div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"CHAPTER 2/div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"i wake up to Gabriels wake up whistle a short tune that is by now a very /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"familiar one i quickly take off my sleeping dress and put on a black camisole /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and blue shorts its a warm day today with summer slowly rolling around and /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"notes of corn flower blossoms in the air i see mike in the smithy banging my /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"wheel back in shape the women are doing laundry Chris is fertilizing the field /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"the crops will be ready soon and that will mean that there will be more food/div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"not that its scarce at the moment in fact we get about two-thirds of are food /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"from natural resources and we are extremely proud of that i walk in two the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"kitchen and grab a plate and put some corn cakes and sausage i see Gavin /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"looking at an old toy you wind it up and it makes music then jumps open i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"have a vague recollection of once owning one but shake the thought off /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"tomorrow the gangs will arrive and i am charged with finding sleeping /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"arrangements with Chris when he's done fertilizing i make myself busy with /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"splitting wood till Chris walks in and i skip up to him and inform Gabriel that /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"were going to look for sleeping arrangements we walk out the oak door and /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"over to Chris's four wheeler he suggests the flat land and i quickly the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"suggest the hill which is near us but not close enough for any trouble or fights /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"we quickly take some white spray paint and divide the hill into five sections /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"as equal as we can humanly achieve then Chris digs a hole in the ground /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"while i erect a lean to like structure I'm bending over and pretty aware of him /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"gawking at me and roll my eyes then put a nail in my mouth while i hammer /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"the other one in you know Chris mutters my uncle used to do that before the /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"first shock and one day he coughed and the nails went down his throat we /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"rushed him to the emergency but he was ok but he always had a scratchy /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"dry throat i scowl are you trying to tell me that i shouldn't put the nails in my /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"mouth he nods vigorously i nod but keep them there damn Fortune he says /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"can't you just do this one thing i ignore him Fortune please fine i consent and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"spit them onto the ground and continue until the temporary port-a-pot and /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"admire my work as Chris climbs out of his hole i can't help but notice his /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"bunching muscles and chocolate eyes and brown hair that sweeps his boyish /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"face i struggle to pull my gaze from his abs back to the squat hut and tense/div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"as he puts his arm around my shoulder i look at him and can't hide a blush /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"Chris yes Fortune umm what are you doing huh is all i get and sigh lets head /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"back he nods and its a little awkward when i sit behind him gripping with my /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"thighs and upper arms but i try hard to ignore it and we are quickly home its /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"mid afternoon and i step off the four wheeler and chop some more wood till /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"mother calls me in for a bath i grunt in reply we take baths twice a week but /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"we always do one the day before i help Jill lug jugs of water to fill the brass /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"tub near the fire pouring it in by the gallons when it was warm mother poured /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"in pretty smelling rose salts i walk out and wait till its my turn i walk in and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"shed my shirt pants bra and panties and slip into the sweet healing waters /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"freeing my hair from its ponytail and using a comb to fan it around my head /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and scrub it with shampoo then conditioner then use an old razor to shave /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"then slowly slip out of the murky water and look for my clothes only to see /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"they've been replaced with a pink frilly dress i sneer in disgust you'd have to /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"put it on me hissing and scratching i sigh and look closer and see that /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"underneath it are my old clothes i slip them on and walk defiantly then plop /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"down in the kitchen Bethany eyeballs my old clothes but keeps her mouth /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"closed and tells me that Mike fixed my bike i leap up and rush out the door to /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"the smith and rush to my bike its gleaming a dark purple that sparkles mike /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"walks out his red hair a muss i squeal and rush to hug him thank you i gush /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"he smiles and says just be careful i nod and hop on i decide I'm not wearing /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"that pink dress but i know an old store that has nice clothes and decide to go /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"there i race down the highway strumming the motor i know mom will be mad/div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"I'm not supposed to go out without asking but i sneak out anyway stores zip /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"by but i eventually see a small boutique i walk in and pull my gun out /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"listening for noise i think i see a few demons in the distance but there not /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"close enough i stare at the racks the clothes are kept in bags so they have /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"kept almost perfectly i sort through colors till i get to black i need a short one i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"look and finally my eyes land on a short black leather corseted dress i grab it /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and some short black boots that seem sturdy enough i grab them and a tight /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"spiked leather jacket and leave as i go i notice some hair clips and grab them /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"i leave and stir up the engine and I'm soon on the familiar gravel road and /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"park my bike in front of are treehouse and briefly examine my hair clips they /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"are flowers a green a blue a pink and a maroon one a rainbow purple and /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"black i quickly /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"pocket the clips and climb up the ladder and put my hair clip and dress into /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"my small chest by my bed and climb back down the ladder and walk to the /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"green brick house mother and the girls are in a fluster and i see a strange /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"man sitting on a bench stool my heart thumps he has black hair and sharp /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"angular face his eyes remind me of a cool blue lake spotted with green algae /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"i draw in a sharp breath and Jill gives me a knowing look and i scowl and turn /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"to mother and ask whats happening she looks at me and frowns Fortune /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"dear where's /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"that