A Different Divergent: A Better Tomorrow

~fifty~

Chapter 50

A/N: Quote by unknown.

I sit in my comfortable chair in the fear simulation room, waiting for Tobias to bring in the final misfit of the day, staring at the once blank wall across from me. Before initiation started, Tobias, Uriah, Christina, and I decided that it could use some sort of adornment to motivate the initiates. After a lot of research, I found a quote that I thought was appropriate: Courage is not the absence of fear but the acquired ability to move beyond fear.We had it stenciled on the freshly painted white wall in a large, bold decorative font in black with red, orange, and yellow flames flowing through it. I don't know if it helps or not but at one time or another over the past four weeks, I've witnessed each one of the initiates diligently studying it before the serum sucked them into their fear simulation.

Nothing out of the ordinary has happened during the practice sims or at least that's what Tobias has told me. I took Isobel's stern advice and haven't been hooked up to the computer in an effort to keep my blood pressure and stress under control. I've basically sat in this borderline claustrophobic room, bored to death, and observed Tobias as he witnessed the initiates face common fears like spiders, rats, bats, death, storms, war, public speaking, life outside the fence, and becoming factionless and uncommon, somewhat odd fears like beards, puppets, wind, tunnels, balloons, singing, and trees. Tobias told me that I could stay at home with the kids and start my maternity leave early but I elected to do all the paperwork instead. Until initiation started I had no idea how much time and effort was expended on the day-to-day administration. Tobias makes it look easy.

This year there were no Divergents except for Avery, which we suspected before her initial serum administration. In her first simulation, she woke up in a dimly lit windowless room surrounded by glowing orange flames, and after a couple minutes of panic, she magically made the fire dissipate on its own. When she came out from under the serum, Tobias calmly asked her how she did it not wanting to startle her, and she told us she honestly didn't know; she wished they would go away and they did. We immediately went into the back hallway out of range of cameras, prying eyes, and eavesdropping busy bodies and told her that her parents were right about their suspicions without actually using the word Divergent and gave her advice on how to hide her manipulation of the simulations. Things have changed a lot in the city over the past year but divergence is still misunderstood and feared. Thankfully, she hasn't had any further problems, and no one is none the wiser.

Tobias finally comes through the door followed closely by Murphy who automatically sits in the reclining metal chair centered in the back of the room without being prompted while he brings up her file on the computer. I can't believe this is the final practice simulation of the year. Tobias, Uriah, Christina, and I are going to show the initiates the fear landscape room tomorrow morning and then after that, Tobias and I are free until we have to witness the final tests. I'm really looking forward to catching up on my sleep over the next four days. Sitting here doing nothing but paperwork is exhausting.

"Are you ready?" Tobias asks Murphy as he picks up the last syringe laying on the small table in the corner of the room.

"Bring it on, Four," she jovially says, desperately trying to hide her nervousness. I recognize the tone immediately. All the initiates have used it at one time or another. He gives her a smirk then injects the orange liquid into a vein on the left side of her neck. I was surprised the first time we were in this room with the initiates. He just explained how the serum worked and that was that. No good luck, no you'll do fine, no nothing. When I asked him about it later, he told me that I'm the only one he ever felt compelled to prepare going into the simulation so he told me to be brave.