The Trilogy of Dreams

Book 1: The Dream-Maker

Chapter   1       The   Dream-Maker

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        Nightfall   slowly   descended.   Dimitri   couldn’t   conceal   his   exhilaration．Night   was   the   happiest   time   of   the   day   for   him，because   then   he   could   make   dreams．Dimitri   was   a   homeless   person   and   used   to   sleeping   wherever   he   could．But   now   he   was   getting   older   and   felt   the   need   of   a   shelter.,   so   he   put   together   some   discarded   old   boards   and   tin   sheets   and   built   himself   a   makeshift   home   in   a   narrow   alley．With   cold   wind   whipping   at   his   ragged   overcoat   he   pushed   a   shopping   cart   which   contained   all   his   worldly   possessions   in   front   of   him   and   headed   towards   a   fancy   Italian   restaurant   where   the   cook   Marianna   often   gave   him   leftovers.   Marianna   thrust   a   paper   bag   at   him,   containing   half   a   steak   and   some   prawns   and   pasta．Dimitri   was   elated   and   rushed   home，looking   forward   to   a   luxurious   meal   and   sweet   dreams.   Joe   the   bartender   looked   on   with   jealousy．After   Dimitri   had   left,   he   said   sarcastically，

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"Why   are   you   so   good   to   him，Marianna?     He   is   only   a   human   scum，burrowing   through   the   garbage   cans   looking   for   food   and   clothes.   He   is   a   bum,   sitting   there   all   day   feeding   pigeons   by   the   lake.   He   may   not   even   like   you.   He   probably   thinks   you’re   too   fat！"         "How   do   you   know?"   snapped   Marianna.   "Dimitri   may   not   know   how   to   express   himself，but   he   is   a   poet   at   heart.   He’s   a   million   times   better   than   a   good-for-nothing   drunkard   like   you!"

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Marianna   first   met   Dimitri   beside   a   garbage   can.   That   day   Dimitri   found   a   woman’s   purse   while   he   was   going   through   the   garbage.     It   contained   a   two-karat   diamond   ring   and  

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$3,000   in   cash.     Poor   as   he   was,   Dimitri   did   not   covet   what   was   not   his.   He   waited   there   by   the   garbage   can   for   many   hours   hoping   the   owner   would   show   up.     Meanwhile   Marianna   had   finished   her   day’s   work   and   was   frantically   looking   for   her   purse.   When   she   couldn’t   find   it   anywhere   in   the   kitchen，she   intuitively   knew   that   Joe,   who   was   usually   half-drunk，must   have   thrown   it   into   the   garbage   bag   together   with   the   garbage.   She   rushed   outside   and   began   rummaging   through   the   garbage   bags   from   the   restaurant.  

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        "What   are   you   up   to?"   asked   Dimitri   laconically.  

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        "I   am   looking   for   my   purse”   repled   Marianna   without   looking   up.   “Joe   must   have   tossed   it   out   with   the   garbage."

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"What’s   the   purse   like   and   what’s   in   it?"   Marianna   stopped   short,   a   ray   of   hope   gleamed   in   her   eyes   as   she   gave   him   a   detailed   description.   Dimitri   handed   her   the   purse   and   turned   to   go.   Marianna   ran   after   him   and   tried   to   persuade   him   in   vain   to   take   something   as   a   reward.   To   Dimitri,   worldly   wealth   did   not   mean   anything   so   he   replied,  

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"Why   should   I   take   this   since   I   do   not   even   want   your   ring   and   money?"   Thus   they   became   friends   and   she   always   kept   choice   bits   of   leftovers   for   him.

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Dimitri   was   a   curious   example   of   a   rare   species   of   human   being:   absent-minded，carefree，not   knowing   what   he   was   about，and   satisfied   with   the   mere   fact   that   he   could   still   think   and   breathe.   He   was   a   half   breed，with   some   sort   of   Asian   blood   but   did   not   know   who   his   parents   were.   He   seemed   to   remember   being   in   school   for   a   few   years，but   was   not   really   literate.   He   worked   for   a   while   but   did   not   do   much   of   anything．He   thought   he   was   married   once，but   then   maybe   he   only   lived   with   a   woman   for   a   while．He   was   not   sure．He   had   a   social   security   number   or   maybe   he   didn’t．He   had   a   wide   circle   of   acquaintances,   nodding   and   smiling   to   people   wherever   he   went，even   exchanging   jocular   reMarks，but   he   didn’t   have   a   single   friend．

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He   was   only   awake   in   his   dreams．On   sunny   days   he   would   go   over   to   the   long   abandoned   wooden   dock   at   Lake   Merritt,   filthy   and   smelly   with   bird   excrement.   But   he   didn’t   mind．Birds   to   him   were   flying   messengers   from   heaven   where   all   his   hopes   were.   He   would   sit   on   the   bench   and   feed   them，letting   them   fly   around   him   and   even   settle   on   his   head，shoulders   and   lap．He   would   stare   at   the   multi-colored   clouds   in   the   sky   through   the   cracks   of   which   leaked   out   the   laughter   of   paradise.   When   dusk   was   near   he   would   get   up   and   go   back   to   his   nest,   pushing   his   shopping   cart   in   front   of   him.

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        The   first   thing   he   did   when   he   got   home   was   to   take   his   dirty   old   sleeping   bag   from   the   shopping   cart   and   spread   it   out   at   its   usual   corner．Then，he   counted   his   "spoils"   from   the   garbage   can．A   pair   of   half-worn   tennis   shoes，his   size   and   still   serviceable．Why   do   people   throw   these   things   away?   He   couldn’t   understand．Then，there   was   a   shirt，quite   clean．Yes，he   could   throw   his   dilapidated   one   away,   and   tomorrow   he   would   put   on   his   new   shirt   and   shoes   and   feel   quite   debonair．He   was   as   happy   as   a   rich   man   who   had   just   made   a   million   dollars．He   lighted   up   his   kerosene   cooking   stove   to   heat   up   Marianna’s   leftovers，and   after   this   sumptuous   meal   would   go   to   bed．His   life   was   so   simple．To   put   it   into   a   formula，it   would   be：limited   materials   needs＝unlimited   satisfaction．That   was   because   the   focus   of   his   life   was   not   when   he   was   awake，but   when   he   was   asleep．He   was   happy   today   because   he   had   gathered   a   lot   of   material   to   be   woven   into   his   dreams．For   him，this   was   just   like   feeding   information   into   the   computer   to   be   organized   and   replayed   on   the   screen．

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While   having   his   dinner，he   went   over   the   events   of   the   day：That   morning   he   passed   an   imposing   office   building．A   black   Rolls-Royce   stopped   smoothly   before   it   and   a   liveried   chauffeur   got   out   to   open   the   door   for   a   man   with   an   expensive   hat   and   a   pipe   in   his   mouth——obviously   an   old-fashioned   tycoon．He   was   alleged   to   be   the   president   of   World   Bank．"So   what?"   thought   Dimitri，"I   can   be   one   too   in   my   dreams”．Then   he   passed   a   high-class   shoe   store   for   women,   selling   shoes   and   other   leather   goods．A   pair   of   glittering   toeless   silver   high-heeled   shoes   displayed   in   the   window   caught   his   eye．"What   clothes   would   go   with   them？"he   mused．"A   strapless   royal   blue   evening   gown   perhaps，or   a   clinging   black   mini-skirt?   Both   would   do”   he   decided．Just   then，the   salesgirl’s   arm   reached   out   and   took   the   shoes   away   from   the   window   display   to   try   them   on   a   customer．Dimitri   was   curious   to   know   who   the   woman   was，so   he   walked   to   the   entrance   of   the   shop   and   peered   in．The   brilliant   red   toe   nails   peeking   from   the   silver   shoes   mesmerized   him   and   kindled   flames   of   primitive   lust   from   within   him   like   lighted   matches   thrown   into   a   barrel   of   gasoline．

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"May   I   help   you?"   a   voice   cut   in   coldly．It   was   the   store   manager   coming   to   drive   him   away．

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"No   way   you   can   help   me”   mumbled   Dimitri   and   pushed   his   cart   away，thinking   meanwhile   about   "more   material   for   tonight"．

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He   immediately   lay   down   to   sleep   after   his   dinner   and   in   no   time   he   seemed   to   see   an   obscure   moon   in   the   sky   shining   on   a   winding   mountain   path．A   short   glittering   form   suddenly   emerged   from   the   woods   around   the   path   and   started   walking   towards   a   dark   ancient   Chinese   house   further   on．It   was   a   freakish，ugly-looking   pygmy   wearing   the   elaborate   costumes   of   the   Ching   Dynasty．His   hat   and   coat   were   made   of   material   woven   with   gold   thread   and   were   shining   in   the   moonlight．On   reaching   the   door   of   the   house，which   was   completely   dark，he   drew   a   foot-long   key   from   his   pocket   and   tried   to   fit   it   into   the   old-fashioned   Chinese   lock．He   stood   on   tip-toes   and   wrestled   with   the   lock   and   key   for   a   long   time   but   to   no   avail．He   flew   into   a   rage，threw   the   key   onto   the   ground   and   stomped   on   it   again   and   again，making   squeaky   sounds   to   express   his   flustration．Then   he   calmed   down   a   bit，picked   up   the   key   and   tried   again．This   time   it   worked．He   carried   the   heavy   lock   laboriously   into   the   house   and   closed   the   door．It   was   pitch   dark   inside．He   opened   the   trunk   nearest   to   the   door   and   immediately   the   room   lit   up   with   the   brilliance   of   the   gems   in   the   trunk:   priceless   diamonds,rubies,pearls   and   sapphires   all   lay   there   piled   in   a   heap．

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It   was   a   large   rectangular   room,   lined   with   sturdy   trunks   on   both   sides．The   pygmy   jumped   around   opening   this   trunk   and   that   until   they   were   all   open．He   jumped   onto   a   desk   at   the   end   of   the   room   and   looked   at   the   immense   wealth   spread   before   him．Some   trunks   held   gold   ingots，gold   coins   and   gold   chains，rings，bracelets；others，silver．He   crossed   his   legs   elatedly   and   shouted："How   rich   I   am!”   Just   then   a   huge   python   slithered   soundlessly   out   from   the   corner   of   the   dark   room   and   wound   itself   round   and   round   the   table   where   the   pigmy   sat   cross-legged．On   seeing   the   python，the   pygmy   flew   into   a   rage   and   screamed   shrilly，

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    "Where   have   you   been   to?   You   were   supposed   to   be   right   here   guarding   the   treasures！I   had   to   open   the   door   myself   and   a   lot   of   trouble   it   caused   me!”   He   grew   angrier   as   he   spoke．On   seeing   him   so   angry，the   python   uncurled   itself   and   turned   into   a   seductive   and   bewitching   naked   woman，and   like   Medusa，she   had   hair   of   snakes．She   knelt   before   him   and   asked   for   forgiveness．The   pygmy   pulled   out   a   whip   from   under   his   belt   and   cracked   it   on   her   in   fury．She   cried   and   kowtowed   to   beg   him   for   pardon．Red   welts   appeared   on   her   snowwhite   skin．She   looked   at   him   beseechingly．The   pygmy   stopped   and   turned   into   a   creature   with   the   strong   muscular   body   of   a   man   but   the   head   of   a   monster．One   eye   was   in   the   middle   of   his   face，and   the   other   at   the   back   of   his   head．There   was   a   rhinoceros   horn   on   the   top   of   his   head．He   pulled   the   woman   to   her   feet．The   gems   and   treasures   in   the   room   then   turned   into   multi-colored   clouds，drifting   and   floating   in   the   room．Some   of   them   came   together   and   formed   a   soft   mattress   for   the   two   monsters   to   make   love．At   the   height   of   their   love-making，they   both   transformed   again   to   huge   pythons,   entwined   together   in   an   inextricable   knot．

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        "Dimitri！Dimitri！Wake   up！"Marianna’s   booming   voice   cut   into   his   dream．He   woke   with   a   startle，his   body   still   glistening   with   sweat，to   find   Marianna   shaking   him．When   he   opened   his   eyes   sleepily，the   seductive   and   bewitching   female   monster   was   gone   and   before   him   was   Marianna’s   fat，affable   countenance．"You’re   dreaming   again!”   she   said．Dimitri   smiled．He   found   that   his   pants   were   wet   with   nocturnal   emission．

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        "How   come   you   didn’t   come   to   get   your   dinner   last   night?"

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        "But   I   did．You   gave   me   shrimps   and   steak．"

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        "That   was   the   day   before   yesterday．Aren’t   you   hungry?"

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        "What！I”ve   slept   for   so   long？Now   that   you   mention   it，I’m   starved!”   said   Dimitri   and   he   heard   his   stomach   growl   in   protest．Marianna   handed   him   a   cup   of   hot   chocolate．

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"There   is   fried   chicken   and   ham   sandwich   in   the   bag．Heat   it   up   and   eat   it．Why   can’t   you   stay   awake   and   find   some   work   to   do   instead   of   living   in   your   dreams?"   she   scolded．"Why   don’t   you   come   and   live   in   my   garage?   You   won’t   be   in   anybody’s   way   and   you’ll   have   a   decent   roof   over   your   head.”

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        "No，thank   you，ma’am．Thanks   for   the   offer，but   I’m   used   to   it   here．To   me   the   most   important   thing   is   to   keep   up   my   vitality．Thanks   to   you，I   have   enough   food   to   sustain   my   physical   health   and   keep   up   my   brain   activities．The   rest   is   superfluous   and   mean   nothing   to   me．"

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"OK，"said   Marianna   resignedly，"You   don’t   have   to   thank   me．You   wash   my   car   and   we   are   quits．Get   up   now，eat   your   chicken   and   sandwich   and   go   out   there   and   gather   material   for   your   dreams．"

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After   the   splendid   breakfast，he   put   on   his   new   shirt   and   shoes   which   he   had   retrieved   from   the   garbage   can   the   day   before，and   felt   that   life   in   general   was   fine   indeed．So   pushing   his   cart   in   front   of   him，he   went   out   into   the   world．   "I   wonder   what   I’ll   find   today   to   weave   into   my   dreams”   he   thought．   Every   day   was   fresh   and   new   to   him．He   had   a   feeling   of   expectancy，like   a   child   going   to   Disneyland．He   strolled   aimlessly   around，watching   passers-by   hurrying   towards   their   destinations．"Why   are   they   in   such   a   hurry?"   he   wondered．"Life   should   be   placid,   to   be   enjoyed，not   so   hurried...”   The   day   passed   without   his   seeing   anything   out   of   the   ordinary．Dimitri   was   disappointed．"Uh-uh，no   material   for   my   dreams   tonight．It’s   getting   late．"   Just   then，he   saw   an   old   couple   walking   hand-in-hand，taking   their   evening   stroll.   Then   getting   tired.   they   sat   on   the   park   bench．

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"Honey”   said   the   old   man   to   his   wife，”Sonny   boy   wrote   to   us   yesterday，asking   us   to   go   to   their   place   for   Christmas．He’s   a   good   boy．"

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"You   know，darling，"   his   wife   replied，"not   only   our   son，our   daughter   too，has   invited   us   for   Christmas．They   are   both   good   children，but   which   place   should   we   go   to?”   Simple   as   these   words   were，Dimitri   could   see   love，happiness，tranquillity   and   a   sense   of   pride   of   having   made   something   out   of   their   lives．Their   life，their   love   was   like   a   barrel   of   wine，which   having   been   brewed   a   whole   lifetime，was   now   perfect   and   fit   to   drink．He   stood   rock   still，deeply   impressed   by   the   old   couple   before   him．

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“There   was   something   worthwhile   in   this   life   after   all,”   he   thought．

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Dimitri   was   a   vagabond   with   more   than   one   resting   place．It   was   late   and   too   far   away   from   Marianna’s   restaurant   to   get   something   to   eat，so   he   decided   to   find   one   of   his   numerous   resting   places   and   turn   in．He   looked   around．The   nearest   place   would   be   the   abandoned   sewer，he   decided．It   was   the   hunting   ground   of   prostitutes，their   pimps，drug   dealers   and   their   customers．But   these   were   nothing   to   Dimitri．When   he   came   to   the   sewer，he   gathered   up   his   scanty   belongings   from   the   cart   which   he   left   against   the   wall，then   pulling   up   the   lid   of   the   man-hole，he   stepped   gingerly   down   the   narrow   ladder．He   hadn’t   used   this   place   for   a   few   months   now   and   wasn’t   as   familiar   with   it   as   he   used   to   be．In   the   dark，his   foot   touched   something   soft   and   warm．It   was   a   moaning   human   body．

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        Dimitri   lit   his   kerosene   stove   and   saw   a   young   girl，no   older   than   fifteen，curled   up   in   a   heap   on   the   ground，with   tears   and   nasal   mucus   all   over   her   face．She   was   moaning   and   shivering   uncontrollably．

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        "Are   you   OK?"   he   asked   bending   over   her．

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"Twenty...twenty...twenty   dollars..."she   begged   in   a   hoarse   and   almost   indistinguishable   voice．Dimitri   knew   that   she   must   be   an   addict，tormented   by   her   need   for   drugs．He   searched   through   his   pockets,   found   a   dollar   here   a   dollar   there,   another   from   his   socks，until   he   got   something   like   fifteen   dollars   and   gave   them   to   her．The   girl’s   lusterless   eyes   lit   up   as   she   grabbed   the   money，struggled   up   the   steps   and   said，"I’ll   be   right   back.”   It   was   then   that   Dimitri   saw   she   was   crippled   and   walked   with   a   limp．

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        After   she   had   left，Dimitri   spread   out   his   sleeping   bag   and   prepared   to   sleep．The   girl   was   back   in   less   than   ten   minutes．She   was   normal   now   and   was   no   longer   shivering．

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        "Do   you   have   any   more   money?   Give   them   to   me   and   you   can   have   your   way   with   me..．I   need   the   money.”

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        "What’s   your   name?"

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        "Sheila．"

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        "How   old   are   you?"

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        "I   don’t   know．Fifteen   to   sixteen，I   suppose．I   grew   up   in   foster   homes．"   Dimitri   wanted   to   ask   more，but   Sheila   interrupted，"D’you   have   any   more   money？I’ll   sell   you   my   body．Do   you   want   me?"

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        "Of   course   I   do．I’m   a   man．But   I   don’t   have   any   more   money”．

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        She   bowed   her   head   in   silence．Dimitri   looked   at   her．She   was   not   beautiful，but   not   plain，either，just   an   average   girl   in   dirty   blue   jeans，T-shirt   and   a   jacket．Washed   and   dressed   up   she   could   even   be   cute．

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"How   long   have   you   been   at   this   business?"

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"Why   do   you   ask?   You   have   no   money”．

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"What   I   just   gave   you   was   all   I   had．I   wasn’t   willing   to   spend   it   on   food   for   myself，but   I   gave   it   all   to   you   to   get   drugs．"

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        "I’ll   do   whatever   you   wish   to   pay   you   back．"

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        "I   need   you   but   I   won’t   take   you."

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        "Why   not?   Aren’t   you   a   man?   Isn’t   that   what   all   men   want?"

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        "If   I   had   picked   you   up   on   the   street，I   wouldn’t   have   hesitated；but   as   it   is，I   gave   you   the   money   to   save   you   from   agony．If   I   took   you   now,   I   would   be   a   brute   preying   on   your   vulnerabilities．Sheila，there   are   a   lot   of   things   between   a   man   and   a   woman   besides   sex．For   instance，love，affection，friendship．．．but   because   of   your   surrounding   and   circumstances   you   wouldn’t   understand．"

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        "That’s   interesting．I   have   been   doing   this   since   my   early   teens”．

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        "Who   brought   you   to   this?"

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"A   devil．Don’t   even   mention   him．He   got   me   hooked   on   drugs   and   then   got   me   to   do   tricks．Say   no   more．I   must   go   to   work   now   or   I   won’t   have   any   money   for   drugs   and   the   pimp   will   beat   me．I   am   crippled，so   it’s   doubly   hard   for   me   to   get   customers.”   With   that，she   climbed   up   the   stairs   and   left，and   Dimitri   went   to   sleep．The   faces   of   the   loving   couple，kind   and   smiling，appeared   immediately   before   him．He   opened   his   eyes,   shook   his   head   and   went   back   to   sleep．

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The   pygmy   in   his   exotic   costume   was   walking   hand-inhand   with   the   seductive   and   naked   Medusa．It   was   evening．The   bright   moonlight   was   reflected   on   the   rippling   waves   softly   patting   the   shores．The   two   sang   and   danced   and   frolicked   happily   along   the   lake．The   pygmy   laughed   his   strange，squeaky   laugh．The   woman   held   the   pygmy   high   above   her   head   and   spun   around   madly，like   a   mother   playing   with   her   son．Dimitri   shook   his   head   again．"No,   no.   This   isn’t   what   I   wanted.”   and   he   settled   himself   down   to   dream   in   earnest．It   was   a   dense   forest   in   the   heart   of   Africa   as   pitch   dark   as   midnight．The   rhythmic   but   monotonous   beat   of   the   drum   aroused   in   people   a   barbarous   impulse   and   the   shouts   of   the   natives   lent   it   a   mysterious，primitive   and   terrifying   atmosphere．Dimitri   went   into   the   forest   and   came   across   a   temple．There   were   shadowy   figures   of   the   natives   beating   drums   and   dancing   around   a   fire．Every   now   and   then，they   shouted   their   battle   cry．Dimitri   saw   human   skulls   scattered   all   over   the   floor   and   knew   it   was   the   habitat   of   man-eating   cannibals.   There   were   skulls   of   all   kinds   of   animals   decorating   the   walls，including   human   skulls．It   was   a   festival，the   birthday   of   the   god   of   Fate，and   live   sacrifices   were   to   be   offered   to   him．The   god   sat   in   the   middle   of   the   temple，anticipating   a   good   meal．He   had   the   body   of   a   man   but   the   head   of   a   monster．   There   was   a   rhinoceros   horn   at   the   top   of   his   head.   On   his   right，stood   a   naked   she-monster   with   a   spear   in   her   hand，who   served   as   his   attendant．She   had   the   body   of   a   seductive   woman   but   the   head   of   a   Medusa．

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Dimitri   was   taken   aback．"Oh，it’s   those   two   monsters   in   the   other   dream．I’ve   met   them   before.”   An   African   native   came   in   with   both   hands   supporting   a   huge   silver   plate   balanced   on   the   top   of   his   head．There   was   an   enormous   bamboo   steamer   on   the   plate,   fresh   from   the   kitchen   with   steam   coming   from   under   the   lid．He   knelt   respectfully   before   them，placed   the   plate   on   the   narrow,   long   table   and   took   off   the   lid   of   the   steamer．In   it   was   the   body   of   the   young   girl，Sheila，naked   as   a   shelled   hard-boiled   egg．She   looked   as   though   she   was   asleep，but   actually   she   had   been   steamed   to   death   as   a   sacrifice   to   the   god   of   Fate．The   she-monster’s   eyes   shone   with   vicious   greed，and   saliva   began   dripping   from   the   corners   of   her   mouth．The   god   of   Fate   took   a   knife   and   dissected   a   leg．After   taking   a   bite，he   handed   it   to   the   she-monster   who   grabbed   it   eagerly   and   viciously   devoured   it   to   the   bone．

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A   heart-rending   scream   pierced   his   dream．Dimitri   woke   with   a   startle．Looking   around   in   the   dark   underground   sewer，he   could   see   a   husky   black   man   raping   Sheila．Her   hands   were   tied   by   a   rope   and   he   was   on   top   of   her．Dimitri   could   see   the   rapid   up-and-down   movements   of   his   body   as   though   he   was   galloping   on   a   horse．He   thrust   on   relentlessly，occasionally   taking   a   drink   from   a   tilted   bottle,   while   Sheila   screamed   in   pain．He   hit   her   face．   His   white   teeth   gleamed   in   the   dark   like   those   of   a   skull   and   said，"You   bitch，you   didn’t   give   me   any   money   today   so   you   have   to   pay   for   it.”   He   bit   her   nipples   hard   until   she   bled．"God   damn   you，you   devil,   “   she   cursed   struggling   futilely，"I   wish   I’d   never   set   eyes   on   you.”     Dimitri’s   blood   boiled   at   the   sight．He   got   up   soundlessly，grabbed   a   piece   of   steel   pipe   near   him，and   made   a   swipe   for   the   black   man’s   head．The   pain   of   the   impact   made   him   drop   his   weapon．He   shook   his   head   and   looked   again．No   black   man．No   Sheila．It   was   a   dream．He   had   hit   the   narrow   ladder   with   such   force   that   the   part   of   his   hand   between   the   thumb   and   the   index   finger   was   torn．Sheila   had   not   come   back．She   had   neglected   to   close   the   lid   of   the   man-hole   and   the   faint   gray   light   of   dawn   filtered   through．It   was   another   day．Dimitri   sat   on   the   ground，dazed，holding   his   injured   hand   not   knowing   whether   to   cry   or   to   laugh．

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Dimitri   folded   up   his   sleeping   bag   and   put   everything   into   a   large   plastic   bag．He   climbed   up   the   steps   and   found   that   he   had   hit   it   so   hard   with   the   steel   pipe   that   it   was   crooked．He   smiled   grimly   as   he   recalled   the   scene   in   his   dream．If   he   had   really   hit   the   devil,   he   would   have   bashed   his   head   in．Oh   well!   He   put   his   belongings   back   into   his   cart   and   pushed   it   in   front   of   him．The   lights   were   still   on   in   the   shops，but   the   dawn   was   gradually   driving   away   the   darkness．There   was   no   one   around   yet   in   the   deserted   streets．It   was   too   early   and   Dimitri   really   didn’t   have   anywhere   to   go．Pushing   his   cart，he   felt   a   searing   pain   in   his   hand．"I   must   go   and   find   Marianna   to   bandage   it,”   he   thought．Then   he   felt   ashamed．Why   did   he   always   think   of   her   when   he   was   hurt   or   hungry?   He   again   passed   the   park   bench   where   the   old   couple   had   sat   the   night   before．The   old   lady   must   have   been   a   pretty   girl   when   she   was   young，and   her   husband，a   handsome   young   man．Yes，they   were   an   ideal   couple   and   have   had   a   perfect   life，he   mused．Then   his   thoughts   turned   to   Sheila，the   young   prostitute，whose   profession   was   to   sell   cheaply   the   use   of   her   sexual   organs.   Dimitri   did   not   look   down   on   her.   He   was   concerned   about   her   whereabouts．Prostitution   was   the   oldest   profession   in   the   world   because   society   could   not   do   without   it.     It   was   needed   to   balance   the   unbalanced   part   of   human   nature，just   as   a   community   needed   sewers   to   drain   its   waste   water   and   rain   to   prevent   flooding．Sheila   was   a   poor，unfortunate   young   girl   but   her   profession   was   a   form   of   life．her   body   was   but   a   sacrifice   on   the   altar   of   Fate．

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Dimitri   pushed   his   cart   aimlessly   along   the   streets,   which   gradually   brightened   as   traffic   and   pedestrians   increased．The   noise   and   clamor   of   city   life   had   begun．The   slim，nymph-like   figure   in   black   appeared   in   the   early   morning   sunlight   and   arrested   his   eyes．It   was   a   nun．Dimitri   had   a   great   respect   for   nuns，looking   upon   them   as   angels   expelled   from   heaven   for   their   sins   and   sent   down   to   the   earth   to   atone   for   them．Touching   his   cap   with   his   hand，he   said   gruffly，"Good   morning，sister.”   The   nun   blessed   herself   and   said，"Good   morning，sir,"   in   a   melodious   voice．In   the   brightening   light   of   day,   Dimitri   saw   she   was   young   and   pretty   and   her   veil   fluttering   in   the   breeze   gave   her   an   unworldly   air   of   spiritual   intelligence．As   Dimitri   turned   to   go，the   nun   noticed   from   the   corner   of   her   eye   that   his   hand   was   wounded，torn   and   bleeding．

