The Divergent Games

Chapter Eighteen: Tris (Finally!)

Chapter Eighteen: Tris

I’m standing in a field of grass at first, but that soon changes. As if my subconscious had suddenly changed its mind, the scene around me becomes forest. Lush, green forest that had trees towering over me. I look around; trying to understand what was going on.

Forests? I think to myself. I’m not scared of forests. I start wandering around when I see a bird perched on top of one of the many trees. It’s black, with a white crest. It’s beautiful. Not knowing exactly what to do, I say a small, “Hello.” It cocks its head to the side, and opens its mouth to speak. Instead of a beautiful tune like most birds would respond with, this one lets out a terrible, ear piercing scream.

“Tris! Beatrice, help!” It screams. “Tris, help! It takes me a second to recognize the voice. It was Katniss’.

“Katniss?!” I helplessly scream her name in response, trying to shut the bird up and find out how it got the scream. After about my third time of saying her name, and the bird using Katniss’ voice to say mine, another voice is added to the mix.

”Tris! Sister, help! Tris!” I turn around, and sure enough, another bird is standing there yelling in Gale’s voice. “Tris, help me!”

More and more voices come after that. I hear my mother’s and my father’s, Caleb’s, Christina and Will’s, and I am almost certain that I hear Four’s as well. But the nightmare wasn’t that there was one bird screaming in each one of my loved one’s voice. There were dozens of these horrid birds, blocking the sun as making the sky darken with their dark bodies. I tried drowning them out with my own voice, but it was no match for the swarm around me. Not knowing what else to do, I try running, but my feet are planted on the ground. The birds start flapping in my ears, and I am getting pecked everywhere imaginable. I scream some more, and flail my arms every which way, trying to keep the birds away from me, but it was useless. I feel tears sliding down my face as I fall to the ground. And now I’m the one screaming for help.

I’m going to die. I think. You’re really going to die, Beatrice. I hear a voice, unlike the screaming of these devil birds. This one is calm, and it tells me I’ll stay in the simulation unless I calm down.

I beg myself to breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Pain overwhelms me, and when I open my eyes, I’m sitting in the metal chair.

I keep screaming and swatting away feathers and birds, and check myself all over for any injuries, but there aren’t any. I hand touches me, and I swat it away as well, still trying to get a hold of myself. I curl up and pull me knees to my chest, trying to stop the trembling, when Four’s voice cuts through the air.

“It’s over.” He says simply. A few seconds pass by with me trying to control myself again when he tells me he’s taking me to the dorms.

**

When he takes me back to the dorms, we have a little chitchat and he tells me I was only in the simulation for three minutes. Three. I thought that was impossible, but obviously it’s not. After he leaves me, I think about going inside, but instead I change my mind and head to the Tattoo Parlor. When I get there the person I wanted to see is there, seated on one of the waiting chair, eating a piece of bread.

‘Tris, what are you doing here?” She asks me as I approach. “I thought you were doing your simulations?”

“I was. I finished.” I say, and she chokes on her bread.

“Already?” She asks. “I’ve never seen anyone finish that quickly before.”

“I know, and you can hear all about it. I would like to talk to you, if you don’t mind.” I say. She stands up without hesitation, and motions me toward one of the back rooms, telling Tori she’d be back in a little bit.

“What happened?” She asks, closing the door behind her as I sit down. I explain to her about the birds, how they screamed in different voices, hers included. I tried being as descriptive as possible, and when I finished, she seemed sorry for me.

“Oh, Tris.” She says, grabbing my hand in holding it gently. “I know exactly what happened. Those were Jabberjays. They copy sound and repeat it almost like the person was actually there. I’ve been swarmed by hundreds of them once. It’s terrible.” 

“If they copied, where did they get your screams? Where did they get any of those screams?” I say, starting to panic again.

Katniss thinks for a second when realization crossed her face. “I’m pretty sure I know where they got most of them. But don’t worry. You mustn’t forget that this society is run on technology. I bet some editing was involved.” She says reassuringly.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Now why don’t you go off and find your friends? I bet their looking for you.” She says.

 “But Katniss-“

 “Go. Now.” She says in a very I’m-your-mother-now-do-what-I-say way. She leans down and kisses my forehead, and opens the door. Reassuringly she tells me, “I’ll see you later."

I nod and walk out of the room, turning back to face her and said, “See ya."

A.N/: So I finally updated. Woo! I am so, so, so, so sorry for the incredibly long and unacceptable wait. I just started High School, and as you know, school is a pain in the tush. But I will be updating more often now. My chapters are now going to be following more alongside the real book, and in case you didn’t know, this chapter was based off of Tris’ first fear landscape with the crows. Only this time, I made them Jabberjays. The video on the side was a clip from Catching Fire, when Katniss and Finnick were stuck in the part of the 75th arena with the Jabberjays. I hoped you like this chapter, even though it was short, and like I said, I’ll be updating more often. Remember to vote, comment, and share! Love you guys! <3