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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nGSomSYXF
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA49UIDXFRS
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6ZJ3KTXET
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqlcr0rk2Q
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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?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImgXY3XPzY
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYITkfaGIb
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80J22UlfYc
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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..."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdy8MekBaF1
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"Yeah?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTym7mo9xn
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"I just wanted to say-"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uefbhqUDF
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJBI5kIft2
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aO1QbN7dp
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRWPT08QEC
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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. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmg9lROW0yD
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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. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oVQiabXYD
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"But the water! We need that!"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6T4jWVvtK
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPX1klTFnOo
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"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpxTRBwyyn
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"Uh, I don't know." 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLY3FJooMz
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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. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQWhxBWo1x
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlx8odSRxG0
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"Beth."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kZ92uq7oE
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"Yes?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEiEAo4Yzs
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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-"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprQrMGZfdj
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡel2NUiIbnL
"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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQpQSXE44j
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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?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMx1ztPmAhz
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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?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlfSa1nEl5
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"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuo0rgaoMF
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPKJgkMO3g
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SPqcjrmnh
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97A5Sw9xUp
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"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOzihqWuNS
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"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuBRWEYIsI
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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. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfDI2W0wSC
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9gS2FrU7q
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The others talking woke me up."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEPMuvEgkX
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfB3EWq7I9
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"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtvIzvaDk5
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He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMq4c7EdVe
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"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvEQ55wtIA
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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. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH89QLUoimu
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcXih3y1Ji
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuzLfatVEJ
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzulRh6hMpr
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"Well, duh!"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLKoTUd6L1
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdOZCxrZyr
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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. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJcjh2k3xq
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8f8ibS7rd
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSh83chmNg
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MRT0CBBZx
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"I'm glad your alive though..."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrOFTH9exa
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJB4IujsxZI
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"Did someone stop her?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNFJGGUVmE
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpIXFPBwlN
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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?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq77fbeilx3
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8FfnCjv4q
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTMO43U1CY
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzzuLNMQ3R
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"Sorry."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntrAKmHrpr
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQyCcq0UHP
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbajWAjhJNM
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMm7sQ5d1Ob
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"Anywhere we want."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4jAM0QYAp
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"But where is that?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCbaif0iuV
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTRdOdOhKU
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBMbwmulSf
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"That was hell."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHs9bu3HxQ
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"It was..."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYd3fsDjfgM
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7Esg4nHhW
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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?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVgabQXsrQ
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxc88fClzQz
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0RN3RZfed
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Fky80J7gd
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurjXev1YA1
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"I want to grow it out."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukjftJLBuO
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"Then you can grow it out."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnVDCykB0c
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"....."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkgiH5xR2C
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"....."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VnqT3JUzg
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRA5jf77b3
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYb1V3GCZ8N
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC04kMaPkvU
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"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDSLekwhEH
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He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSqErMM80n
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ225fVVrcSB
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"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzs9eWxEZnX
103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82JvwWKBIL
"It's not that."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSS3EoI8hmO
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"I don't understand-"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODgNiz1Ejw
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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."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJulcu0SaMe
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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?"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXvmZgoiCk
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdpUKw8Taj
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sByC5OOlc
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzBWPDpSpI
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"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblyBOVjG5w
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjmNxKgYiR
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hMCGN7E84
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqkMfGxFBs
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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?103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwy67jXS73m
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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...103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzdZUJGS0p
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