotate who'd use the shower first. The last one always getting the cold water. I'm the second to last person to use the second bathroom, and the water is still piping hot that I have to turn it down a few notches.
After a quick dry off, I shrug on the light blue nightgown, and vacate the bathroom so the next person can use it. Elizabeth isn't in the bedroom yet. I use that time to write my name on the front pages of my books and put them away.
After changing the view of the windows to fields of cornstalks and orchards, I pick up my copy of the book written by Jeanine's predecessor. The laminated dust jacket shining at the edges as I open it.
I skim through Jeanine's forward. Most of it was like reading like self-indulgent nonsense, something that she'd write. The preface by the original author reads differently. Like with Jeanine's preface, I mainly skim through it, only stopping when I see sentences like, "to preserve Erudite's virtues and it's legacy," it's like I am starting to see a certain theme.
This prompts me to turn back to Jeanine's forward, to see if there is a similar message like there was in the preface. It seems more subtler compared to Norton's prose, though the sentence, "As the manifesto says, intelligence must be wielded not as a weapon but as a tool for the betterment of others. Let it be known that there will be those who would use it as a weapon, and I trust that you, our dear reader, would not be one of them," stands out to me.
If I didn't know any better, I'd think it was anti-Abnegation. Especially with Regina's accusation, for who else would they be against? No, this seems to be referring to enemies within Erudite. Internal enemies who they believe would threaten their values and everything they hold dear.
They are talking about Divergents. People like me.
"Reading that book?" Elizabeth's voice tears me from my thoughts. I see that she too cleaned up. Her raven hair falling in waves down her shoulder rather than pinned at the nape of her neck like before.
I shrug, as I set it on my knee. "I figured that I might get it out of the way," I answer truthfully.
"I mean, that book is only recommended reading among the transfers," she replies. "You don't have to read it right away. Though, I understand wanting to read something to not have to worry about it. Like the one time our after-school study supervisor wanted us to read this book for psychology. It just didn't fit my taste."
"What sort of books do you like?" I ask.
For a hour, we talk about the books we read and found fancy. Except that she seems to read more books than I ever have. Predictable because of her upbringing compared to mine. Light reading wasn't a concept in Abnegation, as never did anything to benefit others.
Then it's time to go to bed. "I like to sleep with ambient sound effects," she says, her fingers on a panel next to the door. "I wouldn't turn it on if it will keep you up."
I shake my head 'no'. "No, it won't bother me," I say. She presses the button, turns a dial, and it's like we are deep in the ocean; hearing the whales as they communicate with each other.
An few minutes in, it becomes easier to drift to sleep. As if the ambience helped clear my mind from any intrusive thought that could keep me awake.
At some point when I drift awake, out the window from a distance, I thought I saw a figure in black jump from the moving train. Then my eyes close again, and I fall into a deep slumber.