monachopsis - maze runner

chapter 4

Chapter 4
Marks on the Wall

Florence was chosen to inform Minho of their friend's fate. There was a common understanding that it would be best to let her handle it, as she knew exactly how to defuse the situation if Minho blew up at the news. The rest of the Keepers retreated to the Council Hall, leaving Florence alone in front of the looming doors.

As evening descended on the Glade, the chill crept back into the air. Florence fiddled with the zipper of her jacket, foot bouncing as she stared down the dark corridor into the Maze. She heard footsteps faintly echoing against the stone, and a figure turned the corner. Florence took a shaky breath as Minho emerged from the shadows, panting heavily but with a smile on his face. He has no idea.

"Hey Flo!" he called out, waving and slowing from a sprint to a jog. "Miss me that bad, huh?" As he got closer his grin faded, eyes trailing from her furrowed brow to her bouncing leg. He stopped beside her, clutching his Runner's harness as he tried to catch his breath. "Everything okay? Need me to take a swing at someone?" As if he needed any more confirmation that something was off, Florence didn't even crack a smile.

"It's Ben, he...uh..." Florence swallowed, eyes flitting from the ground to the walls to Minho again. "He got stung and attacked Thomas." Minho stumbled back like he'd been punched, raking a hand through his hair as he took in her words.

"Shit, okay..." His eyes scanned the Glade, landing on the row of cells built into the ground. A few boys mingled around the area, guarding it, arms folded or hands clutching weapons. "He's in the Pit." It wasn't a question, but Florence nodded anyway. Minho clenched his jaw and started for the Pit, but Florence blocked his path. "Let me go," he spat, though the venom in his words rolled right off her.

"Not yet," Florence replied gently. "The doors close soon, we need to have a Keeper meeting first."

"Why?" Florence raised an eyebrow.

"Minho, you know-"

"We're gonna toss him to the Grievers anyway, can't you just let me talk to him first?" He seemed to grow in height as he yelled, gesturing wildly towards the Pit, but Florence wasn't deterred. This was exactly why she'd been chosen to tell him.

"We don't have time."

"What kind of shit is that? We don't have time." Florence said nothing. "If you just let me talk to him, maybe we can figure something out, maybe he can get better." Minho seemed to realize how rash he was being, and the next time he opened his mouth no words came out. Instead he released a wavering sigh, and let his arms fall to his sides.

That's what Florence was waiting for. She stepped forward, put a hand on his arm, and started gently guiding him towards the Council Hall. He didn't protest her touch, if anything he leaned into it; she had that effect on the boys, no matter how hardened the Glade had made them. "Sorry for yelling," he mumbled as they crossed the field.

"It's okay," she replied, and she meant it. Florence couldn't imagine something like this happening to someone as close to her as Ben was to Minho. If Alby got stung, she'd probably hunt WCKD down and burn their Maze to the ground.

"You get nominated to tell me?"

"Mhm, but I would've volunteered anyway." He'd calmed down now, so she patted his arm and slid her hands back into her pockets. They stopped outside the Council Hall, a half-circle stick building set in the corner of the Glade. The Builders had dug dirt benches into the ground and utilized the wooden support beams as a sort of panel for the Keepers to stand at. It wasn't perfect, but it served its purpose well enough. Florence sighed, and with one hand on the door asked "You ready?"