'The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.' -Jim Hightower
In a society divided into five factions, two girls must make a choice.
Amity-born April Dexter 'Dex' Meadows has always known that s...
"Begin!" shouts Amar. I snarl and lunge at her, but my hands grasp thin air. She's too fast and has already sidestepped away. I feel her thump my back from behind, and gasping, I spin to meet her. Just as I turn to see her smirking face, she punches me and I feel my legs slide out from underneath me. The last thing I remember is my head hitting the floor.
When my eyes finally open, I'm immediately assaulted by a blinding white light. I wince and shut them again. My hands close on a white fabric that I seem to be lying on. I breathe deeply, force my eyes open and then struggle to get up.
"Dex, go easy," a familiar male voice says next to me, "you've hit your head pretty hard."
I turn my face in his direction and see a vague shape, my eyes blinking to get used to the light, "No kidding," I groan, "Is that you Plato? Where am I and what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be training?"
"Yeah it's me," he says, and as my eyes adjust, I can see him now, his gentle brown eyes looking carefully into mine, "You're in the Dauntless hospital wing. Training's done for the day. The other's went to get food but I figured I'd stay with you. Are you hungry?"
I shake my head, still trying to process what happened, "Brooke knocked me unconscious and I've been here for the entire day?"
"Yes," says Plato sympathetically.
"I was hoping to beat her," I groan, "How has she got so good so fast?" I ask, remembering how quick she was.
"I think Isaac's been teaching her," he replies, "he must want his allies to make it at least through the first round of Initiation. He must want at least some friends even though he's a bully."
"I'm guessing he hasn't taught Edgar anything," I snort.
Plato smiles, "I don't think Edgar can be taught anything."
We are silent for a few moments. Then, I grab the bed sheets again, and this time, I manage to sit up, "Did anyone else lose their fights as badly as I did?" I ask, worried.
"Well you know what Jo looked like of course. But, no. The last fight was me and Cassie and she conceded after a few punches," he says unwillingly, and then he looks at me, anxious, "Are you sure you're not hungry, Dex? You're been out all day."
I shake my head, suddenly determined, "Food can come later," I look at Plato, "You. Me. In Amar's office. Now. I need practice."
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"And with that one you can spin someone around," he says, as I land on the floor. We're in Amar's office. Amar has been gone for most of the evening but he's cleared a small space in his office for us to practice. There's a surprisingly large amount of paperwork on the shelves.
"How do you know so many?" I ask, envious, as I get up.
"Well from Amar of course," smiles Plato, "But I also read a lot of books in Erudite. I found it interesting how Martial Arts can be adapted in ways to suit different people."
