Fall (Newt || The Maze Runner) - Sequel to "The Glitch"

Screams

A/N - So guys I'm really sorry about not updating for a week but tbh my week was a complete mess and I just didn't want to have a bunch of chapters I was unhappy with...but I'm back now... (except I'm actually going snowboarding for five days woops...:/) Idk a lot happened in a short amount of time but now I think everything will go back to normal 

Autumn's POV 

        Eventually I had made my way back to the Homestead. I hadn't talked to anyone, didn't say a word. It wasn't unusual after all...it's happened before, I could understand why some shucked up stung kid would attack someone. Everything actually made perfect logical sense, it was just a lot for me. (But apparently getting stung and stabbed isn't? What self, work our your priorities!) 

        The next morning Newt mentioned something about taking the Greenie to work at the Bloodhouse, the poor shank. I'm extremely glad I didn't have to go through all the jobs. If he's anything like Chuck was...except I don't really think he will be, he seems smart and strong and that'll probably get him a decent job. I don't know why but those thoughts raced around in my head until they were stopped by Minho's quick goodbye. With that the Door's began to open, grinding rock against rock and sending sparks flying. It was time to run. 

        I couldn't help but smile. I raced into the Maze, Minho just behind me (but not for long), he turned off to the left and I went to the right. The cool morning air whipped at my hair, pulling it away from my face. It was refreshing. With each step I took I felt the bad thoughts disappear, to be replaced by imagined scenarios and impossible escapes. The soft pounding of my feet against the stone was rhythmic and relaxing. I was content, despite the fact that my breaths had grown heavy and I had been running for nearly an hour. I began to slow — but only slightly, so I could conserve energy and run even more. 

        I looked around at the walls surrounding me. Every crack and every gouge in the stone seemed to tell its own tale. I liked thinking about them like that. Not as an unfortunate blemish but as a battle scar, showing that you survived something incredible. I ran until the end of my route, stopped for a quick break and turned back. It was the same, and also not. It wasn't the same as it was yesterday but it was the same pattern. 

        Maybe all the walls have to line up at once. Maybe there's a way to stop them from moving. Maybe the exit is only there during the night. Maybe we have to shucking get eaten by the Griever's to get out! Every idea seemed even more unlikely than before and I wasn't getting anywhere. I want to get out. I need to get out. I had made up my mind today. I was for sure. I was going to get every shucking slinthead out of here! 

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        Let's just say coming back to a new disaster each day was beginning to feel normal... I had gotten back and found out that one; Minho found a dead Griever and two; Ben happened to not be dead...  I wasn't a Keeper so I didn't get to go to the Gathering but Newt told me everything that happened. They were going to banish him, send him out to live with the Grievers, not that that would last for very long...

        I stood in the crowd of Gladers that had gathered to watch the Banishment. Newt had told me I shouldn't watch because it's a truly terrible punishment so obviously I had to come and watch. I stood next to Chuck, who stood next to Thomas. We were near the front of the crowd. Everyone's body heat combined with the setting sun made the situation uncomfortably warm. I fidgeted with the bracelet tied around my wrist as I waited for the Keepers. 

        I felt the rush of turning heads and bustling bodies and turned to see three boys quite literally dragging Ben out of the Map room. If I hadn't known he was alive I would have been grossed out by the body. He had a bloodied bandage covering half of his sunken face. The visible skin was scratched and bruised from going through the Changing. His clothes were torn everywhere, only hanging on by a few soon to be broken strings. Ben didn't attempt to walk or even to stand, he just let them drag him to his impending doom. He lifted his head up, matted blonde hair catching the sun. His eyes were wide, filled to the brim with terror. That look was what had got me. I placed a hand over my mouth and bit my lip. I hadn't known it was even possible to look so terrified and so pleading all at once. My eyes fell to the ground, I couldn't bare to look into his for another second. 

        "Newt," I looked up to see that it was Alby speaking, "Bring out the Pole." I lifted my head more, searching the crowd of Gladers for Newt's familiar blonde head. I saw him nod, and begin to move towards a tool shed that now clearly held more than tools. I felt my heart rate quicken. They're really going to do this. They are going to send him out there, at night, to be killed. If I were in his position I would've been wishing that arrow had killed me. 

        "You brought this on yourself, Ben." It was Alby again. I didn't dare look back to Ben, so instead I turned to watch the door that Newt was reappearing in. He emerged holding several aluminum poles that he appeared to be connecting together. The metal scraped against the stone and I squeezed my eyes shut at the horrid sound. The sound stopped, signalling that Newt had finally made his way to Alby and Ben. When I opened my eyes I noticed there was something odd tied to the end of the contraption...it looked like a collar. 

        I wished I hadn't come. Newt was right, it was terrible. I watched entranced as Alby hooked the collar around Ben's neck, it came to a close with a loud snap. I saw the tears finally come to Ben's eyes, snot leaked out of his nose and he began to panic. 

        "Please, Alby." His voice was shaking and weak, like Ben was a dying animal. "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." I gulped. Here was one of my friends pleading for their life right in front of me and I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't stop them, tell them it was wrong, tell them to look at what they're doing. I'd get sent out right after poor Benny. I wanted to look away, I wanted to shut off all the sounds...but I couldn't. My eyes stayed fixed to the pale boy. 

        "Keepers, take your place on the Banishment pole." All ten Keepers stood, gripping the twenty foot pole with both hands. The end connected to Ben's scrawny neck. It was a bizarre image, bizarre and terrifying. I looked at the Keepers — my friends, they were going to kill him. All of them, together, like it was some fun little get together. I blinked at the horrible thought, attempting to get it out of my head. 

        Ben started to scream. He screamed pleas of help, desperate throat ripping screams. I wanted the whole thing to be over. I didn't want to listen to Alby yelling for him to shut up, I didn't want to hear the East Door beginning to grind to a shut. I didn't want to hear Ben's cries of "no" filling the air, taking away all the oxygen. I didn't want to hear Alby say "Hold" followed by an inhumane scream. One that surely tore his vocal chords, one that echoed off the many walls of the Maze. I didn't want to hear the thud of the closed door. 

A/N - GUYS GUESS WHAT?! My school is going to China for two weeks on this scholarship thing and I'm so stinking excited! Are any of you from China?