A/N

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A dead one. I shook my head to clear some space. I must be dreaming. I must be. A dead griever just doesn't happen. And neither does a girl. Then a boy and girl, one day apart. A strange sense of hope came over me. Maybe Adam survived, maybe he's been living in the maze, somehow lost, and he killed it. But, once again unceremoniously, the logical part of my brain convinced me otherwise.

Adam was a runner, he wouldn't get lost. And two, I heard his screams. And lastly, no one survives a night in the maze. He was just one boy. So if Minho thought this was some prank, I would slap him faster than he can say "sassy".

As if reading my mind, Alby stated incredulously, "ain't a good time for jokes,"

Minho looked straight at him, "look, I wouldn't believe me if I were you, either. But trust me, I did. Big fat nasty one."

"You found a dead Griever," I asked.
"Yes, Joannah," Minho said, his words laced with annoyance. "A couple of miles from here, out near the Cliff."
We looked out at the Maze, then back at Minho. "Well ... why didn't you bring it back with you?" Alby asked, as if it were obvious.

Minho laughed again, a half-grunt, half-giggle. "You been drinkin' Frypan's saucy-sauce? Those things must weigh half a ton, dude. Plus, I wouldn't touch one if you gave me a free trip out of this place."

Alby persisted with the questions. "What did it look like? Were the metal spikes in or out of its body? Did it move at all-was its skin still moist?"

"Slim it, man," Minho said. "You gotta see it for yourself. It's ... weird."
"Weird?" Alby looked confused.

"I bet," I scoffed, at Alby's strange behavior. "Dude, I'm exhausted, starving, and sun-sick. But if you wanna haul it right now, we could probably make it there and back before the walls shut."

"No way," I shook my head, "just in case of surprises. Alby looked at his watch, as if he need more reassurance, "she's right. Better wait till the wake-up tomorrow."
"Smartest thing you've said in a week." Minho said, straightening up. "I should go back out there, but screw it. I'm gonna go eat some of Frypan's nasty casserole."

I helped him begin to hobble to the kitchens. "You deserve it, buddy,"

I walked with him, and made it to the homestead, only to find a frazzled looking Andy. I rolled my eyes at his company, while he walked towards us. His usual smirk wasn't there, but yet replaced with terror. "What's going on?" I asked. "I did nothing I swear it's-" he was cut off by impatient Minho, "what!?"

"Ben, he's not dead," he explained. I swallowed my stomach as I repeated his words in his head. Half of me was so relieved, Ben was my friend, but the other half was scared to the bone. He had shown me that he wasn't the friend I thought he was. "How could this have happened?" I whispered, still awe struck. Andy just shrugged, "when we went to get him, he wasn't dead. The arrow missed his shucked up brain, and clint'n' Jeff fixed him up. But he's all real crazy like, sittin' in the slammer. Gally threw him in there, poor medjacks had to fix him up inside,"

I didn't know how to respond. But thankfully, Minho did. "Get Newt, and Andy, find alby. We need a gathering," surprisingly without argument, he nodded, then went off, assigning the baggers to go get the keepers. "Congratulations, by the way. You're gonna make one of your first major decisions as keeper," he said, "too bad this decision sucks,"

It was five minutes. Only five to get all the keepers huddled inside. All of them had eager expressions, all laced with dread. The mustiness of the room was multiplied by ten, everyone knew what was happening. I sat at the far end by Minho. "Attention! I declare this gathering begun!" Alby shouted, and the room fell silent. Newt was a ways -away, by the middle of the line, next to Alby's chair. "We need to discuss what will happen to Ben, as it turns out, the arrow did not kill him,"

He gestured to Newt, who stood, "he broke one of our rules, he hurt another glader. Not to mention, that he's a builder, and he got stung by a Griever. He's not even a runner, so that's two rules he broke. But, he could've gotten off the hook. It appears that the changing made him crazy, nuts. He attacked a bloody newbie and Joannah, a keeper. She had to be put on bed rest! He went out there with the intent of murder, brought a bloody knife," he finished.

He sat down, while alby rose, "I believe banishment is the only course of action. We'll go one by one, each of yah shanks, say what you think. Ain't no idea too stupid, but let's try to make it serious, alright?" There were murmurs of good that in response. They went one by one, as said.

