After I ran out of the hospital sector, I wasn't sure where to go. I hadn't received instructions from George to go anywhere for testing. There were no announcements either for initiates, so I sighed heavily and thought about going to ask Jeanine where I was expected to go, but I went against it.

Who would I ask?

I've always been a shy person and asking random strangers for help wasn't exactly my forte.

Luckily, an Erudite woman saw that I looked lost and offered to help me; I found it very surprising.

"Where do you need to get to?" She asked with a coffee in one hand, and a pile of books pressed against her chest in another.

"I'm not actually sure... I missed the announcement from my trainer about where I should be this morning," I replied, embarrassed.

"I haven't seen you here before, so I'm guessing transfer?" I nodded in reply. "The transfers are on the second floor in room 2289."

"Thank you," I said turning to find the nearest staircase then realizing I would need help. "Could you-" I turned back, but she was already walking off as crowds of workers began moving at the strike of the hour. Typical Erudite; don't be seen helping another living soul.

It was extremely difficult to find the room. I looked for room numbers, but there were none, until I realized you had to go up to a keypad that unlocked each door to know the actual room number. I grumbled to myself about how unefficient that was for initiates.

So there I went, keypad by keypad. Some doors were already open, but I recognized no one. I sighed heavily as I made my way across the hall numerous times with no luck.

Finally, I saw someone who I recognized. With a sigh of relief, I went over to the boy I could identify as Murphy, and he directed me to where the room was. He told me that he was just "getting some air" and I dismissed it.

"You're late," George commented.

"I know, I know," I said in a rush. "What do I need to do?"

"First you will get a note from wherever you just were, assuming you weren't just roaming the halls." So Jeanine didn't tell him anything. I clenched my jaw in aggravation as I became angry with her and because I would have to go back there and have her write a note for why I was late. Surely there was another way?

"Isn't there something else I can do to make it up to you?" I asked wearily.

"So you weren't doing anything productive, now were you?" He asked, becoming irritated himself.

"I was with Ms. Matthews," I tried to explain.

"Unless you have a clear and concise note from our leader with her signature, you are to become factionless," He said plainly.

I nodded in reply and left the room without another word. Was I really going to have to visit Jeanine again? I nearly felt like crying, but more like screaming in aggravation. I couldn't go through with this. Maybe I could just become factionless... I wouldn't have as much food, but I'd be among my own kind I suppose...

Just as I was about to give up, I bumped into someone and almost fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled then looked to see who it was. Of course. Out of anyone who could have been in the hallway, it had to be this one.

"Surprise," My mother said with a grin.

"Leave," I said, becoming less and less like Amity by the second.

"Aw, that's no way to speak to your poor old mother," She said with a pout.

I turned around and decided I'd rather go to Jeanine than be with my mother. She was always getting into my business at home, and despite being Amity, we both fought like mad. I needed to take extra bread from the dining hall just to refrain myself from slapping her. The serum was out of my system now, three days in Erudite headquarters made sure of that; there was nothing to stop me from any unreasonable actions now.

"What are you doing here," I asked through clenched teeth as she caught up with me.

"Oh, you know, just catching up with the family," She said casually.

"It's not even visiting day! There's got to be some reason for you being here," I exclaimed while keeping a fast pace.

"Alright, you got me. I'm here to replace one of the nurses for Jeanine Matthews; they became sick or something like that," I stopped walking and my mother only noticed when no one replied and she turned around thirty feet ahead of me.

"You're what?" I asked as she came over. My voice was a harsh whisper.

"That's right! Your ole momma's comin' ta live with ya, here, in the big an' fancy compound! Didn't think ya'd be able ta leave me that easy did ya?" I shuddered as my mother spoke in the tongue that few farmers did back in Amity; she always did it to annoy me or when she wanted to embarrass me; it was both at the time.

"Why you of all people," I mumbled.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun! We can check up on each other, get into each other's lives." What fun.

"I have to go," I said, cutting her off.

I didn't bother to hear what she said afterwards; I went into the hospital sector. There was no doubt she would likely still be behind me, and I grumbled as I went past the secretary. She started to call after me about needing an identification, but I didn't stop until I reached the room I was in previous with Jeanine.

I opened the door in a huff and found her reading a book. She looked up a moment later, and her eyes widened slightly.

"I need a note from you," I grumbled.

"Excuse me?" She asked in her usual superior tone.

"A note. I need a note!" I said getting impatient.

"There is no need to raise your voice at me initiate. I will write you a note for no doubt your trainer, and explain to him later about your absence," She stated. She grabbed a pen and a pad of paper one of the nurses left behind, and began scribing. She then ripped the piece off and handed it to me forcefully. I took it away, with force of my own, and left the room, running into the damn secretary on the way.

"Initiate, please, you must show some identification," The secretary begged.

"I have none, and why would I need one in the first place if you obviously know who I am?" I asked with venom shooting out between pauses.

"You should have received them yesterday," She looked down at a tablet in the crook of her arm and swiped the screen a few times. "Yes, here it is: 'Initiates will receive identification cards on the second day of initiation in Erudite,'" She recited then looked up at me expectantly.

"I don't have one, and that still doesn't explain why I need one," I said, copping a slight attitude; the secretary didn't notice.

"I will take you to get one in a moment as soon as I get the new nurse situated," She answered, ignoring my question again.

I realized that the new nurse was my mother and became even more pissed off than before. The day was just getting better and better by the minute.

My mother walked in acting sheepish, and I scoffed slightly, that way no one would really notice.

"Where should I attend first?" She asked as ignorantly as she could.

"Jeanine Matthews, remember? This is the only reason why we hired you from Amity," The secretary said. She didn't seem too bothered by the obvious act.

