3500- Travi$ Scott
I stumble out of bed in the dark bedroom, and shuffle toward the door. I see the clock as I do so. Six-thirty, it glows bright red. I continue to move toward the door, and stub my toe against the metal strip where the door shuts.
"Shit." I mumble. Ty rolls over and falls off the bed with a groan. "Honey get up we're being robbed." He says in a voice that reminds me of a girl's. His face looks clueless.
"Oh shut up." I murmur, looking in his direction.
He climbs back onto the bed, clutching his pillow between his fists tightly, and places it over his head. "I'm going to bed. Some of us need to look pretty." Again, sounding like a teenage girl.
I grab my pillow and throw it at him, walking out of the room. I slide my feet on the smooth, dark wooden floor, toward the bathroom. I have a leader meeting at eight, at the Pire.
This woman doesn't plan on being late today.
I groan when I hear Hannah's screech of a cry as soon as my body passes the door to the bathroom. "Ahh." I groan, and walk back to Hannah's room, a bit angry.
She stands on the edge of her crib, pounding her fists against the wooden bar. Her face is red, scrunched up, and tear streaked.
"What is it, my little sweet duckling?" I ask her, poking her nose. She stares at me blankly, catching her breath. "Fglrb!" She shouts at me. "Fglrb! Fglrb!"
I think about what it could be, and what starts with an F. Food. Food starts with an F. "Food?" I ask her. She nods. "Fooglrb!" I lift her in my arms, and she pounds at my chest.
"No Hannah. Regular milk." I carry her towards the stairs as she screams. I hear Ty's raspy voice from the bedroom.
"Shut her up!" He shouts. "Trying," I tell him, carrying Hannah down the steep stairs. "Mawwy, Mik." She babbles, and I kiss her cheek. She looks so pitiful.
"Fine." I say, carrying her with me to my office room, which I finally put to use. I lock the door after shutting it, not wanting Ty to barge in.
I lift up my shirt, and hold Hannah to me. She latches on quickly, and I can feel her smiling against my skin. She bites me, and I yelp. "Hannah, stop." I say, even though she probably doesn't understand.
She has teeth now, so it hurts a little bit more.
She eventually finishes, curling her brown hair covered head against my skin, on my chest. She cries again, and I try desperately to calm her down.
I set her on the floor, where she toddles around while jumping. I slip my shirt back on, and pick her up. I carry her to her room, now feeling a headache forming right in the middle of my forehead.
I lay her on the changing table, and take off her onesie in a hurry, along with her diaper. It's not full, but I change it anyway. Too late to go back now.
I grab her black leggings from the dresser and slide them on her chunky legs. "Uhh." She mumbles as I pull a pink shirt over her head, and put some pink socks on her feet.
I put a black bow in her hair as I pull it into a whale spout ponytail on top of her head.
She cries as I finish pulling her hair together, and then just sits on the changing table, fisting the wood in her hands and screaming.
I hear a groan from outside Hannah's room as I stare at her, wondering what it could be. Then I look at her mouth. There are a few spots around her mouth where there are white spots- teeth.
She must be teething again. I sigh, knowing how loud and upset she gets when she teethes, and pick her up.
I carry her down the stairs, past an unhappy Ty in a robe, which strings drag the ground, and into the kitchen, where I walk to the freezer.
She continues to scream as I do so, thrashing her body against my shoulder.
We have some little pacifiers that have mesh where the nipple is, where you can put fruit in it, and freeze it.
The baby can chew on the mesh and it lets the fruit juice slip through so that they get nutrients without the risk of choking.
Freezer teething food rings. That's what I call them, at least.
I pull one out, which has frozen blueberries in it. "YA!" Hannah cheers loudly as I hand her one. She puts it in her mouth, nibbling it slowly.
I shut the freezer door, walking over to the cabinet and pulling down a bib to put on her. I gently slip it around her neck, and shut the cabinet.
I walk out to the living room where Ty sits, bags under his eyes, staring at the television unhappily. "Here, watch her. I've gotta get ready for my meeting." I tell him, and walk upstairs. I immediately turn to the bathroom, and shut the door. I lock it, and start the water for a shower.
