ALLEGIANT

Chapter: 3

The walk to the tracks is uneventful. Peter tells me its almost 9:50 and I can't help but worry about Tobias and Uriah.

"So how long was I out" I ask the back of Peter's head, kicking a stone along the path of the train tracks.

He looks back fractionally towards me, the soft lights of the city making his features less angular, less, how would I explain it? Less feral I guess .

"Before I walked in you mean?" I see his smirk from here and I scoff, blood rushing to my cheeks as he turns, looking forward again. His shoulders shake with silent laughter.

"You know what im talking about" I say, my voice coming out strange and unfamiliar.

"Yeah, but I like screwing with you Stiff,"

"Hah" I mock.

"You were out for almost a day. The attack on Erudite ended with Edith's video. That was around 11 O'clock yesterday" He picks up a rock and throws it on the tracks. "so yeah, you've been out since then"  I open my mouth to speak but that is when Peter stops dead in his tracks and turns towards me, lightning quick, grabbing my wrist and mouthing 'stop'.

Usually I would use all my power to wrench myself from his grasp and run but his eyes, wide and fearful, stop me.

Then I feel it.

There's a shift in the air. Peters hand around my wrist pulls me behind him and I look up in Peter's eyes as he steps closer throwing me to the ground and covering my body with his own. In that exact moment I hear the shots wring out, my head throbs with sudden sharpness of the sound.

"Stay down" I hear Peter hiss, his lips graze my ear and I shudder beneath him. The shots go on longer than I would hope, they are not being fired at us but farther to where we walked from.Closer to the dauntless head quarters, but still close enough that I see the quick jolt of a sniper sitting high in the building to my left, picking off anyone who decides to run, easily able to pick us off.

I feel my blood boil as the massacre continues. What right do the other factions have to band against us? I scream silently. What makes us so goddamned underrated? I think of the plan that Peter has been telling me about and I can't help but wonder if that's it. Maybe they had a plan before they entered the compound. Maybe they knew that telling us that we would be a part of the decision would help them to get in and then they could deny us from having the ability to resist them.

They killed my people.

I don't remember when the shots stopped, I stop seeing the light of the sniper and feel safe enough to tell Peter to get off. I feel his pressure on my knees and look up to see him, now straddling me,  with his palms pressed to his temples. His eyes are shut and I can see fear shining of him like a beacon. I feel confusion but wonder if he reached the same conclusion as me, not that he would care about anyone we left behind.

His eyes open and he stops shaking.

I should be relieved that we were spared, relieved that we got out just in time, I should tell him to get off me but instead I'm caught in his blank stare, his eyes unmoving, pupils dialated making his green iris nonexistent.

"Peter?" I ask questioningly, slowly easing myself out from underneath him. His eyes snap to mine, freezing me. His head cocks to one side, I see his muscles tighten as he springs backwards off of me into a crouch eyes still locked with mine, his hands find my shoulders and slowly slide around my neck.

And yet I'm to shocked to move.

Then I feel it, his thumbs press against my throat cutting of my oxygen, his long fingers curl around my it as he lifts me off the ground.

I always knew Peter was strong but I never understood to what length. He's holding me, arms length away in front of him oblivious to my hands helplessly clawing at his as I try to pull free. "Peter" I croak out, tears stinging my eyes my throat burning for air, I see black around my vision and wonder if this is what everyone sees before they die.

Then he releases me, my body falling to the ground in a lifeless heap. He blinks rapidly, his hands open in front of him as I gasp for air.

Peter stands above me in the same position as before his mouth open and eyes wide as he stares down.

"Tris-I-I" his voice cracks and he stumbles forward. Falling hard on his knees near me , head in his hands.

The simulation, I know that It's the only explanation. I sit up slowly still gasping for breath as I lean away from him. I try to make my voice cooperate but it still comes out scratchy.

"You still have it?" I ask him calmly, yet wanting to punch him in the jaw at the same time. "The simulation?"

He looks up at me through his fingers and laughs, sounding helpless. Slowly he begins to rise to his knees. I push down the urge to cower but I still have to crane my neck to look at him.

"Having it is an understatement" I hear him laugh but his voice is too serious to be playful.

"Tris," he saying reaching out, his hand grazing my neck and I feel the sting of a fresh bruise. He sighs, an I've given up on everything  kind of sigh he whispers something that takes me a second to figure out.

"I am the simulation"