Delirium (A Divergent Fanfiction)

Chapter Seven: Ready, Aim, Fire

I thought about my answer and replied honestly. "I don't know." I said. "But I also didn't know I was going to choose Dauntless until I had already slit my hand."

"For any of you who are less impulsive than Amity, or would have quit when you found out about the rankings, you can just go ahead and get the hell out of here now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does," Eric said. "you're a coward." he spat and pushed the heavy door open, exposing the dormitory. "You chose us." he stated. "Now we have to choose you." He pushed past us and left us to find our bunks. There were five bunkbeds that everyone stood around awkwardly until Peter climbed onto the top bunk of one of them and dangled his feet off the edge of it.

"Sure sucks for you guys, huh?" he said. "Maybe I'll see you when I'm out on patrol."

"And what makes you so sure you're gonna make it?" I tested, stepping forward. He jumped back off the bed, landing on his feet and stood close to me again like he had before he challenged me to jump after getting off the train.

"Look around, Amity. You see anyone else here who's just bound to make top rankings?" he said bluntly. He motioned around us. "Do the math. Out of everyone here, I'm the one who's most likely to be Dauntless material. I'm Dauntless."

"No you're not. You're just an ass." I responded flatly.

"Because you're just perfect." He replied sarcastically. "You take one little leap of faith, befriend some natives, and suddenly you're Dauntless-bound?"

"No." I said honestly. "But everyone here has as good of chance as any to make it. Get off your high horse and stop being such a condescending jerk." he clenched his jaw, seeming to be looking for a retort. After a brief staredown, he pushed past me and dropped onto a bunk.

"Dibs on the empty bunk." He said, stealing the opportunity to not have to share a bunk. Everyone began choosing bunks and pairing up.

"Do you wanna share a bunk?" a Candor transfer asked me.

"Sure." I replied warmly. I'm Max." I introduced myself, extending my hand.

"Kate." She replied, shaking my hand.

"Well, Kate." I said. "Top or bottom bunk?"

...

I had volunteered to take bottom bunk. Kate slept soundly on the bed above me as I laid awake, listening to the breathing of the other initiates. I struggled to fall asleep, which was nothing new as I had always had problems falling asleep, even in my own bed. I replayed my aptitude test in my head. I hadn't had time to think about it until now. Alice had told me that I was a Delirium, but I still didn't understand what it meant.

I heard the springs of the bed next to mine creak as a large body rolled over. I pretended to be asleep in case Al was awake as he rolled over, now facing me. It wasn't until after I closed my eyes that I heard his crying. Al was a transfer from Candor and the last person I expected to be crying. He was the largest initiate, yet laid in the bottom bunk of the bed next to mine, softly sobbing.

I blinked my eyes open and rolled over to face him. "Al?" I said softly and he noticed I was awake, and immediately tried to hide the fact he had been crying. Someone so strong shouldn't have been acting so weak. I shook the bitter thought I was appalled came to mind out of my head. "Al, it's gonna be alright." I told him. "You're gonna blow away the Dauntless leaders and you're gonna make a damn fine Dauntless member, okay?" I more demanded comfortingly then asked. He nodded. "Now get some sleep. You're gonna need it." I told him and he rolled over again, closing his eyes. I listened to the sound of silence, filled only with Al's snoring, until my eyelids grew heavy and closed like curtains as I drifted to sleep.