Sorry if this chapter seems a little abrupt, but I really just wanted to get into initiation. But thanks for reading this far, if you are. –Lil
Chapter 3
We stand waiting patiently, circled around the factions. My parents position themselves on the stage, alongside Eric, another dauntless leader. My mother finds me in the crowd and gives me a small smile. Suddenly a hush falls over the crowd, and Marcus Eaton, the abnegation leader, brings his hand up to begin. Marcus Eaton is the only leader that I have never met personally. My parents seem to avoid him at all costs.
I have been to this ceremony almost every year since I was born, and nothing ever changes. I tune out, until they start to call names. They begin from the A's this time, and it seems to take forever. Cade Alderson. Jessa Burke. Ella Callaway. Drake Donovan. With every letter, my heart starts to beat faster and faster. Maybe I do want the quiet life in abnegation, always knowing where I belong and never having to be worried about if I could die when I go to work. But, maybe I want the rush of the zip line. Maybe I want the thrill of jumping off of a moving train. Would I be happy if I stayed? I thought that I had already figured everything out.
"Calah Eaton."
My heart sinks as my feet propel me forward slowly. I walk up to the bowls carefully, as if my presence might break them. Marcus looks… shocked. But there is something in the look that sends chills down my spine. I lift the knife that he offers me, shifting it from palm to palm for a second. I finally take it in my right hand, making a long cut down my left. I can barely feel the pain though.
My clenched hand hovers between abnegation and dauntless for a long moment. I am not ready for this. I look away as I release my blood. For a moment, I am not entirely sure what I pick, until I hear the drops sizzle over hot coals.
Young dauntless members pump their fists behind me shouting. I sit down in one of the few spots left towards the front. It's not long before Huxley is called, strutting her way down the aisle to the bowls. The overly confident swing in her walk makes me giggle, which results in a few dirty looks from the candor seated near us. Huxley spills her blood over the coals proudly, just as I knew she would.
The ceremony continues on endlessly with only an occasional transfer, each one receiving a new level of faction disapproval. I look back up at Marcus, who is calling out the last of the names. I had seen him before, even at dauntless to discuss different matters with our leaders. But there was something about him that I just couldn't place. Huxley plops down in the chair beside me and smiles. Then I realize that I am still staring at Marcus. I shake off the feeling; I can snoop around later.
"What is that all about?" Huxley asks me. I didn't really know how to explain it to her.
"Just thinking, I guess" I smile politely at her. I can tell that she knows something is up. Growing up with a parent from Candor and another from Erudite, Huxley can always tell when I am lying and can usually figure out why. Much to her dismay, she represses the urge to ask about it and changes the subject rather quickly.
"So we're finally initiates. We are going to kick ass" she proclaims. I laugh at her.
"I guess so" we sit quietly until it is finally over. Marcus and the other leaders give us a few words of encouragement. When it is time, the dauntless, aside from our leaders, hurl themselves out of the Hub, towards the tracks. All of the transfers manage to catch up to us once we stop at the edge. The train flashes in front of us, and we take off in a sprint. This was my first act of bravery when I was young. I grab hold of the last car's railing. I slide the door open for the transfers. Huxley and I help five transfers in before the path drops off from the side of the tracks. Everyone made it.
I look around to see two rather handsome erudite boys, two candor, a girl and boy who appear to be siblings, and an amity girl. I think her name is River. It is rare for amity to become dauntless. I could probably count on one hand the number of times it had happened before. Like the abnegation, they are raised believing that violence is wrong in any event, and that is what dauntless is known for.
In recent years, the government has been easily encouraging for people to stay in the factions that they were born to, so the numbers of transfers has dropped. Even so, transferring to a different faction is still legally acceptable. It is just more of a taboo than ever before.
"Where is the dauntless compound located exactly?" One of the boys from erudite finally speaks up. He is tall and lanky, with dark blonde hair and hazel colored eyes. He is attractive to say the least.
Huxley represses a smile. "You'll find out soon" she says sinking to the floor.
It was a long ride through the city, as normal. Huxley and I sit next to the door, while the transfers make small talk on the other side of the car. We start to get close to the dauntless sector. I can see the old glass building gleaming ahead of the tracks. I slide the door open and stand, bearing my weight against the wind that floods the car. All of the transfers look confused.
"Be brave" I say just before throwing myself out onto a nearby roof. I stumble a bit but land on my feet. Huxley follows, falling to her knees as she does. But she stands up almost instantly. The transfers fly out of the car, screaming and panicking. Each one hits the ground harder than the last. Once everyone has gotten to their feet again, we walk to Eric who is balancing on the edge of the roof.
"Welcome to dauntless. I am Eric, and I am your leader. Well, one of them" he mutters. "You may have heard things about dauntless. They are all true" he gives us a wicked smile which pulls at his piercings. "I do not waste time explaining and getting to know each other, so let's get into it. First, you must commit one small act of bravery right now." Eric pauses, combing through us with his eyes, measuring us like his prey. "Jump" he commands pointing at the ledge.
There is a small gasp from the candor boy which causes Eric to smirk.
"Who's first? Eric toys.
Without thinking, my hand pushes straight up in the air. I am the only one.
"Must run in the family. Well go ahead then." This causes a look from everyone, except for Huxley. She knows my parents far too well.
I scale my way up the half-wall. I am really pretty short, so it takes more effort than it should. Most of the dauntless-born laugh, including Eric.
I look down and see a massive hole in the roof, stories below me. I don't bother to look back at the others. They cannot afford to lose anyone. They won't kill us. I jump. Everything slows down, and I can feel adrenaline pulsing through my body. I am engulfed in the black hole. Suddenly, there is a snap across my back. A net.
I laugh for a second. They won't kill us. Of course they would. They just haven't tried yet. There is a pull on one side of the net. I start to roll down, until I feel someone catch me. My father. He helps me onto the platform, which is when I see my mother standing beside him. In this moment, when my parents look at me, I really do know that they are proud.
"First jumper, Calah" my father shouts, cheers erupting from the small audience. "Welcome back to dauntless." I walk over to left side of the room and wait. I hope I made the right decision.