Shadow of the Maze | Maze Runner [1]

THREE

She heard the spinning of a metal door, and Electra looked over to see Minho and the other Runners exiting from the Map Room. They jogged over towards the Door and Minho casually looked up, meeting eyes with Electra though squinting through the vertigo. He slowly shook his head and gestured for her to move back a little bit. She followed his suggestion, taking a couple steps backwards and kneeling close to the ground. She let out a breath and was thankful that it was only Minho that'd seen her.

She slowly peered over the edge, only the top of her head visible to the boys below. From the height she found herself at she wouldn't be surprised if the boys did see her and mistook her for a bird's nest. Her frizzy hair sprang out at all sides, creating a halo around her head, and covered most of her face as well. She focused through chunks of hair and watched the situation unfold below her.

"Bring him out!" Alby shouted and Electra watched the current leader. Alby had replaced Nick as the formal leader after Nick's death. The former leader's death had been less than a month ago now, and Electra scoffed at the fact that the previous Banished boy, Alfred, had eventually gotten what he wanted after all.

Three of the strongest boys pulled Ben along with them. He merely slumped forward, his feet dragging on the grass floor. His clothes were ripped and dirty, and scrapes could be found all over his skin. His eyes blazed with fear, so vivid and wide that Electra could tell even from how far away she was.

Electra's attention got pulled away from Ben when she heard Alby murmuring something to the blond boy beside him. She watched as the blond boy quickly went over to a shed to undoubtedly bring out the Pole. She immediately replayed memories of seeing the past Banished boys being choked by the collar at the end of the Pole and pushed to their deaths.

Ben was dragged in front of the Door and he slumped down, not even looking up from the floor. Electra forced herself to get a good look at him. He was very pale, with purple veins protruding from his almost clear, insect-like skin. His blond hair was ripped from his scalp in ugly patches, with the remaining hair being stained red and matted. He resembled a stray dog; he was no longer a human, thanks to the Grievers. The Griever sting had destroyed him, mentally and physically. Electra felt sick at the thought of that happening to her or to Minho.

She watched some of the boys physically grab Ben and force him to stand while Alby placed himself directly in front of the pitiful boy. The leader said something indiscernible before she turned her head to the shed to see the blond boy exiting the rickety old building with several aluminum poles and began connecting them. After connecting all the poles, she saw him swiftly grab the collar before dragging the Pole towards Ben.

The blond boy handed off the Pole to the leader and Alby fastened the collar around Ben's neck.

Electra couldn't see the boy's face but she imagined tears pouring from his eyes as he spoke, "Please, Alby. I swear I was just sick in the head from the Changing. I never would've killed him; I just lost my mind for a second. Please, Alby, please."

The leader coldly ignored Ben while he made sure the collar was firmly around Ben's neck. Alby attached the collar to the Pole then emotionlessly walked backward and met up with the Keepers. Electra looked at Minho for a split second, his face turned down and staring at Ben through his eyelashes. He was one of the people who had to physically push this boy to his death.

Ben looked towards the Glade, frantically spinning his head left and right before landing on someone specifically. Electra traced his gaze and found Thomas at the end of it. She narrowed her eyes. Even now, right before his Banishment, Ben was obsessed with the Greenie?

Her thoughts got cut off when Alby spoke out in a ceremonious tone, "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."