Chapter Text
Georgia paused in the halls of the Dauntless headquarter, eyes focused in on the people passing. Turning with an urging feeling, like someone had been following her, she turned slowly to look over her shoulders. She stared at the curve of the hall, and waited for the lurker to come into sight. A tap came on her arm and shoulder looked forward, "Come on," said Reggie, "We have to get to training."
Georgia nodded, but taking a step she stopped again. Turning to look behind her again, a dog lunged out at her with snarling teeth, and heavy front paws. Losing her balance, she tipped back towards the Chasm with a scream and the dog still on top of her as she was falling.
She jerked awake, breath ragged, and she sat up quickly as hands steadied her instantly. "It's okay."
She looked up meeting Tobias' gaze.
"You're back now." He assured, stepping back with his hands up.
She panted, running her hand down her face feeling the heat rising off of her skin.
Tobias turned back to the monitor, clicking around. "You just about averaged with the rest. Two minutes better than last time, that's good." He said, turning back to her. "How're you feeling? Alright?"
"A little sick."
"It happens to some people, most people have allergic reactions to it. You've probably just got the end of the bat with this one." He smiled lightly, "Take it easy."
She nodded, slowly sitting up from the chair. With a small stumble, he caught her.
"You alright?"
She nodded, "The stimulation gets me a little dizzy."
"You'll be alright." He patted her back as she steadied towards the door, opening it for her, they both came into sight. "Reg. You're up." He called and Reggie stood up from the seat beside Georgia's.
"You alright?" She asked.
Georgia nodded, "I'm fine. I just need some water."
Reggie nodded, rubbing her back. "Feel better." She insisted, and started walking for the stimulation room.
Paul, waiting by the corner, stood up and started walking beside her. "How'd you do? Fourth time in, how was it this time?"
"Sicker." She commented. "A dog mauled me over the Chasm."
"Wow. Yikes. I got burned, to death. My old faction watched."
She shook her head, "I need a nap."
"Agreed. That test made me hungry though, I never realized how much I wanted food until now. I could eat a hoard of buffets in my lifetime."
She snickered, "You already do."
"Hey!" He nudged her, "No picking on me."
She put her hands up in surrender, starting the walk along the halls towards the Chasm to the cafeteria where lunch was being served. "I find it so strange how everything's happening so quick now. Feels like days ago we were jumping in a hole and screaming for our lives."
"You know, I've been thinking the same thing too. It's weird." He started across the Chasm. "I guess it's just - time. Guess we spend so much time on doing the same things we don't realize what's going on." He shrugged, looking to his side but only finding a wall. "Georgia?"
Georgia was on the other side of the bridge, staring at it right in front of her feet. Every time she'd entered stimulation, the Chasm was always there. She'd always feared the Chasm, being around it, walking over it, even running over it once. She could only wonder if she could fight this fear in her, and switch it out for something less terrifying. Like spiders, or maybe even snakes. Anything but the Chasm.
"Georgia, come on." He gently grabbed her wrist, bringing her along the bridge. Moving to the other side, he let go of her wrist and walked beside her. "Are you going to be okay? With the Chasm and everything?"
"Yeah. Eventually."
"Do you think you'll be able to get over your fear of it?"
"After Eric tossed me over it one time, I don't know." She joked, and he smiled.
"You're making light of the fear, maybe that's step one. Find humor it in."
She shrugged as they walked into sight of the cafeteria, a Dauntless passed her. "Hey, Amity!" He greeted, and she smiled to him.
He leaned in close to whisper, "Do you think people are still looking up to you because you shot Four and won the physical fight?"
"Hey, Amity. Sit with us!" Called another Dauntless passing them down the stairs.
She snickered, "I'll take that as a yes." Wandering along, people had said hello to her and she'd said it back.
The Capture the Flag Game was long ago, but people still found the humor and lightness in it. She sat down at the corner of a table, and Paul sat beside her. Diana, a Dauntless born initate, smiled at her and continued eating. "Did you hear about the score board?" She asked.
"No, what about it?" Georgia cupped her water.
"Supposedly, the last ones on the list was Giovanni. The first two were Cameron, and Reggie."
"Who was the third?" Paul asked.
"You're sitting beside her." She gestured to Georgia, "I think she got third place because of the defiance in the beginning, but since she won the physical fight and Capture the Flag it boosted her way up the charts. I got fifth."
"When did you look at them?"
"I didn't look at them, I heard second hand from some older Dauntless. He says it's wild prizes for the top three, I guess that makes you an extra celebrity behind the Flag win, and the fight out in the Pit." She smiled, "What ever happens, I'm totally rooting for you to get first place."
"You seem happy about that." Paul commented.
"And?" Her voice started to pinch with aggravation.
"I'm just saying, most people would want themselves to be in the top three or number one."
"I was number one in my class and also won the reward for best engineer. I know what the fame is like already, why shouldn't I give someone else a chance for once?"
"I was just saying-."
She rolled her eyes and looked back to Georgia. "So, I was thinking that for a little celebration for you we could head to the Pit and get new clothes or even a tattoo. I'm looking forward to a piercing, on my tongue." She raised her eyebrows. "Wanna come along?"
"Uh, sure." Georgia smiled.
"Can I come?" Paul pipped in.
Diana glared at him, "Sorry. It's a girl's night." She rolled her eyes again, looking down at her meal. "I'm done." She stood up, "Meet up by the Pit around seven?"
"Yeah."
She waved to Georgia and walked off, Paul beside her sighed. "Wow, that's what you call two faced." He scoffed. "Are you going?"
"With her?"
"Yeah."
She shrugged, "I wouldn't mind getting something for myself."
"As in like a tattoo or piercing?"
"No, clothes."
"Oh." He nodded, picking up a hamburger and putting it on his plate."While you're there could you look at the guy's section for me, I see some guys around with these cool jackets and I want to get one myself one time and -."
Georgia zoned out. Her eyes scanned over the crowd as she caught the sight of someone across the lunch room. Tracey sat in between some rowdy Dauntless who laughed and pounded their fists against the tables. She didn't look like she belonged, she kept her eyes downcast with a bandage strip over her nose. As if signalled by her stare, Tracey looked up to look around the room before her eyes met Georgia's. She tried at a smile, but Tracey glared at her. She glared and it burned Georgia, enough to turn her gaze away. When she looked back, Tracey was gone. She could only hope that Tracey would forgive her.