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.