Enjoy!
"Welcome to Dauntless."
It really doesn't take much longer for the rest of the initiates to jump, since they have by now figured out that the bottomless pit is actually quite an illusion. I watch as blurs of color, each one representing the initiate's former faction, fly down and drop into a net. Each time, they bounce up and down a few times. A few of them - the ones that are undoubtedly going to fit in with the Dauntless the most - are laughing as they come down, enjoying the gut-dropping thrill.
After a few more initiates come flying down, I begin to look around the cave-like room. There's only one plausible exit – a dimly-lit, stone tunnel that leads away from the Net, although it gives no clue as to where it leads to. Barely distinguishable murmurs come from outside of the tunnel, telling me that that is most likely where the Dauntless are. I'm still looking at the tunnel when a slender hand seizes my elbow.
Immediately, I shriek and stagger back, falling onto my bottom. As my wrists hit the ground, I realize that it was Christina, and not Andrew, who had grabbed my arm. Even so, I can't help but expect to be hit, even though Christina stands above me, looking worried. My hands go in front of my head, in an attempt to block the punch. I sit in silence for only seconds - although it feels like an hour - with my knees to my chest and my eyes squeezed shut. When nothing happens, I slowly pry my hands away from my face and look up. In an instant, I realize what has happened, and I push myself back onto my feet, stumbling forward. I reach instinctively for Christina's arm to keep myself upright, who hesitates to support me.
Once I've righted myself, I jerk my arm away, as if her arm had become poison.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Christina stares at me in concern, although there is unmistakable shock hidden within her expression. But what is most prominent is a newfound wariness to Christina as she looks at me, and I hate it. I hate it because I have seen it too many times on the faces of people in Abnegation, of my peers at school, and of anyone who encounters me, who are wary of me simply because I am not like them, because I hang my head while I walk around, unwilling to socialize and forced to mask the pain.
A part of me is relieved to see that no one has noticed this; they are all watching an Erudite initiate drop into the Net. However, that minimal relief is nothing compared to the humiliation I feel from what Christina's just witnessed.
"Whoa. Are you okay?" Christina asks cautiously.
"Y-yeah," I say. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" she presses. "What happened? Did I hurt you?"
"I'm fine!" I reply forcefully.
I'm not sure what I think of Christina. She constantly tries to talk to me, although I'm sure she's noticed that I don't want that. Maybe, if I were willing, we could somehow become friends, but right now, under these circumstances, it would never happen.
We stare at each other for a few seconds, half-expecting the other to say something more, but when it's clear that the conversation is over, we simply turn and face the Net again.
By now, the last initiate - a Dauntless born - has fallen into the Net.
Once everyone is on their feet, Four and Lauren lead us down the tunnel that I had been looking at minutes before. I try to stay behind Christina, but the darkness, even with the dim lighting, and uneven ground makes it difficult. Mostly, I just walk forward, trying to avoid the other initiates who cram into the narrow tunnel, making it impossible for me to be more than a foot away from another person.
The Candor girl in front of me halts, and I catch myself just before I end up smacking into her back. Our three leaders have paused and turned to face us, unsmiling.
"This is where we divide," announces Lauren. "Dauntless born will come with me. I assume you don't need a tour of this place." She raises an eyebrow. In a clump, the Dauntless separate themselves from the group and walk over to Lauren's side. Once she has confirmed that they are all with her, she beckons to them and leads them away. I turn back to Four and Max.
"Transfers," says Tobias, "I will be your instructor for the next few weeks. My name is Tobias."
"Tobias?" Christina asks. "Isn't that an Abnegation name?"
"Do you have a problem with that?" He stares at her, holding her brown-eyed gaze with his deep blue one, until she reddens and looks down. He runs a hand through his tousled brown hair, and I can't help but think that girls must throw themselves at him constantly; He's tall, hot, and sexy, although rather intimidating.
"No," Christina mumbles. His irritated gaze lingers a little longer, and then he turns and leads the rest of us to the end of the tunnel.
"We are going to the Pit first." Christina, who obviously hasn't learned her lesson yet, snickers.
"The Pit? Creative name." Tobias, who seems rather exasperated, faces her with a glare that causes everyone to wince.
"What's your name?" he asks.
"C-Christina," she stutters. Tobias folds his arms, muscles rippling.
"Well," he says, not even bothering to use her name. "If I had wanted to deal with Candor smart-mouths, I'd have gone to their faction. The first thing you'll learn from me is to stay quiet. Okay?" She nods.
He pushes open a set of doors at the end of the tunnel as Christina shoots me an annoyed gaze. Jerk, she mouths, as if she wasn't terrified moments before. I roll my eyes.
The doors open and orange light floods into the tunnel. He leads us out and into the so-called Pit.
"Oh," Christina says. "I get it." We are literally in a pit. It is a huge, stone area with places carved in the slanting walls for food, supplies, and leisure. Hundreds of people dressed completely in black shout and talk freely, filling up the Pit with a blend of voices. Little kids run around everywhere, even on the narrow pathways that lack any form of protection against falling, and I refrain from shouting at them to get off. It is so unlike Abnegation, when everyone treated each other politely, but without particular emotion, and no one raised their voice.
We are all gazing at the scene before us, wide-eyed. Tobias watches us, letting us experience this for a few more moments before he hushes us and begins to speak again.
"This is the place where you will spend much of your time after initiation. Learn to love it," he says. Then, he leads us somewhere else, narrating as he walks. "Now, we are heading to the Chasm." We follow him to a part of the Pit that is distinctively darker than the rest of the Pit. As we get nearer, I hear the unmistakable roar of water. We stop at a railing, where there is a raging river below us. As the waves crash against rocks, they splash as high as the ledge that we are standing on. I yelp as the cold water hits my leg.
"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy." Tobias shouts. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned." As I lean onto the railing, I can't help feeling a distinctive thrill of fear and excitement as I watch the water battle rocks, and the roar of the waves engulfs me.
So this took way longer than I thought it would. Sorry! This is the worst excuse ever, but I had too much school work. Also, I had writer's block. But yeah, I'm on break so I thought it would be perfect to spend break writing. This honestly isn't the best work, but I like it. I hope you guys liked it!
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-Cindy:)