zugswang - the maze runner

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Eliza was wrapping Thomas' wrist in the Med-jack hut. Neither spoke a word as she focused on his injury. ''If Ben had continued, his fingers would've gotten into your actual wrist. Would've been messy,''

''Why aren't you going to tell Alby?" Thomas asked, straight away.

''If I told them, they would lose their klunk. I'm the only girl, obviously, so they look out for me the most. I don't want them freaking out.''

She finished wrapping his wrist. ''It's just swollen and bruised badly. Good thing we stopped him in time. What did he say to you?''

Thomas looked at her, ''What?"

Eliza rolled her eyes. ''He was muttering on how bad you were when we took him to the pit.''

''He said he saw me. Just like you did.'' Thomas spoke quietly.

Eliza only nodded her head and stood up. ''Right . . . well I have to go to the banishing. It's pretty gruesome so if you don't want to see, don't go.''

Thomas stood up as well, their bodies inches from each-other. ''If it's gruesome, why are you going?"

''The boys say they feel more calm when I'm there, because I talk to each of them individually after to calm them down.'' Eliza stated.

''It sounds like you're the only hope they have in this place.''

Eliza shrugged her shoulders and smiled lightly, ''Something like that.''

* * *

Banishment was a heartbreaking and terrible ordeal that was needed to show authority. Back in the Dark Days, there was no banishment, and that created chaos. Banishment was only used if someone broke a rule. Ben broke a rule. Never to harm another Glader.

Since banishments were so heartbreaking for Eliza, Alby never asked her to participate in one. Usually Jeff would step in and act as the leader. However, all the Gladers had to be there and help with the banishment to prove what would happen if they broke a rule.

At sundown, that's where everyone was. The Keepers had their poles, and the rest had sharp, pointy sticks. Eliza stood off to the side, and watched as Minho brought Ben down. His hands were tied behind his head, and he was begging Minho to listen to him.

If it were possible, he looked worse than before. Dried blood was stained on his chin, and he was growling like some sort of animal. He walked past Eliza and gasped, ''Eliza, please. Don't let them do this to me. You'll listen to me-''

''Shut your hole.'' Minho hissed, pulling him away from her.

Eliza could really feel the pain in her chest. When Ben first came, he wouldn't talk to anyone but her. Minho forced Ben onto the ground and cut the ropes from his hands. Ben fell onto his hands and began gasping, but started coughing up black liquid. His throat was making weird gurgling noises.

Besides Ben, was a little book-bag filled with food and water. Eliza had offered to pack it and because Ben was her friend, she snuck in extra things even though she knew the outcome. No one ever survives a night in the maze.