A GATHERING OF THE KEEPERS WAS GOING to decide Greg's fate. He was currently unconscious in the Pit after receiving a tranquilizing shot when he woke up screaming and throwing rocks at people walking by through the bars.

Alex wasn't even sure why they were having the Gathering. Greg attacked one of their own, breaking one of their three rules, and that was a crime punishable by Banishing. In other words, they forced him to stay in the Maze while the walls closed. No one had ever survived a night in the Maze.

Every single time something like this happened and the Keepers met to make a decision, they all hoped they would come up with a different punishment, and every single time, they didn't. That was why the girl was in a bad mood as she made her way toward the Gathering Hut.

"Hey," a voice called from behind her, and she turned her head to see Gally jogging toward her. She waited for him to join her side before she kept walking, and he looked at her with a slightly concerned expression. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night," she answered, and it was partly true. She had stayed up all night thinking about Greg.

He nodded slowly, but when he realized that she was upset about something and not just tired, he spoke up. "You shouldn't feel bad, you know? He brought this on himself by attacking you."

"I don't feel bad," she lied, but when he gave her a look, she sighed, leaning her head back and giving in. "Fine. It's just that he was stung. He didn't know what he was doing."

"There's no cure for the Sting. He'll drive himself insane. We're doing him a favor," Gally told her in an attempt to comfort her.

"That's what we always say. 'We're helping them.' 'They'll go crazy if we don't do this,' she groaned, running a hand through her hair and stopping to face him as she spoke. "But we all know it's just a way to make ourselves feel better about sending someone to their death."

He fell silent after that as she started moving again and walked a few steps ahead of him. He followed after her after a second though. He smiled. "I heard you kicked his ass, though."

"That is so not the point," Alex responded, rolling her eyes with a small grin as he opened the door of the Gathering Hut for her. When she entered, she realized that they were the last people to arrive. So, they just stood toward the back and nodded to Alby, signaling that they were ready to start.

Their leader gave them a pointed look for being late before shifting his gaze to the group as a whole. "I think we all know why we're gathered here today. We are to decide the fate of one of our Runners, Greg, who attacked not only one of our own but one of our leaders."

"Why do we even bother with this? We all know what the decision is going to be," Frypan exclaimed, saying what everyone else in the room was thinking because they all knew it was a waste of time. 

"Still, I would like to open the for suggestions," Alby announced, but when no one answered, he exhaled deeply, knowing that they were all aware of what the only good option was. "...All those in favor of Banishing say 'Aye.'"

Alex just stared at the ground, and she couldn't help but think it was all her fault. Maybe if she had found him sooner or made a different move, she would have been able to do something about him before he attacked her. Synchronously and not even sparing each other a glance, they all chanted, "Aye."

Newt looked up at his first-in-command who seemed a little put down by the decision before standing up and facing the Keepers. "Then, it's official. Greg will be Banished tonight at sundown when the walls close."

《 ✢ 》

NO MATTER HOW MUCH ALEX PRAYED, the time for Greg's Banishing came unexpectedly quick. Before she knew it, she was standing alongside the other Keepers with a spear in her hand, and they were standing in a circle and facing the door of the wall.

Alex closed her eyes so that she didn't have to watch as Minho and Gally brought the stung Runner over as he struggled. Since she was holding the spear, she was unable to cover her ears, so she had to deal with the screams coming from the boy.

When she opened her eyes again, Greg was kneeling in front of them, but he was forced to his feet by the Keeper of the Builders. Once he was stable, Gally grabbed his spear from one of the Gladers behind him and assumed his position.

Greg was sobbing, looking to every single boy with pleading eyes. "Please. Please. I can change. Please don't do this. I didn't mean it!"

"Move in!" Alby ordered like he always did, and Alex could tell that he was trying to keep his voice from cracking. The Keepers began to inch closer and closer to the Runner in the middle of the circle. 

"Please. I didn't mean it," the boy insisted, holding his hands up as he backed away from the sharp tips just inches away from them. "I didn't mean it, I swear! Help! Someone, help!"

He was in between the two walls now, and as the Sun went down, they were beginning to close. Sooner or later he was going to have to move. The Keepers stopped advancing and just waited for him to make a move himself.

They had had cases in the past where the person being Banished had thrown themselves onto the spears either as a hopeful way to stop the punishment or to end it quickly. However, Greg was not one of those. As the walls got closer and closer to him, he stepped farther and farther into the Maze. He was about to be crushed when he finally made it all the way. 

The wall closed behind him, and then he was gone.

The Gladers just stood there for a moment, staring at the spot that their friend was once at, kicking and screaming. Alex imagined him coming out of the Maze, alive and well just like he was a couple of days ago.

"All right, everyone. Get a good night's sleep and be ready to work hard tomorrow," Alby called to all of them after a moment of silence to honor the dead. One by one, they began to depart and head back to their hammocks and rooms.

Alex was one of the last ones still there, still in a trance as she thought about what just happened. Someone grabbing her harm made her flinch a bit until she realized who it was. Gally leaned toward her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied with a nod. Then, she watched him as he walked away with a confused look as she realized that she had been talking to Gally a lot the past couple of days. Of course, she had had the occasional meetings with him, and they were friends. However, that past week was different.

They were getting closer, and it was a little scary.