Today was the day of the final test. Aurora had gotten her time down to eight minutes, and was still first on the leaderboard. New fears came and went, but the main ones stayed. "You'll be in a room with all of the leaders of the faction," Four continued explaining to her what was about to happen, he talked as the two walked to the testing room, "They see everything you say and do. This will be one of the deciding factors of your job, but I wouldn't worry. You have the top spot, they'll probably ask you to be a leader."
Aurora let out a single chuckle, "Yeah, thanks for the added pressure."
"Have you talked to Eric about your one fear? I thought he'd only be in it once, but he's been in it every time." Four raised an eyebrow.
Aurora's held her breath for a moment, she hadn't told Four about her an Eric's daily conversations. Some that ended in kissing, others that ended with her falling asleep. "No," she shrugged.
"I only asked cause I know you and your friends sit with him during mealtimes." Four rubbed the back of his neck and stopped in front of two metal doors. "This is it."
Aurora let out a shaky breath, trying to calm her nerves. "Are you coming in with me?" She asked, her foot tapping lightly on the concrete floor.
"I have to put you under and monitor you while you're in the simulation. I'll be right by your side."
Aurora scoffed jokingly, "Well, you could have told me that before."
"You'll be fine," Four said while patting her back for reassurance. "You ready?"
Aurora took a deep breath and nodded, "As I'll ever be."
Four nodded back and pushed open the double doors. The room looked empty at first, besides a few technicians looking at monitors. Then she looked up slightly, on a higher platform stood all of Dauntless's leaders. They stared down at her, waiting for her to take a seat. "This isn't intimidating at all." Aurora whispered to Four, who chuckled softly.
She found Eric in the leaders above her. His face was stern, but his eyes held a reassuring smile. Four gestured for her to sit in the chair.
Aurora sat, gripping the arms of the chair and taking deep breaths. Four injected her with the serum, and she quickly fell into darkness.
Aurora woke up, once again, in Amity. Knowing what she needed to do, she looked down the row of cherry trees and felt her father's presence beside her. "Go on, Aurora, get that cherry up there."
"Sure, dad." She responded, still not used to hearing her pre-puberty voice. She climbed the ladder, all the way to the top, and took a deep
breath before she let go. Crashing into the blue abyss below her, her back stung at the contact.
She heard screams of terror and splashing under the surface. Something new from her first time in the simulation, an unknown force was holding her under. Michael and Jackson were on either side of her, clawing and the unwavering hands that pushed them deeper. Just breathe. She thought to herself, taking in a large intake of water causing her to start sinking.
She sank all the way down to the bottom, falling into a room where the water hung suspended over her head. The walls surrounding herself were mirrors. Her reflection looked back at her, disgusted at what it was looking at. "You'll never be enough." The reflection mocked her.
"No one actually loves you, they're just pretending," Another one said, "even your family hates you." Aurora raised her fist and punched through the mirrors, shattering the whole room.
Slowly she opened her heavy eyelids, a dark ceiling looked back at her. This was new.
No. No no no no. This isn't happening. She thought to herself. Where the hell am I?
Then it clicked.
This was Eric's apartment.
She was in Eric's apartment.
In his bed.
She shot up, the bedsheets covering her clothed chest falling to her lap. "What's wrong?" Eric asked in a groggy voice. Something was off about the room, instead of the abandoned buildings and the view of the other factions outside of his window, it was a bustling city.
Traffic raced on the streets below, horns and sirens blared in the distance. "What?" Aurora whispered to herself.
"It's late Aurora, come back to bed." Eric called, "We don't want the baby to wake up again."
"Baby?" She whispered to herself once again. This isn't real. Wake up Aurora,
Wake u-
Aurora's eyes shot open, people around her cheered. She looked at the elapsed time on the wall. Eight minutes and twenty five point seven seconds. A new personal record.
"You did it," Four whispered to her with a smile.
She glanced back up at Eric, who's eyes were still glued to the viewing screen. An unreadable look present on his face.
YOU ARE READING
Amicable ➵ Eric Coulter
Fanfiction"Come on softie!" Eric yelled in Aurora's face. Aurora and Jackson sparred on the mat, but Aurora wouldn't hit back. Her cheeks were red and her lip was split, but still, she didn't hit back. Eric was now shouting at the Amity born initiate. Getti...
