A New Life

Chapter 4: Dauntless

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS, THEY BELONG TO THE VERY TALENTED VERONICA ROTH.

The wind wrapped around me and pulled my hair from its bun to spread in a halo around my head. The moments of floating in the air with nothing but wind surrounding me felt like a dream, and although the dream feeling was short, it was more amazing than anything else I've ever felt in my life. Suddenly my back slammed into something sending a screaming pain through my fresh scars. The thing holding me wrapped around me and cradled me in my position, it's a net. I catch my breath and can't help but laugh ignoring the sting in my back. I can't believe I just did that, and I can't believe it was so fun. Feel the net move and look to the edge to see multiple hands poking over into view. I crawl to the nearest set and grab on to let them pull me out of the net. The hands catch me and before I can even see who it is he speaks.

    "Bea?" The voice that belongs to the hands ask. I look up and see Tobias looking back down at me.

    "Toby!" I exhale and throw my arms around his neck. He wraps his arms around my waist and spins me around in the air. I hear a scuff next to us as Tobias sets me back down.

    "Looks like you two aren't so stiff anymore 'Toby'." I turned to see a boy, he looks to be about Tobias' age with piercings covering his face. He has dark blond, thick hair that hangs in his face slightly covering his cold eyes.

    "Well I guess there's a reason we left then." I shoot back crossing my arms and sending him a glare.

    "You got a feisty one, don't you Four?" The boy laughs. "Well if I were you," He steps closer to me lowering his voice to a deadly tone. "I'd watch who I snap at here." He's now leaning so close to my face that I can feel and smell his minty breath. That is until Tobias pushes him back, away from me.

    "Leave her alone Eric." Tobias growls standing between me and him. Eric steps closer to Tobias, but this time I push Tobias to the side placing myself between the two boys.

    "I don't-" I start but he cuts me off.   

    "Beatrice don't."

    "I don't need you to protect me, and I sure as hell don't want to be called that." I look back at him with determination in my eyes. If I'm going to start a new life I want a new name, not one that left the lips of satan every night before I entered hell.

    "Ok what do you want to be called?" Tobias sighs not wanted to test me. "Choose carefully you only get one chance to decide." He continues.

    "Tris. My name is Tris." I state confidently. Tobias turns around and yells.

    "FIRST JUMPER TRIS!" Out of nowhere a crowd erupts with cheers and screams. "Welcome to Dauntless, Tris." Tobias says with a slight smile. I nod in return and begin to walk towards the stairs, but Eric grabs my arm stopping me, only for me to pull it out of his grip. He leans down near my ear and hisses,

    "Careful Tris, Four won't always be able to protect you here." Who's Four? I look him straight in the eye and reply.

    "Good, because I don't need protection" With that I turn and walk down the stairs.

    The next person to drop into the net was Uriah, then Christina, and after her a few Dauntless borns I didn't know. Once everyone has made it down including Max we are lead down a series of halls carved out of cool, dark gray stone with sharp jagged edges. We stop at the end of one of the hallways and a young woman steps forward.

    "Dauntless borns come with me while the transfers go for a tour." Says the woman before walking down a different hallway followed by a small crowd.