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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvT0duIA5nr
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUzTGCJUKD
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLN0VQmGsy6
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncLMWnxsub
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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?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKN3Dw9p4L
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAYiAAZaPB
"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."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13OPkFKTVc
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQ34w6if2W
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLuAZHxrdn
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..."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zuoOvFdyd
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"Yeah?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6bUtMBoS1
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"I just wanted to say-"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1R95HE9xz
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qBkRH4s9F
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DxdqkkuJ6
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMzMbcBVRz
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBlfrreJ3v
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFQoiDnSXK
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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrlmyVlZ13
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAx19vy5r5o
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. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFNsfFFMd3
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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. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAenVD5vae
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"But the water! We need that!"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaEZl5cM6J
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKE5gFpbbc
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWNNXVo5WR
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jeXGW2F0J
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"Uh, I don't know." 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3A3F4UKYPh
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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. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AGQegwkVM
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But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm0RFgiTqX
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tjtRODwAV
"Beth."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RPjp930is
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKi3jS05Ma
"Yes?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4kuU3pD1L
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMONJ3ll1lx
"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-"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzmbkYGnGL
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaAof5tYlu
"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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI043Pgcey
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMa596uUjxs
"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?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwyraKUXbb
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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?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrd5QPcuUK1
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZs5sbvEDRn
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC6JVASfAh
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviOVehRxfP
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LqOYZoRPP
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71E9DqXsEX
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvICKfNrXSa
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxB5OeofZ3
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBRI3lJZwy
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"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUx0UinYPu
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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. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IOughs1t0
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFAbQHnT3L
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The others talking woke me up."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQX7L5xPO1
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAU1gCtTxUX
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8LNdbOa3G
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsg60oWUDz
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41mEoFSF8k
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jGe8Z4zQ8
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtt4ziEXvp
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡingqesk6vU
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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. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5BCSAolbe
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bk2skMuDK
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG882A3FzYG
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhaVTlOMG2
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenWgKrlZ7t
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOU8hgLEamw
"Well, duh!"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOapUfgAZ6
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcvDTQDC7w
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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. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7VL4LAyr1
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Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC7MKozZhn
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4G524IeVSF
"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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsd3OKfAmbB
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtBjisLcJD
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUWEcZBQTM
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qk788FV0u
"I'm glad your alive though..."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxTa8Oaz9Z
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrf7qmfGzH2
"...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."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3B6bsBNbr
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIbZ41RJFf
"Did someone stop her?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWNdRpzE4z
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4obWvYCyw
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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?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbjp24eHYx
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRMHX72MN4
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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPhf0QoejC
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWBT6LEOJb
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"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQnUfm80Ws
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEFDFTs4js
"Sorry."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJRFmZzM2E
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDufx3QIKK
"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."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhYKQyw7Di
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Lm6Nyjiw5
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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupnj6J6s0Y
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhd6yVTa4Q7
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"Anywhere we want."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjB14E61XK
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"But where is that?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7DFt6yOWV
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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."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbu8CrStQ4N
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbc5OGB5eR
"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."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1yGkEi9Uv
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvpU24XLXk
"That was hell."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0JkiKW0cP
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"It was..."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iQilJji2T
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBxCsVbNpC
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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?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4C1FGgBO0q
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanwETcSd94
"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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRfMltL6qk
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLay68vfJW5
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VEPhfmt5o
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaSjquSs2R
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43tjejTlCU
"You can do anything you want, Beth."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKsgSRvPZN
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAcRRkxWM5
"I want to grow it out."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNnSw80vd1
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotpORWU0yi
"Then you can grow it out."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMK1EGyGDX8
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"....."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzEW12o4tS
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"....."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTTGWtN1EH
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1LCDrA6E3
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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.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjvsxVRPln
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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."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXsRUD0y0V
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"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnGTxyFHHh
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09XRGfOVtJ
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteJJGkDu4m
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"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAgcO9wxoj
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUXgIWxRh7
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHz3tMhBUdz
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0GRgWH14s
"It's not that."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUPuJNs2w8
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"I don't understand-"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TLUo0b9R3
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI8pqtcvHV
"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."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMj2zmEVlb
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlvsOdbMB7
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYaVqNg2Qi
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And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnW2agRCIrL
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHW3mB0zDX
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1ejmFMHVY
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhzNuQB86j
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iVHNOcZSo
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIFBEP4HAH
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeXQrpEgSX
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIMcCHUXU4
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQsgoWJkmA
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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?230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPh7NeYtV2
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrELt979nrj
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...230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvALkniIu4
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XDzVxfnfe
230Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzQbMV6Tjp
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