The Natural {Divergent | Eric Coulter}

Part I: Chapter 1

What the hell have I done?

I'm terrified- not only am I going to Dauntless, freaking Dauntless, I just betrayed my faction. My home.

Yet, I can't seem to bring myself to wipe the smirk off my face.

Marcus was, undoubtedly, shocked when I moved my hand from over the grey stones to glowing embers. Shocked and mortified. I can't blame him, really, but I sure as hell don't blame myself either. But damn, he's not my problem anymore.

I refused to let myself look back at my step-father, Jackson, Marcus's brother. I won't give him the pleasure. I'd love to see his reaction, but my curiosity would be mistaken for fear. For remorse.

We've been running for a while now, finally stopping in front of one of the Dauntless train stations. We scramble up the ladders, and I'm left with my thoughts yet again.

Everyone seems to know someone- the Dauntless borns grew up together, there's a handful of Erudite and Candor, and the lone Amity seems close with two Candor and one Erudite. I left abnegation to escape the solitude, but it closes in on me once again.

The train finally arrives. I'm one of the first transfers to get on, shocking, I know, so I'm surrounded by only Dauntless- a handful of initiates and loads of members. What have I done?

I stiffen as a tall Dauntless man approaches me; he's followed close by two lackeys.

"Damn boys, what've we got here?" The man asks. He's not too drunk- he got on the train- but the stench of liquor radiates off of him.

"A stiff in Dauntless, damn." One of his followers says, looking me up and down.

Stiff, I hate that word. Who ever thought of that obviously never met an actual abnegation- nothing about them was stiff. They were timid and cowardly, terrified of the world around them.

I, on the other hand, was indeed stiff. I was presenting myself, subconsciously, as I had seen the Dauntless do- feet shoulder width apart, shoulders square. Chest puffed out, hands in balls by my sides. Chin up, every muscle tensed as I watch the men run their eyes up and down my body.

"You act surprised, Chuck. That's three in a row." The other one says, revealing missing teeth. But three? Tobias Eaton transferred to Dauntless last year, but Laiken was supposedly the only abnegation transfer the year before him. My brother went to Candor, so who was two years ago?

"But hell man, she's the first girl." Alcoholic speaks again, "And I must say, damn."

With that, he reaches out and smacks me in the ass.

Oh hell no.

With one solid motion, I punch him square in the jaw.

The other two, Chuck and dental problems, grab me.

I attempt to get out off their hold, but all off the sudden, they stop.

"What did Max tell you boys about messing with my initiates?" The peacemaker asks quietly. He's fuming, but his anger is collected. Something about his quiet rage is even more terrifying.

My mystery man savior grabs my shoulder and leads me away from them. He steps over the drunk who I punched, who's apparently laying on the ground.

Go frikin' me.

The entire train car's looking at the two of us.

I guess that's what happens when the feminine Abnegation transfer puts a Dauntless member flat on his back with one hit.

Granted, he'd had his fair share of whiskey, but still.

A look from mystery man orders them to turn around.

"You okay stiff?" He's looking at my knuckles, "And how the hell do you know how to throw a punch like that?"

"I'm fine," I muttered, turning away from him.

"You're gonna put me out of a job, 'specially if the rest of the group's half as decent as you are," he laughed, "I'm Daniel, I'll be one of your initiation instructors."

"This is my stop kid. Stay on the train until you see a big, jackassy-looking man standing on the next roof," Daniel said, "and don't worry. Getting on is the hard part. You'll be fine."

With that, he turned and jumped off the train. The rest off the cart followed him, leaving me with the four Dauntless born initiates on this cart.

What. The. Hell.

Okay then, Daniel, just leave.

"That was wicked, kid," one of the guys says, "I'm Adam. This is McKenzie, Benji, and Scott."

They waved as they were introduced. McKenzie had bright red hair, and stood just below eye-level with me. He grinned. Benji was tall and lanky, fair skinned with dark hair. He smirked. Scott was tall with light blond hair. He was wider than Benji, but he was far from fat. Nah, he looked like pure muscle with broad shoulders and tall frame. Cute as all dagum get out.

Adam was a few inches taller than me, with dark skin. He had a wide grin.

"Hey, and thanks, I guess. I'm-" I was cut of by Adam again.

"Shit! We gotta jump! Come on Stiff," the boys jumped out of the train, with me laughing and following them. I actually landed the jump, falling to my knees and flipping over into a lunge. Go me.

By Adam's urgency, you'd think we were the last ones off, but it was quite the opposite. The five off us, along with Daniel's"big, jackassy-looking man," stood waiting on the rest off them to jump.

"We've got another stiff, hmm? You gonna make it past the first round?" The man asks.

"That's the plan," I mutter. What does he want me say? No, I plan to drop out and live factionless where they would find me? Yeah right.

"Hey Eric," McKenzie says, "and yeah, this ones pretty cool. She punched Everett Jones in the face for touching her. Laid him out on the ground with one punch."

Dammit Mac, I was hoping we wouldn't have to tell everyone. Especially not this dude. Eric, maybe?

He didn't say anything for a while, just looked me over with a smirk.

"Is that right?"

I nod, not breaking the ever-awkward eye contact. He's trying to read me, trying to figure out my thoughts. Trying to figure out why another stiff transferred to Dauntless. Trying to figure out how the stiff knew how to throw a punch. Trying to analyze my past and my intentions.

So I just stare back at him, leaving my face void of emotion. Let him try to read me. He wouldn't get very far- I learned to hide my emotions early, something anyone living with my mother and Jackson would figure out.

The roof around us slowly filled with initiates, Dauntless born and transfers alike.

His eyes leave mine as he begins to observe the transfers.

"Listen up initiates, this is your entrance to Dauntless," his authoritative voice carries as Eric speaks, "So who's up?"

Jesus, these people like jumping. This is what I came to Dauntless for, isn't it?

I was already the stiff, the stiff who punched a Dauntless member on the first day and laid him out, I could be the first jumper too. Make a good name for myself. Prove my Dauntlessness.

I stepped forward, once timidly, the second step with confidence. "I'll go."

published Dec 2018

updated Sept 25 2023