5.Banishing

Play - The Hills by The Weekend - on repeat 

As day turned to dusk, Gladers surrounded the entrance of the maze, Each keeper on the inside of the semi-circle holding a long T shaped pole. Athena stood about 5 meters apart from the group holding her sword that is usually on her belt, in her hand. Being the best at combat in the Glade she was given the job that if the banished where to try and run she would be the person to catch them if they got past the keepers. Having no emotion shown on her face, her eyes spoke everything anyone would need to know. Ben was her friend, one of the best she had, he was kind, honest and respectful to anyone around, the fact he got stung was by chance and he just had the worst luck. The youngest in the Glade stood behind Athena, wanting to see the event happen but was scared the infected man would try to go after him like he was Thomas.

As Minho walked up with a tied up Ben, you could see the significant changes in him. His voice was deeper and all senses were compromised. Every Glader either had a look showing no emotion, or a look of sympathy and sadness even anger in some of them. "Just listen to me. Just please, listen to me." Ben pleaded in a deep ill voice as his friend dragged him past Athena. Getting closer to the group the more Ben repeated his pleades of help. "Please, Minho. Alby" Once making it to the inside of the semi-circle, none keepers backed away from the situation incase of any problems.

As Ben tried to fight back Minho's strength by being pushed to the floor, he cut the ropes around his wrists and let him fall to the ground on all fours. Athena moved closer to the group getting in a more prepared position and adjusting her grip on the handle. As the group adjusted their poles and spears, Thomas ran up next to Chuck confused as ever. Hearing the sobbing of Ben caused Athena to shed a tear of despair knowing that her friend wouldn't be coming back. No one ever did, Minho moved to the start of the doors in front of petrified Ben and threw a bag of survival supplies to last a night for Ben to work with. The sound of the doors starting to awake alerted the group that it was time, causing Ben's pleads becoming more and more desperate. Thomas walked towards the group slowly knowing what was about to happen, as he got closer Athena put her sword wielding arm in front of the Greenie stopping him in his tracks. Thomas looked towards Chuck looking for answers, as he turned to ask Athena he saw a lone tear fall down her reddened cheek knowing instantly of the outcome of the situation.

A gust of wind flew out of the maze, blowing in the face of the Gladers, as Ben tried to back away from the inevitable. On Alby's command the poles were lifted and directed in the blondes' way , stopping from backing away any more. As Athena watched the group carefully, along with trying to stop Thomas from interfering, "Chuck go to the kitchen and wait for us to get back!" she told the young boy knowing no younger child should see the death sentence of a friend take place. As the curly haired boy walked away, Ben stood up trying to walk towards his friends pleading for forgiveness, as the doors started closing the boys moved towards the infected pushing him closer and closer to the maze.

"No, no, no.Please I can get better." pleading unconvincingly as pure fear filled his body as he was backed in the middle of the closing doors. Not understanding the reasoning of the situation Thomas tried to move forward trying to prevent the loss of a friend, but as he walked past Athena she swiftly pulled him back by his wrist and lightly but still forcefully kicked him in the stomach causing him to fall behind her on the ground.

Benign trapped in between two very close closing stone doors, having no other option, Ben fled to into the maze side of the doors not wanting to be crushed. As one final seal of the doors sounded and the teenagers backed away from the doors, Thomas stood up still behind Athena once again looking at the group in shock. Each member of the group had a look of grief on their face. Alby turned to look at the group, looking at each of their faces, "He belongs to the maze now." With that the group followed in Albys footsteps going further into the Glade.

Walking with the others back Athena returned her sword back to her belt the opposite side of her axe, feeling a presence coming up behind her she slightly turned her head to see Newt and Minho. Newt placed his hand on her shoulder seeing her matching face of sorrow along with the rest of the Glade along with her own tear stained cheeks. "We aren't going to ask you how you are right now because we feel how you feel." Minho said looking at the shorter girl between the two boys.

