I'll Be Your Family Now

Chapter 6: Be Brave

"Beatrice," I shook her shoulder hard, trying to wake her up. "Come on, Beatrice, we're going to have to jump soon." She squinted her eyes and yawned. 

"Are we already at Dauntless headquarters?" She asked, while standing up and stretching her back. I nodded and pointed at the building rooftop that we were about to speed by. A confused look made it's way to her face and her mouth dropped open with astonishment. 

"You mean we have to jump?" She asked in horror. I laughed slightly. 

"Don't worry Beatrice, you'll be fine." I told her reassuringly. She just scoffed and whipped her head around to look at me. 

"Unless I miss the the rooftop." She added. I knew she was trying to be funny, but with the way her voice cracked, I knew she was really gripped with fear. 

"You're not gonna miss," The building was almost to us now. "Come on, stand right on the edge and I'll count to three." She walked over to the edge of the train car and looked down. I saw the terror flash in her eyes. The rooftop was about to go by. 

"I'll be right behind you!" I yelled over the rushing of the wind. "Ready?" She gave me a thumbs up, but I could see her trembling. She was afraid, but it was okay. Everyone's afraid of something. 

"Be brave, Beatrice!" I shouted before I began counting.

"One...two...three!"

She launched herself over the side of the train car and landed on the rooftop, teetering slightly, but otherwise landing perfectly on her feet. I grinned and launched out of the train myself. There was the familiar weightless moment and then the jarring sensation as my feet slammed into the ground. I sprawled out over the gravel but stood up quickly. Beatrice was looking at me with excitement. 

"That was awesome!" She squealed. I laughed and rubbed the back of my neck. 

"If you liked that, just wait and see what we have to do next." I said, while leading her over to the edge of the rooftop. I pointed down at the huge hole  in the concrete, while Beatrice's face turned white.

"We have to jump off a ledge?" She asked me with bewilderment. 

"It's okay, there's a net at the bottom, and I'll go with you." I told her quickly, while grabbing her hand and pulling her up to stand on the ledge. The wind whipped my hair across my face and Beatrice was grabbing my arm so tightly that I was sure the circulation of blood was being cut off. 

"We just gotta do it," I said while noticing her chattering teeth. "Don't think about it, we're just gonna jump, okay?" She nods and before she can say anything else, I grab her arm and we both jump. 

The air howls in my ears as the hole comes closer and closer to us. I hold my breath and prepare for the impact of the net. We hit. The net makes us bounce slightly, and when we fall back down onto it, Beatrice gives a hysterical laugh. I slide down off of it and onto the ground, and grab a hold of Beatrice and help her get down too. I grip her arms and there are people surrounding us, who give us whoops and cheers. 

There may not be factions anymore, but some people will always be dauntless.