MITCH SAT OUTSIDE HIS HOMESTEAD, eyes following the movement of his blade as it slide across the form of his makeshift arrows. He was so lost in his head that he didn't realize the sound of chatter coming towards him. Even in thought, he could make out the voices of Jennifer and Clint.

It took a moment for him to actually acknowledge their presence, seeing as they were situated on logs in front of him. A loud clearing of the throat made his eyes finally look towards the two, who were soon joined by Jeff and Winston.

"He's doing it again." Jennifer looks towards Clint who looks more confused then ever. See, Clint is a Med-Jack, meaning he is closer too Jeff and Jennifer rather then the rest of them. He is very closed off and silent, that's why mitch likes his presence because clint doesn't talk his head like most of the gladers.

"Doing what?" Clint's voice was silent, it slightly cracked as if he hasn't talked in ages. Jennifer just moves her hand too point at mitch who continues to bore his eyes into hers.

"Completely ignoring us!"

"Hey guys!" Everyone turns as Chuck walks over, his usual smile on his face.

"Hey Chuck." Mitch finally speaks up, smiling at the younger boy who takes a seat beside him.

"What!" Jennifer screechs, mouth agape. "I would love to get a greeting as well, mitch."

"Hello Jennifer." Mitch gave a forced smile. The difference in enthusiasm he gave to chuck then Jennifer showing. Everyone knows he is Joking with the girl, He favors her over everyone. She is one of the few who have earned his trust and respect.

Truth be told, Mitch isn't a big fan of many. He has his friend group which consist of; Minho, Ben, Jennifer, Jeff, Winston and Frypan. Then, you have Clint, Chuck and Zart who aren't considered close friends more like people he would sacrifice his well- being for.

Next, you have Alby, Newt and Gally. Don't get him wrong, he respects them and enjoys their company but they are always on his back. A fight happens? Guess who they think started it. Only because one time a fight between gladers started and mitch was found trying to place bets on who would last longer.

He thought it was very funny.

They didn't.

They go by the rules, Mitch doesn't . That's where the disagreements happen. And, if your not friends with Mitch or someone he frequently talks too then you most likely are doing something severely wrong.

Finally, There's the Greenie, he sucks.

"I don't have time for this. Where's your better half? I need to complain." Jennifer looks around, shoving Jeff's head out her line of sight causing the boy to let out a noise of surprise from the movement,

"I haven't seen ben all morning." Chuck speaks up. Mitch immediately looks up at that, knowing it wasn't like ben to go off without telling someone, that someone being him.

"No one has seen him?" Mitch's vision cleared as he tried to recall last time he had seen the boy. His voice going suspiciously nonchalant as he attempted to quell the rising panic in his chest.

Everyone shook their heads in response. Mitch clenched his jaw as he rose his feet. It seems as if he had perfect timing because as soon as he stood up Newt beckoned him over.

Once he was in hearing distance that was when Newt spoke, "Listen. I know you don't like babysitting but for this one time can you assist Thomas, just to make sure he doesn't come to any harm."

"Newt-" Mitch cuts himself off with a small scoff as newt turns and walks away.

"Thanks!"

The boy lets out a frustrated groan as he moves his eyes around the clearing till they land on a familiar raven-haired boy heading towards the back end of the glade. Jogging over, he soon fell in step with Thomas.

"Did newt tell you to come with me?" Thomas questions, fiddling with the ends of his hair from the awkward silence settling between the two.

Mitch looked at thomas in the corner of his eyes, "No, I decided i wanted to spend my day with you, Yes, slinthead, of course he did." He sped up his walking before abruptly stopping, "May i ask why we are out here in the first place?"

"Newt sent me for something." Thomas suddenly looked towards him, a curious look in his eyes. "I don't know if im overstepping but, are you and Jennifer-"

"No. We're all like Family here. Some might find her attractive but they know their boundaries." Mitch replies.

Thomas nods, jogging to catch up since he had fallen behind. He watched as Mitch drew a blade from his waist band and start to flip it into the air, clutching the handle as soon as it landed back into his hands. This went on most of the walk while the basket Thomas was suppose to be filling with fertilizer thumped against his leg.

Mitch looked over in disarray when Thomas suddenly let out a noise of alarm and dismay as he lost his footing. Mitch tried to hold in his laughter while Thomas started panicking more when he uncovered bones, lots of them.

Mitch grabs him by his arm, hauling him up from the ground. "They're just animal bones, calm down." Thomas gave him a skeptical look, "okay, maybe not all of them are animal bones"

Thomas, panic still in his eyes, goes around the bones while mitch just continued to tredge through it as if they weren't there. Both boys steps came to a halt at the same time as there eyes landed on someone.

