In a world divided by factions and defined by rigid rules, 12-year-old Rose has always felt like an outsider. Born into the rule-following faction of Candor, she is taught never to betray the laws, yet something deep inside her yearns for more-a sen...
I sit in a crowd. Rows of Red and orange, Gray, Black and white, and blue stream from chair to chair. We watch the platform with the 5 choosing bowls: Coal, Glass, water, gray stones, and soil representing the 5 factions. Mother fidgets next to me most likely worried that Christina, my older sister will choose a different faction. Her dark hair was tied up into a bun and her milk chocolate skin was lighter in the light. Her Black and White clothing mixes with the people around us. If Christina does choose a different faction I will always visit her on visiting day. A person in gray steps out from behind the choosing bowls. I remember him as the Abnegation representative Marcus Eaton. The Candor, Erudite, and Abnegation quickly quiet down but the Dauntless and Amity whisper in loud conversations. When Marcus begins to speak the conversations hush to a mid noise.
"Welcome," He says. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his way in this world." I reach over to hold Mother's hand knowing she needs it. "Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now time to decide what kind of people they want to be," His voice is grim and gives equal weight to each word. "Decades ago our ancestors realized......." I toon out swiping the room with my eyes. The sixteen-year-olds are lined up against the back wall. I scan their line looking for Christina. When I spot her in a black and white suit. Hair brushed to perfection. She stands next to a Blond girl in gray and a small black-haired boy. Staring down at her feet. What is she thinking?
I watch the line get shorter and shorter as the people choose their factions. A Brown haired boy with fair skin transfers to Amity. A Tall blond head transfers to Erudite. The girl in front of her is named Suzy and she transfers to Abnegation. When Christen walks to the bowls. Mother grips my hands tight. I contain a wince. She holds the knife and slices the palm of her hand. I hold my breath as she walks toward the bowls. She stands between the candor bowl and the dauntless bowl when she turns left to the dauntless bowl I hear my mother gasp. Christina releases her blood onto the burning coals. They made a sizzling sound when the blood landed. The Dauntless erupt into cheers and hoots. Christina searches the candor crowd when our eyes meet. She mouths Forgive me, Rose. I give a small smile back hoping it's convincing but inside I'm falling apart. Why?
Mother's tears land on my hands and I sit there watching the other people choose. A skinny girl with blond hair brown eyes and gray clothing releases her blood on the coals. Her name is Beatrice.
"Mother wonder if that girl would be friends with Christina?" I say try to think the brightest of this situation.
"Maybe," her answer is short unlike her. "But she is too small. I bet she won't make it through Dauntless initiation," Hmm... Mother doesn't seem to believe in you, so just because I'm rooting for you Beatrice.
It's been a week since the choosing ceremony and mother hasn't gotten any better. Visiting day is today and we have to leave in a couple of hours. I pull out a jumper half of the side is black and the other white. When I finish lightly tying the white and black bow in the front around my waist and having the colors opposite. I see the time in the corner of my eye. 6:28 am. We have to leave soon if we want to make it to the train in a considerable amount of time. I open my door to see mother has left an avocado toast on the table and a note is next to it. I pick up the note it crumples in my hand. I Have to go to work early. I will meet you at the train station. Car number 3. I love you, mom.
"Hmh, She really never stops working these days," I mutter under my breath. I sit on the window sill and comp on the toast. It crunches and the crumbs fall into my open hand. From my window I can see the Abnegation houses and the choosing ceremony building. When I'm done I brush the crumbs into the trash can and leave for the train.
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Sometimes people think it's odd that a twelve year old is walking around the candor compound by herself but I know most of these people so they know that my mother is always working and is never home to do anything for me.
When I reach the train I see a long line of people waiting to get on, most likely going to visit friends and family just like me. They list the cars for where they are going. I walk onto the third Dauntless car seeing my mother sitting in one of the chairs in the back. I move through the car to greet her. There aren't as many dauntless visitors as I thought there were just thirteen of us in the third car. The train ride is grim and quiet, the atmosphere in the car is sad and disturbing. I watch the scenery go by flashes of places through the window.
"We have reached the Dauntless compound, Please exit carefully," The conductor says through the train speakers. When I check the time it says 9:18 that should be enough time to have a day with Christina.
