It's a fight for survival Growing up in Dauntless faction had been natural. Her father none other than Harrison Davis, a respected leader....or so she had always thought. In her earlier years she had looked up to her father, because they were all each other had. Dylann could never get out of her father what had happened to her mother, he just would not talk about her. Perhaps it was too painful? Which meant Dylann would create different scenario's in her head. Had the woman died? Abandoned them? Did her father hate her mother if she had left? All of her theories were nothing compared to the truth she would one day learn of.
At times it was lonely. Harrison was a bit of a grump. Always very strict and all about training. He wanted his daughter to be strong. Prepared! Training her from a young age as a warrior, not so much a daughter. She had known he was doing it because he loved her, because he wanted her to make it in this world they lived in. But that didn't stop her from wishing for moments with no schedule. Or someone to share the pressure with. A sibling? That had not been in the cards. Dylann Davis was an only child.....again...or so she thought.
Harrison had raised a warrior, not a child. She respected him for it, loved him for it, and god she missed him for it! He died....he was gone, and she'd never be able to tell him anything again. Sitting on the edge of the chasm she looked down below. It had been three years since she lost him. A necessary lie, which led an only child to believe her father was dead. One day she would learn the truth, but for now she held such a void within her. Hoping he could give her some kind of wisdom, but believing he never would again.
Choosing Dauntless at the ceremony held for those who came of age at sixteen, was an easy choice. It was the only thing she had ever known! Though there was an even amount of fear that came along with this choice, because upon completing the aptitude test, it was revealed she held the attributes of three factions. Dauntless, Candor, and Erudite. Which was viewed as a genetic flaw in this society. It was a crime! One punishable by death if found out. The few with this rare genetic makeup were known as Divergent. She was only lucky the test examiner turned a blind eye so to speak.
One good thing about joining Dauntless. They allowed a name change, upon arriving. You could be anyone you wanted to be. Which was why Dylann took on the persona of 'Phoenix'. She had always liked the mythical creature, and thought it a good a name as any. She preferred everyone call her that, because to be quite honest, she hated being Dylann these days. Dylann was afraid. Dylann was lost. Phoenix though? A Phoenix could do this....Couldn't she?
Initiation was proving to be more difficult than she had believed it would be. It didn't help that the instructors were two people who she felt the need to punch whenever she saw their faces. The fact that she had to avoid being found out didn't help either. She had to pretend. Be someone other than herself, just to be accepted here in this place. The only place she had ever known as home.
It would be easy to end it. All she had to do really was lean forward. So many had taken this dive. Knowing the pressures of initiation was just too much, and that should they fail they would be factionless. A fate which most considered worse than death. Did she? Did she really think this possibility was worse than death? Part of her must have, because here she was. Dangerously hanging by a moment of uncertainty.
She sucked in a burdened breath, blonde hair falling down in front of her face as she looked down at the place where so many had ended their lives. Then with a light shake of her head, she let it out. As if she were letting out all the negative thoughts she had been harboring the last few days. Then carefully she stood, making her way to safe ground once more. Away from the destructive allure of the chasm.
In the darkened cave like corridors of Dauntless compound, she headed back to find some sleep. Her body aching after a full days training, proof that she was still alive. That this life, however painful, was worth living. But someone had different plans. Having been taught her whole life to keep her head down, she only heard the footsteps coming. Figuring it was just another night roamer. Nothing out of the ordinary. But as she passed the figure, something clamped over her mouth. Someone had grabbed her from behind and squeezed.
The instinct to fight kicked in! Hands wildly came up to scratch at the hand covering her mouth, her legs kicking out in front of her. Anything to make a scene. She just needed to get enough room away from this person's hand to let out a scream! She brought her chin as close as she could to her chest, getting a small pocket of air away from his hand. His....
She'd heard him grunt. Surprised at her initial strength? Can't breath....she thought. Finally getting in a quick scream which echoed off of rock like walls, gasping for air from behind rough fingers. Her muffled scream did nothing but fill her lungs with some kind of chemical? She felt it's affects almost instantly. How her limbs went heavy, and her eyelids would not follow the simple command of staying open. In her last moments of consciousness, her brain worked out one small detail.
A smell. Familiar? Or just strong. Seconds later she slumped against the man's body. The man shifted her weight so that he could hold her up right. Eventually lifting her to carry her more easily. A calloused hand moved over her neck, pausing in calculation. Would they kill her now? Squeeze the life from her? Throw her over the chasm? Neither of those happened, Dylann's comatose body was carried through the empty halls of the compound. Until a testing room was reached.
"Let's see if my assumptions are correct." the voice spoke. Dropping her down onto the testing area like a bag of garbage. Because that is what they saw her as. Garbage. Daughter of Harrison. Former Leader. She was doing alright in the ranks, but many sensed she was purposefully holding back. Hiding something. It was the new leaderships task to find them! Weak links known as Divergents. The truth of the matter was? Max had it out for her since before she had even joined as an initiate. He was bound and determined to make sure she was out of his ranks, divergent or not. Was it because he saw her as a threat? Maybe no one would ever know.
A needle penetrated her neck and the horror began. What tests were they performing? Was she meant to undergo an impromptu fear landscape? Would anyone intervene?
