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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwAoU6nCva
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVpcx8fdKn
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgZ7tcSeg8
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tXjO7gJHQ
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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?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJO3Hr24jzA
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnHKBbbwAd
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pZQuy39NN
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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..."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWdO9bUyrA
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"Yeah?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgp8iRWskz
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"I just wanted to say-"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCj4mdu6MN
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDXmPrI3kg
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9cP4HrE4n
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW41sx6r58
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw352kNoJvO
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeyCpwvkZJ
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"But the water! We need that!"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZPy4oQdD1
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53DtCmIJTt
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"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCJTm65wJU
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"Uh, I don't know." 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgW0SzvAU6t
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcTKL9Zvcx
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmj5bWLHNeb
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"Beth."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHKRueBml4
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"Yes?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNocNIg1OY
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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-"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNAUQoRXeQ
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2zquyBhgH
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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?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCT8rn77ZJ
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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?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvWzYEDzTB
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"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdZXiOZgix
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsi0dbGubZ9
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"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqOJMuTvED
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"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFRKNm948H
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"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmxKbSzJOt
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4u1JrK9SI
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LV2XUKjeB
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The others talking woke me up."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOW4OPCcv9
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiiJBBPZLT
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"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPB4Xrz1WdV
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He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOQ7ilCnfB
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"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxJ3WltQav
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4cQTiacaU
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8boxM5kTW
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcTBiKAXtC
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzoZ51A7nn
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"Well, duh!"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5M1x2sR3s
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5qtdZnE3x
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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. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoHnUEiOxX
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvdQiOiS9z
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wiJIuAZfx
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDUgwK5z1u
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"I'm glad your alive though..."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpQE2Hg1AU
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1W70aHDdD
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"Did someone stop her?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10ua0L472j
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyimFbzGkUJ
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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?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIh0YI3fonl
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfSu8tivdm
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1p8W1nWpfJ
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAwJX7S4s4
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"Sorry."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26CSl1nGzU
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimhURaxgpy
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBXS1WsTRF
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlcvIEDznh
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"Anywhere we want."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgFYo85K6U
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"But where is that?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwukVX9E8H
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLcFilNhpk
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLXDhhN5Jh
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"That was hell."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB3AefVWh2
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"It was..."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkG8yzwVlf
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1lBz5CV3z
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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?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpORIH4KYzF
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCatcqZXzK
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIXyT0h3Ii
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQt8pgANHh
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEwCPgyjCV
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"I want to grow it out."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhKAjWGdLx
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"Then you can grow it out."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5kqJ93bET
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"....."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4D93CCT1j2
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"....."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVS2mZu2aJ
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyNYLiHj28
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYb5frkIGDh
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndxk4XrBuh
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"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaV2DnraWA
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He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgKH1GUDdK
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTgaxGJZRc
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"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMzMjYgtD5
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"It's not that."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1khoSe0Pr
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"I don't understand-"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96GtgbfAvF
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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."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2msHYwghBW
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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?"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNLeZ2xqFT
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRb3axT9tSE
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ3ZeVlEAa
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbUs2OslM9
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"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPL6rZ6WEt
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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.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSL2fF83T1
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtL9lLfOKr
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjqvPtPCAO
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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?119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeZpxO91fR
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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...119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gxFnqP40c
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