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.&&.&.&.&. »»»» .&.&.&....
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&....
&.&.&.&.&. The River That'S Our River Makes A .&.&.&...&
&.&.&.&.&. Large Bend Like A Scooping Hand And A .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Decent Days Travel North From That .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Stands Our House In The Middle Of A .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Forgotten Apple Orchard. Our House Is .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Built Of Dark Clay And Abandoned By A .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Stranger. The Window Has No Glass But .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Instead Steel Bars To Keep The Animals .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Out. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Around The House Is A Thick, Thick .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Brush Of Ferns And Bushes. There Live .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. The Animals That We Fight To Keep Away, .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. For They Speak To Us To Join Them In .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. The Luscious Caves Below Ground. They .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Mean No Harm But It Is Not In Our Best .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Interest To Do So. There Is Important .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Work That Needs To Be Done, And It Cant .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Be Done By Animals. (Father Says This.) .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Every Morning Our Father Clears The .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Ferns And Uproots The Bushes Only For .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Them To Grow Back Each Night. Their .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Leaves Are Teal, White And Yellow, Some .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Even The Color Of Wine. They Have Lilac .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Flowers And In The Morning They Are Wet .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. With Dew. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Father Is Away During The Day Doing .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Important Things Elsewhere. He Is Weary .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. When He Returns Home, Each Day More So .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Than The Next. We Learn To Cook For Him .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. So That He Does Not Have To. We Tend To .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. His Clothes. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Suddenly The Dense Bushwork Is Mirrored .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Inside. Stems And Leaves Appear Close .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. To The Walls And Far From The Light. We .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Are Glad, For The Flowers Are Beautiful .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. And Smell Good, And There Is Little .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Decoration In Our House. But When .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Father Comes Home He Is Angry And Cuts .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Them All Down In A Frenzy. We Are .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Scared Of Him Then. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. We Are Then Tasked With Removing Any .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Indoor Plant We See. But They Are So .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Beautiful! We Wait Just Until Father .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Comes Home And Until Then We Enjoy .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Them. Sometimes An Animal Will Sneak In .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. But We Always Shoo Them Out. With Fresh .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Cut Flowers Thrown Right Outside The .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. House He Suspects And Resents Our .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Inaction. But He Doesn'T Have The .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Energy To Scold Us. He Weakens Quickly. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. It Is Not Long Before He Is Still Tired .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Even In The Morning And Must .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Reluctantly Leave The Outdoor Weed .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Cutting To Us As Well, Untrusting That .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. We Will Carry It Out. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Now He Leaves As Soon As He'S Awake And .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Falls Asleep As Soon As He Returns. We .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Are Left To Care For Us And The House .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. And The Orchard. But It Is Hard And We .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Are Distracted. We Are Not As .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. Persistent As Father And Quickly Fall .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. Behind In Our Duties. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&.&&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&..&.
&.&.&.&.&. .&.&.&.&&.