’WPC” [-.Ķt£„>)ńtžm0PĮļī-nG[äoWˆ ܤ4BŸŪ/!{ūRf°’Ø•óxd§oK°@wyö@ąē§F+-ó9JM”’jĢCe»ė“õČW!Ū¹ū0 Ę.“‰­¦›mPÆZ2fcJõĄ­ŪęfJžT”_¬Tch^é6–Ļ˜éqń$=ö½|ljļ ȊdŚPÕ1X‚ä^TĀ›„tĘģ܃?Ü{‘łąLé›B¤†ŹJŹāĻĘҰ)uߜĒ1w„ä_ Šü”ĖŖĶU'E…tc±zÓ<:ļfW_&ü” Š.; ėK(+Īo7„-ą½ž×O>¼ŲóL¹%mĒŠļ”c*ŹäCµę.yųyB,(‚@Ē ”‚;ū1ų(ιā-µįńžrŖb¹ć~ˆ>¦ d #ɶUN %Ķ 0:Ó^ w41@ mBUFYNŸ˜HP Photosmart C3100 seriesŽœœœœŽ0'Ör Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$””ŌUSUS.,Ō»i6é ė–5ź:i¢×+003|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ=LÄ 9Z+‹.Courier New RegularŻ ƒüœ!ŻŌUSUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_ŌŲŲŃ8€>IXXdģdČ8ŃÓÓŌ€ X‚šXXXŌĢĢĢÓ  Óņ ņXXIXó óŠ ” 0 ŠĢÓ  Óą  ą€As€suddenly,€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€realized€and€put€her€hand€out€to€grabŠ ¤  ŠDoraššs€shoulder.€€They€flew€into€the€dark€air€together€and€beganŠ “P  Šfalling.Š `ü  Šą  ąTwo€old€birds€we,€thought€Dora,€smiling€inside,€and€sheŠ  Ø  Štouched€the€hand€clutching€her€arm.€€Still€dark€enough€to€makeŠ øT Šseeing€hard,€they€could€smell€the€damp€earth€and€the€sharp€tangŠ d Šof€bramble€roots€strongly€about€them.€€It€took€Dora€only€a€momentŠ ¬ Što€remember„„even€though€she€felt€herself€falling,€they€were€not.€Š ¼X ŠShe€tried€to€say€so€to€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€but€no€words€came.€€A€strong€wind€wasŠ h Škeeping€her€mouth€closed.€€She€couldnššt€see€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ōššs€face€to€tellŠ ° Šwhether€she€was€frightened,€but€the€hand€keeping€a€firm€hold€onŠ Ą\ Šher€sweater€shook€a€little,€and€anyway,€Dora€could€feel€the€panicŠ l!  Šclear€as€though€it€were€her€own.Š #“" Šą  ąGradually€their€flight€became€slower,€and€the€two€glided€toŠ Ä$`$ Ša€stop€at€a€part€of€the€tunnel€that€widened€into€a€curve€to€theŠ p& & Šright,€a€tiny€stream€of€water€crossing€their€path€and€glisteningŠ (ø!( Šin€the€little€light€there€was.€€Where€do€the€light€come€from?€Š Č)d#* ŠDora€tried€to€look€up€to€see€if€there€might€be€cracks€and€foundŠ t+%, Šher€neck€so€short€and€stiff€she€could€only€look€from€side€toŠ  -¼&. Šside.€€That€was€alarming€enough.€€The€next€moment€she€foundŠ d Šherself€swivelling€her€eyes€instead€and€she€looked€up€withoutŠ ¬ Šmoving€her€head€at€all.€€Above€them€was€a€grating€such€as€the€oneŠ ¼ X Šshe€had€found€the€stitchwort€growing€through.€€Perhaps€Ō_ŌtisŌ_Ō€theŠ h  Švery€one.€€She€began€clawing€her€way€up€the€stone€wall€to€herŠ  ° Šleft€before€remembering€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€still€standing€at€the€bottom.Š Ą\  Šą  ąScurrying€down€backwards€on€short€legs,€Dora€found€herŠ l  Šfriend€in€the€same€position€they€had€landed€in.€€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€was€a€veryŠ “  Šstill,€large€Ō_ŌgreengreyŌ_Ō€lizard€whose€small€silky€scales€glimmeredŠ Ä`  Šin€the€low€light.