Zart said that he agrees, banishment. Same with Andy. Frypan quietly agreed, from what I could tell he was friends with everyone. When we got to gally, he gave me a sad look. "Um, I know you guys expect me to stand up for Ben, after all, he's a builder and I don't like Thomas very much, but- he attacked my sister, and also, he plain and simple broke the rules. Banishment," he solemnly announced. Newt muttered a banishment, along with Minho. It was my turn, but, I actually didn't really know what a banishment was.

"Okay, I'm not saying anything until I completely know what a banishment is. I'm guessing it has to do with throwing them out of the maze?" I asked, and alby began to explain, "we push them towards the maze right before the doors close. We have a collar to push them. And... After, in the morning, the Grievers always leave the collar," he bluntly said. My mouth opened closed, like a whale.

I was at a loss for words, "you kill them?" I hissed. "No..." Newt said. "It sounds like killing to me!" I exclaimed, rising from my seat. The old bandages were still in place, and when i stood, they could all see spots of blood seeping through my shirt. "You're bloody injured, you need to be fixed up, so you don't have a say," Newt said. I shook my head, "no," I hollowly laughed, "you just don't want me to have a vote. You want to kill him! He's my friend!"

"He tried to kill you, Joannah. It don't matter friend or not. That's attempted murder, and he succeeded in causing pain. Ain't got no time to argue," Alby exclaimed.

The realization dawned on me. Ben tried to kill me. He had broken two rules, which is as bad as me, but I didn't resort to murder. "Banishment or no, Joannah?" Newt asked. I just sat down, and stared at the floor silently.

"Well, you ain't disagreeing so that's a yes," Alby said, "it's unanimous. He'll be banished at the closing of the doors. This gathering is dismissed,"

Everyone turned to leave, but I didn't. We had just signed someone off to death. But I don't disagree. If it had been someone I didn't know, I would've made the decision quicker. But I knew Ben. And sad as it was, the monster that attacked me in the forest wasn't Ben. Ben is gone.

And that is one more person suffering death by Griever because of me.

The coincidence is uncanny.

Everyone had cleared the room except for me, sitting in my chair. Or so I thought, "are you bloody going to leave?" Newt asked. I still hadn't looked him in the eye since what happened. And now, I did.

Sadness was evident in his eyes, and it hurt to look. I stayed quiet, for I had nothing to say. He sat down next to me. "This is why," I whispered. "Why what?"

"Ben was my friend, and now..." I trailed off, not wanting to say. "This wasn't your-"

"Yes! Yes it was Newt! Yes!" I screamed, cutting him off. My green eyes wild, before settling back in my chair. They returned to a glossy dull, my whole body sulked in. He lightly touched my hand, "I don't know what to say," he said. "I-" I paused, "do you hate me," I said, my voice slightly cracking. "No... Never. I'm mad, yes. Sad? Immensely. I still care about you, as if we were together. But I could never hate you," he said.

"Please..." I sighed, holding in the tears, but one escaped, "you're making it harder on ourselves," I cried. He moved his hand away, "so there's no hope?" He asked. "Newt, it's not like I don't care about you. Don't you see? That's the problem. As long as we're close, your in danger. You all are. Maybe... Maybe you should banish me instead," I mumbled. Horror placed his face, "bloody hell! No Joannah!" He paused, grabbing my hand, "Joanie, no,"

I glanced at our hands. "I have a banishment to attend to," I said, then left him alone in the empty room.

*****

I stood with the keepers as I gathered around the east doors. People were talking in hushed voices, as we awaited the runners to conclude their jobs. When they came out, their faces strained with exhaustion and thought, Alby shouted out, "bring him out!"

I turned towards the homestead, curious to see the sight of Ben. Three baggers dragged him out. He was wearing shredded clothing, basically hanging on by a thread. A thick bandage covered half his face, as he refused to help them carry him out. He looked dead, as if the arrow had just penetrates his skin. The only signs of life were his horror stricken eyes; wide and accusing.

"Newt. Bring out the pole," Alby muttered. I spun towards Newt, horror on my face. What pole? We never discussed a pole. He was already moving towards a small shed, as if he knew what was coming. Which, he did.

