Thomas stared at Pasty as she pulled Minho’s head onto her lap, before calling out for Alby and Newt and shuffling closer to the pair of them. Minho was panting heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead. Pasty wiped it away with concern and kissed his forehead lovingly. Thomas knelt down beside them.

 “Hey-you okay?” Thomas asked. Minho wheezed in response.

 “I’m … fine,” he said “Who the klunk are you?”

 “This is Thomas, Minho. Remember? The Newbie.”

 “Oh, yeah, Thomas. Newbie. You and the chick.”

 Alby hurried over, face crumpled in concern “What’re you doing back, Minho? What happened?”

 “Calm your wad, Alby,” Minho said wearily “Make yourself useful and get me some water- I dropped my pack out there somewhere.”

 Alby gave Minho a hard kick insistently, eyes blazing with fear and nervous excitement “What happened?”

 “I can barely talk, shuck-face! Get me some water!” Minho croaked in annoyance.

 Alby shared a quick exchange with a frightened Thomas as Pasty began to calm down, realising Minho was okay. He evidently hadn’t been stung.

 “He lets you boss him around?”

 “You’re scared of that pip-squeak,” Minho chuckled “Dude, you got a lot to learn. Freakin’ Newbies.”

 “Play nice, Minho,” Pasty said, hugging him close in relief “Man, I thought you were on your way to the Changing then. Don’t you scare me like that.”

 “Cool it, shuck face. I’m just fine and dandy,” Minho said, lightly touching her face. Pasty pushed him off her.

 “Good. Then get off me. You’re all sweaty.”

 Minho grinned and took off his shirt, wiping sweat from his face. He turned to Thomas “You saw the chick, right? Everybody says you probably know her or something.”

 “I said,” Pasty said.

 “I don’t know her, honest,” Thomas said defensively.

 “Relax. I know that,” Minho said. He leaned closer, a mischievous smile on his face “She hot?”

 Pasty laughed and swatted Minho and Thomas seemed to relax a little “Yeah, I guess she’s hot.”

 Minho lay his head on Pasty’s knee again, chuckling lightly “Yeah, you guess. If you got a thing for chicks in comas, right?”

 “So…you find something today?” Thomas asked. Pasty’s ears pricked up and they both looked at Minho.

 “You know what, Greenie? That’s usually the dumbest shuck face thing you could ask a Runner. You said that any other day, I’d think you dumb as a Griever. But hell. Not today.”

 Before either Pasty or Thomas could ask what Minho meant, Alby returned with water, and Minho grinned, slinging an arm around Pasty’s waist as he guzzled water noisily. After he finished off the whole bottle, his lips smacked off the neck and he grinned again.

 “I found a dead one.”

 “Huh?” Pasty said.

 “A dead what?” Thomas asked eagerly.

 “A dead Griever.”

 “You what? You shuckin’ me?”

 “I ain’t shuckin’ you. Trust me, I did. I found one big, fat, nasty Griever. Dead. A couple of miles out from here, out near the Cliff.

 “Well…why didn’t you bring it back with you?”

 “You been drinkin’ Frypan’s saucy-sauce? Those things must weigh half a ton, dude. Plus, I wouldn’t touch one of those things if you gave me a free trip outta this place. So slim it, man, and come see if for yourself.”

 “We’ll go at wake up tomorrow. You coming to, Pasty. I ain’t risking one of us getting hurt out there and having no back up.”

 “Smartest thing you’ve said in a week,” Minho said, wiping his mouth and sniffing. “I should go back out there, but screw it. I’m gonna go and eat some of Frypan’s nasty casserole.”

  Minho took Pasty’s hand in his own sweaty one and led her towards the kitchens. She was a little breathless after the scare Minho had given her, and Minho sensed this, kissing her cheek.

 “Things are changing round here,” she said “It ain’t gonna be pretty if it gets any worse. And I suspect it’s gonna.”

 “You don’t need to worry ‘bout a thing,” Minho whispered to her “I ain’t gonna leave you. We gonna look after each other from now on. No more fighting, no matter how klunked up and freaky it all gets.”

