Aberrant

Ten: Dex

I race down the flights of stairs with the rest of the Dauntless, unable to see amidst the surrounding black-clothed crowd. A Candor boy next to me, his white suit striking against the Dauntless black, whoops as we run and I feel exhilaration rush through me, as our feet pound down on the steps. 

As we head down the final set of stairs, an Erudite-transfer trips on the last step and falls face-down on the concrete. People laugh but no one stops to help or ask if they're ok. This isn't Abnegation. This isn't Amity. This is Dauntless and we have to keep running. 

We spill out onto the street, forcing people in other faction to quickly run, (or in the case of some Erudites walk as fast as they can so they don't look uncivilised) out of our way. I feel a smile cross my face. No one ever moved out of my way in Amity. I feel like I belong with these people I'm running with. I feel Dauntless. 

We race round a corner, forcing cars to stop while we all pass. I see an Erudite angrily beep on his horn, and I give him a smirk before turning my attention to where we're headed. We're going towards the train tracks. 

I know what's going to happen next. I have dreamed of this moment ever since I first watched the Dauntless jump off the moving train every morning to get to school. I have longed to feel the same rush of adrenaline that they have felt. To experience the thrill of danger that I could never experience in Amity. And now here is my chance-I, as well as all the other transfers, have to jump for the first time onto the train. This is it. 

We stop and all fall into line next to the tracks. For a few seconds, I manage to catch my breath but then there's the familiar sound of a horn. I see the train start racing towards us, and for a moment I am stunned at just how much bigger it is close up. But there's no time to dwell on it, because the Dauntless begin running again and the ones behind me push me into momentum.

As the train comes closer, a strange mix of adrenaline and fear moves through my body. I'm good at sprinting. We did plenty of running games of Amity. But I have never jumped onto a moving object before.

The train begins to pass us and the car doors slide open. Dauntless begin to throw themselves in in various ways, some grab hold of handles and swing themselves in, whereas some show off and jump straight in. 

All the air rushes out of my body when a Dauntless slips on the floor on the car and she falls ungainly back onto the platform. It happens in a matter of seconds and we all have to jump to avoid her. A Candor boy next to me trips up on her and falls. It takes valuable seconds for him to get back up, and before long, all the rest of us have passed him. An alarm bell rings in my head, as my brain kindly tells me that both of them are now Factionless and I try to run even faster to get onto the train. 

I look in front of me and see that they're aren't many Dauntless left, and panicking, I realise that I don't have much time left to get on. 

The train begins to pick up pace. I reach out to grab a handle in front of me with my left hand, but it's sticky with sweat and I can't get a good hold. Even though, my muscles are burning, I force myself to run even faster and reaching out, I manage to grab hold with my right this time, my face dangerously close to being scraped my the train. 

As I grab on to the handle, the train starts to drag me along as my legs can't go any faster. With my heart in my throat, I cautiously switch to holding the handle with my left hand. Propelling myself forward, I manage to grab hold of the side of the car door with my right and swing myself round. I land heavily inside. 

I gasp, catching my breath when a voice says, "Nice job."

I look up and see two Erudite girls looking at me. I nod, still breathing heavily.