𝟷𝟽

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Once they make it up the steep mountain, they make a small fort out of the bags for them to lay against, but the weather is cold, frigid, and unforgiving to the group of sinners.

" You could freeze an Eskimo's asshole out here," Will comments.

" I demand a fire," Benny sniffs as he sits grumpily between his brother and mama.

" We cold camp," Tom interjects.

But it's not good enough. Out of pure spite, Benny grabs a wad of cash from the bags with one hand a light with the other, and lights the money they just stole on fire.

" Fuck you," Benny utters," This is my fuck you money."

" Dude, what the fuck are you doing?" Will asks as his eyes narrow at his little brother.

" We don't have enough men to carry this money... so we might as well be warm," Tom chuckles, in an attempt to be lighthearted.

And Benny, being Benny, adds more cash to burn as the rest of the team just watches him go.

"Este loco..." Val tsks as he literally plays with fire.

" Now that's a fire!"

And soon enough, everybody joins in. They all stand and begin throwing money into the flames, all except Val.

As the flames devour the crisp bills, casting a warm and flickering glow over the cold, damp surroundings, a strange sense of liberation washes over the team. It's as if, for a brief moment, they've shed the weight of their crimes and their past, letting it burn away in the consuming fire.

The crackling of the flames fills the air, and the once-unthinkable act of burning their hard-earned money becomes a cathartic release. They watch as the edges of the bills curl and blacken, turning their ill-gotten gains into nothing more than ashes. It's a symbolic gesture, a defiant statement that they are more than just the sum of their sins.

Benny, who started the act of defiance, wears a triumphant grin as he feeds more money into the fire. Will, though initially skeptical, joins in with a reluctant smile. Frankie watches the flames dance with a mixture of sadness and acceptance. Even Tom, the one who had once clung to the money so fiercely, lets go of his attachment and tosses bills into the fire.

But Val remains at a distance, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She watches the burning money with a conflicted expression. It's not that she can't appreciate the symbolism or the act of letting go; it's that she understands the true cost of their choices. She knows the suffering and bloodshed that money represents.

Santiago, sensing her inner turmoil, walks over and stands beside her. He looks at her with a gentle understanding, his eyes reflecting the same conflict.

" You don't have to do it if you don't want to," He murmurs, his voice barely audible over the crackling fire.

Val shakes her head slightly but doesn't speak. She's torn between the desire to let go of their tainted wealth and the weight of the lives they've disrupted. In the end, she can't bring herself to burn the money. Instead, she turns away from the fire and gazes out at the vast expanse of the mountains, lost in thought.

The team continues to feed the fire, their laughter and camaraderie returning as the warmth seeps into their bones. For a brief moment, they find solace in the simple act of being together, of sharing this moment of defiance against the unforgiving jungle and their own past mistakes.

As the night deepens, the flames gradually consume the last of the money. They watch as the ashes are carried away by the mountain winds, scattered into the darkness like the remnants of a past they can never fully escape.

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