Divergent (Fanfic)

Chapter 4

The simulation disappeared, and the mirror room materialized around me.

Eve was there, removing the electrodes from my head.

'That was... Interesting,' said Eve quietly. 'Please excuse me for a moment.'

Eve left me to sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the chair. I sat on the left edge, waiting for Eve to return.

What had happened?

The aptitude test wasn't a test you could prepare for. You couldn't pass or fail, it was a personality test created to show you where you were best suited to live.

But what if it hadn't worked?

Would I be forced to live factionless?

I couldn't imagine living factionless. To live without a Faction was to live without purpose, and I would rather die.

Eve returned, and said, 'sorry to worry you.'

After a few moments silence, I said, 'so what was my result?'

'Your result,' said Eve, her voice barely above a whisper, 'was inconclusive.'

'How is that possible?' I said perfectly calmly. Why was I calm?

'Each stage of the simulation is designed to eliminate one or more of the factions and prompt you to show aptitude for one faction.'

'So, how many factions were eliminated for me?'

'One.'

There was silence for a moment. 'How?' I asked.

'In the first simulation, choosing the knife shows Dauntless potential, and choosing the cheese shows Amity potential. Refusing to choose shows an aptitude Erudite. Submitting to the dog also shows Erudite aptitude, which you also did, but you then threw the cheese, which is the Amity result. As you can see, it's quite confusing. You picked up the knife and cheese quickly, which was a refusal to choose, but also choosing both objects. This stage was intended to eliminate one or two of the factions, out of Dauntless, Erudite and Amity. But none of the factions were eliminated, in your case.

'The next stage, throwing yourself at the dog to protect the girl is a Dauntless and Abnegation response. You threw yourself at the girl, to knock her out of the way, which shows Abnegation aptitude. If you hadn't thrown the knife, Dauntless would have been eliminated, but you automatically threw it. It was also smart to throw yourself at the girl instead of the dog, because - well, what if you weren't able to hold the dog off? Or what if it shook you from it's back? These things were running through your mind - I know it.

'Next, you were taken to the bus scene. You insisted that you didn't know the man, even though you did, which eliminated Candor. The Abnegation usually admit to knowing the criminal once the man says it will save him, as an act of selflessness, but in the other stage, you showed a lot of selflessness in saving the girl. It's very contradictory. But that is how Candor was eliminated - but you show aptitude for Amity, Dauntless, Erudite and Abnegation.'

'What does that mean?'

'They call it Divergent.' Eve's voice was a whisper as she said the word 'Divergent.' Something about it sent shivers down my spine.

'The test is supposed to tell me where I belong,' I said, my voice perfectly level and calm. 'How could it not work?'

'It did work,' said Eve. 'Divergents usually have aptitude for two factions. Three factions are usually eliminated in the process. To show aptitude for three factions is extremely rare, but for four? It's unheard of.'

'Where do I go?' I asked. 'Which faction am I supposed to pick?'

'It's your choice,' said Eve. 'You would fit into four factions. You can decide to go into any one of them, including Candor.'

'How am I supposed to decide?'

'I would help you,' said Eve. The bloody Abnegation - always trying to help. How did I manage to show aptitude for Abnegation? 'But I can't. I really am sorry.'

'Don't be.' I said.

'Melanie, I'm going to hand deliver the report on your test. You have to keep your Divergence a secret, especially since yours is so strong. Never, under any circumstances, can you reveal that information. It's important. Divergent threaten the system, and there are people who will want to kill you. Do you understand?'

'Yes,' I said.

'Good,' said Eve, sounding less like Abnegation than I'd ever heard an Abnegation sound before in my life.

I got up and left the room.