Eric's Sister

Chapter 1

The boogeyman. I hate the boogeyman. My brother found a book in an old section of the library and told me the story of the boogeyman. We don't really have a need for stories here, but since he told me that story I have been petrified of the boogeyman. I have trained myself to always sleep under the sheets no matter how hot it is in my room and I always kept my fingers, legs and toes on my bed. I would have nightmares where my fingers would just slightly hit the edge and a dark shadow would come and grab me and drag me under the bed to my death. I hate that my bother told me this story, but I hate even more how much I miss him.

He transferred to Amity when he turned 16 and I haven't seen him since. That was four years ago. I knew my brother wasn't meant for Erudite he was smart enough, but he preferred to make people smile and laugh, and he always wanted to have a good time. 

My father is Erudite through and through. He is a chemist and works closely with the serums used in all the factions. He is always working which is fine with me. About seven years ago he started getting really stressed at work and he was never one to control his temper. It started simply with yelling at me when I would get questions that he deemed simple wrong. Though as time went on it got more brutal. I would be locked in the closet, I would be spit on and hit. Sometimes with just his hands and sometimes with objects. It happened to my brother too, but he always had a smile on his face. I never understood how he could smile so brightly when I knew he was so sad. I always hope he is happy and that he found someone who would make him even happier.

I wake from my nightmare and look around. It is still dark, my white walls and floor looking grey against the small bit of moonlight left. Why did I have to have this nightmare today of all days, the day of the aptitude test. It's also the last day that I will get to see my friends or at least most of them. Only at school can we socialize with other factions. Since it is the last day of school and only a half day we have less time together. My first class is with my only non-faction friend, Sunshine. Only the Amity would name their kid that and she is nothing other than a happy ball of light. I would miss her as I am more than positive she will be staying with them. We became friends after a Candor boy was making fun of her and I helped her out. We have been friends since then. 

At lunch I sat with her and when it was done I gave her a hug and we said our goodbyes. We all had to sit with our own factions during the aptitude test, and that was to start after lunch. I went to sit with my friends.

I sat next to Anne my best friend since we were born. We were born only 10 hours apart on two different days, but we have always been friends. She is who I would miss the most. On my other side was my friend Courtney, Mari was across from her. Greg was next to Mari and Brandon was next to him. We talked and decided to meet up on the roof after dinner to spend our last night together knowing that at least one of us would most likely transfer. I knew it was most likely me. 

I was not what you called book smart for an Erudite. After my dad started to abuse me I spent as much time as I could outside the compound. I found a book about surviving outdoors and found it so intriguing, that I learned all that I could. I even picked up the old hobby of archery making myself my own bow and arrows and practicing almost every night. I learned plant identification and how to tie knots. I found myself learning so much that if I had to leave my faction or any faction that I would at least be able to survive, though I never would want to become factionless. 

One by one someone started calling names for the test. When my name was called I rose from my seat and went into the room. The room was white tile flooring and mirrors for walls and ceilings, a lady in gray clothing was keeping her eyes trained on the floor. The Abnegation hate mirrors.

"Hello. My name is Natalie, I am going to be administrating your aptitude test today." She-Natalie said. "Please have a seat." 

I sit down on what I think looks like a dentist chair. I watch as Natalie busies herself with a bunch of wires then she hands me a glass of clear liquid and told me to drink it to start the test. I down it in a second and then my eyes close.

When I open them Natalie is gone and I am in the empty cafeteria. Where did everyone go? Suddenly, I hear a voice it sounds really familiar and it keeps saying only one word. Choose. I turn and see two pillars one with a knife on it the other a hunk of cheese the size of my face. I choose the knife. As soon as I pick up the knife I hear a growling noise. I turn to see a large dog snarling at me, it is inching closer to me and I don't really know what to do. I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't look a dangerous animal in the eyes as it is a sign of aggression. I quickly get down low. It comes to me and I feel its breath on my neck. I hold the knife tighter as I will not let this dog hurt me. Then I hear a pant. The feel of a wet tongue on my neck makes me look up and the big bad dog is now a small little puppy, I sit up on my knees and the dog rest paw on my leg.

"Puppy!" 

I hear a voice of a  young child. I look up to tell her to be careful but the dog is once again large and snarling, and it jumps towards the child. Without a second thought I grab the knife and lunge at the dog causing us to fall. I feel its blood on my hands. It is warm. I blink and now I am on a bus. I look at my hands and they are clean. I see a man in a black suit reading a paper next to me. I look over at the paper and see the bold letters spell out Murderer and a picture of a guy who looks vaguely familiar.

"Do you know this man?" He asks. 

I tell him that I am not sure if I know him or not. I do say that he looks familiar but I most likely just saw his picture somewhere else. I blink again and I am back in the dentist chair with Natalie looking at me with sad eyes. She says nothing to me as she starts to unhook us from the wires.

"So how did I do?" I ask her with a slight nervous tonality to my voice. 

She looks up without meeting my eyes.

"Your results are inconclusive. You have equal aptitude for Erudite, Candor, Abnegation and Dauntless."

I look at her like she has sprouted two heads. Neither of them are making any sense. 

"That makes no sense. The test is supposed to eliminate the other factions not only eliminate one of them."

Natalie looks at me her eyes change to a more serious look and she tells me in a flat none Abnegation tone. "You are what they call Divergent. It means that you cannot be fitted into just one faction and it is also very dangerous. You can never tell ANYONE about your results ever. Do you understand?" 

She helps me up from the chair. I am pretty sure I am still in a state of shock she tells me that she will put me down as Erudite manually as my result and I leave the room to sit back with my friends. I sit in silence and remain so until we are allowed to leave. 

After the rest of the testing is done I give my friends a hug, and say that I would see them after dinner on the roof. Anne and I walk back to our apartments together since we live in the same hall. She stops and turns to me. I can tell she wants to say something to me, but I just lower my eyes and remain silent and she does the same. We keep walking. When we get to our hall I give her a hug and tell her I will see her tonight. She opens her door and walks in. I continue down the hall to my family home, contemplating what I was told, and now I realize that the choice tomorrow is completely my own.