§$*=«.,,,, ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, , , , ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, , , , , , , ,,,,.«=*$§
$*=«.,,,,, . . . . . . . . ,,,,,.«=*$
§$*=«.,,,, « « « « « « « « « « « ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, ======================================== ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., just off the coast to the baltic sea ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, there's a freshwater pond, secluded ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, among ashen and juniper. a cleft in the ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, limestone bedrock, sharp-cut from the ,,,,.«=*$§
$*=«.,,,,, surrounding plains, a ninety degree ,,,,,.«=*$
§$*=«.,,,, drop down, down, to the midnight-black ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, water. ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., ««««********«««« ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, ««** **«« ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, «««««** fairies live here. **««««« ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, ««** **«« ,,,,.«=*$§
$*=«.,,,,, ««««********«««« ,,,,,.«=*$
§$*=«.,,,, ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, they speak to the sloane, caress it, ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, urge it to grow thicker, tangled, with ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., longer and sharper thorns. they tell it ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, to stay just below the grass, so that ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, the animals what come to drink the ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, water cannot see it before it draws ,,,,.«=*$§
$*=«.,,,,, their blood. closer to the pond, the ,,,,,.«=*$
§$*=«.,,,, sloane can grow taller, being able to ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, hide also in the juniper. ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., the fairies will beckon the animals to ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, push forward, tell them that they're ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, almost at the water, that they may ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, drink soon. and they will tug on the ,,,,.«=*$§
$*=«.,,,,, sloane to make sure that the thorns cut ,,,,,.«=*$
§$*=«.,,,, deep. when they finally find the path ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, down between the rocks, away from the ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, bushwork and into the cleft, they are ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., bleeding from a thousand wounds. as ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, they drink from the dark water, it is ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, in turn drinking the animals blood. ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, ,,,,.«=*$§
$*=«.,,,,, the circle is complete, the contract ,,,,,.«=*$
§$*=«.,,,, carried out; the animal is abandoned to ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, find its own way back. the bushes roots ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, drink the nutrutious water. the fairies ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., dance in the sunbeams. ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, ======================================== ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, « « « « « « « « « « « ,,,,.«=*$§
$*=«.,,,,, . . . . . . . . ,,,,,.«=*$
§$*=«.,,,, , , , , , , ,,,,.«=*$§
¶§$*=«.,,, , , , ,,,.«=*$§¶
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
##¶§$*=«., ,.«=*$§¶##
#¶§$*=«.,, ,,.«=*$§¶#
¶§$*=«.,,, ,,,.«=*$§¶
§$*=«.,,,, ,,,,.«=*$§