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"You   have   been   hurt！"she   exclaimed．She   searched   frantically   for   something   to   put   over   the   wound．Then   she   thought   of   her   handkerchief．Pulling   it   out，she   wrapped   it   around   his   hand   and   said，"You   should   not   leave   it   like   that，it   will   get   infected．Go   to   the   clinic   and   have   it   taken   care   of   properly.”   Meanwhile   her   slender   nimble   fingers   were   working   busily．Dimitri   looked   at   them   entranced，feeling   no   pain   at   all．Instead   he   stood   there   with   his   hand   out-stretched，enjoying   the   rare   occasion   of   being   made   much   of，feeling   as   comfortable   as   when   his   ear   was   being   scratched   by   a   Q-tip．"There   you   are!”   the   nun   said，"That’ll   do．God   bless   you!”   She   tapped   him   slightly   on   the   arm   and   walked   briskly   away．

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Dimitri   walked   on．He   put   his   hand   to   his   nose．The   handkerchief   had   a   feminine   aura   which   he   found   very   pleasant．He   hadn’t   slept   well   so   he   was   tired，but   he   wanted   to   follow   the   nun．Finally，he   decided   the   best   way   was   to   find   a   comfortable   spot   and   follow   her   with   his   dreams．He   came   to   a   tree   at   the   side   of   the   park   whose   leafy   shadows   seemed   quite   inviting．Laying   himself   down   he   fell   asleep   at   once．In   his   dream,   Dimitri   wandered   into   a   convent   which   looked   like   an   ancient   castle．The   hall   was   huge，dismal   and   austere，lit   only   by   a   dim   gas   light．Dimitri   stood   there   trying   to   adjust   his   eyes   to   the   darkness，then   he   walked   on．He   could   hear   the   hollow   echo   of   his   footsteps．The   place   gave   him   the   impression   of   a   prison．Suddenly，he   heard   sweet   young   voices   in   harmonious   crescendo，singing   in   praise   of   God．"How   did   these   young   women   land   in   such   a   gruesome   place?"   he   wondered．He   walked   over   to   the   window   where   the   voices   came   from   and   peeked   in．There   were   a   group   of   nuns   there   at   the   altar   singing   hymns．But   the   one   he   had   met   in   the   early   morning   was   not   there，so   he   lost   interest   and   walked   on．

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He   walked   around   to   the   back   of   the   building   and   saw   a   wooded   area   further   down，so   he   walked   on   and   on   until   he   came   to   a   place   in   the   woods   where   misty   steam   rose   from   the   shadows   of   trees．Parting   the   exuberant   branches,   he   saw   a   hot   spring   pond   set   like   a   pearl   in   the   midst   of   tall   trees   and   luxuriant   tropical   flowers．The   nun   he   was   seeking   was   there，getting   ready   for   her   bath．She   carefully   took   off   her   habit   and   veil   exposing   golden   tresses   and   beautiful   snow-white   body   with   a   perfectly   proportioned   figure   that   would   be   the   envy   of   any   woman．"Why   should   a   girl   like   that   take   the   vow   and   become   a   nun?"Dimitri   wondered，as   he   stood   there   transfixed．She   walked   into   the   water   until   it   came   to   her   waist   and   leisurely   began   her   bath．Even   her   bathing   movements   were   graceful   and   elegant．Dimitri   could   see   a   crystal   drop   of   water   roll   slowly   down   from   her   noble   forehead   to   her   flushed   cheeks．Then   it   traveled   to   her   finely   chiseled   chin   until   it   dropped   onto   her   beautiful   breast．It   slipped   down   her   breast，caressing   it   and   clinging   to   her   nipple   until   it   could   hold   on   no   longer   and   reluctantly   dropped   back   into   the   water．Just   then，two   ancient   trees   by   the   side   of   the   pond，whose   branches   had   gradually   leaned   closer   together   as   they   watched   her   bathe，walked   towards   each   other   and   embraced．They   turned   into   two   monsters   -   the   pygmy   and   Medusa．Excited   by   the   sight   of   her   beauty，they   made   love，the   pygmy   kissing   Medusa’s   body．Even   the   vegetation   were   aphrodisiac．Then   the   monsters   turned   back   into   trees   again．They   switched   from   one   form   to   the   other   flickeringly.   Dimitri   disregarded   them   and   turned   his   thoughts   back   to   the   nun．"It   is   such   a   waste,”   he   thought，"Those   beautiful   breasts   were   meant   to   feed   babies．If   she   could   have   a   baby   in   her   arms，bathing   together，it   would   be   a   reMarkable   scene．Why   should   she   block   up   her   maternal   instincts   and   turn   her   reproductive   system   from   its   natural   norm   into   a   life   of   chastity   and   seclusion?"   He   could   understand   that   she   wanted   to   preserve   her   purity   and   offer   it   to   God，but   he   still   felt   it   was   cruel   and   unnatural   and   could   not   condone   it，even   though   he   respected   her   resolution．He   knew   there   must   have   been   a   lot   of   pain   and   struggle   in   her   resolution；the   process   was   like   clogging   a   pipe，forcing   the   water   to   flow   backwards．Just   then，a   huge   leaf，fresh   and   dewy，floated   by．The   nun   climbed   onto   it   to   rest   for   a   while．But   as   soon   as   she   got   on，the   leaf   curled   up   and   enveloped   her．It   dawned   on   Dimitri   then   that   the   leaf   was   carnivorous．"Take   it   easy，sister，I’m   coming   to   your   rescue,”   he   cried   out   and   ran   to   help   her．He   fell   into   the   water   and   woke   up．

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Dimitri   opened   his   eyes   to   find   a   little   boy   shooting   water   onto   his   face   with   his   little   water   pistol．He   jumped   up   and   pretended   to   run   after   him．The   boy   laughed   and   ran   away．   Dimitri   felt   refreshed   by   his   nap   and   decided   to   walk   on．He   looked   back   at   the   two   trees   under   which   he   had   slept   and   was   surprised   to   find   they   were   the   very   ones   in   his   dream.   "Why   is   it   that   I   always   have   ludicrous   dreams   of   saving   damsels   in   distress,   while   in   reality   I   live   such   a   humdrum   life？Here   I   am，almost   fifty   years   old   and   I   have   never   been   in   love，never   experienced   intimacy   with   the   opposite   sex．I   don’t   think   there’s   another   man   like   me   in   the   world.”   He   knew   he   had   a   deep   inferiority   complex   and   felt   he   was   not   good   enough   for   any   of   them．He   came   to   realize   that   the   reason   he   could   not   pursue   the   woman   he   fancied   was   because   he   never   created   the   necessary   foundation   for   himself   to   love   and   be   loved．Therefore，he   placed   them   on   a   pedestal，out   of   range   and   unapproachable，only   to   be   looked   at   and   admired   from   afar．

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        On   the   way   he   saw   pedestrians   wearing   all   kinds   of   clothes：men   in   formal   suits，casual   pants   or   T-shirts   and   jeans   and   women   in   business   suits，pretty   colorful   dresses，miniskirts   or   sizable   clothes．There   was   enough   variety   to   dazzle   one’s   eyes．There   were   also   cable-cars，muni-cars，doubledeck   buses   and   cars   of   all   brands   and   models   scooting   about   on   the   streets．The   buildings   were   just   as   diversified，ranging   from   old   Victorian   mansions   to   modern   skyscrapers．"Why!   It’s   like   a   huge   amusement   park   like   Disneyland!”   he   thought．Dimitri   was   a   man   of   almost   fifty，but   he   retained   the   curiosity   of   a   teenager   and   the   zest   for   life   of   a   much   younger   man．The   world   was   full   of   inequality．Some   men   were   rich,   some   were   poor．Dimitri   kept   his   equilibrium   by   the   simple   philosophy   of   believing   in   the   past，present   and   future   lives．He   thought   that   in   his   previous   life，he   must   have   been   a   besotted   millionaire   who   extravagantly   squandered   his   wealth   and   treated   women   badly，that   was   why   he   was   so   poor   in   this   life   and   never   could   experience   love   or   romance．He   took   comfort   in   the   belief   that   if   he   was   good   in   this   life，he   would   be   happy   in   the   next．This   seemingly   logical   belief   was   fascinating   and   romantic   and   actually   was   quite   prevalent   in   the   East．Dimitri   called   it   a   see-saw   philosophy．

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Dimitri   walked   on   and   on   until   he   found   himself   in   the   familiar   surroundings   of   Oakland，his   favorite   hangout．Feeling   tired,he   sat   on   the   steps   of   the   post   office   on   13th   street   to   rest．A   Rolls   Royce   stopped   in   front   of   the   building   and   a   well-dressed   woman   stepped   out   to   feed   the   meter．Dimitri’s   eyes   were   glued   to   the   glittering，silver-colored   shoes   he   had   seen   in   his   dreams．A   group   of   boys   rode   by   on   their   bikes；some   children   walked   hand   in   hand   led   by   their   nursery   school   teachers；old   people   from   Hotel   Oakland   sat   sunning   themselves   in   the   garden   in   front   of   the   building；a   couple   in   wheelchairs   came   back   together   from   their   grocery   shopping．Dimitri   suddenly   felt   as   if   it   were   spring   where   myriads   of   flowers   bloomed   profusely，and   people   of   all   colors，black，white   and   yellow   walked   around，nude，idly   chatting   and   drinking   beer   on   the   grass   amid   the   flowers，or   joyfully   listening   to   music   over   the   radio   in   this   paradise   on   earth—all   races   of   people   in   perfect   harmony．Flowers   do   not   need   clothes，neither   do   animals，why   should   human   be   the   exception?

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        Joe   walked   out   of   the   post   office   and   saw   Dimitri   sitting   there   lost   in   reverie．He   looked   at   him   contemptuously   and   walked   by   without   a   word．He   went   back   to   the   restaurant   and   said   to   Marianna：

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        "I   saw   your   son   sitting   on   the   steps   of   the   post   office．"

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        "My   son？What   are   you   talking   about?"

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"Dimitri！You’re   so   good   to   him,   saving   the   choicest   leftovers   for   him.   Isn’t   he   your   son?"

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"Bull-shit！   Mind   your   own   business!”   With   that，Marianna   rushed   out   and   ran   to   the   post   office．There   she   found   Dimitri   staring   out   into   space   lost   in   his   day-dreams，oblivious   of   his   surroundings．She   shook   him   and   said，

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"Wake   up！Dimitri！Wake   up！Where   have   you   been   these   last   few   days?   What   are   you   doing   here？You’ll   catch   cold   sitting   in   this   wind．   Aren’t   you   hungry？Come   back   with   me   and   have   something   hot   to   eat.”   Dimitri   came   back   to   reality   with   a   jolt．

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"Hi，Marianna!”   he   said．His   stomach   growled   and   he   smiled   sheepishly,   "Guess   I’m   hungry.”   And   he   followed   Marianna   back   to   the   restaurant．On   the   way   Marianna   said，

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"I’ve   told   you   again   and   again   you   could   come   and   sleep   in   my   garage．Why   don’t   you?"   Dimitri   thought   it   over   and   said．

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"I   will   come,   but   I’ll   pay   rent．They   say   they’re   looking   for   a   gas   attendant   over   at   the   gas   station   near   Chinatown.”   Marianna   was   pleasantly   surprised．

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"In   that   case，you   needn’t   sleep   in   the   garage．You   can   come   into   the   house   and   share   my   bedroom．I’m   glad   you   are   waking   up   to   reality．I   hope   you   won’t   ever   live   only   in   your   dreams   again．"

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"Why   not?"   asked   Dimitri   smiling．"You   are   too   wide   awake．You   place   too   much   on   your   waking   hours.   Actually   dreams   are   the   most   precious   part   of   life.   It   is   a   treasure   as   well   as   a   protraction   of   real   life.”   Marianna   did   not   want   to   argue   further   with   him   for   fear   he   would   change   his   mind．

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"Let’s   go,”   she   said．She   took   his   arm   and   they   walked   away   with   a   lilt   in   their   steps．

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Chapter   2       Kingdom   in   the   Dream

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                In   the   East,   amid   a   wilderness   of   mountain   ranges   where   there   were   no   sign   of   human   life   and   where   even   birds   and   animals   seldom   visited，lies   the   fountain-head   of   the   surrounding   mountain   streams—a   pool，crystal   clear   and   icy   cold．The   water   flowed   between   the   twin   peaks   that   stood   guard   beside   it．Purple   clouds   could   be   seen   rising   from   behind   the   mountains   in   the   early   morning．According   to   Chinese   geomancy，the   feng-shui   of   this   place   so   full   of   mystery   and   serenity，was   excellent，a   so-called"gold-swallowing"location—the   site   of   a   new   kingdom   about   to   rise．

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The   twin   peaks   had   an   original   feature   -   both   of   them   were   flat   at   the   tip，forming   a   natural   plateau   of   rich   red   soil．   In   this   seemingly   godforsaken   place，these   plateaus   connected   by   a   suspension   bridge   were   incongruous   with   their   surroundings．On   the   left   plateau   was   an   ancient   Chinese   palace-style   building   of   glittering   yellow   glazed   tile，red   walls   and   tilting   eaves   of   carved   dragons．The   right   plateau，however，was   ultra   modern，consisting   of   a   helicopter   landing   field，a   huge   telecommunications   satellite   dish，a   power   plant，a   hospital   and   an   administrative   building．

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The   hall   of   this   Chinese   palace-like   building   was   enormous,   tall   and   solemn．It   had   an   intimidating   atmosphere   that   made   any   individual   coming   to   it   seem   insignificant．Thick   Persian   carpets   covered   the   floor   and   a   triumphant   golden   dragon，tail   swishing，whiskers   flying   and   claws   dancing，decorated   one   side   of   the   wall．In   front   of   it   was   an   elevated   platform．A   solid   gold   throne   stood   in   the   middle   of   this   platform，flanked   on   either   side   with   a   life-like   specimen   of   an   Asian   tiger，ferocious   teeth   bared，eyes   glowering   maliciously，its   jet   black   stripes   standing   out   against   the   glossy   yellow   fur．Two   straight   lines   of   plain   redwood   chairs，twelve   on   each   side，led   towards   the   door-way，with   specimens   of   other   wild   beasts，bears，leopards   and   enormous   spread-winged   eagles   placed   behind   them，giving   the   hall   a   fearsome   atmosphere．

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At   dinner   time，natives   of   the   mountains   would   hear   melodious   music   coming   from   the   dining   room   next   to   the   hall   and   they   knew"the   king"was   having   dinner．No   one   had   ever   actually   been   in   the   dining   room   but   grapevine   news   had   it   that   twenty-four   nude   beauties   of   different   nationalities   served   the   meal．They   would   rotate   in   their   duties,but   four   always   sat   with   the   king   at   the   table；ten   would   serve   the   meal   and   the   other   ten   would   play   musical   instruments   to   accompany   the   dinner   as"the   king"liked   music，and   would   order   different   instruments   to   be   played   according   to   his   fancy，sometimes   classical，sometimes   eastern，sometimes   western．No   modern   lighting   appliances   were   used；the   room   was   lit   exclusively   by   candles   and   palace   lanterns．The   twenty-four   beauties   were   adorned   with   diamonds，rubies，sapphires   and   other   precious   jewels，lending   a   mystic   and   romantic   air   to   the   banquet．The   Caucasian   beauties   were   graceful   and   elegant，the   Latino   beauties，vivacious   and   passionate，the   oriental   beauties,mysterious   and   exquisitely   feminine．Each   had   her   individual   charm   and   grace   to   be   fully   appreciated   and   savored．

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Dimitri   sat   day-dreaming   under   the   tree   at   the   parking   lot．This   was   his   first   day   at   work   at   the   Chinatown   gas   station．Its   parking   lot   had   been   paved   with   cement   and   there   was   only   one   tree   left．There   was   a   Chinese   restaurant   across   the   street．The   exterior   was   decorated   like   a   palace．with   colorful   lanterns   hanging   at   the   entrance，and   Chinese   music   could   be   heard   coming   from   it，all   of   which   became   material   for   his   dreams．The   two   other   attendants，one   Vietnamese   and   one   Mexican，stood   talking   to   each   other   in   pidgin   English   which   they   understood，accompanied   by   body   language，but   their   disdain   and   contempt   for   Dimitri   were   quite   evident．They   knew   him   to   be   a   homeless   person   who   used   to   roam   about   the   district   and   therefore   they   were   a   little   indignant   that   he   was   now   an   employee   like   themselves．So   they   did   nothing   to   help   him   get   acquainted   with   his   new   surroundings，but   looked   on   scornfully   as   he   sat   there   lost   in   reverie．Discipline   was   foreign   to   Dimitri’s   nomadic   ways   and   he   had   no   notion   of   what   was   expected   of   him   at   a   job．He   was   willing   to   work   hard，but   he   saw   no   harm   in   sitting   there   daydreaming   when   there   was   no   work   to   be   done．Just   then，a   white   Rolls   Royce   drove   up   for   a   fill-up．The   two   attendants   rushed   over，smiling   and   obsequious   because   Mrs．Ileen   Kaffee   was   an   old   patron   of   the   gas   station   and   always   left   her   car   there   to   be   washed   while   she   had   dim   sum   at   her   favorite   restaurant   across   the   street．Dimitri，however，sat   there   looking   on   as   they   fussed   over   the   car   and   thought，"Adding   gas   to   the   tank   is   really   like   a   blood   transfusion，and   in   his   imagination   the   white   car   gradually   became   pink   as   it   filled   with   gas.   Mrs.   Kaffee   was   a   woman   in   her   forties，with   short   blond   hair   fashionably   cut   and   icy   blue   eyes，sharp   and   keen．Her   cold   though   charming   features   were   spoilt   by   the   expression   of   arrogance   and   conceit．Sapphires   adorning   her   ears   added   a   dash   of   revolt   and   dissipation．Her   voice   was   pleasant   but   her   courtesy   was   phony．

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        The   owner   of   the   gas   station   came   up   to   Dimitri，jogged   him   with   his   foot   and   said，

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"Hey．are   you   here   to   work   or   to   dream？Do   you   think   I   pay   you   to   sit   there   and   sleep?   You   think   money   comes   that   easily?"   Dimitri   woke   up   with   a   startle．

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"Oh，I’m   sorry．I   forgot．"

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        "Wash   Mrs．Kaffee’s   car   and   then   clean   and   vacuum   the   seat   and   the   rugs．Be   quick!"

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        Dimitri   had   never   done   any   professional   car-washing   before．He   rushed   about   looking   for   the   right   equipment   and   instructions   on   how   to   use   them，but   he   got   little   response   from   his   fellow   workers．Finally，he   was   ready   and   began   to   wash   the   car，not   realizing   that   the   windows   were   open．The   two   attendants   watched   him   with   malicious   glee   as   dirty   water   splashed   on   the   golden   velvet   seat   and   cushions   and   they   ran   to   tell   the   owner．

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        "Go   and   see   what   the   rookie   is   doing．He   is   washing   the   car   without   rolling   up   the   windows.”     The   owner   rushed   out，afraid   to   lose   a   valuable   customer   and   shouted，

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        "What   are   you   doing，you   idiot!     Don’t   you   know   you   have   to   roll   up   the   windows   before   you   wash   the   car?   If   you   can’t   do   the   job，you   can   leave．Don   ‘t   make   trouble   for   me．"

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"I’m   sorry．I’ll   be   more   careful”   said   Dimitri   quite   abashed.     Luckily，the   damage   to   the   upholstery   was   slight，so   he   cleaned   up   and   started   again，saying   to   himself，"Car   washing   is   not   as   easy   as   I   thought.   I   must   pay   closer   attention   to   my   work   and   not   let   my   mind   wander.”   Somehow   he   got   the   car   washed,   waxed   and   vacuumed．   Pleased   with   his   work，Dimitri   closed   the   door   of   the   car，returned   the   utensils   and   went   back   to   report   to   his   boss   that   the   work   was   done．

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        Meanwhile，Mrs．Kaffee   finished   her   dim   sun   and   was   waiting   to   cross   the   street，when   she   saw   three   men   get   into   her   car   and   drive   away.   She   shouted   at   them   but   to   no   avail．She   stormed   into   the   office   and   shouted   at   the   owner,

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"My   car！It’s   stolen！   Is   that   how   you   take   care   of   your   customers?   Where’s   the   car   key?"     The   owner   looked   at   Dimitri   and   asked，

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"Where’s   the   car   key?"     Dimitri   was   appalled   and   said,

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"I   didn’t   know   I   had   to   take   it   out."   When   the   police   arrived   and   everyone   had   been   questioned，Mrs．Kaffee   pointed   an   accusing   finger   at   Dimitri   and   said，

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"Officer，I   suspect   that   man   is   an   accomplice   of   the   thieves．He   left   the   keys   in   the   car   intentionally．”

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"You   have   no   proof   of   that   ma’am．But   we’ll   take   him   in   for   questioning."

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        The   officer   then   turned   to   Dimitri   and   said，"We   are   not   arresting   you   but   we   need   to   have   you   come   down   to   the   station   and   make   a   statement.   Please   get   into   the   squad   car."

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Dimitri   got   into   the   car．He   looked   at   the   barred   windows   used   for   detaining   criminals   or   suspects   and   shrugged．He   sat   down   and   promptly   fell   asleep   to   follow   the   trail   of   the   car   thieves   with   his   dream．Meanwhile，the   officers   were   still   trying   to   placate   Mrs．Kaffee   and   writing   their   report   when   they   heard   Dimitri   knocking   at   the   window   of   the   squad   car   door．

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"What   is   it?"   one   of   them   asked.

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"The   car   was   stolen   by   a   white   man   and   two   blacks．The   white   man   is   driving   and   now   they   are   crossing   the   Bay   Bridge．If   you   put   out   a   bulletin，you   can   catch   them   on   the   other   side   of   the   bridge.”

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"How   do   you   know?   Why   didn’t   you   say   so   earlier?"   Dimitri   was   hesitant．He   couldn’t   say   he   just   dreamed   it;   so   he   said，

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"I   just   now   realized   they   were   driving   in   the   direction   of   the   bridge   freeway   entrance.”   The   car   theft   really   had   nothing   to   do   with   Dimitri．When   all   formalities   had   been   gone   through，the   police   took   him   back   to   the   gas   station   where   he   was   fired   then   and   there．

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Dimitri   apologized   profusely   to   the   owner   for   the   trouble   he   had   caused   and   left   the   gas   station．Being   fired   on   his   first   day   of   work   depressed   him．"This   society   is   a   strange   monster．I   try   my   best   to   conform   to   it   and   join   its   ranks，but   however   hard   I   try，I   am   always   pushed   out．Maybe   I’m   just   a   misfit.”   He   mused   that   Mrs.   Kaffee   seemed   vaguely   familiar   though   he   couldn’t   for   the   life   of   him   recall   where   he   had   seen   her   before．There   must   have   been   some   reason   for   her   to   pick   on   him   like   she   did．He   wandered   around   aimlessly   like   he   used   to，and   his   footsteps   took   him   involuntarily   on   his   usual   path   towards   Lake   Merritt．He   saw   young   people   sitting   on   the   benches   enjoying   hamburgers   and   soft   drinks，talking   and   laughing   animatedly．There   were   also   many   fashionable   and   well-dressed   people   in   business   suits   strolling   around，obviously   on   their   lunch   break．"Oh，it’s   already   noon   time！"   thought   Dimitri．When   he   saw   these   people，he   felt   a   sense   of   inferiority   coming   over   him，envying   them   their   energy   and   purpose   in   life．But   then   he   thought，"Why   can’t   I   enjoy   life   the   way   I   want   to?   Why   should   everyone   be   alike?"   He   shrugged   and   felt   better．

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He   got   to   the   pier   and   sat   on   his   usual   bench，thinking   of   the   events   of   the   past   few   days．After   moving   in   with   Marianna，she   made   him   wash,   shave，cut   his   hair   and   bought   him   newclothes．He   was   not   at   all   used   to   all   this   fuss   and   felt   like   a   new   man．The   soft   clean   bed   was   such   a   novel   experience   that   he   found   it   hard   to   go   to   sleep．It   was   a   stormy   night.   The   wind   and   rain   were   raging   outside，but   all   was   quiet   and   serene   inside   the   bedroom，only   Marianna’s   soft，regular   breathing   could   be   heard   in   the   sweet   darkness．He   felt   that   the   room   was   a   solitary   boat   drifting   on   a   stormy   sea   and   a   picture   he   had   seen   in   his   youth   came   vividly   to   mind．It   was   a   picture   of   a   nest   of   young   birds   sleeping   soundly   amid   wind   and   rain   and   its   similarities   with   his   present   state   struck   him．He   couldn’t   forget   the   fact   that   if   he   weren’t   here，he   would   be   seeking   haven   in   the   storm．That   drifting   lifestyle   was   bleak，dreary   and   sometimes   fraught   with   danger，but   it   had   a   desolate   beauty   and   a   sense   of   adventure   that   beckoned   to   his   carefree   spirit．

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        Suddenly，Dimitri   was   startled   from   his   reverie   by   two   soft   hands   covering   his   eyes．He   looked   back   and   found   the   smiling   face   of   Marianna   looking   down   on   him．

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        "Sorry   I   was   fired   on   my   first   day   of   work.”

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        "I   know．I   went   to   the   gas   station   to   bring   you   your   lunch.     Don’t   worry   about   it．It’s   OK．You’ll   find   something   else.”

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        She   sat   down   on   the   bench   and   they   chatted   together．There   was   an   innate   serenity   in   their   relationship   that   enveloped   them   in   their   own   quiet   world，oblivious   of   their   surroundings．The   busy   traffic，the   frolicking   children   the   strolling   crowd   just   did   not   exist   for   them．Then   she   stood   up，handed   him   his   lunch-bag   and   said，

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        "Got   to   go   now．Go   on   home   when   you   are   tired   and   take   a   rest．You’ve   been   through   a   lot   with   the   police   today.”

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"Thank   you,   Marianna”   Dimitri   smiled,   took   the   paperbag   and   walked   away．

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Marianna   went   slowly   towards   her   restaurant，thinking，"Dimitri   is   a   strange   man   with   a   unique   personality．He   lives   completely   in   a   fanciful   world   of   his   own，innocent   as   a   child．totally   incompatible   with   the   real   world，unable   to   survive   its   competitions   and   its   wiles．His   frank，trusting   and   naive   eyes   are   a   sharp   contrast   to   his   weather-beaten   face．If   that   is   so,   why   force   him   to   adapt   to   a   world   where   he   is   totally   out   of   place?   Why   not   let   him   go   his   own   sweet   way?   Let   him   stay   at   my   place   and   take   care   of   the   house   and   garden．I   don’t   know   what   draws   me   to   him，but   I   like   him.     I   care   for   his   welfare   and   have   an   urge   to   take   care   of   him．There   must   be   something   pre-destined   in   our   relationship．But   so   what？Why   shouldn’t   I   like   him   and   care   for   him?   Why   must   there   be   a   reason?"     But   then，her   thoughts   turned   to   the   letter   she   received   that   morning．It   was   from   her   husband   and   their   8-year-old   son，telling   her   that   they   had   finally   gotten   their   immigration   papers   and   would   soon   be   joining   her．Her   husband   sent   her   a   photograph   of   himself   and   their   son，and   the   boy   proudly   wrote   to   her   in   English．When   they   arrive，she   would   inevitably   have   to   leave   Dimitri   and   provide   a   home   for   her   husband   and   son．But   that   would   not   be   for   some   time   yet．"I’ll   cross   that   bridge   when   I   come   to   it,”   she   decided．

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        Just   then，her   thoughts   were   interrupted   by   a   white   Rolls   Royce   screeching   to   a   halt   beside   her．A   voice   came   airily，

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        "Hi，Marianna！Do   you   still   remember   me?"

