Hi guys! As promised, here is the next chapter of my Divergent/Maze Runner fanfic along with the first two chapters :) xox Enjoy! *Tris* Chapter One I wake with a jolt. Darkness is all around me, so deep that squeezing my eyes shut is brighter. Whatever box Im in is rattling so hard that it throws me against the walls, ceiling and back to the floors like a rag doll. I grip the walls, trying to ignore the fear that grips my heart with an iron fist. My breathing rattles my body. I feel like the walls of he box are pressing in one me, trapping me, but if know theyre not. So I focus on the only thing I remember. Caleb. My name. I steady myself and try to remember anything about myself. But no matter how much I strain my mind, nothing comes to me. I cant remember my family, any pets I might have had, what school I might have gone to. Nothing. I remember general facts about life, but nothing specific and personal to me. Where am I? I whisper to the darkness, my voice scratching my throat and escaping past my dry, cracked lips. The box has enveloped me for what feels like a lifetime, and yet its still rising and shaking. How deep below the Earth must I have been for it still to be rising? Or am I being lifted to the sky, waiting to be engulfed by the blue? Before I know whats happening, my head cracks against the low ceiling of the box and a split-second later, my spine crumples against the floor. I grunt in pain and realize that the box has stopped. A sliver of light flashes above me, piercing my unadapted eyes. I squint, trying to get used to the new light, as the sliver widens to a wide gap until the ceiling has been completely removed. I use my right hand to shield my eyes as I try to bring myself into a more stable position, ready for whatever awaits me above. The silhouette of a boy with wide-set shoulders lands with a thud beside me. He grabs my shoulder roughly and pushes me to face him. Youre not in Kansas anymore, Greenie, he says in a blunt southern accent. Day one. Rise and shine. The boy hoists himself up, out of the box and yells, Hurry up! over his shoulder. I scramble up, out of the box, and get to my feet. Im in a vast, open space, the hot sun beating down on my back. There seem to be four insurmountable walls bordering the space, however, with dark gaps seemingly set randomly in the ivy-covered stone walls. I look around and see that I am surrounded by boys varying in height, weight and body type, but are all about my age. I notice that all of them seem to stand in certain groups marked by colors of clothing. Most of them have crossed their arms and are eyeing me suspiciously. They vastly outnumber me and I see that I have no chance if it comes to a fight. So I guess I have to trust that theyre more or less peaceful, despite the astoundingly warm welcome I received. Whats your name, Greenie? the southern boy asks. He wears black. Whats yours? I retort, probably unwisely. The boy smirks, as do some others. You can call me Captain Conner. The boys laugh. Dont call him that, a low voice says behind me. Hes not in charge here. What did you say, shuck-face? Conner says, threateningly. Youre not in charge here, Conner! That job belongs to Alec, low-voice shouts back. The boy laughs. Just wait and see, Cole. He wont be around for long. Just then, two tall boys run in. One has light brown hair, and the other has hair the color of a ravens wings. Whats going on here? the raven-hair one demands. He wears also wears black. Conner laughs. Just introducing the Greenie to the Gladers. The two new boys whirl around, facing me now. Whats your name? the brown-haired boy asks surprisingly quietly. He wears blue. Caleb, I finally say after scrutinizing his expression. Do you remember anything? he asks. No, I say. Where are we? Welcome to the Glade, the raven-haired boy says. The Glade? my thoughts echo. But instead I ask a different question. Whatre your names? Hes Alec and Im Walt, the brown-haired boy replies. I look to the raven-haired boy. So this is the boy whos meant to be in charge. Alecs eyes flicker off to the group around me. Gladers! What the shuck are you doing just standing there like pieces of klunk you are?! Get a move on with the supplies. The boys stand there awkwardly for a moment. Move! Alec reiterates. That includes you, Conner! Walt says when the remaining boy doesnt move. Conner just laughs. Yeah right, Walt. Why dont you do some shucking work around here? Oh right, cause youre Alecs lap-dog. Just wait until the tables turn, Conner says darkly as he turns to help the others. Sorry about him, Alec says quietly beside me. I jump. How did he get here so fast? He wants to rule the world, Alec finishes as I recover. I blink, unsure of what to say. What do you want me to do? I finally say, figuring it would be best for me to make some friends around here. Nothing just now, Greenie. Just wait here while I get the Aptitude Test ready. Aptitude test? I think to myself as he walks away. Just one of the mysteries of the place they call the Glade. Chapter Two Hey there, Greenie! I turn as a round-faced boy with curly ginger hair, a year or two younger than me, comes my way. My names Hugo. Youre Caleb right? the boy continues. Yeah, I reply when I find my voice. This boy is the complete opposite of Conner and the others! I remember when I first got out of the Box, he says. Well obviously I do, I was Greenie till you showed up... He rambles on, oblivious to the fact that Ive lost him as questions flood my mind. Caleb? he asks, breaking my reverie. Yeah? I ask, feigning that I was paying attention. Hugo laughs and says, You lost me before I even began, didnt you? Sorry, I say. Thats fine. I lose myself too sometimes, he replies, forcing a weak laugh from me. Anyway, Im going to give you the answers to what I wondered when I came out of the box, he says. First, the Glade is where we live. Its the heart of the Maze. Located in the center. The Box you just came out of is how we all got here. It brings supplies every week, and a new Greenie every month. Alec, Walt, Conner, Ryder, and some others were the first to arrive here three years ago. Ryder? I wonder. But Hugo has already moved on. They all came together and since then its only been one Greenie a month. Second, the Maze is out there, he says with a vague gesture to the walls. and every single day, the Runners from Dauntless go out there to try figure a way out. Third, Dauntless is one of our five factions. Each faction has a set of duties that help keep the Glade going. If youre factionless, you do menial labour for the Glade and have no real