Mute/ Eric Coulter

Chapter 1

Eric Coulter Above

(Four Years Later)

It's the day of my aptitude test and all I feel is anxious. Anxious to take the test and see what it says. If what it says will bring me relief or despair. If it'll tell me that I belong in the faction of my abuse or to somewhere else.

Somewhere my brother is.

"KAIA GET DOWN HERE" I hear Marcus shout. I groan but get up immediately knowing that if I linger then any punishment I might already be getting will become so much worse if I were to make him wait longer than he thought acceptable.

I quickly got dressed and ready before heading down the stairs into the kitchen. I immediately start breakfast and wait for Marcus to say anything as he sits at the dining table.

"Todays your aptitude test. You will get abnegation and you will not fail" he says in a voice that holds no emotion. Not that he needs them to.

The threat is there in his words. If I get anything else I will be punished for insolence and those usually leave me bedridden for days.

I don't say anything back, I never do. Not since Tobias left. In the beginning he tried to beat me into replying to him but after a month he realized that no matter how hard he hit me I wasn't going to respond .

It didn't stop his punishments, but at least they weren't as bad as they had been. I finish breakfast and serve him before grabbing a single apple and leave.

We don't have a car so I either ride the bus to school or walk. I usually choose to walk since the bus is always crowded and I would just end up presses against strangers who'll shove me without care when they see I'm abnegation.

Walking would take 45-60 minutes but I go through the side streets and job so I make it in 30. When I get to school I line up with the rest of the kids in my faction just as the dauntless show up. I watch as they jump from the train. Laughing and joking with each other as if they don't have a care in the world.

All I can think about is if Tobias is happy with them. If he's built a good life in his faction. I haven't seen him since that day, and I know that I've changed, so I wonder if we would recognize each other.

The doors then open in into the building and we all head to class. It's a half day for those of us who are 16 so that we can take out test. I go through the motions of a regular day.

I avoid people as best as I can and to keep a hold of my stuff when I'm shoved and pushed by those around me. I sit in the edge of my class and keep my head down.

After my final class an announcement is made telling all those of age to make their way to the cafeteria to wait for their turn taking their test.

When I get there I sit at the end of the table and wait silently for my turn. I take the time to just observe and think about the other factions.

Amity: the students were playing games and laughing with each other. Dressed in varying shades of yellow and red. I think if I could ever make a life there and realize I couldn't. After all that I've been through I could never be happy all the time or content with a life pretending.

Erudite: the students were sitting at their table with open books in front of them. Some reading quietly while others seemed to be talking about what they were reading about. I couldn't see myself there either. I was an average student and could never live up to the factions academic expectations.

Candor: the students were seated both on the seats and table, gesturing and talking loudly. Obviously debating about something. Another no, I could never be 100% truthful, especially about my past.

That finally left Dauntless: these students were leaning all over each other laughing and having a good time. I could tell some were nervous but they didn't make it obvious. This seemed like the best choice for me. Tobias was there and I couldn't stay in abnegation. I couldn't stay where Marcus could get to me any longer.

I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn't noticed the others coming and going as their names were called. I didn't notice until a girl tapped my shoulder .

"Excuse me your Kaia right?" She looked apprehensive, not sure if I was the right person. I merely nodded.

"They called your name, it's your turn to take the test" upon hearing this I look towards the door and notice the person with the clipboard staring straight at me. I stand and make my way over.

"This way, go through the last door on your left and you will be taking your test there" I follow her instructions and enter said door. A dauntless man stands there. Average with brown hair and brown eyes. He nods to the chair and then the door closes.