Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent.
Brrrrrriiiiiiiing! The bell signaling the end of the school day blares throughout the room, startling most of the students. They obediently get up and file toward the door, creating a perfectly straight line.
"Class is dismissed," declares the teacher at the front of the room. She's so preoccupied with wiping down the chalkboard, she doesn't even turn to look at the kids. "Don't forget, you have eight chapters to read."
Only one student remains in his seat. Nine-year-old Eric yawns, fighting off the urge to lay his head down and take a nap. He can barely even stand, his muscles feel so tight. Like they're permanently locked in place from hours of sitting still.
But he has so much left to get done. Next, he will go home. But he won't get to sleep. No, he'll hit the books and stare at the pages until dinnertime. Then he'll eat quickly, taking in just enough calories to keep him fed, but slim. The last thing he'll do before his nightly bath is, of course, study for a few hours more.
Eric realizes he's exhausted, despite not yet having begun the long walk home.
When he passes through the school's front entrance, only a bone-chilling wind is there to greet him. The other kids are getting in their parents' cars, or they're hopping on a public bus. The kids from Abnegation, meanwhile, are sitting patiently in the cold. Waiting for the ones from Amity or Candor to get on the bus ahead of them.
Their polite smiles look sewn on, like they're a collection of rag dolls at a toy store. Their expressions blank, their eyes always looking straight ahead, as if they've been programmed by robots, and not raised by actual human beings.
Then again, are kids from Erudite the same way? Someone said that the "scientific gaze" of the average Erudite is just them checking to see if people approve of them. Could that be true?
Suddenly, Eric's impatient to get off school property. His shoes pound the sidewalk as he hurries along. He rips off the spectacles that the Erudite issued to him, shoving them deep inside his pocket.
When he sees the smears of bright red on the pavement, he freezes in his tracks. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Something's very wrong, and he knows it.
He eyeballs the bloodstains, as if at any moment they might grow limbs and attack him. Upon closer inspection, he sees that they resemble footprints. Not just any kind, either. These are the prints of a young child, no older than ten.
"Hello?" Eric ventures. He makes up his mind to track down the mystery person.
The footprints lead to a filthy space between two apartment complexes, in an area enveloped by shadows. It's not exactly the most welcoming part of town, Eric realizes. Closer to where the factionless live. For them, garbage, dilapidated buildings, and poorly paved roads are the norm. The simple act of turning on the tap and getting hot water is a luxury.
That's why Eric is wary of stepping into the alley. He knows how he'll look to his parents if they see him with a factionless child. But his curiosity can't be helped. He inches closer, holding his breath.
Huddled against the wall is a dark figure, its features nearly impossible to make out.
Eric's whole body tenses. "Hey," he greets the person, keeping his volume low. "Are you… okay?"
The person's head snaps up. He's just a kid, perhaps in Eric's year at school. Still, they don't look anything alike. This boy is a lot taller, and his skin is much darker, and his clothes are markedly different. No one from Erudite would be caught dead in that gray T-shirt.
Eric hears his heartbeat in his ears. This stranger is from Abnegation, the faction that despises Erudite the most. How will he react to Eric's polished school uniform, his neatly combed hair?
As it turns out, he's much more terrified of Eric. His hands go immediately to his face, hiding it from view. "No!" he gasps. "Don't."
Instead of withdrawing, Eric takes another step forward. He can't help noticing the cuts and blisters on the kid's feet. No wonder he's trailing blood wherever he goes.
"It's fine," Eric says, attempting to soothe the poor kid. "I'm not gonna hurt you."
Cautiously, the boy lowers his hands. The fear in his eyes is still there, but Eric's relieved to see that there's no hostility. Could this kid just want someone to talk to?
It takes a minute of coaxing, but eventually, the boy emerges from his shell. Eric learns that his name is Tobias, and that he is nine years old, and that he tripped on some rocks while running. He makes no mention of why he was running. But that's alright with Eric. The poor kid must have some lingering trauma. He might be in need of help.
"So what are you doing here?" Eric asks, trying to sound casual. As he talks, he takes out his water bottle and splashes Tobias' feet, washing his wounds clean. "You got a mom?"
Almost imperceptibly, Tobias shakes his head.
"Oh," Eric says quietly. "You have a dad?"
"One who hits me, yeah." Tobias releases a sigh. "He locked me in the closet, 'cause I told him a lie. But I got away."
