Chapter of Insurgent (the actual book): 2
Disclaimer: I don't own the Divergent trilogy or any of the characters
I feel my eyes, half open, fluttering, as they try to find something to stare at in the dark hallway. I walk deftly towards the door that harbors Tris.
Knocking softly, I hear her lovely voice reply. "Come in," she says softly, voice hoarse.
I tug my deep red Amity shirt down, trying to ignore the brightness of it.
"The Amity are meeting in half an hour," I say, my voice taking on a hint of melodrama. "To decide our fate," I say, my eyebrows quirking.
Tris shakes her head in shame. "Never thought my fate would be in the hands of a bunch of Amity."
"Me either. Oh, I bought you something," I say, humor still residing on my face. I open a bottle, pulling out a dropper filled with a water-like liquid. "Pain medicine. Take a dropperful every six hours."
"Thanks," Tris says quietly. She squeezes the dropper into her throat. She makes a face, probably because it tastes like lemon.
Awkwardly, I hook my finger in my belt loop, teetering on my heels.
"How are you, Beatrice?" I ask softly.
"Did you just call me Beatrice?" She sounds incredulous.
I smile softly to myself. "Thought I would give it a try. Not good?"
"Maybe on special occasions only," she says, smiling through her mock disgust. I can't help but smile back. "Initiation days, Choosing days…" her voice trails off.
I don't think that Tris realizes that there will be no more Initiation days. Not anymore.
"It's a deal," I say, smile fading. "How are you, Tris?"
I see her muscles tense, and I don't know why, but guilt floods through my veins.
"I'm…" her voice trails off again. She keeps shaking her head. "I don't know, Four." Her use of my nickname scares me a little. "I'm awake. I…"
She still shakes her head. Nervously, I slide my hand softly across her cheek, pressing my lips softly into hers.
Her eyes fill with guilt as I pull away.
"I know," I whisper. The fear in her eyes tells me that she did something horrible. I know exactly what she's thinking. How do you know? "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
She closes her eyes, savoring something only she can see.
"I'll let you get ready," I whisper.
She leaves for the shower, and I think it might be a good idea to do the same.
After I get out of the shower, I find Caleb waiting outside my door for me.
It's time for the trial, then.
We walk quietly down the hallway to Tris's room.
When we arrive, I see a different person than the small, skinny, Abnegation girl I met a month ago.
"You cut your hair," Caleb says in shock.
"Yeah," she says softly. "It's… too hot for long hair."
"Fair enough," Caleb says.
We walk down the hallway together, the only sound filling my ears is the creaking of the old floorboards.
"Does everyone know you're Marcus's son?" It takes me a minute to realize that Caleb is talking to me. "The Abnegation, I mean?"
"Not to my knowledge," I say softly. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't mention it."
"I don't need to mention it," he says snottily. "Anyone with eyes can see it for themselves," he says, giving me a classic Erudite frown. "How old are you, anyway?"
"Eighteen," I say, knowing exactly what's coming next.
"And you don't think you're too old to be with my little sister?" He turns, facing me point-blank.
I let out a short laugh. "She isn't your little anything."
"Stop it," Tris says sternly. "Both of you."
A crowd of Amity stand cautiously before us, staring as we bicker.
We step through the wide open doors to the trial room, looking at the faces staring back at us.
I hear Tris take in a gulp of air beside me, and I touch my fingertips to the small of her back to comfort her.
Every second feels like my skin is burning, and by the time it starts, my flesh is gone.
"We have before us today an urgent question," she says, "which is: How will we conduct ourselves in this time of conflict as people who pursue peace?"
Every Amity in the room starts to talk.
"How do they get anything done?" Tris asks me.
"They don't care about efficiency," I respond softly, so only she can hear me. "They care about agreement. Watch."
Everyone in the room sits in small circles discussing. I only catch a few words, but Dauntless and Erudite seem to be repeated often.
"This is bizarre," Tris says.
"I think it's beautiful," I respond with integrity, ignoring the look Tris shoots me.
That's the one good thing about being with the Amity, I don't have to keep up the facade of being Dauntless anymore.
"What?" I ask, with a laugh. "They each have an equal role in government; they each feel equally responsible. And it makes them care; it makes them kind. I think that's beautiful."
"I think it's unsustainable," Tris says grumpily. "Sure, it works for the Amity. But what happens when not everyone wants to strum banjos and grow crops? What happens when someone does something terrible and talking about it doesn't solve the problem?"
A little bit of me dies in her words. Beatrice Prior is many things, smart, deadly, cunning, attractive, but she isn't kind. I may not be the kindest person either, but at least I try. At least I value peace.
But all I can do is shrug. "I guess we'll find out."
"They're not going to let us argue with them, are they," she says.
"I doubt it," I whisper back.
The same thought that flashes across her eyes is in my mind. We are screwed.
After a long time of waiting, Johanna Reyes finally takes her seat.
"Our faction has had a close relationship with Erudite for as long as we can remember. We need each other to survive, and we have always cooperated with each other. But we have also had a strong relationship with Abnegation in the past, and we do not think it is right to revoke the hand of friendship when it has for so long been extended," she says, voice sweet. "We feel that the only way to preserve our relationships with both factions is to remain impartial and uninvolved. Your presence here, though welcome, complicates that."
Here comes the doom.
"We have arrived at the conclusion that we will establish our faction headquarters as a safe house for members of all factions, under a set of conditions. The first is that no weaponry of any kind is allowed on the compound. The second is that if any serious conflict arises, whether verbal or physical, all involved parties will be asked to leave. The third is that the conflict may not be discussed, even privately, within the confines of this compound. An the fourth is that everyone who stays here must contribute to the welfare of this environment by working. We will report this to Erudite, Candor, and Dauntless as soon as we can."
Suddenly, her eyes smack into mine.
"You are welcome to stay here if and only if you abide by our rules. This is our decision."
Suddenly, I think of Tris's gun in her room.
We won't last long.
"We won't be able to stay long," she whispers to me.
"No," I respond, frowning. "We won't."
As usual, I'll mention:
FFN still won't allow me to post in Welsh. PLEASE email them about this and tag the 'Subject' line: [category] New Language: Welsh:Cymraeg
Thanks!