Dauntless

Part 17

"Camille."

I rolled my head, frowning when I saw Four walking toward me. He and Tris had been here two days and already everything seemed Topsy turvy again. They'd already gone through their trial and had been proven innocent, so they were in the good with Candor now.
I figured it wouldn't last long though before Erudite went calypso and tried to get them.
This was the first time Four had approached me, despite being here and Tris already announcing how good of a person I apparently was. She couldn't tell them how or why, but it had made a difference with everyone giving me such nasty looks.
Not that I cared, they always had.
I wasn't much of a people person.
"Hey." I muttered, lifting my face from where it had been pressed against the cold table. I seemed to be really good at finding empty rooms, but apparently not at hiding in them.
"How are you doing?" Four asked, standing awkwardly in the doorway, He kept hovering, looking at everything that wasn't me.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. I wasn't really in the mood for small talk.
"Is this about you almost killing me?" I asked bluntly, and he winced, slowly swiveling to look at me. "Because I don't blame you, I can't imagine how you felt at the time. I probably would have done the same in your shoes. You don't have to feel bad or apologize or anything." I waved it off dismissively. "Don't worry about it."
"I need to apologize. I ---."
"You didn't kill me, Four. I'm sitting right here, you're not a murderer." I shook my head tiredly. "Let it go."
I wasn't holding it against him.
Four frowned, and stepped over to my table, slowly sitting down in one of the chairs. "Why are you here?"
"I was trying to be alone."
"No, I mean... Why aren't you with Erudite? You could be leading the troops right now." Four frowned more, brushing at his short hair.
I snorted; yeah right.
"Well for one, when they realized I shot an Erudite instead of your girlfriend, they wouldn't feel too fondly towards me," I muttered, seeing him stiffen. "And... It's not right what they're doing, it's not something I can be a part of," I picked at my shirt. "I can't stand for something like that, I'd rather be factionless."
"And Eric?" he asked after a moment. "You two were a thing for a while."
"Is that your way of asking if I'm here spying for him?" I snapped, riling; I'd heard that bullshit rumor too.
"What? No! Of course not! I just --- dammit, Camille." he looked frustrated. "You almost died for him, it can't be easy for you to just leave him."
Well, it kinda was.
I shrugged, looking down. "It's easier to leave someone when they're not who you thought they were."
"You know he was never a good person."
"I just didn't realize how bad he was, alright?" I huffed, irritated. "He wasn't that bad and ---."
"Camille, he was always bad! He didn't have a good bone in his body and you know it!" Four shook his head like he couldn't understand at all. "He's cruel, and you know he'd do anything to get ahead. I should have shot him when I had the chance."
"Yeah, but you didn't," I snapped, scowling as I shoved away from the table. "Fuck, if that's your mindset, you should've shot me as well! I've done horrible shit too, Four! I've killed people, I went along with their fucked up plan, I ---."
"You didn't have much of a choice. It was either go along or be put under simulation! I know Eric was the only reason you weren't."
"Not necessarily ----."
"Are you trying to convince me you're as bad as he is?" Four demanded, glaring at me. "Camille, you're not!"
But I felt like I was; I let Zediah die and I didn't even defend him. I was in the same category as my brother.
I stood, wishing Four had never come to talk to me. I hesitated as I felt my stomach do a rolling jolt the more upset I became, and I hastily bolted from the room, bursting into one of the bathrooms and shoving the stall door open just in time.
Fuck!
I really needed to get a grip on myself. It's just I could see it in my head every time I thought about it. I could see the malicious grin on Erics face as he shot one of our own, when he was going to kill Four just to take out the competition, all the Abnegation screaming as they were thrust from their homes and some of them killed on the spot for fighting or running.
I could have done something for them, but I hadn't.
I'd let fear keep me docile.
I could hardly stand to call myself a Dauntless; I didn't even want to be Dauntless.
"Here."
What?
I hesitated as a towel was offered to me, hovering right beside my face before my fingers snatched at it. I sighed as I pressed it against my lips, slowly leaning back on my heels.
"How long have you been this sick?" Four asked, hovering right behind me. I didn't bother to answer him, just slid to the ground, pressing my back against the stall. It wasn't like he really cared, he'd only followed me in here because he thought I was running from the conversation.
"Camille?" Fours hand pressed against my forehead. "You're warm. Are you sick? Do you need to go to.medical?"
"I'm fine," I mumbled, batting his hand away wearily. "Don't worry about me."
"Are you worrying about you?"
"Don't you have bigger things to worry about?" I snapped, huffing. "You don't even like me."
He sighed. "Camille ---."
We both jerked as screams suddenly erupted outside the door, and we both tried to stand at the same time, knocking in to each other in the process. We sprinted to the door, and I curled my hand around the gun I had tucked in the back of my jeans, immediately cautious.
Four glanced at me, and I nodded. He carefully nudged the door open, spying whatever was happening outside.
"Fuck, it's Erudite," he whispered, hesitating. "They're shooting everyone!"
What!?
