fearless

Chapter 119: Speeches and Advice

Beating Heart- Ellie Goulding
Maddie

Uriah greets both Ty and I with a small smile when we arrive at the net before the initiates jump and begin their training.

The net corridor is dark, but still slightly lighter than the rest of Dauntless since it's at ground level. The upper levels of the Pit still hold the place for the brightest place in Dauntless because of the sky roof, which lets in ample amounts of light.

We meet Uriah next to the net, at a station that he has set up so he can write down the names of the initiates and what number jumper they were.

"So, Maddie, I want you to give the beginning speech to the initiates before they jump into the net." Uriah says, and I feel Ty give my hand a small squeeze before he releases it.

"Okay." I say. He nods up to the ladder by the net.

"You need to go up since the train should be arriving about right now." Uriah says and I nod, then begin climbing up the ladder.

"You, Ty, will be pulling the initiates out of the net when they jump, then you will also report to me what number jumper they are along with their names." Uriah says to Ty.

"Okay, can do." I can hear Ty's voice echoing as I continue to climb, and I nearly swoon just at the slightly raspy sound. I emerge on top of the roof just as the train begins to pass and as the Dauntless Borns and transfers leap out of the train, rolling onto the roof quickly.

I remember when I jumped on to this building, almost six years ago. It doesn't seem like that much time has passed, but I guess it has. To me, I've accomplished a lot and overcome a lot in those six years.

I have to admit, my time as an actual Dauntless member started off on the wrong note. So many bad things seemed to happen, and bad things still happen, but at least now I've found my happiness. I'm not facing all of these awful things alone, I have Ty. I have Hannah and Dylan.

I turn and look back down into the hole in the roof, and think of the night that Ty and I jumped back into the compound after our little game of Dare. I remember the time when Ty and I had been captured by Jordan and we escaped, quickly retreating back to Dauntless, our home.

I then allow my mind to focus on the most recent event that I can think of—Ty's kidnapping. The day that we brought him back home to Dauntless is probably the most emotionally scarring just because he seemed so hurt and so lost that day, so helpless and vulnerable. I remember that the only thing on my mind was getting the chance to jump into that net with Ty.

Now, here I stand, Ty at the bottom of this net, waiting for me to jump in after the initiates do.

>>

"Listen up! My name is Maddie, and I'm one of the leaders of your new faction, Dauntless!" I shout over the talking crowd of initiates. They stop talking when my voice pierces the warm, dry air.

I shift my feet around on the wide ledge, my eyes scanning the crowd of initiates, who mostly wear black, though a few wear blue, white, red, and even one in gray. They all look at me, awaiting what I will say next.

"Behind me, and several floors below, is the entrance to the Dauntless Compound. But first, to get to the entrance, you must jump off of this ledge, and into the hole at the bottom." I raise my eyebrows, and they all stare at me, mouths agape.