Divergent Elements

Chapter 7

I grunt, heaving my body through the burning hot orchards. My body feels as if it could melt like ice any moment now. I blow cool air in my face, but its so hot I barely feel it.

Finally, I make it to the entrance. Uncle Zeke's truck has made marks in the dry dirt, so I follow them. As I walk, every little rustle in the underbrush or crunch of leaves under an animals feet unsettles me.

You're almost there. I tell myself. Only a little while longer.

I don't know if this is true, but I don't know how else to keep my worn out body moving. I spot something in the distance. No. Some things. People.

I begin running, and to my luck, the first person I find is Uncle Zeke. "Nat? Where are your parents? And what the hell happened to you?" He says, holding me in his arms.

"Um. I... I dont know where they are. It was Jeanine." I stutter. Thoughts are flying through my mind as fast as a dauntless running for the train.

His eyes widen,"Are you sure? Jeanine Matthews. The one who is supposed to be dead?"

I nod,"I'm positive." He takes my hand and leads me to a bench. He looks me dead in the eyes,"Natalie. This is incredibly serious. I need you to tell me exactly what happened while you guys were in the orchards."

I bite my lip, nervous to relive all these events through my words. I take a deep breath, and begin.

"Well, we were going to head back to our special tree, and Mom and Dad sent me and Nadia there while they grabbed some things. We didn't do much, just walked there."

"Are you sure you didn't do anything else? That could draw attention?" He questions.

I shrug,"Well we climbed a tree and fell out, but we were OK. It wasn't much."

He bobs his head, as if considering the situation,"OK, keep going."

"Well, Mom and Dad got there, and we talked and ate for maybe 5 minutes." I feel my muscles tensing as I recall what happened next.

"And then..." I shut my eyes, trying to remember everything. Uncle Zeke puts a hand on my shoulder,"Its ok, take as much time as you need."

"Ok, and then these men... these men in blue clothes came out. Mom and Dad tryed to talk to them, and then they made us run. I ran so far, so fast, and we got to the trains. Nadia got on the train, but someone through a knife in my leg. I didn't get on the train."

"What!" Uncle Zeke screams. He get some weird looks from other Amity.

"You got a knife in your leg and didn't tell me?" I shrug,"They bandaged it, it hurts like hell but its not bleeding. At least I don't think its bleeding anymore."

He grabs my leg and puts it on his lap. I fall backwards, and use my hands to keep my head from hitting the bench.

"Sorry." He mumbles, before taking off the bandage. I wince,"What are you doing?"

"I may be stupid, but not that stupid! What if they infected it or something?"

I almost throw up when I look at it. There isn't infection, but its just nasty knowing I have a knifecut clean through my leg.

He blows out a huge puff of air. "Thank god. I'll get someone to rewrap it, but for now, keep talking."

"Ok," I carefully put my leg back down, and try to recall where I was,"Well, after that I um... I remember going back to the corn fields, and some sort of fight there... Um. I think I went to the entrance? Maybe... Or maybe the back of the orchards."

"Its ok Natalie. You just tell me what you compeltely remember. That's how we will find your parents."

I nod, continuing. The rest, I think I remember clearly. "Ok, so when I made it to where ever, I remember Jeanine sticking a needle in my neck, and I blacked out."

The look on his face makes me feel almost pathetic. I know he's just looking out for me, but I want to be strong right now, no matter how much my mind tells me to break down and cry.

"Then... I woke up. In a place similar to a hospital. I pulled out the IV, Jeanine talked to me... I don't remember what she said."

"That's fine. What's next?" He says, looking like it's difficult to process all the insane things I'm telling him.

"Well I told a guard that I wanted to change, so he took off the cuffs. Then I shot ice over the cameras, and broke out the window."

Uncle Zeke looks so proud at that. I guess living in the old Dauntless headquarters paid off.

"I walked through the woods for a while, and I figured out where they had me. In the old Erudite headquarters."

He pulls in a sharp breath,"Are you positive?" I nod,"Yah. The image is burned in my mind."

He stands up, and then swings me in his arms. I laugh, for the first time in a while.

"Enjoy this. I'm going to get your leg fixed, and then we are going to Erudite Headquarters."

A look of terror plasters itself on my face,"Why are we going back?"

He starts jogging towards the medical center,"Because we are going to find your parents. And I have a feeling we might need some help."