elves at the great dam

@@,@,,,,@@                                          @,@,,@,,,@
,@@@,,,@,@                                          @@@,@@,,@,
@,,@,,@@@,                                          ,,@@,@,@@,
@,@@,@,,@@                                          ,@,@@@@,@@
@@,@@@,@,,                                          @@@,,,@@,,
,@@,,@@@,@ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,,@,,@,@,@
@,@,@,,@@, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,@@,@@@@@@
@@@@@,@,@@ ~  ~ ~ ~ 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. ~ @@@@,,,,@,
,@@,@,@,@@ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,,,@,,,@@@
@,@@@@@@,, ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,,@@,,@,,@
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@@,@,@@@@,                                          ,,@@@@,@@,