The Devil Wears Yellow

2

In the morning, she rode towards the fields before the choosing ceremony. Usually people were excused from the chores on choosing day but Eden enjoyed going to the fields. Plus, she needed to talk to Brian. When they got to the fields, she tied up Marigold and grabbed a basket.

"What did you get?" Brian asked coming up to her. She looked around before grabbing a few berries from a bush.

"Dauntless," she whispered to him. You weren't supposed to share the results but Eden felt that she needed some guidance. "What's the initiation? I need to know I can make it if I pick."

"Very physical. I'm confident that you're strong and fast enough. There's mental too and I think you will be okay. I wouldn't tell you this if I didn't think you could make it. I'll help you too with the physical stuff. It's allowed for me to help train you," he said quietly and she looked down while biting her lip.

"You really think I can make it?" she asked lowly and he nodded.

"I will help you E. I promise," he said and she nodded.

"I can't stay in Amity any longer," she said shaking her head. She looked over at the others when she heard them singing.

"I'll take care of you E. You have my word," he told her and she nodded while thinking about it. "You'll do good in Dauntless. You just have to stick up for yourself a bit more."

"Will you be there at the choosing?"

"Yes and make sure you wear shoes you can run in," he told her and she raised an eyebrow before remembering the train.

"I'm not sure yet," she said shaking her head and walking further more. Brian took a berry from her basket and popped it in his mouth. "You can't eat those."

"Just think about the cake E. Dauntless cake is so good," he told her and she chuckled. "I believe you can do it."

"I think I'm going to still be deciding when I get up there," she answered honestly. She was confident in picking Dauntless but a part of her was holding on to Amity.

"I have to go before I get in trouble. Just think about E. I will be there the whole time," he said while walking backwards. She smiled at him and he winked before turning around and jogging towards the wall. She took a deep breath and continued picking. When they finished, she rode Marigold quickly to the stables.

"I'm going to miss you girl," Eden said while pressing her forehead against the horse. She gave her one more pat before walking off. She had changed into a different pair of boots that sort of resembled combat boots before walking towards the bus. She saw all the kids with their parents and it made her frown. She stood towards the front and tried to drown out the singing of all the Amity behind her.

The inside of the auditorium was very large. It sort of resembled a dome with a bunch of chairs. She sat in one on the end towards the front while waiting for the ceremony to start. She looked over when the Dauntless came in and looked for Brian. When he caught her eye, he sent her a small nod. She nodded back before looking to the front where the government leaders were gathered. She didn't hear much of his speech because she was still struggling to think of what to do.

"Eden Amber of Amity," he called and she looked up. She stood and walked towards the front of the room. The five bowls stood in front of her as she looked over them. Coals, water, glass, stones, and soil. She picked up the silver dagger and pressed it into her palm. She grimaced at the feeling of the cold metal slicing her skin. She held her hand palm up while looking over the bowls.

She thought of her parents. What would they say? Staying in Amity meant staying where they were but living a life she didn't like. Her hand hovered over the soil before she pulled away from it. Dauntless meant new beginnings. She could move on from her parents death and live a new life. It was so secretive though. She trusted Brian but she had no idea what to expect. She could feel the heat of the burning coals over her hand. She swallowed the lump in her throat before squeezing her hand into a fist. The blood sizzled as it touched the coals and she took a deep breath.