one-the test

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5 factions. One would suit me, and the test would tell me which one. Today every 16-year-old in the city would sit the Aptitude test, which helps us decide what faction to choose at the Choosing Ceremony tomorrow. None of us have any idea what the test is, as you are not allowed to talk about it, or your results, and you cannot prepare for the test in anyway, meaning Erudite will probably be in physical pain from lack of studying. 

The factions. The factions are the five groups we were split into after the war, which they say was terrible, but I was born long after it ended. The factions are based on the things the people who created them thought the war was caused by, and they strive to be the opposite. My faction, Amity, blame fighting for humans faults, so try to be kind to everyone, and keep the peace. We dress in compatible clothes of red and yellow, which unfortunately have never really flattered me. We farm the lands just outside the fence that guards the city, from what exactly, I don't know. Candor tells the truth, even when it is best left unsaid. They blame deception for humans faults. Because they are so honest, they run the courts, and dress in black and white. Erudite are extremely smart, like freaky smart, and they value logic and knowledge over almost everything. They blame ignorance for humans faults. Pretty much all our technology comes from them. They wear blue, and usually look pretty dull and stern. The  Abnegation are selfless, as they blame selfishness for humans faults. They do a lot of community work, and are trusted to run the government, as the are public servants. They also feed the Factionless, those who failed in the faction they chose. Abnegation wear plain grey clothes. Then there's Dauntless. Wild and free, they blame cowardice for humans faults and strive to be brave. They protect us, and do god knows what else, but it involves a lot of jumping on and off moving trains and climbing insanely high structures. They wear tight fitting black, easy to move in, as it's stretchy.

I sign as I climb onto the back if the Amity van, settling down for the usual, monotonous ride to school, in which Amity members would sing and I would occasionally join in. When we reached the school, we had a talk with Jeanine Matthews, leader of Erudite. She started babbling on about how it's our choice no matter what out test results, although everyone knows they don't actually want us to choose, because that will disturb their precious system. I tuned out, and made snide comments to Alexa and Emerson who went on an earlier van to the school. Alexa and Emerson have been my best friends for as long as I can remember. In the typical Amity fashion we met while working in the fields and have been inseparable ever since. We are all so different, but that makes us closer, because we all offer different views on things. Alexa is stunning, and I truly mean it. I have always envied her gorgeous tan skin and long legs that complimented her light brown hair. Emerson is a different story entirely. She is freckled and dark haired, with well developed muscles from years of running. She's equally as beautiful. Whenever I tell them this they simply laugh and say they wish they could look like me. 

I've never been a fan of Jeanine Matthews, I've always had this sense that she's cold and manipulative, calculating perhaps, so the moment she concludes her speech I turn towards my friends to chat until it;s out time to be tested. Emerson, Alexa and I sit and continue to talk nonsense for a few minutes until both of the girls names are called and I'm left waiting alone.

"Astraea Ellis," finally my name was called. [as-tre-ah]

I stand smoothing out my loose white pants, and adjusting the straps of my knitted orange singlet until it sat more comfortably, as usual I was dressed in the least about of bright colours possible. I walked into a small room covered with mirrors and laughed quietly at Abnegations discomfort. Damn I'm a bad person.

"I'm Tori and I'll be administrating your test, it won't hurt," says a woman in black Dauntless clothes and flowing black hair. I think I can see a tattoo at the base of her neck, maybe a bird?

I take a seat on the chair in the centre of the room, which looks weirdly like a dentists chair. Tori puts pads with wires attached onto my head, and then hands me a small vile of vivid blue liquid.

"What is it?" I ask confused.

"Bottoms up," she replies simply. I squint at her suspiciously for a moment but decide that she has no reason to want to hurt me, so I gulp down the liquid in one. 

I open my eyes, not even aware that they were closed to begin with, finding myself back in the cafeteria where we eat back at the school. On two pedestals are different objects, a knife and a hunk of cheese.

"Choose," a voice says.
"Why?" I ask.
"Just choose," says the voice in a monotone.
"Fine," I reply grouchily and glare into the air.
I quickly grab the knife. I hear growling behind me, and look to find a huge, shaggy dog, with it's completely black eyes staring at me and foam bubbling from its' mouth as growls.  I don't want to hurt it though, unless it hurts me. I remember reading something about dogs somewhere, so I hide the knife, and bend down on my knees, hoping it doesn't kill me. Not the most amazing tactic but it's the best I've got right now. I wait for a few moments with my eyes screwed shut and only open them when I feel wet, slobbery licks all over my hands and look to find a small puppy.
" Why didn't it start like this? That would have been much nicer," I say to nobody.
"Puppy!" A little girl ,that looks eerily like a younger me, shouts excitedly. I look back to find the puppy once again a murderous dog. It launches at the girl but before it can reach her I plunge the knife deep into its back and hear it whine pitifully before falling still.

I'm now on a bus. Sitting opposite me is a man who is reading a newspaper, the headline reading ' Murderer on the Loose'. He looks at me and asks,
"Have you seen this man?" He asks letting me see the picture of the murderer for the first time. I feel like I do.
"Yes I have, but only on the news I think," I say answering truthfully.
"YOU HAVE SEEN HIM HAVEN'T YOU?! YOU LIAR!" The man yells back angrily while walking towards me.
"NO I HAVEN'T! I'M NOT LYING!" I yell back, pushing him and putting him in a headlock as he advances towards me.
"Please, please, if you know him you could save me." He says mournfully.
"I'm so sorry, I would help you if I could," I say, and realise that the murderer must have given him the scars he has. Suddenly he is limp in my arms and I feel a warm liquid on me, which when I glance appears to be blood. I see that getting on the bus is the murderer, with a gun in his hand. He is grinning evilly, although I don't know how I notice this as all I can see is the the poor man dying in my arms. This ignites a sudden fury inside of me. I didn't know I could feel this sort of rage having been brought up in Amity.  I launch myself at the man, taking him by surprise, which gives me the advantage for a few moments. He is bigger and more experienced than me, this much is evident as he rolls himself on top of me, and puts the gun to my head, until I knee him in his most vulnerable spot. I flip us back over, and pull the trigger on him with such little hesitation is even surprises me. He deserves it.

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