Finding The Courage

Part 6

The following weeks of stage one consisted of us fighting each other. I had to fight Christina who I had gone easy on, Tris had lost her first fight. Christina conceded in one of her fights, backing away from her opponent. Eric stopped the fight and I got a sinking feeling in my chest as I watched him comfort her and we all followed them through the halls of Dauntless. I heard the water of the Chasm before anyone else and pushed my way to the front knowing what Eric was about to do. As I got to the front of the group I found Christina already hanging from the bridge. I let out a strangled cry as someone held me back, the threat from Eric having not reached my ears. When Eric finally called time I was the one to pull her up and into my arms before Tris and Will could reach us. As they took her from me I hissed at Eric.

"You're not brave, you're just cruel" He looked taken aback for a split second but I was gone before I could see anything else.

The fights became increasingly unfair, I was paired with Will, who Christina was sort of dating from what Tris had told me, and Tris had to fight Peter. I watched Tris get beaten bloody by Peter and I was ready to murder him. I knew it was Eric's doing. I beat Will which was a surprise to me as well as everyone else. I had moved up in the rankings now sitting pretty in fourth place. Tris was still below the red line. The next day was the final day of fights, I wanted to go against Peter. I was not meant to fight Peter that day but I wanted to get a little payback for Tris.

"Put me against Peter." I said as I approached Eric. Eric did not like being approached or given orders by people below him but he turned to look at me.

"Really?" He said in a bored tone.

"Please." He just nodded and called it out as Four entered the room.

Four rushed to Eric's side and began to try and talk him out of it as Peter and I entered the ring. Peter smirked at me. 

"You know Stiff if you wanted to feel my body all you had to do was ask." He poked fun at me. I wasn't going to let him get to me though. I had watched him beat Tris and had learned his striking pattern. He underestimated me and I was going to use it against him.

"Go" Eric bellowed.

Peter advanced on me and when he got close I hit him in the gut first and followed up with a sweeping kick to his knees. I had him on the ground and jumped on top of him. I knew he would protect his face so I aimed all body shots hitting as hard as I could until I heard something crack. Peter managed to throw me off him but was struggling to land any punches. I was too fast for him. I got him on the floor again and he tried to protect his body and I took advantage and beat his face this time. His nose was bleeding and his eye brow was split by the time Eric called an end to the fight with me as the winner. Peter had managed to get a few good punches in but with the adrenaline and anger coursing through my body I hadn't felt a thing. Four helped me off the ground and sent me off to get checked out as the rest of the fights took place.

I was cleared and knew I was going to pass stage one. In celebration I went to the Pit to get a tattoo. I ended up in Tori's chair as she worked on a piece down my spine. That's where Eric found me, shirtless bra undone hair pulled all the way up on top of my head.

" 'We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. We believe in shouting for those who can only whisper, in defending those who cannot defend themselves.' Impressive. How long has she been sitting for that, it's pretty small and all the way down her spine." His voice sent a chill through my body but I refused to move.

"A few hours but she's done now. Do you need her?" Tori asked, saving me from having to answer. She also did me another favor by clipping my bra back in place and pulling my shirt down over my back before having me sit up.

" We have the game tonight, I didn't find her with any of the other initiates and wanted to make sure she hadn't run off." He said as he left. I exchanged a look with Tori and paid her before heading to find Four. I found him eating dinner, with the rest of the Dauntless born I had recently become friends with.

"What game?" I hissed at them. Sitting between Four and Uriah, starring Zeke dead in the eye.

"Who told you about the game?" Four asked as I turned to face him

"Eric mentioned it to Tori while I was getting a tattoo." I answered. Four raised his eyebrow at me at the mention of a tattoo.

"Oh please show me." Uriah said behind me.

"It runs down my spine." I said in a dismissive tone maintaining eye contact with Four. "So the game?" I prompted the group.

"If I tell you, will you show me the tattoo?" Uriah asks. I look at the others.

"First one that tells me everything they know about the game gets to see the tattoo." I said.

"Wren." Four said my name in a warning tone but I was already up and moving out of the mess hall hoping someone with information followed me. Uriah was the one to follow me, I showed him the tattoo and in return I learned the game was a mix between paintball and capture the flag. Eric and Four were team captains. After getting what other information I could out of Uriah, I head to bed knowing I am going to need as much sleep as I can get before the game.