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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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