Until Death Do Us Apart ➪ 𝔼𝕣𝕚𝕔 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕣

Chapter twenty: Echoes of Angel (bonus chapter)

One Year Later
Eric's POV

I sat on top of the Dauntless compound, legs dangling off the edge of the building, waiting for the familiar sound of the train to cut through the morning silence. The wind whipped against my face, sharp and cold. Below me, the landing pad waited like a graveyard, ready to swallow another group of naive little shits who thought bravery was as easy as jumping off a moving train.

The horn blared, and I watched as the train screeched around the corner.

Here we go.

The initiates started leaping from the train. Some landed hard, rolling onto the gravel with pained yelps and curses. One guy limped immediately. Another was already crying.

Pathetic.

They all clambered to their feet, looking up at me like I was some goddamn executioner—and maybe I was. Some people say I've changed since Jordan died. That I'm meaner. Colder. More brutal than before.

They're right. I have changed.

And I don't give a damn.

I pushed away from the ledge and walked to the edge of the platform. My voice cut through the chatter like a knife.

"Listen the hell up."

They shut up immediately.

"I'm Eric. I'm your top leader here. You want to be Dauntless? This is your first test. You jump. That's it."

A few shifted nervously.

"You don't want to jump?" I shrugged. "That's fine. There's the stairs. Head down, walk away. You'll live out your life factionless. Doesn't bother me."

I scanned the crowd. "Who's first?"

The group went still. Nobody moved. Cowards.

Then, after a long pause, a girl from Amity stepped forward. Her red vest was still visible under her jacket. She looked way too soft for this place. Her hands trembled, but she held her chin up like she had something to prove.

"Me," she said, her voice a little too high, a little too shaky.

"What's your name?" I asked, not really caring—until I heard her answer.

"Jordyn."

My entire body went still.

The name hit me like a brick to the chest.

I clenched my jaw and took a slow step backward, giving her room to take her place at the ledge.

She doesn't deserve that name.

She doesn't even know what that name means.

She hesitated, then leaned forward and let herself fall.

I didn't watch her land.

I turned away. My hands were balled into fists.

"Alright," I barked. "Who's next?"

Later that night, I found myself exactly where I always ended up after a day like this—at her grave.

It was outside the city, just far enough from the Dauntless compound that no one followed. I liked it that way. Quiet. Isolated. Peaceful—everything she never got.

The sky above was cloudless. Stars scattered like broken glass.

I sat down in the grass and leaned against the headstone. My fingers pulled up a few blades of grass as I talked, like I always did.

"Hi, angel."

My voice was softer now. It always was when I was here.

"New initiates came today. Bunch of weaklings. They weren't like you guys. Hell, they weren't even like Peter, and that's saying something."

I paused, biting the inside of my cheek.

"One of them... one of them said her name was Jordyn. With a Y. Amity girl. Red vest, bright eyes. Had the nerve to say that name like it didn't mean anything."

I let out a breath. "I almost lost it. Had to walk it off. She didn't know, but I still hated her for saying it. Isn't that fucked up?"

I closed my eyes, resting my head against the stone.

"Oh, and... there was a party in the Pit tonight. Some loud music, cheap drinks, people dancing like idiots."

A sad smirk pulled at my lips.

"I danced. Just for you."

I laughed quietly. "I hope you didn't see me, though. I was terrible. Looked like I was being electrocuted or something."

My hands sank into the grass.

"I miss you every day, Angel. Every. Single. Day. It hasn't gotten easier. Not for a second."

The wind rustled the leaves in the trees nearby. I closed my eyes and listened, pretending for a second that it was her voice whispering back.

"I love you," I said. "And I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I stood up and dusted off my pants, stealing one last glance at her grave before turning to walk away.

"Goodnight."