Like every morning Four came into the dorm room with a metal pine and banged on the railing. I picked my head up off my pillow and looked over at the man. He stood there very stoicie and didn't look at anyone of us specifically.
"Get dressed and meet up in The Pit," he told us. "Outdoor gear five minutes," I dropped my head back on my pillow and pulled my blanket back over my head. I groaned and I shut my eyes for a second. I was more tired than usual and my body ached everywhere. I looked at my arm that Eric hand touched the only thing another person could see would be the scars I had since I was three. But if I didn't look at my arm I swore I could feel Eric's burning hand there. I rubbed my arms and a few scars to try to get rid of the feeling but it was still there.
"Come on or you'll be late," Tris said to me from outside my little chaconne. Tris shook my shoulder lightly, "Come on Zed," she said, "do you want another reason for Eric to yell at you?"
"Me breathing makes him pissed," I said as I pulled my covers off my head. I got out of bed and Tris went back to her bunk. I ran my hand over my arm feeling my scars and Eric's phantom hand. I looked down at my arm and the scars that covered my whole right side of my body. I was surprised that nobody asked me how I got them yet. People in Amity who tried talking to me always asked me constantly. I got off my cot and I grabbed a clean pair of pants and a long sleeved shirt. I pulled of my tank top and pulled on the long sleeved shirt not caring if any of the guys were staring at me. I pulled off the pants I wore the day before and pulled on the clean ones. I tied back my long blond hair into a pony tail. I grabbed my boots and pulled them on. I grabbed my jacket and I started my way out of the Dorms and to The Pit. I walked down the corridor in silence with my mind running places. I rubbed my arm again trying to dull the feeling of Eric's hand. It wasn't as bad as yesterday but I was still freaked that his touch didn't affect me like everyone else's.
"ZED!" Christina yelled after me. I stopped and turned to see her, Tris, Will and Al running to catch up with me. "We called you three times is everything okay?" Chris asked me.
"Sorry I just have a lot on my mind," I told her and I messed with the back of my hair.
"Like what?" Will asked as he threw an arm around Christina. I shook my head
"Just if abs is okay and if she's going to make it for training," I lied as I crossed my arms and started walking again.
"She'll make it," Al smiled at me. I returned his smile and nodded. I kept my head down as we walked down the hall way. Al had changed the subject thankfully and was talking nonstop with Will. Chris listened intently and added a word here and there. I was only half paying attention because it was about something that I didn't exactly get. it must have been a Candor or Erudite thing. I looked over at Tris and she was simply listening. It was still weird to me that I had friends now. It felt good having people other than your sibling to talk to and joke around with.
"Looks like your buddy isn't here today," Christina said to me as we walked into the pity. I looked up to see that she was right. Four was standing in The Pit by himself and no Eric. I looked around one last time to make sure he wasn't around to hear me.
"Maybe he's off taking some girl's virginity that she offered up to him," I said and everyone started laughing.
"Are you sure you don't belong in Candor?" Will laughed as we made our way to Four.
"Nope Dauntless straight up," I smiled, "I may be honest but I'm not that honest," when we reached four he seemed absolutely amused.
"Anymore comments about one of our leaders today Amity?" he asked me.
"Which leader are we speaking of sir?" I asked him.
"The one that you embarrassed yesterday," I looked down as my friends started laughing. Will playfully elbowed me as he laughed.
"Not at this moment sir," I told him.
"Well if you want to stay in Dauntless it's best to keep your mouth shut," I nodded and kept my eyes down.
"What's his problem?" Christina asked as she turned his back to him.
"Maybe it's the sexual tension between him and Eric," I joked. Will and Christina laugh out of shock. Tris just seemed unamused by my joke and Al just rolled his eyes.
"I'm pretty sure they're not like that," he said.
"It's just a joke sorry," I said and kept my eyes down. As soon as everyone was in The Pit Four started leading us down the corridor that we came through just days ago. It was weird to think just last week I was in Amity wishing I was somewhere else.
