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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhkJuHeWZS
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfs90k4qaqp
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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKI7JHJQJQ
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMceKtLeeqt
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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8AifsBxMvl
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneqhH8QNqZ
"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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmSQLuPtRq
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAgzUsJW7S
"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?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAoS7wOg9r
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfptn2lNb2
"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."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2M1fwGyWn
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnHgKlC6TM
"It's okay, you need it more than me."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvvJbquUNR
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjG6P14IUH
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..."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNt3Iwnw5k
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlMtPY3t2t
"Yeah?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTapxrzZZN8
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmi6Iitm195
"I just wanted to say-"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfkiPG2O0l
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlTsXB85y7
"Thank you for leading us, saving us."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwv8u2ZVT3u
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAJDmX6Mlv
"Oh, sure. No problem, I'd have done it for anyone..." And then the intrusive memory starts creeping back. He killed him.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xW4NVRHoz
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZB6O1nQLnY
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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHRc3laCBx
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJO5XfdRj9
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. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBXTKdm7qm
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmov6pnKEPL
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. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPo91RU5Ms
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"But the water! We need that!"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoM3jeNe9ua
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yAba9WIGs
"But your hands, this is more important." He tells her. "I'm sorry."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61R2r8pwTh
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMjuXwt1mw
"It's ok. Are you okay? What even happened to you? You're head, those bandages."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNjNfz0SOe
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGD2rHNkGh
"Uh, I don't know." 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxjX7hvSxf
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AC5rKryfS
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. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanlDq1gHI3
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDw9lJD8SX
But why we're when they even downstairs for three years? He can't put his finger on it.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziykGPw1bq
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSALulNcmWA
"Beth."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrhod4tmof
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNxsXL5rdl
"Yes?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQYKY31HlI
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPlWoTW6nO
"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-"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJq9YJGKEn
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xo2r2eGsS
"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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoUkiSaZQS
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJH0skUQ2s
"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?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW56Ajte9PE
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCefwijha9
He chokes, coughs when he hears her say this. He pulls out the cigarrettes from his pocket and quickly lights one. "Want one?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrk6uAQkqw
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOARIWGTSEp
"No." She declines, shaking her head. "Uh, so. What are we going to now?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0Ui79TOfG
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGLyB51c1d
"Head out at first light and find some more food I guess."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscCv43HPyD
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzriMuD4zYU
"I mean where from now? We can't stay here forever. It's not a safe place. Not permanatly anyway."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Hwcmmnfeq
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Cn9eYwUne
"Nothing's going to get us. We're fine."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBz914hXea
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0k6EaZJsG
"Sorry. For some reason, I feel like someone or something is watching me-"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszFXUThCQc
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHxcCXLo8l
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. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo80mMifCM
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcArekSFHc
"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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVEPkP7awU
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHScGpSe4n
The others talking woke me up."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XkFATfzuI
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3k9bb8rhH
"The hell if I know, but let's stay far away from it..."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QDGS97HgX
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjANrtkcLRp
"Guys?" A voice whispers, coming up behind them. Slate almost backhands them. "Sorry."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsP0Rscwnyw
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97m2bRkB1L
He sees it's Lyla. "Do you want to come back inside? You'll freeze out here."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYzmqTHyTW
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpotoZdzHF
"Come here, see that?" He gestures her to join them. She peers at it. "Is it a person?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qmVQ0GcSl
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsPE2QSO1X
"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. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyVrAswhHC
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZJIlkOCKt
Then a cold gust blows. "We should head inside." Lyla says quickly and they all run back inside to shelter.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JvAQW6uR2
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuPQCkvyGc
"Hey, was it outside?" Gideon smiles.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWDG4Q4Qww
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqveZZsPNiW
"Cold." Slate responds. Gideon respomds, smirking and laughing.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MW2eIf6P5
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuH4s6S2Zri
"Well, duh!"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuPqRa0rBn
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUcjrQ4uvG
"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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2s27rlbiO
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS89K6b34FV
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. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDL6AkgXDNK
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04TMPn57MO
Lounge and kitchen merged together and then the bedroom seperatly. It barely fit the bed at all. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxenVLD2PiC
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcPaRGoxMn
"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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNqCjEqdKq
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Rw7iCwMFg
