“Feeling adventurous?” Christina asks, jogging into the dormitory. I look up from my nails, still short from being chewed on. She wears a proud smile, “New tattoo?” I ask, noticing black writing edging up her neck, and curling around her ear. “Yeah, Will took me to the tattoo parlour, we both got the Dauntless manifesto.” I grin, “So, where are you guys going this time?” Christina’s face lights up, “Uriah, Marlene and a few other Dauntless are going to Shore Lake drive. Uriah says it’s perfect for ‘roof jumping’, all the Dauntless love it!” I throw on my jacket, and loop my arm around Christina, “Let’s go, then.”
***
Shore Lake drive has tall buildings one after the other, in the centre of the city. We took the train where we jumped off at Michigan Ave. The last time I was here I was at the choosing ceremony, where I chose Dauntless and left my family. A pang of guilt arises in my stomach, but I push the thought away. We walk as the sun starts to set over the skylines; making the buildings flash when light hits them. Uriah walks alongside Marlene, and another Dauntless born named Quinn- a short, thin girl, with one side of her red hair completely shaved off. A tall dauntless born gestures for everyone to stop, “Guys, in here!” he shouts, motioning towards a flight of stairs, not too high- unlike the Hancock building.
As we scale up the stairs to the roof top, Christina whoops and shouts, which makes everyone else join in and pump their fists in the air; a sign of excitement and exhilaration. I join in too, sending a thrill through my body. When we reach the top, a crowd of Dauntless bust open the door. The view is incredible- a cluster of buildings are outstretched, at least a metre and a half away from where we are now. The wind whips my hair, slicing my vision. Before I can take in the city’s setting people start pushing me forward, their palms on my back. “Jump!” someone yells, and then everyone starts running toward the roofs edge, building up speed. Now I see, roof jumping we are going to jump from roof top to roof top. This is crazy, madness, suicide, but for some reason I run too. I know what I have to do, Christina looks at me- “Are we supposed to jump?!” she yells, “Yes! Now run” I yell back. The gap from our roof to the next is much larger than jumping off the train onto the Dauntless compound. I don’t stop, despite the burning in my lungs. I don’t even think, because if I do I will die. The edge becomes clearer, the next rooftop in sight, my heart pounds. I notice briefly, other Dauntless leaping off the edge and landing onto the other roof top- they don’t stop for a second, their legs constantly moving, then jumping onto the next roof. I know that’s what I have to do, taking a deep breath; I bend my knees and jump, for a moment I am thrown into the air- my body weightless, legs and arms stretched outwards. The paved edge disappearing behind me, I notice that I yelled: half happiness, half nerves. I tuck my legs in slightly, preparing to land on the gravel. I plummet downwards, and my legs find the concrete edge. Grabbing at the pebbly surface, I press my hands down and push myself up to my feet. I fling my hand into the air and cry out, whooping. This time it is purely excitement, every bone and every nerve powered by adrenaline. I continue running and leaping from roof top to roof top, each time more exhilarating and intense. I used to admire the Dauntless for their bravery, but now I know where I belong; here amongst them, because I am Dauntless- Courageous and strong.
