Danger is Near

Chapter 38

Stage Three of training was almost over. We had one more day until we would be tested in front of all of the Dauntless leader board. Which, for me, was really intimidating. Actually, no. I think it would be intimidating for everyone. 

I had just finished my fear sims with Four and it was lunch time, so I went to the Hall for some food. Four told me I also had the rest of the day off, so that was a bonus. I was a little shaken up from my fear landscapes, but ever so slowly I had come to tolerate them. Plus Four said he thought I was ready for anything, so that positivity was helping. But I think what was really helping me get through my fears was Eric. Knowing that he cared about me and learning how he handled his fears was quite inspiring in a way. Being in his fear 'losing someone you love' was flattering and it obviously meant he did have feelings for me, that weren't fake. This made me feel really special. 

At lunch I sat with Christina, Matisse, Drew, Molly and Will. We had all finished our fear sims with Four for the day and we always felt better once we had talked about them with someone.

"There were moths all over me. In my mouth and in my hair. It was so disgusting" Christina said, shuddering afterwards. 

"... then they shot my sisters. But I couldn't do anything" Matisse said, she was shaking a little. 

"I was in a deep hole and all of a sudden all of this dirt started to pour down onto me" I said, referring to being buried alive, one of my greatest fears. 

"... the snakes then started wrapping themselves around me, slowly suffocating me" Drew said, although he seemed to be over it. 

"... all these weird and freaky creatures then began to scratch me, tearing my skin off" Molly said, she had tears in her eyes. 

"... I opened my eyes and saw this mass of snow coming straight towards me" Will said, referring to his fear of avalanches.

We all continued talking but I noticed Matisse being unusually quiet. And immediately I realised it was because of Edward. The both of them had really come to be close. If you saw the two of them together you would think they had been together for years, that's how close. 

"Don't worry Matisse. They'll let him back in... I mean they have to, he is the top ranking initiate of our whole group. They would be crazy to not let him back in and you know it" I said relieving her. 

"Yeah, I guess you are right" she replied. 

"Matisse... I'm always right" I then returned jokingly, trying to lighten up the mood. 

I really wanted to talk to Eric so I decided to go looking for him after lunch. I walked around the whole compound but I couldn't find him anywhere. He was either in his apartment, 'out', or ... on the roof!

I made my way up onto the roof and found him sitting against the wall writing in his notebook. In the exact same place he was when I first came up here. I walked over to him casually and sat down next to  him, leaning against the wall. He looked surprised to see me. 

"Hey" I started.

"Why hello" he returned, looking back down at his notebook. Waiting for me to continue speaking, because I guess in his mind that's all I ever did. 

I didn't speak though, so he looked up at me, frowning a little, wondering what I wanted. 

"So are you guys really just going to throw Edward out?" I questioned pleadingly. 

"Well, that depends on his recovery and ability to perform" Eric stated. "We can't just let someone in who can't live up to Dauntless standards".