Chapter 22

Riley's leg wouldn't stop bouncing as she sat in the crowded room. It was time for testing, and every time a name was called, it caused her heart to race. Tris was next to her, equally as nervous. This test would determine if they lived or died. If the leaders found out she was Divergent, they would kill her. At the same time, if she failed, she would be Factionless. "I need to talk to you about something afterward," Tris whispered to her. "It's important."

She glanced at her, "what?"

"Four showed me something this morning," Riley could barely hear her. "About Erudite."

"Riley Eaton," a woman called out. Riley stared at Tris, not sure what the conversation could possibly be about. There wasn't time to question her. They had already called her name.

"Good luck."

Riley stood up and slowly walked over to the woman. It took her a moment, but she recognized her. It was the woman who initiated her test. Her name was Tori. "Tori?"

The dark-haired woman glanced up and sighed. She recognized her. "Oh, gosh." Riley stepped inside the door, and Tori closed it behind them. Riley wanted to ask her so many questions, but she froze as Tori opened the next door. There was a singular orange chair with at least a hundred people in the room. Eric wasn't lying when he said they watch. Everyone was watching.

Riley stepped further into the room and looked around. She saw Jeanine off to the side, and a few feet away was Eric. He was speaking with Max, but his eyes were on her. There was a moment where Riley was unsure of what to do. Eric seemed ready to walk over but never had the chance. Four beat him to it. "Riley," he took in her frightened state. "Breathe. You'll do fine." They began walking towards the chair. "They can see your hallucinations on the screen." She nodded, "get past your fears the way a Dauntless would, but do it fast."

"I know," Riley rubbed her hands together. It was clear to anyone watching she was nervous. "Thank you, Four."

"Good luck," he smiled sadly. He walked away, and she stepped onto the platform that held the chair. Taking a seat, she noticed the giant screen that would show her hallucinations.

Riley looked forward again and tried to relax in the chair. But Eric was standing directly in front of her, his arms folded. Tori brushed a piece of her hair back and held the needle tightly. "Tori-"

"Good luck," she whispered. The needle went into her neck, and Riley flinched. "I do hope you make it." When she moved away, her eyes went back to Eric. She blinked once, then twice before letting her head fall back.

Pressing her eyelids together to allow a minute of composure, she reopened them. However, the room was different. It was a room she had been in before. Sitting up on the metal table, she inspected the room. The floor around her erupted in flames, and she quickly got to her feet.

Fear number one, fire. The last time Riley marched straight through the flames, it couldn't harm her. But she needed to think like a Dauntless. Glancing at the ceiling, she noticed a sprinkler system. Slipping off her shoe, she went to the edge of the table. Standing on her toes, she used her shoe to hit the sprinkler. The first time she missed, but not the second time. The moment the shoe hit the sprinkler, water began pouring down. Riley's hair grew damp, but the flames vanished. Hopping down from the table, she hurried to the door. Pushing it open, she walked inside but was met with a wooden wall. Riley attempted to move back, but she was closed in. Riley tried to slam her hands on the wood, but it wasn't budging.

Fear number two, suffocation. She tried to think of a Dauntless way to get out, and Riley glanced down at her legs. Raising her right leg, the one still wearing a boot. She wedged it against the splintering wood and pushed with all her strength. Taking a second to recatch her breath, she did it again. 

The wood against her knee snapped, creating a small hole. Riley wedged her foot up and began pushing against the boards underneath. Once two more boards snapped, she pushed the pieces away. Using her body strength, Riley managed to squeeze her legs first. Once she was all the way out, her body fell forward onto a table. She sighed and rolled onto her back. The sound of hissing filled her ears, and Riley peered over the top of the table. The entire floor was filled with snakes. 

Fear number three, snakes. Riley was prompt to get back to her feet, and she searched the room for any way to get out. This room was identical to the first room, meaning it also had a sprinkler system. Water wouldn't save her, but the pipes would. There was a door across from her, and Riley moved back on the table. Taking a step, she jumped into the air and grabbed onto the pipe.

She dangled in the air for a moment, the snakes underneath not paying any attention to her. Swinging slightly, she found a small open spot close to the door. Riley swung her legs back and threw herself forward. Landing in the open area perfectly, she reached for the door. As it opened, she jumped over the snakes and into the new room.

Darkness surrounded her, and once fully inside. The light from the previous room was gone. 

