Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 9 - Coward or not

Sophia scowled at me and looked all to confident in her slightly hunched position. There and then I vowed to wipe that smirk off her lips, no matter how hard I had to fight. But still I swallowed nervously and raised my arms up protectively, Sophia mimicks my stance and we both look at Eric. "Go!" He urged with a indifferent scoff and brief wave of his hand. This begun the fight. In a flash of brown, Sophia dashed towards me.

Narrowly avoiding her swing, I stumble to the right, hurriedly trying to get away from the stronger fighter. Sophia screams at me and try again, leaving herself completely open. I duck and send a kick towards her calf. She buckles but it's not enough to send her to the ground. Then an elbow is thrown my way, I block it with ease and send my knee into her abdomen.

The air leaves her lungs, but she grab me with an angry growl and throw me down onto the mat, securing a kick at my chest area before I manage to get back up onto my feet. Seconds after another punch is thrown at me, Sophia had seen my opening before I could register it myself. Her punch sends me back down onto the mat again, face first.

I groan because everything spins. While trying to get back up onto all four, I try to make it stop but it only leaves me vulnerable to more kicks. Two more kicks lands, forcing the air out of my lungs before I scurry away from Sophia. "I concede, no more!" I cry out and hold my hands up protectively in front of my face. I couldn't continue—I couldn't breathe.

The silence that followed is only disturbed by my heaving for air. The two kicks had forcefully emptied the air from my lungs. Even though I was breathing, it didn't feel like any air went down. It feels like an eternity before Eric's voice cuts through. "You finished?" He ask, brow furrowed and I lower my arms from its protective stand in front of my face to take him in.

His eyes catch mine and he crouches down in front of me, lowering his eyes to my level. I notice the raised eyebrow while I nod once, to beaten up and exhausted to think anything of it. Eric smirk, then stands, turning to address the others. "Alright, get her up and then follow me!" Eric ordered before Elijah helped me to my feet again.

Thankfully I grab my sweatshirt and slip back into my shoes, only halfway securing them because Eric had already turned towards the other end of the training room. We walk in silence while Eric guides us through the compound, down hallways that's mostly familiar. Elijah and Roxy remained at my side the entire time, making sure I stayed on my feet.

When Eric suddenly slows down, he takes Elijah's place at my side. I look skeptically at him, fully distrusting his motives. "You feeling any better?" He ask, sounding strangely worried and I know something is up, but the thought had barely dawned in me before I feel a hand on my shoulder, his other hand wraps around my wrist and I'm yanked forwards.

Next, I'm pushed to the side, stumbling out over the edge of the bridge over the chasm. I screamed with everything I had, felling no ground underneath my feet anymore as I drop several feet before hanging right underneath the bridge, I sway back and forth but doesn't fall any further. Eric's hand is still securely wrapped around my wrist, his bare strength is all that keeps me from falling into the abyss below.

"Now—" Eric start after he had settled in a crouch. Our eyes were locked the entire time and his smirk only grows wider. "—you have two options. Grab the edge, or fall." Eric's words had barely left his lips before he released my wrist.

A whimper escaped me and the second his hold falters, my hands wrapped around the edge of the bridge. I hold on with everything I got, trying to remain still as I dangle above the dangerous current below me. Eric then straitens from his crouched position to lean against the railing of the bridge. He smirked at me when crossing his ankles and rested his hands against the railing behind him.

"Now—I'll give you another three options, you can hang there for five minutes and I'll forget your cowardice, fall and die, or simply give up but if you do that you're out." Eric's tone is cold, and it makes me shiver. He was very serious this time. More than I had ever seen him be before. This was the punishment I had waited for.

I clenched my jaw and tightened the hold I had on the metal bridge, the cold metal feeling like ice against my warm palms. A cry of pain leaves me involuntarily when my fingers begin to slip, my strength quickly faltering. But I couldn't let go, I had to hold on. I wouldn't give up either, I was dauntless, and I was going to become dauntless.

A frustrated scream escapes me when I try to tighten my hold on the metal railing. I would not, could not give up! The thought of plunging into certain dead had never sounded appealing, and only drove me further to hold on with everything I could dig up. Eric kept glaring at me, only occasionally shifting his eyes to the watch in his wrist. At the fourth time I whimpered loudly while thinking. Come on asshole, it's been five minutes already.

Eric's eyes narrow at the challenge as if he knew what I had been thinking before he lifts his head back up. He was looking at the others for a second before back down at me. He was watching for any sign of weakness he could dig out of me, but I wouldn't comply. I was not weak and was not about to let go, which would mean certain death.

"Time!" Eric finally growls and stands up. A relived sob escaped me as hands wrap around my wrists, quickly pulling me back up onto the bridge again. Roxy and Elijah had dashed forward the moment the word left Eric's lips. They pulled me up. Once my knees were on the bridge I wrapped my arms around Roxy's small frame and glared at Eric as he pushed himself away from the railing.

"Cowardice is not tolerated in Dauntless. Whoever concedes from this point on, will get the same treatment. You are all dismissed for the evening." Eric instructed, his tone low and almost like a growl. It's not a surprise coming from him but a part of me feared it was only because I had seen that pained expression on his face yesterday.

This was his revenge.

Eric looked my way once more before he sidestepped Roxy and disappeared into the hallway behind us. It took me a few more seconds to recover and once I had, Roxy helped me back up onto my feet. They were like jelly as we hurriedly made our way to the other side of the chasm, to the safety of the rock.

"What the heck is his problem?" Roxy growled once secure footing is under us. "That was unfair treatment!" She snapped and I only pulled her into a tight embrace, needing her close as I try to shake the events of the day off me. It would most likely resonate in me whenever I neared the chasm now.

"Come, let's get some lunch." I urge them. "Then we can go find Luke and make sure he's alright." I add and Roxy's expression softened before it turned to one of worry. Luke had properly been taken to the infirmary because Isaac had managed to break one or two of his ribs.

Isaac's gang had become a true menace, they never fought fair. And the fight between Luke and Isaac had only proved how strong a fighter Isaac had become as well. He would not be an easy opponent for anyone. He was the strongest of the initiates. And he knew it.

I felt a bit negative when we all returned to the accommodation. It had been quite the eventful day. Luke had broke one rib, bend a few others and gained other bruises. He had been shocked to learn about Eric's treatment but glad I was alright. He needed to stay in the infirmary for a day or two, so we had soon left him again. Or truthfully, the nurse had actually kicked us out.