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“Yes!” Ollie shouted

The second I felt Travis go limp, I shoved hi

Elation over the win and the relief of finishing ht drowned out the shame

Chapter Forty-Three

Roman

“One more,” Eraser shouted in my face

I completed the set of Spider-man crunches and jumped to my feet

“Looking good”

I grunted in response

We were both battle-worn The nights Ollie was on shift, Eraser and I spent in the basehts became nastier Bloodier

The guards during the day shift started to get curious about where all the bruises were co about it

And I wasn’t a snitch

As badly as I wanted to see the guards punished, I knew if I coet worse

Winning money for our captors came with its perks Guards allowed us fuller plates at dinnertiave us a proper first-aid kit so we could patch each other up after the fights Ollie brought us new sneakers, which was duht barefoot For chores, ere assigned to laundry, which was the easiest job with the least amount of restriction

My birthday was co up But I’d lost hope that I’d ever be let out of here Why would they let their cash cow go? I was paranoid they’d tie me up in the base I stopped responding to Juliet’s letters I didn’t knohat to say to her anymore She wrote toAll I had to share were stories of hting ring

“My uncle finally got approved,” Eraser said in a lowered voice “I’et out of here”

I set down the reat When?”

“Don’t know” He shifted his gaze toward the door Two other kids wandered into the gym They froze when they saw us and turned toward the ancient tread and have Ollie get wind of it”

“Soestured toward the ca”