Chapter 2-Not So Free, Afterall.

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Corrine

My brother and I nervously sit next to my parents at the Choosing ceremony. They smile at us proudly, and I try to soak in the way their faces look now, because soon, their faces will contort into looks of disappointment and sadness, as I choose a new faction, and will likely not see them again.

I watch as most of the others choose the faction they already belong to. But I'm also surprised at how many choose differently. The calling of my brother and i's names pulls me from my thoughts.

"Finn and Corrine Minor." Marcus, one of the Abnegation leaders, says. Because we are twins, they let us go together. I grab my brothers hand and hold it tightly as we walk to the stage.

Like the others before us, we pick up knives from the table and make small slices into our hands. There are five bowls placed on the tables, each bowl representing a faction. We must place a drop of our blood, into our factions bowl.

I can feel the hot blood pooling in the palm of my hand and threatening to spill out. I look at my brother, he has the same look of uncertainty on his face that I do. But he nods at me, so I close my eyes and hold my hand above the Dauntless bowl and we both let the blood fall onto the hot coals that represent them. It sizzles, and everyone sitting in the Dauntless seats stands up and cheers.

I try so hard not to look back at my parents. But I see them from the corner of my eye, and the devastation on their faces is enough to shatter my quick beating heart. I bite my lip to hold back the tears as we go to sit with our new faction.

I don't pay attention, the rest of the ceremony. It goes by in a blur as I contemplate my decision. Did I do the right thing? Am I really cut out for this? But I'm not given the chance to think long, because when the ceremony ends, the Dauntless stand up and push their way out the doors, my brother and I trying to keep up.

When our feet hit the pavement outside we break into a sprint. And I finally let myself smile, looking to my left as Finn does the same. It feels good to run. The sound of everyone's feet hitting the broken pavement is a satisfying sound.

We quickly climb the train platform. The Dauntless born don't pay much attention to us. There are about ten other transfers. But no others from Abnegation.

The trains whistle blares loudly as it approaches.

"Ready?" I ask my brother.

"Are you kidding?" He says excitedly. A boy with dark brown hair pushes past my brother almost knocking him off the platform before I grab his arm.

"Stay the hell out of my way, stiff." He says. Before taking off running down the platform.

"Seriously?" My brother says.

"Ignore him. Let's go." I start running and Finn follows. We run as fast as we can next to the train, trying to keep up. Finn is in front of me, and I start to get a sharp pain in my side.

"Come on Corrine!" Finn yells. My breathing is heavy, and panic sets in when I see the end of the platform.

Finn grabs the handle bar of the train and pulls himself up, he turns and reaches for me. He yells my name and tells me go faster. With the last amount of might that I have I push my legs forward, reaching and grabbing his hand as the platform comes to and end, my feet dangling from the train as Finn pull me inside. He crushes me to his chest in a hug.

"I didn't think you were going to make it." He says. His breathing still erratic.

"I'm okay." I pull away and press my back against the wall of the train.

"You were almost a goner." A girl with short blonde hair says next to me.

"Yeah...I guess I was." I say back.

"I'm Marie. From Candor."

"Corrine." I say quietly.

"Abnegation? I mean your clothes.."

"Yeah, I get it." I let out a small laugh.

"Sorry. I've just never talked to an Abnegation." She admits. I nod and look to my brother, who is pressed against the wall with his eyes closed.

"Get ready Initiates!" A voice booms through the train car. I jump at the sound and get to my feet.

Marie and I stick our heads out of the train car and watch as people from the other cars start jumping from them and onto a buildings rooftop.

"Oh my god...they're jumping." I turn and say to my brother.

"What!?" He shouts, pushing me lightly so he can look out. He runs his hands through his hair and yanks on the ends.

A dauntless born in our car jumps. We have to go now.

"Come on!" I grab Marie and Finns hands, and pull them out of the car with me, we jump and yell as we soar through the air, I feel weightless.

But it's soon over, as we land hard against the rocky rooftop, skidding across. It rips my skin and tears my clothes. When I'm able to recover from the shock I look at Marie and start laughing. I can't do anything else but laugh.

"Ow." I hear my brother say as he hold the back of his head.

"Initiates! Over here!" A man yells. He stands on the edge of the roof, dressed in black jeans and a black tshirt that clings to his torso and reveals the black markings winding around his arms. He has a piercing above his eyebrow, and piercing eyes that could look straight through your soul. We all gather around him.

"This is where we separate the weak from the Dauntless." He says.

He walks back and forth across the edge of the roof. It makes me nervous to watch him.

"My names Eric, and I'm one of your leaders. You're going to jump. There might be something at the bottom to catch you, there might not. But if you don't jump, you're out." He says.

"Out?" Someone asks.

"Yes. Out. You leave here, faction less." Eric says.

Everyone whispers amongst themselves. Regretting their decision to come here.

"Who's jumping first?" Eric jumps down from the ledge to the ground and watches us. No one says anything. I start to feel antsy and my mouth flies open before I can think.

"I'll jump." I say quietly. Eric pushes through the crowd and stand in front of me.

"What was that, stiff?" He say in my face.

"I'll jump." I say louder. He steps to the side, and motions with his hand for me to go. Finn grabs my wrist.

"Corrine.." He says with worry. I give him a small smile, and he releases me wrist.

"I'm jumping too." Finn says. And he steps up into the ledge with me.

"Really people? Two stiffs are going to be the first jumpers? You should all be ashamed." Eric yells at the crowd of initiates.

I don't look at my brother, I just close my eyes and step off the edge before he does. Before I can change my mind. I get to feel the weightless feeling for another second, before my body bounces against a net at the bottom, Finn falling next to me.

The net dips down, and we roll to the side where more people are waiting. A man with dark hair and eyes, and pouty lips grabs the edge of the net.

"There's two of you?" He says, looking in my eyes.

"Y-yes." I stutter.

"What's your name initiate?" He asks.

"Corrine."

"And yours?" He nods at my brother.

"Finn." He states.

The Dauntless man grabs me under my arms and lifts me off of the net, leaving my brother to climb off himself.

"First jumpers, Corrine and Finn." He yells behind him. A few people clap and welcome us to the faction.

The excitement starts to course through my veins again.

We are here. We made it.

We are Dauntless.

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