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We reach the end of the pier, and I clamp my mouth shut to keep my loud breaths in We slon so our footsteps aren’t as loud, and I look for the blinking light again Now that I’er and easier to see I point, and Christina nods, leading the way toward it
Then I hear a chorus of yells, so loud theyand splats as they find their targets Our tea is aluard in the thigh The guard, a short girl with purple hair, throws her gun to the ground in a tantru hangs froh above my head I reach for it, and so does Christina
"Come on, Tris," she says "You’re already the hero of the day And you know you can’t reach it anyway"
She giveslook, the way people sometimes look at children when they act too adult, and snatches the flag froives a whoop of victory Uriah’s voice joins hers and then I hear a chorus of yells in the distance
Uriah claps ave ht; I’ve already proved reedy; I do not want to be like Eric, terrified of other people’s strength
The shouts of triu toward h, and everyone clusters around her, grabbing her arher I can’t reach her, so I stand off to the side, grinning
A hand touches my shoulder
"Well done," Four says quietly
"I can’t believe Ithrough the doorway of the train car blows his hair in every direction
"You were perfor out of our way," says Christina, bearoans "Why did I have to be on the other team?"
"Because life’s not fair, Albert And the world is conspiring against you," says Will "Hey, can I see the flag again?"
Peter, Molly, and Drew sit across from the members in the corner Their chests and backs are splattered with blue and pink paint, and they look dejected They speak quietly, sneaking looks at the rest of us, especially Christina That is the benefit of not holding the flag right now--I aet Or at least, no more than usual
"So you climbed the Ferris wheel, huh," says Uriah He stuirl with the flirty smile, follows him
"Yes," I say
"Pretty smart of you Like…Erudite smart," Marlene says "I’ compared to an Erudite would be an insult, but she says it like a compliment
"Yeah, I knoho you are," she says "The first jumper tends to stick in your head"
It has been years since I juation uniform; it has been decades
Uriah takes one of the paintballs froer The train lurches to the left, and Uriah falls againstthe paintball until a strea paint sprays on les I wipe some of the paint from my face, slowly, and then sh the train car
"Ew!" He squeezes the ball at le, and the paint sprays into hissounds
I wipeso hard my stomach hurts
If hter and bold action and the kind of exhaustion you feel after a hard but satisfying day, I will be content As Uriah scrapes his tongue with his fingertips, I realize that all I have to do is get through initiation, and that life will be mine
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE NEXT MORNING, when I trudge into the training rooet stands at one end of the room, and next to the door is a table with knives strewn across it Target practice again At least it won’t hurt
Eric stands in the id it looks like soht of himdown on ainst a wall, I could pretend he wasn’t here Today I can’t pretend
"Toe one," Eric says "You will resu how to aim Everyone pick up three knives" His voice is deeper than usual "And pay attention while Four de them"
At first no one ers They aren’t as heavy as guns, but they still feel strange in my hands, like I am not allowed to hold them
"He’s in a bad ood mood?" Iby the poisonous look Eric gives Four when he isn’t paying attention, last night’s losscapture the flag is a matter of pride, and pride is important to the Dauntless More important than reason or sense
I watch Four’s arm as he throws a knife The next tiet each ti as he releases the knife
Eric orders, "Line up!"
Haste, I think, will not help Myhow to knit I have to think of this as a mental exercise, not a physical exercise So I spend the first few ht stance, learning the right arm motion
Eric paces too quickly behind us
"I think the Stiff’s taken too many hits to the head!" remarks Peter, a few people down "Hey, Stiff! Re hiain with a knife in hand but don’t release it I shut out Eric’s pacing, and Peter’s jeering, and the nagging feeling that Four is staring atinto the board The blade doesn’t stick, but I’et
I sain I can’t help et is?"
Next to et
A half hour later, Al is the only initiate who hasn’t hit the target yet His knives clatter to the floor, or bounce off the wall While the rest of us approach the board to collect our weapons, he hunts the floor for his
The next time he tries and misses, Eric marches toward hilasses? Should I et closer to you?"
Al’s face turns red He throws another knife, and this one sails a few feet to the right of the target It spins and hits the wall
"What was that, initiate?" says Eric quietly, leaning closer to Al
I bite ood
"It--it slipped," says Al
"Well, I think you should go get it," Eric says He scans the other initiates’ faces--everyone has stopped throwing again--and says, "Did I tell you to stop?"
Knives start to hit the board We have all seen Eric angry before, but this is different The look in his eyes is alet it?" Al’s eyes are wide "But everyone’s still throwing"
"And?"
"And I don’t want to get hit"