The Divergent Games

Chapter Ten: Katniss

*Time Jump: The Choosing Ceremony*

A.N./: Please, please, please don’t kill me if I mess a few details up. And I would like to point out that I didn’t write about the Aptitude Tests because if you’ve read Divergent (which I really, really hope you have) you know what happens. And I know you all are probably sick of all of these Katniss Chapters, but they need to happen, so I promise you’ll get plenty of Tris chapters later on. Also, there should be a few surprises in this chapter for you guys! Please vote, comment, and share! Thanks! <3

Chapter Ten: Katniss

As we make our way toward the Dauntless section of the Hub, I spot Gale in the crowd of teens, waiting for him to choose. When he came home yesterday after his test, he told us he was told he was Divergent. Even though he wasn’t supposed to elaborate, he did anyway, telling his father and me that he was going to stay in his home faction even though he would have been suitable for both Erudite and Abnegation. I take a seat next to my fellow Dauntless members, and Peeta and I start chatting casually. As soon as a loud (and slightly familiar) voice rang out around us, the entire auditorium was silent. The male voice continued talking and it wasn’t until I saw the owner’s face where I could recall where I heard it from.

Haymitch Abernathy was standing in front of the audience, talking. I knew that voice was familiar. Not only was it the voice of one of my dearest friends, it was the voice of and Abnegation Leader! No wonder I had thought him dead! He told me that everyone that had been in the Hunger Games would be in Dauntless, and nowhere else. I look at Peeta and he has the same look of shock on his face. I’m doing all I can to hold myself back. He is now calling himself Marcus Eaton… a long, long time ago, Haymitch told me Marcus was his middle name. But that’s not the only thing odd. I don’t see Effie anywhere. She would be here unless… Oh God. I heard once that Evelyn Eaton had died. If that was Effie, does that mean she’s gone?  I’m about to ramble off all of these observations to Peeta when something else catches my attention. Over on the far left, on the Abnegation side, was Gale Hawthorne.

He looked a bit different, older, and a little bit of gray was streaking his brown hair, and next to him was possibly the last person I expected to see. Annie. Only it took me a moment to realize it was her because her formerly red hair was now brown, and she looked much older than I last recall her being.  I saw Gale step up to the stage and he started talking, but I was not paying any attention to his words. As his eyes scanned the audience, I saw his gaze lock with mine, and I swear my heart skipped a beat. He held my gaze, still talking, until he had to break it so he wouldn’t cause any suspicion. He had been in Abnegation too. He was an Abnegation leader. As he finishes up, he starts to call the children by their names.

I wonder what happened the night we were all separated. Why did Haymitch and Effie end up in the wrong Faction. It must have been a mistake. And Annie and Gale must have gotten together for a reason. Did Gale still have my little Prim? Before I can state my deductions and questions to my husband, I hear a familiar name being called up, and I look and see that Uriah is holding the bloody knife in his hand and he slices it across his left palm. With a flourish, he sweeps his bleeding hands over to the coals, and releases the warm blood which gives a satisfying sizzle as the blood drops upon it. He then wipes his hand on his black jeans and then takes a bow. After a quick round of applause from the Dauntless (including me) he makes his way back to his faction.

After Marlene, who almost dropped the knife because she was shaking so much, and Lynn, who cut her palm and poured her blood over the steaming coals as though it were nothing, a few more people went up until the name Gale Mellark was called. He confidently walked up the steps and took the knife in his hand with a smile. He slid the blade across his hand, and whilst saying the word “boom” he practically threw the blood in the bowl. There were whooping cheers from the Dauntless crowd, mostly Peeta’s, and he came back to take a seat.

The next girl came up. An Abnegation born with blonde hair and a long nose. She seemed vaguely familiar, but didn’t seem of any importance until Peeta whispered that that was the girl he thinks is Prim. Looking at her, I could see why he would think so. But Prim was only three years old last time we saw her, and the name they called up for the girl was ‘Beatrice Prior’. I was just about to dismiss his suggestion until I noticed that both Gale (the Abnegation) and Annie had both grown incredibly interested in this particular child. They had had hopeful looks on their faces as the girl place her bloodied palm over the Abnegation bowl, but they soon dropped as the girl glided her hand over to the Dauntless bowl and released the blood from her hand. Gasps filled the room as she took her place by the new Dauntless, and I swear I see Gale whisper only one word.

“Prim.”