When the Sky Begins to Fall

Two weeks later

Caleb's POV:

I've gone to visit Kaitlynn, everyday, for the last two weeks. From the looks that some of the other initiates give me, they must think I'm actually forcing someone to have sex with me.
That's okay.
The only thing that matters, is that Kaitlynn now has a friend here; someone who means her no harm. Someone to talk to.

She has told me a lot, in our short friendship.
She's been through more than anyone should ever have to go through.
Her boyfriend had it pretty rough, as well.
She said he would be angry that she told anyone, but, he's not here, anymore. And he's not the person he once was.

I can't say I blame the guy, too much; he was in love with Kaitlynn, and he thought she was dead.
He went crazy from grief.
I can sympathize.
Is my Abnegation showing?

I've been doing research on what this whole operation is about, and, for the most part, it's what Kaitlynn described.
They need someone removed from the face of the earth, so Erudite fakes their death, and places them here, letting them rot away in lonely rooms.
The only company they receive is, unfortunately, usually sexual, and nonconsensual.

I've been wandering the halls, as of late, locating where all the security cameras hide, in their corners. Some of them can even be spotted peaking through the vents.
I don't see how it could be possible to get Kaitlynn out of here.
I've got to keep searching, though.
I've got to.

My sister came to see me, today; Tris, as she calls herself, now.
She's worried that she doesn't belong at Dauntless.
I told her she has no choice.
I almost told her about Kaitlynn, and what a monster that Jeanine is.
I almost asked her about her leader, Eric.

Almost, never did anything.

Stormy's POV:

I'm so tired.
I really don't want to keep doing this.
Yes, I have what I would call a friend, now.
Yes, I'm clothed, and fed.

But, this isn't living.
This isn't even surviving; I'm not able to fight.
This is simply existing; I may as well be a ghost.

Caleb is a nice guy, it's the highlight of my day, when he comes to visit me.
Problem is, I never know which time it's him, or which time it's Marcus, or one of the other perverted men that like to "visit" me.

I know, I said I don't watch the videos anymore.
But I did, just a few days ago.
Eric pushed a young girl over the Chasm, and made her hang there for five minutes.
Why would he do that?
It just doesn't make any sense.

I don't understand what's happened to him.
Even if he did think I was dead, why turn into this-, this monster?

I feel like I'm slowly going insane, in this place.
I wish there was some escape.
Some way to escape this hell I'm in.
But, there isn't.
I'm going to be here, until the day I die.
Just like I always thought, from the very beginning.

Jeanine's POV:

"Miss Matthews? Eric is here to see you, shall I send him in?" the woman who handles my phone, speaks through the monitor, on my desk, in her nasally voice.
"Yes, send him up," I say, sighing, in annoyance.

He comes here, every week, on the same day, at the same time.
He's been asking for more doses, recently.
I guess I should have seen that coming.
Hyperopium is highly addictive.

I smirk.
I did this to him.

There is a soft knock on my door, and then Eric pushes the door open, striding into my office, and taking a seat in the blue chair in front of my desk.
"Hello, Eric," I drawl, still smirking from my power trip.
"Jeanine," he says, in a dull voice.
"What can I do for you, today, hm?" I ask, leaning forward, and resting my chin on my folded hands, placed neatly on my desk.

Eric hesitates, before answering. "140 ML?"
I gasp.
He can't be serious.

"140 ML? Eric, you must be joking. That's 20 ML a day! That's four times the amount you're supposed to take!" I raise my voice, in concern; it wouldn't do to have my secret weapon done-in by a drug that can only be obtained by a close connection with Erudite.

"It's been a rough week?" he explains, but it sounds like a question.
What am I going to do with this boy?

"Alright," I throw my hands up, defeated. I press a button on my personal intercom, and moments later, I hear the familiar buzz, that means I'm connected to Annie.
"Annie? I need 140 ML, now!" I bark through the receiver.

Eric can't sit still.
He's twitching, and his leg bounces up, and down, while his hands shake.
He's a mess.
Such a beautiful mess; that I have created.

I smirk at him.
"Eric?"
He turns to look at me, and still unable to keep still, simply raises an eyebrow, in question.
"You can't get this for free, forever, you know?" I say, darkly, still smirking.

I see him visibily gulp, and a brief look of panic crosses over his strong features.
"Uh, yeah, uh-, h-, how much?" he asks, swallowing nervously, again.
"I don't want your money," I state, honestly. I love watching him squirm under the hold that I have over him.
He knows; I hold all the power.

"What, uh, w- what do you want?" Eric presses.
I smirk again, as I stand, and move from behind my desk, placing myself in front of him.
"Next time, Eric, I want you," I confess. I want to control all of him. Every last inch of him will be mine.

I watch as he fidgets nervously, avoiding my gaze, and he gulps loudly.
Annie enters, then, with this week's, larger-than-normal, supply. Eric stands quickly, snatching it from the girl, and rushes out the door, without so much as a farewell.

That's okay.
I smirk.
He'll be back.
He always comes back...

Caleb's POV:

I make my way back through the halls; I've just left the main library.
I walk with my head down, as I mull over my options.
Honestly, I just don't see any that won't get the two of us killed.
I'm not watching where I'm going, and all of a sudden, I'm on the floor.

"Watch it, Nose!"
I look up to see a member of Dauntless, kneeling on the ground, in front of me, picking up several vials of a red liquid off of the floor.
I reach to help him, but he stops me.
"I got it," he growls, darkly, looking up at me then, and I see his face, for the first time.