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        "Oh   yes,   Mrs．Kaffee!   How   are   you?"   Marianna   said   politely．When   Marianna   first   came   to   America，she   had   been   a   cook   at   Mrs．Kaffee’s   household，but   unable   to   stand   her   fussy   and   picky   ways，she   quit   and   went   to   work   at   the   restaurant．

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        "What   have   you   been   doing   all   this   time，Marianna?"

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        "Oh，I’ve   been   working   as   a   cook   at   an   Italian   restaurant．"

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        "Mr．Kaffee   is   always   raving   about   your   cooking．He   told   me   several   times   to   ask   you   to   come   back，but   I   knew   you   wouldn’t．He   really   misses   your   homemade   Italian   food．This   weekend   we   are   having   a   party   for   some   old   friends．Would   you   like   to   cater   a   dinner   for   us?   I’m   sure   they   would   all   love   it．"

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        "With   pleasure．Mr．Kaffee   has   tasted   all   the   gourmet   food   in   the   area，and   he   still   remembers   my   home   cooking!   I’m   so   flattered．I   would   be   glad   to   come．I’ll   be   over   on   Saturday   morning．

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        "That’s   it   then．See   you   on   Saturday．"

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Marianna   saw   two   beautiful   young   ladies   at   the   back   of   the   car．They   smiled   at   her   and   she   smiled   back．Suddenly，the   car   jerked   forward   and   sped   away   zigzagingly，oblivious   of   traffic   rules．

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        The   Kaffee   household   was   something   of   a   mystery．No   one   knew   for   certain   whether   Mr．and   Mrs．Kaffee   were   actually   man   and   wife．They   lived   together   and   everyone   called   her   "Mrs．Kaffee".     Mr．Kaffee   was   in   his   sixties   and   loved   the   flamboyant，old   world   life   style,   surrounding   himself   with   luxury   and   beautiful   women．He   always   wore   expensive   two   –thousand-dollar   suits，silk   shirts   and   diamond   cufflinks．The   fact   that   Mrs．Kaffee   took   all   this   carelessly   in   her   stride，led   many   to   believe   that   she   was   only   one   of   his   numerous   mistresses，elevated   to   the   position   of   "Mrs．Kaffee"   for   her   social   skills   at   entertainment   and   for   making   his   life   comfortable．The   Kaffees   were   famous   for   their   parties，which   were   attended   by   politicians   and   the   elite   of   the   business   world，drawn   there   by   the   business，the   food，the   gambling   and   the   beautiful   women．Whichever   woman，married   or   otherwise，that   Mr．Kaffee   fancied，Mrs.   Kaffee   would   procure   for   him．She   would   try   all   kinds   of   ways   to   get   to   know   her，become   her   friend，deluge   her   with   presents   and   compliments，and   at   the   appropriate   moment，pull   her   into   the   net．She   would   also   extend   her   services   to   some   of   his   privileged   friends，thereby   winning   the   dubious   nickname   "Matchmaker"．Mrs．Kaffee   was   actually   the   madam   of   a   high-class   call   girl   ring．She   had   the   knack   of   finding   fresh   young   beauties   who   looked   classy，as   though   they   came   from   rich   families．She   would   provide   them   with   expensive   clothes   and   jewelry   and   have   them   entertain   Mr．Kaffee’s   friends．They   conducted   their   business   naturally   and   inconspicuously   in   that   glittering   social   atmosphere．

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Mr．Kaffee   posed   as   a   banker，but   in   reality   he   was   a   don   of   the   mob，laundering   money   through   lawful   channels，thereby   gaining   the   nickname   "Treasurer"．The   lifestyle   of   the   Kaffees，though   grand   and   luxurious，was   full   of   tension   and   vigilance．He   was   a   man，cold，cruel，merciless   and   always   wore   dark   glasses   which   completely   hid   the   expression   of   his   eyes．   He   was   always   surrounded   by   body-guards．In   the   backyard，there   was   a   helicopter   and   a   launch   on   the   dock   by   the   sea   ,   which   was   always   ready   for   instant   flight．Somehow   this   much-feared   man   took   a   fancy   to   Marianna．He   loved   her   food   and   would   go   to   the   kitchen   and   chat   cordially   with   her   in   their   native   tongue   like   an   affable   elder．Because   of   this，those   around   him   were   afraid   that   one   day   Marianna   would   become   an   influence   to   be   reckoned   with;   so   they   combined   to   get   rid   of   her，forcing   her   to   resign   and   leave   the   Kaffee   household.

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As   Marianna   went   on   her   way，she   thought   of   the   two   pretty   girls   at   the   back   of   Mrs．Kaffee’s   car．She   mused   to   herself,   "I   wonder   where   they   are   from．They   may   be   beautiful，but   I’m   afraid   they   are   both   air   heads   and   have   no   idea   of   what   they   had   gotten   themselves   into..．How   unjust   life   is！Some   people   don’t   have   to   work，spend   money   like   water，but   money   just   flows   in   like   an   endless   stream．   But   others   have   to   work   from   morning   till   night   and   barely   make   ends   meet．You   can’t   help   but   believe   in   Fate.”   Soon   she   reached   her   restaurant，put   on   her   apron   and   set   to   work．

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From   force   of   habit   Dimitri   tucked   the   sandwich   bag   inside   his   coat   because   food   had   always   been   very   important   to   him   in   his   roaming   life．He   made   for   home,   gnawed   by   the   premonition   that   somehow，somewhere，his   and   Mrs．Kaffee’s   paths   had   crossed．Suddenly，it   came   to   him   like   a   bolt   of   lightning   that   she   was   one   of   the   twenty-four   beauties   in   that   palace   on   Twin   Peak   Mountains．She   was   his   favorite   because   of   her   capability   and   resourcefulness，but   he   ordered   her   to   be   executed   when   he   found   her   committing   adultery   with   one   of   the   natives．He   drew   in   his   breath   and   thought,   "No   wonder   she   hates   me   and   tried   to   get   me   in   trouble   with   the   police！Is   that   her   retaliation?"   The   scene   of   her   execution   came   vividly   to   mind．He   had   ordered   her   hands   and   feet   to   be   bound   and   hung   from   a   tree   on   the   hill   with   her   toes   barely   touching   the   ground．Then   he   commanded   the   gorgeous   but   cold-blooded   Medusa   to   take   a   large，rusty   knife   and   chop   Ileen   in   two   from   the   waist．Medusa   swung   first   at   her   right   waist   and   then   at   her   left   at   thirty   second   intervals．The   rusty   knife   did   not   chop   through   her   until   after   twenty   attempts，thus   prolonging   her   excruciating   agony．The   two   nude   beauties   there   in   the   sunset，one   killing   the   other，the   heart-rending   cries   echoing   in   the   wilderness   still   haunted   him．

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Dimitri   was   filled   with   deep   regret．"Now   why   did   I   do   that?   My   hatred   for   her   infidelity   made   my   punishment   too   cruel   and   drastic.”   Dimitri   rotated   his   beauties   every   three   to   five   years   allowing   them   the   choice   between   going   back   to   their   homes   or   intermarry   with   the   natives.   He   would   then   give   them   his   blessing   and   a   substantial   dowry．All   of   them   preferred   to   stay，combining   their   beauty   and   intelligence   with   the   natives’robust   virility   and   bring   to   the   world   a   new   race   of   men，pledging   their   whole   hearted   loyalty   to   King   Dimitri．Dimitri   thought，"If   only   Ileen   had   waited   a   while   longer，I   would   have   married   her   off   with   the   rest．Why   couldn't   she   have   waited?"   But   then，he   shook   his   head   and   said，"Well，I   suppose   some   things   just   had   to   happen   and   cannot   be   denied．That’s   human   nature.”

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Walking   on   deep   in   thought，Dimitri   bumped   into   a   tall，burly   man   in   dark   glasses，safari   hat   and   expensive   suit,   obviously   a   big   shot．Immediately   six，seven   husky   body-guards   came   up   shouting   threateningly   and   formed   a   shield   of   bodies   around   the   man．Two   of   them   stepped   out   and   dragged   Dimitri   aside   to   a   parking   lot，while   the   others   swarmed   around   their   boss   and   walked   into   a   tall,imposing   building．After   searching   him   and   finding   he   was   only   a   passerby   and   not   an   assassin   or   enemy,   the   two   of   them   said   while   beating   him   up，

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“Why   don’t   you   watch   where   you’re   going，you   bastard?   Do   you   know   who   that   was   you   bumped   into?   That’s   Mr.   Kaffee   of   World   Bank!”   Then   they   kicked   him   and   said，"Get   the   fuck   out   of   here.”   Having   been   suddenly   woken   up   from   his   reverie   and   not   knowing   why   the   misfortune   had   happened   to   him   out   of   the   blue，Dimitri   picked   himself   up   and   assessed   the   damages   -   a   black   eye,bruises   on   his   face   and   body，pain   on   his   thigh   where   he   was   kicked，luckily   nothing   serious．Feeling   himself   over，his   hands   came   upon   a   paper   bag．He   took   it   out   and   was   angry   to   find   that   the   sandwich   Marianna   had   made   especially   for   him   had   been   battered   to   a   pulp．He   didn’t   mind   being   beaten   up   for   bumping   into   a   big   shot,   as   that   was   a   common   enough   occurrence   on   the   streets,   but   he   minded   their   squashing   his   sandwich，which   was   very   precious   to   him   because   it   came   from   Marianna’s   hands．He   sat   down   with   his   back   to   the   wall   and   tried   to   eat   the   sandwich．Dimitri   had   always   thought   the   law   had   been   made   too   complicated   and   was   unnecessary   at   least   to   him   who   lived   in   a   world   of   his   own   with   little   dealings   with   his   fellow   men,   like   a   bird   at   large，flying   spontaneously   where   he   would   into   the   horizon   at   twilight．This   incident   taught   him   that   the   law   was   necessary   to   preserve   social   order．But   then，people   like   Mr．Kaffee   lived   above   the   law   and   was   a   threat   to   whoever   came   near   him，no   matter   how   innocent   he   was．

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"I   will   wrestle   with   and   plot   against   him.”   Dimitri   decided．He   looked   up   at   the   tall   high-rise   and   thought．"Oh   no!   Not   here!   I   cannot   fight   World   Bank   empty-handed．I   will   have   to   go   back   to   my   kingdom   to   do   that.”   He   closed   his   eyes   and   immediately   fell   asleep．

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Purple   clouds   were   rising   from   the   mountain   stream   and   the   dawn   mist   had   not   yet   dispersed   when   King   Dimitri   was   seen   leading   his   twenty-four   beauties   over   the   suspension   bridge   to   the   administrative   building   on   the   other   peak．The   beauties   were   dressed   in   loose，soft，silk   gowns   with   wide   sleeves，each   gown   different   from   the   other   in   color,   with   a   band   at   the   waist   showing   off   their   magnificent   figures．They   followed   King   Dimitri，their   billowing   skirts   and   sleeves   like   slender   willows   swaying   in   the   wind．On   seeing   them   pass   the   bridge   like   a   troupe   of   celestial   nymphs   walking   over   the   rainbow，the   natives   fell   to   the   ground   in   awe   and   knelt   there   in   worship．

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The   beauties   had   each   been   trained   in   one   specific   field．Usually，the   moment   they   reached   the   other   plateau，each   would   go   directly   to   her   assigned   post．Some   would   go   by   helicopter   to   the   air   base   at   the   foot   of   the   mountain   to   see   to   the   transportation   of   all   necessary   cargo   for   King   Dimitri   and   his   palace   crew．Some   would   go   to   oversee   the   operations   at   the   power   plant   and   telecommunications   center．Others   would   go   to   the   hospital   and   attend   to   the   needs   of   the   patients   there．   Dimitri   usually   went   to   his   office   with   four   assistants   in   charge   of   the   treasury,   but   it   was   a   special   occasion   that   day．There   was   an   air   of   tense   expectancy   as   if   it   were   the   eve   of   a   decisive   battle．The   daily   routine   was   set   aside   and   King   Dimitri   strode   into   his   office   followed   by   all   twenty-four   of   his   beauteous   aides．

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His   office   was   modern   and   practical   with   no   signs   of   exotic   palace   luxury,   the   only   exception   being   the   huge，pure   gold   abacus，studded   with   gems   standing   upright   in   the   room．Dimitri   was   in   front   of   the   abacus，explaining   to   his   beauties   about   the   plot．He   moved   the   beads   on   it   by   way   of   illustration．King   Dimitri’s   wealth   was   hard   to   estimate．He   owned   one-tenth   of   the   stocks   of   the   first   five   hundred   most   prestigious   corporations   in   the   world．He   never   interfered   with   their   policies   of   management,   buying   and   selling   his   stocks   when   the   time   was   right，never   losing   by   his   transactions．The   secret   was   that   he   was   a   master   of   astrology   and   did   everything   by   consulting   the   stars,   whose   orbit   had   a   major   influence   on   the   economic   activities   of   our   planet．This   was   a   mystery   of   which   only   King   Dimitri   had   the   key   and   which   he   used   to   build   and   rule   his   huge   empire．

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        His   office   was   like   a   classroom．He   would   use   his   abacus   to   indicate   his   intentions   to   his   assistants，who   would   then   disperse   to   carry   out   his   orders．King   Dimitri   stood   by   his   abacus   and   gave   his   orders：

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        1．Mortgage   his   properties   all   over   the   world   to   the   World   Bank   for   200   billion   dollars   to   absorb   their   capital．Then   use   the   money   to   buy   all   possible   stocks   of   the   bank   that   are   on   the   Market   in   order   to   gain   a   majority   and   have   a   say   in   their   policies．

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        2．Play   with   the   stocks   in   the   Market，buying   and   selling   in   such   a   way   as   to   create   illusions   of   instability．Spread   rumors   as   to   the   credibility   of   the   bank   so   that   their   customers   would   be   in   a   flurry   to   withdraw   their   accounts，creating   additional   burden   on   their   already   deplenished   capital,   like   draining   water   from   a   reservoir．

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        3．Offer   a   reward   of   one   billion   dollars   to   whoever   could   provide   evidence   of   the   illegal   money   laundering   activities   of   Mr．Kaffee，president   of   World   Bank，thereby   creating   distrust   and   antagonism   within   the   nucleus   of   the   enemy,   to   make   sure   that   the   huge   reward   would   inevitably   induce   someone   to   betray   Mr．Kaffee．He   would   then   have   the   evidence   submitted   to   the   authorities，thus   entangling   him   in   lawsuits   and   persecution，discrediting   him   so   thoroughly   that   he   would   never   be   able   to   get   federal   funds   from   the   Federal   Reserve   to   bail   him   out   of   bankruptcy．

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4．Prepare   all   paperwork   and   plans   necessary   to   take   over   World   Bank．

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Then   the   twenty-four   beauties   dispersed   to   the   telecommunications   center   to   contact   King   Dimitri’s   emissaries   all   over   the   world   to   carry   out   his   orders．Amid   the   soft   treading   and   gentle   murmurs   of   these   perfumed，jeweled，goddess-like   beauties   brewed   the   beginnings   of   a   storm   that   would   make   havoc   of   global   economy．Dimitri   walked   over   to   the   terrace   overlooking   the   crystal   clear   mountain   pool   to   rest   and   enjoy   a   cup   of   coffee   laced   with   brandy．The   beauties   were   busy   coming   and   going   to   report   on   their   negotiations   and   ask   for   instructions，but   Dimitri   sat   there   calm,   confident   and   composed   like   a   veteran   commander   sure   of   his   victory．Now，for   the   first   time，the   beauties   saw   the   other   side   of   their   master．In   the   palace，he   was   gentle，generous   and   easy   to   please，but   now   when   he   had   serious   state   matters   to   attend   to,   he   was   severe,   resolute   and   Machiavellian   in   dealing   with   his   enemies，giving   precise   orders   and   detailed   strategies．He   was   like   an   unsheathed   sword   whose   dazzling   brilliance   and   keenness   had   thus   far   been   hidden   and   concealed．"I   must   see   what   the   enemy   is   about"   thought   Dimitri．He   walked   over   to   a   couch   and   instantly   fell   asleep．Knowing   their   master’s   habits,   the   beauties   did   not   disturb   his   slumber,   but   waited   beside   him   patiently   to   make   their   reports．

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        In   his   dream，Dimitri   came   to   the   tall，imposing   business   building，World   Bank，for   the   purpose   of   espionage．He   walked   in   and   stood   there   for   a   moment，watching   at   a   distance   the   chaotic   scene   before   him．Crowds   of   anxious   customers   were   lined   up   before   the   counters，jostling,   shouting,   talking,   totally   ignoring   the   bank   officials   who   tried   to   pacify   them．Dimitri   nodded   in   satisfaction   that   his   plans   were   already   in   action．He   got   into   the   elevator．Half   way   up，a   sexy   and   fashionably   dressed   young   woman   get   in，obviously   a   secretary，carrying   a   tray   with   a   crystal   bottle   of   Louis   XⅢ   and   some   wine   glasses．She   pushed   the   button   for   the   penthouse．The   bodyguards   at   the   door   let   her   in   and   Dimitri   followed   her   into   the   luxurious   office   of   Mr．Kaffee．About   a   dozen   people   were   huddled   at   one   end   of   the   long   conference   table．Veins   stood   out   on   his   temple   and   beads   of   cold   sweat   began   to   show   on   his   forehead   as   Mr．Kaffee   listened   to   the   reports   of   his   most   trusted   aides．Gone   were   the   gentlemanlike   manners   and   cultured   speech．In   times   of   crisis，he   revealed   himself   in   his   true   colors   shouting,

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        "This   is   no   fucken   coincidence！We   found   out   too   goddamn   late！Paisanos,   this   is   a   premeditated   plot，capiche?   I   don’t   fucken   care   about   those   son-of-a-   bitches   stealing   our   dough．I’ve   got   plenty   of   ways   to   get   that   shit．What   chills   me   is   the   one   billion   dollar   reward．Someone   might   rat   on   us.”   His   eyes   looked   menacingly   at   those   around   the   table．"Can   you   guys   withstand   temptation?   Can   you?"   There   was   complete   silence   in   the   room．No   one   dared   to   meet   his   accusing   eyes．Mr．Kaffee   stood   up   and   walked   restlessly   to   and   fro   like   a   caged   lion．   Deep   down   in   his   heart,   he   knew   that   in   his   world   it   was   every   man   for   himself．The   only   tie   that   bound   these   men   to   him   was   not   loyalty   but   greed   for   money．He   knew   the   weaknesses   of   human   nature   all   too   well，having   made   full   use   of   his   peers   on   his   long   climb   up   the   ladder   of   his   "family"．Finally   he   came   to   the   only   conclusion   possible．He   struck   the   table   with   his   fist   forcefully   and   said．

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        "I   want   him   fucken   snuffed!   Whoever   that   son-of-a-bitch   is   who   is   trying   to   fuck   with   us．I   want   him   snuffed!   ho   is   he?   What   family   is   he   from?"

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        "Uh...Dunno，Don   Kaffee．We   ain’t   eva   hoid   of   him   befo’.”

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        "He   only   sends   his   soldiers.”

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        "They   say   he’s   some   no-name   billionaire.”

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        "The   beef   is   that   his   name   is   Dimitri   Jackson.”

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        "Whoever   he   is，I   want   him   wiped   out!   I   want   you   guys   to   hit   him   with   every   fucken   thing   we’ve   got．Everything，cabishee?   Send   the   best   of   the   family．I   want   him   snuffed！I   want   no   fucken   trace   of   this   asshole   left，cabishee?"   Mr．Kaffee’s   voice   rose   to   a   screech   and   his   face   turned   beet   red.   Dimitri   felt   a   childish   delight   that   he   could   needle   the   formidable   mobster   into   a   babbling   mass   of   nerves．He   clapped   his   hands   and   laughed   out   loud，saying，"I’m   here！I’m   here！Come   and   get   me!”

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He   woke   up   laughing   and   saying，"I’m   here！I’m   the   one   you’re   looking   for！"   The   people   waiting   at   the   bus   stop,   eager   to   get   home   after   a   hard   day’s   work,   turned   their   heads   and   looked   at   him   curiously．Dimitri   looked   around   him   dazed，and   found   that   it   was   already   getting   dark．He   sighed，"Back   to   the   real   world   again.”   He   looked   up   at   the   tall   imposing   building   with   lights   all   ablaze，and   then   at   himself，sitting   on   the   curb   of   the   sidewalk．"How   can   I   topple   a   bank   like   that   single-handedly?   I   am   only   one   in   a   crowd;   a   man   on   the   street   like   an   ant   in   the   forest．But   an   insignificant   man   like   me   sure   had   a   ludicrous   dream!”   What   he   did   not   know   was   that   Mr．Kaffee   was   already   facing   the   greatest   challenge   of   his   life．From   within   his   tight-knit   circle，the   struggle   for   power   had   begun   and   his   lieutenants   were   fighting   for   succession．

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Dimitri   shook   his   head，stretched   his   stiff   and   aching   body   and   said，"Time   to   go   home，I   guess.”   He   walked   slowly   towards   Marianna’s   house，dubious   as   to   the   role   he   should   play   in   this   prosperous，fast-moving   and   cut-throat   world．He   mused,   "I   do   not   ask   much   of   life．I   only   want   the   barest   necessities，enough   food   to   survive，to   live   life   the   way   I   want，free   as   a   bird   to   roam   wherever   I   will   in   this   wide   world，bear   no   responsibility   to   anyone，thus   transforming   life   into   the   highest   spiritual   sublimation．I   don’t   care   about   what   others   think   of   me．Call   me   a   street   cat   if   you   will．I   only   want   to   dream   my   magnificent   dreams   unhampered．I   will   be   satisfied   to   eke   out   a   living   this   way，but   the   events   of   the   last   few   days   have   been   changing   rapidly   like   a   kaleidoscope，and   now   I   have   a   woman   and   a   home   to   go   back   to.”     Dimitri   shook   his   head．This   new   life   made   him   feel   hedged   in   by   its   pressures   and   responsibilities．"No，this   is   not   what   I   want.”   he   thought，but   Marianna’s   love   and   affectionate   solicitude   were   the   ties   that   pulled   his   reluctant   footsteps   towards   her   house.

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Marianna’s   two-bedroom   house   was   situated   in   a   cul-de-sac   of   a   middle-class   residential   area，not   far   from   the   main   thoroughfare，quiet   but   easily   accessible．The   outline   of   the   house   under   the   moonlight   gave   Dimitri   an   unfamiliar   feeling   of   warmth，a   sense   of   belonging   he   had   never   felt   before．He   went   into   the   house   and   drew   back   all   the   curtains   in   the   living-room   to   let   the   moonlight   surge   in   and   fill   it   with   her   translucid   brilliance．Being   accustomed   to   darkness，he   did   not   turn   on   the   light，deeming   it   sacrilegious   to   spoil   nature’s   poetic   beauty．He   sat   there   on   the   sofa，basking   in   the   moonlight   and   felt   as   relaxed   as   if   he   was   sailing   on   an   open   sea.   His   eyes   fell   on   an   opened   letter   on   the   coffee   table．Unconsciously，he   picked   it   up   and   looked   at   it．

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"Ah，it’s   from   Italy，Marianna’s   home   town.”   He   did   not   understand   Italian，so   he   couldn’t   read   the   letter，but   he   was   fascinated   by   the   picture   of   a   man   and   a   boy．The   middle-aged   man   was   an   honest,   trustworthy   type   of   a   fellow   and   the   boy   was   about   eight   or   nine   years   old,   chubby   and   cute．At   that   moment，a   note   dropped   out   and   Dimitri   glanced   at   it，surprised   it   was   in   English．To   his   chagrin，he   found   it   was   written   to   "Dearest   Mommy"   telling   her   of   their   imminent   immigration   to   the   U.S.   The   short   letter   was   signed   "Your   sonny   boy，David"．

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"Oh   my   God！Marianna’s   married！She   has   a   husband   and   a   son!”     Dimitri   was   full   of   self-condemnation．"I   should   have   known   a   woman   of   Marianna’s   age   couldn’t   be   without   a   family．How   stupid   of   me   not   to   have   asked．How   unfortunate   of   me   to   have   met   the   woman   I   love   only   to   find   she   is   another   man’s   wife!”   He   knew   it   was   his   own   over-simplistic   character   at   work   again．He   took   another   look   at   the   two   in   the   photo   with   a   deep   sense   of   remorse.   He   had   wronged   these   simple，trusting   people   who   would   never   have   imagined   even   in   their   wildest   dream   that   Marianna   was   living   with   another   man   and   having   an   uninhibited   sexual   relationship   with   him．  

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"What   shall   I   do?"   he   asked   himself   desperately．His   thoughts   then   turned   to   his   dreams．"What   right   have   I   to   execute   Ileen   so   cruelly   for   adultery   when   I   have   been   doing   the   same   thing   myself?"   He   seemed   to   be   sailing   alone   on   the   clear   icy   water   to   the   place   of   execution．

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        In   the   dead   silence，only   the   sound   of   oars   hitting   the   water   was   audible．He   walked   ashore   towards   the   tree   on   the   desolate   hill   and   the   bloody   scene   flashed   once   more   before   him.   He   seemed   to   see   the   top   half   of   Ileen’s   body   hanging   from   the   tree   while   the   bottom   half   below   the   waist   lay   bloody   and   mangled   on   the   ground．"What   can   I   do   to   remedy   this?"   he   asked   himself．She   was   one   of   the   rare   beauties   in   this   world   and   I   ordered   her   to   be   chopped   in   half!"   He   had   a   strong   wish   to   make   reparations   to   her   and   bring   her   back   to   life   again．The   story   of   the   Creation   came   to   his   mind，so   he   scooped   some   of   the   bloody   soil   from   the   ground   and   took   it   to   the   water’s   edge,   where   he   mixed   it   with   water   and   shaped   it   into   the   form   of   a   woman．He   was   hesitant，not   quite   sure   if   it   would   work，but   he   blew   on   it   anyway   in   imitation   of   Jehovah   and   it   grew   bigger   and   bigger   until   it   miraculously   turned   into   Ileen,   beautiful   and   bewitching   as   ever．

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        "Thank   you   Sire   for   letting   me   live   again.”   she   murmured   kneeling   at   his   feet．

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        "I   was   wrong,   Ileen．It   was   my   fault   and   1   will   make   up   for   it．From   now   on   you   are   free．Free   to   do   whatever   you   want   to   with   no   fear   of   retribution.”   As   if   wanting   to   say   something   but   refrained，Ileen   kowtowed   and   turned   to   go．But   just   then，the   two   Asian   tigers   that   were   always   by   the   side   of   his   throne   roared   and   rushed   out   at   her，toppling   her   to   the   ground．Dimitri   immediately   shouted   at   them   and   ordered   them   back,   but   the   damage   had   been   done．Ileen   was   again   a   bloody   mass,   though   still   alive．She   lay   on   the   ground   and   looked   at   him   coldly,   her   eyes   full   of   hate．

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"You   let   me   live   only   to   suffer   once   more.”   Just   as   Dimitri   tried   to   explain,   he   woke   up．

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“That’s   terrible”   he   thought，   “I’ve   bungled   it   and   made   things   worse．Now   Ileen   hates   me   more   than   ever．I   must   try   to   find   an   opportunity   to   explain   it   all   to   her.”

