Chapter 11:

Avery awoke the next morning. She was ready to start another day. She could hear the maze doors opening for the day. She walked over to the window, she seen Minho and someone else run out. Before Minho went out into the maze he threw a kiss to her window. Another Glader was replacing her today. Minho told her to have the day off. She got ready for the day and walked out of the Homestead. She was walking to the breakfast line when she seen Gally talking with his friends. She quitely ran over to him at full force and when she was about two feet away, she tackled him. They both went down. Avery laughed with everyone else.

"Shuck" he said, then once he realized who it was he started laughing to. He got up before she did and helped her up.

"Go on ya shank. Get something to eat." He told her. She laughed walking away.

After breakfast Avery was helping Newt in the gardens. When they all heard a scream. It came from Deadheads. Avery took off towards the wooded area and ran through the trees. The screaming was coming from the graveyard. When she got there she saw Ben on top of Thomas trying to kill him.

"Ben." She yelled. Pushing him off Thomas. Thomas struggled to get to his feet. Avery put all her strength she could muster to keep Ben from trying to kill Thomas.

"Ben, calm down." Avery yelled. Suddenly an arrow shot through the air. Alby stepped up from behind the bushes. Cross bow in hand aiming it at Ben.

"Ben, calm down. Or else I will kill you." Avery stopped in her tracks. Then she realzied that Ben was stung. Alby was going to kill him if he didn't calm down. Ben was rabbid. He kept struggling against Avery. She looked down at him. Pain filled her eyes. She stumbled off him.

" Ben please, focus. Calm down." Avery tried. His eyes softened a bit, before he grabbed her. You kill me Alby, you kill her." Ben spoke, his tone so serious it was almost like she was his enemy Avery started struggling. Thrashing around.

"Didn't you seen it Avery. He did this. Thomas did this to us. Don't you remember. You went through this." Ben spoke in her ear.

"No, I didn't. I don't remember." She lied. She was risking her life she knew it.

"Your lying Avery and you know it." Ben yelled. He spun her around. She took this as her chance. She punched him in the face. He back away, enough for her to move towards Thomas and for Alby to shoot Ben in the head. Avery watched as his body fell to the ground. A sob caught in her throat. Tears where spilling in her eyes.

"No." She breathed, she crawled over to him. "No" she yelled. She felt strong arms wrap around her waist and she knew it was Alby.

"No" she yelled, thrashing around in his arms. "Put me down." She cried. "He's dead." Avery cried and yelled. Alby kept a firm hold on her. When they walked out of the forest. He put her down, she went to run back and he grabbed her again.

"ALBY, let me go. Please. I need to see him." Alby wouldn't let her go. So she dropped to the ground and cried. She curled up in a ball. Alby squat down to her.

"Avery, I'm sorry but it had to be done." He said softly. Other Gladers were now looking their way. Avery looked up when she heard rustling coming from the trees. She looked up in hope thinking that maybe some how Ben was still alive, but Thomas walked out. He walked over to them.

"What was wrong with him?" He asked. Avery could have punched him.

"He got stung." Alby explain, "by a Griever." Thomas never asked anymore questions.

Later thst evening Avery was sitting by the fire that the builders had going. Gally was sitting next to her. They sat in silence. Avery didn't speak a word the entire day. She just wanted Minho to caome back. She needed him. After a few minutes Gally spoke up.

"Avery? You there?" He called to her. She looked up at him. His eyes were soft and caring, but she was the only one her looked at her like that. Gally was like her older brother, he may seem mean but he was always there for her.

"what?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Minho just got back. He wants to see you." Gally said. Avery looked up and saw that Minho was standing right next to her. She hadn't even noticed. He was looking at her.

"Avery, come on. Let's talk." Minho said holding out his hand. Avery almost didn't want to leave the fire, but she finally took his hand and they walked towards the Homestead. Once inside she and Minho sat down on the make shift couch the builders made. Minho and Avery didn't say anything. She crawled into his lap and cried. He let her. She needed to cry. Everything has been strange for her since the day she got back.

After ten minutes, she stopped. Composed herself and looked up at Minho.

"Sorry" she said, "I must sound like a baby."

"No, it's okay. One of your friends just died." Minho said.

"He was your firend two Minho" Avery said stating the fact. Minho nodded.

"Yes he was. He was a good guy..." Minho was cut off when Newt ran into the building.

"Guys come quick." Newt said already half out the door again.

"Wait, Newt what's wrong?" Minho called out to him. Newt came back.

"The baggers went to get Ben, and he was still alive. Don't know how, Alby got him in the head. He's over in the Med jack's station now, getting bandaged up now. He is going to be banished tomorrow when the doors get ready to close." Newt said turning back around. Avery was a little hopeful. She knew it wasn't going to last. Even if Ben did make it through the changing he was still going to be banished.

For trying to kill Thomas.