pretty dress i found you i shrug i didn't like it she looks upset but i quickly /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"amend its okay mother i found compensation she nods it better not be black /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and her scowl deepens when i don't answer so i simply ignore her and turn /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"my attention to and his searching gaze meets my questing one /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and i arch an eyebrow so how can we help you well he says you've already /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"helped me a deal miss and he gestures too the chicken soup he's drinking i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"nod and look him up and down from his bracelet i can tell he's from the night/div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" crawlers gang i say why are you here early oh yes well he says they'll be /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"here in an hour too all the other gangs as well and I'm here two warn you i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"nod thank you no warning needed it will just be a bit of a late night mother /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"where's Gabriel i ask and Bethany replies he will be back him and mike are /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"looking at a new contraption i nod and mother takes down story of the world /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"she glances at the man i hope you don't mind i make them all listen to me /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"read history i sit down and he looks astonished you mean you have a book /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" history a whole bookcase actually he seems shocked please read something /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"she nods and starts reading from the egyptian section about king Tut the boy /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"ruler and she goes on to the romans when Gabriel's dark frame fills the door /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and were all broken from are trance i jump up and explain this mans /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"presence Gabriel looks him up and down nods and then asks him his name i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"blush pink i hadn't thought to ask he answers my name is Drake i think to /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"myself you look like a Drake tall and lean broad shoulders and a small… i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"snap myself out of my wayward thoughts as Gabriel formally introduces /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"himself and Chris who is glowering at him i have no idea why though i sigh /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and sit back down when another knock on the door and i rush over to it and /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"see a brown bearded man with a silver ring and recognize him from the /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"grunge dwellers i shake his hands welcome to the ravanger gang mister /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"were pleased to have you did you all bring blankets and tents and fifty heads /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"nod affirmation i yell then i will lead you to your resting places they whoop /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and i lead them up to the hill now listen i say each of your gangs have /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"assigned spaces choose one and stay there I'm afraid you're a bit /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"unexpected but if you're hungry Bethany will be in the kitchen with apples/div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" cheese bread and water they nod and i say if you need help ask for me my /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"name is Fortune i hear a few snickers and i explain my mother was a fortune /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"teller before the shock's and also tomorrow after the council were having a /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"dance so all you young men had better grab a pretty gal or all you who have /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"one can make fun of them for a year they screech and then most head off to /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"bed or light fires and play cards i walk back to our house and collapse on the /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"bed to sleep/div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"i wake up to Gabriels wake up whistle a short tune that is by now a very /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"familiar one i quickly take off my sleeping dress and put on a black camisole /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and blue shorts its a warm day today with summer slowly rolling around and /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"notes of corn flower blossoms in the air i see mike in the smithy banging my /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"wheel back in shape the women are doing laundry Chris is fertilizing the field /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"the crops will be ready soon and that will mean that there will be more food/div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"not that its scarce at the moment in fact we get about two-thirds of are food /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"from natural resources and we are extremely proud of that i walk in two the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"kitchen and grab a plate and put some corn cakes and sausage i see Gavin /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"looking at an old toy you wind it up and it makes music then jumps open i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"have a vague recollection of once owning one but shake the thought off /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"tomorrow the gangs will arrive and i am charged with finding sleeping /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"arrangements with Chris when he's done fertilizing i make myself busy with /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"splitting wood till Chris walks in and i skip up to him and inform Gabriel that /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"were going to look for sleeping arrangements we walk out the oak door and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"over to Chris's four wheeler he suggests the flat land and i quickly the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"suggest the hill which is near us but not close enough for any trouble or fights /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"we quickly take some white spray paint and divide the hill into five sections /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"as equal as we can humanly achieve then Chris digs a hole in the ground /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"while i erect a lean to like structure I'm bending over and pretty aware of him /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"gawking at me and roll my eyes then put a nail in my mouth while i hammer /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"the other one in you know Chris mutters my uncle used to do that before the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"first shock and one day he coughed and the nails went down his throat we /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"rushed him to the emergency but he was ok but he always had a scratchy /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"dry throat i scowl are you trying to tell me that i shouldn't put the nails in my /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"mouth he nods vigorously i nod but keep them there damn Fortune he says /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"can't you just do this one thing i ignore him Fortune please fine i consent and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"spit them onto the ground and continue until the temporary port-a-pot and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"admire my work as Chris climbs out of his hole i can't help but notice his /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"bunching muscles and chocolate eyes and brown hair that sweeps his boyish /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"face i struggle to pull my gaze from his abs back to the squat hut and tense/div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"as he puts his arm around my shoulder i look at him and can't hide a blush /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"Chris yes Fortune umm what are you doing huh is all i get and sigh lets head /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"back he nods and its a little awkward when i sit behind him gripping with my /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"thighs and upper arms but i try hard to ignore it and we are quickly home its /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"mid afternoon and i step off the four wheeler and chop some more wood till /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"mother calls me in for a bath i grunt in reply we take baths twice a week but /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"we always do