The Initiate Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

I hold a silver ice pack towards my jaw after I come round conscious. Shayne sits beside me with a busted lip. My ribs feel swollen and my ear throbs with pain.

“How’s your shoulder?” Shayne asks as he wipes away the last of the blood that is coming out of his lip.

“Sore. Just like the rest of my body. Luckily the stitches haven’t bust open. How are you?” I ask sweeping my hair over to the side.

“I’m ok just a swollen lip. I would have won if that stupid Oliver didn’t poke me in the eyes. I still don’t understand why Eric turned a blind eye to it.” Shayne replies.

“He’s still annoyed about me standing up to him from yesterday and he’s taking it out on you, Connor and Olivia as well.” A tinge of guilt hits me in my chest. Because of me being a hothead and being selfish the closest things I have to friends here are getting punished. I look to the black metal floor and put my palms on the cool metal bench I am sitting on. I hear footsteps coming towards us, heavy footsteps. The Candor male approaches us looking nervous and worried.

“Hi I just wanted to apologise for our fight. How are you?” He asks. He holds his chest over the place where I kicked him. I want to shout at him, tell him how I really feel. But my body aches and I think if I shout it will shatter like a piece of pottery.

“I’m ok thanks I would ask how you were but you’re still standing.” I ask with still a slight pinch of anger.

The male chuckles slightly, his chest goes in and out vigorously and he holds his large hand in a loose fist towards his mouth. “Yes so I am, I’m Jason by the way.” He holds out his hand for me to shake it.

“Ruby.” I say shaking his hand. Jason says “nice to meet you.” before going back to train on one of the punch bags by the auburn Candor girl.

“The scary thing is, he didn’t go full force with you during that fight. He only went gentle with you because you are a girl.” Shayne says. My body pains from the shock I have just heard. If that was only a half assed fight then God knows his full capabilities. He could kill someone.

“How do you know?” I ask clutching my ribs.

“Well I’ve known Jason years. He lived on the same street as me in Candor, his father was exiled from Candor after he was discovered he was having an affair with some stiff and like most people in that situation they lie constantly. Jason’s mother struggled to cope and so when he was seven she drank lighter fluid and died.” Shayne explains.

“Oh.” I simply say. At least now I know Evelyn wasn’t the only parent to have an affair from Abnegation.

“Yeah. So Jason was orphaned and alone at seven he moved from foster parent to foster parent until he managed to escape from them. He lived on the streets and in order to survive he competed in cage fights all over the city. I’ve seen him fight, his opponent left with a broken arm and slight brain damage.” He says. My stomach fills with vomit, if I was a guy Jason could have killed me. I was so close to facing death…but like every morning I woke up in Abnegation I’m here to fight another day.

I hear familiar cries of pain. A girl with a gentle toned voice screaming at the height of her lungs. A crowd has gathered around one of the sparring rings.

“Do you here that?” Shayne asks. I stand up to try and see if the screams are coming from someone I know. I feel hallow.

“It’s Olivia.” I say me and Shayne run over to the ring pushing through the crowd watching the fight. Olivia lies on the ground her face covered in dark red blood. I swear I see tears coming from her eyes. A girl with white blonde hair kicks Olivia in the head. Jessica. She stares right at me.

“See what I am doing to your friend huh? Stiff.” Jessica spits. Olivia stumbles to her feet and punches Jessica in the jaw. Jessica nearly falls on her ass as she clutches her jaw but comes back kneeing Olivia straight in the face. Olivia falls to the floor knocked out. Her eyes closed. Jessica grins as she continues to kick Olivia in the ribcage, if she isn’t stopped she will kill Olivia.

“Hey can’t you see her Eric? She can’t continue!” Shayne shouts. I feel guilt in my stomach again; Eric is using my friends to hurt me anyone can see that. Eric looks to Shayne and rolls his eyes. “Alright Erudite stop. Four and Uriah take pansy cake to the medical room.” Eric says loudly. Uriah and Four rush over to Olivia’s body and they both carry her small lifeless body out to the medical room. “Everyone take a break.”

Eric leaves the room and we follow him across the chasm, he stops suddenly. And turns to face us with a smirk etched onto his face. He twiddles his lip ring. Again this can’t be good. I hold my aching ribs. “Candor here please.” He points his skinny and bony finger towards Shayne. Eric’s tone of voice then was soft but manipulative. Shayne walks up to Eric who is still smiling. “So tell me Shayne why did you open your mouth? In case you have forgotten I’m the leader here not you or any other initiate.” Eric says using a sharper tone.

“Because if nobody did then she would have ended up dead. I thought it was dishonourable to fight someone grounded.” Shayne replies. The three Erudite all smirk and laugh. They are proud with what they have done.

“You’re only an initiate…I’ll tell you when I think someone is finished.” Eric says slowly and putting his face closer to Shayne’s. All of a sudden Eric pushes Shayne towards the edge of the chasm, I gasp. “Is Eric really going to kill Shayne?”  Eric smirks again. “You have three options hang off the chasm for three minutes, fall and die or refuse. But if you refuse you’re out and factionless.” He says pushing Shayne further. Shayne purses his lips and nods his head.

“Alright I’ll hang for three minutes.” Shayne says as begins to hang over the waves of the chasm. My heart begins to beat fast. I see Connor start the timer on his black leather strap watch. For the first minute Shayne seems to be doing ok, a few beads of sweat show in the blue light on his forehead. Connor points his finger outwards to show that one minute has passed.

“C’mon Shayne two minutes left!” I shout hoping to give him some determination. If Shayne falls he’d be no doubt dead. Eric looks at me to tell me to shut my mouth. The waves bellow Shayne’s feet begin to rise and roar up to his knees. Shayne’s struggling to keep grip, he is closing his eyes and his knuckles are turning white. Those waves lead into a pile of jagged and sharp rocks that would crush every bone is anyone’s body. By the second minute sweat runs from Shayne’s face and his head was submerged under the water for few seconds. Railing that Shayne is holding onto must be freezing from having water splashed onto it.

“Last minute.” Connor says to Eric. Eric crosses his arms and stares at Shayne who loses grip with his right hand and is submerged underwater. For a moment I thought he was going to be swept away into the rocks and be as good as dead. But Shayne’s right hand find its grip and he frees his head out of the water. He struggles for air.

“10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1.” I hear Connor whisper. Relief runs through my body Shayne has made it alive. “Hey Eric three minutes have passed.” Connor says.

“Right. That’s it.” Eric says. Connor and Jason run over to help Shayne up from hanging over the chasm. Shayne collapses to the floor and coughs, Conner and Jason help Shayne to his feet. These past few days have made me realise how dangerous Dauntless and its members can be. Maybe this isn’t the place for me, maybe I should have let my blood drip on the Amity earth bowl at the choosing ceremony instead of here.