Rampant: A Divergent FanFiction (Book Two) ©

Chapter 33

                The older dauntless members were the first people to crowd forward and demand to go first. In the end a girl named Lauren beat all as she pushed up to the front of the line and then got into one of the slings. Wriggling forward so that she was laying on her stomach with most of her body supported by black fabric, she held still while Finn and Jude pulled straps across her shoulders, lower back, and legs.

                Once that was done, Finn pulled Lauren -using the sling- over to the edge of the building and began a countdown from three. Already there was a wide grin spread over her features, and by the time Finn let go, she was already laughing loudly as the wind swept her away. Somewhere, someone gasped loudly as Lauren’s voice carried back to us, but it wasn’t with horror that she cried out, merely with unabashed excitement.

                As the initiates peered over the edge, they watched in awe as her body hurtled headfirst toward the ground at a steep incline. Lauren stayed snug in her sling for as long as we could see her, then she was past our sights as she became nothing more than a pinprick in the distance.

                 A series of whoops and shouts sounded out as the rest of the dauntless scrambled forward to go next. Eventually, they formed a somewhat organized line, all of them restless to take the dive. Before long, the only ones that were left in line were the initiates, and around them in a loosely-formed group were Finn, Dan, Jude, and me.

                “Not Zane,” I heard Finn mutter under his breath as he assessed the initiates.

                “Also not that kid, he looks too squirrely,” added Jude as he subtlety jerked his head at David.

                “Agreed,” I nodded. For this next trick, only those we actually wanted in our group would be offered the chance to take part in the twist we had in mind.

                After Dylan, Thomas, and then Zane and David had been launched off of the roof, the only dauntless-initiates left were Wayne, Iris, Felix, Shiloh, and Tyler. The transfers left were Ally, Jade, Vera, and Mel. Iris had already been lined up to go next, but Dan quickly blocked her path and jerked his head towards where Finn stood.

                “Guys and gals, I suppose you’re wondering about the sudden wait to go zip-lining, right?”

                The initiates nodded, sharing a look of bafflement amongst themselves.

                “Here in dauntless, we like to push the limits, to see how far we can go to test our bravery. To really understand the true nature of our inner selves,” Finn continued. “And because we like you guys, we’ve decided to give you the opportunity to partake in our little stunt. We’ve been watching, and all of you share something in common; without a doubt, you’re all the most brave and daring initiates we’ve seen in your groups.”

                “The real question left now though, is just how much more can you handle?” Jude added as he reached behind him and pulled out a different set of slings.

                Unlike the first ones we’d been using, which held your entire frame securely, the new slings merely went around the upper portion of your body; with only two straps that buckled over your chest. As Jude began to toss them to us, I couldn’t help but note the horrified look on some of the initiate’s faces.

                “Uhh, those don’t really seem safe,” Vera mentioned as she watched me secure the clasps over my torso.

                “Sure they are,” Biff said uproariously. He gave his chest a thump, and grinned. “Super safe, see? There’s a second strap.”