Emergent (Divergent: Book Four)

Chapter 8-Tris

"No!" I ran to him, forgetting all else. Tobias crumpled to the ground in pain, clutching his abdomen, losing blood fast. "Tris; behind you!" I vaguely heard Caleb scream behind me. But I didn't care. I only cared about the love of my life. "Tris; I'm fine...look out!" I peeled my eyes away from Tobias just in time to see David with his gun pressed to my forehead. Tobias was injured, unable to help. And Caleb was never any help in these situations. But he was this time.

Caleb picked up a heavy, hardcover science book of some kind that was laying nearby and threw it as hard as he could at David's head. It wasn't much, but it him straight in the temple. Caught off gaurd, David lost his balance and stumbled backwards, onto the floor. I took the opportunity and kicked the gun out of his grasp, sending it spinning across the lab floor. He recovered quickly, as I knew he would, and was back on his feet in no time. The gun was too far to reach and David was blocking the way. I spotted a knife that was knocked off the table and was about to dive for it when David kicked me, right in the gut, and I doubled over, winded.

I caught my breath just in time to see him rushing me again. I was still dizzy from being brought back from the dead, but I blocked the swing, at the same time punching him in the jaw. Still using the techniques Four taught me so long ago.

I grabbed for the knife, but David was too fast. He pinned me to the ground with his knees on my arms and wrapped his hands around my throat. He lifted me up and slammed me against the wall opposite Tobas and Caleb, still in a choke-hold. I gasped and struggled to breath. My feet were lifted off the ground as I struggled to get his hands off me. Only a sliver of air found it's way into my lungs, but that wasn't enough. I was losing oxygen fast, David had a menacing smile on his face, obviously enjoying this. I couldn't think straight, and was losing consciousness. I looked up. Caleb was working on Tobias's wound, and Tobias was-saying something...

"Tris! Use your legs!" His voice was faint, but I heard it, barely. I began kicking my legs, although I was losing ciculation and was soon going to be unable to do so. I was going to die after Caleb worked so hard to bring me back.

No, I thought, determination suddenly flooding my body. I summoned all my stength into my right leg, brought my foot up and kicked him, straight in the groin. He gasped and stumbled backwards, tripping on his own feet, and hit the ground hard. I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. Fresh air flooded into my lungs. It felt so good to breathe! My head pounded as I slowly got to my feet, still breathing heavy. David went for the knife; I went for the gun. But he got a head start and I was still regaining my strength. He got to the knife and stabbed me in the shoulder. Pain once again shot through my shoulder, but this pain was different. This pain was sharper than the bullet, which was a sort of dull pain. I couldn't help crying out as the knife was extracted from my shoulder.

He reeled the knife back again, this time for the kill, but adrenaline pumped through my body, and I grabbed the gun and spun around at the last second. I pulled the trigger, and with a sickening thud, the bullet found a home in David's skull.

The knife clattered to the floor inches from my face. I looked up in horror at David directly above me. I couldn't move in time; David's lifeless body landed on top of me painfully. He was unsurprisingly heavy, and I had an injured arm. I grunted with the effort of trying to get him off me, but it was no use; I was stuck.