near north side//peter hayes

4

"Since there are an odd number of you, one of you won't be fighting today," I say, stepping away from the chalkboard in the training room.

I scan the room looking at the transfers. I can see the look of relief on Tris' face when she sees no name next to her own. She snaps from her own thoughts when Christina elbows her. Christina is nowhere near as calm as Tris because she is fighting Molly. Christina and Molly are the same height, but that's where the similarities end. Molly has broad shoulders, very pale skin, and a bulbous nose. She has very muscular arms from what I've seen of her hitting the punching bag. I turn looking for Molly, finding her talking to Peter and Drew. All four of them are Candor transfers, and from what I can tell Christina doesn't get along with the other three.

I am dragged from my thoughts when I hear Four yell, "Will and Al in the ring."

Will and Al are friends but Four and I know that it is better for them to fight each other in the beginning when less is at stake then to make them fight at the end when rankings are more concrete. Will and Al stand across from each other in the arena. They put their hands up by their faces to protect themselves, like Four and I taught them, and shuffle in a circle around each other. Al is half a foot taller than Will, and twice as broad. As I stare at him, I realize that even his facial features are big, big nose, big lips, big eyes. This fight won't last long. I turn when I hear the door open and see Eric walk in. He walks over to Four and I standing between the two of us. He doesn't say anything, just gives both of us a nod.

I glance at Peter and his friends. Drew is shorter than both Peter and Molly, but he's built like a boulder, and his shoulders are always hunched. His hair is orange-red, the color of an old carrot. Peter notices me looking and he grins. This boy is so full of himself. I just shake my head at him.

Turning back to the fight, Al punches Will hard in the jaw. Eric smirks at Al, and turns one of the rings in his eyebrow. Will stumbles to the side, one hand pressed to his face, and blocks Al's next punch with his free hand. Al is slow, but powerful. Will hooks a foot around one of Al's legs and yanks back, knocking Al to the ground. Al scrambles to his feet. Will and Al face each other for a few more seconds, more hesitant than they were before. Will flicks his pale hair from his eyes. They glance at Four and I like they're waiting for us to call the fight off, but neither of us do. They need to learn that here in Dauntless we fight till the end, we never give up.

I look over at Eric and see him checking his watch. After a few seconds of circling, Eric shouts, "Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for nap-time? Fight each other!"

"But..." Al straightens, letting his hands down, and says, "Is it scored or something? When does the fight end?"

"It ends when one of you is unable to continue," I say.

I can tell by the look in Four's eyes he wants to let them concede, but he knows that isn't an option, especially with Eric and I standing here.

"A brave man never surrenders," Eric adds.

Four and Eric stare at each other for a few seconds.

Beads of sweat dot Al's forehead; he wipes them with the back of his hand. "This is ridiculous," Al says, shaking his head. "What's the point of beating him up? We're in the same faction!"

"Oh, you think it's going to be that easy?" Will asks, grinning. "Go on. Try to hit me, slowpoke."

Will puts his hands up again. I see determination in Will's eyes that wasn't there before. I like the confidence Will has, but I'm not too sure he can actually win. One hard shot to the head and Al will knock him out cold. Al tries a punch, and Will ducks, the back of his neck shining with sweat. He dodges another punch, slipping around Al and kicking him hard in the back. Al lurches forward and turns. He charges at Will, grabbing his arm so he can't slip away, and punches him hard in the jaw. I watch the light leave Will's eyes, which are pale green, like celery. They roll back into his head, and all the tension falls from his body. He slips from Al's grasp, dead weight, and crumples to the floor.