Urgent

Chapter 3

When I wake up, it's with my nails digging into my palms, almost drawing blood. There are distinct marks where my nails have been. I look at Tori. 

She isn't speaking. Not assuring me that I did well - or I performed poorly. No - she's just silent. It's daunting. I start fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. A nervous gesture I do whenever I'm uncomfortable - and with Tori's newfound muteness, I feel very nervous. 

Did I somehow fail or something? Why isn't she speaking?

'That,' she says after what feels like hours of not speaking, 'was perplexing.' Perplexing? 'Excuse me, I'll be right back.'

I wait for her, trying not to imagine the many things she will say to me once she returns. Trying not to wonder what would happen if I had somehow managed to fail. 

By each passing second, I became more and more tense. And when Tori finally returned, I was at my breaking point. I pressed my lips together tightly, hoping that if I did somehow manage to fail - at least I wouldn't cuss out Tori and risk further punishment. 

I hoped I wouldn't have to join the factionless. I couldn't be a part of them. They're so sad. So lonely. I may not be afraid of many things - but I'm scared of joining the factionless. Of being torn from all the people I love.

Of being alone. 

'Sorry to worry you,' Tori says. She stands by my feet, her hands shoved into her pockets. She is as pale and tense as me. 'Ariadne,' I wince at the sound of my name, 'your results were inconclusive?'

I frown. Inconclusive? What the fu -

'Typically,' she continues, 'each stage of the simulation eliminates one or more of the factions, but in your case, only one has been ruled out.' 

I stare at her. What is she going on about? There is no way that could be true. It's impossible. Right?

'One?' I repeat. Sweat is collecting on my brow, and I wipe it with the sleeve of my shirt. Tori nods - she can see how anxious her words made me and proceeds to explain. 

'See, if you had shown an automatic distaste for the knife and selected the cheese, the simulation would have led you to a different scenario that confirmed your aptitude for Amity.' She scratches the back of her neck somewhat nervously. 'That didn't happen, which is why Amity is out.' 

'Normally, the simulation progresses in a linear fashion, isolating one faction by ruling out the rest. The choices you made didn't even allow Amity, since you both rejected the knife and told the man the truth.' Yep - that's me for you. I'm unkind. 

'Though, there's nothing wrong with that.' continues Tori, as if she read my mind. 'Only the Candor tell the truth in that test.' She pauses. 'I suppose that's not entirely true. People who tell the truth are the Candor... and the Abnegation.' 

So, I might be Abnegation? I never even entertained the possibility, but now I'm showing the aptitude for it. 

'You took the do on rather than letting it attack the little girl which is an Abnegation-oriented response... but for the Abnegation, they do lie to the man. At least until he claims it will save his life, which is suggesting Candor.' Tori sighs. 'Not running from the dog is a Dauntless response - but so is using the knife to kill the dog which you failed to do because if your indecisiveness.' 

I mutter a range of curses under my breath while Tori clears her throat, continuing on with her explanation on how I somehow managed to get inconclusive results. 

'Your intelligent response to the dog indicates strong alignment with Erudite, but I still have no idea what to make of your indecision in both stages, but -'