>>
I pull my tight, vaguely see through, maroon v-neck tee-shirt over my head, and yank my tight black leggings on.
I sport combat boots on my feet as I walk to the bathroom. I brush my fading ombré hair out, seeing how it's really fluffy and full of volume today, and I just decide to leave it down.
I brush my teeth and apply my makeup. I don't look that bad, seeing how most of the time, I just look like I've crawled out of a cave, which I kind of did, seeing how Dauntless is underground, and, that's beside the point.
I step out of the bathroom, and walk back downstairs, where Hannah continues to suck on the freezer pacifier happily. Ty chews on a granola bar as he finishes buckling his belt, already late to the tattoo shop.
It's just a typical day in our house.
I pick up Hannah, and walk over to the door, where I have a black bag, Hannah's diaper bag, set up with everything she could possibly need. Wipes, bottles with milk, formula, snacks, toys, the whole nine yards.
"I'll take Hannah to Olivia's, you're already late. I've got ten minutes." I rush. Ty nods, chewing on the granola bar.
I step out the door, then peck Ty on the lips as he steps out as well. "Bye, Honey." I say. He turns around to look at me.
"Bye, sweetie." He jogs away down the dark hallway, and out into the light of the pit, disappearing in seconds.
"Let's go." I say in a baby voice to Hannah. I shut the door, and lock it, then head down the hallway, to the light of the pit. Olivia's house is in the chasm corridor, close to the net. Far away from where I go, but I've got enough time.
I walk quickly down the halls, some men looking me up and down, others cat-calling. "Oh shut up." I say in response as I walk down the paths of the chasm, toward the bridge path.
I finally cross the bridge, which leads me straight to Olivia's house. I see it, and I knock on the door. The light is on. She must be home.
Hannah gurgles as I knock on the door. I kiss her cheek, setting her down on the floor when she kicks my side. She jumps up and down. "Yee!" She cheers. I smile.
A man opens the door. A hairy chested, shirtless man. "Mornin'." He says, as he sips on his coffee.
I smile, trying not to look disgusted at the large amounts of hair on his chest, which is sickly pale. "Um, is Olivia here?" I ask, pursing my lips. Hannah toddles over to my leg, and grabs it.
"Hun, some woman and her kid is here to see you." He yells back into the house. Bad grammar use but... Okay. It's typical- he's Dauntless, probably not the civilized type.
"Coming." I hear someone say. It's Olivia. She steps forward a few seconds later, and kisses his cheek.
The man looks twice her age, and I'm utterly disgusted. "Oh did you need me to babysit today, sis?" She asks. "I- I was hoping." I say, grimacing, the man still making me sick.
"I'm sorry but I can't." She grumbles. I make an O shape with my mouth, and then say my goodbyes as she says sorry.
I leave, still tasting bile in my throat as I think of who else I can use to babysit. Marie, my best initiate in initiation.
I kind of became her friend after I quit initiation, and now I talk to her often. I make my way down the hall, to Marie's house, about ten houses down. I knock on her door, and she opens it quickly.
"Hey, Maddie! Haven't seen you in a while!" She says. I nod.
"Yeah it's been awhile. Look, I know its kinda short notice but do you think you could babysit Hannah for a few hours while I'm at work? I've got a meeting and-" she cuts me off.
"Of course! Hannah here is so cute and I hardly ever see her." She smiles. I guess the Abnegation hospitality and their teachings still stick to you even after you switch.
I nod. "Thanks so much!" I say quietly. "Bye Hannah!" I smile at Hannah and kiss her lips quickly as I hand her off. "Beyyy!" She says. I laugh.
"Thanks again, Marie." I tell her, walking off. "Oh it's no problem." She smiles. She goes inside with Hannah, and the diaper bag, and I check my watch. Seven fifty seven. I'm late.
I run through the hallways, crossing the chasm bridge at lightning speed and into the pit, where I head to the elevator that leads to the sky bridge.
