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“Listen up! My name is North! I’m one of the leaders of your new faction!” a man yells at us from the other side of the roof. “Several stories below us is the members’ entrance to our compound. If you can’t muster up the will to jump, you don’t belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first.”
“You want us to jump off a building?” asked a transfer from Erudite.
I don’t really understand why this surprises her. We just jumped off a train onto a roof, no big deal.
“Yes,” North said sarcastically. He looks amused.
“Is there water at the bottom or something?”
“I guess you’ll just have to find out won’t you.” He shrugged like it was nothing.
The crowd of 16-year-olds all split in half, making a wide a wide path in the center. No one looked like they wanted to jump off the ledge, but we all knew we would have too. We all looked everywhere except North, afraid he would call one of us out. Some of them moved around a bit, brushing gravel off them. Others attending to their minor wounds. I glance at Snotlout. He’s picking at one of his nails. Trying to act casual.
This spurs me on. I am proud. I step away from the crowd and walk to the ledge. I hear Snotlout snicker behind me. I would turn around and punch him but then I tell myself I didn’t have to go first.
North step aside, leaving the ledge open for me. I step carefully up onto the ledge and look down. The wind blows my loose gray clothes around me. The building I’m on sits adjacently to three other building. In the center of the building below there is a large hole in the roof. It’s too dark to see what’s inside it.
This is all just to scare you. They want to prove you don’t belong. But I do. I chose it. This is the only thing that makes me step closer to the edge. I was scared. It took me an embarrassingly long amount of time to unbutton jacket and take it off. Getting sarcastic whistles from some of the people behind me. My hands are shaking.
“I’m assuming that’s where I’m supposed to jump.” I asked North.
“Are you dull boy?” He said rolling his eyes. I didn’t notice till now that he has a thick Russian accent. “Yes you jump in the big hole below you.”
Nice Hamish. Way to make yourself respectable. I look at the hole again. My toes poking over the edge of the ledge. I get goosebumps. If I don’t do this know I won’t be able to.
I don’t think. I just jump.
The wind howls around me as I fall. Holy shit this is a long way down. I plunge towards the ground. My muscles tense and my heart is beating fast. The hole engulfs me and it all goes dark.
I hit something hard but it moves beneath me. The unexpected impact knocked the wind out of me. I choke a bit trying to regain my breath. My whole body stings.
A net. There’s a net in the whole. I just jumped off a roof. I start to laugh. I must look like a lunatic but I laugh. Covering my face and looking up. Seeing the others peer over the edge trying to see if I’m still alive. Probably not able too though.
I feel the net begin to move as someone pulls the edge of it towards them. I begin to roll off to just be met with a man. I man with bright white hair and shiny, stunning blue eyes. At first I think it’s odd. My Abnegation upbrings aren’t used to colored hair.
I roll of the net and stand on solid ground again. I would’ve landed on my face if “he” wouldn't have caught my arm. I get another look at him. He appears very pale against his all black clothing. His eyes even brighter now that they’re out of the sun.
“Thank you,” I say looking at him.
We stand on a platform. A few feet higher than the open cavern around us.
“I can’t believe it,” I hear a voice from behind me. I turn to see a woman with dark skin and quite a few piercings. She looks me up and down. She smirks at me. “A Stiff, the first to jump? That’s unheard of.”
“That’s why he left them,” said the guy that helped me off the net. His voice was deep but not scary. He looked to be a few years older than me. “What’s your name?”
“Um...“ I don’t know why I hesitate. But “Hamish” just doesn’t sound right anymore.
“Is it a tough one?” He asked leaning a tad closer. He selled like winter pine. “Think about it,” he said with a faint smile curling his lips. “You don’t get to change it after this.”
“Hiccup,” I say with much confidence.
“Hiccup,” Astrid repeats, smiling. “Make the announcement Jack.”
The boy—Jack—turns over his shoulder and shouts, “First jumper, Hiccup.”
There was so much shouting. I didn’t even see all the people in the room. But I heard them. I definitely heard them. Screams follow as another jumper falls through the hill. Ruffnut sits in the net and laughs. Everyone in the room laughs as well, but follows the laughing with more cheering.
The boy set his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “Welcome to Dauntless,” he says with a wink.
This is going to be interesting.