Charlotte Eaton

Prologue 1 "I can't leave you"

Ever since I was younger, I have always idolized my older brother. After our mother died two years ago, he was the only family I ever trusted.

Tobias would make me laugh when I was sad, stay with me when I had nightmares, and do anything he could to make me feel safe. Unlike other brother and sister pairs, he would also hide me from our father when he was angry and even take the majority of the beatings so his sister wouldn't have to.

After a particularly rough night last year that earned me a long nasty scar on my back and a broken wrist, Tobias did everything he could to keep his sister from harm. Although thankful, I would often feel guilty and would help bandage my brother after Marcus got to him. I wanted to help Tobias and keep him from taking my punches, but instead I was often frozen in place, terrified to move.

Except tonight.

Tomorrow was Tobias's choosing ceremony and Marcus was interrogating him about his test results.

"Why did you come home early, what went wrong?" Marcus grumbled as soon as the two walked through the door. As the Abnegation leader and the governor over all the factions, he must have heard about it. I flinched as he started to undo his belt and wrap the end around his hand.

"Nothing, Dad, the serum made me feel sick. I got Abnegation, you can check it!" Marcus's eyes went cold and started toward Tobias.

"You better not be lying to me." Despite her brother's protests that he was not, in fact, lying, Marcus ordered him to take off his shirt and turn around."

"Lottie, go upstairs!" He shouted. I turned to face the stairs, then stopped.

"I can't, I want to stay." Toby's eyes went wide. I could see the pain in his eyes, but I couldn't leave him, I couldn't. I knew what it was like to have the belt and punches thrown at me and I knew it was worse for him. I couldn't leave, especially when his Choosing Day was tomorrow. Marcus's eyes, however, looked positively joyful.

"I guess I'm playing with the both of you tonight, then." He brings the belt down on Toby's back with a sickening crack. I can feel the tears fall down my face but I know I have to stay. When he's finished with my brother, he turns to me and I know it's going to be a long night.

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A while later, Tobias is bandaging my back. I had already finished putting ointment on his, and now it was my turn. I groaned in pain as he spread the painful ointment and placed a bandage on a particularly bad cut.

"You shouldn't have done that," he muttered, "You know I'd much rather me take most of it if you're safe."

"I know," I responded, "But it's going be my turn soon, anyways, I might as well repay you at least a little for looking out for me before you leave." I regret it instantly as the words leave my mouth. His face darkens.

"I told you, I'm not leaving you. I can't leave you." He says sternly.

"Like hell," I say, ignoring his stern face at my language, "I'll be out in three years anyway, there's no way I'm letting you give up your whole life just so the next couple years will be easier on me. You'll be going through initiation anyways." We've talked about this many time, but no matter what I say, he's determined to stay in Abnegation.

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"Toby!" I scream, shooting up in my bed, my body drenched in sweat. I suddenly get a feeling that I can't breathe and immediately look around for my inhaler as I struggle to take a full breath. My nightmares the past couple weeks have gotten worse and almost every one ends in an asthma attack. My brother rushes in my room and once seeing my face, immediately turns on the lamp so he can help look for my inhaler.