Five

The Stiff

A shout brakes the happy atmosphere and me and the twins all turn back to the opening of the carriage. A boy in Candor black and white with short sandy hair runs along side the train still. My eyes widen at the sight as robin stretches his arm out from behind me towards the boy.

"Come on!" Robin shouts and the boy looks at us before reaching out his hand to grasp robin's, but he isn't close enough. A rush runs through my veins, forcing me to act as I lean forwards, hand out to the boy. My left arm holds the inside of the carriage as my body is slammed against the side, making me gasp. Black strands from my bun wrap around my face as i try to lean further for the boy. His face is red as his hair gets stuck to his skin due to sweat.

"Grab my hand!" I shout over the wind, if he doesn't, he will be factionless. He goes to grab it but only his fingertips can reach and that's not enough. His eyes dart past me and I don't have to look to know the edge of the platform is coming. Fear is clear as he tries to grab my hand again.

"I can't reach!" He yells in panic as he tries again.

"You can!" I say and I lean closer, a hand grabbing the back of my shirt so I don't fall. "Take my hand!"

The Candor tries again and fails and I notice tears filling his eyes. Everything happens slowly as the end of the platform appears in the corner of my vision. No. I lean closer and grasp anything I can and pull. The hand grabbing the back of my shirt drags me in the carriage and I bring what ever my hand grasped with me. My eyes squeeze shut as it stumble back into something and something hard slams into me. My breaths are deep as something pulls me into a tight hug. A cheer rings through the carriage and I slowly open my eyes to see blonde hair in my face and my hand still gripping something skinny and warm. A wrist.

"Thank you!" The condor boy stands in front of me as he pulls away slightly. Up close, I can see his face is red with swear and tears, his grey green eyes blood shot and he is a few inches taller then me, but probably not as tall as the twins.

"I would have died or become factionless! I owe you." He says as a smile tugs at his parted lips which suck in air.

"I-it's fine. Anyone would have done it." I stutter slightly and his smile drops slightly but at this moment, I don't care. He is alive. He is not factionless. The wind wraps around us and I frown as the train builds up speed. Slowly, his hand still in mine, I bring him to the corner and sit down, bringing him with me.

"What are you doing?" He asks as I let go of his arm.

"The wind would drag us out if we stand to close." I state and he nods before bringing his legs near his chest and resting his arms on his knees. The twins soon join, robin sat next to the Candor and his brother sat in front of me, his back against the wall with the exit.

"I'm Joseph by the way. But you can call me Joe." The Candor holds out his hand and I stare at it, unsure. Holding hands was an intimate thing back in abnegation.

"Stiffs don't shake hands." We all look to the other side of the carriage to see tori sat down. I recognise the use of dauntless slang I came accustom to at school. Stiff, it means someone from abnegation.

"Oh, I forgot." Joe states, scratching the back of his neck. "And you are?"

"Tori, I'm a member of dauntless and you are pretty damn lucky the stiff saved you when she did. you would be dead, or even worse, factionless." Many people share the same point of view as tori, saying being factionless is better then death. In death it just ends, being factionless, you are a reject of society, you have no where to belong.

"I'm Robin and that's my brother Sparrow." The amity says.

"Really? Robin and sparrow?" Joe chuckles with an amused smile. "Are your parents called pigeon and dove?" The twins glare at the Candor loud mouth. They say what ever they like and don't give a damn.

"Watch your tongue Candor." Sparrow threatens and Joe rolls his eyes. The twins stare at him some more before moving their gaze to me.

"And what are we going to call you?" Robin asks and I shrug, glancing at tori.

"You can call me stiff for all I care." I reply and I notice tori's lip twitch in a small smile. I'm not scared that she would remember my name from the aptitude test and revile it, that smile stops that fear.

It never occurs to me that I would refuse to give my name, or that I could give a false one, construct a new identity for myself. I'm free here and free to snap at people and free to refuse them and free to even lie. It's a good feeling to have. The feeling of freedom gives me another rush.

Slowly, I rise up and make my way to the open doorway and look out. My stomach drops as I see the drop to ground as the tracks begin to wind around buildings, climbing higher. I slip back in and sit back in my spot and wait to get to where ever we are going.

****

I lift my head from Joe's shoulder and look up to see people standing and peering out.

"Hey, get up." Sparrow says as he stands in front of us, a frown on his face. Robin is the first to rise and then me and Joe. The fabric around my hand is red with blood as we look out of the carriage.

"It's almost time to jump!" Tori says with a smirk and fear shifts through my body.

"Jump?" I squeak.

"Yeah, this train stops for nobody." Tori states as she pushes me to the front along with Joe.

"Let the stiff and Candor off first!" she shouts and I glare at her.

"What are you doing?" Joe demands, fear clear on his face.

"I'm doing you both a favour." She replies with a smile and shoves us towards the opening. We peer out and I grab the handle so tight that my hand goes numb, as well as some blood dropping from the rag. I see where we are supposed to jump. The tracks hug the roof of a building and then turn. I continue to watch and imminent death seems more likely as I watch the gap between the room and tracks grow. My body shakes in fear as the dauntless begin to throw themselves out and into the roof. None of them miss the roof but it's not like me or joe wouldn't be the first.

"Together?" Joe shouts over the wind holding out his hand. I stare at it for a second before taking it with a nod. Slowly, I pry my finger from the handle.

"On three! One!" Joe says. "Two!"

I take a deep breath and close my eyes.

"Three!"

We push of as hard as we can.