The Girl Who Cried Dauntless

Chapter Five: The Choosing Ceremony

As custom in the Matthew's home, I awoke the next day at six-thirty. The sun wasn't even out yet, though its head was peeping out over the horizon, trying to gently ease the darkness of night out. I tossed my satin night sheets aside and got out of bed.

Every morning was a routine for me. First, I'd get out of bed and go to my vanity. Second, brush out my curls until my hair was left sleek and straight. Then it was on to the other morning day essentials such as brushing my teeth, getting dressed, and eating whatever my mother told to cooks to make me. I walk out of my room to the main floor, my blue dress clinging perfectly to my body.

"Are you nervous for today, miss?" My cook asked as soon as I made an entrance in the kitchen. I contemplated his question and answer carefully. "No, I already know what's going to happen," I replied. He smiled knowingly at me. It was clear what he thought of my comment. He thought that I was going to pick Erudite and become the carbon copy of my mother. I wouldn't be surprised if everybody in Erudite thought that. But it was a great honour in my mind to think everyone thought I could follow in my mother's footprint. We are talking about the same woman who got appointed leader solely based on her IQ of 206.

"Now eat. Your mother is expecting your driver to drop you off at The Hub."

* * *

When I woke up this morning, I don't think the significance of today truly weighed in on me. I thought I was ready, but it turned out everyone is drawn to the wrong conclusion at times. Even me.

As my driver pulled up outside the building, I had a strong urge to stay in the car and just hide there for the rest of day. A bubbly feeling was churning inside my stomach that only got worse the closer I got to opening the car door. "You shouldn't worry. Only you know what makes you happy and I'm sure you will pick the right faction." My gaze abandoned The Hub in favour of looking at the man who broke the silence. I stared at him, my mouth agape. I don't think in all the time he was working for my family he had ever talked. "Go. Your mother won't be too pleased if you keep her waiting for much longer." I hummed out an agreement and opened the car door.

I tried to match my breaths with the steady steps of my heels hitting the floor. The bubbles erupting and churning in my stomach didn't go away, but my calm breathing did help alleviate it. Before entering the building, I tilted my head back to see as much as I could of The Hub. The building was enormous both on the inside and the outside. The top of the building disappeared into the clouds, easily making it the tallest building in the city. And as the name suggested, it was also the heart of the city. This was where we attended all our activities, trials, and ceremonies.

I continued my journey into the building and searched for my mother.

Through the sea of people in The Hub today, it was a miracle that I found my mother before the ceremony commenced. She was already in the room where the Choosing Ceremony occurred. It appeared she was directing the sixteen-year-olds to their designated seats and sat them in reverse alphabetical order. The room was designed in denoting arcs, and on the edges will stand all sixteen-year-olds of every faction. I don't go to my seat yet, but head to my mother to talk before the ceremony.

"Mother!" She doesn't even flinch. I try again, louder. "Mother!" Mother turned around with a look of disdain on her face, undoubtedly wanting to know who had the audacity to address her so informally. Her eyes skimmed over my own, but no recognition flashed over her features. I took no offence to this. A scientist in Erudite a while back found that the brain processed a sea of faces as a collection of blurred lines and edges. The temporary malfunction is possibly due to the fact our brain can't take in such a vast amount of information at once. When her eyes skimmed over the crowd once more, recognition was evident.

"It's nice for you to finally show up," she said. "It was hard to navigate through this," I quickly replied back, my arm brushing over the crowd of people in the room. "Let's just get you to your seat"

We walked down the stairs of seating area, towards where the new initiatives were being placed. As we reached the bottom step, we were greeted by people that weren't so popular in Erudite these days.

"Good morning, Jeanine. And same to you Adelaide."

"Andrew," my mother said shocked, though an impassive expression laid dormant on her face. "How is Marcus holding up?"

"As well as can be expected," Andrew said almost accusingly. His wife and two children stood by him, not yet contributing to the conversation. "We need to find out whose behind these rumours," my mother said, looking from family member to family member. Andrew's eyebrows lifted up as though he couldn't believe the words coming out of my mother's mouth. He wasn't the one to respond this time. This time, it was his wife. "I think we all know who it is."

A scowl replaced my stoic stare as I took in what this family was accusing my mother of. "My mother will deal with whomever it is if they end up being from Erudite." I bit out. My mother ignored my outburst and continued on causally with the conversation. "These are your children, I presume. I don't think I knew they were choosing today. What's your name?" She asked the boy. When the boy responded with Caleb, she looked expectantly at the young girl. Caleb responded for his sister: "This is Beatrice."

"You both have a very big decision to make today, but I'm sure you parents will support whatever you choose."

"But it's not suppose to be a chose. The test should tell us what to do." Beatrice spoke up for the first time. "You're still free to pick whichever faction you please."

"You don't really want that though, do you?" She challenged. In a childish fit of rage, I took a threatening step towards her. My mother put an arm out to stop me. I looked at her bewildered. How can she let this Stiff talk to her like that? "The ceremony is about to start. How about we all take out seats?" My mother's suggestion was agreed upon by everyone.

The Prior family left and my mother turn to me. "What have I told you?" She inquired more than demanded. "Childish fits of rage are beneath us," I recited a lesson she constantly tried to teach me. "Yes, now go find your seat and ... good luck."

Not wanting to disappoint her any more than I already had, I obliged.

My seat had me sitting between two people I wasn't familiar with. I could have been placed between anyone from Erudite and probably not know them truthfully. I usually spent all my time with my mother and she didn't associate a whole lot with people within our faction.

The talking in the room rapidly fell as soon as my mother walked up on stage.

"The Faction System is a living being composed of cells. All of you. And the only way it can survived and thrive is for each of you to claim you rightful place. The future belongs to those who know where they belong." Without a sound from the audience, mother left the stage for Marcus to continue the ceremony.

"Jonathan Zeeglar," Marcus called the first name. A young man from Erudite strode up to the five bowls. Glass represented Candor; soil was for Amity; water to represent Erudite; and coals for Dauntless. He took the knife and made a small cut at the palm of his hand. "Erudite!"

"Jeffery Yates: Dauntless!"

"Morgan Stoops: Amity!"

"Sam Robertson: Abnegation!"

"Adelaide Matthews!" My eyes stared inquisitively around the room for my mother. Our eyes met and she gave me a look comfort. That was all I needed. I got up and headed for the stage.

Marcus presented me with the knife, but I didn't take it from him right away. I analyzed the bowls first. However, there was no analyzation necessary. I took the knife and make a small cut on my palm like everyone before me, praying that he properly sterilized it before giving it to me. The thoughts in my head were foreign to me at the moment and I couldn't seem to get a coherent thought across. Closing my eyes, I put my hand over the bowl that would determine my faction for life. "Dauntless!"