Uriah and Marlene

Chapter 2 // Marlene

Chapter 2 // Marlene

I saw Uriah collapse at the table I shared with him and Lynn. He had just finished his aptitude test. I am still waiting for mine.

I absentmindedly tapped my fingers on the table, thinking of all my possibilities. I could get Dauntless, the one I was born into and loved so very much. Or I would be Candor, telling the truth all the time. I quickly shook my head. No. That idea was simply horrible. Maybe Amity. I was nice after all, right? But I was more daring than kind, so Dauntless still overruled that one. I didn't want to be a Stiff, or Abnegation, but I didn't have any prejudice against them, unlike the Erudite. It's just that I can't live that kind of lifestyle. Erudite? I have strategy, I'll tell you that. But I don't have that constant ache to learn. I didn't really even like school.

So I guess I'm Dauntless through and -

"Marlene..."

I sprang up, causing eyes to turn my way. I quickly ducked my head and shuffled to my testing room.

There was an old Abnegation man standing near a dentist-like chair. I walked with a slight bounce in my step into the chair.

"Hello," I greeted formally, tilting my head to the side.

He nodded an acknowledgement and stuck wires on my head.

Suddenly, I was aware about how important this test was to the rest of my life. And then I was worried. Why was Uriah so nervous when he left the room? What if my test was inconclusive? I heard that sometimes tests were inconclusive, and I didn't know what happened to those people.

Hopefully it wasn't me. And not Uriah, or Lynn.

I blinked and noticed the Abnegation man was holding out a vile of clear liquid to me. Without a second thought, I snatched it up and drained it in one gulp.

And then the room melted away.

"Choose," said a voice.

I turned around in a bewildered manner and saw a table. On it was two baskets, one containing cheese, one containing a knife.

I thought for a moment. What could cheese do except flavor bread? A knife can get me away from enemies. So I grabbed the knife.

I started to breathe a little. Everything would be okay.

But then a dog charged at me. I screamed and brought my knife down. The dog was gone. I couldn't see anything.

The next time I blinked, I was in the dentist chair.

"Congratulations," my test administrator said. "Your result was textbook Dauntless. You should not share this information with anybody until the end of Choosing Day."

I nodded and grinned.

And just like the way I came, I flounced back to the table with Lynn and Uriah, remembering to keep my mouth shut.