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&&****;=,. .,=;****&&
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&*;,,..... ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; .....,,;*&
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#@#&**;=,. 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. .....,;*&#
#@#&**;=,. .,=;**&#@#
#@#&**;=,. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; .,=;**&#@#
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