one the day before i help Jill lug jugs of water to fill the brass /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"tub near the fire pouring it in by the gallons when it was warm mother poured /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"in pretty smelling rose salts i walk out and wait till its my turn i walk in and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"shed my shirt pants bra and panties and slip into the sweet healing waters /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"freeing my hair from its ponytail and using a comb to fan it around my head /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and scrub it with shampoo then conditioner then use an old razor to shave /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"then slowly slip out of the murky water and look for my clothes only to see /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"they've been replaced with a pink frilly dress i sneer in disgust you'd have to /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"put it on me hissing and scratching i sigh and look closer and see that /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"underneath it are my old clothes i slip them on and walk defiantly then plop /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"down in the kitchen Bethany eyeballs my old clothes but keeps her mouth /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"closed and tells me that Mike fixed my bike i leap up and rush out the door to /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"the smith and rush to my bike its gleaming a dark purple that sparkles mike /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"walks out his red hair a muss i squeal and rush to hug him thank you i gush /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"he smiles and says just be careful i nod and hop on i decide I'm not wearing /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"that pink dress but i know an old store that has nice clothes and decide to go /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"there i race down the highway strumming the motor i know mom will be mad/div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"I'm not supposed to go out without asking but i sneak out anyway stores zip /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"by but i eventually see a small boutique i walk in and pull my gun out /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"listening for noise i think i see a few demons in the distance but there not /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"close enough i stare at the racks the clothes are kept in bags so they have /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"kept almost perfectly i sort through colors till i get to black i need a short one i /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"look and finally my eyes land on a short black leather corseted dress i grab it /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and some short black boots that seem sturdy enough i grab them and a tight /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"spiked leather jacket and leave as i go i notice some hair clips and grab them /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"i leave and stir up the engine and I'm soon on the familiar gravel road and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"park my bike in front of are treehouse and briefly examine my hair clips they /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"are flowers a green a blue a pink and a maroon one a rainbow purple and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"black i quickly /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"pocket the clips and climb up the ladder and put my hair clip and dress into /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"my small chest by my bed and climb back down the ladder and walk to the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"green brick house mother and the girls are in a fluster and i see a strange /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"man sitting on a bench stool my heart thumps he has black hair and sharp /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"angular face his eyes remind me of a cool blue lake spotted with green algae /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"i draw in a sharp breath and Jill gives me a knowing look and i scowl and turn /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"to mother and ask whats happening she looks at me and frowns Fortune /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"dear where's /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"that pretty dress i found you i shrug i didn't like it she looks upset but i quickly /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"amend its okay mother i found compensation she nods it better not be black /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and her scowl deepens when i don't answer so i simply ignore her and turn /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"my attention to and his searching gaze meets my questing one /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and i arch an eyebrow so how can we help you well he says you've already /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"helped me a deal miss and he gestures too the chicken soup he's drinking i /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"nod and look him up and down from his bracelet i can tell he's from the night/div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" crawlers gang i say why are you here early oh yes well he says they'll be /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"here in an hour too all the other gangs as well and I'm here two warn you i /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"nod thank you no warning needed it will just be a bit of a late night mother /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"where's Gabriel i ask and Bethany replies he will be back him and mike are /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"looking at a new contraption i nod and mother takes down story of the world /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"she glances at the man i hope you don't mind i make them all listen to me /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"read history i sit down and he looks astonished you mean you have a book /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" history a whole bookcase actually he seems shocked please read something /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"she nods and starts reading from the egyptian section about king Tut the boy /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"ruler and she goes on to the romans when Gabriel's dark frame fills the door /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and were all broken from are trance i jump up and explain this mans /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"presence Gabriel looks him up and down nods and then asks him his name i /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"blush pink i hadn't thought to ask he answers my name is Drake i think to /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"myself you look like a Drake tall and lean broad shoulders and a small… i /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"snap myself out of my wayward thoughts as Gabriel formally introduces /div
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div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"himself and Chris who is glowering at him i have no idea why though i sigh /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and sit back down when another knock on the door and i rush over to it and /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"see a brown bearded man with a silver ring and recognize him from the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"grunge dwellers i shake his hands welcome to the ravanger gang mister /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"were pleased to have you did you all bring blankets and tents and fifty heads /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"nod affirmation i yell then i will lead you to your resting places they whoop /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"and i lead them up to the hill now listen i say each of your gangs have /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"assigned spaces choose one and stay there I'm afraid you're a bit /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"unexpected but if you're hungry Bethany will be in the kitchen with apples/div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" cheese bread and water they nod and i say if you need help ask for me my /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"name is Fortune i hear a few snickers and i explain my mother was a fortune /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"teller before the shock's and also tomorrow after the council were having a /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"dance so all you young men had better grab a pretty gal or all you who have /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"one can make fun of them for a year they screech and then most head off to /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"bed or light fires and play cards i walk back to our house and collapse on the /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;" /div
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"bed to sleep/div
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