Experiment Erudite (A Divergent Story)

Chapter 5- Dinner

Jeanine passed the bowl of steaming mashed potatoes me so that I could put some on my plate. The dish-wear was heavy in my hands and thick itself, but I scooped up a spoonful before passing it to the next member. Jeanine and I were having dinner tonight with Norton, our current representative. I've noticed that the two have been growing close since Jeanine started working with him just a few months ago. They've been dating, or something like that.

"Do you know what your mother did today, Kristen?" Norton starts. He touches her hand and soon they embrace.

"No... what?" I say moodily. Jeanine gives be a warning glance.

"We just might be closer than ever to releasing a new version of the fear landscape simulation serum to the Dauntless...thanks to your mother. Though this one causes a tremendous amount of pain and suffering, and the simulation itself does not logically progress. Instead, the serum causes so much distress on the brain, that the patient's fears are almost mixed and molded together, so that the sim is not practical." Norton uses his hands when describing this. It's weird. "In fact, the serum causes so much torment on the body, that there does seem to be a high risk of heart attack or stroke when using this serum." He mumbles.

"And how is that a good thing? How do you know that there is a risk of a heart attack or stroke?" I return. Jeanine and Norton look down and stay quiet. The Erudite are cold, but do not strive to kill. "You killed some of the factionless, didn't you?". Silence follows, and I get up, and walk out, back to Jeanine's apartment.

 I've been acknowledged as a member of Erudite for almost a year now, but this lifestyle of constant talk of the Divergent, and simulation serums doesn't  appeal to me...even if Jeanine will probably ask me to stay and choose Erudite, so that she can work on developing serums with me. How did Ms. Meedle even come up with the idea that I could withstand this?

After walking at a fast pace I reach the door to Jeanine's apartment in less than three minutes. My hand curls around the cold door knob, and twists it open. Inside, the flat is quiet as usual. I walk to my room and plop down on my bed, exhausted. I forgot about the mashed potatoes on my plate. I didn't even eat a fork full of food. I slide out of my sheets and amble to the kitchen where I make myself a fizzy drink. It's usually a dessert in Erudite, but the proper times for dinner should have ended 30 seconds ago. I walk into the living room and read a book on psychology until I hear the front door open. I know that it' s Jeanine, and that by the rapid sound of her footsteps she's more than mad, but I don't close my book. I know that this will annoy her.

She stops abruptly when she finds me and crosses her arms, while glaring down on me. I keep reading. Minutes of silence pass, and she taps her foot expectantly. I keep my game.  Jeanine clears her throat, and after three times it's clear that it's not just to clear her esophagus. I give a small and taunting smile, and in seconds she cleanly tears the book out of my hands. I am not smiling anymore. In all my time in this faction, I have never seen Jeanine like this.

"What made you think that you could talk to our leader like that? Do you know what this could mean for me?" Jeanine raises her voice but waits for a moment, probably wanting me to answer her. I don't. In fact, I just blankly stare at her, but inside, I'm scared because Jeanine has never been worse. "You know, despite my IQ, I don't have the words right now to convey my point, so you can go. To. Your. Room."

I expect Jeanine to walk away, but she stands there, waiting until I move. I finally get off the couch and walk to the door of my chamber. I turn to her, "Fine, but can I at least have dessert?"

" You already had yours." She replies, tapping the empty glass on the coffee table. I head into my room.