Her Divergence [3] // Divergent// Eric Coulter

Vanessa Hayes

ELEVEN✧

"People of Chicago,"

Groaning, my nose pulled up in disgust at the sound of her voice. I didn't even need to see her to know she stood at the front of the Mess Hall, hands clasped in front of her, hair washed and styled dressed in a black coat she didn't deserve. Harry stood on her left as edger stood on her right, the two couldn't look any more different if they tried, my friend was straight-backed and hands clasped behind him like the soldiers we were trained to be, Edgar, on the other hand, was slouched with his fingers resting on the sides of his belt.

Elbowing me in the side, I looked up to Eric who nodded loosely in her direction, I put in the appearance of caring but deep down I wanted to shoot something.

"I know you're curious about what's beyond the wall, but sometimes walls are there to Protect us. Remember the Founders are the ones who divided us into factions, so until we know their intentions the wall must stay closed. Jeanine is dead; today starts the trials of her co-conspirators."

My knee bounced under the table as my fingers tapped on the metal cup in my hands, trial day was something I wanted to forget. Somehow Peter was free as a whistle but his loyalties whereas flimsy as a wet noodle.

Placing a hand on my knee Eric tried to subdue the nervous tick but it didn't work.

Eric would be one of those on trial.

Even though he worked with us, there were still questions about why he switched sides and if there were any underlying motives. Four and Harry are both testifying on his behalf because the codes went through the control room and they both have experience working there.

It made me more nervous that Four wasn't here, if I could spot him then maybe the nerves would go away because then I'd know he was where he was meant to be, but in the early hours he left the compound with Tris and no one has seen them today.

Squeezing his hand, I whispered a quiet goodbye to my table in search of Sophie. Ronnie's eyebrows creased as I walked away but she didn't follow me.

I found Sophie playing with Hector and the other dauntless children, her hair had blue streaks she had drawn in with highlighter and the large gauze that covered the transmitter hole had been coloured in green. Charlie and Bran ran around with them, my two friends overdramatizing actions to entertain and distract them from what was to come. The two, Theo and Lynn had volunteered to look after all the children as the Trail started, knowing it would soon turn into execution and no child should see that.

She had started to build relationships outside me and Eric but stayed within the bounds of Dauntless.

The laughs of the children echoed around the filling Mess Hall, the soldiers that followed Evelyn set up the trial space with assistance from Dad and Jack. The Candor leader holding a black briefcase in his hands, the contents being the truth serum that only the judges had access to.

"Hello, sister."

My nose pulled up but I didn't turn around," Pete."

"Why so hostile?" He asked, leaning on the same metal beam as me.

I barked out a laugh" You fucking know why. Now leave me alone."

"Can't we all just be friends? Like the good old days?"

Turning my head to look at him, I raised an eyebrow," We haven't gotten along since Mum died, and I tried mending bridges in Dauntless, but you wouldn't meet me halfway, then you stabbed someone in the eye with my knife. So, no we can't be friends and we are like the good old days."

"Come on Ness!"

"You are picking at people Pete. How many times have you tried these lines of faux allegiance so far?"