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.181Please respect copyright.PENANA0OMZXr5Ecx
181Please respect copyright.PENANAoAyKiPBqjl
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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAIkWJxLt03w
181Please respect copyright.PENANA3VcUHW8BHy
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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAffKK0b48Fv
181Please respect copyright.PENANASffYZZSVJg
"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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAkxMw069orY
181Please respect copyright.PENANAzDGmyWYvEh
"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?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAGkaiTccX23
181Please respect copyright.PENANA3dZ9JAM2pT
"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."181Please respect copyright.PENANAbHqbll1rqZ
181Please respect copyright.PENANARw61y5pxFR
"It's okay, you need it more than me."181Please respect copyright.PENANAoXn0AmbwqH
181Please respect copyright.PENANAXCL3cPBMrv
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..."181Please respect copyright.PENANAZqc0xiLmMr
181Please respect copyright.PENANA3PYDP0Brgc
"Yeah?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAnBNKJ7Ymlu
181Please respect copyright.PENANAKUfjyJeKVI
"I just wanted to say-"181Please respect copyright.PENANAB0KpP8n4FJ
181Please respect copyright.PENANA6njURAieK0
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."181Please respect copyright.PENANAbXLcNZ3vln
181Please respect copyright.PENANAFc0zHFhq8c
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.181Please respect copyright.PENANAxCtyKfQXWG
181Please respect copyright.PENANAkqXLqevwJE
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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAHH52bXxk5X
181Please respect copyright.PENANASBGGYUFbdm
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. 181Please respect copyright.PENANAJipGsN4Zey
181Please respect copyright.PENANAm4qydlOVu3
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. 181Please respect copyright.PENANAGRzLWofa43
181Please respect copyright.PENANAiBIGzlQm6W
"But the water! We need that!"181Please respect copyright.PENANAeLby2fYgcG
181Please respect copyright.PENANAgIgN7TUwsb
"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."181Please respect copyright.PENANAsOuSonCaXB
181Please respect copyright.PENANAHJbB1eGAXO
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."181Please respect copyright.PENANA1y2ttpUmEh
181Please respect copyright.PENANAs9X11DxnJg
"Uh, I don't know." 181Please respect copyright.PENANApCJ63vGT0W
181Please respect copyright.PENANAqR2Ta4f3e1
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. 181Please respect copyright.PENANA0hs0UyOL4W
181Please respect copyright.PENANA5bonZT2Rme
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.181Please respect copyright.PENANAusrvOmRIUI
181Please respect copyright.PENANARrZdQcnxzY
"Beth."181Please respect copyright.PENANAahfN9gAofm
181Please respect copyright.PENANAR1FP009TvW
"Yes?"181Please respect copyright.PENANACf24iy6Z3u
181Please respect copyright.PENANAtgbMRc6nlI
"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-"181Please respect copyright.PENANAKwkI1rUqw7
181Please respect copyright.PENANAznbuIYCibV
"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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAk0oaWXtknr
181Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3on65JGzP
"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?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAOXwPRPr5Vv
181Please respect copyright.PENANA3k7ynHJ1pH
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAfWdw8kXvbI
181Please respect copyright.PENANA78JomSFWDJ
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"181Please respect copyright.PENANA6uMf0Va1Z0
181Please respect copyright.PENANAVzttxn6t9J
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."181Please respect copyright.PENANAZcyw6Jqz5G
181Please respect copyright.PENANAq5go1ihRJM
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."181Please respect copyright.PENANAvPIo838fjX
181Please respect copyright.PENANA9g3u0DkNKP
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."181Please respect copyright.PENANAdm7wewH426
181Please respect copyright.PENANAxA1nzfqdaO
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"181Please respect copyright.PENANAX6iX5DVNxZ
