The Initiate Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

I’m surprised that I still have my eyes wide open, that I feel no pain. Or are my nerves just concealing it? I briefly look to the floor…no blood a good sign. Eric’s facial expression dampens my relief that I am still alive. He isn’t happy with that.

“Oh come on Four you can definitely get closer than that.” Eric says or more like demands Four gets close enough to put a hole in my head. If Four has been told to do that by Eric then he’ll gladly kill his own sister.

Four nods his head. “Alright.” He says before the trigger is pulled and a bullet narrowly avoids touching the top of my head. I’m sure he caught a few loose strands. I hope that is the last of it, my nerves can’t cope with this. Eric rolls his pale grey stone-like eyes.

“You can get closer than that Four, you proved that last year.” Eric says in a nearly cheerful tone. Did Four do this to an initiate last year? Wouldn’t surprise me.

“Ok then you wanna see a little blood?” He asks with a smile that matches Marcus’s when he was about to pull a leather belt out of an Oakwood drawer.

“Just a little to teach her a lesson.” Eric says eager and ready to see me suffer all because I stood up to him.

“Alright.” Four whispers loud enough for me to just hear. Four pulls the trigger of his gun for the third time and I brace myself to feel the pain of a bullet piercing my skin. A moment passes and I feel my left sleeve is wet and heavy. A piercing pain causes my nerves and neurons to run wild. I hold my lip down to stop me swearing and blurt out something that can worsen this situation. I put my fingers on the wound to see if there is blood. A scarlet, maroonish coloured silk cover both my index and middle fingers. Like a bull it charges my anger, my desire to snap Four’s neck whether he is my brother or not.

“That’s it for today you get points for bravery but you lose them for not keeping your mouth shut.” Eric says storming off. I can’t believe that it is finally over I can finally breathe. The others follow him back to dorm. My chance to confront Four.

“You shot my shoulder. Any particular reason why?” I ask. Four grins, the way he did when a group of Candor girls all commented on how handsome he is.

“Did you really think Eric was going to let you off unpunished? A hint of advice he doesn’t like being stood up to.” He says unloading his gun and allowing the bullets roll into his palm.

“Or maybe it’s because you have Marcus’s genetics. Like father like son and everything.” I say filling up anger and pride that I have hit Four in his weak spot. I have re-opened the scars Marcus had given him but at the same time I have done the same to my own. Did I really mean what I have just said? The tears swell up in Tobias’s, I mean Four’s eyes. I haven’t seen him cry since the time he found out I was fine after I fell off the school monument when I joined the Dauntless climb it. I was only 11 at the time and I don’t really remember much, except feeling Four rush over and pick me up and run me to the nearby hospital. And waking up in a whitened room and my head throbbing with pain…and Four’s tears and smile when I woke up and him stroking my face.

“Well the sweet innocent girl who I would protect with my life has certainly gone.” He says storming past me. I walk back to dorm Connor, Shayne and Olivia are all waiting for me. Olivia is still trembling with absolute fear.

“Well there she is.” Connor says with a smile that shines his ability to make me blush to the maximum. Olivia runs over to me nearly knocking me over to the grey concrete floor which triggers the pain in my shoulder wound.

“Thank you…I owe you one.” Olivia whispers to me.

“You’re my friend I wasn’t going to let you get shot at.” I say with a smile.

“I can’t believe you stood up to Eric like that, if that doesn’t prove your worth here in Dauntless then I don’t know what will.” Shayne says putting his hand on the back of my shoulder.

I smile. Connor walks over.

“Well done sweetheart.” He says with a wink and a smile. And the blood rushes to my cheeks again. Despite all of the compliments from Olivia and Shayne I can’t help but feel that Connor’s is the most valuable.

“Thanks guys.” I say through a set of gritted teeth. I’m resisting the pain of the wound.

“C’mon let’s get you cleaned up.” Connors says. They get me sorted out and cleaned up a white bandage covers the wound that Four has given me, but I won’t let it put it off me passing initiation.

I’m going to be Dauntless the tattoo I have on my wrist reminds me of the life I can’t let put me off passing initiation. I won’t become factionless because of Marcus or Four or Evelyn. We all head back to dorm. As soon as we arrive to dorm I’m greeted with people clapping and cheering and standing up off their metal beds. I can’t help but smile. Recently faith in Abnegation has been tarnished by Erudite’s articles and so we Stiffs have been looked down upon. But I’m getting clapped at by all the transfers (except Jessica, Lewis and Oliver). Speaking of those three they are looking at a newspaper and are pointing and laughing to it. Oliver stands up and approaches me, alongside Jessica and Lewis. Oliver runs his narrow fingers through his curly ginger hair.

“Well stiff you are becoming more and more famous by the day. Not because you stood up to Eric before you inevitably become a factionless member. Do you ever read the news stiff?” Oliver asks, he isn’t good looking a large nose, a large pair of ears, a small jaw line and he’s skinny. So skinny he shakes.

“No what I do and don’t do is none of your concern.” I reply grabbing a bobble out of my drawer that is beside my bed to tie my hair up.

“Well you should recently you have been making front page news.” Lewis’s low toned voice says. The three of them share a smile.

