divergent-excerpt

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don’t need a tour of the place.” She smiles and beckons toward the Dauntless-born initiates. They break away from the group and dissolve into the shadows. I watch the last heel pass out of the light and look at those of us who are left. Most of the initiates were from Dauntless, so only nine people remain. Of those, I am the only Abnegation transfer, and there are no Amity transfers. The rest are from Erudite and, surprisingly, Candor. It must require bravery to be honest all the time. I wouldn’t know. Four addresses us next.“Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor,” he says. “My name is Four.” Christina asks, “Four? Like the number?” “Yes,” Four says. “Is there a problem?” “No.” “Good. We’re about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It—” Christina snickers. “The Pit? Clever name.” Four walks up to Christina and leans his face close to hers. His eyes narrow, and for a second he just stares at her. “What’s your name?” he asks quietly. “Christina,” she squeaks. “Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction,” he hisses. “The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep 62
your mouth shut. Got that?” She nods. Four starts toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moves on in silence. “What a jerk,” she mumbles. “I guess he doesn’t like to be laughed at,” I reply. It would probably be wise to be careful around Four, I realize. He seemed placid to me on the platform, but something about that stillness makes me wary now. Four pushes a set of double doors open, and we walk into the place he called “the Pit.” “Oh,” whispers Christina. “I get it.” “Pit” is the best word for it. It is an underground cavern so huge I can’t see the other end of it from where I stand, at the bottom. Uneven rock walls rise several stories above my head. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities. Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connect them. There are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side. A slant of orange light stretches across one of the rock walls. Forming the roof of the Pit are panes of glass and, above them, a building that lets in sunlight. It must have looked like just another city building when we passed it on the train. Blue lanterns dangle at random intervals above the stone paths, similar to the ones that lit the Choosing 63
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VVERONICA E R O N I C A RROTH O T H
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chapter one There is one mirror in
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shoulders. But she must hide that b
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glass and steel. In front of it is
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I pause by a window in the E Wing a
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we can’t prepare for the test in
Page 13 and 14: Susan to the exit. The people I pas
Page 15 and 16: an electrode to my other temple, an
Page 17 and 18: of the dog’s foul breath and try
Page 19 and 20: word “murderer.” It has been a
Page 21 and 22: chapter three I wake to sweaty palm
Page 23 and 24: or more of the factions, but in you
Page 25 and 26: I mean you should never share them
Page 27 and 28: subways, that I have to be careful
Page 29 and 30: chapter four I reach my street five
Page 31 and 32: way he does when he suspects someon
Page 33 and 34: natural goodness, his inborn selfle
Page 35 and 36: surprise me, but now they chide me.
Page 37 and 38: child. The infant died minutes late
Page 39 and 40: of books on his desk. He closes the
Page 41 and 42: as I walk up the front steps. The e
Page 43 and 44: Caleb on the shoulder, grinning.
Page 45 and 46: I have never liked Candor. “Those
Page 47 and 48: higher each moment, and the glass r
Page 49 and 50: I look at Caleb, who now stands beh
Page 51 and 52: Beside him, my mother is smiling. T
Page 53 and 54: sideways. I’m not as tall or as s
Page 55 and 56: What a good actor he was. The thoug
Page 57 and 58: On three we launch off the train ca
Page 59 and 60: dark skin and gray hair at his temp
Page 61 and 62: I hit something hard. It gives way
Page 63: chapter seven When all the initiate
Page 67 and 68: strikes the wall beneath me and spr
Page 69 and 70: and drops into the seat next to Fou
Page 71 and 72: “You know. Like a bed of nails.
Page 73 and 74: “But we started with twelve,” p
Page 75 and 76: now. If you are really one of us, i
Page 77 and 78: the wall. No one has to know that I
Page 79 and 80: difficult, to drastically improve y
Page 81 and 82: hit the target at least once by now
Page 83 and 84: “Sorry, am I being rude?” she a
Page 85 and 86: +++ After lunch, Four leads us to a
Page 87 and 88: of his palm even after he’s gone.
Page 89 and 90: know.” I close my eyes and hold s
Page 91 and 92: Christina dark and lean, Will pale
Page 93 and 94: chapter nine “Since there are an
Page 95 and 96: oth Peter and Molly, but he’s bui
Page 97 and 98: think this is a leisure activity? S
Page 99: Four turns to the chalkboard and ci
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