Chapter Text
The train stopped abruptly, and I secretly wished that it would keep going.
I tried to look out of the train’s window to see where we were, but our instructor Paxton ordered me to follow him. I walked to the center of the train, and I noticed the other faction members were forming a line.
All of us lined up in a straight line based on our factions. Dauntless was first, Candor was second, Amity was third, Abnegation was fourth, and Erudite was last. The instructor’s ordered for the males to stand in front of the females, so Axl stood in front of me and I was at the very end of the line.
Once everyone was in line, the instructors stood beside their two faction members, and we walked off the train in a straight line. It felt like we were marching soldiers preparing for war.
Everyone in line jumped off the train one by one from the beginning to the end of the line.
When I finally jumped off the train, my feet landed on the hard and dirt covered ground. The ground was covered in dirt and rocks which was unusual because I was used to concrete or marble beneath my feet.
The air around us felt thick and suffocating while the heat was unbearable. We stood outside of a building shaped like a large sphere. The building was made completely of glass, and I assumed it had at least twenty floors. The glass building was shaped like a giant sphere with windows, and I could see directly through the building.
The building had escalators, glass pods instead of elevators, and I could see people walking back in forth in rooms I assumed were offices.
The building reminded me of something I would see in the Erudite headquarters.
My observation of the sphere shaped building was interrupted when I felt a cold hand touch my shoulder.
It was Paxton. “Let’s keep moving Pedrad.” He said and I did not realize that I hadn’t moved since I jumped off of the train. The line was moving several feet away of me, and Paxton stood beside me with an interrogating look in his eyes.
I walked away from Paxton swiftly, and I tried to catch up with the rest of the line. When I finally caught up with the rest of the line, the Dauntless instructor opened the door by pressing her fingerprint against a touchscreen pad. The pad was located in the area where the door knob should have been. Once the door opened, all of us entered the building still standing in a straight line.
As we walked into the building entrance our instructors separated from us and began walking in the front of the line. I turned my attention away from the instructors, and I noticed that on the right side of the building’s entrance contained five spiral shaped escalators that led to multiple floors. On the left side of the large sphere was nothing but diamond shaped windows that showed the vacant land outside.
The land outside of the building contained nothing but dead plant life and a dry, dirt filled ground. The air inside the building was so cold I felt a chill go down my spine, and I was not sure if it was my nerves or the building’s environment.
The center of the building contained a long hall with a door at the end.
We walked down the long hall. There were electronic white painted doors on each side of the hall, and I wonder what were behind the doors. The walls beside the doors were made of sliver colored stained glass, so I could not see inside of the rooms. There was at least twenty doors on each side of the long hallway, and we continued to march down the hall.
The door at the end of the hall was a white electronic door with a touch screen pad on the stained glass wall beside it.
My instructor Paxton, placed his fingerprint on the pad, and the door opened automatically. All of the initiates entered the room after the instructors. When we arrived inside of the room, I noticed how spacious it was.
The room resembled a laboratory. With a large screen in the front and a sign above the screen that stated welcome to our testing center. There were around five stations in the front of the room that contained the latest computer systems. The stations had chairs and desks, and I thought it resembled a large office.
In the back of the room was an area with three cotton shaped white chairs, I assumed that was a lounge area where people could read, study, or just discuss important matters.
“I want all of you to turn your attention to the screen.” Paxton said and everyone in line stopped observing the room’s interior. There was ten solid glass chairs behind us, and each of us sat in our own individual chair.
Then we turned our attention towards the large screen in the front of the room.
A hologram of Judith Matthews face appeared on the screen. Suddenly the room turned colder.
The hologram was a vivid image of Judith’s plain and astute appearance.
“Greetings, I hope all of you had a safe journey here.” The computerized version of Judith stated.
“I would like to welcome all of you to our new testing center.”
“Here, you will take the aptitude test to determine whether or not you truly belong to faction. Do not worry if your aptitude states you are divergent or you belong to another faction. Everyone will still have to pass the three trails. The three trails are: the survival, the fear landscape, and the ultimate test which will determine whether or not you are destined to join the faction of your choice. Do not let the aptitude test results discourage you. Your instructors and all of the faction leaders will be watching you closely to determine whether or not you suit their faction perfectly. If not, then your final test results will show during the ultimate test, and we will have no other choice but to release you. I should also warn you that some may die during the first or second trail. Good luck, and I look forward to seeing all of you be placed into your proper faction.” Judith stated and the screen flashed off.
