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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjmROsJQrp
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlBfcwRI3K
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85j5qv7tuj
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtaPy4u9BY
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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?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEEAv1tI0A
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsSxPl0Vbd
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwBKwvbQMk
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYmHu685Mx
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..."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKv6F3zJ2w
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"Yeah?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4Aa6HViqX
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"I just wanted to say-"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGYEKzF99h
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURQJ4vpx0c
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp2m0LseoS
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILXdAG7k8g
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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. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQJXHI1yHt
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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. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2mrIELL6Q
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"But the water! We need that!"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmYb2W8HdV
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSeQabi1cd
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"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uiuefN971
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"Uh, I don't know." 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgG8yxcPiY
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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. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gUBGBdXIK
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGYziP3eBX
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"Beth."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM11IoVIPnk
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"Yes?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrN9oY3QtYw
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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-"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6vUXsZQGf
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASQneTMctf
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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?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDW62VRbkup
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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?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRd8HijZZl
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"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBA2qTqP384
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYJk6qF5T9
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"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgthUqZpGk
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"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmx4ErQUQN
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"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLyGoFjxPB
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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. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dzQtPjEiz
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5UjHgGKAN
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The others talking woke me up."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvna74ggw83
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5m4Ab7sgff
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"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1OGKHf9m7
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He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMdLU8fuoK
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"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVd9z6BVP4
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9qFUCFZSM
"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. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvnbz4NqYM
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqGrkY9yw6
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAqTqXeH9t
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRHYUrnFLB
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"Well, duh!"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UET2vtE01
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1V1aLaUjy
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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. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVK4L4IVSF
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAYVxYCCFa
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosMn7pvsBI
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7AEinnpcg
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyNU8TzQux
"I'm glad your alive though..."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBuZ5KlVHc
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6Rej0rAQA
"...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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuUIEpLouv
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"Did someone stop her?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8KFzALLvT
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiAcuvjsj0
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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?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrPN8Y0vt0
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDachltlfE
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQKQcdFMxt
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSI8pJEzrg
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"Sorry."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmZPb5SlJ5
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtr8u7R9jA
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumAliGtqMG
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR4ToBYE6O
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"Anywhere we want."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlmaMgnB0f
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"But where is that?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0AOja1M5M
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIl99gE99TM
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl6s0RYt72
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"That was hell."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9SjiIHNxl
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"It was..."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2zgTSJia5
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ869SNCzKxY
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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?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwqux3rvkB
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vzG3clQzc
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtcTSAXYji
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fCFg1sPtc
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7I2V3iCDGa
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"I want to grow it out."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xEFTtSlXP
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"Then you can grow it out."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssLdCk3B57
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"....."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTF7fYI470h
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"....."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPYLCeOLl2
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcUxrkz2wJ
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFF1isLDxd9
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTBMrAmTuK
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"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4jXp948oM
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He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6HXEL2449
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowPG7paPiD
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"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA40q94LXf
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"It's not that."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXEWC1QpMW
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"I don't understand-"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1gZW044sX
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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."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLil4LiP3tN
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DznLiPA6m
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgICxkjKbxN
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhbWEN3Ul8
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YIP45zuEB
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQoTUgWR2O
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"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtr1EF4dAYB
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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.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NHv2zwPbt
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCRlvMDc6P
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG81jZyfvxQ
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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?95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFBaafrwYM
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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...95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgbBKSEgc7
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