Flower Child

Chapter Six

All the initiates had jumped and now we were following Four and Lauren down a narrow tunnel. The tunnel is lit by a single light every 20 feet, which means for the most part, we're in the dark. I run my fingers across the stone walls, my hand holding tight to Marlene's to make sure I don't get lost.
We suddenly stop, and I almost walk straight into Uriah but stop just in time. Lauren and Four stand in front of us, their arms crossed.
"This is were we divide," Lauren says, "the Dauntless-born initiates are with me, I assume you don't need a tour of the place."
I look over at Uriah, Marlene, and Lynn sadly. They all give me an apologetic smile.
Once the Dauntless-born are gone, there are only ten of us left. They all move forward into the space the Dauntless-born left, the Abnegation girl, Tris, and her Candor friend, Christina coming to stand next to me.
"Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks I am your instructor," Four addresses us, "my name is Four."
"Four? Like the number," Christina asks from my left.
   The smile he wore earlier is long gone, replaced by a tight frown.
"Yes," Four says shortly, "is there a problem?"
"No."
"Good. We're about to go into The Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-"
Christina's snigger cuts him off, "The Pit? Clever name."
Four's eyes narrow at her and he walks over to her. He leans his face down to her and glares for a moment.
"What's your name," he asks, so quietly that I barely hear him.
"Christina," she squeaks out.
"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction," he snaps, "the first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"
She nods, her eyes wide.
Four turns on his heal, walking towards the shadowy tunnel. We all follow him in silence.
"What a jerk," Christina mumbles.
"I guess he doesn't like being laughed at," Tris says.
I look at him, he seems familiar to me, like I'd seen him somewhere before. His haircut, short and neat, except for the little bit of length left on the top, suggest that he may be from Abnegation.
We come to a set of double doors and Four pauses for a second, almost as if to build anticipation, and then he pushes the doors open, and we all follow him into "The Pit."
"Oh," I hear Christina whisper, "I get it."
There wasn't a more accurate name for this place. A cavern so huge that I cannot see the other end of it. I look up in wonder, seeing different shops carved into the uneven rock walls, small paths and steps leading to them, no barriers to keep people from falling.
The roof let's in orange sunlight, completely made out of glass. On the outside, it probably looked like every other building, and no one except Dauntless new what waited inside.
There are people everywhere, clad in black, talking and shouting. It was exciting, the way they did everything they wanted without care. I stepped forward, taking it all in. This is where I would spend the rest of my life.
"If you'll follow me," Four says from my left, "I'll show you the chasm."
I look over at him, to find that he is already looking at me. As soon as our eyes meet, he turns away, quickly. He motions for us to follow, and we do. He leads us towards the right side of the pit, where it becomes dark and shadowy again.
I hear it before I see it, the water, fast and powerful as it rushes through the rocks. There is an iron barrier and then a drop. The Chasm, again, accurate. I look over the side, and see it. The fast moving river, hitting the rocks and spraying upwards, making my legs damp. To my left, it is a calm blue, but to my right it becomes a powerful, raging white.
"The Chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy," Four has to shout over the loud roar, "a daredevil off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again! You've been warned!"
I lean forward, admiring it all. We all admire it, but I dare to look deeper. Four starts to lead us somewhere new, and I hesitate for a moment more, I knew where I'd like to spend a lot of my free time.
"Mor," Four shouts back at me.
"Coming," I yell back, running to catch up with them.
He guides us across the pit and to a large hole in the wall. A well-lit room resides within, a dining hall, full of people. When we enter, they all stand up, cheering, clapping, stomping, for us.
I turn to find Tris and Christina smiling wildly and I copy them. This was amazing.
I stick with Tris and Christina as we find seats. We find a nearly empty table at the side of the room and I end up sitting between Tris and Four, who had been previously sitting alone.
In the center of the table is a large platter of food. Tris picks up a hamburger gingerly, looking really confused.
"It's beef," I tell her, sliding a thing of ketchup to her, "put some of this on it."
"You've never seen a hamburger before," asks a wide eyed Christina.
"No," Tris shakes her head, "is that what it's called?"
"Stiff's eat plain food," Four says from my left, nodding at Christina.
"Why," Christina asks again.
"It's considered self indulgent and unnecessary," I tell her, "Abnegation usually eats frozen or canned foods."
Christina smirks at Tris, "no wonder you left."
"Yeah," Tris rolls her eyes, "it was just because of the food."
The doors of the dining hall slam open, and everyone falls silent as a young man walks in. His eyes were cold and threatening as they swept the room, looking for something, for someone.
"Who's that," Christina asks, quietly.
"His name is Eric," Four answers, coldly, "he's a Dauntless leader."
"Seriously? But he's so young."
Four gives her a grave look, "age doesn't matter here."
Then what does? But when his eyes land on our table, I know why. His eyes showed the pure malice inside of his mind, the violent glory. He starts towards us and when he gets here, he takes a seat next to Four. He doesn't offer a greeting, and neither do we.
"Well? Aren't you going to to introduce me," he asks, nodding towards Tris, Christina, and I.
"This is Christina, Tris, and Mor," Four replies shortly.
"Ooh, a Stiff and a Flower Child," Eric smirks at Tris and I, "we'll see how long you last."
My jaw clenches painfully, but it's the only way to keep myself from snapping at him. He doubted me, expected me to fail the first day.
"What have you been doing lately Four," he asks, turning his attention away from Tris and I.
Four shrugs, "nothing really."
I notice how tense Four is now, Eric's presences wasn't a welcome thing. Maybe they were rivals? But how could that be when Eric is a leader.
"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up," Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you."
Four pauses for a moment, looking at Eric, "tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold."
"So he wants to give you a job?"
Ah. Eric feels threatened by Four, maybe because Four could take his job? Why would he?
"So it would seem," Four replies even shorter.
"And you're not interested?"
"I haven't been interested for two years."
"Well," Eric says, almost victoriously, "let's hope he gets the point, then."
Eric harshly claps Fours shoulder as he stands up. When he is gone, I let out a breathe, and I notice Tris and Christina relax as well. Something about Eric's presence made everyone tense.
"Are you two... friends," Tris asks, Four.
"We were in the same initiate class," he says, "he transferred from Erudite."
"So you were a transfer?" I ask.
   Maybe I'm right about him being from abnegation.
"I thought I would only have with the Candor asking to many questions," he says coldly towards me, "now I've got Flower Children too?"
I tilt my head to the side and the corner of my lip twitches, wanting to smirk, "maybe it's because you're so approachable. Like a bed of nails. Curiosity is in everyone's nature, Four."
We have a glaring match, and I don't plan on backing down. This was another reason I would never fit in Amity, I never back down from a fight.
"Careful Mor," he says quietly, not viciously like I thought he would.
Someone calls out Four's name from another table and he stands to leave, giving me one more glance before he goes. I turn back towards my food, sighing slightly.
"I'm developing a theory," Christina says.
I turn to her, "what is it?"
She grins and picks up her hamburger, "that you have a death wish."
I laugh, "maybe I do."