Another Pedrad: Initiation

Chapter 1 | Leap //Tris POV

"Sometimes your only available transportation

is a leap of faith."

― Margaret Shepard

♡♡♡

Tris POV

Every muscle in my body was on fire as I stepped onto the ledge.

There was an especially high amount of wind today, causing every strand of my hair to fly in a million directions. I could feel the weight of every stare as I planted both feet firmly on the edge of the roof. I took a deep breath.

And then I jumped.

The gaping blackness rushed towards me as I fell fast and faster towards the ground. It was supposed to be a secret that there was a net at the bottom, but I knew every inch of the compound. I knew every nook, every cranny, every secret.

Now I could only pray that no one found out about mine.

As expected, seconds after being plunged into darkness, I hit something hard that gives way underneath me. The impact was harder than I thought, nearly knocking all the air out of me. I tried my best not to look like an awkward bird, or Uriah, as my limbs flailed out around me.

A few hands were stretched out to me at the edge of the net, but I pushed past all of them, sliding off the net. At least that was what I was hoping to do, but every part of my body stung as I landed on the hard ground. I almost lose my balance, but I fell straight into the arms of someone behind me. I immediately stand up, spinning around to meet the face of Four.

Our bodies were a little too close to be normal, so much so that I could already feel his familiar scent washing over me. Alarms were going off in my head, flashing red lights and blaring horns. The quietest of words escaped his mouth as he whispered under his breath, "Congrats." Before I could respond he gently wrapped his hand around mine, then lifted it into the air.

"First jumper, Tris Pedrad!"

A familiar crowd of people stepped out from the shadows, cheering and whistling. I was so surprised by all the people that had shown up I couldn't seem to form any coherent words and just stood there dumbly, my heart still pounding from exhiliration. 

Suddenly, the sound of high-pitched screaming came from above as Uriah plummeted into the net. I immediately stepped back as his body awkwardly landed into the net, tangled between the strands of rope.

"Oh my go-" I clasped my hand over my mouth to try and muffle the sound as my body nearly doubled over in laughter.

Uriah groaned, his arms and legs stretched out to give him a similar resemblance to a starfish. He shifted over to the side, trying to make out where he was, when all of a sudden he was just at the edge and fell onto the bare concrete below.

At that point, there was nothing in the world that could've stopped the laughter that exploded out of me. I clutched my stomach with one hand, and used the other to wipe the tears that were spilling out of my eyes.

From his position on the ground, Uriah glared up at me, his cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. I could feel a sudden presence standing behind me. Without turning back I already knew that it was Four, and I could almost feel his stare as he brushed past me to help Uriah out of the net. I felt a little embarrassed, and tried to hastily regain my composure.

For the next half hour, initiate after initiate jumped down fell down from the roof and onto the net. Of course, nobody's entrance was nearly as great as Uriah's. Marlene, Lynn, and I huddled together as our eyes swept over the bodies of all the transfers. We were trying to root out our biggest competitors, and those who wouldn't last the first week.

Once everybody had landed, our three leaders lead us out of the dark room and down an unfamiliar tunnel. At the end of the tunnel was a door with a small lock placed directly above the handle. Lauren stood in front, obscuring our view as she secretly typed in a code that caused the door to swing open.

The Dauntless compound was huge to say the least. And as we walked out into another dimly lit hallway, I wondered what other secret rooms lay hidden, waiting in the darkness to be uncovered.

The initiates whispered to each other, as they fumbled along the dark hallways and the stone walls. I could tell they were trying to be secretive, but their words bounced off the bare walls and ceiling slopes. Normally, I would find this annoying, but their whispers filled the otherwise empty hallways. One of the transfers was being especially loud, as she talked to no one in particular. I vaguely remembered her name from when the Choosing Ceremony. I think she had transferred from Candor. Was it Chrystal? Christine? Something with a C... She glanced my way, catching my eye. I glared at her with my most steely gaze, one that I'd perfected over the years. To my surprise, she doesn't wither away, but simply tilts her head like a confused puppy, before getting distracted by something else.

After a few more minutes of walking, the leaders stopped at an intersection. Two hallways branched out from either side into a dark nothingness. I wasn't surprised when I counted and realized there was about five-or-so less people here than the group we had on the roof.

"This is where we divide," Lauren said. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assumed you don't need a tour of the place."

Beside me, Maureen giggled as we followed Lauren down one of the hallways. Before being completely swallowed up by the darkness, I quickly glanced over my shoulder. Four was standing beside Eric as he said something, which seemed to be very threatening, to the group of transfers. I am just about to turn around when Four lifted his head and met my gaze. He opened his mouth as if to say something. But before he could, I hear somebody call out to me. 

I whirled my head around and quickly walked away.

Words: 1096

Wow, I have not updated in a very long time. I am so sorry, I have just been so busy and writing has just been the farthest thing from my mind. But, it's a new year, new chances, and a new chapter. Not only a new chapter, but the first chapter which I am so so very excited about. I hope you enjoyed it.

.: f o l l o w .:. v o t e .:. c o m m e n t :.

~ a s w o r d o f w o r d s ~