The Maze Runner Imagines

Guilt//Gally

He yawns sleepily, "Not by choice."

"Nightmares?"

He nods slowly, "Always the same..." He looks off into the distance momentarily before snapping out of his daze, "Busy day?"

You sigh, "Nope. Maybe I can come help you?"

"In your dreams. Go help Newt in the gardens, that's more your thing."

"Hey, I could lug around a big piece of wood anytime."

Gally raises his eyebrows at you seconds before he bursts into a great big laughing fit and at first, you're confused. Of course you are. But living with only boys for a year has changed your once innocent mind. You face-palm, embarrassed, your cheeks growing bright red. "That was barely dirty and you know it."

But Gally, obviously half-ridden with lack of sleep, can't seem to stop laughing, probably because you're so embarrassed about it.

You continue to defend yourself, "You laugh at any sentence with the word wood in it, you know?"

In between laughs he manages to mutter, "Only when you say it."

You roll your eyes playfully and grab up your dirty dishes, "Guess I won't offer to help you out ever again." You turn to go, walking towards the Kitchens, Gally's laughter echoing behind you. You shake your head, boys.

***

It happens in mere seconds.

First, you're crossing the Glade to meet up with Gally before dinner, something about plans for a new shower block, and then, you're knocked into the ground; the air sucked out from your lungs – winded and a heavy weight on top of you.

Frantic, you scream as soon as you realise the weight isn't a thing but a someone. Your hands, palms splayed over his chest, push against him with as much strength as you can conjure in sheer panic. Still yelling for help, you continue to push – but suddenly he presses against your throat.

You meet eyes with Ben, hair dishevelled, and big eyes discoloured. His skin pale and sickly and his veins swelled and purple. The pressure on your throat isn't fatal, yet, but if he pushes any harder you might just...

He screams at you, loud and piercing, enraged almost and you don't understand why. In this single moment of his pain and your pain, you feel as though he might kill you. That you might actually die, so you only push and shove against him more.

Suddenly though, there's another person, a flash of colour out of the corner of your eye. And Ben is practically flung off of you and shoved into the earth a few meters away from where you lie. You sit up in the grass, dazed by the lack of oxygen and panicked still, heart beating fast. You spot Gally and a couple of other boys, who only now rush to the scene, beating down on Ben until he's knocked unconscious.

You still sit in the grass, staring at your shaking hands, confused by Ben's sudden attack. Even when Gally comes to your side, trying to help you stand so he can get you to the med-jacks, you still stare down at your hands. Your legs moving mechanically, without your will. The last thing you see before you're subject to the med-jacks is Ben's writhing body in the green grass.

***

Banished.

You wake up in a flurry of emotions, your heart racing and sweat almost caking your entire body. You yelp as you open your eyes. A mere sound... until you realise you called out his name. Ben's name.

The tears come quickly as you remember. The attack. Because he was Stung by a Griever. The meeting. Discussion. Voting. Banishment. You still remember his desperate cries as they pushed him out with pointed, sharpened sticks. The look of fear on his face. His big, wide eyes pleading for another chance. The last stare he gave, to you.