The silence is eating me alive. I sit at the kitchen table in my plain Abnegation robes. Eating my plain food. My father, Marcus, our faction leader, is preparing for the Choosing Ceremony. Where I will choose what I will do for the rest of my life. After my brother, Tobias, left me for Dauntless I've been beaten. Just as he used to be. My father whipped me with his belt untiled I had promised to choose Abnegation. Bullshit. I know where I am going. I know who I am.
***
"Tallulah Eaton," My father calls. I walk into the stage. I look him in the eye. I smirk, knowing I will defy him. I slice open my hand without so much as a wince. I barely feel the pain, too absorbed in my overwhelming joy that is my leaving Abnegation. I instantly hold my hand above the Dauntless coals. I look up at my father's eyes. He looks furious. I suppress an evil laugh. The coals sizzle. I look down to see my blood bubbling. I smile. "Dauntless!" My father yells to the audience with a hint of anger he knows only I can detect. Dauntless cheers. I smile at the audacity of my new faction. Once they settle down you can here the hushed murmurs spreading through the other factions. I don't care what they think. I chose Dauntless for a reason. Not only did my aptitude test tell me where I belonged but I have always wanted to be carefree and wild. I remember my aptitude test like it was yesterday. I am divergent. My test results were Dauntless. Just Dauntless. I know I am divergent because I was aware during the whole thing. I knew what I was doing and I chose all of the choices I thought would give me an aptitude for Dauntless so that My results weren't suspicious in any way.
***
I race out of the building along with all of the other Dauntless. I climb the support beams for the train tracks, like I have watched so many other Dauntless do on my way home from school each day. The climb stretches my back, threatening to tear open my injuries caused by Marcus's belt. I reach the top and wait for all of the others to arrive at the top. I notice a Candor girl struggling to get a good grip. I give her my hand and pull her up in one swift motion.
"Wow, your strong," She giggles. "I'm Bella. You are?"
"I'm Tallulah," I smile at my name. "But you can just call me Tee."
Steadily noises can be heard and the platform begins to vibrate. It isn't long before the train comes into view, the wind making whistling noises as the train speeds forward. The train gets nearer and some of the Dauntless start to run, I follow, with Bella at my side. I run as fast as I can trying to keep up with the never faltering vehicle. It feels amazing; they wind blowing my hair, my feet barely touching the ground and I know, when I swing myself into the train car, that I made the right choice. I. Am. Dauntless.
