eved in me, or at least kept s hidden deep in his soul.

    t as a cave. Upstairs everyone slept soundly. I turned on tc and poured a drink of er. Attracted to tness, mot tcurned off ts, and tened for footsteps among trees, but notirred. I crept upstairs to cers.

    en feared t Mary and Elizabetcricks and deceptions, and also knerike times. Not far from ory goes, back in tolen and replaced by c age seven, until t all, only simulacra, and pity ts ers ible, and I celltale cain detac from life—t ch.

    I o stay out of t;Dangerous snakes and bears and s  near our patc talk to strangers.  to play,quot; Id ask, quot;eresting on television?quot;

    quot;But I like exploring,quot; Elizabeth said.

    quot;; Mary added.

    quot;Did you ever see a timber rattler? ell, I er moccasins. One bite and youre paralyzed, your limbs go black, trun or outclimb a bear? trees better ts, and t t;

    quot;I never get to see anyt; Elizabeth cried.

    quot; kno; Mary asked.

    quot;Its out trip and fall over an old log and break your leg and nobody  find your o door, and t morning, frozen like a Popsicle, not ten feet from ;

    quot;Enoug; ted in unison and  off to c ains on ttoms, ticks on th.

    But t nigs snored. My fat my name in  I dared not ans suce ernaturally still. I old my darkest secret  to bed, safe as ever.

    t one never forgets ones first love, but I am co admit t I do not remember   t s girl I saory, Ill call  actually o Oscar, I resumed my