Forget (A Maze Runner/Newt Fanfiction)

29-Banished

Ky's POV:

My mouth falls open in shock.

"Banished?"

Minho nods, nervously biting the inside of his cheek.

"Yeah. Banished. He seriously broke a rule, 'never harm another Glader.'"

I gulp.

"When will he be banished?"

"Right now."

------------------------

The other Gladers murmur their conversations in hushed tones, an intense feeling of dreadful anticipation hanging over them like a patch of thick fog; but I say nothing, just stand there, leaning against Madison. I stand quietly until Alby steps out of the crowd.

"Bring him out!" Alby shouts, startling Teresa who is standing across from me.

I stand up straight and turn around, looking for a sign of Gally, trepidation building within me as I wonder what the boy will do when he sees me.

From around the far side of the Homestead, three boys appear, literally dragging Gally along the ground, who is refusing to put his feet down or help the progress in any way. He seems dead. Except for one thing. His eyes are open, and they're wide with terror.

"Newt," Alby says. "Bring out the Pole."

Newt nods, already on the move toward a small tool shed used for the Gardens; he clearly was waiting for the order.

I gulp and turn my focus back to Gally and the boys holding him. When they reach  the crowd, they pull Gally to his feet in front of Alby, where he hangs his head, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

"You brought this on yourself, Gally," Alby says. Then he shakes his head and looks toward the shack to which Newt had gone.

I look over just in time to see Newt  walk though the slanted door. He is holding several aluminum poles,  connecting the ends to make a shaft maybe twenty feet long. When he finishes, he grabs something odd-shaped on one of the ends and drags the whole thing along toward the group. A shiver runs up my spine  at the metallic scrape of the pole on the stone ground as Newt walks.

I'm horrified by the whole affair—I can't help but to feel responsible even though I never did anything to provoke Gally.

Finally, Newt steps up to Alby and hands over the end of the pole he was holding. I can see the strange attachment now. A loop of rough leather, fastened to the metal with a  massive staple. A large button snap reveals that the loop could be opened and closed, and its purpose becomes obvious.

It is a collar.

I watch as Alby unbuttons the collar, then wraps it around Gally's thick neck; Gally finally looks up just as the loop of leather snaps closed with a loud pop. Tears glisten in his eyes, almost making me feel sorry for him. Almost.

The Gladers look on, not a word from any of them.

"Please, Alby," Gally pleads, his shaky voice so pathetic that I can't believe it's the same guy who assaulted me. "I swear I'm so sorry. I will never do it again. I feel awful."

Alby doesn't respond to Gally; just pulls on the  collar to make sure it's both firmly snapped and solidly attached to  the long pole. He walks past Gally and along the pole, picking it up off  the ground as he slides its length through his palm and fingers. When he  reaches the end, he grips it tightly and turns to face the crowd of weary boys.

Gally's eyes are bloodshot, his face is wrinkled in anger, and his breathing is heavy.

Alby speaks in a loud, almost ceremonious voice,  looking at no one and everyone at the same time. "Gally, Keeper of the Builders,  you've been sentenced to Banishment for raping and beating Ky. The Keepers have spoken, and their word ain't changing. And  you ain't coming back. Ever." A long pause. "Keepers, take your place on  the Banishment Pole."

One by one, boys step out of the crowd  and walk over to the long pole until they are all in place. The  only sounds are the angry, rasping breaths from Gally.

"Please," Gally says, his voice deep. "Please! Somebody, help me! You can't do this to me!"

"Shut up!" Newt roars from behind.

"No, no," Gally says. "I swear I'll do anything! I swear I'll never do it again!  Pllllleeeeeee—"

His uncharacteristically shrill cry is cut off by the rumbling crack  of the Doors beginning to close. The  ground shakes beneath me, and I don't know if I can watch what's going to happen next.

"Keepers, now!" Alby shouts.

Gally's head snaps back as he is jerked forward,  the Keepers pushing the pole toward the Maze outside the Glade. A strangling bellow erupts from Gally's throat, louder than the sounds of the closing Door. He falls to his knees, only to be jerked back to his feet by the Keeper in front, a thick guy with black hair and a snarl on his face.

Gally thrashes about, tearing at the collar with his hands. But  the combined strength of the other Keepers is too much, even for the Keeper of the Builders, forcing the condemned boy closer and closer to the edge of the Glade just as the wall is almost closed.

He tries to plant his feet at the threshold, but  it only lasts for a split second; the pole sends him into the Maze with a lurch. Soon he was fully outside the Glade, jerking his body  from side to side as he tries in vain to escape his collar. The walls of the  Door are only seconds from sealing shut.

Gally turns to look me in the eyes. As soon as his meet mine, he screams.

"You'll pay for this, Ky! I will come back and haunt you! This is your fault!"

Then, he jumps, back toward the Glade. But he doesn't make it. The doors slam shut on his body, causing a sickening crunch. I gasp and cover my eyes and ears, collapsing on the ground in sobs.

Word count: 1003