"But we are going to ask if you are alright from what happened earlier. Especially because you hand to first hand deal with it and it's been a while since someone got stung." Newt said while slightly squeezing her shoulder in reassurance.

"I'm fine" Athena calmly said, trying not to let the PTSD get to her again. "Well i'm not fine but just more used to it, I guess."

"Well if you wanna talk about it i'm here for you and Newt is most definitely here for you." the dark haired boy comforted trying to let her see how much they cared for the olive tanned girl.

After that the day went by quickly but silently. No one wanted to talk about the event of the day. As night claimed the sky, Athena slightly swung her hammock from side to side hearing the loud but also calming sounds of the teenage boys not too far from her. Afraid to close her eyes she could hear the faint stone and chatter between Thomas and Chuck, mixed with the screechers from the unholy monsters lurking in the maze. Athena's desperation for sleep slowly took over as her eyes fluttered shut as the hammock still continued to sway as if it was a mother rocking her baby.

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With Athena's eyes closed she slowly drifted off to what any normal person would think was a dream, but the all too familiar memories started to replay in the girls head. It was the same every time, it started as if she was there again. Climbing down a tree not too far into the forest but also not in sight of the Glade. It was her day off from running since she only does it for four days straight then has three days off, but she helps with what she can when she's off either being : a Cook, Med-Jack, or Track-Hoe. On that day she was climbing trees to get fruit for Frypan, but when she climbed down her fifth tree she turned round and was startled by a boy named George. His eyes were almost black and had veins tainted with a dark purple substance, the boy just stood there staring at the girl. "Um, hi your George right? I'm Athena we run together sort of." She said slightly going towards him trying to be nice and not scare the boy or even herself for that matter. "Are you ok? Not being rude but you look ill, do you want me to take you to the Med-Jacks?" She asked now slowly backing away from the uncomfortable atmosphere around the silent starring man wanting to be in view of the Glade. As she grabbed the basket of mixed fruit she started walking away after not getting an answer from who she presumed was George. Hearing a twig snap behind her she turned to look only to have a fist collide with her face. Dropping the basket of fruit on the floor she turned to fight back but the ill man tackled her to the ground pinning her arms behind her when he picked her up and pinned her against a tree. Trying to shout and scream for help the man covered her mouth with his hand while after letting go of her hands, his other unoccupied hand started to touch her breasts and ass. As she tried to push his hands away, for some reason he was stronger then even the builders. With pleading eyes for him to stop his eyes in return only got darker. As he was getting preoccupied his attention started to drift more to her body then her reaction or state of mind as he let his hand come away from her mouth and join the other one roughly touching her slowly getting closer to her area of privacy. Once his full attention was on her body trying not to let fear cloud her mind she grabbed the back of his neck and forced his head towards the floor as she lifted her knee at the same time causing her to knee him in the face. She made a run for it as he held his face in pain only for a second until he was chasing after her. She was made a runner due to her speed, strength and her knowledge of almost anything. She could remember every turn she would make, a weakness in anyone's fighting pattern and she could fight as if she had been trained to be her whole life. Making it to the edge of the Glade with George right on her tail somehow being faster than usual she got the attention of a few Gladers but as they saw the infected boy follow closely behind her with a bloody nose then called other Gladers for help running towards the situation. As he caught up with her he jumped towards her and grabbed her ankle once again causing her to fall to the ground, as he went to jump on top of her again she rolled out the way and stood up. Copying her action he went to punch her but she grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards her, as she turned so her back was facing his chest she elbowed him in the face. Still holding his wrist she turned so she stood behind him and twisted his arm and kicked the back of his knee causing him to fall to the ground on his knees. Once the Gladers made it to them they looked in shock of what just happened, but as they inspected George they saw the look in his eye. Being the first Glader to be officially stung he was banished later that night, she only ever told Alby, Miho the basics of what happened. But she told Newt everything after what had happened in the past between them they told eachother everything no matter the importance level they never judged each other only helped each other heal.

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