Slate stands outside leaning against the railing in the dark with a cup of coffee in hand, the world only just glowing around him by the building behind him, the snow gently falling around him.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4FFQmuRPr
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They found a place to stop and rest for the night, but the bad news is they're out for fuel now for the helicopter so they'll have to go on foot from now on when they eventually leave this place.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEDw96NHmj
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The place they have sought refuge is some base in the mountains, it had a landing pad on the roof and luckily was stocked with some supplies, but not enough to last them for more than a few days so they will have to leave to find food and perhaps find other shelter plus in the current climate, it's very cold. They're not all rugged up warmly and are doing what they can to stay warm as when they escaped, they didn't think about the weather.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPNtrK2all
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"Hi. Want some company?" A small voice whispers, a person come outside to join Slate on the balcony. He looks behind him to see Beth. "It's cold, you'll get cold out here. Go back inside to the fireplace." He tells her.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHl6iDb1lE6
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"My head hurts, everyone else is inside trying to do maths to work out how old we are, but it's hard when we don't have all the figures we need. We we're downstairs for three years and we seem to be in our 20's somewhere, but what else in time are we missing? So, can I please stand out here with you?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKP9ReAPZlR
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"Sure, come here." He says, removing his insulated fighter coat. He has a really thick shirt on underneath anyway so he'll be fine, but Beth? She's in just a singlet, pink shorts with black leggings. He helps her put it on. "Thank you, Slate."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XDWtqRln7
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK240V2eEhL
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He takes a sip of his coffee and looks out at the dead world covered in a blanket of snow as she does the same. "Beth..."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1azw87Z7q
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"Yeah?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfzUCFwvop
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"I just wanted to say-"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDrevF25pC
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJoJU57r3i
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"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUEQEG2Xn2
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During escaping with Beth, he can't tell them. But he killed someone, he remembered. Murphy raped her and killed Hazel and Elijah on a mission. He wasn't punished by Solayo for the second one, the leaders covered it up.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRYR8KtvSH
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Murphy got in his way, he was drunk and trying to pick a fight with him... He doesn't want to remember. He... He handcuffed Murphy to a railing with his own handcuffs. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchR0zdvbKc
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Then he looks down and for a second sees Murphy handcuffed to the railing. He jumps back, letting out a scream. He drops his coffee cup, but Beth only just catches it, burning herself. She cries, snapping him out of it. He takes the cup, sitting it on the railing and dumps out the remaining water in his flask, dumping it on her hands, taking them quickly in his. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VaNQksLvp
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"But the water! We need that!"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35e5Ada5TA
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6VLAGYmYY
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"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILzStv5N0k
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"Uh, I don't know." 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR2uNuXsHH
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It's not a total lie. Now the memories of before what Ester and Mikey did are patchy, but he can't remember anything before living at The Compound. He just remembers living and training there. His been downstairs before, he was in solitary for a long time before he worked with Solayo rather than against him. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwwY50aWox
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydvuuha7dJ
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"Beth."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4R5yHYjRp
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"Yes?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCCmAlv79d
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"I just want to tell you I'm sorry there is no tablets to give you, I must have lost them somewhere. The others all have some of their memories and attributes back, but you-"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TmOlNUFBp
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"It's okay, I don't need them." She tells him, turning back towards the railing, down. She touches her neck feeling the bandage around her neck and wrists.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUB4Fb1LeW
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"This was stupid, I don't even know why I did it... I'm sure remembering would only reveal the real reason and then... who knows what I'd do? Off myself?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48PvKCsixC
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He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jzpFMBIAB
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"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsgZlNTEM2
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UHQG2pgMz
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"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44nGFx085h
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"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFLVN7r7KU
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"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyJg2rXkVL
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But she doesn't get to finish, Slate telling her to duck and he yells out to the others to cut the lights off inside. The lights go off a moment later and in the distance below the hill is a figure slowly walking along, it's leg half hanging off. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65Lrfpju0d
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"What is that?" Beth whispers, gulping. "That is what I'm afraid of. I tried to get some sleep earlier inside, but I kept seeing something like that in my sleep.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfm788Dczb
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The others talking woke me up."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xzN6UGVtr
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzr6fviFvl
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"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17YrVsUyKx
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He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpl3N9WDsCO
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"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIE7vuekyl
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"It looks like one of us, but it's movements are weird and janky. And it's leg's hanging off, but it's walking mostly without it." Beth speaks up. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBluHXVxJhB
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7PT6ufrE3
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuTjbOAUOR
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBr1XXj0AaM
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"Well, duh!"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbLbUzds60
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"Whatever, Gid. We need the bandages. I need to change mine and hers." Slate gestures to Beth. "Sure." Gideon says quickly, handing them over to her.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBf8Oz4CHj
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Slate takes them, pulling her after him into the bedroom so they can have some privacy from the others. This building is only two rooms and cramped. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuX13F69i9B
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaIJDF4Cjn
