The Maze Runner

Chapter Four

  After meeting Newt at Homestead, we decided we'd taken enough risks for the night and ended up back in his hammock. But I'm a light sleeper, so I didn't get much sleep when Alby decided it'd be a good idea to get Thomas up an hour before the wake up. Newt, on the other hand, sleeps like he's dead. So he didn't wake up when I slipped out of the hammock to follow them.

I keep my distance as I trail behind them, into the middle of the Glade. I hear Alby giving him some type of speech. He mentions something about how we've lost a lot, and that Thomas needs to know because he's curious.

"You're one of us now. You need to know what that's like." Alby hands Thomas a knife, and shows him the wall with all our names carved into it. I watch as Thomas carefully grasps the knife to add his own name.

"Huh," I mutter out loud. I realize I spoke much too loudly when Alby turns around but I quickly duck behind a bush. He's not very fond of me. Probably because I do klunk like this. Eh, oh well.

I still remember the day I carved my name into the wall. I'm lucky it's not crossed off by now. There were lots of opportunities for it to be.

Hours later, no one's broken their jaw yet, so I decide to work with Newt and Thomas in the gardens.

"Has anyone tried climbing to the top?" Thomas asks, leaning on a shovel. I look down.

"Tried it. It doesn't go all the way to the top. And besides, where ya gonna go from there?" Newt answers. I look up at him from where I'm kneeling in the garden. He doesn't look back at me, but I know why. It still hurts.

"Okay, well what about the box? Next time it comes up-" Damn, this kid asks a lot of questions.

"No, we tried that, the box won't go back down with someone in it," Newt interrupts him.

"Okay well what if we-"

"No, we tried it, alright? Twice. Trust me, anything you can think of, we've already tried. Our only way out is through the maze," Newt bends down to pick up a bucket. "Now look, you wanna be helpful? Go dig us up some more fertilizer," He tosses it to Thomas, who resists at first, but eventually gives in and walks towards the deadheads. He trips on a stick as he walks away and I can't help but laugh, which of course leads to him glaring at me. But he goes about his way.

"Wow, I haven't seen anyone so curious since you came up," Newt tells me. I smirk and lean back on my calves.

"Oh no, does this mean you'll fall in love and forget about me?" I put a hand to my chest sarcastically. He rolls his eyes and goes back to cutting down one of the plants.

"Yeah, like that could happen." I smile. My heart still races whenever he says stuff like that. And we've been together for months. It just never goes away. I look down and go back to planting flowers.

"Do you think he'll get lost? He hasn't been here very long," I ask Newt. He shrugs.

"If he can find our spot, he can find his way back."

"Keep your voice down!" I whisper-shout. As if I need another reason for Alby to hate me. Newt just grins at me. He loves playing with my fears.

"Aw come on, love, it's-" He starts but a terribly loud scream in the distance cuts him off.

"Bloody hell," He whispers.

"That came from the deadheads... Thomas?" I ask. We exchange a look before turning our heads to see Thomas running out of the trees, a blob of motion following him at his heels.

"Is that Ben?" I shout, running behind Newt to try and save Thomas's ass. The whole Glade runs over only to watch Ben tackle Thomas's leg to the ground. Thomas screams for help.

"I'll kill you!" Ben shouts at him, looking like he's foaming at the mouth.

"Oh no..." I whisper under my breath. I'm pretty sure I know what's coming.

Newt swiftly swings the bottom of his shovel once he gets close enough to knock Ben out. He hits him right on his forehead and Ben topples over.

"Hold him down!" Newt shouts orders to try and stabilize the boy. He gets on top of Ben and tries to pin his arms down. "What are you doing?"

"Calm down, Ben," Gally says, helping Newt keep Ben on the ground, with the help of Frypan.

"What the hell happened?" Frypan asks.

"He just attacked me!" Thomas yells back his answer.

"You okay?" Chuck tries to make sure Thomas is taken care of. Chuck is too innocent to be stuck in this hell pit. As Ben sees Alby and me start to walk over, his expression of anger turns to one of terror.

"No, no... no, please," He begs. But it doesn't work. Newt looks at me. I nod.

"Lift his shirt."

Gally pulls up Ben's shirt to reveal exactly what I expected. There's a pink, swollen incision surrounded by ropes of blue and purple veins. It takes up the whole right side of his stomach. I knew it.

A griever sting.

"No, please, please," He begs and begs Alby. But we all know what's coming. It's inevitable, we don't really have a choice.

"He's been stung." Gally turns to Alby. "In the middle of the day?" Ben continues whispering "please" quietly under his breath, but it won't help. Only one person has ever been able to survive a griever sting. Thanks to me.

"Please just help..." His voice shakes. A single tear falls down my cheek.

"Put him in the pit," Alby demands. A few gladers surround him to attempt to drag him into the pit.

"No, no! Please don't kill me! Beth! Beth!" He cries. I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. He wants me to save him. But I can't. I just, can't.

"Medjacks!" Newt calls, but he's not calling for me. He's calling for Clint and Jeff. Ben screams, trying to get the gladers to listen, but it doesn't work. I can hear his screams as he's carried away. He'll have to be banished.