part in our society. You live your life begging in a place that has no room for charity. Living factionless is worse than death. Not that the factionless stay alive for long around here. I shiver. The way he says this makes me believe him completely. I see that I cannot be factionless here. Each faction has one core value and have a set of rules. The factions are: Dauntless (the brave), Erudite (the intelligent), Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), and Amity (the kind). The Dauntless wear black, Erudite wear blue, Abnegation wear grey, Candor wear black and white, and Amity wear red and yellow. Im from Amity, by the way. As you can see, he adds with a laugh as he gestures to his clothes. Not many people are in Amity or Abnegation. Im assuming someone is going to give you the Aptitude Test soon. Fourth, the Aptitude Test determines your faction. No one has gotten Dauntless on their first day, but you can reapply for the Aptitude Test later if you feel that you dont belong in your faction and that living in the Glade changed you. Thats how we have people in Dauntless. Aaannnddddd last but not least, the word shuck is used as a curse, klunk is the word we use for poo, and greenie is what we call the person who last got sent up in the Box. Phew! I need a glass of water, Hugo finishes with a laugh. Thanks, Hugo, I say. Well that helped a little, I guess, but whats with the Maze and the Box? Why are we here? I dont have time to ask these questions, though, because I feel a cold hand on my shoulder. Its time for your Aptitude Test, a voice says. I see Walt behind me. Alecs waiting at the Hub to administer your test. Good luck! says Hugo. ***** I follow Walt into a towering building. Did you guys build this? I ask, shocked. From what I gathered from Hugos original rant, the boys built most of the buildings here. No, Walt replies. This was here already when I came up. The walls are covered in a faded, peeling wallpaper, with windows set at regular intervals. Walt leads me up a creaking wooden staircase and stops abruptly at a door made of a dark wood, mahogany I think. He opens the door and says, Go in here, Alecs waiting inside. Good luck. He shuts the door behind me once I step inside. The room is not large, but bigger than the box. I dont feel claustrophobic here. I see Alec in a corner of the room clutching a needle filled with an orange serum behind a computer with electrodes snaking out from it. Sit, he says as he motions to a worn dental chair in the center of the room. I see that it is bolted down with manacles on the armrests. Several splatters of blood stain the hard cushioning. A flutter of fear rises in my chest. I sit anyway, seeing no other option, as I ask, What are you going to do? Im going to inject you with the Aptitude Test serum, connect you to the electrodes in my computer and Ill watch you complete the test. What are the manacles for and why is the chair bolted down? I ask, biting back my rising anger. This chair doubles as where we treat the victims of the Grievers. He raises his eyebrow. Are you afraid that Ill hurt you? I dodge his taunting question. Lets get this over with, I say, showing no emotion. Theres no other option other than to trust him. I reason with myself that there are plenty of other boys out there and they probably did this test yet theyre still alive... Are you left or right handed? Alec asks. Left, I say before I can think. I guess I know that much at least. He grabs my right arm and injects me with the serum unceremoniously. Good luck, he says slightly mockingly as my vision fades to black. Chapter Three Choose. A harsh voice wakes me up and I look around. Alec, his computer and the room is gone, but Im still sitting in he chair. I get up and turn around, seeing two plates sitting on a steel table. Choose, the voice says again, slightly irritated. On one plate there is a block of cheese. On the other there is a wickedly sharp knife. Why? I ask, looking around to find the source of the voice. There is none. Just choose! the voice shrieks furiously. Then tell me why! I yell back, inexplicable anger rising within me. Have it your way then, the voice replies viciously. The plates and table vanish, a large, growling dog taking its place. I see now how each of the two items would have been useful. Now I have no way to entice the dog or a weapon to use against it and there is nowhere to run. I rack my brain, searching for a way out. Then I remember that looking dogs in the eye is a sign of aggression. So what is a sign of submission? I make sure not to look the dog in the eyes as I lower myself to the ground slowly. The dog walks up to me. I can feel its hot, stinking breath on the nape of my neck. Then something wet slaps my face. I look up to see the dog sitting in front of me, panting with its tongue sticking out, its tail whipping back and forth happily. I let out a weak laugh of relief and I pat the dog. But then a little girl runs up squealing Puppy! excitedly. I have no time to warn her as the dog coils his muscles, ready to spring. I jump a split second after it and tackle the dog to the ground as the girl runs away. The scene changes and suddenly Im on a bus. A man whips around and clutches my arm with his bony hand. I his other hand he shakes a newspaper with a photo of a woman on it. I dont know who it is, big I feel a sense of familiarity looking at her. Do you know this woman? the man rasps. No, I half-lie. My instinct tells me only harm will come to her if I am truthful. Please! he gasps. You can save me! No! I yell as I pull him off of me. Get off! I wake, back in the room with Alec, who looks shell-shocked. What did I get? I ask. Your test results were.... Inconclusive, he says as he finds the most tactful word. What do you mean inconclusive? Am I factionless? I worry. I need a place in the Glade and I dont want to beg for food scraps until I die. I dont want to be pitied in a place like this. No, he says, lowering his voice to a whisper. Youre Divergent. The scene suddenly changes and Im standing on the edge of the roof top of a skyscraper, wind whipping at my clothes and cooling my skin. Conner stands behind me and says, Jump. What? I say, staying on the edge. Its how we initiate Greenies into the Glade. Why would I trust you? I say, still not backing down. I am strangely not afraid. Conner laughs. Are you scared, Greenie? Its this or live factionless. I look back over the edge. This isnt real, I realize. I jump.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:28:43 +0000
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