Chasm

Chapter 7

TRIS POV

"Fights today," Christina reminds me as we saunter into the training room.

I sigh. Between hearing the news of suicides and being taunted into shooting a gun for the first time in a year, it totally slipped my mind that we were done with gun training and moving straight on to fighting. I haven't really been paying attention during training since it has mostly been a reiteration, but it doesn't really matter. With or without training, I am prepared. Plus I have the advantage of experience that the new initiates don't have.

"It feels like they threw us in the ring faster last year," I say.

She scoffs. "I know. I feel like these initiates are getting it easy this year. You know, they have no idea what it's like to have Eric stalking every move they make."

I shudder at the recollection, how he forced us to fight until someone was unconscious, how he demanded that Four throw knives at me, how he threatened to kick Christina out to the factionless if she didn't hang over the chasm for five minutes. These new initiates may be wary of Four, but they would be physically peeing their pants if Eric was their instructor.

"Yeah, hopefully we won't have to worry about fighting until one of us can't continue," I grumble as we crowd around Four with everyone else.

When I see him, everything inside of me collapses. The unspeakable insults he cut me with last night echo off these very walls and reopen the gaping wounds that I have tried to patch up over the last twelve hours. I don't care that that was his point, to drive me to rage so that I would overcome my pain and shoot; he couldn't have made up those remarks on the spot, so they must be true to some extent.

And it tortures me as much as it tortures him. Despite what he thinks, I did love him. I just couldn't be a decent enough person for him, and I proved that by putting him through all of those situations that he spoke of. More than anything, I hate hurting the people I love, and even though he is in the past, I still ache for him.

He looks uncharacteristically alert for this time of morning, with his back rigid and his muscled arms crossed, but that might have something to do with the Dauntless leader standing next to him.

"What is Hunter doing here?" Christina whispers.

I only shrug and scan the list of names scrawled on the chalkboard next to them in Four's handwriting. I will fight fourth, before Christina, and my opponent is Dez.

I meet her frightened eyes from across the group, and they plead with me for mercy. Biting my cheek so hard I eventually taste blood, I force myself to turn away. All I can think is I don't want to fight someone so helpless.

Once everyone has filed in, Four clears his throat and addresses us.

"Initiates," he says. "Today is the first day of fights. For the first few, we will have a guest watching. I'm assuming you are familiar with our leader, Hunter. He will be explaining how the fights work."

I frown. This feels like last year all over again, with a Dauntless leader overseeing—more like taking charge of—our training. I can only wish that he is not brutal like Eric was.

Hunter takes the floor. "Thank you, Four," he says. "So you may be wondering why a Dauntless leader would take an interest in brand new transfers. Well, this is where it all begins, where we separate the men from the boys, the soldiers from the bystanders. At this stage of training—no matter how ill-prepared you may be—this is how we find the strongest initiates. You could be completely ignorant when it comes to fighting and still drag yourself up when everyone thinks you are finished. That is what we are looking for in potential future Dauntless members because the war showed us that the bravest are the ones who can take hits and still come together to fight."