To Save a City (Divergent/Eric) 2 of 3 COH Series

Chapter 49 (Eric's POV)

We're driving to the fringe and I don't know why I can't stop thinking about my wife and how wonderful our time together has been.
"What's on your mind?" Amar asks turning around and questioning me.  He has a smirk plastered on his face.
"Nothing," I respond.  It's none of his business what I'm thinking about.
He laughs, turning back around and shaking his head.  I feel Hosanna slip her fingers through mine beside me in the back seat.  She rests her head on my shoulder and stares out the tinted window. 
It's actually taking much longer than I expected to get there.  We drive on the wide highway which is better maintained than I was figuring it would be.  We're taking a long way around the city—well past Amity and even the surrounding forests there.  We're heading out to where I saw black in the distance from the sky yesterday.  Just past that is where the fringe is located, or rather where it begins.  It supposedly stretches on in patches throughout the states in this part of the country. The Midwest is supposed to have some of the worst conditions in those areas in all of the country. I find it odd that there is such a high concentration of people so close to our city but we've never had an encounter with them that I'm aware of. 
A large truck of food and supplies is following behind our van.  George informed us that they've been donating weekly to this area and the crowd grows bigger each time.  They have yet to get violent during the donations but we're all required to wear Kevlar nonetheless.  It's extremely similar to what we at Dauntless wear for our riot gear in the fence.  I guess all bulletproof material is fairly uniform. 
We approach the outskirts of the fringe. It reminds me of the ruins when we left the city. The buildings are not in nearly as good shape as most inside of the fence. Even though some are crumbling, some are well maintained in my city. Here though, everything is in pieces. Not a single building is completely in tact. As we move further on, I start to see little huts constructed out of whatever material they have: tarps, rusted sheets of metal, plastic, cardboard. It's odd that this is their living conditions. Even in Factionless, they have buildings with running water. Here there is nothing like that. The only constant anymore is the deliveries of food and supplies from the Bureau, but that all will depend on their ability here to remain nonviolent toward the Bureau.
We slow and I can already see a line of people forming. They must be expecting us. We all climb out of the van and join the workers at the truck. George is the one to step up and make an announcement, telling everyone that wants supplies to get in line. He also says that if there are any children on their own, the Bureau is willing to help them find families and a permanent home.
I turn to my wife. She started this, I know it. That's who she met before when we arrived at the Bureau. She convinced David to take care of the children. She squeezes my hand and we help to unload the truck while Amar and a few others stand guard around the supplies.
I look up to see a man and woman standing in the distance observing us instead of getting in line with the rest. I watch him for a moment and he watches me. Perhaps he must be new here. He looks to be stronger and more well fed than the rest.
We start to hand out large containers of water, canned and dried food, and some articles of clothing. Most of the people already carry large bags that have identifiable marks on them—clearly from the Bureau. This is so alien to me but yet, feels right at the same time. Everyone has a smile on their face and says thank you as I hand out containers of water. I watch as my wife helps a family. She has them step aside and takes them over to a person who arrived in the truck. They hand the woman a bottle of pills. When I see her profile, I notice that she's pregnant. Those must be prenatal vitamins they gave her. Hosanna walks the woman over to the back of the truck. I notice Amar move closer to keep an eye on them and I'm relieved.
I continue to pass out water, looking back frequently to see my wife cleaning the woman's foot and bandaging it up. She must've hurt herself. Hosanna then proceeds to take her own shoes off and gives them to the woman. They exchange shoes and my wife returns to my side after a few minutes. I kiss and hug her for a moment, truly seeing how wonderful she really is.
We continue to hand out the supplies even to the couple I saw in the distance. I guess they got in line. When everyone has been given supplies, there actually is a little leftover and they can choose what extra items they want. We run out of water quickly then I help Hosanna with the food until the supplies are gone. We return back to the van after that.
On the drive back, I think about what I've just seen—the kindness and appreciation they all showed. I can't believe they don't have clean drinking water. They must have no way to bathe either. I think if I had to, I would move near clean water but if there were no maps available, that probably would be difficult to find. It's a shame that they have no means of producing their own food. We're fortunate to have Amity do all of that for us. I'm glad that Hosanna convinced David to do this. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like without water or food here. My guess would be less people living and more fighting like what happened to Matthew's family. 
"How does it feel to be Abnegation?" Hosanna whispers to me. She stares at me kind of shyly but in a way she's never viewed me before. I look to her in confusion by the question though.  "I did that kind of giveaway every week when I was there," she explains. 
"It was... different than I thought it'd be," I admit.  It makes me understand how the Abnegation can share our supplies. The people were mostly so weak and frail, almost skin and bones. Some of the children looked like they might starve to death.  People aren't starving in the city, not really, or at least in the factions.  We can spare some food but the water issue here... "I can't believe they have no means for water."
She nods.  "That's one thing the Factionless have that they don't here," she says.
"What about your shoes?" I ask, looking down at the worn things she's wearing. 
She shrugs.  "I have another pair back at the apartment.  Besides, she and the baby need that pair more than I do," she tells me. 
"It's not the first time you've given away your clothes, is it?" I ask.
"No," she replies.  "But you've done the same before."  I furrow my brows in confusion again.  Then I recall the baby in Factionless, how I gave up my shirt.  I guess when someone is in need, you just don't have to think twice about giving; it's second nature. I nod realizing that we are perfect for each other.  I hold her just a little tighter on the ride back.