181Please respect copyright.PENANAKz3ph4Ni1X
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. 181Please respect copyright.PENANAwvcc2zCSfS
181Please respect copyright.PENANAMFCFxfTwoZ
"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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAH8VWZJruJ7
181Please respect copyright.PENANALiMEdGlpUx
The others talking woke me up."181Please respect copyright.PENANAKRsD5DPgkI
181Please respect copyright.PENANANDt9Dn8o7d
"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."181Please respect copyright.PENANASmxwsiuUUb
181Please respect copyright.PENANArz68wJCiO5
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."181Please respect copyright.PENANAM2pdNV9Pwg
181Please respect copyright.PENANAZQYEyLRlj1
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."181Please respect copyright.PENANAyrsjmNfZdp
181Please respect copyright.PENANAcqg4BBkL0Y
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAGzUGgvWgi3
181Please respect copyright.PENANAeaeXC1Dzka
"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. 181Please respect copyright.PENANAile0PVsFeh
181Please respect copyright.PENANAPsi3CaHmXL
Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.181Please respect copyright.PENANAFrQirTIKW6
181Please respect copyright.PENANAAe7PkFuf60
"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.181Please respect copyright.PENANA9OfJ2Upi91
181Please respect copyright.PENANAQdobyDlJNh
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.181Please respect copyright.PENANA2AfiFI0W46
181Please respect copyright.PENANA1B8HEHQOHi
"Well, duh!"181Please respect copyright.PENANAgxVB1hMVlH
181Please respect copyright.PENANAlYLoUMSX1L
"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.181Please respect copyright.PENANA5sg3AD8KTS
181Please respect copyright.PENANAZMJMe5YyhA
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. 181Please respect copyright.PENANA2vj9UH6V2K
181Please respect copyright.PENANAmmI2MygSYu
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 181Please respect copyright.PENANATv1mOb4PRc
181Please respect copyright.PENANAcEhoZ0Ff3D
"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.181Please respect copyright.PENANA9bBJrg8QaJ
181Please respect copyright.PENANAT7BBmZw9ZV
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."181Please respect copyright.PENANA7CMWn7F8v7
181Please respect copyright.PENANAG1ebip7pwt
"I'm glad your alive though..."181Please respect copyright.PENANABGow1oqUcx
181Please respect copyright.PENANAP1HPXU1pRd
"...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."181Please respect copyright.PENANAum6XCzqP0l
181Please respect copyright.PENANAZoEv5uszy2
"Did someone stop her?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAfLGO9rIUkq
181Please respect copyright.PENANASjFTTutpwd
"Yeah, a colleague of hers."181Please respect copyright.PENANAbedRel8ZYj
181Please respect copyright.PENANAXi3oaIKVcF
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?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAPXooSbrZIl
181Please respect copyright.PENANAOv4DCd78Hy
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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAIZeGLXFOcI
181Please respect copyright.PENANALh56k9EAni
"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAII8G7XV4gr
181Please respect copyright.PENANApjzaYPmnsO
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."181Please respect copyright.PENANAdIQaXx3iU8
181Please respect copyright.PENANAmD8y4e7Sur
"Sorry."181Please respect copyright.PENANAfRDUc1kAOF
181Please respect copyright.PENANA1PHwERnL7B
"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."181Please respect copyright.PENANA83DxJXYllj
181Please respect copyright.PENANAUMRSvMFw8J
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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAn9aY4rXgzJ
181Please respect copyright.PENANAwCkI1DYZyw
After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.181Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6NfvHu5Gn
181Please respect copyright.PENANAJnoDqE0brS
"Anywhere we want."181Please respect copyright.PENANAJx3LU2DITj
181Please respect copyright.PENANA8WFrDmLF6H
"But where is that?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAcLr5BfnMYa
181Please respect copyright.PENANAwGHlRfKqYH
"I... I don't know, I'm sorry. I didn't really have this all planned out, it was spur of the moment."181Please respect copyright.PENANAGUJ1cYUV1h
181Please respect copyright.PENANAiWgZhKgizQ
