CHAPTER 38
TRIS POV
I decide to go to bed early. I am so glad that Tobias and I have made up. Or at least we are getting there. This hasn't been easy on either of us and there is still some rebuilding to go. I get into bed and pretend that I am already asleep as the others slowly trickle in. I am still upset with the way Will and Christina reacted. I don't really care what Peter thinks of me.
I can't seem to get to sleep there are too many thoughts going through my mind. I get out of bed to get a drink of water. I'm not thirsty but I need to do something. I think of going to go and see Tobias but think better of it. I have just taken a drink from the drinking fountain when I feel someone grab me from behind.
I start to scream, but a hand slaps over my mouth. It smells like soap and it's big enough to cover the lower half of my face. I thrash, but the arms holding me are too strong, and I bite down on one of the fingers.
"Ow!" a rough voice cries out.
"Shut up and keep her mouth covered." That voice is higher than the average males' and clearer. Peter.
A strip of dark cloth covers my eyes, and a new pair of hands ties it at the back of my head. I struggle to breathe. There are at least two hands on my arms, dragging me forward, and one on my back, shoving me in the same direction, and one on my mouth, keeping my screams in. Three people. My chest hurts. I can't resist three people on my own.
"Wonder what it sounds like when a Stiff begs for mercy," Peter says with a chuckle. "Hurry up."
I try to focus on the hand on my mouth. There must be something distinct about it that will make him easier to identify. His identity is a problem I can solve. I need to solve a problem right now, or I will panic.
The palm is sweaty and soft. I clench my teeth and breathe through my nose. The soap smell is familiar. Lemongrass and sage. The same smell surrounds Al's bunk. A weight drops into my stomach.
I hear the crash of water against rocks. We are near the chasm—we must be above it, given the volume of the sound. I press my lips together to keep from screaming. If we are above the chasm, I know what they intend to do to me.
"Lift her up, c'mon."
I thrash, and their rough skin grates against mine, but I know it's useless. I scream too, knowing that no one can hear me here.
I will survive until tomorrow. I will.
Hands push me around and up and slam my spine into something hard and cold. Judging by its width and curvature, it is a metal railing. It is the metal railing, the one that overlooks the chasm. My breaths wheeze and mist touches the back of my neck. The hands force my back to arch over the railing. My feet leave the ground, and my attackers are the only think keeping me from falling into the water.
A heavy hand gropes along my chest. "You sure you're sixteen Stiff? Doesn't feel like you're more than twelve." The other boys laugh.
Bile rises in my throat and I swallow the bitter taste.
"Wait, I think I found something!" His hand squeezes me. I bite my tongue to keep from screaming. More laughter.
Al's hands slips from my mouth. "Stop that," he snaps. I recognize his low, distinct voice.
When Al lets go of me, I thrash again and slip down to the ground. This time, I bite down as hard as I can on the first arm I find. I hear a scream and clench my jaw harder, tasting blood. Something hard strikes my face. White heat races through my head. It would have been pain if adrenaline wasn't coursing through me like acid.
The boy wrenches his trapped arm away from me and throws me to the ground. I bang my elbow against stone and bring my hands up to my head to remove the blindfold. A foot drives into my side, forcing the air from my lungs. I gasp and cough and claw at the back of my head. Someone grabs a handful of my hair and slams my head against something hard. A scream of pain bursts from my mouth, and I feel dizzy.
Clumsily, I fumble along the side of my head to find the edge of the blindfold. I drag my heavy hand up, taking the blindfold with it, and blink. The scene before me is sideways and bobs up and down. I see someone running towards us and someone running away. Before he can run past the person running towards us he is knocked down and isn't moving. I grab the railing next to me and haul myself to my feet.
Peter wraps a hand around my throat and lifts me up, his thumb wedged under my chin. His hair, which is usually shiny and smooth, is tousled and sticks to his forehead. His pale face is contorted and his teeth are gritted, and he holds me over the chasm as spots appear on the edges of my vision, crowding around his face, green and pink and blue. He says nothing. I try to kick him, but my legs are too short. My lungs scream for air.
I hear a shout, and he releases me.
I stretch out my arms as I fall gasping, and my armpits slam into the railing. I hook my elbows over it and groan. Mist touches my ankles. The world dips and sways around me, and someone is on the Pit floor—Drew—screaming. I hear thumps. Kicks. Groans.
I blink a few times and focus as hard as I can on the only face I can see. It is contorted with anger. His eyes are dark blue.
"Tobias," I croak.
I close my eyes, and hands wrap around my arms, right where they join with my shoulder. He pulls me over the railing and against his chest, gathering me into his arms. Easing an arm under my knees. I press my face into his shoulder, and there is a sudden, hollow silence.
I wake up and at first I'm disorientated to where I am. Then I see Tobias sitting next to me and I realise that I am in his bedroom. He gives me a small smile and I try to smile back but I have a constant throb of pain in my head, cheek and ribs.
"How did I get here?" I ask. I have no real memory of how I got here.
"I was coming back from the control room when I heard your screams," He says.
"You're injured," I say. His knuckles are cracked and I can see dried blood on them, he also has a cut on the side of his lip. I touch my fingertips lightly to his mouth.
"Tris," he says, speaking against my fingers, "I'm all right."
He puts the ice pack on my head and says, "I should let you rest." He gets up to leave and I grab his hand.