It's Eric.
It's Kaitlynn's boyfriend, or whatever.
It's the Dauntless leader, that she was in love with, that thinks she's dead.

I'm stunned to silence, as the desperate man in front of me, gathers the rest of the vials, shoving them back into the bag they were in, and stands.
"Watch where you're going, next time," he threatens, and I shrink back in fear, as he continues on his way, out of Erudite headquarters.

Four's POV:

I saw Eric come in, today, on the monitors. He was carrying a bag.
I couldn't see what was in there, but I can guess.
I told myself I was done with his shit, but, damn it; I just can't help myself.

He's not gonna stop, just because I ask him too. If I tell one of the other leaders about it, they're not going to be too happy, though. But, he always has this bag when he comes back from Erudite.
Jeanine is probably the one supplying him.

I've got some theories about that woman.
Every two or three days, there have been trucks, and technicians, from Erudite, unloading computers, and pallets, full of an orange-colored serum.
I don't know what it is, yet, but I know it can't be good.

Tris surprised me, pleasantly.
For a while, there, I really thought she wasn't cut out for Dauntless.
But she's improved, more than any of the other initiates; it won't surprise me if she ranks first, or second.

The initiates start their fear landscapes, tomorrow. I have to see what her deepest, and darkest fears are.
I'm not looking forward to it, to say the least.

It's rough, working the night shift in the control room, and then training initiates all day, too.
Sometimes, I wonder what it would've been like, if I'd transferred to Erudite, or Candor.
I can't see myself in either of those places.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Eric's apartment door open.
The Dauntless leader stumbles into view, swaying, and staggering his way out, into the corridor.
He's got that bag with him.
What the hell is he doing?

I watch as he heads down the corridor, and, at first, I'm worried he might be headed for the Chasm. But, then, he stays to the left, heading towards the dead end, where he found Amar that night, so long ago.
I watch in horror, as he throws himself to the ground, and scoots back, leaning against the cold wall.
I can't let him do this to himself.
I just can't.

Eric's POV:

What the fuck?
Jeanine wants me to have sex with her?
She's, like, 30 years older than I am!
I really don't want to do that.

I got an uneasy feeling when she admitted the form of "payment" that she would be willing to accept; similar to the feeling I got, right before... the night, before my choosing ceremony.

Can I willingly do that?
I can't do that.
I don't have a choice.
Do I?

I've just finished injecting the third vial into my arm, and am preparing another, when Four runs up, out of nowhere.
He grabs the vial in my hand, and the bag, and proceeds to smash them against the rock wall, while I stare in horror.

"What the fuck, man?! What the fuck?!" I scream, dropping to my hands and knees, attempting to lick the red substance from the cold, hard wall.
"Eric! Stop! Shit," Four yells, pulling me back, and causing my head to slam against the ground, hard.

I see stars.

I start crying.

"What the fuck, Four? You have know idea what I have to do to get more! I will die without it! Do you understand me? I will fucking die!" I scream, as I pound my fists, weakly, against his chest.

"What?" he asks, slowly.
Clearly, the fucker didn't hear me the first time.

"I will fucking die!" I spit the words in his face. And his expression is one of shock, and confusion.

"Wait, how much of this shit have you been taking?" he inquires.

"What, in like a day?" I ask, as he rolls his eyes. I stare at the floor as I answer him, not needing to look at him to see the disappointment cross his features.
"20," I admit, honestly. Four grabs me by my shirt, forcing me to look at him.
"20?! 20ML?! Are you fucking serious?" he yells at me, and I look back down.
That was all he needed.

He lets go of my shirt then, instead grabbing my arm, and dragging me back to my apartment.

When we get inside the door, he closes it, and locks it behind us.
"Sit," he says, nodding to the couch. I comply, and he follows suit.
"Eric," he starts. "Look, I know things have been hard. I know, for whatever reason, you hate me, again. Fuck, I don't hate you, though, man. I fucking care about how you feel, and what happens to you. I don't want you to get hurt."

I snort, then, and laugh darkly.
His glare could match my own, when I'm rolling, and it shuts me up, instantly.
Now he's intimidating me?
What the fuck?

"How did you get started on this shit?" he nags.
I sigh, and decide to be truthful. Maybe he'll feel sorry for me, and help me get more. Maybe I won't have to do what Jeanine wants me to do.

Four's POV:

I almost couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. I mean, it made sense. The timeline matches up, the circumstances; everything.

"So, you went today, to Jeanine, and she gave you 140?" I ask.
Eric nods, and then his face falls, looking sullen.
"What's the big deal about the cost? I mean, you make plenty of points," I press further. Something is off, here.

Eric hesitates, glancing at me, and then down at the floor, and there he fixes his stare.
"She doesn't want money, anymore," he whispers, and I almost didn't hear him.
"What?" I ask, confused. "What does she want?"

Eric hesitates longer than necesarry, and, now I'm worried.
"Eric, what does she want?" I ask him, again.
"She... she wants me to-, ya know..." he mumbles, still staring at the floor.
"She want you to what? Eric, I can't read your mind."
"She wants me! Okay, Four? She wants to fuck me! Get it, now, Stiff?!"

I used to flinch at the nickname, but, not anymore.
That's fucked up.
He can't do that.
He wouldn't do that.
Would he?