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We work in the gardens all day, it seems like there are always weeds popping up and always vegetables and fruit to be harvested. Since the box hasn't come up since the girl arrived, we're relying on our own gardens and animals more heavily than ever.

I'm taking a break, leaning on my hoe and sipping water from a canteen when I hear Alby's voice behind me.

"You supposed to be leaning on that or digging it in the ground?"

I flip him the one-finger salute. "What do you want, Alby?"

"Ben isn't dead."

I turn slowly. I'd told Alby what happened with Ben, and I'd thought that the Baggers had taken care of him. "What?"
He nods, shifting his weight to his other leg.

"Baggers went to get the body but couldn't find him anywhere, but there were footprints, so they followed those and the shank crashing through the Deadheads, mumbling some klunk about the Greenie. Threw him straight in the slammer, we've got a rock at the door right now, but I need the key. Medjacks are patching up his head in there."

"Right," I say, taking a breath, "I suppose we'll have to banish him, won't we. Can't have psychos running around, and he tried to kill Thomas." As an afterthought, I throw him my key ring. He nods to me and I turn back around, returning to my task.

It's been ages since we've had a banishing, the last one was because some Griever-stung shank – Alex – tried to burn the maps. He didn't get far.

We put the tools back in the tool shed as the first runners enter the Glade, heading to the maps room. I stand next to Newt, watching the steady procession of people to Frypan's kitchen, the Glade bathed in a dim red-orange glow. The sunset over the massive walls is beautiful.

After everyone's eaten, I send Alby to get the pole from the weapons room, and two of the builders to get Ben from the slammer. It's almost sad, the way he just lets himself be dragged between them to the West Door, not even trying to save himself. A bandage is wrapped around his head where Newt hit him with the shovel.

Alby comes back with the pole, a rough leather collar attached to one end. He clips it around Ben's neck, and that seems to be what brings the boy to the present. He stands up as Alby secures the pole and I take my place at the front, the keepers filing in to take their places too.

Ben just stands there, he doesn't even struggle.

"Ben of the builders," I address him in a loud, clear voice, "you have been convicted for the attempted murder of Thomas the Greenie, we hereby sentence you to banishment!"

Ben's head jerks wildly as the doors begin to slide closed, his eyes wide. He lets out a whimper as we push him towards them, but there isn't anything he can do.

The doors are close to being shut, we force Ben through them.

"Hold it..." I say, "hold it... hold it..." two metres, one... "now!" As one, the keepers and I jerk the pole through the gap, leaving Ben collared in the Maze. He didn't even scream, which somehow makes it worse.

Everyone goes to bed quickly after that, and I find myself and Newt walking with Thomas as he makes his way to the edge of the Deadheads.

"I feel like it's my fault," he says, "like if I hadn't shown up he'd be fine."

"Hey," I place a hand on his shoulder, "it's not. Ben tried to kill you, which means automatic banishment. He knew the rules, even if he wasn't himself when he attacked you."

"Yeah," Newt adds, "don't blame yourself Greenie. It's just coincidence that you showed up when things started going to klunk."

Thomas nods, unconvinced. "Thanks guys," he mutters as he walks off, though we don't say anything in reply.

Making our way to our usual spot, I wonder if somehow Thomas is linked to all this, but dismiss the thought quickly.

"Newt," I say as we're falling asleep.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think will happen to us?" I wait, and I almost think he's fallen asleep, then comes the reply.

"I don't know, (Y/N), I really don't know."

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