"You okay?" Tris asked me.
"Yeah just thinking of home," I told her. Tris started to look far away herself. I guess she missed home as well.
"I can't wait for Visiting day what about you?" I smiled at her as we climbed the stairs.
"yeah," she lightly smiled.
"I can't wait till Eric find out I'm the oldest of five," I smiled thinking of his horrified face.
"Five?" she seemed astonished.
"Yeah there is me Abs our younger brother Aston who is thirteen Asa who is eight and Audrey who is going to be four next month," we kept climbing the stairs. "what about you? any brothers and sisters?"
"Just an older brother he just transferred to Erudite," she told me.
"Are you a twin too?" I asked her.
"No just really close in age," I nodded. We reached the roof I was one of the last people out on the roof. I looked around to see a few dummies set up and a table covered in guns. I swallowed hard as I saw the guns. I looked up from the table and there stood Eric. I averted my eyes down as I felt the tingling in my arm start up again. I rubbed my arm trying to shake the feeling.
"Lil," I looked up to see my sister. I smiled and I ran up and hugged her tightly. I was worried about her all night and if her over doing it yesterday would effect her rank negatively or if she would even show up today. When I hugged Abigail her body went stiff which was weird. After a few seconds Abby started hugging me back. I rubbed her back for a second then pulled away.
"Are you okay?" I asked her. She nodded but she didn't seem like herself. I looked over at Eric who was watching us and all I could feel was pure rage. "What the hell did you do to her!" I started to charge at him but Abby grabbed my arm. Accusing Eric of doing something to my sister was defiantly the wrong move to pull in the morning. Eric got in my face he came so close that his breath washed over my face and I could see his rage burning in his steel eyes. I swore I was about to die in that moment.
"I just relayed the same message that I did you yesterday," he said in a calm lethal voice. That moment I should have just kept my mouth shut.
"So you told her she was weak and pathetic?" I asked him. He seemed to be amused but he was still full of anger.
"I simply told her that if neither of you get your act together you'll both be factionless," he told me in his clam anger. "and if you took the time she probably would have told you she still felt like shit and vomited on the way up here," I looked over at Abby and she looked pale and looked like she could be sick any second. Abby simply nodded confirming what he said. I relaxed a little and I looked back at Eric.
"I'm sorry sir," I told him and I hung my head down. He leant down and whispered in my ear.
"Yell at me like that in front of the other initiates again and you'll find yourself factionless," I simply nodded keeping my eyes down.
"Yes sir," Eric straightened up.
"Today you'll learn how to fire a gun," he announced "you will also learn how to load and clean one too!" I kept my eyes away from him as he spoke but I kept my ears open and listened. I started looking up again when he actually started teaching us how to take the gun apart. He showed us how to clean it first. He handled his handgun carefully like it was a new born calf. Each movement was gentle and he actually seemed relaxed as he handled the gun. Once he was done cleaning it he put it back together and then taught us how to reload it.
"Hold this button on the side and slam the magazine back into place," he did the act as he spoke. "Once loaded make sure the safety is on or off if you want to use it afterwards," Eric then aimed the gun directly at my head, Abby took my hand instantly. Eric smiled at Abby's reaction "Relax Twin Two there isn't a round in the chamber yet," he grabbed the slide and pulled it back then aimed it back at me. I didn't show any emotion on the outside but inside I was terrified. "Too shoot it make sure the safety is off," he lowered the gun "pulled the slide which enters a round in the chamber," he glared at me one last time before turning his back on us. He had both hands on the gun and aimed it at a target. He told us the stance and how to keep our arms. I watched intently making sure I would get everything right. Once he finished speaking he fired. I nearly jumped out of my skin when the shot rang out. He then took another stance with only one hand on the gun and his body was facing Four who was watching on the side. Eric kept his eyes and gun on the target and fired again. He then changed hands and took the same stance and fired again. I didn't like the sound of the gun nor did I want to touch the stupid thing. Eric had the power to kill at that point and if he wanted he could have killed me. I swallowed hard as he turned around to face us. "Each of you take a gun," he ordered "start your target practice and after lunch you will be starting on the rifles," I looked at the guns as each person grabbed one that was on the table in front of us. I looked at Abby and she wanted to touch the things as much as I did. (Not at all) "Is there a problem Twins One and Two?" Eric asked us. I wanted to yell at him saying I was not taking a gun after he just pointed one at my head.