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Just   then，familiar   footsteps   sounded   on   the   deck   and   the   figure   of   Marianna   appeared，sailing   in   from   the   open   door．When   she   saw   Dimitri   sitting   alone   against   the   window   in   the   moonlight，she   closed   the   door   and   came   to   sit   beside   him．

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"Why   don’t   you   turn   on   the   light?"   she   asked.

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        "Isn’t   it   better   to   sit   in   the   moonlight?"   replied   Dimitri.

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        "Hm...I   guess   so．It’s   more   soothing   and   romantic.”     She   smiled   and   looked   around   the   room．When   her   eyes   fell   on   the   opened   letter   and   the   photo   on   the   coffee   table,   her   heart   skipped   a   beat．She   raised   her   eyes   to   Dimitri．The   pain   on   his   face   told   her   he   knew   everything．

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        "So   you   know"   she   said   dully.

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        "Yes，I’m   sorry．I   should   have   known   you   were   married．I   should   have   asked．"

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        "Why   sorry?"   she   gave   him   her   warm   hands．"Love   needs   no   apologies.”

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        "But   I   hurt   two   innocent   people.”

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        "It’s   not   your   fault….”   There   was   silence   in   the   room，but   it   was   a   comfortable   and   companionable   silence   in   which   their   souls   communicated   and   they   understood   each   other   without   words．   Neither   of   them   was   very   voluble   and   there   was   usually   more   silence   than   talk   when   they   were   together．After   a   while   Marianna   said．"Well   go   and   look   for   an   apartment   for   you．You   need   a   place   to   stay．I’ll   take   care   of   it   all   for   you．I   hate   to   see   you   live   the   life   you   did   with   no   permanent   shelter   or   food，exposed   to   the   heat，the   cold   and   the   rain．   In   my   eyes，you   are   a   noble   laureate.   You   should   have   a   warm   nest   where   you   can   dream   and   write   your   poems，enjoy   your   wine   and   associate   with   women，not   necessarily   me.”     Tears   shimmered   in   Dimitri’s   eyes.   No   one   had   ever   cared   that   much   for   him   before．

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        "Why   are   you   so   good   to   me?   I’m   not   worthy   of   your   kindness.”

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        "Why   mention   all   this?   You   should   understand   me．I   only   regret   meeting   you   when   1   am   no   longer   free."

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        "What   does   your   husband   do?"

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"He’s   a   carpenter,   an   excellent   one,   a   trustworthy   and   hardworking   man．My   son   is   affectionate   and   lovable．You’ll   love   him   too   if   you   meet   him.”   There   was   a   pregnant   silence．Marianna   snuggled   closer   to   him   and   leaned   her   head   on   his   shoulder．"I   promised   to   cater   a   supper   for   Mrs．Kaffee   tomorrow．so   I’ll   be   busy．On   Sunday   we’ll   look   for   an   apartment   somewhere   around   here，not   too   far   away   but   not   too   near   either.”   She   raised   her   lips   to   his   and   they   kissed．Soon   their   breath   became   shorter   and   their   bodies   fused   together   in   a   passionate   embrace．However，they   controlled   their   desires   for   fear   of   hurting   the   two   people   in   the   photo   once   again，even   though   they   were   far   away   in   Italy．

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        When   Dimitri   woke   up   early   the   next   morning,   he   found   Marianna   sitting   quietly   by   his   bed，intent   on   finishing   a   red   scarf   she   had   been   knitting   for   quite   a   few   days．Reluctant   to   disturb   her，he   feasted   his   eyes   on   this   domestic   scene，but   somehow   she   sensed   that   he   was   awake   and   looked   up   from   her   knitting．The   meeting   of   their   four   eyes   brought   on   a   pleasure   of   intimacy   and   they   smiled   at   each   other．

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        "Hi，Mr．Sandman．You   didn’t   send   me   any   good   dreams   last   night．What   magnificent   dreams   did   you   have   that   you   can   share   with   me?"

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        "I’m   afraid   I   didn’t   have   any   last   night.”

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        "Well，pretty   soon   I’ll   be   going   to   Mrs．Kaffee’s．You   remember   I   told   you   I   promised   to   cater   a   dinner   for   them．I   won’t   be   home   till   late   tonight.”

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        "Mrs.   Kaffee?"   Dimitri   suddenly   associated   the   woman   who   made   trouble   for   him   at   the   gas   station   with   Mrs.Kaffee，Marianna’s   present   customer．"Is   her   first   name   Ileen?   Is   her   husband   president   of   World   Bank?"

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"How   did   you   know?"   she   answered   surprised.   Dimitri   sat   up   on   the   bed   and   said   urgently，

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"When   you   see   her，tell   her   to   run．One   of   these   days   there   will   be   drastic   changes   in   her   household.”

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        "How   can   I   tell   her   that?   You   have   no   proof   or   evidence   except   for   your   intuition.”

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        "Tell   her   that   anyway”   insisted   Dimitri   stubbornly．

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        "All   right，all   right,   I   will．"   she   said   reassuringly．She   knew   Dimitri   often   confused   his   dreams   with   reality，but   she   was   concerned   about   the   unusual   expression   on   his   face．She   wanted   to   keep   him   home，out   of   harm’s   way，instead   of   wandering   about   in   his   current   state   of   mind，so   she   said   to   him，

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        "Dimitri，would   you   do   me   a   favor   and   work   in   the   yard   today?   The   1awn   needs   mowing   and   the   trees   have   to   be   pruned   and   trimmed．I   know   you   love   gardening，so   would   you   stay   home   today   and   do   it   for   me?"

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        "Of   course   I   will，Marianna．I   have   nothing   to   do   anyway.”   Marianna   held   up   the   scarf   she   had   finished   with   a   flourish   and   said，

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"Done   at   last!   Get   up，lazybone，and   see   how   you   like   the   new   scarf   I   made   for   you.”   Going   to   the   closet，she   took   out   a   burgundy   red   woolen   suit   suitable   for   winter   wear   and   began   to   change．Her   figure   was   full   but   beautiful．Dimitri   looked   at   her   and   thought，

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"I   will   confer   on   her   the   title   of   “Queen   of   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams”．Her   figure   is   on   the   plump   side   and   she   is   no   longer   young   as   my   other   beauties   are，but   her   manners   and   bearing   are   dignified   and   impressive．She’d   make   a   perfect   royal   spouse   for   me，my   equal   and   not   my   subordinate．Unfortunately,   she   is   married．   But   so   what?   It’s   only   my   fantasy．She   can   always   be   the   queen   of   my   dreams”．Seeing   him   staring   at   her   so   intently，Marianna   felt   embarrassed．She   blushed   and   said，

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"What   are   you   staring   at?   Get   up,   get   dressed   and   go   about   your   work!"   It   was   as   if   she   was   a   young   girl   again   in   love   with   the   man   of   her   dreams．

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As   soon   as   Marianna   left，Dimitri   began   working．He   loved   gardening   and   was   perfectly   happy   pruning   and   trimming   the   trees．At   about   nine   o’clock   he   heard   a   slight   but   insistent   noise   in   his   ears，similar   to   the   humming   of   a   bee．He   stopped   working   and   listened   intently．The   noise   became   more   distinct   though   still   distant．It   kept   repeating，

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"Your   Majesty!   Your   Majesty!”

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“Something   must   be   up   if   they   send   out   this   urgent   call   for   me!”   he   thought．"I   must   arrange   this   flesh   body   of   mine   in   a   suitable   place   and   go   back   to   my   dreamland   at   once.”   Dimitri   laid   down   his   gardening   tools   and   went   back   to   the   house．Ah,   the   recliner   that   Marianna   had   bought   for   him   would   be   the   best   place,   he   thought．He   lay   back   on   it   and   fell   asleep．

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At   the   Administrative   Center，the   twenty-four   beauties   reported   the   happenings   of   the   past   two   days   to   King   Dimitri．The   radar   screen   had   picked   up   signals   of   a   large   army   of   about   200,000   soldiers   of   the   ancient   Roman   Empire   advancing   and   surrounding   the   mountains．They   had   been   astonished   to   see   those   ancient   ghosts   marching   towards   them，armors   gleaming，spears   shining   and   pennants   flying   in   the   wind,   their   horses   trotting   and   snorting   impatiently   on   the   way．On   our   side，detection   planes   had   been   sent   and   500   able   bodied   young   natives   from   the   mountains   had   been   placed   at   strategic   spots，but   they   needed   King   Dimitri   back   to   take   command   of   the   dangerous   situation．Dimitri   was   aghast   at   this   turn   of   events．He   paced   the   room   with   a   heavy   heart，brows   knitted，regretting   his   impulsive   decision   to   punish   Don   Kaffee,   which   resulted   in   this   unexpected   attack   by   Roman   troops   -   the   Don’s   compatriots．He   knew   that   the   enemy   overwhelmed   him   in   numbers   and   once   they   knew   the   lay   of   the   land,   they   would   attack．That   could   mean   the   complete   destruction   of   his   newly   established   empire.   All   his   hopes   and   plans   would   come   to   nothing．But   then，his   proud   and   stubborn   nature   came   to   his   aid．"No，I   won’t   give   up．Not   without   a   good   fight！I   must   know   what   the   enemy’s   plans   are"   he   decided．He   went   back   to   his   couch   and   dreamed．

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        In   the   tent   of   the   Chief   Centurion   of   the   Roman   Legion，the   atmosphere   was   tense．Dimitri   saw   Don   Kaffee   with   his   dark   glasses   and   expressionless   face   discussing   plans   of   attack   with   his   generals．The   discussion   had   evidently   been   going   on   for   quite   some   time．The   Roman   generals   were   adamant．

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        "These   mountains   are   a   natural   geographic   barrier.   Just   like   a   fortress，they   are   easy   to   defend   but   hard   to   attack.   We   must   send   out   scouts   and   make   rough   military   maps   before   deciding   on   a   plan   of   attack.”

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        "Impossible!”     said   Mr.   Kaffee   “That’s   out   of   the   question．Time   is   of   the   essence!   Attack   at   all   cost!”

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        “There   is   no   possibility   of   a   quick   success”   insisted   one   general.

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"It   will   cost   the   lives   of   too   many   of   our   legionaries!"   cried   another.     Just   then，it   was   reported   that   there   was   someone   outside   the   tent   asking   to   see   the   Chief   Centurion   with   plans   to   defeat   the   enemy．The   Don   ordered   the   person   to   be   brought   forth   at   once．Dimitri   was   taken   aback   to   find   it   was   Ileen，whom   he   had   killed   but   later   resurrected   in   repentance   for   his   harshness．Her   face，once   so   beautiful，was   now   scarred   by   the   claws   of   the   tigers，and   her   eyes   were   full   of   hatred   and   enmity．

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"I   know   a   secret   passage   into   the   fortress．I   will   lead   the   way”   she   said．"But   only   on   one   condition：You   must   kill   every   living   thing   in   these   mountains，men   and   animals．"Don   Kaffee   was   elated，but   Dimitri   was   sorrowful   and   dejected   to   find   that   for   all   his   pains   to   bring   Ileen   to   life   again，her   hatred   for   him   was   as   high   as   the   mountains   and   as   deep   as   the   oceans．

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Dimitri   woke   from   his   dream   feeling   gloomy   and   depressed，with   no   ready   plans   of   defense   against   this   fatal   crisis．For   the   time   being，he   sent   the   others   back   to   their   surveillance   posts   and   set   about   the   seemingly   impossible   task   of   protecting   his   kingdom   against   Ileen’s   betrayal．Suddenly，he   was   struck   with   the   idea   that   if   he   could   bring   Ileen   to   life，so   could   he   do   it   with   others．He   was   overjoyed   and   gathered   his   beauties   together．He   gave   his   orders   briskly：The   500   able   bodied   natives   were   to   guard   tightly   the   secret   passage   night   and   day   for   three   days．It   was   a   long   and   winding   valley，easy   to   guard   but   impossible   to   capture．It   was   originally   suggested   and   designed   by   Ileen   as   a   means   of   escape   in   case   of   emergency，but   it   had   now   become   her   means   of   revenge．He   ordered   boats   to   be   rowed   out   and   all   the   others   were   told   to   cross   the   lake   with   him   to   the   barren   hills   on   the   other   side．They   were   mystified   when   they   were   told   to   bring   along   spades   and   buckets．It   was   growing   dark．Camp   fires   were   built   all   around   the   desolate,   barren   hill,   which   was   at   once   transformed   into   a   scene   of   bustling   activity．The   twenty-four   beauties   were   busy   carrying   water，looking   for   clay   in   the   soil，sieving   the   clay，and   mixing   them   together   to   make   mud   cakes   for   the   creation   of   new   lives．They   had   discarded   their   loose，floating   silk   gowns   as   too   cumbersome．Now   they   were   working   naked．In   the   hard   work   of   carrying，digging   or   mixing，their   tall   slender   and   beautiful   figures   retained   nimble   elegance   and   grace，proving   they   were   not   just   sexual   symbols   made   for   the   enjoyment   of   men．

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Muddy   water   and   fragrant   perspiration   mixed   together   spotted   and   shone   on   their   long   flowing   hair   as   the   intensity   of   their   work   increased   in   this   life-and-death   crisis．Heavy   breathing   could   be   heard   as   they   went   about   their   arduous   task．The   twenty-four   beauties   with   slender   fingers   molded   the   sculptural   clay   into   strong   fighters   with   bulging   muscles   in   their   arms   and   legs   and   also   the   inevitable   organs   as   signs   of   their   masculine   strength．Then   the   beauties   would   blow   their   breath   into   them   and   they   would   come   to   life   -   strong   muscular   soldiers．The   proud   creator   would   then   pat   her   creation   on   the   back   and   say，"Be   good，my   boy”   and   send   him   to   the   other   side   of   the   hill．Soon   hundreds   of   soldiers   were   created．

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The   cold   and   beauteous   Medusa   was   waiting   to   train   them   in   the   art   of   war．Attracted   by   her   beauty   and   shaken   by   her   severity   and   sternness,   they   became   willing   pupils   and   went   through   her   rigorous   training   schedule   docilely．Dimitri   watched   all   this   and   was   comforted   by   the   thought   that   though   Ileen   had   betrayed   him，the   majority   of   the   beauties   were   loyal   and   willing   to   share   his   fate   which   was   at   stake．Shouts   of   battle   could   be   heard   coming   from   the   valley   and   messengers   came   to   report   on   the   course   of   the   battle，but   Dimitri   was   not   troubled   because   he   knew   that   once   the   secret   tunnel   was   prepared   for   war,   it   was   impregnable．New   soldiers   joined   the   battle   after   their   training，bringing   with   them   new   strength   and   vigor．Dimitri   watched   them   and   thought，"These   are   the   only   beings   not   born   of   the   human   uterus，the   strangest   and   most   mysterious   of   human   organs   for   reproduction   which   only   women   have．This   looks   like   a   male   dominated   world，but   in   reality   it   is   controlled   by   women.”

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The   late   autumn   sun   was   still   powerful   and   shone   warmly   on   Dimitri’s   seemingly   motionless   flesh   body   lying   comfortably   on   the   recliner．But   his   brain   was   whirling   with   activity．The   crackling   of   dry   leaves   as   they   were   crushed   by   passing   automobiles   and   the   droning   of   airplanes   overhead   did   not   disturb   his   slumber．If   he   could   sleep   on   forever   like   this，it   would   actually   be   a   blessing   because   then   he   would   be   able   to   live   forever   in   his   dreams   without   having   to   face   reality．The   fragrance   of   freshly-made   coffee   permeated   the   room   and   blended   excellently   with   the   clear,   crisp   autumn   air．

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Marianna   was   happy   as   she   drove   towards   the   Kaffee’s   luxurious   mansion．She   had   taken   a   shower，put   on   her   best   suit   and   was   looking   forward   to   the   substantial   tip   she   always   got   from   Mr．Kaffee．"Some   say   Mr．Kaffee   is   an   unscrupulous   man,   a   don   of   the   Mafia”   she   thought.     “But   he   looks   like   a   nice，generous   old   man   to   me．Why，if   he   liked   the   food   I   cook   for   him   and   his   friends，he   might   even   give   me   a   few   thousand   dollars!"   And   she   dimpled   at   the   thought．The   scenery   had   gotten   more   beautiful   as   she   drove   on．The   view   from   the   right   side   window   was   the   ocean   with   its   lapping   blue   water；from   her   side   she   could   see   endless   spans   of   mountain   ranges．   A   dead   seagull   floated   on   the   water，inert   and   lifeless，softly   lapped   by   the   waves．Life   and   death   might   seem   like   two   opposite   extremes，but   the   difference   was   actually   slight．That   same   body   had   once   been   a   lively   member   of   a   flock，flying   freely   and   happily，but   now   it   lay   deserted   and   disregarded．The   road   seemed   to   be   custom   built   for   the   Kaffees，as   there   were   no   other   houses   in   sight．Suddenly，her   thoughts   turned   to   her   husband   and   son   and   her   face   softened，thinking   of   their   imminent   reunion．But   on   the   other   hand   there   was   Dimitri,   whom   she   truly   loved．But   once   her   husband   and   son   came,   they   would   have   to   part．Thinking   of   Dimitri，she   frowned．

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"Why   did   he   say   that   there   would   be   drastic   changes   in   the   Kaffee   household   in   a   day   or   two?     Why   did   he   want   me   to   tell   Mrs．Kaffee   to   run?     How   did   he   know   her   name?"Just   then，a   white   Rolls   Royce，which   Marianna   recognized   as   belonging   to   Mrs．Kaffee，came   rushing   down   the   mountain   road,   swaying   drunkenly．

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Before   Marianna   could   get   out   of   her   way，the   oncoming   car   brushed   her   fender   and   stopped．Rolling   down   the   window，Marianna   found   it   was   not   Mrs．Kaffee，but   Katherine，the   woman   who   took   care   of   Mrs．Kaffee’s   jewelry   and   expensive   costumes．   She   was   about   to   talk   to   her   when   Katherine   took   a   diamond   ring   from   her   finger   and   threw   it   to   Marianna   through   both   of   their   car   windows，saying，

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        "It’s   my   fault．I’m   in   a   hurry．This   should   take   care   of   the   damages.”     She   stepped   on   the   gas   and   was   about   to   drive   on   when   she   heard   Marianna   say，

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        "Why，Katherine，it’s   you!   What’s   the   hurry?"     Katherine   took   a   second   look   and   said，

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        "Oh，it’s   you,   Marianna．What   are   you   doing   here?"

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        "I   met   Mrs.   Kaffee   the   other   day   and   she   asked   me   to   cater   a   dinner   for   Mr.Kaffee   and   his   friends   tonight．I   was   just   going   up   to   ask   them   about   the   menu．"

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        "I   wouldn’t   go   if   I   were   you．   Strange   things   have   been   happening   in   that   house   these   last   few   days．It   was   like   gusts   of   wind   before   a   storm，foreboding   evil．Mr．Kaffee   took   his   yacht   and   sailed   away   without   saying   where   he   was   going   or   when   he   would   return.   It   all   looked   fishy   to   me   so   I   took   the   ear   and   drove   off．I   don’t   want   to   get   involved   in   this   mess．If   you’re   wise，you   won’t   either.”     With   that   she   drove   away   hastily．Marianna   knew   her   to   be   an   avaricious   woman，always   toadying   up   to   Mrs．Kaffee   and   stepping   on   others   for   her   own   advancement   to   the   post   of   jewelry-keeper．Watching   her   car   swiftly   disappearing，Marianna   thought   cynically，"She   probably   absconded   with   the   jewelry   too!   This   whole   bunch   may   be   entangled   in   a   dog-fight，who   knows?"   Then，she   turned   her   car   around   and   went   back   the   way   she   came.     Police   sirens   screamed   and   squad   cars   whizzed   by．"Something   must   really   have   happened!"   she   thought．

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On   the   third   day，the   ten   thousandth   fighter   was   created．he   seemed   to   know   his   destination   and   ran   to   join   his   comrades-in-arms   immediately．The   twenty-four   nude   beauties   sighed   in   relief   and   clapped   their   hands   in   joy   at   having   fulfilled   their   seemingly   impossible   mission．But   three   days   of   ceaseless   hard   work   had   taken   their   toll   and   they   all   looked   lusterless，disheveled   and   ready   to   drop   with   fatigue．Dimitri   came   over,   hugged   and   kissed   each   one   saying   "Now   go   and   wash   up．You   have   done   a   wonderful   job．It   is   time   to   sleep,   rest   and   recover   your   beauty   and   energy.”

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          "No，your   majesty"   one   of   them   said，"we   cannot   rest   yet．If   there   is   going   to   be   fighting   we   must   get   the   medical   supplies   ready．Food   to   feed   the   troops   must   also   be   prepared．We   cannot   let   them   go   hungry.”   Dimitri   was   deeply   moved   by   their   selfless   loyalty．He   brushed   back   the   tousled   curls   of   the   Caucasian   beauty   with   his   hands，rubbed   off   specks   of   caked   mud   from   the   face   of   the   Latino   beauty   and   inspected   the   raw   and   bleeding   fingernails   of   the   Oriental   beauty，telling   her   to   get   it   atended   to   at   once.   Then   he   walked   briskly   away   to   Medusa’s   side   of   the   hill．The   beauties   were   happy   and   comforted   to   see   that   King   Dimitri   obviously   appreciated   and   cared   for   them．They   dispersed   to   wash   up，get   dressed   and   then   go   about   their   duties   with   renewed   energy．

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Meanwhile，the   indefatigable   Medusa   was   there,   beautiful,   imposing   and   stern,   eyes   gleaming，still   full   of   energy   in   spite   of   three   days   of   intense   drilling．Her   shining   black   skin   enhanced   her   wild,   primitive   African   beauty．Ten   thousand   fighters   stood   at   attention   before   her   while   she   inspected   their   ranks．King   Dimitri   strode   onto   the   platform   to   review   his   troops   and   saw   that   they   were   ready   for   battle．The   hue   and   cry   in   the   secret   tunnel   had   decreased   After   trying   fruitlessly   for   three   days   to   gain   entry，the   enemy   was   obviously   getting   discouraged   and   tired．It   was   the   ideal   time   for   a   counterattack．Dimitri   at   once   transformed   himself   to   a   savage   deity   with   the   body   of   a   man   but   the   head   of   a   monster，with   rhinoceros   horn   at   the   top   of   his   head．The   fighters   gave   a   shout   of   joy   at   seeing   such   a   formidable   leader.   Led   by   Dimitri   and   Medusa,   they   charged   through   the   secret   tunnel   and   attacked   the   Roman   Legions．Dimitri   felt   as   though   he   was   charging   through   the   Mongolian   grassland   on   a   fleet-footed   steed，and   then   as   though   he   was   fighting   in   the   desert   with   its   endless   expanse   of   yellow   sand．

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Battle   cried   resounded．King   Dimitri’s   soldiers   were   naked   and   welded   only   primitive   weapons，but   it   did   not   deter   them.   These   lion-hearted   warriors   charged   ferociously   at   the   fully   armored   Roman   Legions．To   their   astonishment   and   bewilderment，the   warriors   found   that   though   the   Romans   were   fully   equipped，they   were   not   solid   shapes，but   only   illusionary   phantoms．When   they   rushed   headlong   into   the   ranks   of   the   stately   Roman   Legions，their   attack   brought   with   it   a   gust   of   whirlwind,   on   impact   of   which   the   phantoms   dispersed   in   all   directions．Amid   the   turmoil   of   battle，all   that   could   be   seen   was   one   solitary   woman,   ugly   and   deformed   by   multiple   scars   trying   to   escape．Medusa，mounted   on   her   jet   black   steed，recognized   her   to   be   the   traitor   Ileen．Taking   an   arrow   from   her   quiver，she   took   aim   at   the   prey   and   with   one   infallible   shot   pierced   her   throat   before   King   Dimitri   could   stop   her．Dimitri   immediately   spurred   his   horse   and   galloped   over,   but   Ileen   was   already   dead．Her   eyes   however   were   wide   open   and   full   of   hate．He   looked   at   her   regretfully,   remembering   their   past   relationship．She   had   been   his   favorite   concubine   for   many   years   and   had   contributed   much   towards   his   empire.   Thus   her   undying   hatred   for   him   was   in   a   way，justified．

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At   that   moment，the   phantoms   of   the   Roman   legions   evaporated   into   dark   clouds．These   dark   clouds   gathered   overhead   and   torrents   of   rain   poured   down．Raindrops   fell   on   Dimitri’s     warriors   who   began   to   melt   back   into   the   soil   from   which   they   had   sprung．Ileen’s   body，which   was   also   made   of   earth，soon   melted   too．Dimitri   watched   as   his   soldiers   disappeared，   just   as   his   enemies   had，and   he   walked   on   alone   in   the   rain   towards   the   valley   thinking，"Let   what   should   disperse   be   dispersed，and   what   should   turn   to   dust   be   turned   to   dust．When   Jehovah   made   man，he   ordained   that   ‘Dust   thou   art   and   unto   dust   thou   shalt   return’.   After   death,   with   the   extinguishment   of   the   flesh   body,   will   love   and   hate   disperse   too?   Or   will   they   remain   forever?"

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Dimitri   was   rudely   awakened   by   the   insistent   ringing   of   the   phone．Still   half   asleep，he   had   not   quite   shaken   off   the   melancholy   effect   of   his   dream．He   heard   the   familiar   voice   of   Marianna   telling   him   of   what   had   happened   at   the   Kaffees,   that   she   was   at   the   garage   fixing   her   car   and   would   be   home   soon   to   go   apartment   hunting   with   him．He   answered   in   monosylliubles   of   only   ‘OK’   and   ‘yes’   and   hung   up．He   sat   there   for   a   while，adjusting   to   the   real   world   he   had   come   back   to   and   thought，"The   happenings   of   these   last   few   days   are   really   like   a   dream，but   my   dreams   though   bazarre，seem   so   real!     However,   reality   or   fantasy   it   is   all   past   and   done   with．I   have   ruined   Ileen’s   life;   I   cannot   make   the   same   mistake   twice   and   ruin   Marianna’s   as   well．I   am   a   dreamer,   best   suited   to   the   carefree   life   I   had   been   living．Why   stay   on   here   uncomfortably   cooped   up   and   destroying   the   life   of   the   woman   I   love?     Dreams   may   be   true   or   it   may   not，but   my   bittersweet   entanglement   with   Ileen   is   over，so   is   the   crisis   in   my   Kingdom．My   future   dreams   should   be   sweet   ones.”   Thinking   so，his   spirits   lifted．Leaving   a   note   on   the   coffee   table   for   Marianna，he   pushed   out   his   shopping   cart,   still   intact   with   his   belongings,   and   went   on   his   way,   light-hearted   and   carefree,   though   a   little   pensive．The   only   thing   of   Marianna’s   that   he   took   with   him   was   the   red   scarf   she   had   knitted   especially   for   him．

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Bored   with   waiting   in   line   to   have   her   car   attended   to，Marianna   strolled   leisurely   across   the   street   for   a   cup   of   coffee．She   looked   at   the   diamond   ring   sparkling   on   her   finger   and   was   elated．But   as   she   sat   there，she   was   once   again   struck   with   the   uncomfortable   thought   that   somehow   Dimitri   seemed   to   have   had   foresight   of   what   was   going   to   happen．She   got   up   restlessly   and   called   him   at   home．His   laconic   and   absentminded   replies   alarmed   her   still   more，so   she   threw   down   some   money   on   the   table，crossed   the   street，took   her   car   from   the   waiting   line   at   the   garage   and   drove   hastily   home．

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The   house   was   empty   but   the   note   on   the   coffee   table   told   her   everything．It   said，"Behold   the   fowl   of   the   air：they   sow   not，neither   do   they   reap；yet   your   heavenly   father   feedth   them"   signed   "With   love，Dimitri   Jackson."   Marianna   looked   from   the   note   in   her   hand   to   the   diamond   ring   on   her   finger   with   mixed   feelings．She   had   gained   a   valuable   ring   but   had   lost   a   beloved   man．Had   she   gained   or   lost?   Knowing   he   would   be   on   foot   pushing   his   cart   before   him，she   rushed   out   and   went   to   the   places   she   knew   he   frequented;   but   he   was   nowhere   to   be   found.   After   that   she   looked   for   him   desperately,   worried   that   he   would   not   be   eating   well   and   had   nowhere   to   sleep，but   finding   no   trace   of   him，she   understood   that   Dimitri   was   avoiding   her   on   purpose．He   had   probably   gone   to   another   district,   away   from   his   usual   routes．Being   a   mature   woman，she   understood   the   wisdom   of   Dimitri’s   decision   and   bowed   to   the   inevitable．Gradually,   she   controlled   her   feelings   and   set   about   preparing   for   the   coming   of   her   husband   and   son.

