Insurgent: Traitor

Chapter 7

Marco's Story Part One

My choosing ceremony is today. This year they will be held at Dauntless Headquarters. It is not really Dauntless Headquarters, only the Dauntless and the factionless who were once Dauntless initiates know where the real headquarters are.

I cannot resign in Erudite any longer. Jeanine may have the most brilliant mind intellectually, but her stability is decreasing quickly.

She plans to eliminate the Divergent.

Divergent. A foreign word to our world, yet, watch how they multiply among us. I am even Divergent. I found out only yesterday during my aptitude test. An Abnegation volunteer administrated it. I fail to see the tension between Abnegation and Erudite. Yes, the Abnegation take unnecessary measures to remain untouched by selfishness but it all seems very over-done. But perhaps we could learn from them, learn not to be as greedy as we have been claimed to be by Candor.

The Abnegation man who gave my test seemed to know what he was talking about when he explained Divergence to me. I recognized him as an Abnegation leader. I somehow tied his name to the words "before" and "previous". An old study technique my mother taught me was to correlate the things I am trying to learn to a word, phrase, or feeling. I later remembered, his name is Prior. Prior being his last name. I never learned his first name, not that it mattered to me much.

Divergence is a term used to label those whose behaviors exhibit multiple faction characteristics. Usually the Divergent only show characteristics for one or two factions, it is extremely rare for someone to have an aptitude for three or more factions. For someone to have three factions has happened maybe once or twice in the past twenty years. No one has ever exceeded three, that we currently know of.

I always thought, when the day comes, I would choose Erudite. I would stay with my family-my mother, father, and sister. I always studied my hardest, always did exceptionally on my tests, was always devoted to searching for answers and knowledge. I know nothing of Dauntless training, only that more factionless come from the Dauntless compound then any other faction. Whether from being inadequate or willingly leaving because of their own accord is unknown.

"Macario Mendez," a Dauntless leader says my name. The leader has gray hair that hangs just a little into the creases on his dark forehead. He may be the oldest Dauntless I have ever seen.

It's my turn to choose. As I walk up the steps onto the stage-like structure, I remove my glasses, I cannot remain to look like an Erudite walking among the Dauntless. Five large metal bowls stand before me. Each bowl holds a substance representing a faction. Stones, water, earth, coals, and glass. Abnegation, Erudite, Amity, Dauntless, and Candor.

Only now does it occur to me, I don't have to choose Dauntless, I can choose Abnegation, Candor, or Amity as well.

Candor, I would have to be completely truthful. I have a secret that could mean life or death for me and living a life of complete honesty will only lead to my demise. So no.

Abnegation, while I agree with what they stand for, I could never live a life of depriving myself of every luxury. Flattering clothes I can live without, coffee however, I cannot.

That leaves Amity. No. I hate Amity, I hate their unnaturally happy lives! I hate their never faltering attitudes! I hate how ignorant they are, they often push the line between trust and stupidity and I refuse to live among them! My theory is they put something in their water, no human being could ever pull off such convincing contentment.

The knife in my slightly trembling hand slices my palm without permission. Blood spills through my fingers and onto burning coals. Small flames jump up and capture the drops of DNA. The sizzle of liquid touching white-hot heat is a disgusting sound. I fight to remain still, but not strained. I try to keep my face emotionless. I will not show weakness among the Dauntless. I won't give them the satisfaction, I will not let them brand me as a target.

I turn to the group of my fellow Dauntless initiates and do mot dare to look back. I do not want to see my father's rage, mother's face, my little sister's eyes. It might break the strength I need so desperately.

One last look.

Mother is crying, sister is hiding in mother's neck, father is gone.

I love you.