Divergent: The First War (Divergent AU)

Chapter 1

I open the closed door in front of me, and take a cautious step into the simulation room. A room I recognise all too well, from my hours spent hacking and monitering the Dauntless security surveillance systems, to memorise what I will attempt to pull off today. The impossible.

I glance at the mirror beside me, covering an entire wall of the room. It is clear I haven't slept well in days. Short, choppy, and somewhat messy black hair sweeps my shoulders, and my fair skin looks worn out and weak. My reflection makes me look taller than I am, which is strange, because I already am quite tall. Maybe it's the short Amity man standing in the center of the room by the large reclined chair, that makes me look taller.

"Therese Sullivan?" he asks, not looking up from the desk beside him. "Take a seat."

I stare at him momentarily. I have seen this man over one hundred times, through the security cameras. He looks different in person. He looks tired. Bored, even.

I obey, and relax myself on the chair. I know how this works. He gives me a serum, I swallow it, I take the test, I complete the tasks I must, in order for me to get the faction I need, I wake up, and I leave.

"My name is Harvey," he says. "I'll be administering your test today, Therese."

I nod. Harvey doesn't act like most Amity would - should. He's far too calm, and straighforward. I never understood why, and I still don't. I'm also not sure I care.
He hands me a clear liquid in a vile, and I take it, awaiting his explanation of what will happen when I drink it.

"Drinking this serum will put you in a simulation, Therese," he begins. "You will be given a series of choices, that will eliminate the factions, one by one, untill one faction remains. This will be your result."

I nod and smile. I know what he will say next - I've memorised it. Next he'll tell me that I will not be aware in the simulation. That it will be like a dream.

"You won't be aware during the simulation, however," he says. "It will feel like a dream."

Except it won't feel like a dream. Not to me. I will be aware during the simulation. I will know that it is only a simulation. That none of it can harm me. Because I'm divergent.

He beckons me to swallow the serum, and I do, without hesitation. Slowly, I feel the world around me slipping away, the room going dark, and I suddenly realise that I am tired. So I close my eyes, and the simulation begins.

"Good luck," he says, and it is the last voice I hear.

                                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My name is Therese Sullivan. I am sixteen years old. I was born in the faction, Candor. The faction devoted to honesty, truth, and order. Today I take the aptitude test that will tell me which faction I truely belong in, and, under my assurance, this faction will be Erudite.

When I was nine, a factionless man I'd never met, told me I was divergent. I don't know how he knew, but I believed him. He told me I was a threat. A danger to society. Though I was only a child, I knew what this meant. I am different, I can't be controlled, and I am dangerous to those who can. On that day, he also told me Norton, the leader of Erudite, believes divergents are flaws. That they have a gift that is posion to society, and they must be destroyed. This is exactly what happened to the man's son years ago, when he was in the faction Dauntless. He was destroyed.

For the next seven years of my life, I set out to bring justice to divergents, to prove our gift is not a flaw, but a necessity. In order to do this, I must now transfer to Erudite, find proof, and destroy Norton. I don't plan on killing him, infact, I don't really know what I plan on doing when I get to Erudite. Pass initiation, gain his trust...find a serum to use on him? I don't know. All I know is that I will find him, and I will stop him, before it's too late.

                                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wake from the simulation, and clasp my hands over my face. Harvey must now believe I just went through something terrifying, and painful.

"That was awful!" I exclaim.

But it really wasn't. It was exciting, and fascinating, and all things but awful. I almost wish that I wasn't aware during the simulation. I think that would have made it even more exciting.

No one can know this, of course. If they did, I would be executed. I know how this game works.

Harvey smiles. "Erudite," he says. "Congratulations."

I give him a suprises smile. "Really?" I ask. "That's . . . that's exciting."

He turns around and disconects me from the simulation, and when I'm sure he isn't looking, I smirk. It worked.

Of all the factions to plot revenge against society, Candor is the one. After all, who is going to suspect that a young Candor girl faked her simulation result and is divergent? Not when they're supposed to be honest. Which I am, of all things, not.

Growing up Candor, I came to realise that teaching people to recognise when others are lying, is a useful lesson for teaching people how to lie. Just don't do anything people usually do when they lie. No nervous hand guestures, no changing topic, no looking away from conversation, nothing. Simple. That is also why I know I can't stay in Candor, because although lying to the face of another person is easy, lying under the truth serum they would put me under during initiation would be a much bigger task.

Harvey turns to me, and nods toward the door. "You can go back to the cafeteria now," he says. "Don't tell anyone your result, Therese."

"Why would I?" I reply, innocently. "Thank you, Harvey."

I turn and walk out the door, knowing my act was a success. Amity never want to start trouble, and Candor never lie. All I do now is wait for the choosing ceremony tommorow, where I can spill my blood into the bowl of water and begin my new life as an Erudite initiate.

Authors Note: I know it's only a short chapter, but I needed to set the scene. Next update will be soon. Thanks for reading. This is my first story on this account, so I am not very well known. It would be great if you could share this, and don't forget to vote if you enjoyed.