Now or Never

Chapter Two

The Dauntless fill the streets of our city with ease; all running happily towards the train platform.

"Do you think they're going to make it?" Tara asks as the three of us run in the same stride, Mia used to pushing herself to keep up with her short legs.

"The initiates?" I ask, breathless. "We'll see how they feel about moving trains."

When we come to an abrupt stop, Mia takes my arm with a wide smile.

"Mal! Do you remember? This is where we first met."

I look around my surroundings. We're filled in a sea of black clothed people but I understand what she means. "You were scared out of your mind" I smirk.

"How else are you supposed to feel when you're told you'll be jumping onto a moving train?" Mia rolls her eyes.

Tara wraps an arm around her. "I was excited."

"So was I, but still terrified" I chuckle.

I look behind me to try to see if Beatrice caught up with the group. It's useless, the girl's even shorter than Mia.

"Let's go!" Someone yells from the front of the pack. We all start to run up the steels steps, occasionally having to bump someone out of the way but I'm used to that now. I can't help but laugh when I hear the scared voices of transfer initiates behind us trying to figure out what they've gotten themselves into.

+++

"Uriah is so going to go first" Tara bets as we stand behind the initiates. It's strange to have to watch this from afar rather than being part of their semicircle.

Already, two people didn't pass the first test of initiation. An Amity boy who never made it off the train, and a Dauntless-born girl who never made it on the roof.

"Not without Lynn pushing him off the edge," Mia chuckles quietly. We don't dare to even try to distract anyone from Max's speech.

It's the same gist as every year. From what I gather having to hear this welcoming speech two times now; Amar was more captivating when he was the one giving the introduction.

"You want us to jump off a ledge?" An Erudite girl asks, her mouth is hanging open.

"Yes" Max replies, smirking with amusement.

"Is there water at the bottom or something?"

"Who knows?"

A few laughs come from around me. It is sort of funny to see how far their imaginations can go.

No one moves, they all look around awkwardly. Too familiar, I think.

That's when I hear snickers from the initiates. I try to look around the small group in front of me, but I'm still not able to see...

Until the small girl with blonde hair steps onto the ledge where Max was just standing.

"Has a Stiff ever jumped first before?" Someone behind me asks out loud.

"Once, a few years ago" someone replies.

"She's right here," Tara slaps my back. I roll my eyes at her, flinching at the subtle pain.

Beatrice looks over her shoulder towards the crowd then down to the black hole you can hardly make out with the sun shining down. It only takes a few seconds for her to jump off the roof. It takes a few seconds after that for the other initiates to line up behind a tall Candor girl who steps on the ledge next.