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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeIiax8iHJ
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8CP5HOQyQ
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz5BjnWGSd
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwe0PDMeHbG
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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?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXo1DYtjS7d
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypTDdCo3Hq
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWTN28phuY
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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..."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWO9k3UoT17
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"Yeah?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBozla8B43
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"I just wanted to say-"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwXfcjXmSZ
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgAManieAA
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3rQan6e3o
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEaGO7BZaO
145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4DuXinx58
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. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOKZBuLgWQ
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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. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigfmVWTY9C
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"But the water! We need that!"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBRVtSwNw6
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGEcgfhPIk
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"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBcVy8gVn2
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"Uh, I don't know." 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesbhXoE5IE
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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. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVRRFDahRu
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ62YlLZo08
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"Beth."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jDwj5ymRq
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"Yes?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzczFPJFxQ
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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-"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaS73jzr6S
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpHwYlWRH7
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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?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7S2TuZTMMQ
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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?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NvFOYf0QP
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"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwHJBJU4tb
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz83pmNEeHo
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"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQi05p8jw6
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"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WgVWEB9n4
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"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfLyUS5ppF
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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. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetZKZpjDR2
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9B5qcik9sZ
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The others talking woke me up."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4Ma48VKj3
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6pHS2bFxA
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"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDH06nuGJng
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He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLS1xrijLl
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"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡND2EGFFTpV
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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. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOmndUcbUu
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBELgNCvWj
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vTlwbFaIq
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCHvjd5v75
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"Well, duh!"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZ6xmNee73
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGCCGWun7U
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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. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ef3X48wey
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaI59fy4nD3
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9G0lRJ84g
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPoNAxo1Rb
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"I'm glad your alive though..."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIUhk2DT1o
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1K5n3LKrA
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"Did someone stop her?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoIUTeqUT8
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡow1R4JU14y
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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?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNtKL42Qvk
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWMjmUU9qH
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGvydRluKZ
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CqX28KVIa
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"Sorry."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6oqSBOEga
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfItOxtv4D
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZ4p8zHx6O
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2amZxLoVeT
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"Anywhere we want."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJcFsDmFVu
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"But where is that?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpuwXmUVRu
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCO6ukhZLba
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfox6BQ331
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"That was hell."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeGIKWp9gl
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"It was..."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb6GcfogTt
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWIC1qLpmC
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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?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgkELY1KIK
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNp0HKsGKJ
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnpulvRycK
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV0lAfeATh
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6YnKC3X3C
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"I want to grow it out."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLcEa0e42K
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"Then you can grow it out."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvubgU0UPD
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"....."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYG7XkciMM
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"....."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJbdnaaSAJ
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTXTDY3Exp
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWjx5Ci13O
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGs09IvTNcI
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"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkFmLr3jIE
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He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQ9tlikzTI
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLETjIikTUN
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"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbTEZZ8LKo
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"It's not that."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYJP6KUTSC
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"I don't understand-"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRPlfbNnS6
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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."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgpXKSJMaB
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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?"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6uiDskpu6
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelrLYC9Buw
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXqZD3m0FX
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLamvajLUJP
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"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvS3LJfhEr
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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.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXEPoU4xZd
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvYIVQmQLm
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ExpADfywm
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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?145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqrDnuUvm6
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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...145Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2G1G9BlfN
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