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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7dwUCyOlF
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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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEY9OGi0RoN
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8otwLxcGXa
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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45iqi2hsgz
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNg3vAzt4W
"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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkYOH3IRCH
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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?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv5d0dueEq
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlGYQUdT8N
"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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jN28oSi60
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"It's okay, you need it more than me."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPyTmCNr53
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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..."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNLXBhDQwl
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"Yeah?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY1E6pSRK1
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJJbOK735Y
"I just wanted to say-"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKr4TjrCQYA
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"Thank you for leading us, saving us."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUk73ZjvoM
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWj73ac4wxK
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWSu5kfhf7
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhbGbFJSga
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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQNw0MJrVR
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OwDPQJMcI
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. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hYGgUlNU7
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CEKY1IN3B
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. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTpq7uJaZh
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"But the water! We need that!"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6ZGCCvEdK
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"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnpeaRmSsF
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZO3yJ22e5i
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKAUMMrnjp
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"Uh, I don't know." 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDZZk2D3wQ
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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. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9goQXlu7tC
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Cu5AZAuVZ
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3M2ww0N86
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"Beth."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1fJQH5Nfx
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Cl8deg0Ta
"Yes?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1FXCzL7NU
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxneqmdDyel
"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-"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1McVnmwIdI
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgA1EBjr9Z
"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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MFHcgqvOJ
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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?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYP0vSuBriv
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNudnYcMsD
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEslI08bfJx
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWgA8ekQmD
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPe2XAOIRzr
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhg2Wceb3Ox
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0Im7u3G0B
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5sMVqdn68
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcllx6T11o
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdHjeThteI
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHpqcFv0qn
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD5b3l2nIz
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzwi2fGrC9
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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. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPO18drUqWK
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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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZWCR57v6S
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqaoBA9kxn
The others talking woke me up."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI95Mdut6eF
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"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡox668ZiOzj
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18XD8vARvO
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jCk8F6Pbx
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRmVI260mi
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0b7rtJasE
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QMQEekfvD
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxM5GqRIISq
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1d9CqmX7Wn
"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. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemljIJ1WJo
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQZkB0LOYP
Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqCmXRBGxL
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7cqeEO70g
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSCKzywZ4B
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AhJQqlgK2
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitbeXPMakq
"Well, duh!"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY1fbWaFxz
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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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbItSJG5NjG
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNXX1BF4jN
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. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCysyrEQidC
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNwyCZVTbV
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzM3JeYEZ2d
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3tXxJxNtY
"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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQy7g6cNsi
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo2mxvAMFV
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrPRbAf4EB
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSMY3CTdhv
"I'm glad your alive though..."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8s4zFemhj
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcG8DUtcjz
"...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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB686iMKZCd
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhHw5MUuJp
"Did someone stop her?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4078ndzI3
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1B5bmhqZj
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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?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36smALLKRp
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAM8XmUwNim
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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6Z1IIm6T9
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqgoApd2B2
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRu5RI4PqIq
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebgaHY1b9s
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"Sorry."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzVEi2igrK
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrxRin2xBh
"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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlMhqvQD50
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMtSjNj3kA
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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuQOWAKarJ
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After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo9C04WhjP
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"Anywhere we want."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6sNXSrRiO
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"But where is that?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy36UoorBGy
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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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GTlDDlJKA
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5oiwOZkFL
"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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfaKY1w0Hn
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaijrW9tUt
"That was hell."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCwK3tCvFk
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"It was..."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9ZV1olP84
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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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oSXhU7G1B
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVGsNJkyvI
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?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTH8jHGZuN
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnp9iVcASaa
"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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISCUM57tFe
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVL18nJImU
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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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZtTZQh7ed
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"You can do anything you want, Beth."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUbgj6zDTG
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBmfMtLjrd
"I want to grow it out."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDQFLSAroN
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTzm4FEQUA
"Then you can grow it out."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62RSVT0KXI
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"....."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqAd5AxuQR
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"....."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOqg9AoaOS
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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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZKQpxu8op
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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.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBpu5DgncE
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJ2ocQzcv0
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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9smVil5TQM
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BfR8NUsCP
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvN38DtQom
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmez8fItzxG
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUy3ocpB8WQ
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡou0Q7PoMuR
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutx5PW5UN7
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPprY11cHr
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5l1rcZbBm
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Tv30C6uca
"It's not that."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jPrygdAFA
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"I don't understand-"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxPVPckK3n
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYSPdzdFWZ
"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."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0vP0bV6fU
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWf2hgyHmcU
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvdilw7mrJ
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcv2mH5eJ0F
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54GqPkGmO1
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReBGwh3XeH
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40619zfol1
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssf5uzqkoJ
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCBsvB6zxn
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfOMnlvqcE
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FQi4ACZgh
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"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yAqZV29NL
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAaow9dnfJ
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKRvbyeRve
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?129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EJvLOOk1U
129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSO6FHgLa3
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...129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9rArxWCxt
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