Initiate [ERIC/JAI]

2

I followed Jack into the large room, where different factions were pouring through different doors. There were so many colours in one room, I'd never seen anything like it before. Each faction's leaders stood before each area, welcoming them all into the building. We were situated on the very end so I had to worm my way through the other factions to get to the seating area. I got a few 'hello's and smiles here and there. It was strange to see this many people in one room, I'd been confined to one room most of my life. When I finally made it to my seat, the ceremony was just starting. Jeanine stood pride of place in front of the five bowls.

"The faction system is what provides our city with peace and harmony. A lot of you here today are faced with a choice. The aptitude test told you where it thinks you belong but only you know truly where you belong. Trust in yourselves and remember, faction before blood." She stands proud.

"Faction before blood." I murmur as does the rest of the hall. I couldn't agree more with that statement.

There was a long wait till Jack read my name aloud. When he did it rang through the hall and I could feel stares on me as I stood up. I held my head up high as I trotted down the steps to the bowls. As I pass Jack I mouth 'thank you'. I would truly miss him but hopefully it wouldn't be goodbye forever. I pick up the sharp knife waiting for my blood, glancing over each bowl. At that moment in time they all looked the same, everything merged into one. I pierced my skin with the knife and saw the blood slowly creep out.

"I'm not selfless, I'm not truthful, I'm not smart, I'm not particularly kind and I'm not brave." I whisper to myself. "What do I want to be?" I question. I move my hand to the last bowl, feeling the warmth on my skin as a drop of my blood hisses on the burning coals. "I want to be brave."

"Dauntless." Jack calls out and I hear cheers erupt behind me, I turn on my heel and head towards my new faction. "Good job kiddo." I hear Jack speak as I walk away. I turn my head to him and give him a big grin, which he returns. A dauntless member stands for me to take his seat in the front row of new transfers and I gladly sit down, taking a plaster from another dauntless member and placing it over my cut.

"I hear this is where the fun begins." The boy next to me chuckled. I looked at him and realised he was talking to me. "I'm Apollo." He greeted me. I looked at him closer, shaggy light brown hair and piercing green eyes. Transfer from Erudite since he wore bright blue clothing.

"What do you mean by fun?" I furrowed my eyebrows and tried to keep quiet.

"You don't know? Girl, do you even know what dauntless stands for? I hope you make the jump and don't fall." I didn't know what he meant by this. I know Dauntless are brave, but they aren't stupid. The ceremony finally comes to an end with the last person joining Erudite. A chorus of cheers erupts from our faction as people start to get up and leave. All the transfers just followed behind the others with smiles on their faces. I stuck with Apollo. "Time to catch the train home, Candor." He chuckles and raises his head to a pillar that leads to the trainline. I was about to open my mouth but then he started climbing. Looking around, I saw all the other dauntless climbing the pillars up to the trainline. Once Apollo was high enough, I started climbing up. It wasn't that difficult to see as there were indents to put your hands and feet. I reach the top and push myself up off the platform, steading myself.

"What now?" I shouted at Apollo, so he could hear me above the sound of an oncoming train.

"We get on!" He shouted back, laughing now as he started to run forwards. I glance behind me at the train getting closer then look back in front to see everyone running, so I do the same. As the train passes me, I see people ahead jumping into the open doorways.

We're literally jumping onto the train.

Holding my breath tightly, I see the next opening out of the corner of my eye so I hook my hand around a handle and push myself into the open door. I lay on the train, heart pumping faster than ever before but laughing my head off. When I open my eyes, Apollo stares down at me.

"That was so fun!" I exclaim and he chuckles. He offers me a hand to get up and I gladly accept.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it cause now we've got to get back off." He laughs once again and looks out of the open doorway, looking towards the carriages ahead of us. I copy him.

They were jumping onto a rooftop.

"You go first because I don't want you to fall on top of me." Apollo suggests and I look at him with wide eyes. "You have to jump now." He points out.

I take myself to the back of the carriage, take a deep breath and run at full speed. When my feet left the train I felt free, I felt the world pause around me while I enjoyed this moment. However, I didn't enjoy it when my body crashed down onto the rooftop, rolling over around three times. I was swiftly followed by Apollo, who's landing was just as graceful as mine. We bith got to our feet, looked at each other and laughed.

"We're so crazy." I giggle.

"We certainly are. By the way, I never got your name?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Cassia, my name's Cassia but call me Cass." I smiled at him.

"Right listen up." We hear behind us, turning our heads in unison. Everyone started grouping up around the voice so Apollo and I followed. "This is your only way into Dauntless." The voice speaks again but I couldn't see through the people. "Who's to go first?" They speak again. I was intrigued by the mysterious voice so I pushed myself to the front of the crowd. Stood in front of a ledge was a tall, built young man. He had a beautifully chiseled face with piercings and tattoos dotted around. His eyes snapped onto mine.

"You?" He asked, I looked around wondering what he was talking about. "Are you going to jump first?" He questioned me again, sounding angrier.

"Y-yes I'll jump first." I stutter, pressure made me nervous.

He moved aside and displayed the ledge next to him, which I assumed he wanted me to jump off into something. I walk to the ledge and peer over it. A hole which was pitch black, in a building underneath us.

"D-down there?" I stutter once again, cursing under my breath for doing so.

"We don't have all day." The man growls, scaring me into pushing myself onto the ledge. I take one more look down into the pitch black hole and close my eyes. "We only live once." I jump off the ledge.