box. Gold letters and a key. I s ruck me. I A R! Diary!

    I reac a hand.

    Quick as a flas and stopped me from toucill s look at me. S and broughe lid down on her box.

    te pressure marks on my  where she had held me.

    ‘I’m going to go aally. My voice didn’t sound terribly convincing. ”I am. And I’m going to leave you o grow up and live on my own.“

    ty, I stood up and  of the room.

    It  until ternoon t so find me on t in tain to  sraigo teps, felt tain move . Fore tc tantly tening to set off on one of t in trail beo me and rested  my s turn and speak to ook my o my finger.

    I ed for o go before I looked. A ring. She had given me a ring.

    I ted tone ino t it close to t brougone to life. Green, like to my palm and made a tig one at its .

    Joed buckets of rainer and emptied tables for t;  to turned ter. But after every task, ed, and every time I o able to get on  thing.

    ‘So topiary garden?“ I asked  s to do there.“

    reply.  it, then I asked again. And again. And again.

    Eventually  to ted do-of-doors. “Like to sy catcended t ticed ty catcimes, t up a fe and do  feel so secure ing against ye’s safe enoug it rigo get a feel for it.”

    And t to topiary garden. o a medium-size yeo rest t it, but “No, no,” oo impatient.” times ree. t do a cigarette. I sat dooo. “Never cut into told me. And “Don’t cut into your oe. “Be  let t. Find somet in your line of vision. A roof or a fence. t’s your ancimes as long in tt