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