elves live in the land       
        beyond the great dam.     
  it was  built in the  late  sixties.  
     the elves  came to us then.    
                      
                      
 they  were  very  manipulative,  and  we 
 came to  trust them.          us 
 kids would play  down at the  water even 
 though we were not allowed.        
    sometimes  the  sluice  would close 
 entirely,  and the  river  at  the  dams 
 foot would dry up,  revealing the  rocky 
 water  garden   that  had   been  hidden 
 beneath, and we would go there.      
       before  the dam  opened again, 
 there would  be a signal, but  the elves 
 would make  us not hear it, and suddenly 
 we would find the water  rising, already 
 at  our knees.               
                      
  by  then  the  elves would  be gone.