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@%\\~..... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .....~\\%@
@¤***~:::. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .:::~***¤@
@%\:...... ~ ~ ~ ~ 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. ~ .:~\*%¤@##
##@¤%*\~:. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .:~\*%¤@##
###@%*\~:. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .:~\*%@###
###@%*\~:. .:~\*%@###
¤*~:...... ......:~*¤
@%*~::.... ....::~*%@
@@@¤%*\~:. .:~\*%¤@@@
##@¤%*\~:. .:~\*%¤@##