"Oh, of course! Silly me, forgetting my patient already! It won't happen again, miss," I rolled my eyes and waited anxiously for the secretary to finish directing my mother. I worried about why the Erudite would hire Amity in the first place; they were even more drugged up than a love-ridden Jeanine.

The secretary then left the hospital sector with the same fast pace as the other Erudite. I was getting better at keeping up, but struggled only a little bit still. We climbed three flights of long stairs and I tried not to pant because she didn't even seem to be bothered by the exercise.

We finally reached the room where I would get my ID and found myself smiling that the trek was over; we had gone from one end of the building to the other plus the three flights of seemingly-endless stairs.

"You will have your picture taken and you will state the faction of your origin, age, and name; the rest of the card will be filled out by the photographer," The secretary said and turned away after her instructions.

I opened the door wearily and saw that there was no one but a man who looked about as old as George. He was tinkering with one of the lights when he looked up and saw me.

"You must be Sage," He spoke in a rich baritone voice, which made me shiver a little. He was very good looking, but let's just get one thing straight: I wasn't falling for him.

"How'd you know?" I asked, not realizing the obvious.

"You were the only initiate absent yesterday," He stated.

"Oh," Was all I said, but I could feel myself getting hot with embarrassment.

"Come on, let's get this done," Even though his words were meant to sound impatient there was only a hint of it in the actual sentence.

I went over to a stool in front of the camera and awaited patiently for the photographer to come over. He made his way over to the camera after touching up the various lights; I couldn't help but fidget anxiously as I waited.

"Calm down, it's only a picture," He said with a grin and going behind the camera; I grinned a little uneasily back.

Before I knew it, the whole thing was over. I thanked the photographer, who's name I learned was Liam, and left the room with a new ID card in hand along with my note from Jeanine. I took a deep breath and headed in the direction of the room where the transfer initiates were last.

"I assume you have a note?" George said and held out his hand expectantly.

"I actually do," I said smiling and then handed him the note. He looked over it and frowned, but nodded once he had finished reading.

"Come, you have much to catch up on," George said and walked me over to an isolated testing desk. Other initiates watched in curiosity as he instructed me on what to do. I glanced at them every once in awhile while he talked in a monotone, and some could be seen snickering. I let out a light annoyed sigh and then continued to listen to George.

"Do you understand?" He asked after about fifteen minutes. I nodded though I let about half of the information go through one ear and out the other. If only he was more enthusiastic...

"I'll be bringing the initiates back to the dormitory and then to lunch. You have three hours," George said, leading the initiates out of the somewhat average sized room. Before leaving, he gave me a pencil and a booklet, where I would need to write down the answers to various questions about the factions and their function; it was actually quite easy, and I found myself finishing before the end of the given time period. I drummed the tips of my fingers on the desk until I realized I could probably go.

I got out of my seat, which squeaked as I got up, and headed over to the desk where all of the test booklets were. I placed mine on top and headed towards the closed door. I tried to get it to open, but it was locked. I began to panic a little; one of my fears was being trapped in a room with no exit, along with various dangers in the room.

I paced and looked around. There were no other exits. I slowed my breathing and figured George would only lock the door so I wouldn't try to escape without testing, which didn't make much sense because that would obviously mean I would be one step closer to being factionless.

I stopped pacing as I heard a noise. It sounded like a can hitting the floor.

I looked in between desks and saw nothing. I was about to turn around again when I heard a spewing sound and saw a white gas coming up from the last row of desks. My heart began to pound in my chest as I raced towards the door; the circumstances were too precise for the gas to be harmless.

I shook the handle of the door vigorously and called out for help. I turned around and saw the gas was spreading quickly. I shook the handle even more and screamed for help. Then I saw something strange: Jeanine was running down the hall towards the door. How can she run and why is she out of the hospital?

"Jeanine!" I screamed and banged on the glass. She came to the door and tried to open it. Her face turned into pure fear. She shouted something and I could just make it out.

"It's a pesticide! George shouldn't have kept you in there! He knew this would happen today!" She cried.

I began to feel tears streaming down my face, despite wanting to, as I realized George meant to kill me. He might have been involved in Jeanine's injury, but why would he still be free if he had? It didn't seem logical.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. I gasped for air, but none came to refresh my lungs. I banged on the small window and I could see Jeanine looking frantically around for something. I fell to the floor and could hear glass breaking after I did so. I looked up and saw the gas escaping through the broken window, but it was too late.

I felt my body going limp and saw a bright light. I closed my eyes not wanting to think about anything. Then...

I woke up panting and crying, covered with sweat. I let out a sob and put my face in my hands. Jeanine, who was sleeping in the bed beside me, was awoken by my cries, and she limped over to me, then pulled me into an awkward embrace.

"What was it?" She asked soothingly.

"It was horrible," I said, shaking. "I don't even know how I got here, or what parts are real and not real."

"You've been in the hospital for two days, sleeping mostly," She began.

"Why am I here?" I asked quietly.

"We were supposed to do an annual pesticide gassing of a few rooms that had been infested with insects for unknown reasons, and you happened to be in one of those rooms. Do you know why you were there?" She said. The room was dark, I could barely make out her facial features.

"George," I said, remembering the horrific dream, which seemed to be mostly a memory. "He told me to test there because I was behind because I was with you in the hospital. That's who appeared in my dream."

"When we spoke to you last, you said something about a mystery man who persuaded you to enter the room and do something for him, and he locked the door behind him," She recalled.

I shuddered next to her warm body. "That means I picture George doing something like that."

"We'll have to find him in the morning," She said distantly. That was the last thing I heard Jeanine say before I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Hey guys, I'm back! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it keeps you wanting to know more❤