Sapphire Stones

Bye Bye Benny

"Stop this!" I shout, running over to the Keepers and Gladers. My efforts will be useless. I know this. But I also know that I won't stop trying to convince them to let me try to save Ben. They know I won't as well.

"Go back to your hut, Venus." Alby says, his voice cold. 

"So this is it?" I ask, gesturing around at the boys surrounding the entrance of the Maze. "You're just gonna give up on him? You're not even gonna try to save him?"

"There's nothing left of him to save, Venus." Newt says, his voice cracking at his words. "He was stung. We can't help him."

"The best we can do is keep everyone else safe." Gally interjects. I narrow my eyes as I look at him, anger consuming my body.

"Some kind of fucking friends you are." I snap. I hear a sudden commotion behind me, causing me to stop before I can continue my rant.

Minho's the one who has to bring him out. I can hear Ben muttering and growling from where I'm standing. I can see the look of pain that Minho's trying to mask as he walks closer to us.

"Just please, listen to me." Ben begs, his hands tied behind his head. Minho ignores him, keeping his eyes straight ahead. "Please, Minho!" 

He's snarling like an animal. Like a dog with rabies. 

"Venus, tell them!" Ben shouts when he sees me. "Tell them I'm fine! Tell them you can help me!"

My voice is caught in my throat as Minho forces the blonde forward.

"Alby!" Ben growls as Minho pushes him forward, past Alby and into the middle of the circle. Ben lets out a loud snarl as he's pushed in front of the entrance to the Maze, his knees giving out beneath him.

I hear a knife swish out of a hilt. A glint of silver flashes across the sky before the ropes around Ben's hands are cut, leaving him to drop to the dirt floor on all fours with a series of gasps and wheezes.

Thomas and Chuck run over to me, taking their places on either side of me. I pay them no attention as I hear Ben start sobbing.

Oh, how badly I want to break through the circle of boys around him and hold him in my arms the same was he did the night before with me.

Minho stands in front of the other Runner, looking down at him with utter pain. He's not even trying to mask his emotions any more.  Especially not when Ben starts begging for him to not do it, his voice shaky and terrified.

Alby gives Minho a short nod as the gears begin to shift, signaling the closing of the doors. Minho tosses Ben's knapsack into the Maze, just past the doors.

A harsh wind begins to blow through the Glade. Ben's sobs only grow louder. He tries to scramble backward.

"Poles!" Alby shouts in order to be heard over the loud sound of the Maze doors getting ready to close. The boys all obey, pointing the wooden poles towards the blonde Runner in the center of the circle.

I feel a lack of presence beside me and look over to see that Chuck's left, leaving just Thomas and I to watch as Ben scrambles to his feet.

He's covered in dirt and grime, dried blood covering various areas of his body. He looks extremely skinny and malnourished, his cheeks hallowed out and his face gaunt.

"Move in!" Alby orders. The boys obey once more, beginning to walk slowly towards Ben, forcing him to stumble back towards the doors. He cries out for them to stop and give him a chance to explain, but the Gladers don't listen.