Clara looked on in horror as Alby unbuttoned the collar and wrapped it around Ben's neck. Ben finally looked up just as the loop snapped closed with a loud pop.

"Please, Alby," Ben pleaded, his voice pathetic and shaking. Clara had never seen such fear on a person's face. "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."

Alby didn't respond, he only checked to see if the collar was firmly attached to the Pole and began to walk to the end of it. When he did so, he turned to face the crowd, his eyes bloodshot, his face wrinkled in anger. On the other side, Ben was trembling and crying. Alby spoke in a loud, ceremonious voice.

"Ben of the Builders, 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." Clara looked over at Newt, whose dark eyes revealed a hint of guilt. "Keepers, take your place on the Banishment Pole."

One by one, boys walked over to the long pole and gripped it tightly. Newt was one of them, as was Zart, Minho, and Gally. Once they were all in place, the air grew still in silent, the only sounds being Ben's muffled sobs.

"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.

Ben ignored him and continued to beg as he pulled at his collar. "Someone stop them! Help me! Please!" Clara felt drawn to him in his pitiful state, but she knew that if she even stepped one foot towards him she'd probably get Banished too.

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

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

His shrill cry was cut off when the East Door rumbled, signaling it was closing. The ground shook as the door moved across the stony ground.

"Keepers, now!" Alby shouted

The Keepers jerked the Pole forward, making Ben's head snap back, and pushed it towards the Maze. Ben fell to his knees, only to be shoved back on his feet by Zart, who had a snarl on his face.

"Nooooooooooo!" Ben screeched, thrashing and tearing at the collar, but to no avail. The Keepers were too strong, and forced Ben toward the edge of the Glade, where the wall was almost closed. "Nooooo!" Ben tried to plant his feet at the threshold, only to be sent forward with a lurch. He was now four feet into the Maze, jerking from side to side, trying to break free. With one last effort, Ben twisted around and faced the Gladers.

"Hold!" Alby commanded. Ben screamed, a long, piercing cry that made Clara cover her ears. She'd never heard anything so inhuman before. At the last second, the Keeper at the front somehow loosened the larger Pole from Ben's collar, and yanked it free. Ben's final screams were cut off by the resounding boom of the Maze walls.

Clara shuddered and looked over to see Thomas with tears running down his cheeks.


The next morning, Clara and Newt woke up together so he could see her off and wish his friends luck. Before they walked out of the room Newt pulled her aside and they shared a quick kiss.

"Because we can't do that in a few minutes." he explained, his breathing oddly irregular. Clara could feel his heart racing through her hand on his chest.

"It's going to be fine, Newt. I've got Alby and Minho, the Griever isn't even alive. We'll be back in a few hours. It's going to be okay." Clara reassured him.

"It's going to be okay." he repeated, sighing.

Clara and Newt joined Minho and Alby at the West Door, where the two were already stretching. Clara spotted the collar Ben wore the previous night laying on the ground a few feet away, causing goosebumps to break out on Clara's arms. Minho noticed her and smiled.

"You ready, champ?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Clara responded, bending over to touch her toes.

"So, here's the plan." Alby began, stretching out his arms " We get in there, find the Griever, and drag the thing back here by noon. Should be enough time. Then we'll figure out what to do with it."

"Good that." Minho and Clara said in unison.

Once the three Runners were done stretching, they said a quick goodbye. While Alby and Minho's backs were turned, Newt grabbed Clara's arm.

"Be careful." He insisted, his brown eyes staring intensely into hers. Clara subtly brushed the hair from his face and kissed his cheek.

"I will. I'll be back before you can count to ten." She winked and went to join Alby and Minho, who were already running off into the Maze. Newt gazed on worriedly as his friends disappeared behind a corner.

"One..."