“That was a very pleasing introduction.” Paxton said and the room was completely silent.
“Alright, I want all of you to look at the door to your right. This is the room where you will take your aptitude test. You will enter the room one by one starting from the beginning of the line until the end. Are we clear?” The dauntless instructor stated and everyone nodded.
“Good, now let’s get moving.” She ordered and the dauntless male was the first person to enter the room. I tried to avoid staring at the brawny dauntless male, the male I remembered from the past.
Curiousity seeped into my mind and I wondered what was going on inside of the testing room. Neither one of my parents told me about the aptitude tests because they assumed I did not have to take it. Everything had changed since they were initiates.
My mind drifted to my parents and their well- being. I wondered did they know that I was waiting to die. They couldn’t have. I thought. Otherwise they would find some way to save me.
I sighed from all the pressure being placed on my brain, and I tried to clear my head. When I finally managed to calm down, I realized that Axl and I were the only two sitting down. Everyone else had already entered the room and no one returned.
“Axl Amery.” A female called from the doorway of the room.
“Wish me luck.” Axl replied simply, and I just smiled slightly.
I could not find the right words to say, so I figured it would be best if I did not say anything.
Axl stood from his seat and walked into the room.
After Axl left it felt like hours passed by before my name was called. All of the instructors had left the room and I sat in the cold, large room alone.
I tried to take my mind off the situation but nothing seemed to help. I was going stir crazy waiting then suddenly my name was called.
“Mara Pedrad.” The woman called.
I walked towards the room hesitantly and everything inside me screamed turn around. I ignored the small voices in my head, and I entered the room walking past the test administrator. When I entered the room, I saw that there were mirrored walls all over the room. In the left hand corner of the room was a computer, and in the center of the room was a tall lamp and a long cushion chair.
“Hello Ms. Pedrad. My name is Linda Faye, and I will be your test administer today.” Linda said shutting the door behind her.
“Hey and alright.” I replied not feeling like talking.
“I need you to sit down in this chair, so we can began the test.” Linda instructed.
I sat down in the chair, and my back was supported against the hard cushion. Linda placed the lamp over my head, and I was blinded by the light.
“So you are from the Candor faction and you choose to be a part of Erudite.” She said in a calm way.
“Yes.” I said realizing that based on her attire she was from Abnegation. She wore a long pale gray dress with a thick gray sweater.
Linda had short dark brown hair that fell to her chin, lifeless dark brown eyes, a heart shaped face, olive colored skin, and a small frame. I assumed she was around forty years old.
“Well, that’s interesting. I want you to know that you have nothing to be nervous about. The best thing you can do is be yourself. Rely on your instinct and always make the most beneficial decision.” Linda advised.
“I’ll try.” I said while Linda placed electrodes on both sides of my head.
“Just try to relax.” Linda said trying keep me calm and focused.
Linda handed me a blue serum, and I cringed at the sight of it.
“It’s either now or never.” I said quietly before drinking the serum.
Once I swallowed the serum, I immediately felt light headed and my vision started to blur. I felt a wave of drowsiness wash over me, and I closed my eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.
After several seconds passed, I could feel myself gaining consciousness and all of a sudden my peaceful slumber was ripped away from me. My eyes snapped open, and I felt like something was suffocating me. I had to take several deep breaths.
When my breathing returned to normal, I realized that I was sitting in a room. The room resembled an office, and I guessed that I was in the Erudite faction. The office was small with a round glass table in front of me, one window on the right side of the room, a small bookshelf on the other side of the room, and a glass door in the left hand corner of the room. I looked down to see I was sitting on an aqua blue cushion chair shaped like a cloud.
“Are you listening to me?” The person sitting on the other side of the table asked. I was so distracted that I did not even acknowledge their presence.
“Um.. Yes I am, please continue.” I said looking down at the pen and touchscreen notepad I had sitting in my lap.
The notepad screen had the title journal at the top.
“As I was saying, I don’t think there is a place from me here. At least not anymore.”
“What do you mean?” I asked not understanding a word he was saying.
The man had black thick framed glasses on his face, pale skin, a petite frame, a bald head, and ice blue eyes. I wondered if his head was bald from stress. I observed his both language, and I figured he was a nervous wreck. The man’s hands were trembling, and I could see sweat dripping from his forehead and onto his royal blue suit.
