Ineffable | Newt

13.

"This might hurt a bit." Jeff warned as he mashed up a plant unfamiliar to Katie. Katie nodded.

Jeff was the newbie this month. Although he's been here long enough to be appointed Medjack, Clint was happy he wasn't alone anymore.

"What's gonna happen to Jorge?" Jeff asked softly and started to apply a paste that came from the plant onto Katie's wrists; she winced from the slight pressure.

Katie's eyes flicked over to Clint, who was on the other side of the hut watching them. She decided once and for all that she didn't like talking to new people. Clint was watching Jeff's work to see how good he was. He nodded at Katie and sent a small smile, which she returned before turning back to Jeff.

"He's going to be banished," Clint said.

"Serves him right." Jeff scoffed and started working on the other wrist. Katie was sitting on one of the beds, and Jeff was standing, so she had to look up at him.

Katie furrowed her eyebrows at him. Jeff only knew Jorge for two weeks (at most); how could he have that opinion on him?

Katie used her hands to ask why, when Jeff was finished, she was curious. He wiped his hands on a rag and started looking for some gauze.

"Anyone who tries to take advantage of someone deserves to be punished." Jeff located the gauze in a cabinet next to the bed and held out his hand for Katie's wrist.

"I agree," Clint says, nodding."And Jorge was always a bit of a jerk."

Katie sighed feebly at Clint's words as Jeff wrapped her wrists. She looked at the dirty ground and started to draw patterns with her feet. Katie didn't respond, and neither did Jeff. The three of them stayed in silence for a few minutes before Clint shook his head and got up from his seat. He walked up to a counter with a jug of water and some cups and poured three.

"Well, we now know why he was nice around you." He said this as he approached Jeff and Katie.He handed Jeff a cup and sat beside Katie on the bed before offering her the other.

Katie grabbed the cup with her wrapped wrist and took a sip. Katie knew Clint; she danced with him. Maybe she could talk to Clint.

"J-Jor ..." Katie's voice died quickly, and when she knew she couldn't finish her sentence, she slowly signed out to Clint. She repeated what Jorge had said about Minho and Newt sleeping with her, going slowly so he could understand.

Clint furrowed his eyebrows and placed his empty cup down as he looked across the room.

"I'll admit it, we did find it weird that you wanted them to sleep with you," he said. "And some guys did get some stupid ideas, but then we got to know you and realized that you just wanted to feel safer."

"I don't blame you," Jeff said as he finished wrapping Katie's second wrist and began putting things away."I'd be weary if I was the only girl too."

Katie nodded at their understanding of her situation; she thought everyone got it, but apparently some didn't. Then Katie turned toward Jeff, held up her wrists, and grinned.

"No problem." He said so, and Clint inspected the bandaging.

"Not bad, Greenie," Clint approved, then stood up to look at Katie. "Alby wanted to see you when you were done."

Katie nodded and exited the MedJack Hut. The sun shone down on the glade, and for the most part, everyone was working. Some boys' eyes went to Katie as she made her way towards where Alby would be. She kept her head down and pulled the sleeves of her shirt down to best cover the bandages.

It was a quick walk across the edge of the Deadheads, where no one was, as she went into the hut Alby occupied during the day. the council hall.

He sat down on the bleachers in the centre and a little to the left, with his back facing the entrance. Katie cleared her throat for his attention, and Alby turned around to smile at her. She made her way over and sat beside him.

She waved and placed her hands in her lap.

"How are you getting along with the guys?" Alby cut straight to the case, and Katie was taken aback but enjoyed it nonetheless. She still found small talk weird, even though Minho said people enjoyed it.

Katie nodded at Alby, then remembered that she could trust him and talk to him. "I never spoke with him before."

Alby nodded; obviously, she said what he was asking about.

"Are there any boys you've spoken to that had..." Alby trailed off, trying to find the right word, but Katie understood what he was trying to say.

"After a few, they stopped." Katie said truthfully that she remembered what she thought about first impressions and concluded that things were more complicated than that.

"So there's no other option..."Alby took a deep breath as if the next word was painful to say, "attacks."

Katie shook her head politely and smiled to reassure him that she didn't think anyone else would harm her. Alby felt relieved inside; he hated having to banish one of the boys—they were family—but family doesn't hurt family. He had to do what was necessary.

"You know why I ask, right?" He questioned Katie and stood up. Katie nodded, but Alby explained anyway. "You're different; besides being a girl, you act differently." "I asked Newt and Minho to help you, and they managed to make you comfortable enough to talk to people."

Katie furrowed her eyebrows; she had no knowledge of this. Alby noticed Katie's change in emotion.

"I saw how you trusted them, and I wanted you to be able to trust everyone." "We're a family." He held out his hand for Katie.

Family. Katie never thought of the boys like that, but it made complete sense. They were all together, loved each other, and took care of one another; that's what a family is, isn't it? Katie smiled.

Katie nodded in understanding and took Alby's hand so he could help her up. "A family."

Alby's smile disappeared when he looked out the window; the sun was setting. Time for the banishing.

~*~

"This is your fault." Jorge hissed at Katie, who stood behind Frypan as Minho brought Jorge towards the entrance.

"Slim it." Minho commanded Jorge, his voice completely void of emotion. He tossed something into the maze entrance and pushed him the last few steps before approaching Katie.

Katie never witnessed a banishing, and to be honest, she never wanted to witness one again. The keepers gathered in a semi-circle around the entrance, holding long poles by their sides; most of their eyes couldn't even reach Jorge's.

"I've been here longer than her!" He shouted at them and glared at Katie, who held no sort of expression. "It wasn't even that bad!"

"Collar." Alby commanded and someone moved forward to clasp the collar around Jorge's neck; it was connected to a long pole that Alby held the end of.

"You're going to side with the girl now!" Jorge started sputtering nonsense, and Katie never told them to do anything.

"Don't listen to him." Minho leaned down to whisper in Katie's ear, and she nodded.

Suddenly, a large gust of wind erupted from the maze entrance, and Jorge's eyes widened with fear and realization. The ground shook slightly as the doors began to slowly close.

Jorge's whines could barely be heard over the whining of rock on rock. Alby started moving forward, thrusting the pole into Jorge's neck and forcing him backwards into the maze.

"No! No please!" He screamed angrily."I'll never do it again! Please stop!"

Katie understood that Jorge was going to die in the maze, probably a painful death. Which was terrible, but all Katie could think of as he begged them to stop was, "You should have listened when I told you to stop."

She didn't feel guilty or shameful as the walls started to enclose Jorge and he was forced to run into the maze. The last person to catch a glimpse of him before the doors shut fully was Alby.

They closed, and it was silent. Albys' sigh echoed through the dead silence of the glade as he placed his head on the pole. Everyone put their heads down for a moment of silence, except for Katie, who looked around at the others. Out of respect for the dead, she finally lowered her head.