𝙸𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎 | Divergent

Chapter 4

"Rise and shine! This will be your one and only wake up call! I expect to see you in the training room at eight sharp!" Eric yelled, slamming his metal thermos against the door.

Groaning, I pulled myself out of bed so I could have a shower before the hot water went.

I showered quickly, taking no more than the ten minutes I would've had in Abnegation. I watched myself in the mirror as I brush my teeth, the cuts that peppered my forehead and cheekbone had scabbed, the bags under my eyes made me look tired.

I was very pleased with myself when I managed to find the dining room alone. I collected a muffin from the basket and passed the hot food options. Whilst I waited for Maddie and Jake, I braided my hair and watched as the initiates filtered in

"I hate early mornings." Maddie groaned, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Trust me, I'm not a fan either." I took a jug of orange juice and a glass from the centre of the table. Jake sat down with a full breakfast and a cup of coffee.

"Is that all you're going to have?" Jake asked, I watched as he sliced into the yolk of his sunny side up eggs and used his syruped pancake to mop it up.

"You are far too happy in the morning." I warned, tossing a chunk of my muffin at him.

Jake caught it in his mouth and grinned.

.:.

I stepped into the training room, a large concrete and brick room with tall, iron-framed windows at one end, the wooden floor was punctuated by large mats. My brother and Eric were standing by a digital board, all the initiates were listed in alphabetical order.

"Training will be eight till six every day with an hour break at lunch and time off between stages. After six you can do what you want, but if you want to leave the Dauntless compound you must be accompanied by a member." Tobias informed the group. "This is the ranking board, you will be ranked by your performance in each stage, in the first stage of initiation you'll train separately from Dauntless-borns but you'll be ranked together. Your rank will determine what jobs you can move into if you become Dauntless."

"And who gets cut." Eric added as he wandered over, taking a sip of his drink.

"Cut?" a girl asked, panic laced in her voice.

"Only the top twelve will make it into Dauntless, and since there's no going back to your families you live factionless." Eric answered, his voice void of any emotion as his eyes swept over the group, staring at me a second longer than everyone else, making the hairs on my neck stand on end. "The lowest ranking initiates will be cut at the end of stage one and at the end of stage three."

No one spoke.

I may not survive my initiation.

"You chose us, now we get to chose you."

.:.

The eleven transfers were silent as we were herded onto one of the large, flat rooftops where mannequin-style targets were set up behind some concrete barriers.

"If you are going to be in Dauntless being able to shoot a target is important, you are the city's protectors and you must be prepared to defend yourself and others. Being prepared to react despite your fear prevents cowardice." Eric explained, Tobias pressed a rifle into each of our hands as he talked. The gun was heavier than I expected.

I watched carefully as my brother stood in front of the target with his feet a shoulder width apart, he positioned his hands, one on the pistol grip the other on the hand-guard, as he pillowed the butt of the rifle against his shoulder.