“My family has practically abandon me, I have always felt like a stranger in my own home but this is different. I never fit in here. I was never meant to be an Erudite member, and my wife knows that.” The man said trying not to stumble over his words.
“What makes you say that?” I asked eager to hear more.
“Because I am not smart enough. I never have been. I am just a pitiful math teacher while my wife is a successful doctor. She gets to heal people while I just teach people everything they already know. Do you know how infuriating that is? Especially when your wife thinks she is better than you. I just want to be good enough for her.” The man said and then he burst into tears.
“It-its just too much pressure. I can’t stand living like this.” The man cried with tears streaming down his face. The man shield his eyes while I tried to avoid staring at him.
Part of me felt sorry for him while the other part felt uncomfortable. I decided to sit the notepad and pen on the floor beside me, and I was about to reach across the table to comfort the man until the unexpected happened.
The man pulled out a gun. “Don’t you come near me you selfish bitch.” The man spat with spit flying from his mouth.
The man pointed the gun at me, and I watched him closely.
“You are just like the rest of them. The rest of the snobs here that think their better than me.” The man said, and I shook my head frantically.
“No I am nothing like them. If anything I am like you. I understand how it feels to be judged and alone. Just put the gun down, and we can find a solution to this problem.” I said trying to reason with him.
“Fine, I won’t shoot you, I’ll just kill myself.” The man said pointing the gun towards his head.
“I can’t live like this anymore. I can’t stand living like this.”
Tears poured from the man’s eyes once again.
“I want to die!” The man screamed through his harsh cries.
“Listen to me you are going to be alright. Just put the gone down. Trust me.”
“What makes you so sure?” The man questioned still holding the gun to his head.
“Because I know that if your wife make you feel like less of a man than she does not deserve you. You’re good man who made the wrong decision at the choosing ceremony, just try to make the right decision now by not ending your life.” I said hoping to get through to him.
I keep my distance from the man aware that he could pull the gun on me at any time. The man sniffled and wiped his nose with his free hand.
“You know what? Your right, I will be a failure.” The man said and he pulled the trigger. The gun fired and the left side of the man’s head splattered all over the room.
The blood splashed onto the same outfit I wore since the choosing ceremony. Blood and skin was splattered against the glass table and all over the walls. The man’s lifeless body fell against the glass table between us, and the simulation ended with the sound of a loud shattering noise.
I opened my eyes once again, but it still felt like I was trapped inside of a dream. My mind was whirling around in circles from the sim, and I could feel my hands shaking.
“It’s alright, I’m here.” Linda said patting my shoulder and trying to bring me back to reality. I could feel myself returning to normal, and I took a deep breath.
“Are you ok?” She asked.
“Yeah I am fine, I guess.” I said feeling unsure myself.
“Well, I have your test results, and as I expected the results are inclusive which means that you are divergent.” Linda explained.
“So, the factionless live better than everyone.” I replied and Linda nodded.
“I know but around twenty years ago things were different. But that’s not important now. When I read your results I noticed that you are fifty percent Candor, thirty percent Amity, and only twenty percent Erudite.”
“How is that possible?” I asked not really surprised.
“Did you rely on your instinct?”
“Yes.” I responded trying to recall my actions.
“Then, don’t worry about the results. Just try to find a way to cheat during the three trails. If you can pass the final test then you can walk out of this alive. If not, then my thoughts are with you and your family.” Linda warned. I wondered was she Candor born.
“I have to get out of here.” I said lifting my back off of the chair.
“Not so fast.” Linda replied and I looked down at a syringe in her right hand. There was a purple fluid inside of the syringe, and I assumed it was another serum.
“I need you to be still, and this will be over soon.” She said and I looked at her like she was insane.
“What are you talking about? Let go of me!” I demanded, but she stabbed me in the forearm with the needle.
A burning pain shot through the bottom of my arm, and it felt like the room was spinning once again. Instead of falling asleep calmly, I felt faint and confused.
My eyelids rose and fell, and I tried to fight the inevitable. Before I could count to three, my mind submitted to the darkness.
AN: Hello, thanks to the person who left a kudos. I will try to update this story as soon as I can. :) I am supposed to be sending some of my original work to an actor's mother, so she can send it off to other professionals. I am really excited and I would love to see more feedback from present or future readers. :)