Chapter 5

CHOOSING CEREMONY DAY! Tension is so heavy in the air it covers the town like a thick fog. Caleb is calm as he follows his parents off the bus. Beatrice can only expect this from him. She merely keeps up the best that she can. This can be difficult though, especially when she is forced to give up a spot on the elevator and trudge up twenty flights of stairs, all thanks to her selfless father. At this point, Abnegation isn't seeming too appealing to me.

The outtermost circle is made of the sixteen-year-old's awaiting the choice that will forever change their life. The next circle is for family members and others from the factions that come to watch. The last circle is made of five metal bowls, each containing something to represent a different faction: gray stones for Abnegation; water for Erudite; earth for Amity; coals for Dauntless; and glass for Candor. The Ceremony leader this year is Marcus. Funny how he comes up again? I feel like he is going to be important later on.. But that's just a hunch.

Marcus kicks off the ceremony with a speech of how the factions came to be. To make a long story short, each faction blames a different aspect of human personality for the disarray within the world. Abnegation blamed greed; Erudite blamed ignorance; Amity blamed aggression; Dauntless blamed cowardice; and Candor blamed deceit. People joined the faction their beliefs coincided with. The purpose of the factions was to rid the world of the terrible trait. The factions have become the most important part of life. "Faction before blood." Seems a little life a crazy cult to me.

Finally, one by one, every sixteen-year-old is called, in reverse alphabetical order, and makes their way to Marcus. He hands them a knife and they cut their hand so they may let their blood drip in the bowl of the faction they choose. Like I said. Cult. As she watches those before her make their choice, Beatrice only becomes more and more nervous. Caleb squeezes her hand once more before it is his turn to make a decision. He will cut his hand and his blood will drip upon the gray stones of Abnegation. But wait. PLOT TWIST. He chooses Erudite. Bam. Didn't see that coming did you? I certainly didn't. My mouth was gaping open for a while after I read it.

Anyway, back to the drama and seriousness. Beatrice's name is called and she finds herself with the knife in her hands. This is the moment her entire life depends on. She drags the blade across her hand, and without even meaning to it seems, her blood sizzles upon the hot coals. Dauntless.

"I am selfish. I am brave."