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The   next   morning   after   Dimitri   1eft,   headline   news   in   the   papers   reported   on   the   explosion   at   sea   of   a   luxury   yacht   belonging   to   Mr.   Kaffee,   president   of   World   Bank;   but   no   traces   of   the   man   had   yet   been   found．It   went   on   to   say   that   the   subsequent   power   struggle   between   two   factions   of   his   lieutenants   had   climaxed   in   a   gun   fight   in   which   thirty   people   had   been   killed   or   wounded.     Amongst   the   dead   was   Mr.   Kaffee   s   wife,   Ileen．

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Two   months   later，Dimitri’s   solitary   figure   appeared   once   more   at   his   favorite   haunt   -   Lake   Merritt．It   was   a   busy   Sunday   evening;   the   parking   lot   was   full   and   whole   families   of   shoppers   were   hurrying   here   and   there,   stocking   up   for   the   coming   week．Dimitri   was   rummaging   through   the   garbage,   his   cart   full   of   empty   cans．He   was   happy   because   the   cans   could   be   recycled   for   a   nickel   a   piece   and   he   could   look   forward   to   a   good   meal   the   next   day．"Money   is   everywhere   if   only   you   would   look   for   it"   he   thought．In   the   garbage   can   in   front   of   a   large   bakery，he   found   a   bag   of   partially   eaten   doughnuts   and   buns．"What   a   waste!"   he   thought   as   he   bit   into   his   delicious   treat．He   finished   one   and   put   the   rest   into   his   cart   for   future   enjoyment   before   continuing   his   search   for   empty   cans．Suddenly   he   became   aware   of   the   presence   of   another   person   .   A   pair   of   woman’s   feet   in   dark   brown   shoes   stopped   in   front   of   him   and   stood   still．Dimitri’s   eyes   traveled   upwards   from   those   shoes   to   the   face   and   saw   Marianna,   eyes   moist,   standing   there   looking   at   him．

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"How   have   you   been   Dimitri?”   she   asked   choking   with   emotion．"I’ve   looked   everywhere   but   couldn’t   find   any   trace   of   you．Is   this   how   you   have   been   living?"   She   lost   control   of   her   voice   and   was   almost   sobbing．Dimitri   was   remorseful   for   having   hurt   her，but   he   only   remained   silent．A   middle-aged   man   and   a   boy   were   standing   by   a   parked   car   and   the   boy   was   calling

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"Mommy!   Mommy!   Come   here．I   wonna   go   home.”   Marianna   looked   at   Dimitri   silently   for   another   minute   and   then   walked   slowly   away,   furtively   wiping   her   eyes，repeatedly   looking   back   as   if   loathing   to   go．Dimitri   waved   good-bye   to   her   and   watched   as   she   rejoined   her   family．

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"Please   don’t   worry   about   me，Marianna"   he   murmured．"I   may   appear   penniless   and   homeless，but   the   earth   and   the   sky   all   belong   to   me．I   seem   poor，but   I   am   rich   beyond   imagination．I   am   King   Dimitri!"     As   the   car   drove   away，Marianna   looked   back   at   him   out   of   the   window，eyes   moist   with   tears．She   saw   Dimitri   still   standing   there   waving   at   her   with   the   bright   red   scarf   snugly   around   his   neck．In   a   flash，his   figure   seemed   to   vanish   like   a   lonely   wild   bird，flying   across   the   skies   in   the   twilight   to   unknown   destinations．

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                                                Chapter   3       Amalia

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                Ah!   gentle   breeze，disturb   not   my   sweet   dreams．How   did   I   grow   old?   I   know   not．Was   it   the   spring   breeze   that   blew   me   old?   Even   if   I   were   to   grow   old   thus，I   mind   not．Let   me   go   to   dreamland   amid   the   flowers,   the   birds   and   the   spring   breeze．Golden-haired   Mary   comes   running   hither,   her   long   tresses   flying   in   the   breeze,   her   breasts   slightly   swelling,   her   eyes   bright   and   moistened.   The   changes   in   her   body   are   miraculous,   like   a   dewy   rosebud   ready   to   blossom   into   a   red,   red   rose．Miss   Simpson   comes   by，punctually   at   3:30   p.m.   with   her   90-lb   golden   retriever   Speedy．She   tells   all   who   would   listen   that   of   her   three   former   husbands，none   were   as   faithful   as   Speedy．   Her   fifth   husband   Mark   was   a   mentally   retarded   boy，tall,   fat   and   obedient．Their   two   silhouettes   could   often   be   seen   in   the   rays   of   the   setting   sun．Old   Edward   always   walks   bent   like   a   bow，his   head   on   the   level   with   his   knee．When   he   sees   someone，he   tries   to   straighten   up   and   pretend   to   be   the   man   he   isn’t．He   was   nowhere   to   be   seen   these   last   few   weeks．Some   say   he   has   died   and   gone   to   heaven．All   living   things   sooner   or   later   go   on   their   grave-bound   way．Fools   or   sages，knaves   or   pages   pass   on   through   the   ages．How   did   I   grow   old?   I   know   not．Let   me   lie   on   this   bench   in   the   park．Let   the   spring   breeze   blow   me   old．Let   my   flesh   body   dream   on   amid   the   fragrant   blossoms   and   the   singing   birds．In   this   warm,   cozy   spring   breeze,   man   should   remain   forever   young．But   if   I   am   to   grow   old   thus，I   don’t   think   I   would   mind   at   all．

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Ah!   Why   shouldn’t   the   flesh   body   grow   old?   We   are   but   mortal，so’tis   impossible   to   the   erosion   of   time   be   impregnable．We   are   but   mortal，so   ‘tis   quite   natural   to   find   beguiling   caresses   irresistible．Since   we   are   mortal，we’re   made   of   flesh   and   blood．How   many   times   can   we   make   love?   36,000   times   at   the   most，I’ve   been   told．   More，of   course，if   you’re   made   of   sterner   stuff．Why   shouldn’t   the   flesh   body   grow   old?   Active   school   children   just   out   of   class，run,   jump   and   play   on   the   grass．There   in   my   skull   fresh   ideas   dance,   imp-like   and   playful,   just   looking   for   a   chance   my   sweet   dreams   to   enhance．Dreams   are   my   life,   I   love   them   dear．For   adventure,   love   and   satisfaction   they   have   no   peer．But   the   warm   cozy   days   are   not   forever，that’s   clear．Perhaps   I   should   enjoy   them   while   they’re   here．When   I   dream   I   will   dream   of   Amalia   -   my   mother   who   seldom   gave   me   much   ear．You   left   me   alone   when   I   needed   you   dear，but   then   you   were   bound   to   your   electric   chair．With   you,   you   took   old   Jackson   I   fear．Are   you   there?   I   wonder   as   I   look   at   the   sky．Or   are   you   down   below?   But   wherever   you   are，I   feel   the   tie．I’ll   search   in   my   dreams   high   and   low．

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Dimitri   yawned   and   sat   up   from   his   bench，stretching   lazily．The   traffic   had   become   heavier，the   number   of   school   children   in   the   park   had   increased，bringing   with   them   a   buoyant   noisiness   which   made   sleep   out   of   the   question．Dimitri   walked   slowly   towards   the   lake   and   looked   at   the   water,   the   sky   and   the   clouds．In   the   distance,   the   chiming   of   church   bells   announcing   evening   vespers   brought   with   it   a   feeling   of   weariness,   which   comes   with   the   close   of   day．Dimitri   thought,"I   meant   to   take   a   comfortable   nap   under   the   warm   sun   and   spring   breeze，but   instead   I   gave   free   rein   to   my   thoughts   and   whiled   the   time   away．I   haven’t   collected   any   material   for   my   dreams   either．Oh   well，let’s   see   what   will   come   into   my   dreams   tonight．"

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The   church   bells   took   Dimitri’s   thoughts   to   heaven．He   looked   at   the   skies   and   thought．"Do   the   residents   of   heaven   live   the   same   way   as   we   do?   Do   they   go   to   work?   Do   their   children   go   to   school?   Do   they   have   traffic   problems?   Do   their   children   play   in   the   park   after   school?   What   are   you   doing,   Amalia，my   sweet   mother?   Are   there   any   churches   in   heaven?   Do   you   go   to   church   there?   They   say   life   in   heaven   is   the   ultimate   bliss,   where   no   one   works   and   yet   lack   for   nothing．Everyone   has   food，nice   clothes   and   live   leisurely．Live   leisurely?   Why   go   to   heaven   for   that?   I   live   leisurely   enough   here   on   earth!   I   wonder   if   they   vote   in   heaven，who   the   chief   executive   is   and   what   political   system   they   have．Do   they   have   intricate   laws   like   we   do?   Do   they   have   wars?   If   they   don’t,   what   do   they   do?   Just   loaf   around?   Or   is   heaven   like   a   huge   monastery   where   everyone   lives   the   austere   and   Spartan   life   of   monks?   No   one   ever   dies   there   and   everyone   gets   to   live   on   forever   to   eternity．Isn’t   that   a   boring   life?   Or   perhaps   heaven   is   like   a   luxuries   palace   and   my   sweet   mother   Amalia   is   living   there   like   a   queen,   wearing   exquisite   silk   dresses   embroidered   with   golden   threads，surrounded   by   her   ladies-in-waiting．Music   would   be   played   by   royal   musicians   while   fragrance   of   rare   incense   scented   her   surroundings．Intoxicated   by   the   music,   she   would   involuntarily   rise   to   dance，her   beautiful   and   voluptuous   figure   graceful   as   the   willow   swaying   in   the   breeze．But   no,   that   may   not   be   possible．She   left   this   world   in   the   electric   chair．Would   she   be   able   to   enter   the   gates   of   heaven?”

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Dimitri   shook   his   head   and   came   back   to   reality   thinking      

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“No,   I’m   fantasizing   again.   If   Amalia   were   living,   she’d   be   a   silver-haired   feeble   old   woman   in   her   seventies.     There’s   no   way   she’d   be   able   to   dance   gracefully   as   a   willow．How   does   one   grow   old?   Is   it   the   spring   breeze   that   blows   year   after   year,   mperceptibly   blowing   away   your   youth   and   your   strength，adding   wrinkles   and   silver   hair?”   He   suddenly   remembered   a   picture   he   once   saw   in   a   magazine   about   a   murder   case   where   a   woman   had   been   dismembered．The   police   collected   the   parts   of   her   body   and   put   them   into   big   glass   containers   of   formalin，where   they   would   be   kept   as   evidence   without   ever   deteriorating．One   container   had   a   graceful   and   curvaceous   arm   in   it，another   a   perfectly   formed   and   well   proportioned   leg．The   one   that   struck   him   most   was   the   container   with   the   head，where   the   sad   countenance   seemed   to   be   crying   still   for   she   could   never   be   put   together   and   made   whole   again．If   a   living   person   was   preserved   in   it   perhaps   she   would   never   age   and   her   beauty   would   live   on   forever．Dimitri   laughed   at   himself   half-hysterically．I’m   getting   weird．   A   plane   zoomed   overhead．

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Dimitri   suddenly   felt   that   his   bladder   was   too   full，so   he   slipped   into   a   clump   of   trees   and   let   go．The   flow   went   on   and   on   and   surprised   him   by   the   quantity   of   urine   he   had   been   holding   in．Suddenly   something   that   had   been   troubling   him   since   his   youth   came   to   mind．"The   design   of   a   man’s   body   is   not   very   logical，"   he   thought．"Why   is   a   man’s   sexual   organs   and   his   urinating   organ   one   and   the   same?   They   should   be   in   two   separate   places．But   where   should   the   sexual   organs   be?   On   the   head?   No,   that’s   too   exposed．I   would   put   it   on   the   hand,   like   a   sixth   finger．No，that   won’t   do   either．It   would   hamper   the   hand   that   has   to   do   heavy   manual   work   sometimes   and   that   would   hurt   the   penis   which   is   so   sensitive．Oh   well，I   suppose   the   original   design   is   the   best．It   kills   two   birds   with   one   stone．He   got   so   carried   away   with   his   thoughts   that   he   stood   there   fingering   his   penis,   forgetting   to   put   it   back   into   his   trousers   long   after   he   had   finished   urinating．

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Leaving   the   clump   of   trees，Dimitri   continued   on   his   way．He   raised   his   head   and   saw   that   not   far   away   from   him   a   bed   of   blood-red   roses,   brilliant   and   gorgeous,   were   blooming   vigorously．He   reproached   himself   for   not   noticing   them   earlier   during   his   walks   around   the   lake．It   would   have   been   a   pity   if   he   missed   them   in   the   prime   of   their   beauty，he   thought．

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"I   will   sleep   here   tonight"   he   decided．”It   is   spring   now，so   it   shouldn’t   be   too   cold．If   I   could   leave   this   real   world   behind   me   and   lie   forever   in   my   dreamland，the   ideal   retreat   would   be   amid   these   exquisite   roses.”   Sleeping   alone   at   night   in   the   park   brought   with   it   association   of   ghosts．When   he   was   a   boy，Dimitri   was   afraid   of   ghosts，but   loved   to   listen   to   sepulchral   stories   of   ghosts   and   demons．Now   that   he   was   getting   on   in   age   and   closer   and   closer   to   his   final   resting   place   in   the   earth,   he   was   no   longer   afraid   of   them．On   the   contrary，their   existence   promised   an   extension   of   this   life   in   another   world．In   a   way   this   took   away   much   of   the   apprehension   and   fear   of   death．To   Dimitri’s   curious   and   inquisitive   mind，he   was   even   eager   to   taste   what   1ife   hereafter   meant，to   learn   what   the   difference   was   between   men   and   ghosts．

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It   was   only   five   thirty   in   the   afternoon．The   fiery   rays   of   the   setting   sun   dyed   Lake   Merritt   into   a   pool   of   blood-red   water．Dimitri   regretted   spending   the   day   in   thinking   and   reminiscing,   as   it   made   his   head   ache．His   mind   wasn’t   clear   any   more   and   he   needed   a   rest．But   again,   his   thoughts   wandered   to   his   mother   Amalia．If   she   wasn’t   in   Heaven,   she   must   be   in   Hell   consumed   in   the   eternal   flames   of   Gehenna．He   could   almost   visualize   the   despairing   and   agonizing   expression   on   her   face   as   she   struggled   to   emerge   from   the   scorching   river，only   to   sink   deeper   into   the   bottomless   pit．

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"How   could   you   stand   this   endless   torture   day   after   day   Amalia   my   sweet   mother?"   thought   Dimitri．"Hoefully   now   and   then   you   could   leave   the   fiery   waters   and   climb   ashore   for   a   little   respite，eat   something   and   hide   for   a   moment   in   a   corner   before   being   pierced   by   a   fork   and   thrown   back   into   the   flames   by   the   guards   of   the   Underworld．Oh   Amalia，my   sweet   mother，do   you   ever   think   of   me   the   way   I   think   of   you?   Me,   your   only   son   whom   you   left   alone   in   this   world．No，she   wouldn’t"   thought   Dimitri   sadly．When   he   visited   her   for   the   last   time   in   her   cell   the   day   before   she   was   to   die，she   was   untamed，abusive   and   shrewish   as   ever．She   turned   on   him，snarling，

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"Scram   you   sniveling   bastard！I   don’t   want   to   see   your   face．I   wouldn’t   have   been   here   if   I   wasn’t   burdened   with   you.”   Her   vicious   and   fiendish   expression   rose   before   him   and   he   could   almost   hear   her   hiss   out   her   last   venomous   words   to   him   “I   regret   nothing.   Even   if   they   cut   off   my   head，it’s   only   a   bowl-like   scar．Scram，you   bitch’s   bastard！   Get   the   fuck   out   of   here!”   She   spit   out   these   spiteful   words,   gnashing   her   teeth   as   though   to   splinter   them.   Dimitri’s   heart   contracted   in   pain   as   he   remembered   that   parting   scene.  

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“She   has   never   shown   any   love   or   affection   for   me，but   I   am   flesh   of   her   flesh   and   blood   of   her   blood．There   is   an   invisible   tie   between   us   and   my   yearning   for   her   increases   year   by   year．Ah，might   as   well   get   drunk   tonight   because   once   tipsy，all   my   worries   and   cares   evaporate   with   the   wind.”

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Daylight   demurely   closed   her   eyes   and   accepted   the   kiss   of   the   prince   of   night．Gradually，almost   imperceptibly，night   and   day   merged   into   one．When   the   full   moon   in   her   silvery,   luminous   splendor   shone   on   the   rose   garden,   she   saw   a   tipsy   Dimitri   making   his   way   back   after   thoroughly   drowning   his   sorrows   in   liquor．He   had   forgotten   about   his   childhood   trauma   and   was   happy．Normally   reticent，wine   made   him   talkative   and   he   felt   as   though   he   had   a   lot   to   say．He   spoke   aloud   to   the   gorgeous   roses   that   seemed   to   nod   wisely   in   assent   in   the   slight   breeze．Such   a   receptive   audience   encouraged   him   to   ramble   on   and   on，walking   about，gesturing   expressively   on   unsteady   feet．

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"In   ancient   times,   long   before   man   ruled   the   earth，spring   was   already   the   best   time   for   proliferation．On   spring   nights,   numerous   animals   would   seek   their   mates   and   copulate   to   perpetuate   their   breed．Man   originally   did   the   same，but   now   that   he   has   progressed   far   beyond   the   animal   kingdom,   sex   has   become   more   of   a   physical   enjoyment   than   the   need   of   nature   for   progeneration.   In   the   cover   of   darkness   tonight，do   you   know   how   many   people   are   doing   just   that?”  

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“Man   is   only   a   warm-temperatured   organic   body，no   different   from   animals，with   the   same   sexual   needs．The   beginning   of   life   started   with   the   union   of   the   sperm   with   the   ovary   in   side   the   uterus.The   single   cell   took   three   billion   years   to   evolve   into   human   life．Modern   science   tells   us   that   the   growth   of   a   fertilized   cell   into   a   baby   is   a   repetition   of   the   same   process   of   evolution，but   it   takes   only   nine   months．I   think   that   the   element   of   fate   is   added   at   the   moment   of   conception．Without   this   element,   everyone   would   be   the   same．They   would   look   alike,   have   the   same   life   span   and   there   would   be   no   successes   or   failures,   just   like   products   from   a   factory   assembly   line．The   exterior   of   the   embryos   of   all   mammon   look   the   same，but   the   different   genes   in   them   make   them   grow   into   different   animals：cows，sheep，pigs   etc.   What   I   call   the   element   of   fate   is   in   certain   ways   related   to   genes．Of   course，this   is   only   my   daring   assumption   without   much   evidence   to   support   it．But   life   is   a   mystery   no   one   has   been   able   to   solve.”

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        “Man   is   more   fortunate   than   other   animals   in   that   during   the   slow   process   of   evolution，a   second   self   was   born   that   could   think   for   itself．This   is   what   no   other   animal   has．It   is   simple   to   satisfy   the   needs   of   the   flesh   body,   which   only   requires   food,   shelter   and   sexual   satisfaction．But   man   is   called   the   noblest   of   animals   because   he   has   a   body   which   is   no   longer   satisfied   with   such   basic   needs   and   which   contains   a   second   self   that   can   think   for   itself   and   could   order   the   body   to   perpetually   seek   enjoyment,   lust   and   greed．But   that   thinking   second   self   also   has   the   powers   of   self-examination，which   produces   the   standards   of   behavior．With   the   existence   of   communities，these   standards   became   intricate   laws   which   control   the   flesh   body   from   going   out   of   bounds．Likewise，morality   controls   the   second   self   so   that   it   would   not   have   too   much   free   rein．So   we   come   to   the   question   ‘What   is   life?’   I   think   life   is   just   how   to   manage   our   flesh   body．It   should   carefully   monitor   our   thinking   second   self   because   it   has   the   capacity   to   do   both   good   and   evil”．

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With   that，Dimitri   took   out   his   unfinished   bottle   of   liquor   and   took   another   quaff．The   activities   of   Dimitri’s   brain   were   gradually   slowed   down   to   a   torpor   by   the   liquor．but   his   mother’s   last   words   to   him   resounded   repeatedly   in   his   ear   until   he   could   stand   it   no   more．

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"Oh   Amalia,   you   cheap   nasty   woman!”   he   cried   bitterly.   "You   use   your   flesh   body   as   a   tool   for   your   own   pleasures，never   thinking   it   is   the   root   of   all   evil   that   gives   rise   to   tragedies，of   which   I   am   one．You   miserable   strumpet，you   call   me   a   bitch’s   bastard．What   does   that   make   you?   A   bitch!”     He   strode   about   angrily．"A   bitch！Bit...(hic)..ch!”   Hiccups   stopped   his   words．"Bit...   (hic)...ch!   Stop   that！"   he   snapped   angrily   at   his   hiccup．"You’re   also   a   son-of-a-bitch!   Hic”   He   pulled   out   his   bottle   and   tried   to   drown   his   annoying   hiccup   in   liquor．"Oh，yes，when   I   was   small   I   lived   like   a   wild   dog，begging   for   medicine   when   I   was   ill，rummaging   in   garbage   cans   for   food   and   clothes．You   never   cared   a   hoot   about   me，though   I   tried   so   hard   to   please   you,   so   hard…”

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        Self-pity   welled   up   and   he   almost   cried．"Why   did   you   bring   me   into   this   world?   Why?   I   call   myself   Dimitri   Jackson,   but   who   knows   what   kind   of   blood   flows   through   my   veins.   Not   old   Jackson’s，that’s   for   sure．A   whole   variety!"   The   anger   flared   up   again．"Play   around   if   you   want，but   you   shouldn’t   have   gotten   your   son-of-a-bitch’s   lover   to   murder   old   Jackson   to   pay   your   gambling   debts．He   was   decent   to   us.   You   deserved   to   die．You   did．You   did．You   brought   all   this   on   yourself．I   had   nothing   to   do   with   it，you   bitch!   Bitch!     Bitch！！！"     Dimitri   raised   his   voice   and   was   shouting   hysterically．Suddenly，he   stopped   talking   and   began   to   slap   himself   on   the   cheek．"What   a   bum   I   am   to   talk   like   this   about   my   own   mother   who   has   been   dead   all   these   years．If   she   was   bad,   she   was   punished   for   it   and   paid   her   dues．Who   am   I   to   be   her   iudge?   How   good   am   I？Who   have   I   in   this   world?”   He   bawled   like   a   child,   huddled   in   a   corner   of   the   rose   garden.   But   then,   his   fingers   touched   the   bottle   of   liquor   and   he   mumbled   to   himself   "Yes,   I   might   as   well   get   drunk!   Might   as   well   get   drunk!”

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        The   liquor   sent   a   stream   of   warmth   right   down   to   his   abdomen.   Dimitri   felt   tipsy   and   was   elated   again．He   laughed   and   talked   to   his   unseen   audience．"This   flesh   body   is   a   miracle   of   evolution，but   it   is   also   a   great   hindrance．If   the   soul   could   be   separated   from   the   body，I   would   rather   give   up   my   flesh   body   because   all   sins   and   lusts   stem   from   it.”     He   thought   for   a   moment   and   then   shook   his   head．"No,   this   body   of   ours   is   the   product   of   billions   of   years   of   change   and   should   not   be   lightly   given   up．And   who   knows   for   sure   whether   the   body   and   the   soul   can   be   separated?   I   will   continue   to   be   on   the   alert   and   watch   over   it   ,   to   see   that   it   does   no   evil．I   think   I   have   done   a   great   job   all   these   years．Yes,   I   have.”   He   laughed   in   exultation   and   waved   a   hand   at   the   myriad   of   stars   twinkling   in   the   sky   saying，"I   will   announce   to   all   you   heavenly   bodies   that   I,   Dimitri   Jackson,   have   managed   my   flesh   body   well．Despite   my   humble   origins,   I   have   never   let   it   do   any   evil,   so   I   need   fear   neither   God   nor   man.”     He   took   another   drink   and   said   to   the   hosts   of   crimson   roses   surrounding   him，"Do   you   know?   You   and   I   are   different   creatures.   0ur   existence   on   this   earth   of   ours   makes   it   different   from   and   far   superior   to   those   thousands   of   stars   out   there   in   the   sky．Ha,ha,ha”   Exultantly   jubilant   and   a   little   hazy，he   said   to   them,"Rose!   Rose!   You   are   at   the   height   of   your   beauty．Please   don’t   wither   away   while   I’m   asleep!"   His   words   turned   to   a   mumble   and   he   tumbled   to   the   ground   and   fell   fast   asleep．He   seemed   to   hear   a   chorus   of   beautiful   soprano   voices   and   his   aging   body,   like   a   half-hollowed   tree,   was   invigorated   by   it   and   made   full   of   life   force   again．

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The   next   morning，Dimitri   was   up   at   dawn   and   sitting   on   the   park   bench   drinking   coffee．The   morning   fog   turned   everything   in   the   distance   into   a   white   mass．The   reflections   of   the   swaying   branches   of   the   weeping   willows   on   the   tiny,   restless   waves   of   Lake   Merritt   seemed   to   personify   a   coy   and   languid   woman,   half-yielding,   half-resisting．Dimitri   was   groggy   and   suffering   from   a   hangover．He   groaned   and   said   to   himself，"Now   why   did   I   have   to   go   and   drink   so   much   last   night?   That   was   really   stupid   of   me．But   what’s   the   harm   of   an   occasional   fling?   I   wonder   what   Amalia   is   doing   now．Perhaps   she   sleeps   on   a   cloud   and   refreshed   from   her   night’s   rest   is   now   sitting   before   her   mirror，combing   her   hair   and   making   herself   beautiful   for   the   day．I   wonder   if   there   is   still   the   difference   of   sexes   in   Heaven．If   there   is，is   Amalia   still   as   interested   in   sexual   intercourse   with   multi   partners   as   she   was   on   earth?   Perhaps   they   all   live   on   clouds,   lightly   floating   all   around   the   universe．When   two   clouds   meet,   they   would   unite   in   a   passionate   and   crushing   embrace   and   make   love   on   the   feathery   buoyant   cloud,   their   intensity   and   enjoyment   increasing   with   the   lulling   and   slightly   rocking   movement   of   the   cloud   as   it   fluctuates   with   the   wind．After   that   brief   union，they   would   float   apart，each   going   his   own   way.     If   Amalia   is   as   interested   in   sex   as   she   used   to   be，that   would   be   ideal   for   her．Oh，heavenly   residents   must   still   have   sex，or   Amalia   would   be   bored   to   death!”

