Dauntless

chapter 4

a couple of weeks had passed since then, and it was now visiting day, I didn't ask my dad if I could go because I knew he wouldn't let me, so I did it in secret.

I picked up a little Black rucksack from underneath my bed and put in water, snacks, a jumper and a card mum had made for Michelle. I had packed the food and water because I didn't want anyone seeing me, or dad would find out somehow, so I was going to walk. I pretended I was meeting up with Ella, and she-being a great friend-had gone out somewhere for the day, and told her parents the same thing I had told mine.

I sneeked out of the house and as soon as the front door was shut behind me, I ran. I ran towards the gate protecting the city, no alot of people knew what it was for, so we kept our mouths shut because we weren't allowed to ask questions.

I walked in the heat of the day, suddenly grateful that I only had shorts and a black vest on. After half an hour of walking, I squinted and in the distance, through the haze, I saw the big black fence that stretched out to where I couldn't see any more. I started sprinting towards the fence, I thought I could just see the truck that took all the other visitors to the Amity base leaving through the open gate. I managed to reach it just in time and jumped into the side where no one could see me, and it looked to the guards line I was climbing on, I had my feet on the metal that covers the wheels and my fingers latched onto the side of the truck.

inside I could see the pants off Amity-borns sitting happily among the hay, but the parents of transfers, which were very few, seemed very uncomfortable.

I waited until I got my breath back, then I jumped off and started jogging next to the truck. It was a very slow truck, so every so often I would just walk. After twenty minutes we came in sight of a big Farm House made out of wood on the edge of a massive field, the truck drove us to the door of the house, and I got caught up in the middle of the crowd so it would look like I had been there all along. We stepped into the house, the shade cooled us down, and everyone breathed in the fresh air. We were led into the front room which was huge and everyone was there, some ran to there parents, others searched for them, and the transfers are very lucky if any of their family came.

I looked around for Michelle, but I couldn't find her, until I heard,

"Zoe!!!" I turned to the sound and saw Michelle fighting through the crowd towards me, I ran to her and hugged her.

"Zoe, it's been such a long time!" She said, she was different, happier.

"It's great to see you again!" I replied.

"Come on, let's go outside. It's too cramped in here." She suggested. I followed her outside into the field.

Some other families were there, as well as one other initiate, whose family obviously hadn't turned up. Michele walked over to her and hugged her, I had no idea if she knew that person or if she was just feeling huggy. They talked for a while, Michelle comforting her, she must have been a transfer for her family not to turn up. Michelle walked back over to me.

"So, where are mum and dad?" She asked, looking around.

"Err... Well, dad couldn't come, neither could mum but, she gave me this, for you." I dug my hand into my bag, and pulled out the card mum had given me. Michelle opened it up and read it. She nodded silently and closed it again, holding it in her hand.

"So dad, he couldn't makem it then?" She asked. u nodded and looked at my feet.

"I know you're lying, what was the real reason, please." I looked in her eyes, and I knew I couldn't lie. I said,

"well, after you left at the choosing ceremony, he called you a disgrace, says we weren't going to visiting day. I said we were but... He's a coward, I hate him so much!" I clenched my fists, getting angry.

"calm down, and don't hate him, he's s still our father." Michelle soothed. I looked at her.

"Michelle, he shouted at mum, he told Ella to go home on her own." She still wasn't convinced, "Michelle he hit me." I whispered. net eyes went wide and she grabbed my shoulders.

"Where? Are you ok?"

"Yes, it's gone now, but you don't understand, I can't live with him anymore. He woke let me or mum do anything we want, that's why mum couldn't come." I said, she looked at me, taking her hands off my shoulders, and she straightened her back.

"Week what's Dauntless all about, being brave, I couldn't handle it, so I left. Now it's your turn to be brave, you can't give up, just keep going." She said, and it wasn't like that motivational speech it was supposed to be, but it was more like paying us back for expecting her to be Dauntless, but note be ourselves.

"Michelle, I'm sorry for all that we've done wrong, but please, I need your help." I pleaded.

"I would help if I could, but I can't, there is nothing to be done." She replied, her eyes softening.

"It's not like you can run away." She said, but I smiled at her.

"No, you can't. For me, who would be there for me if you left, dad wouldn't be there and he wouldn't let mum help. You can't ok?" she said.

"ok." I sighed.

"Promise?"

"Promise." She hugged me, and I hugged her back.