Numinous

Chapter 6

I was rudely woken up by loud metal clanking. Followed by Four demanding us to head to the Pit; we had two minutes to get ready. It was surprisingly easy to pull myself out of bed, I didn't feel groggy at all. I couldn't say the same for the others, they looked like they were sleep walking.

We all then quickly made our way to the Pit, where we were met with Four and Eric. Eric was seated while Four began approaching us.

"There are two stages of training. The first is physical. Push your bodies to the breaking point and you'll master the methods of combat. The second is mental. Again, breaking point. You'll face your worst fears and conquer them unless they get you first. You'll be trained separately from the Dauntless-born, but you'll be ranked together. After initiation, rankings will determine what jobs you move into. Leadership, guarding the fence, or keeping the factionless from killing each other."

"the rankings will also determine who gets cut" Eric added to Four's information.

"Cut?" Christina asked the same thing I was thinking.

Getting up from his place, Eric slowly approached explaining. "At the end of each stage of training, the lowest ranking initiates will be leaving us."

"To do what?" Al questioned, I'm so glad everyone is wondering the same things that I am! I can get some answers this way.

"There's no going home to your families, so you'd live factionless." Eric shrugged as if it was obvious.

"Why didn't we know that?" Thank you Will!

"It's a new rule – A new rule? Somebody should have told us that." Christina exclaimed scoffing a bit. She shouldn't have interrupted Eric like that, it is not going to go well for her.

"Why? Would you have chosen differently? Out of fear? I mean, if that's the case, you might as well get out now. There's no 'pinky promises' that you will stay." He snipped obviously addressing me. I bowed my head and scrapped my shoes against the ground, wishing I could just disappear. I knew this would come back to haunt me. D*mn my anxious self!

"If you're really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail." He continued, pacing in front of us. "Now you chose us, now we get to choose you." He stared intensely.

We started with how to shoot a gun.

"What does firing a gun have to do with bravery?" Peter yawned. Swiftly, Four rips the gun out of Peter's hand and presses the barrel to his forehead, clicking the bullet into place.

"Well, to answer your question, it's because you are far less likely to soil your pants and cry for mommy if you know how to defend yourselves with a weapon. I do everything in my power not to burst out laughing at Four's comment. Four turns to face the targets on the wall. Standing with his feet apart, holding the gun with both his hands, he fires hitting right through the middle circle.

It was now our turn to practice; I did my best to copy Four. Feet shoulder-width apart, both hands wrapped around the handle. Inhaling...exhaling...I pull the trigger. The recoil hits my shoulder, it was such immense pain that I instantly dropped my weapon. I massage my shoulder with my hand, trying to hide my pain.

I can see someone approach me through my peripheral vision. I could tell it was Eric, just by the atmosphere that surrounds him. I look at him briefly but quickly look at the ground again, not wanting to see his stone-cold face.

"what the h*ll was that?"

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know."

"You don't know?" he paused, I shook my head no. "Well I can tell you what I know. You're weak and you can't shoot for sh*t."

"It was my first try" I tried to justify myself. I felt like I was a sad puppy being punished for eating their owners shoe. I felt so small and helpless, and I hate this feeling.

"You have a long way to go and only a few weeks to get better at it. Or I can 'pinky promise' you, that you won't make it past stage one." He leaned in close to me forcing me to peer into his intense gaze. His eyes were strikingly blue, and they held so much behind them. I had weird feeling in my chest, like my heart was pulling me to him for some reason; it wants to find out what is behind these eyes. With that Eric walks away.

I spend the rest of my time trying to hit the target but no luck has availed. Towards the end of training I was just able to hit the brink of the target. A smile broke out on my face in success. A small part of me wanted to know if Eric saw. Whipping around I tried to look for him but he was nowhere to be seen. I was slightly disappointed. I want to prove to Eric that I will make it into Dauntless.