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        Then   Dimitri’s   mind   became   blank   and   empty   as   the   morning   mist,   but   a   familiar   tune   written   in   his   youth   persistently   cropped   into   his   consciousness：

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        "Faint   blue   mountains，faint   red   skies，

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        Faint   dusk   fog   by   faint   green   plains，

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        Faint,   faint   feelings   tangling   in   the   mind，

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        Like   slender,   teasing   fingers   on   the   harp   strings，

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        I   am   a   youth   learning   to   be   divine.”

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It   reiterated   itself   again   and   again，until   Dimitri   couldn’t   help   singing   along   with   it．The   mist   gradually   dispersed   and   the   noise   and   clamor   of   city   life   began   again．

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Across   the   street，several   teen-agers   waiting   for   their   school   bus,   laughing,   joking   and   engaging   in   horseplay.   Looking   on   at   them   enviously，Dimitri   thought   of   his   own   youth   which   had   been   enveloped   in   a   pale   blue   mist   of   sorrow   and   melancholy．

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"If   I   could   live   my   life   again,   I   would   spend   it   in   happiness   and   enjoyment,   happy   and   carefree   as   those   teen-agers,”   he   thought．   Near   him,   a   young   mother   and   her   one-year-old   boy   were   playing   together   on   the   grass   with   their   golden   retriever．The   little   boy，just   learning   to   walk,   clenched   his   chubby   fists   and   made   boxing   movements，which   sent   his   doting   mother   into   peals   of   merriment．Suddenly   he   stumbled   and   fell．His   mother   rushed   to   his   aid，but   he   sat   on   the   grass   and   laughed   uproariously．The   dog   ran   over   to   join   the   fun   and   licked   his   face．The   mother   picked   him   up   and   hugged   him   tightly   to   her   breasts   and   he   clasped   his   arms   around   her   neck   and   kissed   her   smiling   face   repeatedly，his   laughing   eyes   as   bright   as   the   twinkling   stars．"If   I   were   he，how   happy   1   would   be!”   thought   Dimitri.   “I   could   embrace   my   mother   and   kiss   her．In   primitive   times，that   little   boy   could   easily   have   become   a   prey   of   wild   beasts．Mankind   has   come   a   long   way   since   then,   after   an   arduous   journey   of   billions   of   years   of   evolution．The   little   one-year-old   boy   is   now   on   the   threshold   of   life，learning   to   walk，but   an   animal   of   his   age，like   the   golden   retriever，is   already   able   to   proliferate．Perhaps   the   nobler   the   animal，the   more   time   it   needs   to   grow   up.”

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Suddenly，golden-haired   Mary，clad   in   her   tight   blue   jeans   and   white   blouse   came   onto   the   scene，carrying   a   backpack   and   running   to   her   companions   at   the   bus-stop,   her   golden   hair   flying   in   the   wind．Dimitri   gazed   at   the   familiar   form,   puzzled,   searching   his   memory   for   where   he   had   seen   her   before．Suddenly，a   scene   at   the   zoo   flashed   into   his   mind.   It   was   many,   many   years   ago,   when   Dimitri   was   still   in   his   early   teens．One   day   he   went   to   the   Oakland   Zoo   to   kill   time．Suddenly   he   heard   women   screaming   and   saw   a   crowd   gathering   at   the   cage   of   the   chimpanzee，jostling   and   exclaiming．Feeling   curious，he   went   there   too．The   chimpanzee   was   masturbating   himself   vigorously．A   girl   in   the   crowd   covered   her   face   with   her   hands   but   was   still   peeking   through   her   fingers．The   chimpanzee，which   held   some   water   in   his   mouth，sprayed   it   at   her，wetting   her   face   and   hair．Just   then,   the   school   bus   arrived   and   the   teen-agers   scrambled   on   calling   to   one   another,   jostling   and   laughing   as   they   crowded   through   the   small   door．That   girl   at   the   zoo   was   the   splitting   image   of   golden-haired   Mary，but   then   of   course   it   couldn’t   possibly   be，because   three，four   decades   had   passed   since   then．

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Dimitri   sat   on   the   bench   talking   to   himself.  

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"Amalia，I   don’t   really   know   when   my   life   on   this   earth   began，but   it’s   been   a   long，long   time．My   flesh   came   from   you，and   with   that   body   came   fate，soul，thought   and   all   the   other   attributes．These   exist   only   through   and   in   accompaniment   of   the   flesh   body，without   which   fate   cannot   be   manifested．Without   the   flesh   body，all   these   attributes   would   be   meaningless   and   insignificant．Fate,   for   example,   has   always   been   a   controversial   and   unanswerable   question，a   neutral   state   between   existent   and   non-existent．Looking   back   on   the   past，you   will   find   an   obvious   but   nevertheless   existing   track,   which   you   think   would   be   nonexistent   before   you   find   it．Fate   and   flesh   body   are   actually   two-in-one   and   one-in-two．Ah，Amalia!   my   flesh   is   your   flesh   and   my   blood，your   blood．Since   I   am   your   flesh   and   blood，I   must   accept   the   pain   that   fate   has   imposed   on   my   flesh   body．But   your   life   is   one   of   sin   and   I   wish   I   could   use   my   flesh   body   to   atone   for   it．Only   I   don’t   know   whether   that   is   possible   or   not”．  

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“You   know   Amalia,   I   went   back   several   times   to   the   zoo   to   observe   that   chimpanzee．Sometimes，he   looked   sad   and   thoughtful，but   at   other   times   he   seemed   happy   and   playful．I’ve   come   to   the   conclusion   that   he   is   philosopher．He   must   have   fought   like   a   cornered   beast   when   he   was   first   captured．But   then，he   found   man   was   stronger   than   he，and   that   escape   to   the   wild   where   he   came   from   was   impossible．He   changed   his   attitude   and   became   a   cynic．I   was   struck   by   the   similarity   between   us．The   relation   between   him   and   his   cell   is   the   same   as   that   between   my   flesh   body   and   fate．Only   his   was   passive   and   imposed   on   him，while   mine   was   actively   imposed   on   myself   of   my   own   free   will．I   willingly   bound   my   flesh   body   so   that   it   would   not   do   anything   morally   out   of   track   to   atone   for   your   sins，Amalia.”

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“Amalia,   my   attitude   towards   fate   is   like   that   of   water,   which   flows   over   the   surface   of   the   earth,   hugging   the   rise   and   fall   of   the   terrain   without   compromising   its   own   nature．If   it   meets   with   obstacles，it   will   stop，detour   and   take   another   path；but   will   still   continue   flowing   towards   its   destination.   Obedient   yet   rebellious,   that   is   the   secret   of   coping   with   fate,   neither   active   nor   passive．This   may   seem   obscure，but   in   my   life，they   are   compatible   and   can   exist   in   perfect   harmony．In   my   observations   of   the   chimpanzee，I   realized   that   he   had   given   up   rebellion   and   his   own   free   will．He   bowed   to   the   futility   of   resistance   and   so   was   no   longer   rebellious．His   eyes   were   docile   but   sly．To   make   the   best   of   a   bad   deal   and   find   joy   amid   hardship,   he   played   practical   jokes   on   humans．I   would   like   to   revert   to   man’s   natural   primitive   naivete   and   return   to   the   animal   state   we   were   in   before   evolution．That   does   not   mean   I   would   go   so   far   as   to   masturbate   in   public   like   the   chimpanzee．That   is   impossible   because   millions   of   years   of   civilization   had   passed   and   I   cannot   rebel   against   fate   as   thoroughly   as   he．So   I   have   shaped   my   own   attitude   towards   fate   like   the   theory   of   water，gentle，tame   but   tenacious．Your   attitude，Amalia，is   the   exact   opposite．You   were   like   fire，uncontrollable   and   devastating．That   is   the   main   difference   between   you   and   me．Oh，Amalia，tell   me   how   I   can   atone   for   your   sins."

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By   then，the   mist   had   dispersed   and   the   bright   sunlight   shining   straight   on   him   made   Dimitri,   who   had   not   yet   fully   recovered   from   his   hangover,   feel   dizzy．He   looked   up   at   the   vast   expanse   of   clear   blue   skies   without   the   trace   of   a   single   cloud   and   a   sudden   panic   came   over   him．

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"Where   are   the   clouds?   Where   has   Amalia   gone   to?"   He   got   into   a   hysterical   frenzy   and   ran   around   shouting，"Amalia!   Amalia!   Where   are   you?"   But   there   was   no   answer   from   the   skies，no   clouds，no   Amalia．Dimitri   sat   down   dejectedly   on   the   bench   and   thought．"Where   could   Amalia   have   gone   to   ?   Perhaps   she   fell   from   the   clouds   back   to   Hell.   He   envisioned   a   wide   expanse   of   desert，torrid，dry   and   shadeless，with   the   rays   of   nine   suns   blazing   down   on   the   red-hot   sands   of   iron   ore．Amalia   was   crawling   over   them，panting   with   thirst   and   half   delirious   with   the   heat．   Dimitri   could   not   bear   to   look   and   cried，"Amalia,   are   you   sorry   now   for   your   sins?   You   must   be!"     But   then，he   remembered   her   words，"Don’t   think   twice   before   you   act.   Once   a   thing   is   done,   never   regret.”     No，Amalia   wouldn’t   regret．The   expression   on   her   face   was   painful，yet   rebellious   and   remorseless.   Ah   Amalia!   Repent!   Perhaps   you   can   attain   absolution．Tell   me   how   I   can   help   you   leave   your   painful   environment．Perhaps   what   you   need   now   is   a   glass   of   cold   orange   juice,   but   how   can   I   get   it   to   you?   The   dimensions   separating   us   cannot   be   measured   by   time   or   space．Ah   Amalia!   How   can   I   leave   you   to   suffer   all   alone?"

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Dimitri   went   back   to   his   bench   and   lay   down   listlessly．He   thought，

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"I   am   growing   old   in   the   spring   breeze．If   I   had   known   how   hard   life   would   be，I’d   have   nestled   in   my   mother’s   womb   forever   and   never   have   come   to   this   world．It   must   have   been   snug   and   cozy   there,   neither   too   warm   nor   too   cold，like   lying   half   asleep   and   half   awake   on   a   hammock，swaying   in   the   spring   breeze，lost   in   sweet   dreams.”     Later，Dimitri   finally   found   his   long   lost   mother   and   welcomed   her   to   his   mysterious   Kingdom   where   she   lived   happily   ever   after   with   the   filial   devotion   and   companionship   of   Dimitri   and   his   beauties．But   that   is   to   be   dealt   with   in   the   epilogue．

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It   was   getting   1ate．The   day   was   drawing   to   a   close   and   the   skies   gradually   darkened．Dimitri   lay   there   lazily   on   his   bench．His   day   had   gone   by   hazily．In   his   subconsciousness,   he   had   been   aware   of   shadows   of   people   coming   and   going：Two   mounted   police   officers   ambled   by   and   had   tied   their   horses   under   the   shade   of   some   trees   while   they   took   their   break   before   resuming   their   patrol．A   mad   old   woman   passed   by   munching   on   a   bunch   of   bananas，which   she   peeled   one   by   one，tossing   the   skins   into   the   garbage   can   when   she   had   finished．No   one   ever   knew   her   name．When   in   a   good   mood，she   would   turn   prankish，putting   a   plastic   bag   over   her   face   and   make   faces   at   people，laughing   happily   when   she   found   they   were   scared．But   when   she   was   angry，she   would   shout   and   cuss   at   the   top   of   her   voice，gesturing   vehemently．   Dimitri   admired   her   greatly   for   her   lifestyle，for   abandoning   herself   freely   and   entirely   to   her   mood   swings．Other   pedestrians   had   passed   by   too，but   now   all   were   gone   he   knew   not   where．

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        A   misty   moon   peeped   out   from   behind   some   clouds,   gradually   sending   out   her   translucent   rays．On   a   construction   site，rows   of   long-necked   cranes,   sturdy   bulldozers，dredgers   and   rollers   stood   silent   and   motionless．From   afar,   they   resembled   the   enormous   dinosaurs   that   ruled   the   earth   billions   of   years   ago．Now   these   gigantic   creatures   had   long   disappeared   from   the   face   of   the   earth．In   the   space   of   a   night，the   world   seemed   to   have   turned   topsy-turvy．Are   these   steel   and   iron   machines   their   modern   counterparts?   Drowsily，Dimitri   fell   again   into   his   sweet   dreams．

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                            Chapter   4       Life   Stories   of   Aisha,   Stephanie,   Angelica,  

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                                    Lotus,   Samantha,   Dorna   and   Natalie

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King   Dimitri’s   Women

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Aisha:

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After   the   great   battle   with   the   Roman   soldiers，things   returned   to   normal   and   Dreamland   was   restored   to   its   original   peace   and   calm．But   King   Dimitri   had   mysteriously   disappeared   and   had   not   been   heard   of   since．Used   to   his   eccentric   ways，the   twenty-four   beauties   lived   their   leisurely   lives，pursuing   their   own   interests   as   they   had   a   lot   of   idle   time   on   their   hands;   but   they   couldn’t   help   feeling   a   little   lost   and   lonely．In   the   distance   a   helicopter，silvery   and   shiny，was   seen   flying   towards   the   landing   field   on   the   right   tip   of   the   Twin   Peaks．Aisha   looked   down   at   the   lagoon   with   its   surrounding   mountains，at   the   reflection   of   the   glittering   yellow   tiles   of   the   Chinese   palace-like   building   and   felt   a   warm   sense   of   homecoming．She   landed   her   craft   precisely   and   accurately，fully   demonstrating   her   skill   and   dexterity．She   stepped   down   composedly   from   her   helicopter，carrying   the   two   books   she   had   gone   down   to   the   village   post   office   to   get．The   flight   mechanics   rushed   over   to   the   small   compact   flying   machine   with   its   transparent   body   fully   exposing   its   silvery   interior，designed   especially   for   the   twenty-four   beauties   as   a   means   of   transportation．They   pushed   it   away   to   the   air   base   for   refueling   and   maintenance．There   a   variety   of   helicopters，large   and   small   were   assembled．

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Walking   over   the   suspension   bridge   towards   the   Chinese   style   building，Aisha   was   struck   with   the   complete   silence．Usually   the   place   was   full   of   laughter   and   activity；but   now，without   its   master,   all   had   become   lifeless   and   stagnant．"Where   has   everyone   gone   to?"she   thought   as   she   entered   the   empty   hall   with   its   majestic   furnishings，meticulously   kept   up   and   imposing   as   ever；but   it   all   the   more   emphasized   its   present   desolation．When   King   Dimitri   was   here，the   hall   was   full   of   music   and   singing   and   delicious   food   was   served   under   the   candlelight   and   lanterns   by   the   beauties   adorned   with   precious   jewels．Life   then   was   busy   and   eventful   and   full   of   meaning．She   walked   up   the   stairs   to   the   second   floor   and   paused   for   a   moment   at   the   long   French   windows   overlooking   the   crystal   clear，icy-cold   lagoon，and   remembered   with   nostalgia   how   King   Dimitri   took   them   boating   sometimes   under   the   moonlight,   sometimes   in   a   drizzling   rain   they   would   sit   in   the   cabin   playing   musical   instruments   and   singing，drinking   wine   and   enjoying   the   different   aspects   of   the   night   scene   on   the   lagoon．Her   eyes   traveled   to   the   surrounding   mountains   and   remembered   how   he   took   them   mountain-climbing   and   hunting．What   a   man   King   Dimitri   was！He   understood   life   and   how   to   enjoy   it   to   the   hilt   -   an   epicurean   and   aesthetic   whom   they   all   loved   and   respected．Aisha   walked   on   to   the   last   door   and   opened   it．It   was   her   private   quarters．

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The   walls   of   the   study   were   lined   with   bookcases   from   floor   to   ceiling，all   filled   with   books．They   looked   a   little   disorderly，but   with   the   disorderliness   of   frequent   usage．On   the   pink   carpet   covering   the   floor,   were   piles   of   books，some   on   anthropology，some   on   Eastern   religion   and   some   on   the   history   of   civilization,   carefully   selected   by   the   mistress   of   the   study．Near   the   window，there   was   a   large   white   inlaid   desk   gilded   in   gold，made   with   excellent   craftsmanship．It   was   fortunate   that   such   a   beautiful   piece   of   art   had   found   a   mistress   who   complemented   it   and   used   it   well．At   the   moment,   she   was   gathering   material   and   preparing   an   important   thesis   to   be   read   at   the   next   international   academic   meeting，just   as   she   had   done   many   times   before．As   she   walked   into   her   room，Aisha   began   to   take   off   her   clothes．She   was   a   woman   in   her   thirties，with   skin   pure   as   white   jade，wearing   a   Chinese   style   knot   at   the   nape   of   her   neck．When   she   was   completely   naked，she   sat   down   to   work．To   her   clothes   were   used   to   resist   cold   and   not   to   be   worn   when   unnecessary．She   had   a   strong   greed   for   the   fullest   sensation   of   her   body   and   to   be   free   from   bondage．Therefore   not   to   be   hampered   by   any   clothing   while   researching   was   her   eccentricity．So   preoccupied   was   she   on   her   reading   that   anything   else   was   oblivious；and   the   only   sounds   in   the   room   were   the   turning   of   pages   while   she   scanned   through   her   books   for   whatever   she   wanted．Then   she   would   type   part   of   her   thesis   nimbly   and   swiftly．   Aisha   stopped   typing   for   a   moment，leaned   back   on   her   chair，frowning   in   concentration，thinking   of   how   best   to   express   her   ideas，when   her   eyes   happened   to   fall   on   the   photo   of   a   middle-aged   man   on   her   desk．He   was   an   ordinary-looking   man，a   mulatto，with   no   specially   distinguishable   features，wearing   an   olive-colored   safari   hat   tilted   at   an   angle．His   flat   nose，dark   brown   eyes   and   old   disarrayed   clothing   seemed   more   suitable   for   a   janitor   than   King   Dimitri，but   his   smile   was   kind   and   endearing．

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Aisha’s   thoughts   flew   back   to   their   first   meeting   at   the   luxurious   boardroom   of   the   Foundation   of   Anthropology   and   Human   Civilization．Though   Aisha   was   young   and   beautiful，her   research   had   won   her   international   fame   and   the   respect   of   scholars   all   over   the   world．So   no   one   was   greatly   surprised   when   she   was   asked   to   lead   a   team   of   scientists，who   were   to   do   extensive   research   and   establish   a   complete   and   exhaustive   file   on   the   different   tribes   of   humans   that   had   existed   or   still   exist   on   this   earth   of   ours，including   the   most   primitive．It   was   a   staggering   project，requiring   hundreds   of   participants   and   extensive   funding．She   was   chosen   both   for   her   expertise   and   her   dedication   to   her   work．Now   Aisha   looked   at   the   man   sitting   opposite   her   at   the   table．He   was   president   of   the   Foundation   and   main   financial   backer   of   their   project．but   he   was   shabbily   dressed   and   could   easily   have   been   taken   for   a   janitor．His   speech   showed   his   lack   of   formal   education   and   contained   no   scientific   jargon，but   it   was   concise   and   to   the   point   and   flared   with   deep   intellectual   powers   which   belied   his   mediocre   appearance．His   opening   speech   was   very   simple．He   said   the   reason   he   was   funding   this   project   was   because   he   believed   the   evolution   of   human   civilization   was   not   as   mysterious   as   most   people   thought．From   his   observation   of   children   at   play，he   came   to   the   conclusion   that   it   was   more   like   the   purposeless   games   children   played．Only   after   millions   of   years   of   zigzagged   changes，did   it   come   to   be   what   it   was   today．He   concluded   by   saying   that   it   was   up   to   those   esteemed   scientists   and   scholars   present   to   trace，research   and   explain   those   devious   changes．As   Aisha   listened，her   respect   for   him   increased．In   a   few   words   he   had   1aid   down   the   principles   for   the   research   and   made   a   complex   project   seem   simple．As   she   got   to   know   him   better，she   was   mesmerized   by   him   and   voluntarily   followed   him   to   his   Kingdom   in   the   secluded   mountains．Gradually   King   Dimitri   became   her   great   mentor   and   she   was   proud   to   become   one   of   his   twenty-four   beauties．

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Aisha   sighed   as   she   looked   at   the   photo   on   her   desk．   His   natural,inherent   wanderlust   was   a   strange   characteristic   that   led   him   to   leave   this   beautiful   kingdom   with   its   magnificent   mountains   and   streams，its   luxurious   palace   and   twenty-four   beauties,   to   go   roving   around   like   a   nomad．The   man   in   the   picture   grew   younger   and   younger，until   it   became   a   naughty   boy   with   an   impish   grin．She   laughed   and   thought   Dimitri   in   essence   was   like   an   adventurous   boy   and   would   come   home   when   he   was   tired   of   roaming．The   bookcases   were   still   disorderly，the   screen   of   the   computer   displayed   fruits   of   her   thoughts，the   noise   of   the   printer   stopped   momentarily．A   woman   was   seen   engrossed   in   her   reading．

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Stephanie:

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The   reflection   of   the   swaying   branches   of   the   weeping   willows   on   the   tiny，restless   waves   of   the   lagoon，seemed   to   personify   a   coy   and   languid   woman，half-yielding，half-resisting.   The   lagoon   was   bordered   on   one   side   by   a   sheer   cliff,   with   a   cave   far   above   the   water   level．The   only   way   of   entry   was   by   climbing   up   a   stout   rope．Above   the   cave   was   the   carved   figure   of   a   Tibetan   Buddha   with   four   hands，each   holding   a   strange   weapon,   like   a   protective   guardian   deity   preventing   evil   spirits   from   invading   the   retreat   of   the   young   woman   who   sat   practicing   prodigious   feats   of   the   flesh   body．0ccasionally   she   would   open   her   large   alluring   eyes   which   seemed   to   hide   a   million   secrets．Such   mysterious   elusiveness   seemed   destined   to   bewitch   and   entice   the   soul   of   man．Her   luscious   black   hair   was   pulled   back   into   heavy   braids   that   she   wound   around   her   head，but   the   severe   hairstyle   only   complemented   her   classic   Hindu   beauty   and   aristocratic   bearing   which   nothing   could   conceal．The   reflection   of   the   water   shimmering   and   glittering   under   the   sun   was   neither   as   bright   nor   as   illustrious   as   her   family   history，but   she   never   talked   to   anyone   except   Dimitri   about   it．

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She   called   herself   Stephanie，never   revealing   her   true   identity．She   was   a   princess，daughter   of   a   prince，but   her   mother   lost   favor   and   was   put   to   death．At   the   time   she   was   studying   abroad．Fearing   persecution   from   her   mother’s   enemies，she   did   not   dare   to   return   to   her   native   1and.   Used   to   being   waited   on   hand   and   foot,   she   did   not   know   how   to   take   care   of   herself，least   of   all   how   to   make   a   living．The   only   road   open   to   her   seemed   to   be   to   live   by   her   youth   and   beauty   and   take   up   the   oldest   profession   in   the   world．But   she   scorned   such   degradation,   because   to   her,   her   body   was   sacred   -   the   most   magical   and   mysterious   puzzle   which   she   wanted   to   explore   and   unravel．It   was   at   this   time   that   she   met   Dimitri，whose   kindness   and   straightforward   character   attracted   her．Dimitri   took   her   in   hand   and   taught   her   the   tricks   of   survival   in   vagabondage：such   as   how   to   get   food，how   to   find   safe   haven   to   pass   the   night   and   to   relieve   herself   etc．The   days   they   spent   together   roaming   the   streets，carefree   and   spontaneous   as   two   birds   flying   in   the   sky   were   the   happiest   in   her   life．They   talked   about   anything   and   everything   that   came   to   mind，happy   to   find   a   kindred   spirit．Sometimes，they   would   shout   in   excitement   during   an   argument   or   burst   into   hilarious   laughter，heedless   of   the   curious   and   scornful   eyes   of   passersby．

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        One   cold   night   in   early   spring，Dimitri   brought   Stephanie   to   one   of   his   secret   nooks．It   was   in   a   remote   corner   between   a   wall   and   a   tall   building，not   yet   discovered   by   other   homeless   people．Not   only   was   it   out   of   the   way，but   there   was   a   BART   air   hole   on   the   ground   which   let   out   heat   and   warmth，enabling   surrounding   beds   of   flowers   to   bloom   in   spite   of   the   cold．Lying   on   the   air   hole,   looking   up   at   the   full   moon   and   myriad   of   twinkling   stars   above   her，Stephanie   thought   it   was   the   ideal   place   to   give   herself   to   Dimitri   if   it   weren’t   for   her   menstrual   period；and   she   felt   a   trifle   let   down   and   disappointed．Dimitri   was   his   own   kind   self   and   seemed   intuitively   to   know   what   was   on   her   mind．

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        "You   know，Stephanie，the   main   difference   between   a   man   and   a   woman   is   that   a   woman   has   menstruation   every   month．But   because   of   this，a   man   feels   especially   tender,   loving   and   protective   at   this   period．It   is   just   like   nurturing   a   delicate   red   rose．"

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        "I   think   God   is   unjust   in   giving   women   this   curse，which   really   brings   a   lot   of   inconveniences.”

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        "But   it   is   not   unchangeable   or   irreversible．The   Chinese   Taoists   have   a   method   called   "En   Kung"   or   internal   art,   which   can   stop   menstruation   altogether．It   is   called   "decapitating   the   scarlet   dragon"，after   which   a   woman   would   remain   young   and   beautiful   forever   and   it   does   not   affect   her   fertility．"

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        "That’s   incredible！How   do   you   go   about   learning   this   amazing   feat?   Can   I   do   it?   If   I   can，I   will   give   myself   to   you   after   I   have   decapitated   the   scarlet   dragon!"

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"I   know   something   about   this   Taoist   internal   art   and   I   will   teach   you   if   you   are   really   serious   about   it．I   will   make   the   necessary   arrangements   and   enable   you   to   realize   your   wish.”

