Y/N had been mapping a section of the maze when she heard it. A blood curdling scream echoing off the walls. Against every better instinct she had, she couldn't ignore the scream. Because it wasn't just any scream. It was Ben's scream and he sounded like an animal, wounded and dying.
Y/N felt her chest tighten as her heart threatened to leap out whilst she ran to where she had heard the scream. Now it was eerily silent, the only sound was Y/N's boots smacking against the ground harshly. Soon enough, all noise ceased to exist and Y/N saw a body laying ahead on the floor.
"BEN!" Y/N screamed in her own agony as she ran to the runners side before she dropped to her knees, her mouth ajar as her eyes quickly scanned over his body, trying to find what she knew was hidden there somewhere. And it was.
Y/N's eyes rested upon an ugly welt mark just below his rib cage. Blood pooled at the entry point and his veins started to thicken and become almost ropelike as he went deeper into the Changing, almost to the point of no return. Y/N sobbed as she half dragged, half carried Ben back to the Glade before another Griever came along.
Y/N screamed as she collapsed by Ben once his deadweight had gotten too much for her to handle. Y/N blocked out shouts and cries demanding to know what had happened as though it wasn't already clear. She felt a hand on her wrist and her eyes met Ben's.
They weren't his natural colour. Y/N was used to seeing a warm brown staring back at her, but these were cold, black and seemingly lifeless, she had to remind herself that Ben wasn't himself. But deep down, Y/N knew Ben was still in there somewhere as his eyes she noticed softened the slightest when resting upon her. She knew then that Ben would never hurt her.
"Ben?" Y/N asked slowly. Ben didn't answer right away but she noted the small head nod, as though he wasn't quite sure if his own name for a moment. He seemed hesitant about something before he opened his mouth to try and talk. Y/N shakes her head and places a finger to his lips, stopping him from trying to talk as she knew the worst was still yet to come for him.
Ben seemed determined to say something whilst he was still conscious and wormed out of the grip Y/N had over him. The three simple words "I love you," left his lips draining the last of his energy before his eyes rolled back into his head, leaving the med-Jack's to cart him away quickly, but not before Y/N stole a kiss. "I love you too Ben, I will see you soon," she whispered before his screams began, drowning out her words.
