We Are Divergent

Chapter Thirty-Three

The next week consisted of lots of explanations. Fortunately I got to see that even though my friends were deemed “damaged” they could still be treated fairly in this outer world. There are many workers here at the bureau that are not genetically pure. I met a few myself. People here all know us by name, since we were leading figures in what is technically their “project”. They have watched our life inside the city from our own cameras and I noticed they often stare at me when they see me.

My friends and allies from the Allegiant haven’t decided anything yet. Everyone is still shocked that our entire life is much different than we knew it to be. We are still learning things every day, and no one has decided if or how we should tell the rest of the Allegiant back home what we found. I can’t help but wonder what life is like back there now that they know we successfully left.

Today Zoe wants to run tests on Tobias and I. She says it has something to do with our divergence. We walked together to the room we would be tested in silence.

“Hello!” Zoe said in a cheerful voice.

“Hi,”

“Are you guys ready? Do you have any questions?”

Of course I do… She barely explained what was happening. “Um, yeah… What are we doing?”

“Just some blood work for now. There are many people who want to study your DNA. You two are the best candidates for our experiment, considering how much rebellion you both possess.”

“Yeah, okay.” I said, unsure why people would be so interested in studying my DNA.

She took me into the room first, leaving Tobias waiting outside for his turn on the lab table. Okay, not technically on a lab table…

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,”

“What does divergent mean to you? What am I?”

She cleaned off a needle as she picked her words. She stuck it into the crease of my arm and began talking. I didn’t wince. “A divergent is somebody who is suitable for more than one faction. So basically somebody who possesses the characteristics of not just one personality, but multiple. A divergent differs from the standard and is able to use their brain and emotions in different ways depending on the situation to decide for themselves rather being stuck on one path.”

How can that be true? If that is all that makes me special then there’s no way I am any different from anybody else. Everybody has conflictions within themselves to be more than one way. Everyone! I am not the only person who should be categorized as divergent! Is it just because I am lucky enough to have enough bravery to not hide the human nature of being diverse? Maybe everyone else is like me too, but they are afraid to show it. It cannot be simply genetics that answers that question…

“So it’s not just because I can alter a simulation?”