Chapter 12:
The next evening Avery stood alone. She stood off to the side of all the other Gladers. Tonight was the night they banished Ben. All the Keepers where holding their long poles ready to push Ben in the maze. It was silent until everyone heard Ben. He was crying out. Avery turned her head to the sound. Minho was pushing Ben along. Minho's face was twisted with pain and hurt. He didn't want to do it. She knew that. No one wanted to do it. Ben was a good guy. He was one of the smartest and fastest people here. They came up to the group of Gladers. Ben's eyes were searching everyone that was there.
"Please." He cried. His eyes landing on Avery's. "Avery please. I can get better, I can. I will. Please don't let them do this to me." Ben's face was covered in tears. Avery was heartbroken. She couldn't do anything.
"I'm sorry Ben." Avery said. Tears started to form in her eyes. She looked away form him, and hugged the closest person near her. Turns out it was Thomas. Thomas looked at her. The girl of the Glade was broken and she needed someone. Thomas was that person. He rubbed her arm, trying to comfort her as best as he could, while still be curious as to what was happening.
Minho put Ben in the middle of the circle. He then put the collar around Ben's neck and through the bag attached to it into the Maze. Ben's cried filled the Glade. Then the doors started to close.
"Now" Alby said putting his poll down to face Ben. Ben stood up when all the Keepers and Gladers put their polls down, leaving him no choice, but to go out in the maze. Ben still tried to reason with them.
"Please, don't do this. Please." but it was no use. They pushed further and Ben had to move quickly because the doors would kill him. The last thing Avery saw was Ben in the Maze.
After a few minutes of silence, Avery let go of Thomas. She had to get it together. She wipped her tears away. She just needed something to hold. She saw Minho and walked towards him. He looked at her when she approached. She hugged him. He let her. She just lost one of her best friends in the Glade. He lost a runner, and a good one at that.
"I'm sorry." She said after a while.
"Don't apologize. There's nothing we could have done. He never got the serum in time." Minho said backing away but still holding her hands.
"I have to go. Alby wanted to talk with me. We need another runner now." Minho said. Avery knew, just as well as Minho knew that it was too soon to find another runner, but they had no choice. They needed people.
"Alright" She said kissing him on the cheek. Minho nodded, and started to walk away.
"Minho wait!" She yelled and ran to catch up to him.
"What?" He asked her.
"I love you." She smiled softly.
"I love you too." Minho smiled back. He hadn't heard her say it in so long.
The next moring Avery got up with Minho. They were going out in the maze today. They went and got breakfast and packed their bags. Then they started off. They ran through the maze. They knew every turn of that place that they could go through blind folded. They round a corner and Minho stopped dead in his tracks. Avery crashed into his back. She fell to the ground with the force. Minho looked back and help her up.
"Why did you stop?" She asked him.
"Look." was all he said. So she did. She looked up ahead in the corridor. She could just make out something.
"Is it dead?"
"Don't know." Minho replied. He stepped forward, then he took another step. He made sure to be careful of where he was stepping.
"Minho, what are you doing?" Avery said, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. He sighed and turned around.
"I just want to see if it is dead." He said. She let go of his arm, and he continued walking. She stayed where she was.
Minho came back a few minutes later.
"So? Was it dead?" She never heard any screams or clicking noises. Minho nodded.
"Yup. As dead as a pile of klunk." he said.
"We should head back and tell Alby. He would want to know." Avery said turning back.
"Why?" Minho said grabbing her arm this time.
"Because I think he would want to know why there's a dead Griever out in the maze."