near north side//peter hayes

3

"The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight." Four presses a gun into Tris' palm and keeps walking.

"Thankfully, if you are here, you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so we don't need to teach you that," I say.

"Initiation is divided into three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time," Four tells the initiates.

I look out to see many of the initiates just looking at the gun in their hands unsure of what to do. "We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear," I say.

"Therefore each stage of initiation is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is primarily physical; the second, primarily emotional; the third, primarily mental," Four continues.

"But what..." Peter yawns through his words. "What does firing a gun have to do with... bravery?"

I flip the gun in my hand, press the barrel to Peter's forehead, and click a bullet into place. Peter freezes with his lips parted, the yawn dead in his mouth. "Wake. Up," I snap. "You are holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like it." I lower the gun.

Once the immediate threat is gone, Peter's green eyes harden and his cheeks are red. I'm surprised he can stop himself from responding, after speaking his mind all his life in Candor, but he does.

"And to answer your question... you are far less likely to soil your pants and cry for your mother if you're prepared to defend yourself," Four says. Four stops walking at the end of the row and turns on his heel.

"This is also information you may need later in stage one. So, watch me," I warn. I face the wall with the targets on it, my feet apart, holding the gun in both hands, and fire.

The bang is a sound I've grown accustomed to hearing. I sneak in here sometimes and practice shooting, I don't have much use for it but I like the rush it gives me. Looking at the target I see a bullet went through the middle circle. Everyone looks away from me looking at their own targets.

They each start practicing their stance and taking their first shots. I watch Tris stand feet shoulder-width apart, and delicately wrap both her hands around the handle of the gun. She squeezes the trigger, hesitantly at first and then harder, cringing away from the gun. The recoil causes her to stumble back, pressing her hand to the wall behind her for balance. I look and see she missed the target completely. She keeps firing again and again and again, and none of the bullets come close to hitting the center of the target.

I turn away from Tris focusing my attention on the other initiates. I can see that Edward has come very close to the middle of the target. He has a good stance and looks confident with the gun. Next to him is Peter. I'm not much surprised when he also gets close to the center of the target. As much as I don't want to admit it, I think Peter will be a force to be reckoned with if he can get rid of the attitude. I walk over to Four who is standing off to the side of the initiates.

"What do you think of them so far?" I ask him.

"The Stiff hasn't hit the target once. Edward and Peter are probably the strongest right now," Four states.

"I'm sure the Stiff will figure it out eventually. She doesn't seem like she will just lie down and give up."

"Yeah she reminds me of someone I know." Four smirks and I laugh a little.

By the lunch break Tris has finally hit the middle of the target, like I knew she could.

During the lunch break Four and I sit as far away from the initiates as we can. Lauren joins us as well as Zeke and Uriah.