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.65Please respect copyright.PENANA1tRiRLGIno
65Please respect copyright.PENANArPJGLoMXGA
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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAEGUetMISYB
65Please respect copyright.PENANAUXVWtf0Bek
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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAeEGhg6BERo
65Please respect copyright.PENANAIEWS1442kz
"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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAsI9xewFNs1
65Please respect copyright.PENANAbd2QS7O7QG
"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?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAjKedDP9CcF
65Please respect copyright.PENANA07d3tRKC0U
"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."65Please respect copyright.PENANAK1JMCOdsSI
65Please respect copyright.PENANAWJEnXwMjsf
"It's okay, you need it more than me."65Please respect copyright.PENANAP5hS0dgvze
65Please respect copyright.PENANAXExUuSEorL
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..."65Please respect copyright.PENANAt87tJp7dK6
65Please respect copyright.PENANAkTvaeqIiwD
"Yeah?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAHvrWg9W6ck
65Please respect copyright.PENANAVRBWgbwfyx
"I just wanted to say-"65Please respect copyright.PENANATZrZfY4XBV
65Please respect copyright.PENANATAeY11JJyf
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."65Please respect copyright.PENANAfnzzBjeBYG
65Please respect copyright.PENANAyddJXEgiWs
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.65Please respect copyright.PENANAZqv8NLyDRa
65Please respect copyright.PENANAwMaPETRrF2
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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAhGnbzIiOUU
65Please respect copyright.PENANAFqWZwWoUUA
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. 65Please respect copyright.PENANAno0l7lnhgA
65Please respect copyright.PENANAjL7IBBlSfv
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. 65Please respect copyright.PENANAXHZ4AEiI1n
65Please respect copyright.PENANA8xCBPR99VV
"But the water! We need that!"65Please respect copyright.PENANAmo6l0lvaiz
65Please respect copyright.PENANANfVB7GDrWf
"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."65Please respect copyright.PENANADcmhPSNjL2
65Please respect copyright.PENANALkxs2RQq08
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."65Please respect copyright.PENANA6kceiSGTjf
65Please respect copyright.PENANAlIy7i89BTm
"Uh, I don't know." 65Please respect copyright.PENANAWLkxABG6W2
65Please respect copyright.PENANAnJtuEFBahx
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. 65Please respect copyright.PENANAMKNyCkHJWl
65Please respect copyright.PENANASQOXVkWVkW
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.65Please respect copyright.PENANAbYXaTkvUS5
65Please respect copyright.PENANAVkXS01uoPO
"Beth."65Please respect copyright.PENANAfK51x7DPqS
65Please respect copyright.PENANALAcTzvI8k1
"Yes?"65Please respect copyright.PENANARdoadqfWkM
65Please respect copyright.PENANA6JfKC1Jvi3
"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-"65Please respect copyright.PENANAlNB3CvY36P
65Please respect copyright.PENANADKEaMv7MJl
"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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAgoX8lTpR6l
65Please respect copyright.PENANASWFV384AuB
"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?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAH1ygRYFrn3
65Please respect copyright.PENANAj7ybSCJYYu
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"65Please respect copyright.PENANADeYCBitXWT
65Please respect copyright.PENANAV0gmryWnLv
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAKuTe2yhFun
65Please respect copyright.PENANA3KNdSMCJ2s
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."65Please respect copyright.PENANA8R3uNt7McG
65Please respect copyright.PENANARQJkJDYgwX
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."65Please respect copyright.PENANAWrJ1LkrkNT
65Please respect copyright.PENANAWxN2vMYxCC
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."65Please respect copyright.PENANAYwL9ekNPJk
65Please respect copyright.PENANAR0nMhAywpI
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"65Please respect copyright.PENANAPG57AqdIoG
65Please respect copyright.PENANAu2AHojR1lu
