Jeanine Matthews- An Unlikely Love Story

Ch 13- Leave Me

(Don't forget to play the music)

I rushed out of the dining hall, pushing a few people as I went to the only place I knew I could be alone; Winter's place. Fortunately for me, I remembered the passcode to her door, so when I got there, not before looking over my shoulder a few times, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. The place looked as if no one had been there for months. Everything was organized and cleaned, not a trace of Winter to be found.

"I shouldn't be here..." I whispered to myself as I walked around the small apartment. I went into the bathroom cautiously and opened the shower door just in case. Nothing. Good. I feared the worst.

I knew I was being ridiculous for running away like that, but I didn't know what I should do. I was completely embarrassed, and didn't know where to turn, even though I knew other initiates got lower scores than me. Christ, I might still be in Erudite from what Winter told me before I took the test. I wasn't paying attention to what number initiate I was from the first, so that didn't help me much. I could always just ask Jeanine, like a rational person, but I was so ashamed.

I plopped onto the bed and put my head in my hands. What would I do? Confront Jeanine? Sulk here? Go back to the dorm and wait to be escorted out of Erudite?

Just as I was about to come to a decision, I heard low voices on the other side of the door. I sat frozen on the bed. If I were to move closer to the door, they would surely hear my oxygen tank, so I stayed put and listened carefully.

"Should we check the apartment again?" Someone said in a raspy voice.

"We have to. Jeanine said if anyone went into the apartment, they must be taken to the lab, and we know we saw someone come in here," Another said confidently. Then I heard the keypad's notes and my heart filled with panic. Where would I go? There was no blasted place to hide other than the damn shower. Oh Winter...

"Gotcha!" The man with the raspy voice said, coughing.

"Please! I didn't know where to turn..." I begged.

"Get the brat out," A stout woman said, jerking her thumb towards the open door and stepping out of the way. The two of them wore lab coats.

I didn't bother to fight back because what would be the use? I was crippled and I wouldn't be able to get very far even if I did manage to push them down or something.

I was led into an elevator and we stopped near the top floor of the headquarters. The two of them took me by each of my arms, which made it extremely difficult to wheel my fucking burden. I tried to tell them that they should just hold onto one of my arms because I wasn't going anywhere, but they didn't believe me.

After being dragged through numerous crystal white hallways, we stopped in front of a very secured looking door. The woman let go of my arm and typed in the passcode for the door multiple times; I don't think she was getting it wrong, I think she was only doing it because the door required it numerous times. The door opened and she then grabbed ahold of my arm again, I let out a sigh of irritation, and they led me into the dimly illuminated room. I was then locked in a cell alone and they left without another word.

For once in my life, I was truly frightened by my environment. Usually I adapted well to any environment change, but this one was different, severely different. I felt like an animal before going into the slaughter house. No one should ever feel like that, no matter how evil.

"Winter?" I called out hopefully. When no one replied, I sunk to the cold floor and pressed my knees against my chest.

"Sage?" A weak voice called out in the darkness.

"Winter, is that you?" I asked with tears forming in my eyes.

"Oh, my sweet Sage, how wonderful it is to not be alone. Have they done anything to you?" She asked worriedly. I heard her voice waver with fear.

"N-no. Have they hurt you?" I asked, heart beating fast in my chest. There was a long pause before she answered.

"No," She replied, but I could tell that she was lying. "Sage, please, you need to get out of here."

"I know, and I'm going to take you with-" I started, trying to ease her worries.

"No. You need to get out of here now, while they're not around," Winter said, cutting me off.

"How?" I asked.

"The keypad. The passcode for that one is 77354; I could hear the different numbers being typed in from here when they opened it," She informed me. I tried it and the door clicked open. I pushed it out of the way and noisily made it to Winter.

"I have to get you out," I said pressing the keypad with the same passcode for mine. It made a buzz and a red light showing that it was wrong. Just after I typed it, I heard a door opening, and it wasn't the cell's.

"She's coming! Quickly, get moving. Come on, Sage, leave me!" Winter urged quietly.

"How did she get you?" I asked quickly.

"She came to me when I was all alone. I never saw it coming. She came in here before and whispered threats so icely, my blood ran cold. Come on, you better hide before she finds you!" Winter begged.

"Why should I leave you?" I said, feeling a tear slide down my cheek.

"Whenever she is raging, she takes a life away. Haven't you seen... havent you seen... the ruins of our world? Sage she has done this before to innocent people, you can't stay, or else she'll kill you, too." Winter said moving into the only light from the one light source in the room. Dark shadows crossed her face and I could tell she was crying, too.

"Winter, what's the passcode?" I asked as I heard heels clicking.

"Go!" She said, pushing me away through the bars. I had to oblige. Whenever she is raging she takes a life away. Haven't you seen... haven't you seen... the ruins of our world? Winter's words echoed throughout my head as I ran towards a door with a sign that said exit. What did she exactly mean? Was Jeanine to blame for what happened in the factions, when children and adults were stripped from their homes and never heard from again? Of course she was, she killed George right in front of me when he admitted he was Divergent. This is what this is all about, Divergents, and I was one of them.

I pushed the door open and ran out, like the coward I was. I couldn't face Jeanine now, not prepared. I heard her shouting, but I didn't dare to look back.

I kept going until I reached the elevator. I stopped and pressed the button, panting, and waited for the stupid thing to open. Then the tears began to fall.

How could she? How the hell could Jeanine do this to me? What the fuck did she want to do specifically with Winter? She had to be Divergent, but why didn't she just kill her off with a gun when she had the chance? Why did she lie to me?

Questions swirled within my mind as the tears began to fall fast. I hated to look so weak, but then again, I was permanently crippled...

Then I heard footsteps running down the hall and I began to press the button multiple times, consecutively.

I whirled around when they stopped just behind me. Jeanine stood before me, slightly out of breath. She put a hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I shouted at her. She didn't draw back, like I half-thought she would.

"Sage, please, I can explain," Jeanine said calmly.

"Don't you Sage me. You are a monster," I said and backed into the opening elevator, pressing the two button furiously.

"I beseech you to listen to me," Jeanine begged coming into the elevator.

"No, just go!" I cried. She nodded and backed out of it and looked at me with pain in her cool gray eyes. I looked away as the doors finally closed and sunk to the floor. Never had I felt more betrayel from another human being in my life.