The baggers brought Ben in front of Alby, his head hanging. He refused to make eye contact with anyone. His pale complexion seemed green in his terror. "You brought this upon yourself, Ben," alby said, shaking his head. He looked towards the shed were Newt and disappeared. He reappeared, dragging along multiple poles. They had a bar along the end, a few feet long. On one of the ends, was a loop. I realized this was the collar they had discussed.

As Newt walked, I stared at the crude scene. What had seemed as a advanced survival civilization placed here, had become a primitive tribe, survival of the fittest. I agreed, it was survival of the fittest. But to think this might've been my fault, probably is, to do this to a friend...

Newt handed out the poles, one for each keeper. It dawned on me that I would be playing a direct part in this affair. I hesitated, my fingers curling the air, before grasping the chilled metal pole, it's surface feeling like my heart.

The last stiff pole was handed to Alby, the one with the collar. Alby looped the collar on Ben, closing it with a snap, just as Ben finally looked up. Everyone was silent as they stared at the sniffling boy, tears threatening to spill as snot ran down his nostrils. "Please Alby," Ben pleaded, his voice shaky, as though he were talking through the magnitude of an earthquake, "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,"

Instead of replying, Alby tested the strength of the collar, then walked away, grasping the pole on the floor. It's smooth surface glided along his fingers, till he grasped it firmly. He turned to the crowd, and I was taken aback- Alby looked terrifying. He had anger pulsing from his face, and his chest heaved in labored breaths.

Behind him, Ben. He looked like a pale, shriveled up prune. Trembling and whimpering, he was a string comparison to the leader twenty feet away. Alby began to speak, a loud sound piercing the silence, "Ben of the Builders, you've been sentenced to Banishment for the attempted murder of Thomas the Newbie and Joannah keeper of the fires. 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."

I reluctantly grasped my pole, coming alongside Alby and the others. Ben kept rubbing his eyes and nose, muffled sobs escaping. His eyes darted through the crowd, and I tried not to make eye contact.

"Please," Ben said, his voice rising in desperation. "Pllllleeeeeeeeease! Somebody, help me! You can't do this to me!"

"Shut up!" Alby roared from behind.
But Ben ignored him, pleading for help as he started to pull on the leather looped around his neck. "Someone stop them! Help me! Please!"

"If we let shanks like you get away with that stuff," Alby said, "we never would've survived this long. Keepers, get ready."

"No, no, no, no, no," Ben was saying, half under his breath. "I swear I'll do anything! I swear I'll never do it again! Pllllleeeeeee-"

He was cut off from the loud rumbling of the doors. The sound was like the grumbling stomach of a beast, preparing for its next meal. And Ben was on the menu. Sparks danced across the floor, feet away from Ben. The monstrous rumbling inches closed and closer, until alby gave the dreaded command, "keepers, now!"

We pushed our poles forward, jabbing and thrusting. All except for me. Someone nudged me and I came to my senses, following in suit. A gargles noise escaped Ben as he fell to his knees. A boy yanked him up, before walking away.

"Nooooooooo!" He screamed, the sound surely causing pain. He tried to tear away the collar, tiny shreds being flicked off, but we were too strong. The keepers pushed him ever closer in the infinite game of pain. "Noooo!" Was the once more gargled scream, which was overcoming the sounds of the thunderous doors.

He was finally jerked outside the glade, four feet away. He planted his feet on the ground to try to prevent it, but to no prevail. He had enough time to turn to face the gladers, the leather collar cutting his skin raw.

The doors were seconds from closing, "hold!" Alby yelled. That seemed to make it real.

Ben screamed, a sound so shrill I heard a ringing in my ears. The piercing sound tore through the glade, shredding his vocal chords, blood soaring out of his throat in the process. It was a cry if lunacy, and utter madness. It was a mix of screeching metal and a whirring machine. It reminded me vaguely of a Griever. Then all at once, Alby's pole disconnected from the collar, pulling it back split second before the doors closed, slicing bens scream into a deafening silence, leaving the boy to his inevitable fate.

The ringing in my ears began to subside, the only lingering memory of the ordeal, for my face was dry from the lack of tears.