"no sir," I said and kept my eyes down. it was better for me to just keep my mouth shut for the rest of the day.
"I'm not touching it," of course the one time I don't talk back my sister does. I looked over at Abby and I saw a determined look in her eye. I looked back at Eric and he was slightly surprised.
"I would have suspected your sister to talk back but you," he smiled out of amusement. I grabbed a gun and I put it into her hand. If anyone was getting kicked out of Dauntless because of their mouth it was me. Abby looked at me like I just said something bad about our home faction.
"Just take the gun Abs," she looked at me like I had betrayed her trust.
"Listen to your sister," Eric said with an amused smile, "or become factionless," Abby's eyes widened as he said that. She got a better grip on the gun and walked over the target between Tris and Will. I looked at the table of guns and picked one up. The cool steel felt wrong in my hands. I wanted to drop it back on the table but Eric was standing right there watching me. My heart was racing and everything I had just learned was gone. "Well?" I looked up at Eric to see annoyance already covering his face. I swallowed hard and I walked over to the only free target left (ten feet away from Eric). I stood in front of the target and looked between the gun and it.
"Take aim," Four called I was panicking even more and I couldn't even remember the stance I was supposed to take or how. I looked over at everyone as they took their stances. I tried to think back to what Eric was doing but I couldn't remember. "Fire!" everyone started shooting their targets. I jumped t the sound of the gun fire. the gun fell out of my hand and hit the ground.
"What the hell was that?!" Eric yelled from ten feet away. Eric walked over to me and his anger filled gaze.
"I'm from Amity what do you expect!" I shouted out of pure panic. I jumped again as more gun fire went off.
"Your more pathetic than your sister," when he said that I felt like I was back in Amity. I was always told why couldn't I be just like Abby. Why can't you behave like Abigail? Why can't you show kindness and compassion like Abby? You should be more like your sister. I was always lesser than my sister. "Pick up the gun," he said in a lethal tone. My anger was waking everything up inside me again. I picked up the gun and did as he taught. I turned the safety off and I put a bullet in the chamber; I aimed it at the target. I looked down the barrel and I let out a slow breath as I pulled the trigger. Eric looked at the target and scowled. I put the gun down and I was stunned by what happened. "Everyone hold!" Eric called. Eric looked over to Four, "Who hit dead center already?" Eric asked him.
"Edward and Peter," he answered
"How many times did it take?" he asked the two boys.
"Second try," Edward told him.
"Fourth try," Peter glared at Edward with a lethal look. Eric looked back at my target and took several steps forward till he was examining my target. I had hit dead center of the target first try. Eric looked back to me.
"This is the first time you fired a gun correct?" he asked me.
"Yes sir," I told him. Eric walked back to me so he could look me in the eye.
"Continue," he called to everyone and they started shooting again. I jumped a little when they started firing. He kept looking at me like he was trying to figure me out. "Your stance was horrible but your aim was that of an average trained dauntless woman," he looked me up and down. "Take your stance," he told me. I took my stance and held my gun out with both hands. "Your feet should be a shoulders with apart," he kicked my boots with his. I shortened the distance between my feet. He reached for my arms but he stopped. "Straighten your arms," he told me. I straightened my arms, he pointed up gesturing towards my hands. I raised my hands a bit "fire," he told me. I let off a shot and the gun nearly fell out of my hands. I looked at the target and I was slightly off from my first shot. "Hold it tighter," I nodded and tried not to flinch as the person next to me shot a round. "Ignore everything else," he told me. I nodded and I aimed my gun for the head of the dummy. I looked down the barrel and fired. The bullet went directly between the eyes like Eric had aimed at me. "Nice job if you were aiming there," Eric commented out of annoyance.
