,,,,,,~§§& &§§~,,,,,,
,,,,~:§§&¶ ¶&§§:~,,,,
,,~~::§@&& &&@§::~~,,
,,~:§@&¶## ##¶&@§:~,,
,,~:§@&¶## ##¶&@§:~,,
,,,~~§@&&¶ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ¶&&@§~~,,,
,,,,,,~~§& ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ &§~~,,,,,,
,,~:§@&¶## ~ ~ ~ ~ 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. ~ &&§§:,,,,,
,,,,,~:@&& ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ &&@:~,,,,,
,,,,,~~§&¶ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ¶&§~~,,,,,
,,~:§@&&¶¶ ¶¶&&@§:~,,
,,~:§@&¶## ##¶&@§:~,,
,,~:§@&¶## ##¶&@§:~,,
,,,,,,:§ #&§:,,,,,,
,,~:§@## ###&@§:~,,