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Thus   Stephanie   came   to   the   Kingdom   in   the   mountains   and   chose   this   secluded   cave   as   her   retreat．Dimitri   taught   her   the   method   of   practicing   internal   art   and   she   followed   his   instructions   assiduously．Soon，she   no   longer   needed   to   partake   of   any   food   for   sustenance，only   drinking   some   water   every   few   days，but   her   skin   nevertheless   became   soft，velvety   and   lustrous．She   lived   in   total   isolation   except   for   periodic   visits   from   Dimitri，who   would   visit   her   to   see   how   she   was   getting   along．But   recently   she   hadn’t   seen   him   for   quite   a   while．Sensing   a   change   in   the   atmosphere，Stephanie   paused   during   her   meditation   and   looked   out   of   the   cave．The   sky   was   overcast   with   dark   clouds   and   the   tiny   ripples   in   the   lagoon   were   turning   into   waves   that   splashed   against   the   rocks．Suddenly   Stephanie’s   body   shook   rapidly   and   uncontrollably   in   a   pain   she   had   never   experienced   before．She   felt   as   if   there   was   an   internal   strength   inside   her   body   ready   to   explode．It   was   like   a   huge   wave   surging   around   in   her   body，trying   to   splash   her   into   pieces．   Forewarned   by   Dimitri，she   knew   it   was   a   very   important   stage，a   time   for   transformation．   Just   as   suddenly   as   it   came,   the   pain   subsided   and   Stephanie   luxuriated   in   a   hitherto   inexperienced   comfort，

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"Ah，success   at   last！"she   exulted．"The   scarlet   dragon   has   been   decapitated!   Now   is   the   time   to   give   myself   to   Dimitri.”   Walking   to   the   edge   of   the   cliff，she   found   that   the   elements   too   had   quieted   down．She   dived   into   the   water   below   graceful   as   a   flying   swallow   and   swam   towards   the   opposite   shore   like   a   huge,   scaleless   fish．

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After   a   long   swim，Stephanie   finally   neared   the   opposite   shore．Her   speed   had   slackened   and   she   was   beginning   to   feel   tired   when   she   saw   a   slender   figure   jogging   on   the   shore．The   jogger   proceeded   at   a   stable   pace,   with   each   step   precisely   of   the   same   length．Her   hands   clenched   in   loose   fists,   swung   at   her   side   like   two   systematic   but   interchanging   pendulums．This   stableness   and   equilibrium   coupled   with   moderate   speed   gave   Stephanie   added   strength   and   she   continued   on   her   way   with   long   measured   strokes．Hearing   the   sound   of   someone   swimming，the   jogger   looked   towards   the   lagoon   and   saw   Stephanie．She   smiled   at   her   and   made   a   V   with   her   right   hand   in   encouragement．The   two   ladies   did   not   know   each   other   very   well，but   living   in   the   same   secluded   kingdom   in   the   mountains，they   were   acquainted   and   got   to   know   each   other．

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Angelica:

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The   jogger   was   Angelica，an   exquisite,   crystal-like   beauty   who   looked   so   fragile   that   she   aroused   a   protective   instinct   in   all   who   saw   her，fearing   she   would   break   if   not   taken   care   of．She   had   a   sharp   intelligence   but   was   of   a   sentimental   temperament．King   Dimitri   had   this   circular   track   built   around   the   lagoon   especially   for   her．It   was   designed   according   to   world   standards，but   the   expensive   materials   used   were   of   slightly   softer   texture   so   that   she   would   not   hurt   her   muscles   or   bones   during   her   jogging，which   all   goes   to   show   King   Dimitri’s   love   and   concern．As   Angelica   ran   on，the   resilience   of   the   track   and   the   elasticity   of   her   body   were   in   such   perfect   coordination   that   the   track   seemed   to   respond   to   the   movements   of   her   muscles．Her   breathing   and   her   heartbeat   were   also   well   orchestrated．The   soothing   wind   ruffles   her   hair   and   blew   in   through   her   collar   and   sleeves，caressing   her   body   like   kneading   fermented   dough，invigorating   her   red   and   white   blood   cells   till   she   felt   a   tendency   to   fly   with   the   wind．But   then   she   suppressed   the   impulse   to   accelerate   because   from   running   on   the   track   every   day，she   had   come   to   the   conclusion   that   life   was   like   daily   jogging   on   this   circular   track   which   had   no   definite   starting   point   or   ending   point．Therefore，the   purpose   was   not   the   momentary   elation   and   fulfillment   that   the   last   minute   dash   could   bring．The   greatest   happiness   would   be   in   keeping   her   equilibrium   and   proceed   at   a   stable   pace   during   the   whole   process．Suddenly   it   dawned   on   her   that   this   was   the   reason   why   King   Dimitri   built   this   track   for   her．Looking   up   at   the   skies，she   saw   the   ever-changing   clouds．Their   arrangements，different   and   non-repetitious   were   never   the   same   from   day   to   day   and   therefore   impossible   to   plagiarize.   The   setting   sun   in   the   west   end   of   the   sky   seemed   to   be   taking   its   final   curtain   call,   but   its   radiant   splendor，no   longer   as   blindingly   brilliant，made   this   its   most   beautiful   and   moving   moment．Angelica   felt   a   sense   of   indescribable   arousal．The   setting   sun   became   the   face   of   Dimitri   with   his   habitual,   gentle   smile．She   ran   on   and   on   to   throw   herself   into   King   Dimitri’s   arms.

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The   meeting   of   Dimitri   and   Angelica   was   one   of   those   rare   coincidences   which   would   almost   seem   predestined．One   star-studded   summer   night，Angelica   strolled   into   her   rose   garden   after   finishing   writing   a   poem,   which   she   considered   to   be   the   most   beautiful   she   had   ever   written．   She   was   looking   at   the   last   roses   of   summer，withering   and   fading，when   a   sense   of   desolation   came   upon   her．

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"I   have   written   my   masterpiece   which   I   don’t   think   I   can   ever   surpass．Summer   is   gone   and   all   the   roses   are   fading．Why   should   I   remain   in   this   world?"   Just   then，a   shooting   star   flashed   across   the   sky   and   disappeared   into   the   mysterious   night．Angelica   stood   there，cold   and   solemn   as   a   marble   statue，filled   with   a   sense   of   sadness   and   murmured．

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"Life   should   end   at   its   most   beautiful   moment   in   order   to   keep   its   beauty   and   immortality   forever.”   She   had   a   lovely   silver   pistol   in   her   hand   and   mesmerized   by   the   feelings   of   the   moment，raised   the   pistol   slowly   upwards   towards   her   temple．Just   then   a   voice   called   out，

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"Hey!   Wait   a   second!"   and   a   form   emerged   from   among   the   rose   bushes．Frightened   by   this   unexpected   interruption，Angelica   automatically   pointed   her   gun   at   the   intruder．Dimitri   walked   slowly   towards   her   saying，"Lady，you   wake   me   from   my   sweet   dreams   and   point   your   gun   at   me!   Now   that’s   too   much!"     He   was   smiling   but   Angelica   could   feel   authority   in   his   gentle   voice   which   subdued   her   and   her   hands   fell   limply   to   her   side．

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"Lady，you   say   that   life   should   end   at   its   most   beautiful   moment，and   you   do   not   wish   to   live   because   the   roses   are   fading，a   shooting   star   fell   and   you   had   written   your   most   beautiful   poem．But   this   is   infinitesimal!   In   the   phenomena   of   nature，the   fading   of   roses   and   the   falling   of   stars   are   but   bubbles   in   the   sea，and   you   take   them   for   the   most   beautiful   things   in   the   world?   If   you   could   see   Nature   at   its   grandest，its   august   pre-eminence   could   convince   you   of   how   foolish   you   are   to   take   your   own   life   so   meaninglessly.”   Angelica   was   moved   by   his   words   and   thought   that   her   concept   of   aesthetics   was   really   narrow   and   biased．It   seemed   as   though   something   began   brewing   in   her   mind   and   she   started   gradually   to   change．   Dimitri   went   on，

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"Once   your   flesh   body   is   destroyed，beauty   no   longer   exists   for   you．What   meaning   can   immortality   and   infinity   have   for   you   then?   Beauty   exists   only   if   your   flesh   body   exists.   The   principal   aim   of   life   shoud   be   to   live   your   life   from   birth   to   death   fully   and   smoothly．It   is   like   sailing   in   a   fast   current.     If   you   can   maneuver   your   boat   safely,   that   is   success．Angelica,   do   you   know   how   precious   your   flesh   body   is?   The   fact   that   you   were   born   into   this   world   as   a   human   being   is   in   itself   a   privilege，compared   to   the   other   less   noble   animals．How   could   you   give   it   up   so   easily?"

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        "I   have   written   the   most   beautiful   poem   of   my   life．What   more   have   I   to   live   for?"

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"If   you   do   not   go   on   living，how   could   you   know   you   cannot   write   anything   more   beautiful?   Even   if   you   were   born   without   the   least   artistic   talent,   life   itself   has   a   wordless   beauty   if   you   could   look   at   it   from   an   unbiased   point   of   view.”     Dimitri’s   words   had   a   strong   impact   on   her   and   Angelica   woke   from   her   obsession   with   the   angel   of   death．Seeing   signs   of   awakening   and   repentance   for   her   rash   action，Dimitri   said   to   her   gently，

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"I   think   you   need   to   change   your   environment．Why   don’t   you   come   with   me   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams?"   This   life-saving   dialogue   under   the   star-lit   skies   changed   the   course   of   Angelica’s   precious   life   forever．

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        Angelica   continued   on   her   course，the   movements   of   her   body   stable   and   regular   as   ever．She   was   cast   in   shadows   as   she   ran   through   an   area   heavily   shaded   by   trees，but   when   she   emerged   from   that   comparative   darkness，the   setting   sun   cast   its   afterglow   on   her，illuminating   her   figure   with   its   ruby-like   radiance．Going   round   the   curve，she   ran   on   with   her   long   hair   floating   behind   her，feeling   the   residual   warmth   of   the   setting   sun   on   her   back．She   retained   her   elegance   amid   strenuous   exercise，feeling   the   affectionate   eyes   of   King   Dimitri，so   full   of   tenderness   gazing   at   her   with   his   gentle   smile．When   she   first   came   here，Dimitri   often   walked   with   her   around   the   lagoon．He   knew   she   was   a   poetess，so   poetry   and   literature   became   their   favorite   topics   of   conversation．Dimitri’s   point   of   view   is   that   a   great   epic   is   an   immortal   organic   synthesis．It   achieves   perfection   without   the   need   of   intensive   attention   to   the   choice   of   words   to   create   a   symbolic   frame   of   mind．Only   inanimate   objects，such   as   plastic   creations，need   extensive   craftsmanship．A   good   poem   or   prose   written   in   a   natural   flow   need   no   effort   to   pursue   artificial   perfection．Its   integration   is   constituted   naturally．The   most   important   criterion   of   a   good   piece   of   writing   is   whether   it   has   an   earnest   affection   of   life．

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        In   the   writings   of   great   masters,   we   often   come   across   simple   combinations   of   words   that   bring   out   the   grandeur   of   nature,   be   it   majestic   magnificence   of   mountain   ranges   or   a   misty   glimpse   of   a   distant   hill；   the   changes   in   the   skies   whether   it   is   drizzling   rain，transparent   sunshine   or   hazy   clouds；   the   strategic   arrangements   of   land   and   rivers；   perhaps   an   almost   indiscernible   flowery   path   which   leads   to   hitherto   unexplored   paradise．They   are   emotions   and   fervor   of   the   words   themselves   and   not   the   direct   description   of   the   author．Therefore，though   vague，not   minutely   described   and   used   only   as   background,   they   are   so   vividly   presented   by   the   intuitive   perception   of   the   author   that   they   remain   forever   in   the   reader’s   mind．That   is   the   charisma   of   literature．Dimitri   suggested   that   Angelica   should   look   around   her   with   renewed   perception   and   learn   from   the   heavens，the   skies，the   mountains   and   the   seas．Then   she   should   take   adventure   inward   deep   inside   her   mind，because   only   those   with   indepth，intuitive   and   penetrating   intelligence   could   make   use   of   these   materials   to   form   organic   synthesis．

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They   ran   on，steadily   rotating   on   the   circular   track,   her   heartbeat   and   her   breathing   were   perfectly   coordinated   and   she   felt   a   sense   of   pure   pleasure   from   her   flesh   body   due   to   exercise．She   thought，"How   fortunate   I   am   not   to   be   made   into   a   marble   statue，but   am   flesh   and   blood   -   the   noblest   of   animals．How   glad   I   am   that   I   didn’t   throw   my   life   away   heedlessly.”     Her   brand   new   attitude   towards   life   affected   not   only   her   personal   life   but   her   creative   powers   as   well．It   was   like   being   born   again．Everything   in   the   Kingdom   became   material   for   her   writing：The   strange   contrasts   of   antiquity   and   modernization   and   the   beautiful   scenery，the   inhabitants   who   came   from   all   corners   of   the   world．Her   description   of   the   twenty-four   beauties   were   especially   superb．Their   very   glances，smiles   and   gestures   seemed   to   depict   their   different   personalities，temperaments   and   backgrounds   and   came   alive   under   her   pen．   She   made   these   sketches   into   a   collection   of   prose   and   poetry   and   meant   to   show   them   to   King   Dimitri   when   he   came   back   before   finalizing   the   manuscript．Turning   around   to   face   the   setting   sun，she   ran   backwards   and   made   a   V   sign   towards   it   and   then   turned   back   to   run   to   the   finish．In   the   distance，she   saw   the   smiling   faces   of   Aisha   and   Stephanie   welcoming   her．

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Lotus:

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In   a   remote   corner   of   the   real   world，the   setting   sun   had   not   quite   disappeared   from   the   west;   the   crescent   moon   was   already   hastening   to   make   her   entrance   in   the   eastern   sky．On   the   branches   of   the   old   elm   tree   in   front   of   the   solitary   inn   by   the   roadside   hung   a   bright   red   lantern   with   a   candle   inside   flickering   in   the   slight   breeze   -     a   welcome   sign   to   weary   travelers，signifying   food,   drink   and   rest．Twinkling   stars   could   be   seen   from   amid   the   branches   of   the   tree   like   natural   ornaments．This   was   not   a   thoroughfare   leading   to   major   cities   and   the   neighboring   villages   were   quite   prosperous   with   shops   and   small   businesses   attracting   merchants，peddlers   and   farmers   selling   their   produce．The   thatched   roof   of   the   inn   promised   shelter．Several   dwarf-sized   tables   and   stools   in   the   open   courtyard   were   clearly   visible，as   was   the   beautiful   young   girl   sitting   by   the   stove，tending   the   fire   in   an   easy   manner   showing   her   disposition   as   gentle   as   the   moonlight．It   was   not   the   time   for   a   fair，so   there   were   few   passersby   and   business   was   slack．

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The   wandering   Dimitri   sat   alone   on   the   dwarfed   stool,   pouring   his   warmed   wine   from   a   small   tin   jar,   enjoying   the   provincial   dishes   offered   by   the   inn，amid   the   wild   scenery   of   the   strange   exotic   land．   Just   then，a   lean   yellow-haired   dog   approached   his   table,   tail   wagging   begging   for   food．Dimitri   looked   at   it   and   thought   that   it   was   oddly   familiar,   but   he   brushed   away   the   idea   as   absurd，for   how   could   he   have   seen   the   dog   before   if   this   was   his   first   visit   to   this   part   of   the   globe?   However,   he   tossed   it   a   big   chunk   of   meat．The   dog   gobbled   it   up   and   then   looked   longingly   at   the   tin   jar   with   greedy   eyes   and   its   mouth   watered．Dimitri   was   amused   and   good-naturedly   poured   out   a   bowl   of   wine   full   to   the   brim,   set   it   down   on   the   ground   and   watched   the   dog   lap   it   up   greedily．Drunk   and   reeling,   the   dog   turned   to   go   and   disappeared   into   the   darkening   twilight．

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Dimitri   watched   until   the   strange   dog   disappeared   from   sight,   then   taking   up   a   clean   cup   he   poured   himself   another   cup   of   warm   wine．The   wine   brought   a   comfortable，warm   sensation   to   his   stomach．He   was   so   engrossed   in   watching   the   dog   that   he   did   not   notice   the   figure   of   an   old   wood-cutter   appear   under   the   red   lantern．It   was   only   when   the   young   girl   Lotus   came   out   to   greet   him   that   Dimitri   discovered   an   old   man   with   a   long   white   beard，slightly   hunched   under   a   burden   of   a   bundle   of   wood   on   his   back,   which   Lotus   was   helping   him   unload．He   was   her   grand   father，known   in   that   district   as   Grandpa   Iron   Rod   because   of   his   firm   principles   and   unrelenting   attitude   towards   morals．   He   was   a   man   of   considerable   knowledge，but   scorning   the   corrupt   practices   of   the   reigning   powers，preferred   to   live   as   a   wood-cutter   and   a   hermit   in   this   remote   village   rather   than   compromise   his   values   in   seeking   wealth   and   position．Though   adamant   and   unrelenting   in   his   principle,   he   was   by   nature   kind   and   compassionate．He   had   never   hurt   a   soul   in   his   life   and   had   never   used   a   hatchet   to   fall   a   tree，choosing   rather   to   pick   up   dried   branches   and   twigs   for   fuel；for   to   him   killing   a   live   tree   was   no   different   from   killing   a   living   animal．

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        Dimitri   smiled   and   nodded   to   the   old   man   in   greeting   and   the   old   man   nodded   in   return;   but   when   his   eyes   rested   on   Dimitri’s   face   he   seemed   to   be   taken   aback．He   went   into   his   hut   to   freshen   up   and   then   came   out   and   stood   by   Dimitri’s   table，holding   both   hands   in   the   shape   of   a   fist   before   his   chest   in   salute．   Generous   by   nature，Dimitri   asked   him   to   sit   down   with   him   and   be   his   guest．The   old   man   sat   down   and   called   to   his   grand-daughter，"Lotus，warm   some   more   wine   and   set   another   place   at   this   table   for   me．Cook   some   of   your   tasty   dishes．I   want   to   chat   with   our   special   guest   tonight.”   After   a   few   cups   of   wine，the   old   man   asked，

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        "Were   you   surprised   about   the   dog?"

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        "Yes．It   seemed   so   oddly   familiar   and   reminded   me   of   someone   I   had   once   known   well，but   I   can’t   for   the   life   of   me   think   of   who   it   could   be!"

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"Yes．Some   things   in   life   are   hard   to   fathom   and   anticipate．Let   me   tell   you   a   story.”

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During   his   narration，Lotus   was   busy   serving   freshly   cooked   dishes   and   warm   wine．Her   footsteps   were   light   and   soft   as   a   cat’s   paw   and   her   figure   was   lithe   and   pliant   as   the   willow.   She   came   and   went   softly,   with   only   the   rustling   of   her   skirts   announcing   her   presence．

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Grandpa   Iron   Rod   sipped   his   wine   and   began   his   tale：

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  “Many   years   ago，there   lived   a   rich   landlord   nearby   who   owned   so   much   land   that   a   bird   could   not   fly   through   without   stopping.   Innumerable   horses   and   mules,   servants   and   serfs   worked   for   him   night   and   day;   but   rice   and   grain   rotted   in   his   barns   because   of   incompetent   management．He   was   a   besotted   man   in   his   fifties   who   loved   wine   and   women   and   used   his   wealth   and   influence   to   satisfy   his   every   whim．He   expanded   his   mansion   into   a   miniature   palace   to   house   his   twenty-four   beauties   -   young   girls   who   caught   his   fancy，and   whom   he   took,   regardless   of   whether   they   were   married   or   betrothed   or   unwilling；thus   creating   tragedies   everywhere．As   a   matter   of   fact，it   created   tragedy   for   himself   as   well．Since   his   tyranny,   selfishness   and   arrogance   did   little   to   aspire   love   and   loyalty,   each   of   his   twenty-four   beauties,   forcefully   gathered,   had   her   own   plan,   none   of   them   intending   to   stay   with   him   "till   death   do   us   part"．Perhaps   heaven   was   angry   with   him   and   caused   several   fires   to   burn   a   great   deal   of   his   property．Never   having   been   a   good   manager,   he   seemed   at   a   loss   as   to   how   to   cope．   His   many   wives   had   affairs   with   those   who   flocked   around   or   worked   for   him，and   now   took   advantage   of   his   preoccupation   to   steal   or   embezzle   what   they   could   and   run   away．It   was   like   a   giant   tree   falling   to   the   ground   and   all   the   monkeys   living   in   it   scattering   in   different   directions．He   was   devastated   by   their   desertion   and   never   recovered   from   this   blow．He   soon   died.”     Here，Grandpa   Iron   Rod   held   up   his   wine   cup   and   hospitably   pressed   Dimitri   to   eat   and   drink   more．   The   landlord   was   bad   in   many   ways,   the   old   man   continued,   but   he   did   do   one   good   deed   -   he   once   saved   Old   Grandpa   Iron   Rod’s   life．It   may   have   been   just   a   random,   capricious   act，but   Grandpa   Iron   Rod   felt   he   had   to   repay   this   favor．Being   very   poor,   he   had   nothing   to   offer   his   rich   benefactor   except   his   beloved   granddaughter.   Lotus   was   a   traditional   and   filial   girl   who   understood   her   grandfather’s   silent   request，so   she   voluntarily   offered   to   marry   the   old   landlord   when   she   turned   sixteen．   However,   by   the   time   she   grew   up,   the   landlord   had   died;   and   true   to   her   commitment，Lotus   swore   never   to   marry．When   she   saw   Dimitri,   she   was   struck   with   his   features   because   somehow   uncannily   the   dead   landlord’s   face   was   reflectecd   in   Dimitri’s   eyes．She   told   her   grandfather   about   it．

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At   first，Dimitri   could   not   understand   why   the   old   man   told   him   the   story，but   then   his   thoughts   turned   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams   where   he,   too,   had   twenty-four   beauties   and   a   huge   palace．This   association   with   a   previous   life,   whose   desires   and   ambitions   remained   influential   in   his   subconsciousness   gave   him   an   eerie   feeling   that   sent   a   prickly   sensation   down   his   spine．He   exclaimed，"You   mean   to   say   that   the   landlord，the   dog   and   I...?"     The   old   man   interrupted   him   with   a   hush   saying，"Shh..."   He   looked   up   to   the   myriad   of   stars   in   the   sky   saying,   "Say   no   more.   Let   not   the   stars   know   your   secrets!"

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The   old   elm   tree   with   its   red   lantern   shone   over   the   dwarfed   tables   and   chairs．An   old   man   with   snow-white   hair,   beard   and   eyebrows   was   whispering   intimately   with   a   middleaged   man.   "I   am   interested   in   fortune-telling   and   your   features   have   the   strangest   combination   I   have   ever   come   across．You   should   be   rich   as   a   Mammon   but   also   poor   as   a   church   mouse.   Your   station   in   life   should   be   eminent   as   a   king   but   also   lowly   as   a   beggar.   This   is   controversial   indeed!   But   there   is   one   thing   I   must   warn   you   against．Soon   you   will   become   blind．Of   that   I   am   certain，so   be   prepared.”     The   old   man   stood   up   and   said，

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"It   is   late．I   must   rest   now．Lotus   is   waiting   for   you   by   the   river   behind   the   house．Good-bye.”     Saying   so，he   took   the   red   lantern   from   the   elm   tree   and   walked   slowly   towards   his   hut,   leaving   a   lonely,   bent   and   quivering   shadow   on   the   ground   behind   him．

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The   obscure   light   shone   dimly   amid   the   dense   stream   of   the   bathroom   where   the   four   naked   women：Aisha，Stephanie，Angelica   and   Lotus   were   enjoying   their   steam   bath   together.   Lotus   had   just   been   telling   them   of   her   encounter   with   Dimitri   and   she   added，

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"His   right   eye   was   already   blind   when   I   first   met   him.   I   am   worried   now   that   he   is   absent   for   so   long.     I’m   afraid   something   might   have   happened   to   him．I   wish   I   knew   where   he   is   now.”   They   all   fell   silent，for   they   knew   King   Dimitri   came   and   went   as   he   pleased   and   no   one   ever   knew   his   whereabouts   beforehand．Angelica,   the   writer   and   poetess，looked   at   Lotus’   rippling   raven   hair   falling   against   her   snow-white   sloping   shoulders   and   thought，

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“Can   words   describe   this   exotic   Chinese   beauty?   Her   unhurried   motions,   methodical   and   orderly,   have   an   almost   hypnotic   effect   hard   to   put   into   words.”   Angelica   suffered   from   neurasthenia,   which   made   her   tense   and   hyper,   and   she   often   could   not   sleep   for   nights   in   a   row．But   Lotus’systematic   movements   were   just   sufficient   to   calm   her   down   and   soothe   her   into   a   slumber．She   would   always   remember   the   time   she   was   watching   Lotus   paint   with   a   tiny   brush   pen,   meticulously   drawing   the   hair   and   eyebrows   of   an   ancient   Chinese   lady   in   low   careful   strokes．Angelica   fell   asleep   right   away．

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Meanwhile，Stephanie，the   Indian   princess，was   watching   Aisha   with   her   large   luminous   eyes，which   could   be   severe   and   intimidating   when   aroused，but   which   were   now   gentle   as   a   clear   pool   of   water   in   autumn．Aisha   sat   with   her   shapely   long   legs   crossed，her   head   bowed，playing   with   her   fingernails   as   was   her   custom   when   deep   in   thought．Her   hair，normally   kept   in   a   knot   at   the   nape   of   her   neck，was   loose   on   her   shoulders，adding   to   her   mature   beauty．The   fullness   of   her   breasts,   her   languid   posture，as   well   as   a   certain，almost   indistinguishable   aura，suggested   it   was   the   time   of   her   menstrual   period.   The   years   sat   well   on   her.   Far   from   detracting   from   her   charm,   they   enhanced   her   womanly   attractiveness   and   feminine   beauty．Stephanie,   who   had   "decapitated   the   scarlet   dragon”,   felt   a   twig   of   envy   and   an   indescribable   regret   for   what   she   had   lost   forever．It   seemed   to   her   now   that   the   "scarlet   dragon"   was   a   symbol   of   sexuality   and   feminineness.   But   then   she   told   herself   "My   body   is   a   puzzle   of   the   universe   which   I   intend   to   unravel   step   by   step.”   Just   then,   the   door   suddenly   burst   open．

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Samantha:

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The   spacious   bathroom   in   another   part   of   the   palace   was   made   of   Italian   marble，hand   polished   and   smoothed   to   such   a   degree   that   it   had   a   mirror-like   effect．The   sheen   of   the   golden   fixtures   reflected   by   the   mirrors   and   the   polished   marble   surface   added   to   the   air   of   luxury．   An   open   side   door   led   to   a   garden   verandah   where   colorful   and   fragrant   flowers   were   blooming，in   spite   of   the   dazzling   and   brilliant   sunlight．The   golden   sunshine   was   like   a   glass   of   transparent，sparkling   wine.   It   had   its   moving   rhythm，like   the   string   of   sounds   played   on   a   huge   harp   by   nimble   fingers．The   golden   summer   wind   flew   around   on   its   restless   wings.   The   warm   golden   breeze   slipped   through   the   open   door   into   the   cool   marble   interior   as   if   seeking   shelter   from   such   heat   and   brilliance，bringing   with   it   the   aroma   of   summer   flowers．The   warm   golden   quiet   of   the   summer   afternoon   was   broken   only   by   the   faint   rhythmical   sounds   of   native   women   pounding   rice   from   a   nearby   hill．Thump!   Thump!   Thump!   they   went．Though   far   away   in   the   distance,   the   energy   and   power   of   each   muffled   thrust   could   be   felt．Each   of   these   sounds   seemed   to   have   an   impact   on   Samantha’s   heart．She   came   out   of   her   bath，wearing   a   thick   bath   robe．The   weather，though   hot，was   breezy   and   in   that   marble   bathroom，it   was   cool   and   pleasant   with   the   scent   ot   summer   flowers   permeating   the   air．But   Samantha   walked   sullenly   towards   her   studio   where   she   did   her   fashion   designing．The   air-conditioning   there   was   turned   on   full   blast,   creating   an   artiflcial   coolness.   Expensive   perfumes,   whose   price   was   calculated   in   droplets,   were   sprayed   in   the   air．The   exquisite,   ultra-modern   atmosphere   clearly   defined   the   preferences   and   taste   of   its   mistress   towards   artificial   material   enjoyment．

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Samantha   sat   in   front   of   her   mirror，but   did   not   really   feel   like   putting   on   any   makeup．Dimitri   was   not   there，so   why   bother?   She   looked   sullen   and   unhappy．A   former   model   of   international   fame,   she   was   used   to   being   complimented   and   made   much   of．But   here   in   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams,   none   of   the   other   ladies   seemed   to   be   inferior   to   her   in   any   way．That   was   one   of   the   reasons   of   her   sulleness．She   poured   herself   a   glass   of   wine   and   walked   over   to   the   sofa   beside   a   marble   table．She   lit   a   cigarette，puffed   on   it   for   a   moment，but   then   became   so   engrossed   in   her   thoughts   that   the   cigarette   was   forgotten．   Only   when   she   reached   for   another   one   did   she   find   that   the   burnt-out   butt   was   still   in   her   fingers．She   was   having   second   thoughts   about   following   Dimitri   to   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams   at   the   height   of   her   career   and   fame．She   was   not   mentally   prepared   for   the   long   periods   of   idle，tranquil   time   on   her   hands,   which   seemed   to   force   her   into   experiencing   life   of   one   who   had   retired   prematurely．She   felt   as   though   she   were   a   bonsai   on   the   table，growing   but   not   moving；or   a   member   of   the   inanimate   furniture   society，except   that   she   could   breathe．