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. 65Please respect copyright.PENANAmRP2O4aq9l
65Please respect copyright.PENANAU6kOXol8dx
"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.65Please respect copyright.PENANApj1ByRmfFN
65Please respect copyright.PENANAcjtx9W0IAs
The others talking woke me up."65Please respect copyright.PENANAAsxzpeW0AH
65Please respect copyright.PENANA5ShE8eBZMl
"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."65Please respect copyright.PENANA9vwnsMkf9Q
65Please respect copyright.PENANAWku07fEQTz
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."65Please respect copyright.PENANAdlKqCBV1VE
65Please respect copyright.PENANAKCctHiZAAo
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."65Please respect copyright.PENANAo2taEHNNXA
65Please respect copyright.PENANAPavF7UoESX
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAKkbd0GTKVA
65Please respect copyright.PENANA6RmwTwD9CC
"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. 65Please respect copyright.PENANAEcUCVJ0GKn
65Please respect copyright.PENANABsoqKiry8n
Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.65Please respect copyright.PENANA4nnclq72zC
65Please respect copyright.PENANAYo2hC1xAYQ
"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.65Please respect copyright.PENANAjbLt76mkul
65Please respect copyright.PENANAvLLGlxAqeM
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.65Please respect copyright.PENANAmcbBL3TSVR
65Please respect copyright.PENANAVI0CbD0qrk
"Well, duh!"65Please respect copyright.PENANAP0TnPHN9ee
65Please respect copyright.PENANAwc7Kv7ghdG
"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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAkL8EXV2NM7
65Please respect copyright.PENANAuHYyngF8p0
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. 65Please respect copyright.PENANAsd9bCcevbV
65Please respect copyright.PENANAiqJw2g7qHy
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 65Please respect copyright.PENANAGNDYa3ewmy
65Please respect copyright.PENANA8LHAZrpF5c
"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.65Please respect copyright.PENANATU56Sidoxi
65Please respect copyright.PENANA6b8Xortxe5
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."65Please respect copyright.PENANA2R8xfmekYb
65Please respect copyright.PENANAEScyiJjw3O
"I'm glad your alive though..."65Please respect copyright.PENANA4SBV6KKsxd
65Please respect copyright.PENANA5grJdOZkSH
"...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."65Please respect copyright.PENANA4T5bynfCxm
65Please respect copyright.PENANAxMvoZa8Co6
"Did someone stop her?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAdDg7tvtWTS
65Please respect copyright.PENANAPCLwcciUNc
"Yeah, a colleague of hers."65Please respect copyright.PENANAcEDYsuDDt1
65Please respect copyright.PENANAkyOD2EI6JU
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?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAjZYQP12juE
65Please respect copyright.PENANANt2RIparme
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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAbZtUyOxew7
65Please respect copyright.PENANAEeqtLwI9r3
"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAWGr0F3pCrn
65Please respect copyright.PENANAdsbScv9Chh
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."65Please respect copyright.PENANAYgD4lraDfk
65Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4o9mqS5wQ
"Sorry."65Please respect copyright.PENANAWqKhPWe79A
65Please respect copyright.PENANASn4rghYV2u
"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."65Please respect copyright.PENANAIws9SAgzFO
65Please respect copyright.PENANAPJFEiI1sqW
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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAKA0IBoboi8
65Please respect copyright.PENANARIOWXThkBl
After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.65Please respect copyright.PENANAoqnFbj6Lwl
65Please respect copyright.PENANAyv1mneHiHG
"Anywhere we want."65Please respect copyright.PENANA3GjWXFvC1w
65Please respect copyright.PENANAchaSeaTecS
"But where is that?"65Please respect copyright.PENANATfXb96LuyL
65Please respect copyright.PENANAwXOgpJo7BO
"I... I don't know, I'm sorry. I didn't really have this all planned out, it was spur of the moment."65Please respect copyright.PENANAyeecVb78Pk
65Please respect copyright.PENANAxAjK7IJRpG
