➊ 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 - 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐨, ᵗᵐʳ

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟒: 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

"Banished?" I replied in a whisper. Hawk. Would. Be. Banished.

It made sense, they wouldn't want an infected running around the Glade. If I could tell it wasn't him anymore by the animal screams he was letting out, so could they.  But if he wasn't sick, and he'd still have done the same things to me, what would they have done?

Would they have defended me or ignored my pleas?

When those other boys talked with their eyes, watching my every step and hissing when I came by, no one did anything. So when one decided eyes weren't enough and his hand would rise lower, would they trust the fool that I was?

Maybe it was because they knew I could defend myself, that only a shank would do something to a "savage" like me. Yet, they saw and heard what occurred between that one builder and me. Nothing happened to him, and I earned myself a night in the pit. Misogynist at his peak if you'd ask me.

"Does that mean—" I started. I needed to know what that banishment really was about. Alby cut me off, pressing his hand to my shoulder.

"It means he will get locked into the maze once the door closes, he's stunk and there's nothing we can do for him."

They didn't know what went on with Hawk as much as I did. They were only banning him because he was stuck, not because of what he did. I hated him, as much as I hated the one that put us there.

So then why, why couldn't I rejoice myself that he would soon be gone? My problem would go away, and so I hoped that feeling in my chest would too...

"Since you ran with him, we thought it would be better to tell you before you learn it from someone else." Newt continued.

"How—How does this even work? He's sick but he's not dumb, he won't just go into the maze?"

"He doesn't have a choice, I'll spare you the details, you'll see," Minho said before heading out of the Med Hut. He was acting so weird these past few days, and I wondered if he knew something I didn't.

"We won't have to assist to a blood bath right?"

"He gets sent into the maze and unless he stays in between the doors, no," Alby explained.

I winced at the thought. It was a graphic way to banish someone. I wanted him gone, seeing him yell inhuman calls at the Med-Jacks should have made me sick. Instead, it made me feel empty, knowing I would have to see him again.

But deep down I knew that even if he was gone, I would never feel better. Wouldn't heal from his voice.

Simon then came to my side, leaving the two other Med-Jacks to deal with the infected. He smiled but was genuinely worried.

"Big day ahead of us right?" He said gently, anticipating the event that was about to happen. He was saying it like it was nothing, but someone was going to die.

He seemed to notice my discomfort because he added to his words. "Don't worry too much about him, there's not much we could have done for him."

"You don't have any cure or anything?" I wanted to snap at myself, why would I still want Hawk to survive?

But deep down I knew why I was asking for such a thing. From the memories, I figured I wasn't immune to something. Maybe if I ended up being stunk like him, then there would be nothing left for me except this punishment.

Simon shrugged, raising his shoulders. "It happened before that the box came up with a kind of syringe. Nick for example, we had one for him, but it was too late and he was found dead by morning."

Nick was one of their old leaders, before Alby. They used to be first and second in command, even though Alby was the first to come up here.