Banished (TMR Fanfic)

16

I watched as Alby opened the collar and wrapped it around Ben's neck. He looked up as the collar closed with a loud snap and I wanted to cringe away.

His eyes were sunk deep into his face and a trail of drool leaked out of the corner of his mouth, but he didn't wipe it away. Ben's eyes glittered with unspilled tears and the Gladers watched on, not saying a word.

"Please, Alby," Ben begged pathetically. "I swear I was just sick in the head from the Changing. I never would've killed him - just lost my mind for a second. Please, Alby, please." His voice had risen to a high-pitched plead and I glanced toward Thomas, who looked so guilty I felt bad for him. I exhaled shakily. His words reminded me painfully of how I'd attacked Rachel.

Alby ignored Ben's weak pleas and tugged on the pole to make sure the collar was snapped tightly, then slid back to the very end of the pole.

"Ben of the Builders," he said loudly over Ben's sniveling, "you've been sentenced to Banishment for the attempted murder of Thomas the Newbie. The Keepers have spoken, and their word ain't changing. And you ain't coming back. Ever." After a long pause, he said, "Keepers, take your place on the Banishment Pole."

The Keepers shuffled forward, grasping the long rod like they were readying for a game of tug-of-war. Ten Keepers in all, plus Newt and Alby, spaced evenly along the Banishment Pole. Ben kept sniffling and wiping at his eyes and nose, trying to twist his head to look around him, but the collar forced him to look forward.

"Please," Ben wailed, his voice high and desperate. "Plllleeeeeeeeease! Somebody help me! You can't do this to me!"

That seemed to push Thomas off the edge and he quickly slipped away. No one else noticed, but I did. I backed off silently, Gladers ignoring me completely, and watched as Thomas ducked into the Deadheads.

When I was a good ten feet apart from the crowd, I broke into a half-sprint, heading toward where Thomas had disappeared. I found him crouched against a tall tree, his face buried in his knees.

I knelt down next to him and lay a hand on his shoulder. Not speaking, not moving, just watching. Ben's screams were muffled by the cover of the trees and for that, I was thankful.

But that didn't mean the sounds were entirely blocked out. Ben's miserable screeches ripped through the air, despairing and horrible.

The Maze walls started moving closer together and Alby roared, "HOLD!" A piercing, insane scream made me cover my ears and the walls slammed together with a resounding boom.

Thomas raised his face enough for me to see the tears trickling down his face.

---

I couldn't sleep that night. I think most of the Gladers fell asleep after one or two hours of tossing, but my mind refused to rest. Ben's terrified face stamped itself in my thoughts, haunting me. It didn't matter how much the jerk deserved it. I still couldn't force his face out of my head.

Next to me, Thomas shifted and mumbled something. Giving up on the idea of sleep, I rolled out of my hammock and tiptoed out into the middle of the Glade.

The full moon shone through the Glade, illuminating each and every detail. I sat next to the Box, twisting grass between my fingers and staring at the Maze walls. Stars glittered in the dark sky above me like tiny pinpricks of light staring down at me. A light breeze dangled a strand of strawberry-blonde hair in front of my face and I brushed it aside.

I registered someone coming closer to me, but I didn't look to see who it was. The person sat down beside me but I still refused to turn to see his face.