Inferno

Chapter 24: What Is Happening?

Happy Thanksgiving! (If you celebrate it)

WOW A LOT IS HAPPENING. It's getting a little saucy in this chapter. Enjoy!

~Caruscus

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I awake to an empty bed. The sheets beside me are cold and look like they've been abandoned for a while now. I sit up in bed, scratching my head. Usually I'm the first one up, not Eric.

I start to feel a weird feeling building in my stomach when I look at the clock. 3:27. Eric doesn't usually get up until 6:30. I pull the sheets back from my body and get out of the bed. Walking over to the doorway, I poke my head out. He's not in the living room. In fact, after walking through the rest of his apartment, I find he's not anywhere.

I frown. Something's off. I don't think Eric would just leave me here at this hour without at least a note or something. He's more responsible than that.

I go back into the bedroom and slip my pants and top on after changing out of Eric's clothes and then lace up my boots. I put my hair into a pony tail and walk out into the hallway. I don't lock his door on the way out because I don't have a way of getting back in.

The hallway is also empty. This doesn't faze me as much because no one ever comes up to the leader's level, but still. There should be some sort of activity.

"Ange?" I ask, going over and knocking on her door. I wait a few moments but don't hear anything. She's not there.

Is something happening? Was there a fight? Was someone attacked?

I go down to the third level and knock on Tobias's door. Also nothing. Not a peep from either him or Tris.

Odd.

I start on down the steps again. When I get near the Pit I hear it.

Footsteps. Well, not light, fairy-like footsteps, more like marching. Lots of feet stepping at the same time. And it's loud.

I cautiously peer my head around the corner, knowing something isn't right. Holy shit there's a lot of Dauntless in one room.

Everyone who was in my initiation class along with dauntless members are standing in lines in the Pit. The funny thing is they're not doing anything. They're like statues, barely moving enough to give you an idea that they're even alive. Max and somebody else I've never seen before are standing off to the side conversing, watching all of them.

I look but don't see Tris or Tobias. There are so many people in here that I'm not sure I would ever be able to find them.

I spot Eric, finally, halfway across the room. He's dressed in real clothes and is striding towards Max with purpose.

He stops in front of the two men suddenly, not saying anything. His face is blank and has the usual bored look. Max says something and nudges the man next to him in the side.

"H-hello? What's going on?"

A boy who can't be more than a few years older than me steps out from the lines of people. He walks through them, dazed and confused, trying to figure out what's happening.

Shut up. Go back in line, I think to myself, but he doesn't hear me. He keeps walking, shaking a few of the people standing in line.

Max peers over Eric, looking at the boy. He slips something into Eric's hand and tells him something. Eric turns without a word and walks towards the boy.