Urgent

Chapter 8

'The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight.' Four shoves a gun into my hand, and I almost drop it - thankfully, he didn't look in my way and see how I struggled to hold a gun. 'Thankfully, if you are here, you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so I don't need to teach you that.'

I shouldn't be surprised that the Dauntless expected us to hit the ground running, but I anticipated more than six hours of rest before the running began. Of course, they couldn't grant us something so simple, so my eyes are drooping as I try to listen to Four. 

'Initiation is divided into three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time.'

I glance at the weapon in my hand. Something so - dangerous and I almost dropped it. 

I never imagined I would be in the Dauntless headquarters - I definitely didn't think I'd be holding a gun. And now, I will be learning to fire one. It's terrifying how drastically life can change. Just because of one simple decision. 

'We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear,' says Four. 'Therefore each stage is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is primarily physical; the  second, primarily emotional; the third, primarily mental.'

'But what...' Peter yawns through his words, clearly as sleepy as the rest of us. 'What does firing a gun have to do with... bravery.' 

Four flips the gun in his hand, presses the barrel to Peter's forehead, and clicks a bullet into place. Peter freezes with his lips parted, the yawn dead in his mouth. My sleepy demeanor disappears as I smile. 

A part of me wishes to ask Four if I can have the honours. 

'Wake. Up,' Four snaps. 'You are holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like it.' 

He lowers the gun. Once the immediate threat is gone, Peter's green eyes harden. I'm surprised he can stop himself from responding - from giving a snarky reply after speaking his mind all his life in Candor. But he does. His cheeks are red, and I feel immense satisfaction staring at his blushing face. 

He looks at me for a split-second, and I flip him off, causing him to look away once again. 

'And to answer your question... you are far less likely to soil your pants and cry for your mother if you're prepared to defend yourself.' Four stops walking at the end of the row and turns on his heel. 'This is also information you may need later in stage one. So, watch me.' We all do as he demands. 

He faces the wall with the targets on it - one square of plywood with three red circles on it for each of us. 

He stands with his feet apart, holds the gun in with both of his hands, and fires. The bang is so loud, it almost deafens me. I crane my neck to look at the target. The bullet went through the middle circle. 

He's good.

A few minutes pass, and soon everyone is starting. While I may be Abnegation, it doesn't mean I'm unfit. I've always participated in physical activities, so I'm pretty athletic. Aim. Coordination. Speed. Strength. Durability. I got the whole package - I'm almost perfect. Except for the fact that I'm an absolute pain in the -

'You look like you're either having a mental breakdown, or you're constipated,' says the Erudite boy beside me - Will, I have learned his name to be. He's the one I helped onto the train, and right now he's looking at me amusedly.