ASSURGENT

Prologue II

Sometime in 2273

"You two ready?" Tobias Asked, watching the chalk line carefully.
"Ready." Chiara said, scooching her foot forward a few inches.
"Ah! Foot!" Tobias warned her.
Chiara let out a huff and shuffled her foot back behind the line.
"Trying to cheat are you? Know I'm gonna beat you?" Said Jamie beside her.
"Shut you mouth James." She huffed.
"3, 2, 1, go!"
Jamie, who was paying attention, shot off running, it took as long as it would take to say 'get going you idiot' for Chiara to realise that the race had started. She took off quickly.

The race took them all around the Dauntless compound. From the Chasm, then towards the training room, and up into the Fear Simulation Room. Finishing off at the tattoo parlour.
Chiara sped across the chasm bridge, being careful no to slip and fall.
Once she was off the bridge it was full speed. Having the same build as her mother gives he the advantaged being light and quick. Although she wasn't short as she had been.
Chiara took a sharp left, it was too fast. One of her legs skidded out from underneath her and she put her hand down to steady herself. Gritting her teeth in annoyance, she regained her balance and ran up the stairs in head of the training room.
Once passed the stairs she turns the corner into the hall that leads into the training room. She slid through it with ease.
Although the shape of her brother punching at the boxing bag caught her attention.
Blast!
She had to be quick.
She ran over to the boxing bag beside her brother. 130 punches she had to do.
Although her brother was quicker with punches, she had the age advantage. She was 13, he was 16, she did 130 punches, he did 160.
"Looking forward to the Aptitude Test tomorrow?" She Asked Jamie, panting.
"Why should I?" He Asked bluntly. "You could be divergent." She answered. "To think, when our parents were our age, being Divergent was pretty much a death sentence, but now it's celebrated." "It's not celebrated Chiara, it's just not a life sentence anymore." Jamie said, not taking his gaze off the bag.
"Well I personally think it would be handy not to be controlled." She retorted. "Yeah well, who's gonna come control you? The Erudite, oh no maybe the ghost of Eric Coulter." He snickered.
Chiara gave a hard, frustrated punch to the bag and spun on her heel. "What's your problem?" She growled. "Whoever said I had a problem? Because I don't."
He finished his punches and fled the scene.
Chiara turned back to the bag and delivered the rest of the punches quickly. She too then fled. She went back down the hall that she came from, chasing after the feet of her brother that just turned the corner.
She followed.
The pair went pass the door leading back down to the chasm, and instead, followed the steps up into the sunlight.
Jamie got further ahead, he was faster on steps too.
They ran in the direction of the Fear Landscape Room. She knew this was part of initiation, and she was not looking forward to that. She begged her mother and father to let her get a head start and try it, but they both came up with the same answer every time. 'It will scar you for the rest of your life, you're too young.' They were right, and she knew it. But that's why she wants to do it. So she can be prepared.
She ran inside, and stood beside her brother whom was running towards the back of the room. She followed, catching up. They were in and out rather quickly.
The last stretch. To the Tattoo Parlour. They ran back down two of the three flights of stairs they came from.
Jamie had made it to the parlour before Chiara.
"Well done Missy." Jamie said, poking her cheek.
"Yeah well..." she said, pulling up the sides of her leggings out of habit. "I'm still faster than you. "Just not as good at starting I suppose." Jamie grinned.
Chiara glared at him. "I suppose." She repeated coldly.

Once they caught their breaths they headed inside.
"Xander!" Chiara called at a man with messy long black hair with purple streaks running through it.
Xander turned around, his dark eyes scorching a hole through us. "Oh not you two." He groaned. "Anything new?" Chiara Asked, ignoring Xander's complaint. "Yeah we have a ladybug, a sunflower and an arrow." He replied. Xander then faced Jamie. "So James. You have the Aptitude Test tomorrow. You gonna be Dauntless? We have the faction symbol if you want." He offered. "No I... I still want to wait." He replied. Xander gave him a quizzical look but didn't think anymore of it.