─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ─── Chapter Four "Initiates" ─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
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AFTER SITTING DOWN for what felt like an eternity, really only thirty minutes, we were told by some Dauntless-born initiates to get ready. There was a buzz of confusion among us, but we all got to our feet and looked around, trying to figure out what was happening.
I glanced around the train car at the others, my eyes eventually locking onto Peter from across the train. He held my stare, looked me up and down with an inscrutable expression, and then looked away, his face completely emotionless. The lack of any reaction confused me, and I found myself wondering what he was thinking.
"Look, they're jumping," Beatrice's voice cut through my thoughts, bringing me back to the present.
Christina, who was peering out the train door, echoed in disbelief, "What?"
I moved to the door, and sure enough, people were jumping from the train onto the rooftop of a building across from us. Liv's eyes widened as she watched, "Are they crazy?"
Rachel shrugged, her face resolute. "I'm assuming that's our next test. I guess I'll see y'all on the other side," she said before taking a running leap out of the train. We watched her land and roll to her feet on the rooftop.
Liv shook her head, her face a mix of fear and determination, before following suit and jumping after Rachel. Al shook his arms out nervously, preparing himself. I placed my hand on his arm to stop him momentarily.
"Be careful," I said, giving him a reassuring squeeze.
"You too," he replied with a smile before taking his own leap out of the train.
Christina didn't hesitate long after that. With a yell, she jumped, leaving just Beatrice and me standing in the doorway.
"On three?" Beatrice suggested, holding out her hand.
I nodded, gripping her hand tightly. We both took a deep breath as she started the countdown. "One... two... three!"
Together, we jumped from the train, the wind rushing past us in a deafening roar. For a brief moment, I felt weightless, like I was flying. It was an exhilarating, terrifying sensation that ended abruptly as I hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact. I felt the sting of a graze on my arm as I came to a stop.
Beatrice landed nearby, her breath coming in gasps as she pushed herself up. We exchanged a glance, the shock of what we'd just done mingling with a sense of triumph.
I couldn't help but laugh, despite the lingering pain in my arm. We had made it. We were here. Ignoring the pain in my arm, we both stood and walked over to the others as we heard a man speak up.