"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."65Please respect copyright.PENANAWa7bRb62QH
65Please respect copyright.PENANANURfCtTb8G
"That was hell."65Please respect copyright.PENANAYD6oiiEVTU
65Please respect copyright.PENANATvqOt5IZQA
"It was..."65Please respect copyright.PENANAPxPWTdo9Jf
65Please respect copyright.PENANANOhcjwoxoI
"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.65Please respect copyright.PENANA2CdrtZrMmQ
65Please respect copyright.PENANAwfIDwyavJW
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?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAzAr5QJgOAO
65Please respect copyright.PENANAXKuOxvYjmw
"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.65Please respect copyright.PENANAwwJR1Fk3aj
65Please respect copyright.PENANAQUBdXhztPs
"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."65Please respect copyright.PENANAJe5Fs34WGr
65Please respect copyright.PENANAdeOGCbjL4d
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."65Please respect copyright.PENANAjrFcVxS8VH
65Please respect copyright.PENANAi25c3YQuPH
"You can do anything you want, Beth."65Please respect copyright.PENANA2dCSG33EJa
65Please respect copyright.PENANAAJPCacPn4O
"I want to grow it out."65Please respect copyright.PENANA42j3za9H18
65Please respect copyright.PENANAHgz8W8ravs
"Then you can grow it out."65Please respect copyright.PENANAfI8HeLslEi
65Please respect copyright.PENANALR1EOlxuXh
"....."65Please respect copyright.PENANAJFmAT58qVe
65Please respect copyright.PENANAazvwfUIUau
"....."65Please respect copyright.PENANAFpp3BXF5vA
65Please respect copyright.PENANAEdAg6ElbKc
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.65Please respect copyright.PENANArwyxcAzrGL
65Please respect copyright.PENANA4MCZ743Jei
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.65Please respect copyright.PENANA6kx1NShfzm
65Please respect copyright.PENANA1bKlFC9Ih9
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."65Please respect copyright.PENANApd5ARl0hzd
65Please respect copyright.PENANAAlqVyFb4AQ
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 65Please respect copyright.PENANA9kU31V96az
65Please respect copyright.PENANA854I9SFVTs
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"65Please respect copyright.PENANAAJ1DaAy2FN
65Please respect copyright.PENANAhZEvAb85mB
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAflrQkZTeMI
65Please respect copyright.PENANAUinq9mE2Ss
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."65Please respect copyright.PENANAfoOaWDF8J7
65Please respect copyright.PENANAoLY5npyw9l
"It's not that."65Please respect copyright.PENANAXCdcFnhtYg
65Please respect copyright.PENANAoBvSaIzS1Y
"I don't understand-"65Please respect copyright.PENANA1ladUKHmYK
65Please respect copyright.PENANANKBk7s9eCC
"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."65Please respect copyright.PENANApM3KXU756h
65Please respect copyright.PENANANd63Cb6Yct
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"65Please respect copyright.PENANAFVlE2kx5X7
65Please respect copyright.PENANABpxkZxQIkc
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 65Please respect copyright.PENANA3j5qfjkEOG
65Please respect copyright.PENANABqxJZ0nZ3Q
"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.65Please respect copyright.PENANAZFN4HJdj8H
65Please respect copyright.PENANA6YSk3IfxaV
"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.65Please respect copyright.PENANAATO45za1Yg
65Please respect copyright.PENANAQHqV2zAeN2
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"65Please respect copyright.PENANAyd7RwmU63u
65Please respect copyright.PENANA2HrPlWL138
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.65Please respect copyright.PENANAZWab9FHRyM
65Please respect copyright.PENANAUPHemXneoJ
"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.65Please respect copyright.PENANACztPiW28rV
65Please respect copyright.PENANAxBwRWHzkcx
His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."65Please respect copyright.PENANAtkPzKotaTS
65Please respect copyright.PENANAwz07lt4RYC
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?65Please respect copyright.PENANAImLrPHbLBp
65Please respect copyright.PENANAZHP1uBSX32
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...65Please respect copyright.PENANAZUyjJbeFTX
65Please respect copyright.PENANAqE79ePutNu
65Please respect copyright.PENANA66gnYkbq6W