 “No matter how klunky,” Pasty repeated. She stopped Minho and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him in for a long kiss that left Minho, in turn, breathless.

 “You never cease to surprise me,” Minho chuckled, resting his forehead against Pasty’s. She smiled.

 “Glad to hear it. I like to think  I’m kinda unpredictable,” she joked “Come on. I’m ready for that casserole you mentioned.”

***

 Ben was knelt on the ground outside the East Door, the bloody bandage covering half his face. Pasty closed her eyes so she didn’t have to look at him. I don’t want to do this she thought I don’t want to do this.

 She opened her eyes and found Thomas in the crowd. He looked nervous, and he kept glancing around for a familiar face.  His eyes met Pasty’s and he mouthed to her. What’s going to happen to him? he asked silently. Pasty shook her head, biting back a sob. Saying it aloud would make it all so much more real.

 “You brought this on yourself, Ben,” Alby said sinisterly, as Newt brought out The Pole, the collar on the end dangling, taunting Ben. The boy began to shiver as Alby unbuttoned the collar, wrapping it around Ben’s neck, which was still covered in wiry veins. Ben began to sob loudly.

 “Please, Alby. I swear I was just sick in the head from the Changing. I never would’ve killed him-just lost my mind for a second. Please, Alby, please.”

 Alby ignored him, but Pasty rushed to the helpless boy’s side, wiping his face with her sleeve.

 “Don’t make this harder. You know why we have to do this,” she said softly “Go with some dignity. Stop those tears now, shuck face.”

  The boy’s head snapped back and he growled at her, clawing at her, feral. She dodged easily, having expected the attack. She moved away quickly, sniffing.

 “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 changin’. And you ain’t coming back. Ever.” A chilling silence followed and Newt patted Pasty’s shoulder gently.

 “Keepers and Pasty the Seer, take your place on the Banishment Pole.” Slowly, Pasty moved over to the Pole, watching others from the crowd take their place. Newt stood in front of her, Minho behind. He’s evil Pasty told herself and dangerous. You’re keeping everyone safe by helping out. You’re saving Thomas. Newt. Alby. Minho…it’s nearly over. Nearly over.

 When everyone on the Pole was ready, Ben’s sobs became more insistent, more desperate. Pasty shut her mind off to the task at hand, and waited.

 “Please,” Ben screamed “Please! Somebody, help me! You can’t do this to me!”

 “Shut up!” Alby cried.

 “Pasty! You always been good to me,” Ben said, twisting in his collar and trying to see her “You got me through the Changing. Damn, you’ve been through it too. You know how it is! You can’t let them do this!”

 I can. I have to she thought. She wondered if he realised she was helping perform the task. She couldn’t shut out his screams anymore. She had to endure them.

 “If we let shanks like you get away with that stuff,” Alby said “we never would’ve survived this long. Everyone, ready.”

 “No, no, no, no, no!” Ben screamed, thrashing wildly, as the gates began to close.

 “Keepers, now!” Alby shouted over the sound of the gates rumbling to a close. Pasty stumbled as the Keepers surged forwards and she went with them, pushing Ben closer to the gates. He screamed, hurting Pasty’s ears, hurting her throbbing head. Ben fell to his knees, but was hauled back up again and made to keep moving. Pasty put all her strength into moving him, but the sobs that wracked her chest made it hard to move. Ben tore at his collar, but only succeeded in shredding the skin on his neck. He tried to root his feet to the ground, but he lurched forwards, and was suddenly outside the Glade, in the Maze. He jerked once more, one last futile attempt at escape. He managed to turn to face the Gladers, and Pasty swore his eyes met hers, bloodshot and wild. Like an animal. He looked like a boy who was dying, his skin pale and veins pulsing in his neck and face.

 “Hold!” Alby ordered. Pasty could see his shirt was soaked in sweat. Ben let out one last scream and Pasty let go of the pole to cover her ears, unable to bear it. The scream held in her very bones as the gate finally closed and gave her peace from the sight of him. She could feel Minho’s hands on her shoulder as she shook. All was quiet as the tears fell silently down her cheeks.