"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."181Please respect copyright.PENANArnS085dtL4
181Please respect copyright.PENANAhiriXn5Z01
"That was hell."181Please respect copyright.PENANAFjgRgGLVwi
181Please respect copyright.PENANAbNdk5S2r7u
"It was..."181Please respect copyright.PENANAXyEMN3nbJh
181Please respect copyright.PENANAwebC4z03xa
"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.181Please respect copyright.PENANAVtKTz8E0V8
181Please respect copyright.PENANAQBLRxQnhse
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?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAxah4SVjvEo
181Please respect copyright.PENANAttCx2nyhB0
"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.181Please respect copyright.PENANA0sKPHRVhcn
181Please respect copyright.PENANA9633Bn3Rms
"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."181Please respect copyright.PENANA5orK5v5PS3
181Please respect copyright.PENANAD1VpUHa7qI
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."181Please respect copyright.PENANApxcv2kAHk3
181Please respect copyright.PENANAVo6XqQKWN7
"You can do anything you want, Beth."181Please respect copyright.PENANAtKHLIICpfl
181Please respect copyright.PENANAHqzP4xuXMJ
"I want to grow it out."181Please respect copyright.PENANADAFekpDWgh
181Please respect copyright.PENANAv2PHhSFUqy
"Then you can grow it out."181Please respect copyright.PENANAsMNIfg8nOX
181Please respect copyright.PENANANap7Y69Bf7
"....."181Please respect copyright.PENANA62JZ5rMo5W
181Please respect copyright.PENANAzbL406yhGS
"....."181Please respect copyright.PENANA7rV1nBWjBS
181Please respect copyright.PENANAjP9Ibbeuht
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.181Please respect copyright.PENANA4a3AQddnqs
181Please respect copyright.PENANAdGscWK2xWL
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.181Please respect copyright.PENANA9JUXaEL5h2
181Please respect copyright.PENANAAlUKb4qNMJ
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."181Please respect copyright.PENANApU91nblmXb
181Please respect copyright.PENANA3hryp7VaS8
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 181Please respect copyright.PENANAli6PXPBg5Q
181Please respect copyright.PENANAcygUngOW3X
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"181Please respect copyright.PENANAKjBIiPXulA
181Please respect copyright.PENANAfkLndJOeZE
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAYZ1idk9PEB
181Please respect copyright.PENANAJQJoaLZmQg
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."181Please respect copyright.PENANAu6w1Ma5fPW
181Please respect copyright.PENANAsSMMYYL2f8
"It's not that."181Please respect copyright.PENANAAp74Lijcwq
181Please respect copyright.PENANAEtNU6yURVQ
"I don't understand-"181Please respect copyright.PENANAdGDUheEPMf
181Please respect copyright.PENANAh7fcl2Q8xW
"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."181Please respect copyright.PENANAerooXR8OAE
181Please respect copyright.PENANAwvkclEDstc
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"181Please respect copyright.PENANAucvtcJxXu1
181Please respect copyright.PENANACpty3QvvVr
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 181Please respect copyright.PENANAsG4DTz4OiW
181Please respect copyright.PENANAys1CNRiJgf
"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.181Please respect copyright.PENANAmtFVnjiBq4
181Please respect copyright.PENANAG7cmwq6l0G
"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.181Please respect copyright.PENANAbRWep5vYsQ
181Please respect copyright.PENANAyJZ7ozKJaN
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"181Please respect copyright.PENANAgjNzsXL7y4
181Please respect copyright.PENANA8uUKTwcR9A
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.181Please respect copyright.PENANAzjuq6JoUKw
181Please respect copyright.PENANAMFsAZtMWv7
"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.181Please respect copyright.PENANAWL8V2KRYGu
181Please respect copyright.PENANATAGJ13iGSn
His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."181Please respect copyright.PENANA1As78xN5Sf
181Please respect copyright.PENANAC73CV9UnGa
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?181Please respect copyright.PENANAjDOQVgFWa8
181Please respect copyright.PENANANvtmthpheu
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...181Please respect copyright.PENANA7WCE4ylM2h
181Please respect copyright.PENANALXYomKTM0l
181Please respect copyright.PENANAQpJSjZrjwk