Divergent: An Untold Love Story

Chapter 4: The Tattoo

The dream was unlike any I had ever had. This one was set outside of the fence. I was standing in the middle of an Amity field of corn. In front of me was a device used for beheading someone. As I stared confusingly at the strange thing, my mind went to a million different places. In the field behind me was a cheering crowd of Erudite. I turned back around to see Tris's head in the wooden hole. A man in a dark hood and robe strode up to her. His hand gripped the rope that would send the piercing blow to Tris. She's getting what she deserves, I thought. If she's committed a crime, this is her punishment.

Her frightened gaze found mine, and she cried out, "Help me, Sierra!" I wanted desperately to help her, but I couldn't.

"As we gather around to witness the punishment for Tris Prior, who was caught har-" I didn't get to hear the rest when I woke up gasping and sweating. I wiped at my forehead, and I tried to collect my thoughts. Okay, in my dream Tris was about to be beheaded for a crime. I didn't know what she had done apparently, but I knew if the punishment was severe enough to have her head cut off, then I was supposed to go with it.

I slipped out of my covers and off my bed. I could hear the usual pounding on my door, and Eric yelling at me to hurry up. I rolled my eyes in annoyance, agreeing with myself that he was a total-

Eric marched into my room, seeing me in my bra and shorts. I covered myself with my shirt, and I shot him a look of shock.

"Get moving! It's already noon, and your Initiates are waiting," Eric screamed at me. That made my temper go from shocked to angry like that.

"Alright, Eric! I've had enough of your crappy attitude and the way you treat me. If I'm such an abomination, then you might as well avoid me. I'm not leaving, so just back off," I yelled back. With utter shock on his face, Eric slammed my door and I heard his feet thudding against the floor. Good, he's walking away. In some ways, I wished he'd stayed. In some ways, I never wanted to see that rat again.

I slipped my sports bra and shorts on myself, brushed my hair and glided out the door, feeling proud of myself for hurting Eric's precious little ego. My smile radiated all over my body, and I let my body relax. I glanced to my left to see a towering rock wall. Funny I had never noticed it before. . . To my right were the rooms of Eric and Four. Completely puzzled by the male laughs that came from Four's room, I stopped to walk toward his metal door. I pressed my ear to the cold surface and heard Eric and Four. Odd.

"Are you ready to watch some fighting?" Four asked Eric with a strained voice.

"With these Initiates, we'd be lucky to see a fight with one bruised eye," Eric answered with no emotion. I felt sick, because they were underestimating the Initiates, and that Four was actually talking to Eric. I had heard that they had been rivals since they were transfers.

"Well, I know for sure that Sierra," Eric snorted at my name, "will go easy on them. After the little scene in the Pit, the Initiates will be clueless to notice her weakness." Four sounded calm and pleased, but I didn't know why. Weren't they supposed to be heading to the Pit?

Eric cleared his throat and said, "She's idiotic. Sierra actually thinks that her group has improved. But that would be a lie. If these sad Initiates want to be Dauntless, and that they can be Dauntless, we need to make a plan."

"Is that why you came to talk to me? You want to make the Initiates fail?" Four interrogated Eric, sounding confused.

Eric chuckled and replied, "No, it's not. And I don't want the Initiates to fail. I want Sierra to fail." I could see Eric's devilish smile now, and Four returning it. Feeling defeated, I pulled away from the door and ran to the Pit. As I ran, the only thing I knew was that I was going to run to freedom, and all I felt was Eric's hatred for me. I wasn't running because I was weak. I was running because of Eric. Why did he want me gone? Just why? I beat myself up over that question. From the very first time he saw me, Eric hated me with a passion. And I hated him. I knew that I wasn't going to form a bond with him. I couldn't stand him, even though we work together and sleep a room away from each other.