Venus Eaton is desperate to escape the abuse of her previous faction although she is unaware and unprepared of the ordeals of Dauntless initiation. She is a stranger to her own brother until he accuses her of murdering their mother, and finds out th...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
VENUS
THAT NIGHT, I don't sleep well. I don't even sleep at all. Eric's words drill into my brain until I can't take it anymore: I open my eyes and sit up, scanning the darkness. I make out the other beds around me, darker shapes. Slipping off the covers, my toes brush the cold floor as I stand.
Creeping across to the door, I push the handle down and sneak outside. A blue light shines down on me, illuminating my face and flooding my hands blue. Pursing my lips, I search for the water fountain.
I saw it a couple days ago. It is not far from the chasm, illuminated by yet another blue light. I approach it and flip down the black switch. The water runs from a steel spout and I bend over, taking a sip.
The roar of the chasm fills my ears in the distance. I hear a voice or two: a female voice, followed by a masculine voice. By the tone they're using, it seems like they're arguing. What could they possibly be arguing about?
Curiosity kills the cat, but satisfaction brings it back and what's more satisfying than knowing something before anyone else does? Abnegation doesn't support curiosity or satisfaction, it is self-serving, but I don't care. I don't care anymore.
When I get closer, the voices get clearer.
"...whatever this is about, I've got to go-" The girl's voice says, softly but sternly.
"No. I came here to talk to you, and I'm not finished yet-" The masculine voice says again, and I furrow my brows.
"Then what is it, Eric?" The girl snaps again, and my mouth drops. I peer around the corner of a rock wall to see the girl from breakfast, Rebecca Reyez. Kathleen's sister. Eric's girlfriend. "Is it something about Kath? Something about the initiates? You've been distant lately, has another initiate sparked your attention?"
"I'm not distant, Becca!"Eric raises his voice, but Rebecca doesn't flinch. She looks pissed off like she has better things to be doing. Like sleeping.
"You know it's happened before. When you tried to kiss that Patricia bitch," She rolls her eyes. "You want everyone to respect you, but you don't respect anyone else. Do you?"
Suddenly, Eric slams her against the railings. She lets out a hiss of pain as he lifts her onto the first barrier, holding onto her hips to support her from falling backward. My heart thunders in my chest.
"You're nothing like your brother, do you know that?" Rebecca snarls, glaring at him. Eric clenches his jaw, his fists coil at his sides.
"And how'd you know that? You've been seeing him as I suspected, haven't you?" He demands. Rebecca narrows her eyes.
