Sanction -Minho-

Chapter 10

Grace didn't hurt as bad the following day. It was easier to move, but she was still sore. Clint cleared her and allowed her to leave the following morning. However, he tasked Jeff with keeping an eye on her. She knew it was Alby's idea but never complained. Jeff was her best friend, and spending time with him was enjoyable.

Throughout the day, she felt this sinking feeling in her gut. They were Banishing Aaron at sundown when the doors closed. She felt as if it was her fault. The rational part knew it wasn't. Aaron tried to kill her, but still, he was being Banished because of her.

She tried not to think about it, but the thought lingered in the back of her brain all day. It made her nauseous, but she still forced a smile when anyone asked if she was okay, which everyone did. By now, the entire Glade knew of the incident. It was all anyone was talking about. If people weren't asking her if she was okay, they were staring.

It didn't help that there was a bruise on the side of her face. Mostly in her hairline, but it traveled around her cheekbone. "She-Bean," Jeff nudged her shoulder. "You still with me?" The sun was going to set soon, and that meant the Banishment would take place.

"Yeah," she offered him a false smile. "Always am."

"Good," he grinned. "The Banishment is going to start soon. Do you want to head back to the Homestead? Or we can get something to eat."

"No." She needed to be there, "I would like to go."

As she took a step forward, Jeff slipped in front of her. "Greenie-"

"Jeff," Grace stared up at him. "I'm not the Greenie anymore. I want to go." She had to be there.

He sighed, "look. It's not easy Banishing a fellow Glader. You don't need to see it. Not when you already feel this bad about it."

Grace knew he was right but didn't care. If Aaron was going to Banished as a result of her, then she needed to be there. "Jeff," she wasn't backing down. "I need to be there." Jeff looked across the Glade, watching as Minho and Gally marched towards the Slammer to retrieve Aaron. It had been his job to watch Grace but also to keep her away from the Banishment. "I'll stay back. I won't get in anyone's way. I promise."

He rubbed his jaw, "okay, fine."

Grace was grateful for him. "Thank you."

"Just keep in mind you asked to be there." She would remember that. "And that I strongly advised against it." This was her choice. Part of her doubted that choice, but it was what needed to be done. It was the right thing to do. At least, that's what she told herself.

They walked through the Glade together silently. There was a group forming around the doors. Everyone was holding a pole. There were two different types. One's with pointed ends, and the others were flat. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were for. To the right, she could see three figures approaching. Gally walked ahead while Minho dragged Aaron behind him. He was yelling, but Grace couldn't make out his words.

Newt noticed the two standing to the side but didn't say anything. He couldn't leave his post. "Let me go," Aaron struggled against Minho's tight grip. He wasn't nearly as strong as the Runner, and his hands were tied behind his head. "You're making a mistake! Gally, she's one of them! You said it yourself. She was sent here to destroy us all!"

Grace watched as the group parted, and Minho shoved him to the ground. Gally threw something inside the Maze, but she wasn't sure what it was. Most likely the necessary stuff to survive, but nobody ever survived a night in the Maze. The doors rumbled to life, and Minho cut his restraints. He moved behind the barrier quickly, stepping to the side to watch. "You're making a mistake," Aaron tried to get out. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

The doors began moving. "Move in," Alby screamed. They started pushing him closer and closer to the doors.

"No, no," Aaron cried. "Please, don't do this. Gally! Gally, I'm on your side. I was helping you!" Gally looked away shamefully, feeling guilty in a sense. He never meant for this to happen. It was not his intention to cause any harm. "Stop!"

Grace wanted to look away. To look at anything else, but she couldn't pull her eyes away. They were locked on the horrifying scene in front of her. There was ringing in her ears. It drowned out the screams of Aaron. He struggled for a moment, but it was pointless. The walls were getting closer and closer with each passing second.

Eventually, he ran out of space and was forced into the Maze. Grace watched as his face morphed from anger to fear. There was no getting out of this. He saw that now. With the walls closing in and nowhere to go, he vanished into the Maze. Then, it ended. The doors closed, and everything went silent.

Grace stood in her spot, unable to move. They had just Banished Aaron. It wasn't just a Banishment. They sent him to die. They sentenced him to death. "Hey," Jeff placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

The ringing stopped, "yeah. I'm fine." Casually, she brushed off his hand. "I'm going to go back to the Homestead." Without waiting for a response, she walked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Grace never planned on going to the Homestead. Rather, she went to the tree tower and hid away at the top. The Glade was dark now. It had been nearly two hours since Aaron was Banished. Every now and then, the mechanical whirl of a Griever was heard, and the walls turned. Grace listened for Aaron but never heard anything. She felt guilty and hated herself for feeling that way. It wasn't her fault, and she knew that. Aaron tried to kill her. She would be dead if Gally hadn't found her. She owed him her life.

Life resumed in the Glade. Everyone had gone about their evening normally. As if they didn't sentence a fellow Glader, a friend, to death. "Hey," a voice spoke. She knew the voice by now. It was Minho. "What are you doing?"

"Enjoying the night sky," she responded. "What are you doing?"

Minho climbed onto the top and moved to her side. He sat down, swinging his legs over the side. It hadn't been that long since they met in this exact same spot. "I saw you sitting up here from our spot."

"Our spot?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "What happened to the spot being 'Property of Minho'?"

He shrugged, looking away to hide the soft blush on his cheeks. "Seems fair for it to be yours too, considering how often you're here." Grace hummed in agreement, focusing on the Gladers below. Frypan and Gally were the ones she knew the best, but Winston and Peter were among the group. "You doing okay?"

"I think I've been asked that question over a hundred times today," Grace hated that question. What was she supposed to say? Someone tried to kill her, and now they were dead. Or if not dead, then they soon would be. How was any of that okay? Her body was aching from walking around all day, and her head hurt. "I'm fine." But she wasn't fine. Nothing about the situation was fine. Part of her wanted to sleep. That way, she would forget what happened. At least for a little bit.

"Okay," Minho knew better. "I'm sorry for asking."

She closed her eyes, taking an unsteady breath. "No, I'm sorry. It's just been a stressful day."

"I know," Minho agreed. "I'm glad it's almost over."

"Yeah." That was something she could agree with. After today, she could work on healing and moving forward. She would never have to think about Aaron again. "I know you came up here just to check on me." He opened his mouth to argue, but she spoke again. "Thank you."

He closed his mouth, offering her a nervous smile. "I'm glad you're okay, Grace."

"Me too." A silence followed that, but it was different. It was comfortable, and Grace enjoyed simply existing with someone she trusted. Someone she knew wouldn't betray her trust the way Aaron did.