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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.  ~ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,,,,,,,,,,
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=^~^,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,^~^=