Numinous

Chapter 7

We have been working our butts off these past two-ish weeks; switching it up between conditioning; like running, cardio, strength training to build some muscle; fighting techniques, guns, and knives. In the beginning Four had to assist me with my positioning. My shooting has improved but I'm not even close to being the best, I am much better with the knives for some unknown reason.

Eric hasn't been around at training that much; he's got leader stuff I guess; but when he is there, he does not give me a shortage or insults. No matter what I do, I don't seem to be good enough in his eyes. Four told us he would be here for training for the next three days; we are working on hand-to-hand combat. If he's here, it means h*ll has opened its gates to us, and Lucifer himself is walking out.

I was practicing blocking techniques with Nat; whom I have gotten close with; when Eric's loud voice filled the training room.

"First Jumper!" that was Tris, "in the ring; last jumper!" Molly. "Time to fight." Crowding around the ring, we watched the fight go down. The two stepped up to the ring. Tris was noticeably more frightened then Molly was.

"How long do we fight for?" Molly blankly questioned.

"Til' one of you can't continue."

"Or one of you concedes" Four stepped in.

"According to the old rules. New rules, no one concedes!"

Four turned to Eric speaking in a quiet voice. I wasn't close enough to hear them but I knew by Eric's face that he was not pleased.

"You'll be scored on this, so fight hard." Eric spoke loudly for us to hear. Tris and Molly get into a fighting stance, looking to Eric for confirmation. "Go" he snipped getting impatient

***

After they finished, Tris didn't win, more people were called up to the ring. I almost fully zoned out until I heard, "Pinky!" My head snapped up looking at him to see who he was talking too. It was me, he was looking directly at me. He slowly nodded his head to the mat. Making my way forward, I saw who I was going to fight, Peter.

"Don't take any of this personal okay Minnie Mouse?" he smirked. My heart was pounding out of my chest. I should not have chosen Dauntless! Why did I choose Dauntless?

My brain instantly forgets everything I have learned these previous weeks about fighting in hand-to-hand combat. Okay Maeve, try to remember.

'Closed fist, thumbs out of fists. Thumbs in fist equals broken thumbs. Broken thumbs bad, very bad.' Closing my fist, I remember to keep my thumbs out, I put my fists out in front of me to show I am ready. Peter immediately starts by punching me right in my left jaw.; wincing and stumbling back.

'Block Maeve, remember to block. Not too high, he can hit your stomach. Not too low, he can hit your face. Both of those are bad, very bad. Keep them in the middle of that.' Remembering this, I block his next coming attacks. 'This is going to get tiring and I won't get scored if I don't win. Alright brain, how do I win?

'Remember Maeve, study his movements. Study his movements and look for repetitions, repetitions mean he will do it again. Doing it again means you can figure out how to counter his movements and maneuver your way out if it. Fight where he goes wrong.'

I was too late. I wasn't focusing fast enough and he swept my feet from under me. Hitting the mat, the wind was knocked out of me. Gasping for air I tried to focus again, but didn't have enough time. He swung his leg over, straddling me. Grabbing the collar of my shirt, he yanked my head off the ground and connected his fist to my face.

***

I sat on a bench with a cold pack pressed to my busted lip. Tris was on the other side of the room with a cold back on her face. We both gave each other knowing looks. People began following Eric, I assume it has something to do with our ranks. I jogged after them, abandoning the cold pack.

"Alright guys, over here, listen up." A list of numbers was in front of us on a screen, half in a white the lower half in red. Names started appearing on the screen. "You know what this board is? It's your life. We grade you every day. If your still in the red by the end of the first stage, you're out." The 1st seventeen were safe, but the rest were in the danger zone. I'm 4th from the bottom. There is no way I can make it. There are so many other initiates who are way better than me. We were then dismissed for the day. There is no way around this, I thought. Everyone started disappearing into their friend groups.

I decided to walk by the Chasm on my own; stopping I wanted to fully take it all in. I was there for a while just thinking everything over in my head. Do I stay in Dauntless? Should I give up? I started lolling over any possible chance of me making past stage one of initiation.

"What are you doing?" I looked at who spoke when I saw Eric. I quickly turned away when I realized I had tears running down my face, quickly wiping them away with my sleeve, sniffling.

"Oh, nothing, just enjoying the view."

"You're lying, tell me the truth now initiate!" he demanded; getting up to face him, I begin to rant.

"I'm never going to make it! I can't do it. I'm not Dauntless. I've improved a lot since I got here, yet I'm still at the bottom of the rank! I just don't understand it. I just can't be Dauntless!"

"Then why did you choose Dauntless?"

"I don't know!" I whisper yell getting closer to him. "I don't even remember choosing Dauntless or why! I got Abnegation on my test Eric! Abnegation! I know we aren't supposed to tell anyone our results, but you're a leader and just needed to tell someone, so...You know what? Abnegation's bowl was right next to Dauntless, I probably meant to drip over Abnegation but accidently did it over Dauntless. There's no changing Eric! So, I'm stuck here and I have no clue what to do." I finish my pant glaring at him, huffing because I'm out of breath. What confused me was the blank look on his face.

"I know what- "he didn't finish his sentence. I felt a tight painful grip on my shoulder blade and my wrist. His heavy hand pushed me off the Chasm platform. I immediately gripped tightly to his arm that was keeping me from falling into the rushing rapids, to my death.

"Are you insane?" I shrieked to him, digging my nails into him as I try not to look down.

"Hey, you wanted an out didn't you? I'm just trying to help you. You have a choice to make, because you are wasting my time. You can either quit and become factionless, drop to your death, or survive initiation and join the faction that you chose." There is no way that I can be factionless, and dying isn't an option. Eric is right, I chose this faction, therefore I'm getting past initiation. There's probably a small, simple job here that I can take. I don't need a high rank, just one that will get me past.

If I don't want to be factionless, then I will do everything I can to make it. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself a little.

"C-Can you put me back now?" I plead, avoiding his eyes. Listening, he brought me back to the platform. "I-I'm sorry about your arm. I will see you in training tomorrow." With that I took my leave.

A glorious idea came into my head and I made my way to the Pit. Finding a hair salon, I stopped in.

"Hello, I was wondering what the earliest appointment is?

"Quite early, I'm a morning bird and like to get started right away." The salon lady said.

"Perfect! I'm going through initiation, I want to get my hair cut but I want to surprise someone with it. So, I need it done in the morning or else they will see it tonight and ruin the surprise."

"Oh! Okay, trying to impress a boy?"

"Something like that." We set up a time that worked great! I must get to sleep early to wake up for tomorrow. I have decided that I'm not going to survive initiation, I'm going to conquer it!