The Choosing Ceremony

The Choosing Ceremony - A Divergent Oneshot

Drip,drip, drip, Which bowl? Harriet looked around at her parents, sitting with the other Abnegation. Her mother was smiling at her enthusiastically. Her father,on the other hand was staring at the blood pooling in her palm with his lips in a thin line. He was obviously finding his only daughter's choosing ceremonyvery tense, and was sensing her indecision. Coal, water, earth, which one? Harriet had always known she didn't belong in Abnegation and she would never be Candor but Erudite, Amity and Dauntless were all possibilities, as she found in what she assumed must have been the strangest aptitude test ever. The woman running it had been called Maizey, a short, thin woman from Amity with flowing blond hair that Harriet liked. She had always wanted blond hair, she thought that the mousey-brown shade of her own was boring and plain, although in Abnegation she had to hide this discontent with her own looks. She had surprised even herself when the baskets appeared and the voice demanded "Choose."

"But why?" Harriet found herself questioning the voice.

"Now," was the only answer Harriet received, not the explanation she had been hoping for. She looked at the knife, she didn't want to touch something so dangerous, but having both would give her a major advantage. Having made the split-second decision she made a lunge at both the cheese and the knife ; to persuade and to protect , and grasped them firmly in each hand just as the baskets vanished. The dog then appeared, saliva dripping from its dagger-like fangs. Canines, Harriet thought. It was advancing, getting closer and closer to Harriet. She racked her brains for any information that she had learnt in school about dogs. They see in muted tones and well in low light. No, she thought, not useful. Then she had an influx of memory. Baring your teeth is a sign of aggression and lying down is submissive. Now that was useful, but Harriet didn't want to lie down, as that would put her in a vulnerable position, but she also didn't want to use the knife she had in her right palm. The cheese! She threw the cheese away from herself and the dog, looking much less violent, bounded after the chunk. A little girl suddenly appeared in Harriet's peripheral vision. "Puppy!" She shouted with delight and started racing up to the dog. The dog turned and snapped at the girl. "No!" Harriet shouted, she ran over to the girl and pulled her to the ground, out of danger. Suddenly she was on a bus, a man held up a photo "Do you know him?" He asked. Harriet had a feeling of recognition towards the man in the photograph, but she also had a feeling that it would be a bad idea to tell him this. "I don't know," she said.

"It's a simple question, yes or no?" the man now demanded. "I don't know, and how would it help you?" Harriet stood her ground. "If you knew him, you could save me. You could SAVE me!" "I'm sorry. I would, if I could, but I don't," Harriet said with remorse.

She had then woken in her chair with heavy adrenaline in her chest and a faint wave of guilt.
"Well?" She paused, "Sorry, I bet you've never met an impatient Abnegation before" she said with a hint of sarcasm.
"First time for everything, Dear" the kindly Amity woman said, but Harriet saw in her face that she was distracted by something, probably her result but there again, how can you fail a test you weren't allowed to prepare for?
"Back in two ticks, Dearie," said Maizey with the same pre - occupied expression. She shut the door behind her. After a few minutes Maizey returned and smiled kindly at Harriet. "What was my result?" Harriet asked nervously.
"Well, Harriet your results were inconclusive, "she lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper "You're... Divergent."
Harriet was dragged back to reality by the sting in her left palm. Her blood had started dying the grey tiles of the hub crimson. Divergent. She needed kindness, acceptance, and to be safe. She thrust her hand forward and to the left and the crimson droplets hit the soil. There was cheering in her ringing ears. Amity.