"That's good," says Eric. He's suddenly thankful for his mom telling him to keep a first-aid kit in his bag, "just in case". He pulls out several rolls of gauze bandages and begins wrapping Tobias' bloodstained feet. The other boy seems to still be in pain, but he's relaxing. Opening up. To a kid from Erudite, of all places. It's hard to fathom, but maybe the two of them could even become friends.
After the initial shock of meeting him wears off, Eric makes the decision to stay with Tobias. The kid adamantly refuses to go home, convinced his father's waiting to exact his revenge. But there's no bringing him to Eric's house in the Erudite sector. Eric's parents feel nothing but hatred for the Abnegation, even their children.
Consequently, neither Eric nor Tobias has any idea of what to do next. They find themselves sitting together on the edge of what was once a brick wall. Tobias needs to rest, that's the one thing Eric is certain of.
Eric shifts a little, and suddenly, there's a metallic clink from his pocket. The pair of glasses! He almost forgot. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the hated accessory, looking at it with disdain.
Tobias notices. "Are those yours?" he asks.
Eric wrinkles his nose. "Sort of," he admits, feeling his cheeks go red. "My mom makes me wear them. She thinks they'll make me look smarter."
And suddenly, Tobias cracks up. "Oh, my God. That's hilarious."
"Stop laughing! I hate them!" Eric glares at the spectacles in his hand. Despite his outward show of anger, he's starting to like the Abnegation boy. "If I had a gun, I'd do target practice with the lenses."
Tobias just keeps giggling. To his surprise, Eric doesn't feel that embarrassed. He's more gratified that the kid from an abusive home is now smiling and happy.
Across the street, there's a sudden disturbance. A half dozen teenagers, fledgling members of Dauntless by the looks of them, are engaged in a game of paintball. Loud pops sound from their guns as they shoot at each other. Even when they're splattered with paint from head to toe, they laugh wildly. They're having the time of their lives.
Eric's eyes wander over to the side of the road, where a couple of the Dauntless teens' guns lie, just waiting to be used. He grins at Tobias. "Hey," he whispers. "You wanna go have some fun?"
Tobias smiles back, and instantly, Eric has his answer.
The aim of their game is simple. Each player gets a chance to put the glasses in a hard-to-reach spot, anywhere they see fit. Then both Eric and Tobias will get a turn with the gun. Whoever knocks the glasses to the ground first is the winner of each round.
At the moment, Eric's positioning the spectacles atop a crumbling section of the wall. He quickly scoots away, in case Tobias is already taking aim.
Sure enough, a projectile comes whizzing through the air right at him. It misses him by half an inch and slams right into the glasses. Bright red paint explodes over the lenses. The force of the impact sends the spectacles tumbling down to the sidewalk.
Eric ducks, covering his face with both hands. "Dang, you almost shot me in the head."
Then he sees the shattered glasses on the pavement. "Man, you're good!" he praises Tobias. "How'd you do that?" They're only a few rounds in, and unexpectedly, Tobias is dominating.
The Abnegation boy is grinning from ear to ear. "I learn pretty fast, I guess."
"Okay, my turn." Eric runs over to Tobias and holds out his hand. "Give me the gun." The other boy immediately passes him the weapon.
Hours have gone by. The sun's about to disappear below the horizon. Eric grips the gun firmly, about to fire off another shot, then he looks up briefly at the sky.
"It's getting late," he remarks. He glances at Tobias. "You wanna go home?" Both boys know the answer is a resounding no, but it's not like they have another option.
Tobias shrugs. "Can't go anywhere else, can I?" He sounds only mildly disappointed, but the tremor in his hands betrays his terror. Eric reluctantly tosses the gun off to the side. All of his energy is spent. The two boys begin the long trek to the Abnegation sector.
"You know… I wish there was school tomorrow." Tobias is looking at nothing in particular, but his expression is wistful. "My dad tries not to hit me on school nights."
Eric walks next to him in silence. Suddenly, a plan begins to form in his mind. Excitement bubbling up inside him, he taps Tobias on the shoulder. "Wait. I have an idea," he whispers. "You want my help?"
Tobias turns and nods. His smile has come back, and it's wider than ever. Eric finishes outlining his plan in less than a minute. Once it's all laid out, both boys feel as though a weight was taken off their shoulders. They cross into Abnegation territory, safe in the knowledge that they now have hope, as well as a newfound friendship.
AN: I think we all know what they're gonna do next. Doesn't make it any less satisfying, am I right? Next chapter comes out soon! Leave a review please!