I hit the SB button, and go flying upward, making my stomach drop. Soon, the elevator stops and I step out into the glass hall with the conveyor belt.
I stand on the conveyor belt and am quickly transported to the other side. I jog up the stairs- two flights- to the top level, and open the door to the meeting room at eight-o'five.
The room is pentagonal, four of the five walls made of glass, complete glass. A large, circular table placed in the middle of the room, a whiteboard at the head.
Uriah stands at the big white board, showing stock and rates. "Now-" he starts but then sees me and hears the door. "Glad to see you could join us, Maddie. Take a seat next to Marcus." I feel the blood drain from my face as Uriah utters the six words that decide my fate. I thought he was dead?
I nod, and walk over to the empty chair, which has my name on it.
Uriah's seat is beside mine, but that doesn't make this situation any better. I gulp as I plop down into the soft chair.
Marcus's head turns slightly to look at me, revealing all of his wrinkles and scars and I shaved facial hair. The three combined make him look drunk or hungover- one of the two. Maybe he is.
"Good morning," he looks at me, staring from my forehead to my legs. I feel exposed, as if I cannot escape his gaze. "G-good morning." I say nervously. His sharp eyes glint in the pale sunlight.
He turns back to his original spot. I remember my father always telling me to watch my step in Abnegation- about Marcus and how dangerous he is.
He told my siblings and I the stories of Marcus and his doings. He said that they used resurrection serum on him in Erudite to keep him alive after he died, and he didn't find out that he was alive until a few years ago.
I'm horrified of him, yet here I sit, directly beside him.
I gulp, realizing how long of a meeting this will really be.
>>
"That concludes our meeting. Maddie and I, the leaders of Dauntless would like to wish you all a happy day and that we will see you in Abnegation next week for our next meeting of the month." Uriah says as the two of us stand.
I fold my hands over my chest as Uriah gives his speech. I feel Marcus's eyes glaring into my back, but I ignore it.
"You are now free to leave." I complete the speech how I usually do. All of the leaders stand up, including Marcus and my other grandfather, Andrew, Tris's father.
He's much nicer. I like him more than Marcus. His name doesn't bring a sour taste to my mouth.
"Madison. It's been sometime." Marcus says as I try to disperse to flee the captivity of the meeting room, failing miserably.
I turn around. "Why the stiffness?" He asks. I relax. Andrew looks at him curiously. "Give her a break, Marcus." Marcus turns around to Andrew slowly. He gives him a look before returning to me.
"I'll put another bullet in you if you don't get out now." I say shortly. Andrew looks taken aback. I'm a lot stronger than I look.
"You listen here. I've been watching your parents. Their every move in fact. Something could happen to them if you don't watch your back and treat me like the man I am." He says, hands clenched into fists at his side.
"I don't see a man. All I see is a coward. A fake, fake coward. If everyone actually knew all of the things you've done- you'd never see another day in leadership. You'd be banished outside of the city." My voice raises in the now empty conference room.
The door creaks open and in walks my father. "Maddie, you need to leave." He says. Marcus places his hand on my chest, and moves it down further. My skin aches.
My father walks toward me, yelling at Marcus, but before he can reach me, I kick Marcus in the gut.
"So-" he starts to greet my father, as if nothing is wrong, but the wind is knocked out of him before he can finish.
He stumbles backwards, against the table. I push him, though it's hard, down the row of spinning chairs, and he falls on the floor.
"Nothing but a perverted coward. That's all I see. You're no man." I kick his side. My father pulls me away before I can kick him again, but I pull free of his grasp.
"Isn't this what you wanted? Justice for everything? For your childhood? For all of the things he's done?" I look at him. He stares at me with wide blue eyes.
"You're only going to get yourself hurt. It's not worth it. I can fight my own battles." He shouts, and looks at Marcus, who's face begins to pale.
Andrew looks at me. "He was feeling her up." My father says, I'm guessing to Andrew.
"Yes. It was his time anyway. Resurrection serum only goes so far for a bullet to the stomach." Andrew says in a murmur.
