Inferno

Chapter 22: The Beginning

GUYS.

READ. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.

THANK YOU FOR THE VOTES I LOVE IT. I LOVE YOU.

~Caruscus

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It takes three hours for me to get back to the compound.

By then the sky is dark and filled with stars. The moon and Erudite in the distance are the only source of light.

I jump off the train a little more gracefully than last time. I roll back onto my feet and start walking to the compound, my arms wrapped tightly around myself as a source of heat. It's nearing fall and I didn't leave prepared for cold weather.

I don't jump off the rooftop to get back inside. I walk back in the way I left, through the Pit. The excitement from earlier has died down a little bit, leaving small groups of people mingling about. I ignore all of them and head for the dorms.

Once I'm there I see it's empty. That's right, I say to myself, everyone is probably moved into their new apartment.

I decide to sleep in the dorms tonight. I was an idiot and left without buying any furniture for my apartment. Tris must have been lost, but she's probably sleeping with Tobias tonight anyways.

I curl up on my old bed and pull the sheets up to my chin. I close my eyes and try to sleep, but it doesn't come to me.

I am completely and utterly alone.

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I awake with no sense of time. Usually when I wake up in here it's at seven o'clock thanks to Tobias or Eric waking us for training.

Now it's neither one of those.

I slip out of the bed and put on an old shirt. It rubs at my wounds, but they're slowly healing and have gotten better since a week ago. Tris continues to help me put medication on, and Eric hasn't questioned me about them since he saw them. Either he doesn't want to intrude or he just doesn't care.

Probably the latter.

I walk out of the dorm to find the compound bustling with people. It must be later in the day if there are this many people out and about. Some people from yesterday nod their head at me in greeting. I don't even know them but I guess once you're an official member then you're accepted by everyone.

The cafeteria is the only thing that's pretty deserted. It makes it easier for me to get a banana and then be on my way.

I decide I should probably order some furniture to be delivered at my apartment. All initiates are given a set amount of points when they pass initiation. Then they get a job and earn points through that.

I'll buy what I can right now and then see if Tris will pitch in and buy some stuff as well.

I go back to the Pit towards the shops. Down near the end of the line is where the furniture and home appliance stores are. I enter a store called 'Era Supply'. It seems bigger than the other ones so I just decided to go here first. I'll just get some basic necessities and then find Tris.

After spending an hour in there looking for a bed, refrigerator, and some cabinets, I'm done. The people informed me that each apartment comes with a toilet and shower, stove, oven, and microwave. You can buy different styles or replace them there if you want to.

The lady told me everything would be dropped off within the next two hours, so that gives me time to find my room, check it out, and also find Tris.