"I was," I smiled. He looked at me with an unamused expression on his face.
"Keep practicing," he told me and walked away. I turned back to my target and fired. I turned back at Eric
"Eric," he looked back at me, "thank you," he simply nodded and walked back to his spot next to Four. I turned back to my target and continued practicing. After a few hours Four called lunch I went to my sister's side as she bent over trying not to throw up. I rubbed her back as she started to throw up.
"Come on let's get you to the infirmary," I said to her.
"No I'm okay," she said as she started throwing up again.
"Listen to your sister," Four said and handed her a bottle of water. Abby nodded and took the water. She took a swig and rinsed out her mouth. "You guys better go before Eric gets pissed," he told us. I helped Abby down to the infirmary where I left her. I then went to lunch where I sat with my friends.
"Where's Abby?" Christina asked.
"Infirmary she started throwing up again," I told her as I grabbed some food to eat. I snuck my teeth into a burger and chewed happily.
"That was really impressive today," Will told me, "you have quite the knack for guns,"
"Which was weird because you're from Amity," Christina added.
"I did never fit in at home," I shrugged.
"Neither did I," Tris told me, "it was always easier for my brother to be selfless than it was for me,"
"I guess it was because we were meant for Dauntless," I suggested.
"Not if you keep your attitude up with Eric," Al stated.
"Maybe its sexual tension," Peter said from the other end of the table.
"You know I can easily miss my target when we go back to the range," I shot him a glare. Peter just smiled at me.
"I didn't say that it was double sided," he started laughing, "who would want to fuck a inbred peace lover," I grabbed the tin cup and chucked it at his head. The cup hit him directly above the eye. "Inbred bitch!" Peter shot up from his seat and came at me. I shot up and was ready to take him on.
"Come on Ass hole!" Peter managed to punch me in the face. I fell to the ground and he kicked me in the gut when I was down. When he came to kick me again I wrapped my arms around his leg as his foot made contact. I swung my legs up and I kicked him in the groin. He yelped in pain and fell to the ground. I pinned him to the ground and I started punching him in the face. As I lifted my arm up to punch him again he punched me in the ribs. I gasped in pain and he flipped us over. He pinned me to the ground and shock went through my body as I felt his clammy hands on my bare skin. Somehow my arms became exposed so now Peter was touching my bare skin. Peter's knee was against my chest and was holding me in place. Peter's held my arms above my head with one hand while the other was free. Peter smiled as he punched me in the face braking my nose. I tried to wiggle my arms free from his touch. Panic was rising in me. "Stop touching me," I begged.
"What was that Amity?" he smiled as he realized I didn't like to be touched. Instead of releasing me he dove his free hand under my shirt. He touched my scared side and my skin crawled.
"STOP TOUCHING ME!" I started screaming. I tried kicking but I couldn't get him off of me.
"Sorry does that mean you like it?" he smiled.
"Get off of her!" Christina tried pulling Peter of but he back handed her away. Christina hit the ground hard.
"Get him off her!" Will's voice yelled as people tried to pull Peter off of me. Peter's hand was going up my scared side and just touching my bare skin only because I hated it. I tried to free my arms or kick him off but I was failing. Will tried to pulled peter off of me. Peter was dumb enough to let go of my arms to back hand Will away. I took the advantage and I punched Peter in the ribs. Peter seemed unfazed and turned his back hand on me. His hand jerked up to my bra and he smiled. I started screaming again and tried to fight him off. Will Al and all other the other initiates (who gave a rat's ass) kept trying to get Peter off of me. All of a sudden Peter was torn off of me. I rolled away from where Peter was holding me down. Someone put their hands on me and I screamed.
"It's okay," Tris' voice broke through. I looked back at Peter to see Eric holding him by the collar of his jacket.
