Inferno

Chapter 34: A Fire

You lucky ducks get a chapter like never before.

This chapter will hopefully answer some of the questions you've had about previous parts in the story. It was written quickly, so I apologize for any grammatical errors I might have made.

Next chapter will be up in a few days! Enjoy!

~Caruscus

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Eric P.O.V.

It was hot, I was tired, and she was undressing on top of the roof. Though I couldn't deny that she was attractive, I wasn't expecting her to start taking her clothes off so soon after arriving at Dauntless.

"Initiate, is there a reason you're taking your clothes off? Not that I'm complaining." I add the last part to mess with her, and get her blushing cheeks as a response.

When she steps up to the ledge, I feel my eyebrows raise in surprise. I never would have expected a small Abnegation girl to be the first one to jump. Usually the thought of being forced off the top of a building down into a hole that leads to who knows where causes kids to piss in their pants. I know that when I jumped my initiation year, I was at least apprehensive. This girl is unafraid.

"Alright, a volunteer." I announce, stepping back and giving her room to stand. Her blond hair is pulled into a tight bun behind her head. Her shoulder blades stick out of her back, her tank top not concealing all the tension she must be feeling.

"C'mon, Stiff." I hear that annoying Candor boy call, and her entire body stiffens. Hit a nerve with the nickname, did he?

She turns around slowly, anger pooling in her eyes. Her jaw is set in determination as she sets her shoulders.

I watch in amusement as she flips the kid off and the falls backwards off the building. The initiates erupt in laughter around me, some of the kids pushing the Candor boy's shoulder. He's scowling, obviously not liking the idea of being insulted. I scoff and roll my eyes. He's in for a big awakening here if he's not used to that.

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"--and then Jeanine started talking about some new technology she was creating that could benefit us. There's not a lot of details right now, but it sounds promising from what I've heard." Max drones on, scooping a spoon of pasta into his mouth. I roll my eyes, looking away and to the door where a group of new initiates have just walked in.

She's with them, the one who jumped first. She's changed into some Dauntless clothing, and I can't help appreciate how much better she looks in black than that dull gray.

"Eric?"

I turn my attention back to the others, an unimpressed look on my face. Hendricks beside me is watching curiously, while Ange and Lauren are whispering in each others' ears like a bunch of school girls. Max is too busy shoveling food in his mouth to notice that people have stopped listening to him.

"What?" I ask the old man, raising my pierced brow at him.

"I asked if any of the initiates have shown any promise this year?"
I hum in consideration, taking a sip of my water, eyes floating unconsciously over to the Abnegation girl in the food line. "Yeah, I guess so."

Hendricks looks to where my gaze is, nodding his head. "The Erudite boy I'm guessing."

My eyes flit over to the tall boy standing two people away from the Stiff. "Yeah, sure."