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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1i1eB9MgB
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQja5ziaEZ2
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7fq6wPlbM
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAawGxNKO9I
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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?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYQpe68Uj7
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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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCSIcLZdGo
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaPcHIs31q
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfsnadPiWI
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..."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOWt6nKOOo
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"Yeah?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSarRqjgd5
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"I just wanted to say-"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDDQYta5Tm
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhQ4iA5H1v
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA3CPjBTxn
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcSuE8AUUV
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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFEX7OrYVN
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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. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxZicacChc
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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. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aMqPBWV1X
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"But the water! We need that!"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XXlFXqA6f
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnWKpsv5nf
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"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOlJKsxlc5
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"Uh, I don't know." 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYuXdAWt5m
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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. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiau9YgvQm
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQIumH922Q
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"Beth."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR88psxV5Mu
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SjScjW2TK
"Yes?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2erZwEMSlB
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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-"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLS9aK10iui
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYOrCu6NoI
"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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADEat60exm
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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?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwQ5XUfZzi
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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?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxhn6AwhLP
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4jTxYCNIU
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWdLVIcKxa
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcYwpgQtmr
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"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBa8p1IWoj6
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"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4H5ouIGL9
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"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrOiB4Jfou
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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. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RyzAn6qi4
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtsano55rN
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The others talking woke me up."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNtISQ3wTY
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIuq7yxEaV
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"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lZpMnO8Fc
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeej6Hg85yJ
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrJlHuJVhv
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"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYV4NeaQcWr
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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. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OXR6pNwX1
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizb9MOWDL9
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uVsF9nJW3
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8IsFsrKkD
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"Well, duh!"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrE4F7jAotz
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVjn0DPSPe
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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. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHmaevaAiA
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQB2Tlt2IKv
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnTH215Mej
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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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmINBctDJc
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"I'm glad your alive though..."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZtYrCLDpH
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61F26hwZhu
"...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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQvilt3QLW
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZTaiEAdVn
"Did someone stop her?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29sxGyl2rP
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTB64qtxtI5
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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?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStI6aW1KdC
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVCcXc5PN9
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW8k84WGDr
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4IKkFbPNx
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"Sorry."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAZhDfNrlw
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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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV356Y9d4jG
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhmwKiQ2bK
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNNbaEt3BL
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"Anywhere we want."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZUfbqrUWI
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"But where is that?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJU8zrQcO3a
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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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInArL1klh1
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqee9NAVBKg
"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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9R2qO6CD6
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"That was hell."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12mlUIDTqi
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"It was..."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSODWvglUYA
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXuKRmor0J
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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?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCURGy3qAJ
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwR9Fy1fkl
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QprFw0kou
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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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ANO57Ao1h
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7aXjALNv6
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsaTgPXFDs
"I want to grow it out."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHECwUHTh9M
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbOpEHk8Qn
"Then you can grow it out."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6wclvt5kq
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"....."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnpAA8k44A
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"....."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZI2oakiqH
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sAKlm59II
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGUUUSkOZr
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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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsjtmsbfUR
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"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkNE74va3p
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He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSbtZDXZxE
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznsFnArMt0
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM8CBuFU5y
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxOcpufP7O
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRE4s6iwVu
"It's not that."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDsfMtzMoW
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"I don't understand-"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNvvj3BYxM
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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."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRm6JzXMkdv
153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZBHwjsege
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcbrbZ6bMx
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsck6PbQNFh
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTRPI1ZLZv
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCFn1jHu4p
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"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsoRhChnDP
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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.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0a6ILV9Td
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhcnNAGC96
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5OBOYI6wl
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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?153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd8HPWqUQ8
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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...153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDqWkVI8xm
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