"usually I wouldn't say a word about using someone's weakness against them," Eric said in a lethal ton, "but just using it just to fuck with them is cowardice," Eric let go of Peter and Peter dropped to the ground. Eric looked back at me "what happened?"
"He started the whole thing," Christina said as she held the back of her head. Eric looked at her with a lethal look.
"I wasn't talking to you Candor," Eric grabbed the part of my arm that wasn't exposed and pulled me up. He dragged me out of the mess hall and threw me against the wall. I didn't stay standing I slide against the wall and I curled around myself on the floor. I was shaking and trying to calm my heart rate. I wrapped my arms around myself and I was on the verge of crying. The feeling of Eric's hand was gone and it was replaced by the cold clammy touch of Peter's. I could feel his touch everywhere on me and I felt like I was going to be sick. "Zed," I looked up at Eric as I felt a tear slide down my face. Eric knelt down in front of me. "What happened?" it was the first time he used my name. "Zed what happened?" I looked down.
"He said I was an inbred peace lover," I told him, "I lost my temper and I threw a tin cup at him."
"That was stupid," he was annoyed. All I could do was roll my eyes and laugh.
"Really? Well I guess it's a good thing I didn't transfer to Erudite," I said and a tear rolled down my eye. I looked down "I thought I could take him," I said pushing back my tears.
"You thought wrong," he stood up and held out his hand, "let's get you to the infirmary," I took his hand and he pulled me up. We started walking to the infirmary; I kept my head down as we walked. Eric kept his hand on the small of my back. His large hand radiated warmth on my back. I welcomed this touch because of how benign it was. Probably to Eric it didn't mean anything but to me it was a simple act of kindness. Eric looked down at me as he realized I was still shaking and he moved his hand off of my back. "You really don't like be touched do you?" he asked me.
"I never have," I kept my eyes on the ground, "I don't know why I just never did," I walked through the door of the infirmary and saw Abby taking a few pills. Her eyes widened as she saw me. Abby jumped from her bed and ran to me.
"What happened?" Abby asked as she looked at my bloody face.
"Her temper," Eric said and walked away to get a nurse. i thought for a second that I saw a spark of hate in my sister's eyes. She looked back at me and all I could see was sorrow in my twin's eyes.
"Did he do this?" she asked me. I crossed my arms and shook my head.
"Peter couldn't keep his mouth shut," I told her.
"What do you expect he's from Candor," she said and tried to wipe some of the blood off my face. A nurse came over and sat me on a bed. The nurse told me that I had a few cracked ribs a split lip and a broken nose. Abby squeezed my hand as the nurse set my nose back into place.
"Alright you're free to go," he smiled at me.
"Thanks," I grabbed my jacket and made my way back and left the infirmary. I pulled on my jacket and zipped it up to my neck. I tried to shake the feeling of everyone's hands on me but I couldn't. I knew I was going to have a huge freak out soon; and it wasn't going to be pretty.
"Where are you going?" Abby asked as she jogged up to me.
"The roof we're doing rifles now," I told her.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I stop and my rage burst through.
"Do you want to become factionless?!" I snapped at her. Abby took a step back away from me.
"Lil, you need to calm down," she told me.
"I just had the shit kicked out of me plus I had twenty people touching me today!" I shouted feeling my rage and tears boiling to the surface.
"Zed you're freaking out!" Abby yelled at me. She was right I was on the verge of freaking out. I simply nodded and started walking.
"We're already late," I kept my head down as we made our way to the roof. Once we got up there everyone one was already firing their guns. Peter looked over at me and smiled.
"Come back for more?" I went to tackle him to the ground but a large tattooed arm stopped me. I looked up at Eric and his steel eyes were burning holes into my head.
"Save it for the ring," I was confused when he said the ring. "Both of you go with Four and he'll catch you up," Eric ordered.
"Yes Sir," Abby said and grabbed the sleeve of my jacket and pulled me to where Four was standing. As four spoke my mind wandered.
What did Eric mean by the ring?