The Fire in Amity: A Divergent Short Story

Chapter 4

I wake up on the morning of the Choosing Ceremony with a huge lump of dread in my stomach. I expected to be excited on this morning, I would finally start my journey of being Dauntless. Now, I feel conflicted. I have Aptitude for Amity too, obviously I can't be Dauntless. I blink back tears of frustration. Great. Another reason I'm really not Dauntless. A true Dauntless wouldn't want to cry about something like this. Last night, I was thinking about how even though I didn't want to admit it, I do have Aptitude for Amity. I am brave, but there are things about me that I just now realized are Amity. My love for animals. The fact that I do get nervous for some things, like when I saw the chair in the Aptitude Test room. Even though I'm really brave, I'm still Amity. And I hate it. I don't want to identify with them. I roll out of bed and get dressed in a black shirt and my leather jacket. Then I put on black jeans and my combat boots. I put on my makeup, and then head into the kitchen and grab a chocolate chip muffin. I snarf it down quickly and go to the living room where Ryder and my parents are waiting for me. Since it is the day we choose, my parents are a little more sincere. They give me a hug and pat Ryder on the back, just because they know there is a 99.9% chance we will choose Dauntless, but a very small chance we could choose another faction,  so they don't make a big deal out of it.  

"We're proud of you guys." My mom says smiling.

 There is a small warmth in her hazel eyes. Even my dad's normally stern face has a tiny glow to it. Weird. They usually don't act like this. Maybe my parents have aptitude for Dauntless and Amity like me. 

Then they get back to business, and start running out of the room and down to leave the Dauntless compound. Ryder and I chase after them. When we go outside we climb the tall railings that support the train tracks. Ryder starts shoving me and laughing as we climb. I push him back. It's our normal game we play as we climb. One time I actually knocked him off, and he fell six feet down.  I start using only my legs and not holding on to the rails as I climb. I nearly slipped, but I don't care. Then I reach the top and see the train quickly approaching. When it comes near I start to jog and then I jump with all my energy and force onto the train. I love that still moment when you are in mid-air about to connect with the train and it's as if everything  else is frozen. My fingers connect with the handle and I pull myself into the train. I stand next to Ryder at the edge of the opening. We sit down and dangle our legs over the side. The wind almost knocks us out of the train so we pull our legs in grinning at each other. Ryder's chocolate colored eyes sparkle and the wind whips his hair all around his face. I love the Dauntless lifestyle. I can't give it up, even if I am Amity. Soon we see the Hub. We all begin to jump out of the train. The Dauntless run inside the building, yelling and cheering as they sprint up the steps. When we reach the top floor my parents smile at us and sit with the Dauntless. Ryder and I go to the front with the other sixteen year-olds. I stand by Ryder and an Amity girl. Of course it has to be an Amity girl. I'm not really paying attention when the first people go. I always look away when they cut their hand with the knife. Then I realize something. Blood has always really grossed me out. It makes me dizzy and gives me a weird feeling. Another Amity trait. I can't face one of my fears. I don't know what I'm going to do. There's no way I can pull a knife down on my skin. Soon it's Ryder's turn to go. He chooses Dauntless. No surprise. Then the Abnegation leader is calling my name. I shakily walk to the front of the room, where the bowls are. It's simple. All I have to do is cut my hand and move it towards the Dauntless bowl containing the coals. I take the knife from the Abnegation man, Marcus's hand. For a few seconds I'm standing there staring at the knife. My hand is shaking. Slowly, I bring the smooth blade down across my skin. A trickle of red appears. The sight of my blood makes me dizzy. I stand there gawking at it. I notice Marcus saying something to me, but I can't make out his words. My vision is darkening and my knees are starting to buckle. No, no, no. I can't faint. I can't. It's just blood. My blood is streaming down my arm. I fall back and notice my blood accidentally  dripped into one of the bowls. It was not the Dauntless one. I don't even have time to panic before everything turns black.