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