"Ben?" Mitch sounded unsure, snapping the boy out of whatever trance he was in. Thomas looks up, recognizing the runner. Ben stood on a small hill, posture awkward while his arms swayed at his side.

Immediately, Mitch senses the immediate danger of the situation they are in. He stares into the eyes of his closest, most trusted friend. The eyes that use to be lit up with Happiness, holding nothing but emptiness. His mouth is unable to form words as different conspiracies swirl in his head about how this day may end. He looks towards Thomas who looks confused but can also sense the danger surrounding the three, that are now staring at each other.

Ben lets out small pants and tenses his jaw. Thomas leaves Mitch's side to step towards ben, immediately, almost like it was a reflex, mitch grabbed onto the boys wrist, pulling him back to his side. "Something's not right."

"What do you-" Thomas didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before ben was suddenly on top of him, pinning his arms too the ground, "It's your fault. I saw you! You did this!"

Ben continues his rants while Mitch grabs the bucket that fell out of Thomas's hands. He sucked his a breath, "Sorry about this, ben."With as much force as he could muster, mitch sent the bucket back before bringing it into contact with the side of bens head. The boy falls too the ground, giving thomas enough time to scramble of the ground.

"What do we do now?"

"Run, Slinthead!" Mitch shouts, grabbing onto Thomas arm and dragging him a few ways before he was comfortable enough to know Thomas could keep up.

Mitch was the first to break through the tree line, soon followed by Thomas. Both of them let out strangled yells, gaining the attention of the gladers.

Mitch slows as Ben pounces on Thomas, knocking the boy straight too the ground. He knew he had to help the dark haired boy but the fact he would have to harm his friend was holding him back. Pushing his thoughts back, he turned, ramming all his body weight onto ben, managing to get him off of Thomas who lets out heavy breaths, still shocked.

Ben collapses on the ground, giving mitch the advantage. He gets on top of the boy, straddling him before grabbing both of his wrist and pinning them too the hard ground beside his head to keep him still.

Ben struggles against the hold, snapping his jaw but is unable to get free. If this was under different circumstances mitch would've made one of his jokes, but it was definitely not one of those moments.

"Ben, Calm down." Mitch snaps, Newt and Gally coming too his side and holding ben down. Mitch gets off, stepping back.

He stares down at his friend with an expression that no one has seen on him, saddness. Because he knows whats wrong with ben, he's seen it multiple times and he knows how it ends. He feels someone at his side, tilting his head down to look at a familiar brunette.

Jennifer looks up at him, her eyes asking him one question and one question only, 'Are you okay?' . He shook his head in response, not knowing what to feel in this very moment.

"Yo, what the hell happened?" Fry asks loudly, his eyes looking between Thomas and Mitch.

"He just attacked us!" Thomas tells him, trying to brush the dirt off of him. Mitch runs a hand through his hair, not even realizing he started pacing back and forth until he felt a pair of hands grab his shoulder, halting him.

His eyes land on familiar brown ones. Minho gives him the 'we'll talk later.' Look, knowing he couldn't go into a full on therapy session in the middle of all the gladers. Mitch nods, going to ben's side, another hand anxiously going too his hair. He lets out a sharp breathe when he feels many eyes watching him.

"If you have something to say, say it." The eyes immediately avert from him. Except for one pair, whom he doesn't even have to look at to know who they are.

Alby pushes through everyone and stands above Ben, who starts to cry and beg in protest but it falls into deaf ears, "Alright, lift his shirt."

Newt nods, doing as he's told and rolls up Ben's, white top, revealing the hole in his stomach, dark blue and purple veins growing out of it and pulsing through his skin.

Mitch tries to zone out ben's cries as he turns to alby, stating the obvious, "He's been stung." His jaw clenches as he looks back down at ben, "but in broad daylight? And outside the maze?"

"Please, please, just help. Help me." The boy in quesion whimpers, squirming in Newt and Gally's grip.

"Put him in the pit." Alby orders, moving his gaze to the surrounding boys, "Everybody help Take him to the pit."

Everyone goes to follow orders, mitch rising too his feet before ben's words made tears threaten to flood his eyes, "Mitch. Mitch, please! It's me! I'm still me!"

Alby looked at the boy, hands firmly around Ben's arm while Mitch lets out a small breath. He hated how it got silent and the anticipation from everyone surrounding him. He hated that his friend was going through the suffering that no one should have to go through and he especially hated how much he cared.

Mitch let out a scoff.

Without a word,he pushes through everyone, holding up a hand when Jennifer and Chuck went to follow him.

"What now?" Chuck ask Jennifer who frowns, Frypan and Jeff mirroring her expression.

"Now we give him space. You know how close him and ben where." She replies, departing from the group.