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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pUL2uT7GR
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJAZjmk43H
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9JYOt9Xfw
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPtaAh7wCn
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTicQkVMk7
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXhugUEV35
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7ZPrbu83X
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFP2dQ2YwmO
"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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkqLdyB3N1
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbO90EFTkz
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXTD42mwBw
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lK8jb2eM7
"It's okay, you need it more than me."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBRjqlzSgj
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2F73dPtE9a
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..."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fQarnIhm1
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOv9Cj3uGw
"Yeah?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpFpqUFVfd
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNrksly8pE
"I just wanted to say-"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYycneEJyT
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7f3IsYef0S
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZ1wO8SWMw
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyZY1rALt2
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCQlqq9YPB
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qlEgfbrNf
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMCDXoT68Q
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8poxyLaBw
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. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IIxNFkYwB
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqZcFiyc1B
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. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGj4J4oe8YF
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsZlp1ORZK
"But the water! We need that!"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuqJ0826ll
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqpVubNRJr
"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfokgOp4sPV
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6doaLYZchc
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMS8IS70OL1
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVRA2cfS0G
"Uh, I don't know." 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfz5PnLQqhw
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBB3l2AADQ
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. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEHH9kCvKB
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHFBBGKSLl
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZSNTjzfwE
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kEDA7qkue
"Beth."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsk9o5pNg1
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjeDXpJ7fG
"Yes?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcLdj3fk1g
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQl90MTPSO
"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-"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3PwHWSXHS
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9bFSUR3Hg
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OZaiyHvjK
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvZl5kQFOy
"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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv02E82D8cK
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvchqswMlLt
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNO4Vp1nNRY
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYF257NigsI
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxH0ftkgPFo
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucQSq4otyq
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBettMI7y1
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMcMaIUIDh
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDayS7ey7P
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7Z862V7Oh
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4au6jWTO2
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfJ9JFBSmj
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRdRKx8HAL
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxZcMcdEe8
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. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBkoFlpmH8
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcok72KNL49
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbC1Iv0RUvy
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiADlVSZ5Rq
The others talking woke me up."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupVPWd8Cf1
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbH4E8AY8yX
"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWbLGnnKzg
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORagetk8dR
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAKf2HTYd6
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoQrGuxd0H
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMU0JGZpbiY
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnOJWxvsmS
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaa4YpokBt4
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA28rRjx7M2
"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. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5HBXCRq2f
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBHp5RyuA7
Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYWqNeBCzD
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GA9NAqois
"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVR8hCLibS5
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMIgxxs17A
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7IA0gqban
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYokNFNSkm8
"Well, duh!"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gxYbLjDFx
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzkPeL41HX
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsXOy2G028
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8P83WleytV
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. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgPa09Zrls
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNfuLCAxCV
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhUXlmdOm3
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW86NPGtpgV
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfX3BMkaF8b
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMqWRz6Mkt
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHy9GtryP2c
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW4VSf28LJ
"I'm glad your alive though..."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sp6ao5U2J
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwyPldkBh1
"...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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4YeCcKKAG
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFz7adnXUzY
"Did someone stop her?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qm4iRGNbU
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBczr9ufiL
"Yeah, a colleague of hers."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLq5UURCel
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcV3kXzIDTB
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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMudBbZbiSQ
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBm97ef9CQ
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXnrwaOeWY
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0yeBLFSge
"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuc21Oszq4z
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSC1LEhxrhx
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZMJPjlAQx
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9spGdTiXd
"Sorry."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKooShougT
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPG2HMkoNvr
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPuLe8uYyC
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOIecefnOg
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9qn3p97nh
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin35jDNJRa
After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gezzHrZlN
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjbhoYh7kR
"Anywhere we want."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeH5pupBCvp
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFfdbFlUQo
"But where is that?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwdr8j9pbE
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CWC9f97z1
"I... I don't know, I'm sorry. I didn't really have this all planned out, it was spur of the moment."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uQ9vwBCrk
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80NQTrw83D
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWawKPcuqk
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlCJnAsv6E
"That was hell."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8z4kPblT8r
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgIXEXs3V3
"It was..."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvQdaaMuyt
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFnvgSGr8g
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZpeydX2Y8
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqHhq8Vt65
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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gbXGVFiwT
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUewWM5s1P
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfsC8AActf
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaQv32km1D
"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPV3S2O7ZI
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoqXRjbIjw
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQSyKfnylh
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGZOzsNXXA
"You can do anything you want, Beth."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvcHPdJ6UH
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lLHoUoh2r
"I want to grow it out."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6tg8XALm9
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FSyCdJT6V
"Then you can grow it out."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡup1MStpH3b
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLsg6p2P2R
"....."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DvLZBV7XM
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsNmNPHo4B
"....."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMgSMfKVE5
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstc43OgAhm
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3c5PMAzHF
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi504ptOZug
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtx5Ki13et
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HJsprOEj5
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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckmTG7yilc
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTfAfiBt68
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWditxoqVC
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQTjnVEq64
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsT422HYLD
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauTidcwtAi
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2t2AlOa76
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY00hvwo5Os
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KVFhxTmcF
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79vygqQkNs
"It's not that."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPNNvTCGfU
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSy3pAdWzD
"I don't understand-"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDlvPLPBAb
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqTjA5q0kG
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bWnWso3jy
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18vFDFe8Z6
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApDpbOvIFu
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZohWg0yWat
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVYWkAPNnc
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YAYZUYPI1
"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgcq9VlV7j
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCW1Y3HYpd
"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgc2qbXRHz
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf9wtahGe2
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjzcXxZjlJ
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NjS2JblFl
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw39Lf1P8Wr
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaM2tRgWKdz
"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayxHnpo5no
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzkHEHo01M
His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3VsLsZLjo
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmperDSUvC
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?186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5d742sbElF
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QAWXD8EWj
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...186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYMztqW36L
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjFtYoLnH4
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxNLV7Nidu
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