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"So, what do you think this place is?" She whispers trying to make small talk as Slate gently unwraps the bandage around her neck. "Ah." She whinces lately, the bandage slightly sticking. He whinces when he sees the cut. Thank god it wasn't deep so it was never life threatening, but seeing there was an attempt, it's scary.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGda1Pyk4e
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"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6kVrZt4BK
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"I'm glad your alive though..."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1eGc8vTrm
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"...Thank you. My arm... can you look at it. The guard who was on me, she was mean and pulled my arm behind my back saying she'd break it after last time so I could never do anything again. I don't know what she meant."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK9tgcYBvQ
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"Did someone stop her?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡor2R9cbXiA
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMTA2FnXBq
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When Slate finishes wrapping fresh bandage around her neck and wrists, her burnt hand as well. He slips her sleeve up to inspect her upper left arm. "It's quite bruised. Does it overly hurt to move it?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTXEu4DCeg
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He gently moves it. "N-no." She breathes, removing his hand. "Turn around, I'll do your head." She tells him, removing the old bandage and wrapping a fresh one. It's hard to see the wounds beneath his hair.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM9vMbVNYG
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Tpynua05X
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw2GeXrp14
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"Sorry."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGMlSBqHQC
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"It's okay. Just know it's the reason we're all here now. You all deserved better than the shit life we we're living there. It wasn't even really living."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHRJUdo0da
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The mood is really down now between them and slowly she leans against his shoulder, head resting and he wraps an arm around her shoulder not making any other movements.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXU2KOb628w
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsBFb8tO2J
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"Anywhere we want."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuK9CelSLN
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"But where is that?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbo9rfPsgc
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"I... I don't know, I'm sorry. I didn't really have this all planned out, it was spur of the moment."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9cfmhvSyl
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"It's okay. Better freezing in this mountain shack than tied to the bed for eight hours a day and injected for three years underground on floor 13."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZV4B0DATb
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"That was hell."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiNXsUWx6t
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"It was..."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1pepoawXU
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"I fought so many times, told them they we're horrible people and even tried to escape a few times. It never worked, even single time he'd have them drag me to my bed and they'd secure me again, having her prep a needle.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNBwhUOJ2O
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That didn't help or cure me. But at-least I didn't end up like Paisley out there. The first and only time she yelled at them, they took her away and cut her head open. After that, she rarely talks now and barely interacts with anyone. What's going on inside her head?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6iB1uXU8Z
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"I don't know. And I think it was less about helping you than it was keeping you safe. It stopped you in the moment, but it was never actually help. I... I don't think they we're ever set up to actually help someone like you. I'm sorry, you deserved better treatment and actually some damn compansion and understanding than what you got." He whispers back, gently playing with her hair.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBB88eTmuh4
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUFquRujBV
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So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdlDRVuju6
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2pwV6NZHX
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"I want to grow it out."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtTXmGy1Mu
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"Then you can grow it out."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAWIwWRoDR
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"....."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcoDP3lF08
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"....."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4i8uBR7Js
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Slowly they turn their heads towards eachother, lips touching for just a moment when she pulls away and starts slamming her arm on the bedside table, crying.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITPmxwoUWa
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He grabs her, pulling her back, wrapping his arms and legs around her, cupping his hand over his mouth so Lyla, Gideon and Paisley don't come in here.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3g0cxz1iJi
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She stops straining and calms down slightly, albeit still crying. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeats all over and over. "Everything okay in there?" Lyla calls out from the other side of the door. "I heard a thump."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrZ6R9nKye
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"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdPawV9igx
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He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZo4DB4cjcs
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7QB3TRHVP
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"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkxAT8W3zu
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"It's not that."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvuGELqRuc
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"I don't understand-"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPIs67j1up
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"Can you please let me go, Slate? I'll promise not to break my arm, okay. If I do then you have any every right to touch me, any of you. But that's it. You don't do it just because I'm maybe being difficult and a pain in the ass."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRimI5R3jt
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"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyouJ0KDkzd
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6eZOVxIk8
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf3LY4owS9
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmuYQ0BH5N
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"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBujE2r5Qaa
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"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBPQjhXYVm
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczOxbfjXoR
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MIuD5XXDM
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He backs off. "I'm sorry, I won't." And he leaves the room, switching the light off to go talk to the others and subject himself to a long lecture on equations and how they got to their age. Could they really be 28-29 years old?109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUhQAEgDv9
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They look barely over 21. It's proably the lack of food so their growth is stunted and everything, but... 28-29 is such a long time and they'd been with Solayo since... he doesn't know. He can't quite put his finger on it. But 28-29 years old? No way. Just not possible...109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28AKMUHk0Q
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