Great Balls of Fire

Welcome to Dauntless

I know I'm choosing a rough path, but I just can't stand the path that I was born on; I don't see why we can't tell someone if they're making you mad, or why you can't get mad at all, it's suffocating.

"Ivy Travis." Marcus calls. I look at my family and they nod their heads at me, smiling. I slowly get up and go to the circle that will decide my future: coals for Dauntless, stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, glass for Candor, and dirt for Amity-where I grew up. I pick up the knife, not sparing the dirt a second glance while sending my parents a quiet apology and goodbye. I cut my hand and let my blood fall onto the hot coals that are for Dauntless. I am the first Amity to defect to Dauntless in decades.

"Dauntless!" Marcus announces for me. I let out a relieved breath and my shoulders relax while he talks and the rowdy cheering begins. I go to the crowd dressed in black. I'm actually greeted warmly and I can't help but smile at their actions.

"Beatrice Prior!" Marcus announces several people later and a Stiff slowly walks up to the bowls and cuts her hand, hesitating between Dauntless and Abnegation for a second before letting her blood fall onto the coals. I cheer with the others while the dude two seats down from me gives her his chair.

Once everyone's chosen we all begin to run and I love it. I follow their lead in climbing up the railing and beginning to run, swinging myself in after an Erudite who is actually nice enough to catch me before I stumble out.

"Thanks."

"No problem." He says.

"It was wasted effort. She's not going to last." One of the ex-Candors scoffs and a girl next to him laughs. I roll my eyes and go towards the back where I see a Candor girl helping in the Stiff.

"Thanks." She says.

"I'm Christina."

"Beatrice."

"Is it just me or are they trying to kill us?" Christina says and I laugh. "Hey, Amity."

"Hey, Candor." I say in greeting, offering them a hand up that both accept. "You and I are going to have our work cut out for us."

"One from the kindness factor and one from the selfless factor?" Christina asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm not exactly as much of a pacifist as they'd like." I say and both girls laugh. "I'm Ivy."

"Christina."

"Beatrice." They introduce.

Thirty minutes later we're told to get ready, so Beatrice edges towards the door to see what's happening.

"They're jumping." She says.

"What?" Christina and I demand in unison, looking out the door.

"Okay, well...I'll see you out there then." I say and they nod. I land and roll onto the roof. Christina and Beatrice land not too far from me seconds later. The three of us can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it. 

"Initiates!" A voice calls and we all gather. "My name is Eric, I'm one of the leaders here at Dauntless. There's only one way into the compound and it's through here. Jump or fail."

"We just jumped and they want us to jump again?" Christina asks us.

"Is there water at the bottom?" An ex-Erudite asks.

"I guess you'll find out. Or not." He says. "So, who's going to be first?"

I look at Beatrice and I can tell both of us are willing to prove that we belong here no matter what and we're going to have a lot of work to do. I nod minutely and she takes a deep breath.