WHEN ALL THE initiates stand on solid ground again, Lauren and JK lead us down a narrow tunnel. The walls are made of stone, and the ceiling slopes, so I feel like I am descending deep into the heart of the earth. The tunnel is lit at long intervals, so in the dark space between each dim lamp, I fear that I am lost until a shoulder bumps mine.
In the circles of light I am safe again.
The Erudite boy in front of me stops abruptly, and I smack into him, hitting my nose on his shoulder. I stumble back and rub my nose as I recover my senses. The whole crowd has stopped, and our three leaders stand in front of us, arms folded.
“This is where we divide,” Lauren says. “The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don’t need a tour of the place.”
She smiles and beckons toward the Dauntless-born initiates. They break away from the group and dissolve into the shadows. I watch the last heel pass out of the light and look at those of us who are
left. Most of the initiates were from Dauntless, so only nine people remain. Of those, I am the only Abnegation transfer, and there are no Amity transfers. The rest are from Erudite and, surprisingly,
Candor. It must require bravery to be honest all the time. I wouldn’t know.
JK addresses us next. “Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor,” he says.
“My name is JK.”
Hanni asks, “JK? Like Just Kidding?”
“Yes,” JK says. “Is there a problem?”
“No.”
“Good. We’re about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It—” Hanni snickers. “The Pit? Clever name.”
JK walks up to Hanni and leans his face close to hers. His eyes narrow, and for a second he just stares at her.
“What’s your name?” he asks quietly.
“Hanni,” she squeaks.
“Well, Hanni, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction,” he hisses. “The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?” She nods.
JK starts toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moves on in silence.
“What a jerk,” she mumbles.
“I guess he doesn’t like to be laughed at,” I reply.
It would probably be wise to be careful around JK, I realize. He seemed placid to me on the platform, but something about that stillness makes me wary now.
JK pushes a set of double doors open, and we walk into the place he called “the Pit.”
“Oh,” whispers Hanni. “I get it.”
“Pit” is the best word for it. It is an underground cavern so huge I can’t see the other end of it from where I stand, at the bottom.
Uneven rock walls rise several stories above my head. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities.
Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connect them. There are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side.
A slant of orange light stretches across one of the rock walls. Forming the roof of the Pit are panes of glass and, above them, a building that lets in sunlight.
It must have looked like just another city building when we passed it on the train.
Blue lanterns dangle at random intervals above the stone paths, similar to the ones that lit the Choosing room. They grow brighter as the sunlight dies. People are everywhere, all dressed in black, all shouting and talking, expressive, gesturing. I don’t see any elderly people in the crowd.
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Divergent | Jungkook AU
Fanfiction"We have war inside of us. Sometimes it keeps us alive. Sometimes it threatens to destroy us"
