Well hello there.
I am posting this a day earlier than Christmas Eve because A) I am too impatient to wait and B) tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we should all be with our families not buried in an update!
And for the person who felt I was "holding my story hostage" I am sorry you felt this way. My reasoning was not for reviews, or I would've set the bar much higher, but because I was offering an entire extra chapter a few days after a previous post and I wanted to make sure someone was actually going to read it before I took time away from all of my family to write this.
Thank you all who are supporting me. I am glad we get to experience this together.
Time seems to stand still. I watch Evelyn process her blunder. My mind races as she fumbles for an excuse for her mistake.
"You must have told Christina, and she told me." She waves her hand around as if to dismiss the thought, but I can see the sweat forming on her brow.
"I didn't tell Christina anything."
"Don't be ridiculous, Tobias. You obviously told someone. I am not a mind reader." There is a fire in her eyes that is almost daring me to question her reasoning.
"Or this is actually a simulation."
"That is absurd, do you even hear yourself talking right now?" She hisses but I can see her face turning red in anger.
Everything seems to look differently to me. Turning I begin to walk out of the room. I need to get away but I have no idea where to go.
"Don't you dare walk away from me!"
I freeze. Instead of my mother's voice it is my fathers. Turning I find him standing next to her, a belt held high in his hand.
"Don't you dare disrespect us!"
But before he can move I have bolted to the front door. Yanking it open I collide with Christina.
"Whoa, where's the fire? What's going on?" Why is she here? She hasn't even been gone an hour. Christina smiles at me, but for the first time I can see the ingenuine look in her eyes.
"I have to get out of here." I say, trying to push past her but she is blocking my path.
"Tobias, you can't leave."
Something wars inside of me. I want to listen to the person who has been my best friend through some of the hardest moments of my life, but how can I do that if she's not real?
The idea that if Christina isn't real means that somewhere Tris is real and that is enough motivation to get me to elbow my way past her.
"Sorry," I shout behind me, still feeling badly that my shoulder hit her so hard.
My feet fall with a resounding thud against the ground, and I try to match the vigorous thud of my heart. I fear that they are all following me, closing in at any moment, but I don't dare to look behind me. I try not to panic only focusing on where to go next.
Before I even realize what I am doing I find myself in front of the Hancock building once again. I have to shield my eyes as I stare up at it to be able to see the top.
Reaching for the door handle I breathe a sigh of relief when it swings open freely. I finally glance behind me, satisfied to note that nobody is there. Yet. The possibility that looms over me makes me scramble inside.
I choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator. There was something about running in a stairwell that seemed calming to me. My feet echoed off the walls resounding high above me as I followed the sound. Each new step made another loud slapping noise to replace the sound of one that has just dissipated.
It seemed like no time before I reached the door to the roof. I was drenched with sweat from the exertion, and quickly wiped the back of one hand across my forehead.
I was grateful when the door opened easily, it had never occurred to me that the roof door might be locked as well. Making my way to the edge I leaned on the wall that separated myself from a long free fall back down to earth, but for the first time I wasn't worried about the height.
My mind was racing a million miles a minute and I couldn't make sense of anything. Was this really a simulation? Or maybe I was hallucinating. And if this were a simulation how would I get out of it? How long had I been here?
Hours passed without me noticing, until the bright reds of the setting sun reflected off of another building nearby. With the confusion of everything I felt this need to be close to Tris. Looking around my eyes finally settled on the zip line.
There has been talk of taking it down. Some people say it is unsafe, others want to get rid of any last reminder of the factions, and this was a big one for the dauntless. Just the thought of losing another piece of Tris, even something as small and simple as a line of wire makes my chest tighten.
Walking over to it I notice that the straps are still connected to the wire. Without thinking I strap myself in, the way I was so many years ago. Stepping up onto the edge I spread my arms out wide before pushing off of the edge with all of my might.
The wind is harsh against my face, and my eyes feel dry like sandpaper but I refuse to let them close. Everything around me is quiet and I am at peace. I do not focus on what is below me but at what is in front of me. The land below seems to stretch into a vast expanse, and even though I know it is much larger I feel like I can see the entire world from here.
My mind barely registers the garbled screeching of tearing metal, and even when I watch the line that had been suspending me only moments ago fly past me towards earth I refuse to look down. Leaving my arms outstretched I feel myself continue to fly forward on my own for a moment, and when I finally start to feel myself descend I close my eyes.
I have never felt more free.
Oh god, I am sorry to leave this here! Next chapter will be on Saturday. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you at least get to enjoy some time with your family.