DIVERGENT: Tobias (Watty Award Winner 2013)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I'm standing on the ledge of a building. It looks like I'm almost twenty stories high. I try to run but my feet are pretty much welded to the ground. I can't move an inch.

Somewhere in my mind, I have realized that I am dreaming, but the dream feels incredibly realistic.

All of the sudden Tris appears. Out of thin air. What is she doing here? On top of a building? I'm trying to make sense of things, but my mind has been set to slow motion. This makes no sense, what is going on? Then I see her preparing herself. She's preparing herself to jump off the building! No! She can't do that! I can't let her do that; even if it is just a dream, to see her body crumpled against the concrete would be all too real for me. A nightmare.

As soon as her feet leave the ground, mine do too. I sacrificed myself for a girl I've known for barely two days and I jumped off an outrageously tall building. Before I fall to the ground though, I awaken and I'm covered in sweat caused by the tension in the dream.

What a strange dream... I think to myself. And why was Tris in it? I take a shower slowly, trying to decipher the meaning of my dream, and then get dressed. Then, I start to think about the combat between the initiates. The combat has to be, hands down, the most torturous initiation requirement of all and I have to choose the pairings for the first round. Well, there are nine initiates, so someone will not fight today. I know automatically that Peter should fight with Drew. And I think Al and Will would make a pretty even fight.

It takes me a while to pair the other initiates. Christina was showing some good skills yesterday, but who to put her with? Then it hits me! She can fight with Molly. I think that would be okay for their first time. I guess that leaves Edward and .... What was her name? ......oh Myra! Ok so Edward will be paired with Myra. That's eight people in total.

I know who the ninth is and I know why she is the only one left. I just can't imagine her fighting with anyone with her fragile structure. She will have to fight at some point though. I can't just hide her away from the world to keep her safe. Whatever, I've made my decision and Tris will NOT fight today..... But she still has to fight tomorrow...

I leave my apartment and head over to the training room. I'm ten minutes early so I have to wait for all if the initiates to slowly arrive. When they all show up, I walk into the training room and turn toward the chalkboard to start writing the match ups.

Al-Will 

Christina-Molly 

Drew-Peter 

Edward-Myra 

Tris-

"Since there are an odd number of you, one of you won't be fighting today," I say as I step away from the chalkboard so they can get a good look. As I step away, I look towards Tris, anxious for her reaction, but her face doesn't give anything away. Then suddenly Christina whispers something to Tris and nudges her with her elbow. This causes Tris to wince in pain. Is she hurt? I ask myself, obviously too concerned for her well-being. She carries on her whispered conversation with Christina, so I figure that all is well. They continue to whisper as Al and Will enter the arena.

I try to pay as much attention to Al and Will's fight as possible, but I am constantly glancing at Tris, trying to decipher the expressions that appear on her face. I look away form Tris in time to see Al punch Will in the face. Hard. I notice the smirk on Eric's face and feel a huge wave of disgust for him. How can someone get any more pathetic? As Al attempts to punch Will again, Will blocks the punch, only to receive the equal amount of pain from blocking it.