"Security jumped on me really quickly. Lyla ran into the hallway screaming and crying. They we're here in less than ten seconds."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynQZAhkF2u
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWjKzzTstr
"I'm glad your alive though..."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwhrK6HHww
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrwa19pHM5
"...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."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMnQUd4m5C
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYhWBE3Bmr
"Did someone stop her?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKn3BxkMXX
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5gam65E4T
"Yeah, a colleague of hers."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKG0IC188pk
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUdMMBmeuV
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?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SnTW1n6a9
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOqM7aEBym
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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xxeT3hCM2
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJToDHntG9
"So, what did they do exactly anyway?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KNh77Djoc
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJSnKCEp1P
"Uh, I really don't want to talk about it."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3qMLimkRe
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnE2PYDu9tS
"Sorry."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWtYIxt4WR
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6xgUlyg2c
"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."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7VfeFxfZa
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8wBSq090d
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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudGWw6mhUg
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaIOAyuOcr
After a while, one of them finally speaks. "Where are we going to go now?" She asks.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHjDJFnpEQ
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf1O4c2Zv0
"Anywhere we want."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzz3bBWpmj
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"But where is that?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlO9e03Xrog
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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."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01uYDG3GRd
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP2B0Ydumf
"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."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VIWFPlV04
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQs82bJhUt
"That was hell."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcv4uMb9p1D
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75EFYw5IDX
"It was..."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVA9gfHaRkR
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpqBaOPzlt
"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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTIiFn99RR
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvjJ1Qarrc
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?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjylkMm0Yyw
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4V7iBWy4r
"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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUr5chk4zL
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4DD08sLjX
"I like that." She smiles. "It feels nice."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJW2R9BqvM
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUirSxMSA8
So he keeps playing with it, running his fingers through and brushing it. "Can I grow it out? We we're never allowed to."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdj96AKLtNA
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeTEmb0E1p
"You can do anything you want, Beth."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vePgyi1pn
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GvVql7miK
"I want to grow it out."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqK5oKUJ0V
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzmZr9ddar
"Then you can grow it out."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7HmXTdtD7
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0Mlq9QzpX
"....."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyZ643KxK2
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"....."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQLvZoWQDw
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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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiC2sid3Yr
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrMWuWgiCY
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.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsemIRfqqtc
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicJ15WF54y
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."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3P6A5aU1d
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LSGi4CQ8B
"I dropped a book! Everything's fine! Sorry!" He yells back, hearing Lyla's footsteps retreat. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxMTu4FzVI
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZFID1CmyG
He turns back to Beth, gently removing his hand. "I'm an asshole, I'm sorry-"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYKvTNkgtG
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tW7ZAKa4j
"It's fine, it's not your fault. Can we go a little slower is all?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQh5bZYVbq
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuudNqpvsTf
"Yes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. We did only just escape today."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KQI5f8ASI
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kP5Cu4MSa
"It's not that."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYKbPTwgpM
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReESeU1aNK
"I don't understand-"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhQdQl6glD
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNPRHlDUC9
"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."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzMSKBUNMh
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09MZSvtAZt
"Hey, you're not a pain in the ass and you aren't being difficult on purpose. Did Solayo tell you that?"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljW2o5jwmG
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MxY4Iongo
And she nods slowly when there is yelling, well cheering from outside the door. 185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnfO3ZgThJ
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3qyqK390m
"I think we're 28-29!" Lyla yells.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgFGY1p1hp
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"We're that old?! We don't even look that old in the mirror!" Gideon yells back.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTxU9MA0eS
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5c4fYxmf2
"Where did you get those figures from?!" Paisley finally speaks. "Maths is complicated!"185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1BumBr6YC
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEx0YssaVY
"I think I need to go out there." Slate laughs. "Then go. I'm tired anyway, can I please just sleep? Alone." Beth responds.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtETXdwJRw8
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMYAMHzsuY
"Okay. If you need me- us. We're right outside the door." He says, leaving the bed.185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllMLkf3S76
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIDbe101kV
His going to tuck her in when she shivers, "No."185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjKH28CrjA
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYOVOMOBnI
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?185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABR7ZoRWiA
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfPeiprLDZ
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...185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqKi1WJ9vT
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BQ5Dd8MSV
185Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvOKpc9Fh8
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