Chapter Twenty-Two: Al the courageous!!
Chapter Twnety-Two!
Uriah, Will, Tris and I are standing among the other initiates. My eyes feel swollen, which makes sense cause I cried for at least half an hour nne stop. Uriah is holding a silver flask, which contains some alchoal. He offers it to Tris. She shakes her head.
“Surprise, surprise,” says Molly from behind me. She nudges Peter with her elbow. “Once a Stiff, always a Stiff.” I ignore her.
“I read an interesting article today,” she says, leaning closer to my ear. “Something about your dad, and the real reason you left your old faction.” I thought we should ignore her, but obviously Tris had other plans, Tris twists, and her fist connects with Molly's jaw. She lunges at Tris, her hands outstretched, but she doesn’t get far. Will grabs her collar and pulls her back. He looks from Tris to Molly and says,
“Quit it. Both of you.” Part of me wishes that he hadn’t stopped her. A fight would be a welcome distraction, especially now that Eric is climbing onto a box next to the railing. I face him, crossing my arms to keep myself steady. I wonder what he’ll say.
“Quiet down, everyone!” shouts Eric. Someone hits what sounds like a gong, and the shouts gradually stop, though the mutters don’t. Eric says, “Thank you. As you know, we’re here because Albert, an initiate, jumped into the chasm last night.” The mutters stop too, leaving just the rush of water in the chasm. “We do not know why,” says Eric, “and it would be easy to mourn the loss of him tonight. But we did not choose a life of ease when we became Dauntless. And the truth of it is…” Eric smiles. If I didn’t know him, I would think that smile is genuine. But I do know him.
“The truth is, Albert is now exploring an unknown, uncertain place. He leaped into vicious waters to get there. Who among us is brave enough to venture into that darkness without knowing what lies beyond it? Albert was not yet one of our members, but we can be assured that he was one of our bravest!” A cry rises from the center of the crowd, and a whoop. The Dauntless cheer at varying pitches, high and low, bright and deep. Their roar mimics the roar of the water.
I can't stand to hear it anymore. I takes the flask from Uriah and drink, the taste is bitter, but right now I couldn't care less. Will slides his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to his side. Voices fill my ears.
“We will celebrate him now, and remember him always!” yells Eric. Someone hands him a dark bottle, and he lifts it. “To Albert the Courageous!” “To Albert!” shouts the crowd. Arms lift all around me, and the Dauntless chant his name. “Albert! Al-bert! Al-bert!” They chant until his name no longer sounds like his name. It sounds like the primal scream of an ancient race. I rest my head on Wills shoulder, and his arm tightens around me.
This is wrong Al just died, and instead of honoring him, they're making him look like a fool. I can't stand to hear it anymore, but I can't find a way to leave. The alchoal is probably starting to affect, but right now it's easier for the alchoal to control me than myself!