Prestigent

Prestigent (Chapter 12)

Another weight is dropped on Tobias's shoulders. I do not own any of the characters in the Divergent Series.

CHAPTER TWELVE

TOBIAS POV

I wake up, still thinking of last night. My stomach feels uneasy. I make my way to the bathroom and throw up in the toilet. I have to tell Evelyn about this. He has broken the deal, well then again, so has she. I walk out the door, heading towards the fence that separates the countryside and the city.

In the distance, I see Christina walking towards me. I wave her over. I don’t really want to go see my mother alone. She sees me and jogs over.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you too Dauntless for this part of town?” I ask sarcastically. I see her smirk.

“I was coming to over to see what you were doing. It’s so boring now. There’s no one to make fun of!” she exclaims.

“You heartless Candor,” I say smiling, “I was actually doing something important. I was going over to Amity to talk to Evelyn about Marcus.”

“Oh. Can I come?” she asks.

I shrug, although deep inside I was hoping she would ask. I still feel a little awkward around Evelyn, especially after I found out what she said to Tris. “I am his family. I am permanent. You are only temporary.” That was when I made her leave my house. She spited the one woman who was truly loyal to me.

I clench my fists and continue walking.

“Hey, can we take the train? It’s kind of dumb to be walking back and forth all the time,” Christina says annoyed. I glare at her. “What, I’m just being honest!”

I laugh. “Too much Dauntless? Seems like you’re a bit too Candor for that!” I say smiling.

Christina sticks out her tongue at me, but smiles anyway.

I head towards the tracks and wait until I hear the screeching sound of the wheels on the metal rails. When it comes into a reasonable distance, I leap and grab onto the handle to pull myself in. Christina jumps in after me. It has been so long since I have felt the thrill of being Dauntless. I lean out of the car, like I used to so many times, feeling the wind pushing into my side.

I want to preserve this memory, I want to stop time, and keep this moment safe, because although I have lost the one I loved, I feel the happiest I have been in a very long time.

                                                               +++

I can feel my stomach churning more and more the closer I get to the door. The wooden house stands at an awkward angle to the darkening horizon. To make it easier on myself, I match my movements to my breathing, just like I do when I throw knives. Breathe, step, breathe, step, breathe… How long can I do this before it faults me? After a while, I struggle for air, I am hyperventilating. Christina turns and looks at me, worried. I wave her off and keep walking.

When we get to the door, I stand, hesitant, my hand frozen in mid-air. Should I knock? Should I walk away? Christina walks in front of me and knocks impatiently. The moment her fist makes contact with the wood, the door creaks open ever so slightly. She gives me a worried look and steps inside, her hands in front of her face to defend herself.

I walk in behind her, my hands lying awkwardly at my side. The lights are all off, but in the center of the floor, I can see the darkened silhouette of a body. I rush over to the light switch across the room, and turn the lights on. My mother is lying on the floor, a cloth covering her mouth and a rope tied around her hands, prohibiting her from moving. I walk over to her and help her up. Once again, Christina is standing in the corner, staring at what is happening in front of her. I take a knife from the kitchen and cut through the thick rope in one quick movement. I untie the cloth from her head.

Gasping, she stands. “It was him… your father…” I turn from her, cringing from the thought of that monster. “Wait, he, he said something about working on the behalf of someone, the Prestigent he called them. He took my files on the Divergent…”

“Why didn’t I foresee it? I should have known!” I yell, “He has done enough to us!”

I push open the door and walk out into the bright sunlight. I am done with Dauntless. And now that Tris is gone, I can leave it…