Stronger Than She Looks (Divergent Eric)

{18} Be Brave

A/N - Hello? Is this thing on? Is there anyone still out there?

I could give you a whole list of reasons why I haven't updated for a ridiculously long time... But I won't make excuses.

Just enjoy a new chapter instead!

Everyone is quiet. Some sit on the long benches that line the stark white corridor; others stand leaning nervously against the walls. Most of us are suffering the after effects of a good night out, but even if we weren't I doubt we'd be particularly chatty. Lost in our own thoughts about what exactly Stage Two entails, the somber mood isn't helped by the fact no one re-emerges after they are called into the testing rooms.

One by one, our numbers dwindle. Sometimes the next person is called quickly after no more than 15 minutes or so. Sometimes it's a much longer wait. What the hell are they doing to them in there?

STAR

My name flashes up on the electronic screen above the door of the left hand room. Reluctantly, I stand up and make my way towards it. No one acknowledges me, lost in their own thoughts. Tris, Christina and Uriah have all been called already. There's only a handful of us left.

The door is heavy as I push it open, and I'm shocked to see a chair similar to that used in my aptitude test and little else in the room. Four is stood to the side, arms folded over his chest, looking at me through hooded eyes. He silently indicates towards the chair. I don't argue, and quickly settle myself against the hard leather.

His back is to me, so I can't see what he's doing but it's not hard to work out that he's preparing some form of serum to give me. I swallow nervously, fervently hoping that this works on me unlike the Aptitude Test.

Turning round, he's got a sleek metal gun in his hand that contains a small vial of liquid and an excessively large needle. I try not to think about that part, I've never liked needles.

"Today, you'll face just one fear," He informs me, his face emotionless as he presses the tip of the needle into my neck. "Be brave Star."

Before I can ask him what he means, I feel my eyes shutting and an instant later I open them to find myself up to my knees in freezing cold water. It's dark in here, a cave? I reach out and feel the rough wet stone under my fingertips.

The water creeps further up my thighs.

Shit.

I look around, hoping to find inspiration to help me. There's a faint glimmer of light up above but I can't see any easy way to scale the walls. It's difficult to see in the poor light, but I think the cave opens up ahead of me. I wade forward through the water but to my horror it gets deeper. It's quickly up to my waist.

Straight ahead I can see a tunnel that's half filled with water, but it looks lighter in there. The way out?

The water is still rising, and quickly covers the entrance to the tunnel.

Drowning AND confined spaces?

Awesome!

I push forward and as I reach the entrance to the tunnel, I take a last deep breath before ducking under the water and kicking forward, I need to get out as quickly as possible.

It's blocked by a wall of rubble.

I turn back but there is no way back anymore. Instead, I'm faced with a solid wall.

I start to panic.

I can't get out and I've no idea what to do.

Or do I?

This isn't real.

I start to push against the rocks and feel them move. This shouldn't be possible but it's working.

I push harder and feel them collapse forward, leaving a space just big enough for me to squeeze through.

I sit forward, gasping for air and can't understand why I'm not wet. Blinking against the blinding light, I slowly focus on Four.

The simulation.

He's looking at me with a puzzled look on his face.

"How did you move the rocks?" He frowns, leaning back against the wall.

"The r-rocks?" I stammer, still breathing hard.

"It wasn't clear how you moved them."

My stomach drops. He knows something isn't right.

I don't say anything.

"Sometimes it's hard for me to see what's happening," He pushes off the wall and steps towards me, taking hold of my elbow to guide me up off the chair and towards the door at the back of the room. "I'm guessing they were loose already?"

He's staring at me intently; is he giving me an out?

"Yes," I breath deeply, relieved. "It was so fast, but they looked like they might fall so I pushed them and they did."

He nods once, and opens the door, dismissing me. I hurry out the door and down the corridor.

Does he know?

Or am I just being paranoid?