Fear number four, the dark. Riley took a shaky breath and tried to think straight. Using her hands, she guided herself through the room. This was an illusion. It wasn't real. But everyone was watching her. Eric was watching her. They needed to believe that she thought this was real.

Riley's hands found something cold. It was glass. Taking a step back, she kicked forward and into the glass. As expected, it shattered. Light began to pour in, and Riley used her jacket to break the rest of the glass. Stepping through the window, she entered a new room. This one was different. It was the entrance to the pit, and Riley apprehensively took a step forward. The fears were turning darker, and she worried that her resolve would crumble. Everyone was watching her, and they could figure out she was Divergent if she made any mistakes. Riley had to be careful.

The pit was full of people, but they were all dead. Everyone she cared about, all were lying in different spots. Christina was slumped against the wall, a gunshot wound to her head. Tris and Will were close by, each in their own pool of blood. Al was there, despite what he did to her. She cared for him, but he was also dead. A few feet away was Tobias. Riley gasped and put a hand over her mouth. Next to Tobias was Eric. They were both dead. Their lifeless eyes were staring back at her.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she glanced up at a mirror that was on the wall. It wasn't something found in the pit, but this wasn't real. It was all in her head. The person staring back at her was herself. She was covered in blood, and she was holding a gun in her hand.

Riley stepped closer and quickly figured out what was going on. 

Fear five, losing what she loves. "Faction before blood," someone spoke. She spun around to see Jeanine with a bright smile on her face. "We have one more person. To see if you really are Dauntless." Riley followed her gaze and noticed a figure standing a few feet away. They were wearing all white, and Riley stared into their eyes. Or her eyes. The person standing there was her. "You know what you have to do."

Fear six, losing herself. The two fears were combined into one illusion. She lost herself the moment she pulled the trigger on her friends. But ending herself for good showed that she couldn't be saved. 

Riley raised the gun and aimed it at herself. "Please, don't do this." The all-white outfit her clone was wearing contradicted the black outfit she stood in. It was the pure version of herself. Riley took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

When Riley opened her eyes next, she saw her surroundings had changed. She was in her bedroom. Her Abnegation bedroom. The grey outfit wasn't something she missed, and without missing a beat, she pushed up from the bed.

Venturing down the small hallway, Riley tried to hide her fear. She was back home in a place she feared more than anything. With the person, she feared more than anything.

Fear number seven, her father. It was quiet, almost too quiet. The room was empty, except for a few bottles. "Riley," the sound of her father's voice caused a chill to go down her spine. "Riley." Out of habit, she began to follow his voice. He was in the kitchen, as he was constantly. "I'm doing this to help you." The voice bounced around the walls.

Riley stepped fully into the room and noticed the man standing across from her. There was a bottle in his hand. Tobias had been around for belts, but after he left, Marcus switched to bottles. He was angrier after Tobias. "You're so much like your mother." Riley started to forget about the test. About the room full of people watching her. "You know I love you." She had heard it before. The same routine, and every time, she wanted to believe him.

"I know."

He dropped the bottle, and Riley flinched as the glass splattered around. Marcus moved closer, and she found herself stepping back. She was scared of him, but he was her father. "I'm doing this for you," Marcus told her. "For you." Marcus dashed forward and grabbed her shirt, slamming her back onto the kitchen table. He had never been this violent before, but her biggest fear was this exact scenario. Riley cried out as he picked her back up and slammed her down again. There was a sharp pain in her lower back, and Riley gasped.

This wasn't real, but right now, that was hard to remember. He wasn't here, but it felt so real. Riley pushed her knees up into his chest and used her legs to create distance between them. Once he let go, Riley launched her legs straight out and sent him backward. It didn't take him long to recover, and in a panic, she reached behind her. Grabbing the only object, a glass bottle, she raised her arm and slammed the item into his head. Marcus fell to the ground, going completely limp.

Riley gasped as she sat up in the chair. A hand on her shoulder caused her to focus. It was Tobias. "Hey," he whispered. There was murmuring coming from others watching them. The test was over. "You did well. It looked good to me."

"Thanks, Four," Riley whispered. It took her a moment to regain her composure, and she felt slightly embarrassed that everyone had seen what she feared. Mostly because Eric had seen. Tobias didn't speak further, and Riley pushed herself out of the chair. Without looking at anyone, she headed for the door. Her eyes were on the floor the entire time.