€€The€lizardššs€eyes€were€closed,€and€herŠ p  Šbreathing€came€quick€and€sharp.€€Dora€brushed€up€against€herŠ ø Šfriend€and€whispered,€š šWe€be€together€Ō_ŌtogetherŌ_Ō.€€I€be€Ō_ŌyereŌ_Ō.€Š Čd ŠDonššt€ee€fear€good€friend.€€I€donššt€know€what€happens€when€we€beŠ t ŠŌ_ŌyereŌ_Ō€in€this€place€but€Ō_ŌtisŌ_Ō€not€harmful,€no.€€Ee€ššave€seen€me€comeŠ  ¼ Šback€whole€and€sound.ššŠ Ģh Šą  ąThe€silk€smooth€side€of€the€lizard€shuddered,€and€slowly€Ō_ŌSyŌ_ŌŠ x Šturned€her€head€toward€Dora€not€yet€opening€her€eyes.€€As€sheŠ $!Ą  Šturned,€they€were€back€in€the€doorway,€Doraššs€hand€still€on€theŠ Š"l" Škey.€Š |$$ Š€ĢÓ  Ó***Š Ō'p!( ŠÓ  ÓĢą  ąInside€Reinaššs€house€again,€Dora€sat€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€down€at€the€tableŠ ,+Č$, Šnear€the€window€and€sat€herself€down€next€to€her.€€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€opened€herŠ Ų,t&. Šeyes€to€slits€and€shook€herself€a€little,€like€a€dog€come€in€fromŠ d Šthe€rain.€€š šSo...€€You€do€that€all€the€time?€€Dora?šš€€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€lookedŠ ¬ Šdown€at€the€wooden€table€and€pushed€her€shoulders,€no€longerŠ ¼ X Šlizard€shoulders,€up€under€her€ears.€€She€still€was€not€sure€ifŠ h  Šshe€was€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō.Š  ° Šą  ąDora€moved€closer.€€š šŌ_ŌMmmmhmmmŌ_Ō.šš€€Silence€be€right.€€We€foundŠ Ą\  Šthe€way€now.€€š šŌ_ŌTisŌ_Ō€time€to€find€Ō_ŌyeššreŌ_Ō€kin€and€be€gone,€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō.€€ThisŠ l  Šplace€has€much€to€do€with€death,€not€enough€with€life.€€DeathŠ “  Šweighs€life€into€the€ground€here€and€twill€not€end€well.€Š Ä`  ŠWhatever€it€do€take€we€to€be€gone,€that€be€what€we€must€do.€Š p  ŠThere€be€an€ending€here€that€will€not€like€us,€not€at€all,€and€yeŠ ø Šcame€to€bring€back€Ō_ŌyeššreŌ_Ō€folk,€there€being€reason€for€it.€€Ō_ŌTisŌ_ŌŠ Čd Šthat€we€must€do.ššŠ t Šą  ąŌ_ŌSyŌ_Ō€sat€up,€opened€her€eyes€wide,€and€turned€to€Dora,€tookŠ  ¼ Šher€friendššs€hand€and€put€it€against€her€own€face.€€š šYes,€thatššsŠ Ģh Šright.€€Funny,€Dora,€how€brave€Iššve€been.€€All€my€life.€€And€theŠ x Šsmallest€things€now€seem€to€make€it€impossible€to€go€on.€€What€isŠ $!Ą  Šthat?€€The€closer€I€come€to€what€Iššve€wanted,€the€weaker€I€get.€Š Š"l" ŠIf€you€werenššt€here....ššŠ |$$ Šą  ąš šI€be.€€We€be€Ō_ŌyereŌ_Ō.€€Not€a€good€place,€no.€€Weššve€come€backŠ (&Ä& Što€Reinaššs€only€to€tell€the€young€un,€pack€our€things,€and€beŠ Ō'p!( Šgoing€on.€€Perhaps€sheššll€want€to€come€with€us.€€But€now€I€doŠ €)#* Šwonder€at€our€going€underground€at€her€door.€€What€be€the€meaningŠ ,+Č$, Šof€that?ššŠ Ų,t&. Šą  ąš šPerhaps€she€has€something€to€tell€us,€Dora.€€Maybe€sheŠ d Šknows€something€about€whatššs€under€her€door?€€Do€you€think?