Divergent: Switched

The Other Stiff

The ride back was long and chatty. I knew what the conversations were about. I'm not deaf.

"Another Stiff? Really?"

"The kid doesn't stand a chance."

"Are you kidding? He's a disgrace!"

Peter's going to kill the kid. And it's going to be ugly.

He's too much like me. I did the exact same thing during my choosing. Although, probably not for the same reason.

I should look after him. Make sure the other initiates don't hurt him.

But subtly. I can't play favorites.

I mean, that's just kind of weird.

"Hey, blondie, you okay?"

I scowled up at my friend for using the old nickname. I self-consciously brushed my fingers through my straight, blond hair, highlighted slightly with light brown. "I'm fine, weirdo. Just tired."

She plopped down next to me. "Which ones do you think stand a chance?"

She asked, eyeing up the transfers, who all huddled up together in one corner of the box car.

I chuckled. "I learned long ago to never judge a book by its cover."

Uriah leaned against the wall on my other said, towering over Christina and I. "Yeah, I did that when you first showed your scrawny ass around here, and look where I am now. Several feet above you."

I punched his shin. He barely flinched. Cocky jerk.

We were a few minutes from Dauntless base. I stood up, brushed the dirt from my jeans, and yelled, "Listen up, Newbies!"

The noise immediately died. Every head turned in my direction. "In a few minutes, the train is going to pass by a concrete platform. You're going to jump, no questions asked. No, you won't die, unless you miss. So, don't do that. Just follow our lead and you'll get the hang of it. Get it? Got it? Great," I finished, and sat back down. No one made a noise.

We reached the compound in roughly two minutes, when I stood and walked slowly to the opening in the train car. I grabbed hold of the side handle and leaned out, letting the wind toss my hair around behind me. I saw the platform start to approach.

"Everyone, on my mark!" I yelled over the roar of the wind.

Transfers started to gather behind me. I watched the platform grow closer.

Three...

Two...

One...

"Now!" I yelled, and jumped.

My feet hit the ground running, and I slowed down enough to look over my shoulder at the transfers practically throwing themselves out of the car, landing painfully on the ground and rolling to a stop, but alive nonetheless.

I stopped at the edge, waiting for everyone else to join me. Christina appeared on my right, and Uriah on my left. Lynn next to Christina, Marleen beside Uriah. Peter stepped up on the short wall railing the edge and turned to face us.

Peter looked at me. "Jump down and help the newbies out of the net. Christina, you too. The rest will stay up here to make sure everyone goes down." He smirked at the initiates. "Whether they want to or not."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine," I grumbled. I stepped up beside him, turned around, and fell backwards off the edge.

I tucked my knees to my chest and somersaulted in the air before spreading my limbs out, like a bird. Jumping off the train, flying down the zip line, falling down into the net, always like a bird. Arms and legs spread wide, hair whipped around everywhere, eyes closed.

I flipped myself over at last second so I landed softly on my back, bouncing up and down once or twice. I rolled to the edge and climbed off, and Christina followed. Someone handed me a tablet. I opened it to the initiate information and looked for the "Jumpers" tag. When I had it ready, I looked up out of the hole.

It took a minute or two, but then I saw a figure step on to the edge and look down. They took off their jacket and chucked it behind them. I hope they aimed it at someone. The figure leaned forward...

He hit the net roughly, and his screaming stopped. I remember him.

How could I forget?

It would be like forgetting myself.

Tobias Eaton.

He jumped first. I jumped first.

Unlike me, his face was a mask of pure terror. Afraid of heights is my guess. I smirked as I reach forward and leaned on the edge of the net, slanting it sideways. He rolled towards me and I steadied him by holding his arm as he landed shakily on his feet.

He had interesting eyes. A dark indigo, almost like the night sky. If I looked close enough, it was like I could see thousands of twinkling stars.

'Snap out of it, softie,' my brain scolded me.

"What's your name?" I asked, getting ready to write it down as the first jumper.

He hesitates for a second. Noticing it, I say, "You can choose a new one, but make it good. There's no changing it after this."

Determination flashes across his face. "Toby," he says.

I turn to the crowd. "First-Jumper, Toby!"

The crowd starts to cheer as I write it down.

"Wait over there," I tell him gruffly, not glancing up at him. The Dauntless pulled him into the crowd, and he was gone.

There were eight other initiates. Lauren from Erudite. Max, Lynn's younger brother, should be happy to see his friend. Eric transferred from Candor. I don't like him already. We've got another Peter on our hands. Wonderful.

Well, it's not like I can't fix him up.

Soon, everyone is accounted for.

I turn to the crowd and yell, "Welcome to Dauntless!"

The cheer is deafening, but I notice one is silent. He's just standing there, smiling slightly, having a staring contest with his shoes.

There are several people I need to fix.

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