Eric

The Student

I put my hand over the knob and slide the door open, carefully observing my new surroundings.

"Really not much too see." Came a females voice. I turned to see where she was and beside her was a chair and a few wires.

"My name is Tori, I'll be viewing your altitude test."

I noticed the black she was wearing and assumed she was in Dauntless. How careless that faction was. It resembled Candor in a way. Instead of having no filter on words, they had no filter on actions. I work towards having a filter on both... Steady, careful, like Jeanine Matthews. She is someone to admire- in a professional way.

"Have a seat." She demanded, snapping me out of my daze. I stride over confidently and quickly get comfortable as I can.

I hear a quick twist of the knob I came in from and snap my head up.

"Eric Seiglan correct?" Came the voice from the doorway.

"Uh, yes!" I responded unsure of who I was talking to.

The door opens up fully, the door slightly banging the wall.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything." Says the woman- Jeanine Matthews. I immediately sit up straight and wipe my black hair away from my forehead, it probably looks spiked now.

"Actually," Reply's the volunteer, Tori. "You are." She says unkindly.

"No need to be rude." Reply's Jeanine. "I have been taking a certain... interest in our Erudite soon to be initiates this year -" "How charming -" "- and would like to run his test, privately." A long silence until Tori speaks up setting the needle down onto the table.

"Unfortunately, for you, I cannot permit that." Tori says, not even making eye contact with Jeanine.

"Certainly with Eric's consent I can. After all... you are only a volunteer." She said slowly.

"I would be honoured." Flashing a grin at Tori.

"Well then, Eric would have been your last test, so go home. Ill handle it." With that Tori walks out quickly slamming the door.

With three swift strides, Jeanine takes the seat Tori was in and turn towards me.

"I know your grades were never as good a your fellow classmates, but there is a certain type of knowledge you seek, and already have. You just haven't realized it yet. But you will, because I am certain you will not get an Erudite result because of your low IQ. I don't say that as a bash, more of a fact. And your seek for knowledge and explorment will certainly exclude Abnegation and Amity... Leaving only Candor and Dauntless..."

"Then I guess I don't know where I belong." I reply looking down.

But my left eye twitches as I say that, because although I disagree with some ways Dauntless deal with situations, it was always in me to be bold. Comfronting the teacher about my grades, exploring a concept instead of focusing on one aspect that I was supposed to be focused on, sneaking too the dauntless train at midnight to feel the rush of adrenaline...

"Saying that would make you a liar." Jeanine says, smiling at me like she figured out my puzzle. I grin back at her. I will be Dauntless.

She slides the needle into my neck.

***

"Choose." An identical me says to me.

I quickly twist my body to grab the knife to use to demand answers.

"Now tell me why!" I yelled. I am so confused and frustrated as of why I have thousands of reflections of myself and how I got here.

Myself remains expressionless except for the left side of his or my lip curling up as my signature 'your so stupid' look. I twist my body around to grab a piece of meat to slap him with but as soon as I clutch the meat the rest of the knifes and meat disappear and I turn around to see the smart ass me has too. Suddenly a snarling German Shepard stalks me from about six feet away and I consider the knife in my left hand and the meat in my right. If the throw the meat there is not a for sure answer whether the dog will come after me again or not. If I go after the dog with my knife it could bite my hand off... Well maybe. I also recall something I learned as a child about going submissive to a viscous animal but there is no telling whether it is my flesh he is after. So I try to act bigger by bringing the knife above my head and standing on my toes. Still the dog approaches me closer, and closer so once he runs towards me I slice a gash into eyes and I see a puppy in front of me. Why would I try to hurt a puppy?