ššŠ ¬ Šą  ąš šI€know€not€Ō_ŌdarlinŌ_Ō.€€Ō_ŌTisŌ_Ō€a€puzzle€indeed.€€Ō_ŌTisŌ_Ō€growing€lateŠ ¼ X Šthough,€dear€heart,€and€sheššll€be€returning€like€as€not.€€Do€eeŠ h  Šwant€some€tea?ššŠ  ° Šą  ąŌ_ŌSyŌ_Ō€nodded€her€head,€and€Dora€stood€up€to€put€the€kettle€onŠ Ą\  Šin€this€new€way€of€Reinaššs€home.€€Sheššd€taken€a€few€steps€towardŠ l  Šthe€fire€when€the€door€handle€turned,€and€Reina€came€in€takingŠ “  Šoff€her€coat€and€throwing€it€onto€the€chair.€€She€stopped€and€letŠ Ä`  Šout€a€laugh,€seeing€Dora€and€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō€dressed€in€her€clothes.€€š šWell,Š p  Šyou€did€find€some€things€that€fit€you,€then?€€You€look€quiteŠ ø Špassable€for€folks€around€here.€€Iššll€bet€no€one€questioned€youŠ Čd Šat€all,€did€they?ššŠ t Šą  ąš šWe€saw€no€one€on€those€streets,€save€some€children€who€ranŠ  ¼ Šby€as€though€we€were€invisiblešš€muttered€Ō_ŌSyŌ_Ō,€and€Dora€added,Š Ģh Šą  ąš šWhere€be€the€folk€who€live€in€this€place?€€Ō_ŌTisŌ_Ō€as€thoughŠ x Šdead,€a€graveyard.€€I€did€see€a€man€with€a€milk€bottle€but€couldŠ $!Ą  Šnot€speak€to€he€through€the€window.€€Even€the€plants€and€birdsŠ Š"l" Šare€sad.€€So€many€wounded€birds....ššŠ |$$ Šą  ąReina€shuddered€and€touched€her€hand€to€the€wood€of€theŠ (&Ä& Šwindow€frame.€€Her€own€thoughts€were€not€so€different€but€it€feltŠ Ō'p!( Šdangerous€to€say€so.€€Perhaps€a€wishing€for€the€worst€that€wouldŠ €)#* Šbring€it€about...€€What€was€she€thinking,€though?€€It€already€wasŠ ,+Č$, Šthe€worst.€€How€much€more€lonely€could€her€life€become?€€BeforeŠ Ų,t&. Šthese€dear€old€ladies€had€tumbled€into€her€life,€there€had€beenŠ d Šno€one€to€come€home€to,€except€sometimes€a€man€who€could€beŠ ¬ Šviolent€or€not€violent€as€the€moon€waxed€and€waned.€€And€sheŠ ¼ X Štrusted€no€one€at€work€enough€to€let€them€into€her€heart.€€No€oneŠ h  Šshe€could€tell€the€things€she€wanted€to€say€now.Š  ° Šą  ąš šYouššre€right,€you€know.€€I€wanted€to€deny€it,€but€I€cannot.€Š Ą\  ŠThereššs€death€all€around.€€Itššs€not€supposed€to€be€so.€€WeššreŠ l  Štold€we€are€living€the€best€of€all€lives„„enough€food,€healingŠ “  Šwhen€weššre€ill€(if€we€can€afford€it),€no€need€to€toil€to€grow€ourŠ Ä`  Šfood,€a€shop€around€the€corner,€everything€shinily€wrapped€underŠ p  Šbright€lights.€€And€bright€lights€and€concrete€everywhere.€€IššveŠ ø Šbeen€trying€to€tell€myself€that€Iššm€ungrateful€to€be€so€gloomyŠ Čd Šabout€it€but€I€canššt€help€myself.€€I€hate€it,€you€know.€€The€twoŠ t Šof€you€are€a€breath€of€fresh€air€in€my€tunnel€of€work,€home,€eat,Š  ¼ Šsleep,€up,€work,€home....€€Everyone€knows€it€but€no€one€willŠ Ģh Šspeak€up.€€Perhaps€we€know€there€are€reasons€to€fear€honesty.ššŠ x Šą  ąš šKnow€ye€not€what€ye€know?šš€€Dora€was€puzzled€and€annoyed.€Š $!Ą  ŠWhere€did€these€beings€learn€to€be€Ō_Ōblind?Ō_Ō