"Stay with me?" I ask. We have only just made up after everything that has happened. I know I am asking a lot after the way I have treated him but I don't want there to be anymore distance between us. I want us to be us; I want him to know just how much I want him. I can see him hesitating; I know he is frightened that he may upset me in some way again. But if I know Tobias and me well enough we are always going to be testing each other. That was how it was when we were kids and I know now that that is just the way we roll. "Please."
He nods his head and moves onto the bed with me. He is trying to be gentle with his movements but everything hurts anyway. He lies down next to me and I hold his hand. So glad that I am here with him and that I feel safe and secure.
I wake up in Tobias' arms. I am so glad he found me when he did. I would probably be dead now if he hadn't. It makes me realise just how stupid I have been avoiding him the last few days. I didn't want to really but I felt ashamed for feeling the way I did when I knew that everything that had happened wasn't his fault. Just like what I had said wasn't the reason for his supposed death.
I am glad that I have a few days off before stage three. Now that I am in first place I feel like I can start to think about my future here in Dauntless. Hopefully a future with Tobias. "What you thinking?" Tobias asks.
"My future," I say. "I feel like I can finally start to think of my future here in Dauntless. Not have to worry that I might have to work in the retirement home or go through training again."
"No I don't think you will have to worry about those things. Peter, Drew and Al won't be included in the rankings either."
"Where are they now?" I ask.
"Drew and Al are under guard in the infirmary. Peter is missing but we will find him. How are you feeling Tris?" he says.
"Sore and tired. I still can't believe Al, I thought he was my friend," I say.
"Peter is a manipulator and a coward. He never acts alone, so he can blame others if it goes wrong. Peter knew Al in Candor he probably knew the best way to manipulate him to do what he wanted. It doesn't excuse what he did; it just makes him a bigger coward for not standing up for himself. Al was never going to fit into Dauntless eventually he would have become factionless," Tobias says.
"What will happen to them now?"
"I'm not sure. We will have a meeting, me and the other leaders, decide what should be done. They won't be staying in Dauntless that is for sure," he says. "We should get up, go and get some breakfast. I'm sure Christina will have sent out a search party for you by now."
I laugh, Tobias is probably right. The dormitory is probably looking empty this morning with almost half the initiates not staying in there last night.
"Tris I want you to stay here. At least until we find Peter," Tobias says.
"Okay," I say. I don't want to argue with him over this. I want to stay here; I want to spend as much time as I can with Tobias. "I would like that."
"I would like that too," he says. He gives me a kiss on the cheek. "Let's get up, I need food."
p/b
We walk into the dining hall. Everyone is already sitting at our table.
"What the hell happened to you?" Christina almost yells at me as I sit down.
"Peter, Drew and Al tried to throw her in the chasm last night," Tobias says.
"WHAT?" everyone shouts at the same time.
"I'm okay," I say. "Four was walking past and stopped them just in time."
"Where are they now?" Zeke asks.
"Drew and Al are in the infirmary, Peter hasn't been found," Tobias says.
"What will happen to them?" Christina asks.
"I don't know I am going to have a meeting with the other leaders after breakfast. Probably they will become factionless," Tobias says.
"We need to do something fun today," says Uriah. "Zeke are you working today?"
"No, Shauna and I both have the day off," Zeke says.
"Why don't you have a game of paintball?" Tobias says.
"Are we allowed?" Christina asks.
"Well I'm a leader and I am telling you to go and have a game of paintball," says Tobias. "Go out to the old warehouse on the north side of the compound, you won't get in anyone's way and there are places you can hide."
"You're not coming with us?" Zeke asks.
"If I finish early with the meeting I will try and meet you out there but I have to see Gus in the control room and talk to the guys down in Patrol so I may be a while," Tobias says.
"Awesome. Let's do this then," says Zeke.
"Here is a key to my apartment. When you are finished I will meet you back there," says Tobias. "Don't go anywhere by yourself, we don't know where Peter is. Stay with Zeke, he will look after you. Okay?"
"Okay," I say.
"Zeke come and get the paintball gear," Tobias says. As they get up from the table I hear him say to Zeke, "do not let her out of your sight. Walk her back to my apartment when you are done." Zeke nods. "Don't worry man I will look after her," Zeke says.
FOUR POV
I have just left my meeting with other leaders. It has been decided to make Peter, Drew and Al factionless. We have the control room and patrol all searching for any signs of Peter. Candor have also been alerted as it was his old faction. There is always the possibility that he will try and go back to his parents.
I have been in meetings for hours so I decide to go back to my apartment and see if Tris is back from paintballing yet. I walk into the apartment and I can't help but laugh. Shauna, Zeke and Tris are all standing there covered in paint. "Do we have any paintballs left in the compound or are they all on you three?" I ask.
"We may have used a few more than usual," Zeke says. "Well we are going Four, I think we all need showers. I can't wait to get this horrid smell of me. I don't get why they can't come up with a nice smelling paintball?" We all laugh and they leave the apartment.
I walk over to Tris and I go to give her a hug. "If you touch me you are going to get paint all over you," she says.
I smile. "I will take my chances," I say. I give her a hug and I am now covered in paint as well. I look down at my clothes and Tris laughs at me. "I told you so."
"Are your clothes still in the dormitory?" I ask.
"Yes I didn't think to bring them up here," she says.
"Let's go and get them. Then you can have a shower," I say. "I think it's going to take you awhile to get all that paint out of your hair."