You Promised

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Tobias

The meeting was awful. I had to deal with the continuous blabbering of Charles, Cara and Matthew, they'd all be Erudite if there were still factions.

As if we don't already know what war is like. I hate being underestimated.

But I have come back to the realization that the Bureau will attack at any time they want. Any time this week at least.

I shove my hands in my pockets and continue walking alone in the hallway.

Until I hear footsteps. "Hey." It's Tris.

I face her. "Hi Beatrice."

"Did you just call me Beatrice?" She raises her eyebrows.

"Yes I did. It's just been a long time."

I place my hands on the sides of her face. "Promise me you wont die. Please."

"Tobias you know I can't promise you that-"

"Tris. Promise me."

"Okay," She says. "I promise."

I wrap my arms around her and then pull away.

She grins.

But little by little her grin turns in to a frown. "I've heard that they're preparing for their attack here. They're coming soon."

"I know." I frown.

"We have to get ready." She places her cold hand on my shoulder.

"Let's go." I say.

We prepare for the attack and position ourselves.

Tris stands beside me. Her arms thin but strong.
Her eyes so stern, so serious but kind.

She's amazing.

Better than I'll ever be.

+++

The bombs go off. Gun triggers that shoot at the same time.

The war is happening.

I shoot my gun. Shooting three men at once.

Where does the Bureau get all their soldiers?

I cant think of this now.

Fire from the bombs illuminate from the corners of my eyes.

I look over to Tris to see if she's okay.

She gave me something worth fighting for.

And it's her.

I keep shooting. Thinking to myself:
They're innocent.
They might just be fighting for the lives of their families.

But no. They started this.

They're not innocent. They're horrible.

I use my rage to shoot more, trying to ignore the piercing screams of their pain.

Sometimes it's just too hard to handle.

For a moment, everything goes silent.

It's not over yet.

"Everyone take cover!" I shout as loud as I can.

Then bombs burst right before my eyes, just as the sun rises.

I scan for Tris and my eyes stop at her.

She's running. Most importantly, she's safe.

I run toward her.

"You okay?" I say over the gun shots.

"Yeah, you?"

"Not hurt at all." I say.

I run out of bullets. "Damn it." I murmur as I cram for a pistol or something.

All I grab is a knife.

It's a little too late to keep searching so I throw it, unsure of where or who I am hitting.

I hear a groan. I ignore it.

I keep shooting.

I hear Tris groan.
"Tris!"

"No, it's okay. I'm okay, I'm okay. Just hit on the shoulder. No problem." She wraps a piece of cloth around her left shoulder.

Tons of men are dead.

Not enough to fight against the hundreds of other soldiers from the Bureau.

We have no choice but to run inside and call for the other hundred fighters waiting for the best time to come out.

We come in instead.

"Get ready!" Meredith orders. "This will be tough!"

We all scream together, "To freedom!"