“Yes. This newspaper says in big black lettering. The recent transfers from Abnegation only proves a seemingly selfless faction is corrupt. Recent transfers Cheryl Lopham to Amity and more importantly Sonia Eaton; Marcus Eaton’s daughter call into question Abnegation’s values and upbringing of their children. And only adds proof that Marcus Eaton our leader viciously attacked and abused his own children.” Oliver says. I don’t need to him to tell me how corrupt any faction can be. But I don’t want a stupid faction that takes part daily experiments on innocent individualsto be dressing down good people like the Lophams. And I don’t want them reminding me of what happened in the house on the Amity/Abnegation boarder. My cheeks fill with a raging flame. “Now this is good stiff. Those two young, innocent children join Beatrice Prior, Caleb Prior and Tobias Eaton three young adults who have all transferred to different factions one even to Erudite all prove that Abnegation shouldn’t be in charge and should be removed from the faction system.”

His words trigger and unleash a new side of me and all I see is a flash of red in my eyes and I turn around and punch Oliver in the face and snatch the vile piece of published words and tear it up.

“You should have really shout your know it all mouths!” I say through gritted teeth. My body shakes and trembles with anger, adrenaline, exhilaration and pride. Oliver holds his even larger nose. His face and hands are covered in blood. Olivia, Shayne and Connor all take me out of the dorm whilst Jessica shouts out that I will pay for that. I’m still shaking from that moment.

“Wow. Didn’t know you had such a short fuse. I thought Candor girls were bad.” Shayne says as we all walk to the chasm. The sound of roaring waves and Dauntless laughing and shouting will calm me down.

“You ok?” Asks Olivia in a soft Amity spoken voice that soothes my flow of energy. Now the adrenaline is disappearing my right arm is beginning to throb with pain. Almost as if the Amity side of me is giving me discipline for hitting Oliver. A contrast to my shaking frame from a sudden charge of adrenaline and the pride I received were almost like gifts received from the Dauntless side of my mind that approves of me decking Oliver in his acne covered face.

“I’m fine I just wasn’t going to let a group of dicks bad mouth my old faction and the good people that live there.” I reply. I look up to Connor to see if I have offended him. “I’m sorry Connor but-”

He puts his hand on my shoulder, the powerful touch he has on me is amazing. “Don’t be. I’m not friends with them, ever since I got a higher mark than them combined in a biology test two years ago.” He says with a smile. “Fancy a walk you guys?” he asks. We all agree and explore this crazy new world that has transformed me…for the better.

We walk down the jagged rock corridors; Shayne gives Olivia a piggyback ride her small arms wrapped around his wide solid shoulders. They look good together despite their contrasting upbringings. I can see them now passing initiation, going out, climbing one of the abandoned buildings in the city and making out when they reach the top of it. “They look cute together don’t they?” Connor says. Then I try to imagine me and Connor together, except I can’t. Connor is handsome enough to grab any girl he wants; what the hell would he want with a girl who is damaged goods like me? I’m not ugly I’m plain, bland, average at best. I don’t really remember Evelyn just a few pictures I occasionally looked at when Marcus was away and her giving me the red glass bead. She was beautiful.

Her dark hair hung perfectly straight down to her shoulders, her skin was smooth and tanned her eyes emerald green she looked around 24 on some pictures. I didn’t inherit her good looks. But even if I did, beauty is an expensive price to flaunt in Abnegation. I would be called self indulgent.

I look to the floor awkwardly. “I suppose so. So Mr Connor Flair why doesn’t a handsome man like you not have a girlfriend?” I dare ask. He smiles and looks at me.

“I have never met a girl I feel so strongly to commit to. For me I want to find that girl who I love for definite. And the fact I think I would be pretty awkward as I have never been in a relationship.” He replies. I admire his honesty but I don’t understand how he has never had a girlfriend in the past. I wonder if he has found that girl in a new faction. “What about you Ms Ruby Eaton? A beautiful bold girl is a catch for any guy.” He asks and I blush again. He gives me a sensation of hot butter running down my throat.

I raise my eyebrows to my sudden smile. “You should know why Connor. We find it hard to find and maintain friendships in Abnegation without being considered too selfish. We can’t speak about ourselves for more than thirty seconds.” I reply to his question. Connor and I walk in silence the only sound is Olivia and Shayne shouting and laughing with each other. “Listen Connor I know our home factions don’t really like each other…well they despise each other. But you’re not that bad; well I think you’re a great guy. And I am grateful that you helped me on to that train.” I say expressing how I truly feel for him. He smiles a smile that I know he is grateful for what I have said.

“Thanks Ruby and I’m grateful that I met you too.” Connor says putting his arm around my shoulder; protecting and steadying me. This seemed perfect until I notice Max (Dauntless leader) with a woman around 45 years old who is donning a blue coloured suit and has her short blonde hair down and touching the line of her jaw. I recognise her she has a high status that not many people can match. My mind snaps and I know who this woman is, Jeanine Matthews leader of Erudite one of the people behind the vicious attacks directed towards Abnegation.

She greets me with a smile. “Hello Ms Eaton.”