§%\=~.....                                          .....~=\%§
%\=~......                                          ......~=\%
\=~.......                                          .......~=\
=~........                                          ........~=
~.........                                          .........~
.......... = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = ..........
~......... = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = = .........~
=~........ = = = = 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. = .....~=\%§
§§%\=~.... = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = ....~=\%§§
@§§%\=~... = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = ...~=\%§§@
#@§§%\=~..                                          ..~=\%§§@#
##@§§%\=~.                                          .~=\%§§@##
#@§§%\=~..                                          ..~=\%§§@#
@§§%\=~...                                          ...~=\%§§@
§§%\=~....                                          ....~=\%§§