The Girl

Chapter Seven

  I spend the rest of my day sitting next to and caring for Ben. He doesn't wake up but his breathing increases and his pulse stays strong. As the sun begins to go down, I peek outside the tent across the glade. I watch the runners run back through the doors of the maze. Minho asks one of the gladers a question, I assume about Ben, because the glader points over to the tent. I disappear back into the tent and return to my work. I had found a few vials on a tray marked "Griever Cure?" and decided to take a look at them. I dropped them on wood and cloth to see the reactions, I looked at them in direct sunlight, I mixed them together. I don't have any idea what "Grievers" are, so I don't have anything to test it on. I just kept examining it.

"Hey, Bethers," Minho pokes his head in the tent. I grimace at the nickname. Not that I hated it, it was just weird.

"Hi. Ben's getting better, but he hasn't woken up yet. I think he has a concussion," I inform him.

"That's great, but I actually came to talk to you."

"Really? Okay, uh, how can I help you?" I stutter awkwardly, returning to the chair next to Ben to take his temperature again.

"Well, you've got some important events to attend to tonight," He tells me.

"I know," I reply. I place my hand on Ben's forehead.

"Well I thought maybe you didn't want to go alone-"

"His fever broke!" I shout.

"Sorry?"

"Ben! He sweat out his fever!" I smile. It worked, after all, why wouldn't I?

"That's great! Will he be back to running tomorrow?" Minho asks as he makes his way over next to Ben and I.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, he's still asleep. But, if he wakes up tomorrow he should be back to running the next day." I'm still incredibly happy with this turnout.

"That's great!" Minho shares my victory with me. We look at each other and I pull him into a hug. At that moment someone enters the tent.

"I, um... I'm sorry I didn't..." Newt stutters as Minho and I pull back from our embrace. His cheeks are red.

"It's okay, we were just celebrating Ben's broken fever," I explain, laughing a bit nervously before biting my lip.

"Oh, that's... that's great. I just wanted to let you know that we're starting the banishing soon, I thought you might want to come with me..." Newt trails off. I start peeling back the layers I had placed over Ben earlier that afternoon.

"Yeah, I mean, yes, I should just finish up with Ben," I tell him, tripping up over my words as I continue to strip the layers one by one. Before we leave I push the hair off Ben's forehead and lay a cool cloth on it.

"Okay, let's go," I say gravely. I wasn't exactly looking forward to witnessing a teenage boy being put to death. The three of us exit the tent. As soon as we step outside, I can see a group of gladers arranged in a semi-circle around the doors of the maze. I hold my breath and stop walking for a minute.

"Are you alright?" Minho asks me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. This is what needs to happen, I tell myself. I open my eyes and nod. We continue our way to the group of gladers. Minho and Newt both pick up sticks and join the inner circle, as I stand in the outer crowd.

"No... please! It was one stupid thing, it won't happen again! Alby... don't do this!" I hear the cries of a boy in distress and look over to see Alby carrying Jonathan with his hands tied back. I bite my lip. This is not going to be pleasant. The outer crowd parts to let him into the center, and Alby shoves Jonathan to his knees and picks up a stick.