Divergent Ch 3.
Lauren and I lead the initiates through the darkness into the Dauntless headquarters. This is where we will split, she will take the Dauntless born initiates and I'll take the transfers. There are 20 in all, 11 Dauntless born and 9 transfers.
"This is where we divide." Lauren says. "This Dauntless born initiates are with me, I assume you don't need a tour of the place."
The Dauntless born initiates follow Lauren into the dark. I see Uriah, Zeke's younger brother, He gives me a wide eyed questioning look, and I wink at him to wish him luck. I can tell by the look on his face he has no idea what he's in for. None of them do.
I fix my glaze on my group studying them, trying to find their weaknesses. It will be my job to break them. I have to weed out those that aren't going to make good Dauntless. I find myself wondering what that term means anymore. I know what I think makes a good Dauntless. I also know that what I think and what our leadership thinks don't always agree.
"Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks I'm your instructor. My name is Four. "I say.
"Four? Like the number" A dark skinned girl asks. I realize that she's the second jumper.
"Yes, is there a problem?" I ask
"No." She says.
"Good we are about to go into the Pit, Which you will learn to love. It-"
"The Pit clever name." The same girl says snickering.
What is she thinking? Can she possible think that I will tolerate this kind of behavior? I guess she will be my first victim. I can see she needs a lesson in respect.
I walk up to her glaring.
"What's your name?" I ask in a voice just above a whisper.
"Christina." She says sounding meek and afraid, Pitiful.
"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart mouths I would have joined their faction." I say just barely keeping a hold of my temper.
"The first lesson, you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"
Her nodding is the only response I need. I move my way toward the front and lead them into the Pit.
The Pit is an underground cavern that is the heart of our headquarters; this is where most people spend their free time, the tattoo parlor, the clothing place, everything is here in the pit. The place is chaotic, kids running around, people talking; I lose myself in the noise every time I'm here and I love it.
"If you following me, I'll show you the Chasm" I say waving them forward.
I take them to the right side of the Pit, where the Chasm is, I'm quiet I'm watching them, studying them. I want the full extent, of what this place is, to sink into their brains. I want them to hear the water rushing and crashing into the side of the cavern below us. I want them to realize a what this place stands for, what it reminds us of.
"The Chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy! A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You have been warned!" I shout.
I walk off leading them into the dining hall. Our entrance ignites people into standing and cheering. The welcome they give we give the new initiates always amazes me. We find seats and I end up sitting next to Tris and Christina. I want to see if her reaction to real food is the same as mine was two years ago.
She picks up a hamburger and I see her pinching it between her fingers. I nudge her "Its beef, put this on it." I say handing her the ketchup.
Christina's response is priceless. "You've never had a hamburger before?" she says.
"No, is that what it's called?" Tris asks.
"Stiffs eat plain food." I say.
"Why?" Christina asks?
"Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary." Tris explains, she repeats it verbatim from the Stiffs doctrine that was beat into me.
"No wonder you left. " Christina says.
"Yeah it was just because of the food." Tris says
My lips twitch as I hold in my laughter. She couldn't stay in Abnegation. Sarcasm is self-indulgent. She's funny I'll give her that. I can tell Erik has arrived by the silence in the dining hall.
"Who's that?" Christina whispers.
"His name is Erik. He's a Dauntless leader." I say. A bad one, but a leader none the less.
"Seriously? But he's so young." Christiana says.
"Age doesn't matter here." I say.
Erik walks over to our table and sits down next me. I try to ignore him but he really doesn't go away.
"Aren't you going to introduce me?" He asks.
"This is Tris and Christina." I say.
"Ooh a Stiff, we'll see how long you last." He says smirking at her.
The way he's sizing her up, I don't like it. I don't like they way he looks at her, like she will automatically fail because she's a Stiff. He so easily forgets that I, a Stiff bested him, and will continue to do so at every opportunity.
"What have you been doing lately, Four?" Erik asks.
"Nothing, really, " I say.
I really don't want to be having this conversation. Why is he acting like we are friends?
"Max tells me, he's keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up. He requested that I find out what's going on with you. " He says.
"Tell him that I'm satisfied with the position I currently hold." I say.
"So he wants to give you a job?" He asks.
"So it would seem. " I say.
"And you aren't interested?" He asks.
"I haven't been interested for two years." I say. Why can't they leave this alone?
"Well, let's hope he gets the point, then." Erik says.
He claps me on the shoulder and then gets up and walks away. I try not to cringe from the contact with him.
"Are you two … Friends?" Tris asks, unable to keep her curiosity under control.
"We were in the same initiate class, he transferred from Erudite." I say.
"Are you a transfer too?" She asks.
Her curiosity is getting the better of her. I need to put an end to this; I don't want her to know who I really am.
"I thought I would only have trouble with Candor asking too many questions. Now I've got Stiffs too?" I say coldly. This is an area of conversation I don't want to go in.
"It must be because you are so approachable, you know, like a bed of nails." She says flatly.
I stare at her, I can't figure her out. She is most defiantly not like any of the Abnegation that I was around. I continue to stare at her waiting for her to back down. She doesn't. She really does have a spine. She starts blushing under my stare. What could she be thinking? I can tell she's not use to this kind of confrontation. She better get used to it.
"Careful, Tris." Is all I say.
"Four!" Zeke calls.
I get up and go over to his table, leaving Tris and Christina to their own conversation. Erik will take them to their room.
"Hey Zeke, Hey Shauna," I say sitting down at their table.
"So what kind of new crop did we get?" Zeke asks.
"Too inquisitive. " I say.
Lauren walks up just then.
"So do you think the Stiff will last?" She asks.
"Not sure yet." I say. "But she is a Stiff."
Later than night I'm in my apartment getting ready for bed. The reports of my father's abuse getting out. Then Tris showing up here, it brings back the memories and the nightmares. I have a long night ahead of me.