Unwelcome: Divergent

Chapter 26: How is she Alive?

-----Fours Pov-----

I dismiss the initiates for lunch and go over to a table in the corner to write down some notes on what they need to work on.  I hear the initiates leave and start to jot down notes.

" Four" I hear a weak voice say. I lift my head and spot tris stumbling over. She is pale and looks like she is going to faint.

" Somethings wrong" She whispers, swaying.

" Tris?" I ask, concern and worry fill my mind.  She starts to fall and I jump up from my seat and rush to catch her. I do just as she is about to hit the ground.  

" Tris!" I say to her as I put my arm underneath her knee and one under her back. As soon as my hand touches her back she groans and I feel her shirt, Its damp and warm. I look at her with confusion and pull my hand out from her knee and pull up her shirt. I touch her skin and she groans again but that's not what scares me. It's the red liquid that covers my fingers and the green puss at the edges of her, now open, wounds. 

An infection. 

I swear under my breath and pick her up bridal style. I see her eyes start to flutter closed, she's blacking out.

" Tris! I need you to keep your eyes open okay. Stay awake, stay with me, come on" I say as I run to the training room doors but when I reach them She is unconscious.  

I swear several times as I run down the halls to my apartment. I Would go to the infirmary but they would ask questions and I know Tris wouldn't want anyone to know her secret.  

As I run to my apartment I rack my brain on what could cause an infection. There are hundreds of things but 3 seem more likely than the other couple hundred. 

First; Sweat and dirt in her wounds or on her skin surrounding the gashs.  

Second; Student movements like punching the bag, opening her wounds allowing sweat and bacteria enter her cuts.

Third; Malnutrition. Lack of protein and nutrients will make it harder for the body to recover from extensive damage and fight off infections.

When I reach my room I immediately set her down on my bed on her stomach, grab medical supplies and lift up her shirt, to her neck and  unhooking her bra clasp to better expose her back. I look over her back and see green puss seeping out of 50% of her wounds mixed with blood. 

I spot her sides and see the green and yellow bruises I saw before but that's not what I focus on. 

It's the outline of her ribcage. I can see all her ribs. I think back to earlier.

" You don't have much muscle" I say, looking her over

" I wonder why" She mutters

I thought she was talking about being beaten, You can't exercise when your injured every day, actually you can't exercise at all in abnegation. 

But now I wonder, Was she starved? I take note of her arms, no extra fat to be seen. Her face, slim. Her waist, well, you can see all of her ribs. 

That bastard -her so called father- beat and starved her.

White hot anger courses through my veins.  I start to clean her back, thankful she is unconscious so she doesn't have to feel the pain of disinfectant in her wounds. Again. 

Abnegation barely eat any proper food anyway but put being beaten and starved on top of that.

How is this girl still alive?

But the better question is,

 How is she still so strong, brave, and beautiful on top of that?  

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Word count 667, sorry its short! Its 1: 30 Am And i'm tired so I thought this is a good place to end The chapter. I'll update tomorrow,( well I guess today), again! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!