My father hugs me. Tightly I may add. He pulls away, tears in his eyes. "I'm proud of you. You're very brave. You fit leadership well." He says as he cries in my shoulder.
"I'll go call the infirmary doctors." Andrew says.
>>
Marcus Eaton died at ten-thirty-seven this morning.
The team of Erudite certified doctors couldn't save him- his only saving grace would have been his clothing, but the doctors claimed that the resurrection serum could and would only go so far.
I don't feel guilty at all after all of the horrible things he's done to our society and my father and my mother and now, me.
Yes it was a loss of great proportions for the Abnegation leader district, but they'll find another leader. I'm sure of it.
I walk through the hallways of the pit, back home. Hannah sits on my hip, her head laid against my shoulder, asleep.
I know that the events that have happened today were the best for my family, and for all of the city. Marcus was watching us. He threatened us. I can't feel guilt for that.
I slide the key in our door, and twist it open. I shut it behind me, retrieving the key as I do so. I lay Hannah down in her pack and play, and unclasp my bra from my body.
I let a breath out as I do that, and then I sit down. I look at Hannah. "You did it for her. For her future." I tell myself. I hear the door open behind me, and a smiling Ty walks in.
"Hello, Mad- oh." He looks at me, and drops his jacket on the bar. He steps over to me and sits beside me. "What happened?" He asks me while holding my hand.
Tears slips from my eyes now. "You didn't hear?" I ask. He shakes his head. "You see, news only gets to the tattoo parlor if the badasses hear about it and decide to tell. So spill."
I let out a shaky breath. "I killed Marcus Eaton today." I look at him blankly, eyebrows raised. His eyes widen. "Your grandfather?" He asks. I cringe.
"Technically yes. But he was feeling me up." I say, Thinking back to the violated feeling of his fingers on my chest and my stomach, drifting.
Ty looks sick. "And I don't feel guilty at all. It was better for us all." I say simply. He smiles. "That's my brave Dauntless girl." He kisses my cheek.
I lean my head on his shoulder until... Hannah cries.
She stands up in the pack and play and looks at me in distress. "Fooglrb!" She says. "Milk?" I ask her. She screams. "NoMik!" Her words run together.
I get up and walk to the freezer. I pull out a frozen raspberry mesh pacifier and I open the refrigerator door and pull out a bottle of milk.
My milk, since I know that she likes it. I also grab a baby cookie for "teething babies" as it says on the box.
It's a surprise for her, I guess.
I walk out, grabbing a bib for her, and sit down on the couch.
I put the milk, pacifier, and cookie down on the table. Ty looks at them in thought. I pick Hannah up and put the bib on her.
I place her in between Ty and I as I sit down. I hold up the three things and she takes the milk. She holds it for herself as she sips it, smiling.
She stops drinking it and throws it at the table. "Coo-ie!" She points at the table. I hand her the cookie and she nibbles at it, drenching it in saliva. I pick up the bottle and set it on the table.
I pick Hannah up to sit on Our laps as I scoot as close as I possibly can to Ty. Hannah sits on both of our laps. Marcus's death forgotten, I enjoy these moments with my family.
a/n: what a whirlwind of a chapter? Well, I thought it was. Yes, I know Marcus died in chapter three of Detergent but
I wanted to bring him back so resurrection serum is the best thing ever. I'm now at my house, and we're sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor. 😂 I've missed Texas. I'll be unpacking and stuff tomorrow, so I'll be busy. I might update while my dad is putting up shelves in my room, I don't know. I've missed it here! See ya'll later! Kind of feeling out of place since I'm not in L.A., but we still own that house so... I might live there again. Idk. I might live there when I'm in college- you never know. Well, I've got time zone lag so I'm gonna catch some Z's. 😴 goodnight!
~~~~~Question{s}~~~~~
a} who has had time zone lag (jet lag) before?
- yes. A million times yes. I hate it 😑
b} favorite college?
- UCLA, SDSU, UK, TAMU. 📚
c} brothers and sisters?
-no. I'm an only child. It's a blessing and a curse. You get lonely all the time and just no. 👫👬👭