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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQnF0k2d3c
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkikxpgisyV
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3t6ZnfIHG7
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorX2MXxB7W
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpn4Sbhb77q
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkX9Qyedzn
"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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uD61fJQFl
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pNqqnxHtv
"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?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡircBRaH5N5
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQi9fc6tlO
"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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pRtEmmm6C
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuQyImC3Mv
"It's okay, you need it more than me."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkijEyQDA3P
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVor7LYuqj
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..."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5RhJkUOgC
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"Yeah?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHsHPHZASB
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxLWZbBlhQ
"I just wanted to say-"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTzjoUMT3I
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3teEYcX9x
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1m5plr6fdh
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjJ62nINjB
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZum9ezRQnT
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1chiYT1ih
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkt0mR3crh
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OTq5uvqJ3
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. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9umkCiVag
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAGhmtXgqM
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. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1L9cW0miOa
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"But the water! We need that!"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHuHX5lyXT
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfTCNs9WTb
"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2yZZ7CYMj
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVcz2z32eF
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8AJp36bsdM
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"Uh, I don't know." 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5hrrou8kL
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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. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31l8VLZivD
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiA68uK2wVn
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnt0FH52un
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"Beth."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvcNfakeXo
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"Yes?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfNld2anps
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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-"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgpRyFdlAS
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIsHIOc0yP
"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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E1ek3ehN4
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboAqZLyzJe
"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?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyw8xKzF7k
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1HvI1jJOE
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3umgVgCqmi
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIL7SGsBqI3
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUQSYak0m9
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"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiBIpoy3pg
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypgIAHYYhR
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehocE1Eq51
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzq3XEBHTEV
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPAlfoPWHb
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1WOUrFFDJ
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBubFI8KoJ
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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. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbeshrzq4n
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUb4A9rtix
"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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2gvoRPk33
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAbutcINes
The others talking woke me up."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCW647WiA3C
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKtoLpByAM
"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7fbToCKSN
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYRDsTRI0j
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitQUeqjdMq
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRnwFFGBXi
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9dDT7Oo4x
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIdGvNVH4R
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvTXnNVFPJ
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7O7dFu1z4a
"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. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CNoqPFS4V
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Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnN6JS4oWen
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"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeKYBZmoCt
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"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtXUvLQQuG
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmPkXxYLsN
"Well, duh!"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppDGfZJduG
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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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiU90V2PnyP
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoS9wFP3HL
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. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BbBoDxNnB
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRxpRkdykj
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLo1TCQyfh
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95CKfhxFNH
"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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSL8566V0T
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XrsZp6MWb
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvka5GKA1VR
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74OtShDoW9
"I'm glad your alive though..."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DVPvQx0bR
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyWvehT6F7
"...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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ErIQUXMgw
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbE6meKbuy
"Did someone stop her?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NuDhtKly2
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"Yeah, a colleague of hers."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnkKtqlBHL
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqQbchd47B
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?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztzp5lrpO5
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhucfVVkWgX
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpy4YbJ0FR4
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"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFyhNdNRkG
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwVKuxO7Ih
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlB6GQjPMlu
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EMYK3PK8S
"Sorry."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrSEFmfi4K
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsR5ve5vxH
"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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRSwJSAmG3
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHLbSttPj3
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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKlgzDP7ct
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNauanulrUp
After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ392lFczhuj
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"Anywhere we want."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlCTNMjw4z
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"But where is that?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40bbNAwZuB
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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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdvZPA3RD9
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ey7q7eE9D
"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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJks0QVZwO
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Fq8xqb1df
"That was hell."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEXWxzZeiH
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAfZDY3R9h
"It was..."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuxiLndAXH
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAc27FseKTm
"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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6TMDiDYWS
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEJ1xvoJeu
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?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJWHNaZJdb
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD8VONJViv
"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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JmPUDZN0N
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"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcfL3FYnJs
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ohNQbkpsK
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGFBQhWEC0
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2NXqE9TRj
"You can do anything you want, Beth."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4262vXRTa
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExPlbLexde
"I want to grow it out."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6y588jRI9
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7E10qOzr6S
"Then you can grow it out."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNs4lmBs3K
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygod6L5KLb
"....."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNFtDvOlPd
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"....."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaXJGPUrPP
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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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbSCSXVs7X
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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.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDaxq9UNSA
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN13RqudO5J
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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs81zOyWKpV
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0cT8Vb7FK
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0WMqnOb17
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn58JLakWrC
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpn7ZrgvbX
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfFlugYCJY
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL81HMG0vB4
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCURn0sWlg
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVMR3LCq0V
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NLkKhHeSR
"It's not that."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14fLfnF6Ll
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3RsHEs66X
"I don't understand-"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Lqg5FbPGj
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesey93rUyp
"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."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡox1IRDR8OE
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSkHvC4EsC
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gr30wbuO4
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2kSBkeiUi
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDc7kUoAVE0
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"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0PVtJ1yaE
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITOkzHmyvQ
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe97gv2OlKG
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTq43QMCP7
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0SLxFPA8O
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9o0YUqLDtj
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulISglPNii
"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBIN7JEaZL
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His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFpEpYzszI
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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?160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeXawGRWTp
160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIQt9XWJ6k
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...160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRj8xRvShwH
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160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6tTjo7KPY
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