Convergent

Chapter Seven

I couldn't sleep that night, the silence of the dormitories and the crashing of water from the waterfall filled my head, the echoing ached. I could still smell the wretched smell of the factionless court yard, the small horse flies gripping onto the rotting food and burrowing into the piles of clothes still laid fresh in my mind. How could a world so peaceful and fair let something that atrocious play out on its doorstep? Then I remembered. The smell of sour breath. The sting of dirty nails embedding into my skin. What James had become. Maybe it was more sensible to just leave them to rot, they obviously were a threat. Grace rustled under her duvet, she was murmuring something in her half awoke trance. My thoughts are too loud. The ghost of Theo's hand caressed my arm, red marks still decorated the skin just at the crooks of my forearm. I could remember how cold his hands were, we were ridged as he pressed his fingers into my arm and jerked James away from me.

My mouth was dry. My mind was full of cluttered memories. When James and I were in the dinner hall, two weeks before the choosing ceremony, he condemned the factionless. Eating a plate of meatballs and pasta, he was wearing a blue denim jacket and white jeans. The guard took away the jacket as soon as he saw it.

"I pity those who will become factionless" He said, the words burned my mind "What a life is that?"

It's your life.

"God" I said, opening the small yoghurt pot. It was salted caramel and vanilla, I wasn't hungry that day "It's a sad existence, it won't happen to us though"

"Don't curse yourself" He laughed, wiping the tomato sauce away from his mouth.

Another time, Dad and I were watching the news. An Erudite reporter, Eric Jenner, was broadcasting the choosing of the other four factions. Erudite was the first established faction, the rest were chosen by us - the Convergents.

"I-I bet those lover fanatics won't even make it!" Father scratched his beard "What are they called?"

"The faction is called Storge" I informed him, they were purely based on reproduction, affection and love. They said not enough love in this world is what drove us to the atrocities, we didn't value what made us human.

"That's it!" He exclaimed "I only want Dauntless, Auriferous, Candor and Amity"

Auriferous; wealth, money and success.

"I hope Storge at least get a mention" I was wrong, only the current factions even got airtime.

The room was still silent, it was 6am. If I was lucky, I would see Mother, Meep and possibly Father. I don't know where Father went, my mind is telling me he went to Abnegation but my heart is saying he is with Mother in Candor.

I focused my eyes, Carter was staring back at me. His eyes were dark, the light drained his narrow face of the little colour it had.

"Why are you awake?" I whispered, my voice was scratchy

"Too much to think about" He replied, pushing the hair out of his face.

I paused, was he thinking about the same things as I was? "Visitor day?"

"Yeah" He sighed, pushing the blanket down to reveal his bare chest "I don't want Ma to be disappointed, you know?"

"Disappointed with what?" I huffed "You're amazing at everything and you look like a man"

"Thanks" Carter laughed, he was on his back, staring at the glass ceiling above us "You're still second on the board"

Carter was right, I hadn't moved but everyone around me had at least shuffled once. Carter was now third, Arthur was still first but Grace was seventh. George was first for all of two hours but then Arthur floored him in a fight, he had to have stitches for the small cut above his eyebrow. I crawled out of bed, the floor was like ice on my feet. The numbing pain teased its way up my legs, I could barely walk, I collapsed on the side of Carters bed.