Aberrant

Eleven: Brooke

There's a gasp as we all watch Dex fall, and we rush to the ledge to see where she lands. But she just keeps falling, eventually disappearing in the darkness. Max looks at us impassively, and then he asks casually, "So who's next?"

I know this is some kind of Dauntless test, and whoever is first and last probably will get noticed. So as various people volunteer to go off, I wait until at least half of the group has gone, before volunteering myself. 

As I fall, all I can hear is the sound of my own heart and the seconds I'm counting in my head. When I get to six, air in my body is suddenly jolted out of me as I land straight into a net. 

I lie there windless for a few moments, trying to catch my breath but then I realise that someone else might jump on top of me and I try to scramble out. 

"Hello again," smirks Isaac, reaching out a hand to help me climb out. Even though he scares me, I know that being friends with him is the only way to pretend that I'm not Divergent, and I take his hand. 

"Hello to you too," I say back, and he grins. It's probably the most I've ever spoken to him. I look around the room, and see April standing there along with the Abnegation girl from the train and Sam, who's fiddling with his green glasses. April glares at me and I glance away, instead looking around the room, and I see in the darkness, that there are Dauntless standing there as well. 

When the last jumper-an Erudite girl who's name I think is Cassie-arrives in the net, a man turns to the rest of us and says, "My name is Amar. I grew up here and passed my training with flying colours. I'll be your training instructor during initiation and will teach you everything you need to know to survive here. Meaning, if you value your life, you will do everything I tell you. Do I make myself clear?"

We all nod, and then April blurts out, "If you were from Dauntless, shouldn't you be training the Dauntless born?"

I gasp, as do some people beside me, as I turn to look at April, surprised that she's asked such a blunt question. But she doesn't seem to care about her reaction, and her steady brown eyes continue to gaze at Amar. 

Amar only raises an eyebrow and says casually, "I didn't want to train them. You should be honoured. Now, if you'll follow me to the Pit."

I walk behind in the middle of the group, with Isaac beside me. He leads us to a cavern, where there are rooms built into the rock-for food, clothing and leisure activities and narrow ledges connecting each one. I see Dauntless running along the ledges, without a care in the world. 

So this is where they live. Where I will live. 

"Wow," I hear April whisper, and I see that she's openly beaming. Sam, Cassie and the Abnegation girl next to her all nod their heads in awe. With a pang, I realise that April's has made a lot more friends far faster than I have. Maybe she'll actually get less noticed than I will.

As if seeing my doubts, Isaac places a hand on my shoulder, "Have you seen anything like this before?" he asks, trying to start a conversation. I just shake my head, mutely. 

"Good," says Amar, having clearly overheard Isaac, "Because Dauntless is nothing like the other factions." He lets this sink in, and then says, "Now come with me to the Chasm."

We dutifully follow his along a narrow ledge and he leads us round to the right side of the Pit. He walks towards a railing and as he does, I see that we are above a river. To the left, the water is calm, but to the right, it's wild and thrashes against the rocks. 

"The Chasm reminds us that there is a difference between courage and stupidity!" Amar yells over the crashing waves, "Jumping off here would end your life! Never forget it!"