Kill Em With Kindness

The Brief Wonderful World of Small Things

Abruptly a loud echoing clang awoke us that and the bright luminescent light that had been turned on. It was four he was standing behind the railing of the stairs in a commanding tone he told us

"Everyone in the pit, two minutes." With that he left us to hurriedly get dressed swinging my legs over the bed I quickly put my pants on

"Nice legs Zora." Peter teased but I wasn't having it if they expect us in the pit in two minutes that means there was no room for breakfast and believe me I'm not pleasant on an empty stomach.

Once I was dressed I made my way with the other initiates to the pit upon arriving it was silent and almost completely empty much different than what it had been yesterday the blocky stone walls and concrete floor no longer felt inviting

Aside from all the initiates the only other people in the pit we're four and Eric rushing over to them Eric sat on a concrete bench that looked like just a long rectangular slab Four began striding towards us

In an authoritative voice, he spoke
" you have two stages of training, the first is physical you will push your body's to the breaking point and master the art of combat." He began to pace from one end of our group to the other

"The second is mental, again, Breaking Point. you will face your worst fears and conquer them unless they get you first." Stopping in front of us he continued

"you will be trained separately from The Dauntless born but you will be ranked together. after initiation rankings will determine what jobs you move into. leadership guarding the fence or keeping the factionless from killing each other."

My head swiveled over to the dauntless born who must have entered the room while four was speaking. I could tell I was going to have some real competition getting a high rank. My eyes were caught on a familiar face and tore waved at me. My attention was snaged by another voice, Eric.

" Rankings will also determine who gets cut." Memories of last night flashback into my mind they must have been the two on the roof.

Peter glanced at me upon hearing what Eric had said and he nodded folding his arms. I nodded back at him at least I had two friends here then I felt someone grab my hand looking over it was Christina she gave me a small squeeze and I squeeze back I guess I have three friends now

"What do you mean cut?" A boy asked Eric stood and slowly made his way towards us " At the end of each stage of training the lowest-ranking initiates will be leaving us." As he hissed out the last word another initiate spoke up

"To do what?" There was notable fear in his tone. Starring the boy down Eric said, " There's no going home to your families so you'd live factionless."

Suffocating silence fell over the room as each of us let the realization sink in that any of us could be booted out. A girl with buzzed hair and narrow eyes asked "why didn't we know that?"

In a bored tone Eric shot back "it's a new rule." I could feel anger boiling inside of me at his careless disinterest we were people these were our lives and they couldn't care less about tossing us out to be factionless

That's when Christina spoke up "A new rule? Someone should have told us that." Without missing a beat Eric snapped back "Why? would you have chosen differently, out of fear? Then if that's the case you might as well get out now. If you're really one of us it won't matter to you that you might fail."

He paused surveying our group "You chose us, now we get to choose you."
My empty stomach combined with his superiority complex made my skin burn.

Leaning in towards Christina I told her in a hushed tone "this is bullshit." Holding her arms over her chest she nodded in agreement.

Four and Eric begin to walk down the hallway to our right. "Alright let's go." Four said making our way down the long corridor someone slunk next to me throwing an arm over my shoulder