Neo sadly returned <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r five."And can someone tell him to shut <strong>the</strong> fuck up?" Ludlow demanded, glaring at <strong>the</strong> cornflakes guy, still intears.<strong>Not</strong>-Tim sighed. He released <strong>the</strong> white tablecloth and joined <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs on <strong>the</strong> floor. The cornflakes guygrabbed hold of him.":(," he vibed, burying h<strong>is</strong> face in not-Tim's jacket.<strong>Not</strong>-Tim attempted to retain as much of h<strong>is</strong> dignity as was possible with a cornflakes guy attached tohim.":(," <strong>the</strong> cornflakes guy continued."How old are you?" Ludlow asked suspiciously as Ron picked up a gun.The teen scowled. "Old enough.""Riiight." Ludlow pointed at <strong>the</strong> sole remaining cornflakes box. "Hit that."Ron duly complied. Cornflakes flew out everywhere.The cornflakes guy re-burst into tears, falling into sniffles when not-Tim covered h<strong>is</strong> eyes.Ludlow looked reluctantly impressed. He let Ron be and looked over at not-Tim. He took out ano<strong>the</strong>rpair of handcuffs from h<strong>is</strong> pocket and gestured towards <strong>the</strong> door. "Get moving.""Where?"Ludlow held up <strong>the</strong> handcuffs. "You're not coming with us, and I'm going to make sure that you don't.Got any problems with that?"<strong>Not</strong>-Tim looked at him. He looked at <strong>the</strong> cornflakes guy. He looked back at Tom. "What if I prom<strong>is</strong>e notto go anywhere?""<strong>Not</strong> good enough."<strong>Not</strong>-Tim sighed. He pulled <strong>the</strong> cornflakes guy off him and stood up.":( !," vibed <strong>the</strong> cornflakes guy."You'll be safer here," Alex said doubtfully, <strong>the</strong>n winced as <strong>the</strong> cornflakes guy attached himself to himinstead. "Just... yeah. Hey, um, can someone help get th<strong>is</strong> fellow off me?"Julian went to answer h<strong>is</strong> call of duty."You'll be all right," Alex continued as Ludlow led not-Tim out <strong>the</strong> door.
Griffin <strong>is</strong>n't <strong>the</strong> only one in <strong>the</strong> room; <strong>the</strong>y find Eddie seated inside by <strong>the</strong> side of <strong>the</strong> door, looking up as<strong>the</strong>y enter, suppressed anger in h<strong>is</strong> eyes."What're you doing here?" Ludlow asks."<strong>Not</strong>hing.""Get out and join <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs," Ludlow says. "Everyone goes out except <strong>the</strong>se two.""You don't tell me what to do.""Huh."Ludlow's eyes rove over <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> scene, takes in Griffin where he's been cuffed single-handedly to<strong>the</strong> bed by Conor and Shane, looks at not-Tim, <strong>the</strong>n turns towards <strong>the</strong> door."Keep him here," he tells Eddie. "I'll be right back." He walks out."...Hi," not-Tim says."Hi."Silence."I don't want to go home," Eddie suddenly spills out, desperate, pleading. "I mean I-... I want to get outof here, but I don't want to go home ei<strong>the</strong>r, and...." He takes a shaky breath. "...and I don't know, Idon't-" He lapses into silence.Ludlow returns with a chainsaw. He tosses it on <strong>the</strong> ground, <strong>the</strong>n casually drags not-Tim closer to <strong>the</strong>bed, grabs h<strong>is</strong> right wr<strong>is</strong>t, and handcuffs it to Griffin's left.<strong>Not</strong>-Tim looks at it; Griffin's hand moves instinctively away, recoiling, a sudden quickly-hidden flash ofanger as he stares up at Ludlow.Ludlow nudges <strong>the</strong> chainsaw a little closer to <strong>the</strong>m, just within not-Tim's reach. Its metal blade shinesdully on <strong>the</strong> carpet."If you want to get out," Ludlow says to not-Tim, indicating <strong>the</strong> chainsaw with an uncharacter<strong>is</strong>ticallysad<strong>is</strong>tic glee that might have resulted from too much time in John's presence, "chop off h<strong>is</strong> hand.""And you," he says to Eddie, "get out of here."The teen reluctantly obeys.The door booms shut behind <strong>the</strong>m as <strong>the</strong>y leave.<strong>Not</strong>-Tim glances at h<strong>is</strong> fellow captive, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r's head bowed in what might have been resignation.Eventually he looks up and meets h<strong>is</strong> eyes"Do you want to get out?" Griffin asks.It's not so much a question as a repetition of Ludlow's last words; <strong>the</strong>y hold no offer of friendly alliance,taunting, almost; a dare tinged with false bravado.
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"Your behaviour these past few mont
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Neo sank down on the sofa.He looked
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Next morning62nd Floor. Arrival Lob
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It is in fact at the cafeteria that
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'There is no exit here', read the h
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Back from his breakfast, Griffin sa
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Griffin glanced back at the three p
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Alex looked up."...That's Paul, tha
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"Okay," Conor continued. "Situation
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Yawning, Paul pushed open the door
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Jack lunged at his neck. Both of th
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Then they fell silent again as Neo
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"I did you a favour, Jack," Griffin
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"That's one," Neo said helpfully, p
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New guy gave a start. "Uh," he said
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His mom made better waffles than th
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Tommy reluctantly handed over the b
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It is after a day or two living at
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There had existed for a time an Ame
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he was pretty sure was a broken nos
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Night. A shortage of actual beds me
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Neo yanked his finger away to safet
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Neo sat by himself in the cafeteria
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Splash.The sudden rush of cold shoc
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The stairwell door opened and the b
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"Get everyone in here in fifteen mi
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Human beings have a strange tendenc
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Jack shrugged. "Suit yourself." He
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"-but we won't know for sure either
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**"We were just trying to get home!
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"It's John, assholes."John Constant
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The mob surged through both doors o
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"What?"A sudden telepathic message
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