"Then we have to do something!" I hissed, but he shook his head.
"I have to fine Tris! They're here for us ---!"
Of course they were.
"Fine. Find her. But we have to stop the shooters!"
Four nodded, his eyes watching something from the safety of the door. I saw him tense, and then the next thing I knew he was launching himself forward. I threw the door open, lunging as well and hitting one of the shooters, knocking him to the ground and immediately wrestling his gun from him, turning it on him and firing.
By the time I had the gun in hand and realized it was shooting darts instead of bullets, Four had already disappeared. I cursed as I lurched to my feet, hastily slamming myself against the wall as I heard more footsteps.
Okay, so the guns were shooting sleeping darts; weird, but effective.
I kept heading towards the loud screams and voices, Candor fleeing past me in all manners of dress since it was getting so late. I kept shoving through them, eventually managing to find a large crowd of Dauntless, who looked like they were all just waking up, wobbly and confused.
Hmm.
Suspicious sleeping darts that apparently wouldn't come out of the skin.
Great.
I huffed as I took the stairs, doing my best not to step on anyone as I went, firing whenever I saw suits and trying not to get hit myself. I had no idea how much ammo this gun had, so I didn't want to keep wasting it. I finally managed to get to the next floor, hearing the most amount of voices.
I could feel the sweat building on my skin, my nerves making me squeeze the gun tighter as I ran toward the mob. I hesitated as I saw they were crowding one of the meeting rooms, but I could hear Four, so maybe he found Tris?
I ground my teeth, unable to see anything from the back of the crowd.
What the hell was going on?
Fuck I wanted to see!
I unceremoniously started moving people out of my way, fighting my way to the front and not really caring who I pissed off to do so.
Stupid twats needed to move anyway.
A couple Dauntless glanced at me the closer I got, and they stiffened.
I took that as a bad sign, and I understood why when I finally made it to the front where I could see what was going on.
Four had Eric at gun point, Tris hovering behind him, rubbing her arm.
Eric was glaring, wearing his Erudite lackey uniform, his hands in the air like he was trying to be peaceful as he was forced on his knees. I could see.... Bodies, lying on the ground in the room, blood pooling beneath them. They weren't sleeping, they were dead.
What the hell was going on!?
What did he do!?
My gaze rose from the bodies and to Eric, the gun suddenly feeling very heavy in my hands. He was sneering at Four, daring him to pull the trigger, and at this point I knew Four wouldn't have any qualms about ending Erics life.
"I have no reason not too," Four snapped, and I heard the safety click. "After all you've done!"
Shit, no!
No, he couldn't!
No ---!
"Don't even think about it!" the words ripped out of my throat as I stepped forward, not even sure what drove me forward defensively.
Erics eyes met mine, and I could see the surprise in them; he hadn't expected to see me. And he most definitely hadn't expected me to come to his rescue because he had to be a damsel in distress. I tore my gaze from him, instead looking at Four.
"Camille, he can't be let go this time!" Four said, clenching his jaw. "He's murdered too many!"
I could see that... I wasn't sure why I was even saying a word. It would be so much easier to just let Four pull the trigger and put an end to all this madness.
Four could see the uncertainty on my face, how torn I was. I had no reason to be loyal to Eric after all he'd done; he'd let me walk away like no big deal! Why did I keep putting myself in danger for his sake!?
"You're such a fucking asshole," I muttered, and Eric straightened slightly, offended. "What the hell are you even doing here!?"
"He's after the divergents," Tris answered for him. "They have an easier way to test everyone now. Anyone who is he kills." her eyes went to the small corpse curled up on the floor, looking very childlike.
He didn't.... Did he?
I think I was going to be sick again.
I swallowed hard, doing my best not to vomit in front of everyone as I debated on if I was even going to bother to stop Four from executing Eric right in front of me. For the greater good, I really should just let him die. There was no place in this world for someone just so blatantly evil.
And yet...
"How can you defend him this time?" Four demanded of me when I didn't speak. "What bullshit excuse can you make up for him that will justify these murders!?"
My mouth opened, but I couldn't think of anything to say. I had nothing, no defense, no frail attempt at reasoning ---- nothing I said or did would make this okay.
So I said nothing, I just looked at him.
I didn't know what else to do.
Four apparently took that as my okay, for he turned to look at Eric again, his face grim; he didn't get a kick out of taking someone's life, but he knew he had to do it. He hated Eric passionately, so perhaps this would at least give him a little peace.
But it wouldn't me.
Eric scowled, staring at Four defiantly from the other end of the gun, his hands dropping. He knew it was the end, he wasn't an idiot, but I bet he expected to go out differently then this.
I shifted nervously, wanting to do something, but I wasn't sure what.
Erics eyes slipped from Fours, finding mine again, the blue as cold and calculating as ever. It was one of his scariest traits, how merciless his eyes could look; I had always admired that.
Now it just....
I felt awful.
Eric looked away from me, back at Four, forcing him to look him in the eyes.
And I just stood there.
I just stood there as Four prepared to kill Eric.
And I did nothing.
​​

---kellyrages