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Her   eyes   roved   to   the   miniature   runway   at   the   far   end   of   the   studio，the   huge   mirrors   surrounding   it，her   drafting   table．mannequin   sewing   bust   and   scattered   half-finished   garments.   She   could   almost   see   herself   walking   down   the   runways   of   the   famous   fashion   capitals   of   the   world   amid   applause，exclamations   of   wonder   and   envy，endless   clicking   of   cameras   and   a   deluge   of   exploding   flashlights．Her   incomparable   style   and   beauty   made   whatever   she   modeled   the   height   of   fashion.   Her   social   life   too   was   diverse   and   colorful．   Surrounded   by   celebrities，industrial   tycoons   and   other   elites   of   society，she   lived   the   life   of   the   rich   and   the   famous，making   headlines   wherever   she   went．But   having   lived   among   them   for   so   long,   she   knew   only   too   well   how   shallow   her   fame   and   success   really   was.   She   may   be   popular   and   rich，but   to   them   she   was   only   a   beautiful   plaything   to   be   pampered,   toyed   with   and   ultimately   tossed   away．Her   pictures   may   be   on   the   covers   of   fashionable   and   prestigious   magazines，but   to   the   many   sex-hungry   males，it   was   the   object   of   masturbation，a   sacrilege   to   her   beauty   and   her   dignity．Realizing   that   her   fame   and   prestige   would   last   only   as   long   as   her   youth   and   beauty   did，Samantha   ended   her   career   abruptly   at   the   height   of   her   fame,   leaving   behind   a   memory   of   glittering   glamour．She   retreated   with   Dimitri   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams，to   pursue   her   creative   talents   in   designing．She   knew   that   only   by   doing   so，could   she   prolong   her   fame   and   abilities．Here，she   found   meaning   in   life   and   a   pleasant，comfortable   environment   to   pursue   her   interests   without   having   to   worry   about   growing   old   and   being   out   of   fashion．Dimitri’s   face，always   so   warm，gentle   and   sympathetic，appeared   before   her   eyes．She   had   never   seen   him   angry，though   he   had   an   authoritative   air   of   irresistible   attraction．Now，Samantha’s   petulant   expression   relaxed   into   a   smile．In   spite   of   the   loneliness   and   ennui   which   peeved   her，   she   could   forgive   him   his   long   absences．She   loved   him   just   for   being   Dimitri．

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At   the   height   of   her   popularity，Samantha   was   sought   after   by   everyone．Courteous   gentlemen   in   expensive   suits   vied   to   be   her   escort，but   beneath   their   polished   exteriors   were   ulterior   motives   which   these   wolves   in   skin   tried   to   hide．   Fashionable   ladies   took   pride   in   being   on   a   first-name   basis   with   her,   but   that   was   only   for   their   own   vanity   and   ego.   From   time   to   time,   she   saw   in   the   corner   of   her   eye,   the   figure   of   a   hobo   in   an   olive-colored   safari   hat，well-worn   dark   brown   three   quarter   coat，short,   loose,   ill-fitting   trousers   and   army   boots   with   no   socks．He   never   attempted   to   get   near   her，always   hovering   at   a   distance   with   a   rose   in   his   hand．His   eyes   were   full   of   adoration   and   he   seemed   to   want   to   present   the   rose   to   her，but   did   not   do   so   out   of   a   deep   inferiority   complex．At   first   Samantha   scoffed   at   him，thinking   "How   dare   a   hobo   like   you   think   of   getting   near   me?"   But   as   time   went   by,   she   got   used   to   seeing   the   familiar   figure,   which   by   his   very   reticence   piqued   her   curiosity，and   gradually   had   an   incomprehensible   affection   for   him．   She   found   herself   looking   for   him   in   the   crowd．One   afternoon，she   succeeded   in   shaking   off   the   crowd   of   people   that   usually   surrounded   her   and   quietly   slipped   out   after   the   fashion   show，intending   to   talk   to   the   "hobo"．She   was   disappointed   to   find   he   was   nowhere   to   be   seen．Undaunted，she   got   into   her   silver   convertible   and   drove   around   the   nearby   streets   looking   for   him．The   Paris   streets   were   lovely   in   April，with   flowers   blooming   everywhere．   Finally,   she   saw   him   in   the   distance   sitting   alone   on   a   bench,   talking   earnestly   to   the   rose   in   his   hand，saying，

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"How   come   such   a   beautiful，delicate   flower   like   you   could   grow   from   the   dirty   soil?   This   is   an   amazing   miracle..."   Oblivious   of   the   curious   eyes   of   passersby,   he   did   not   even   notice   her   car   stop   in   front   of   him,   until   a   melodious   voice   broke   into   his   reverie，  

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"Would   you   give   that   rose   to   me?   I   would   be   glad   to   have   it.”     Dimitri   looked   up   and   saw   the   woman   of   his   dreams   smiling   at   him．Their   eyes   met   and   they   smiled   at   each   other   in   unspoken   understanding．

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Olive-colored   safari   hat，well-worn   dark   brown   three-quarter   coat，short,   loose,   ill-fitting   black   trousers，and   army   boots   with   no   socks...   But   what   a   noble   soul   these   ragged   clothes   covered!   He   looked   like   a   man   down   on   his   luck，but   there   was   a   romantic   air   about   him．He   lived   a   handsome   though   decadent   style   of   life   which   was   slightly   irresponsible   and   completely   unpredictable．Suddenly，in   a   flash   of   creative   genius，she   realized   the   possibilities   of   the   color   scheme   and   style   of   that   outfit．She   thought   that   the   olive   colored   safari   hat   would   look   suave   on   a   woman   and   clumsy   army   boots   would   accent   her   daintiness．Samantha   thought   she   could   easily   alter   the   design   and   make   it   suit   both   sexes．it   would   become   a   new   trend   that   fall．Dimitri   would   be   surprised   to   see   everyone   on   the   street   wearing   it,   and   he   would   know   that   she   was   thinking   of   him．Suddenly,   sounds   broke   into   the   profound   silence   as   though   someone   was   knocking   on   the   door．Samantha   jumped   out   of   the   chair   excitedly   and   rushed   to   open   the   door，hoping   it   would   be   Dimitri．But   unfortunately,   it   was   only   some   falling   flowers．The   quietness   of   the   summer   afternoon   retained   its   golden   colors．The   summer   wind   flew   around   on   its   restless   golden   wings．

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The   door   opened   with   a   suddenness   that   frightened   the   four   naked   women．Then，a   basin   of   cold   water   was   laughingly   splashed   at   them,   sending   them   scattering   in   all   directions,   indignantly   squealing   and   shouting   at   the   jolly   intruder．Steam   escaped   from   the   open   door   and   to   their   surprise，they   found   that   the   practical   joker   was   the   normally   sedate   and   sophisticated   Samantha．They   were   not   angry   because   they   could   see   she   meant   no   harm，but   they   were   surprised   that   Samantha,   who   usually   held   herself   aloof,   was   so   different   from   her   normal   self．She   kept   saying，"Hurry!   Hurry!   I   want   to   show   you   something   interesting!"The   four   women   walked   out   of   the   steamy   room   and   jumped   into   a   pool   of   cold   water   as   was   their   custom．The   contrast   in   temperature   invigorated   them   and   after   the   initial   shock，they   became   comfortable   and   playfully   splashed   water   at   each   other．Angelica   splashed   some   on   Samantha，who   jumped   in   and   all   five   of   them   played   together．

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Since   clothes   were   not   required   in   this   palace   of   dreams,   the   five   nude   women   filed   out   of   the   sauna   room   and   followed   Samantha   into   the   great   hall．The   empty   hall   was   extremely   quiet   and   they   asked   her   what   she   brought   them   there   for.   The   only   reply   they   got   was，"Sh...Follow   me.”     They   walked   on   until   they   came   to   Dimitri’s   throne,   which   no   one   else   ever   dared   to   sit   on．There   on   the   huge   gem-studded   throne   reclined   a   young   girl   of   around   fifteen,   with   the   rosiest   of   cheeks,   who   was   fast   asleep．She   wore   a   short-sleeved   white   blouse，pink   shorts，matching   pink   socks   and   no   shoes．   She   was   Dorna，the   youngest   of   the   twenty-four   beauties，who   had   kept   her   virginity   as   she   was   Dimitri’s   pet   rather   than   his   concubine．The   five   of   them   sat   down   smilingly   on   the   chairs   before   the   throne，watching   the   innocent   dreamer   -   the   apple   of   their   eyes．

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Dorna:

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The   hall，spacious   and   luxurious，was   used   only   on   formal   occasions，such   as   when   a   newcomer   needed   to   be   introduced   or   on   Dimitri’s   first   day   back   from   his   numerous   wanderings．Such   occasions   were   always   warm   and   congenial．Dimitri   would   talk   about   the   customs   of   the   different   places   he   had   been   to   and   of   the   interesting   adventures   that   came   across   his   way．Their   last   meeting   here   had   been   on   a   cold   night   last   winter．It   was   snowing   heavily   and   the   wind   was   howling   outside;   but   in   the   hall   all   was   warm   and   merry．Dimitri   ordered   all   the   fires   to   be   lit   and   he   sat   in   the   glowing   light   of   the   roaring   but   flickering   flames   with   his   beauties   before   him，and   he   talked   nostalgically   about   his   bitter-sweet   affair   with   the   Italian   woman，Marianna．It   was   a   gathering   they   all   remembered．Dimitri   was   the   head   of   the   house．When   he   was   half   tipsy，he   would   become   more   talkative   and   humorous   and   had   a   lot   of   witty   and   interesting   things   to   say．Everyone   relaxed   and   joined   elatedly   in   the   topic   being   discussed．The   ladies   felt   as   it   they   bathed   in   his   radiance.   To   them,   he   was   like   a   sun   at   midnight，giving   out   a   gentle   warmth   in   the   pitch   black   sky．   But   recently，there   has   been   no   news   of   him   and   the   hall   had   been   long   empty．

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In   the   deep   of   the   night，the   warm   golden   sun   cast   a   golden   light   on   the   ground，which   made   Samantha   feel   as   though   she   was   walking   on   her   runway   under   a   golden   spotlight．But   no!   The   two   rows   of   houses   flanking   each   side   of   the   quiet   street   told   her   it   was   not   so．She   had   on   a   yellow   corduroy   dress，caught   by   a   thin   golden   belt   at   her   slim   waist．   She   did   not   wear   her   bra．The   part   of   her   outfit   she   was   proudest   of   was   the   glittering   stockings   with   a   silken   sheen   which   she   fastened   with   garters.She   hated   pantyhose.   The   exquisite   clicking   of   her   high-heeled   shoes   on   the   sidewalk   could   be   heard   echoing   on   the   still   and   silent   streets．Why   was   she   walking   alone   at   midnight   under   a   golden   sun?   She   did   not   know，and   no   one   else   knew   either．Soon   she   came   to   a   nightclub，where   business   was   slack,   with   only   three   or   four   patrons   scattered   about   the   room．The   bar-tender   was   talking   animatedly   to   a   patron   about   an   accident   that   happened   that   afternoon，when   a   crane   broke   and   crushed   some   passersby   to   death．A   cigarette   girl   walked   around   the   room   calling，"Cigar!   Cigarette!"   and   then   disappeared．Although   the   room   was   almost   empty，the   entertainer   was   so   immersed   in   his   own   feelings   that   he   had   little   regard   for   external   circumstances．   He   was   singing   and   playing   the   electronic   organ   simultaneously．He   sipped   from   the   glass   of   wine   at   the   top   of   his   instrument   from   time   to   time   and   expressed   himself   vigorously，giving   a   wonderful   performance．He   was   a   black   musician，so   his   music   had   a   tinge   of   melancholy   like   the   Blues．Then   he   stopped   playing   and   gulped   down   the   remnants   of   the   wine．   His   mood   suddenly   changed．His   music   became   vibrant   as   a   burning   flame   and   Samantha   could   see   tears   shimmering   in   his   eyes．She   realized   it   was   the   creative   power   of   art   and   thought   sex   with   such   a   sensitive   man   would   be   a   novel   experience   indeed．

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The   cigarette   girl   Dorna，stood   by   the   corner   window   gazing   intently   at   the   beautiful   and   mystical   night   scene   outside．The   lights   of   the   ships   shining   in   the   distance   formed   an   enchanting   and   magical   background   for   the   drizzling   rain   and   golden   midnight   sun．Just   then，four   half-drunken   brutes   staggered   in   and   flopped   down   at   one   of   the   tables，calling   loudly   for   liquor．The   bartender，fearing   a   scene，hurried   over   quickly   and   brought   them   the   two   bottles   of   Bourbon   whiskey   they   ordered．The   men   grew   noisier   as   they   drank   and   began   talking   and   singing   loudly．Dorna,   hoping   to   sell   some   of   her   wares，walked   over   calling，"Cigar!   Cigarette!   Would   you   like   some   cigars   or   cigarettes，sir?"   Big   Ox，known   as   Big-O，the   head   of   the   four   looked   at   Dorna   with   his   blood-shot   eyes   and   a   picture   of   a   fat,   juicy，plucked   hen,   the   kind   often   seen   at   superMarkets,   flashed   in   his   haywire   mind．The   men   looked   her   up   and   down．One   of   them   stretched   his   hand   towards   her   cigars   saying，

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"How   big   is   your   cigar?   Hey!   I   have   one   that   is   bigger!   D’ya   wonna   buy   one   from   me?"   They   all   laughed   uproariously．The   smell   of   whiskey   and   body   odor   revolted   the   young   girl   and   she   tried   to   back   away,   but   another   man   held   onto   her   cigarette   tray   saying，

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"Watch   it!   The   chick’s   trying   to   give   us   the   slip!"   The   harder   Dorna   tussled,   the   harder   they   tugged，until   Big-O   stretched   out   his   big   palmleaf-like   hands   and   pulled   her   onto   his   lap．   In   vain,   Dorna   struggled,   crying,   “Let   me   go!   Let   me   go!"   and   pounded   him   with   her   small   fists．Big-O   held   her   in   his   iron   grip   and   used   his   nose   to   smell   all   over   her   body，saying，

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"Don’t   ya   know   little   girl   that   you   have   to   go   through   me   if   you   wonna   work   on   my   turf?   I   wonna   piece   of   the   pie.”     In   desperation,   the   street-smart   cigarette   girl   elbowed   him   suddenly   in   the   loin   with   all   her   might．Caught   off   guard，Big-O   yelped   in   pain   and   let   go   of   her.   The   infuriated   girl   made   use   of   this   opportunity   to   escape，but   she   still   managed   to   pick   up   a   cigar   and   threw   it   at   him   saying，"Fuck   your   self   with   it，you   big   bully!"

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        Dorna   rushed   out   of   the   door，leaving   the   cursing   Big-O   huddled   in   pain,   while   the   others   gathered   solicitously   around   him．But   in   a   moment，the   big   oxen-like   man   had   recovered   his   equilibrium   and   led   the   chase   down   the   quiet   streets．They   could   see   the   slim，nimble   form   of   the   girl   running   not   far   in   front   of   them，but   she   turned   onto   a   side   street   and   disappeared   into   a   maze   of   alleys．Frustrated，the   four   men   took   different   routes   and   went   on   with   the   search．Meanwhile，Dorna   saw   a   small   makeshift   shelter   in   a   narrow   alley，which   was   put   together   with   some   discarded   old   boards   and   tin   sheets．It   seemed   inconspicuous   and   she   slipped   into   it   hurriedly，inadvertently   bumping   into   a   sleeping   form   on   the   ground．It   was   Dimitri．

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        "Hey!   What   are   you   doing   here?   This   is   my   home.”

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        "Sorry．I’m   being   chased   and   have   to   find   somewhere   to   hide.”

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        "You   woke   me   from   a   wonderful   dream.”

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        "I’m   sorry．I’ll   pay   for   it”   said   she,   pulling   out   a   roll   of   hundred-dollar   bills   from   a   belt   hidden   beneath   her   underwear.   "How   much   do   you   want?"

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        "Money   cannot   buy   my   dreams!"   said   Dimitri   offended．   Just   then   voices   were   heard   outside．

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        "Did   you   see   her，Big-O?"

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        "No,   drat   it．Where   could   that   little   bitch   have   gone   to?"

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        "What   is   this?   Who   are   they?"   Dimitri   asked．

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        "Sh..."   she   hushed   him   warningly．Dimitri   pulled   her   down   and   covered   her   with   his   bedding   and   old   clothes．   The   voices   outside   sounded   again．

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        "What’s   this   here?"

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        "Let’s   go   in   and   search.”   But   the   opening   of   the   shelter   was   too   small   for   these   big   men．They   peered   in   and   pulled   out   Dimitri   who   pretended   to   be   rudely   awakened   from   his   sleep．

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        "Did   you   see   a   cigarette   girl   run   by?"

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        "No．I   was   sleeping.”   They   looked   at   him   and   knew   him   to   be   a   homeless   person   who   was   always   in   the   area．

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        "I   don’t   think   the   old   dog   would   dare   to   cheat   us.”

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        "Listen   old   dog.   If   you’re   hiding   anything   from   us,   we’ll   throw   you   into   a   meat   grinder!

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"Let’s   search   somewhere   else．I   swear   to   God   I   must   fuck   her   off!   That   little   bitch   took   my   money．Get   her   for   me   in   three   days!"  

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After   the   four   men   had   left，Dimitri   sat   down   beside   her   and   asked,   "Why   are   they   after   you?"

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        "God   knows,”   she   shrugged，"I   was   selling   cigarettes   at   the   nightclub   when   these   men   came   in   and   tried   to   get   fresh   with   me．I   ran   and   they   followed.”   Dorna   resumed   the   subject   of   paying   for   waking   Dimitri   from   his   dream．"You   said   just   now   that   money   could   not   pay   for   your   dreams．What’s   so   wonderful   about   them?"

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"Money   cannot   buy   everything,   little   girl．Take   my   dreams   for   instance．They   are   instantaneous   activities   of   my   brain   cells．How   can   that   be   measured?   Can   you   buy   a   gust   of   spring   breeze?   You   cannot．So   how   can   you   buy   my   sweet   dreams?”   The   conversation   was   getting   way   over   her   head,   so   she   brushed   it   aside   impetuously

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"OK，so   it   can’t   be   measured   or   repaid．Tell   me   what   you   dreamed   about   so   that   I   can   see   for   myself   how   precious   it   is.”

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        "First，I   dreamed   of   a   yellow   dog．It   looked   so   familiar   that   I   racked   my   brains   trying   to   think   of   whom   it   looked   like.   Finally   I   realized   that   it   looked   like   a   besotted   millionaire．   Then，I   thought   I   heard   someone   walking   along   the   eaves   out   side   my   window．I   thought   it   must   be   a   thief   trying   to   break   in．And   lastly，I   often   heard   familiar   sounds   of   high-heeled   shoes   clicking   in   many   of   my   dreams．I   had   always   wanted   to   find   out   who   she   was   but   woke   up   before   I   could   see   her．Tonight   I   was   just   about   to   find   out   who   she   was   when   you   woke   me．Now   how   much   is   that   worth，little   girl?"   Dorna   looked   at   him   speechless．"Now，let   me   ask   you   a   question．How   did   a   little   girl   like   you   get   hold   of   all   those   hundred-dollar   bills?"

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        "Oh   that!"   The   vivacious   Dorna   became   garrulous   on   subjects   she   could   understand．"Those   big   bullies   were   trying   to   take   advantage   of   me.   They   thought   I   was   just   a   dumb   cigarette   girl．What   they   didn’t   know   was,   I   had   supported   myself   all   these   years   by   my   own   wits."   She   seemed   to   be   really   proud   of   herself   and   of   her   prowess   at   pocket-picking．"While   they   were   trying   to   maul   me，I   was   thrashing   my   arms   around   and   took   all   their   money   without   their   knowing   it．Now   how’s   that?"

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"OK，little   girl．You’ve   been   through   quite   enough   for   one   night．Sleep   now．I   think   you’re   safe   here.”

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        The   next   morning，a   heavy   mist   blanked   out   the   whole   Bay   Area．Dimitri   looked   at   the   sleeping   little   girl   purring   in   her   dream，so   much   like   an   affectionate   little   kitten，only   she   had   a   human   body．Dimitri   controlled   an   impulse   to   kiss   her   rosy   cheeks   for   fear   of   waking   her．Every   morning   he   took   twenty   minutes   to   wash   a   car，so   filling   his   bucket，he   went   about   preparing   for   his   work.   It   was   Dimitri’s   philosophy   of   life   that   the   flesh   body   existed   to   enjoy   time   and   the   best   way   to   do   so   was   to   let   the   body   live   in   a   state   of   leisure.   Therefore,   he   worked   a   short   while   every   day,   reserving   the   rest   for   leisurely   enjoyment   of   life．   In   the   heavy   mist,   pedestrians   were   only   shadows,   very   much   like   fish   swimming   about   in   the   river．Some   homeless   people   sat   by   the   roadside   drinking   coffee,   calling   greetings   to   each   other,   words   coming   out   like   bubbles   from   the   mouths   of   fishes．Dimitri   walked   carefully   and   found   the   expensive   white   American   sedan   at   its   usual   place   and   began   his   routine．Soon   a   golden   haired   woman   came   out   of   the   mist．She   was   Elina，a   young   ophthalmologist   of   about   thirty   years   old，a   laser   surgery   expert．The   mist   covered   her   like   a   veil，separating   her   from   the   rest   of   the   world．Her   radiant   beauty   was   like   a   shadowy   sun   whose   magnificence   had   been   dimmed．

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        "Good   morning   Dimitri．I   didn’t   expect   you   to   be   out   so   early.”

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        "Good   morning，Dr.   Gelbart．You’re   earlier   than   usual   this   morning.”

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        "I   know．I   have   quite   a   few   surgeries   scheduled，so   I   thought   I’d   better   make   an   early   start．And   also，my   house   was   broken   into   last   night.”

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        "I’m   sorry   to   hear   that．I   hope   you   didn’t   lose   anything   valuable.”

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"As   a   matter   of   fact，no．I   think   it   was   some   little   girl   who   got   in   through   the   eaves．She   ate   some   cherries   and   apples   from   my   refrigerator   and   threw   the   seeds   all   around   the   house．Then   she   played   with   my   cosmetics，spilling   everything．Finally,   she   tried   on   my   dresses   and   threw   them   all   around   the   room．But   aside   from   the   mess   she   made，she   didn’t   really   take   anything．But   I   had   to   report   it   to   the   police，who   came   and   so   I   didn’t   get   to   go   to   bed   until   very   late．They   said   they’d   had   several   reports   of   similar   incidents   in   the   neighborhood   and   they   think   they   know   who   she   is．They’re   on   the   lookout   for   the   naughty   girl．She   just   escaped   from   the   local   Youth   Center   and   is   making   trouble   again.”

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        Dimitri   had   a   great   respect   for   Elina   who   was   so   young   and   so   accomplished．He   finished   cleaning   the   car   and   opened   the   door   for   her．"Thank   you”   said   Elina   and   got   in．   Dimitri   closed   the   door．He   seemed   to   want   to   say   something，but   hesitated．The   sensitive   doctor   felt   his   reluctance．She   rolled   down   the   window   of   her   car   and   smiled   at   him   encouragingly,   but   Dimitri   kept   silent．

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        "What   is   it，Dimitri?"   she   asked．Dimitri   rubbed   his   hands   in   embarrassment   and   said，

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        "My   eyes   are   not   feeling   that   well．They’re   painful．My   vision   is   blurred   and   cloudy．I   wonder   if   anything   could   be   done   about   it．"

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        "The   hospital   is   too   busy   and   crowded   and   it’s   too   far   away.   Tell   you   what,   come   to   my   house   tonight   and   I’ll   examine   your   eyes.”

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        "I   don’t   want   to   put   you   into   too   much   trouble..."

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        "Oh   come   on,   Dimitri.   That’s   what   friends   are   for!"   She   smiled   and   started   her   car．

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"Turn   on   the   fog   light．Drive   carefully!"   Dimitri   called   after   her．

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        Dimitri   pushed   his   cart   before   him，listening   to   the   early   morning   activities   at   the   dock   -   bells   ringing，steam   whistles   blowing，passengers   jostling   and   chattering   in   the   waiting   room   of   the   ferry   boat．They   looked   like   water   weeds   swaying   with   the   current,   with   glistening   transparent   fish   eggs   adhering   to   them．A   busy   day   was   about   to   begin．The   hot   dog   man   was   already   there，but   as   business   had   not   really   begun,   he   was   sitting   in   the   driver’s   seat   of   his   pick-up   truck   reading   the   poems   of   Omar   Khayam．He   was   a   Persian   whom   Dimitri   knew．

CaD7Zx5OYW2zGHdfVSmJ9uLoksPUMnibtyj4qgvh

        "Good   morning   Mohammed，my   friend!"

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        "Good   morning   Dimitri！Heavy   fog   today.”

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        "Yah．Haven’t   seen   one   as   dense   for   a   long   time.”

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        In   the   heavy   mist   their   words   came   out   like   bubbles   from   the   mouths   of   fishes．Dimitri   was   a   frugal   man   who   rarely   spent   money   on   himself，but   looking   at   the   hot-dogs，he   thought   it   would   be   nice   to   get   one   for   Dorna   who   was   sure   to   be   hungry   when   she   woke   up．So   he   spent   $1.25   on   a   hotdog   and   $.65   for   a   small   carton   of   chocolate   milk   and   went   home．

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        "Where   have   you   been，old   dog?"   Dorna’s   voice   came   through   the   mists．The   easygoing   Dimitri   was   not   angry   at   her   impertinence．

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        "Washing   cars．I   do   it   every   morning.”

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        "Washing   cars!   Shame   on   you!   How   much   can   you   make   from   that?   I   just   have   to   do   this   (she   made   a   motion   of   picking   pockets)   and   I   bet   I   can   get   ten，twenty   times   more   than   you   do.”

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        "It   isn’t   the   money   that   counts．One   has   to   work   for   a   living．Even   animals   need   to   hunt   for   their   food.”     Changing   the   subject   he   said，"Look   what   I   got   for   you”   and   handed   her   the   hotdog   and   the   carton   of   chocolate   milk．Dorna   bit   into   the   hot-dog   and   then   threw   it   on   the   ground．

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"Phooey!"   she   said   taking   her   roll   of   C-notes   from   her   pocket．"I   have   all   this   money   and   you   expect   me   to   eat   this?     Keep   it   for   yourself!"   She   tossed   her   head   and   left．

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        Dimitri   sat   down，looking   unbelievingly   at   the   hot-dog   on   the   ground,   hurt   by   her   callousness．His   thoughts   turned   to   all   the   homeless   girls   left   to   fend   for   themselves   in   this   jungle   of   a   world．He   thought   of   Sheila，that   young   prostitute   who   was   about   the   same   age   as   Dorna．Time   slipped   away   as   Dimitri   sat   there,   still   as   a   rock   lost   in   thought．After   he   knew   not   how   long,   he   felt   a   soft,   timid   touch   on   his   shoulder．

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        "I’m   sorry   old   dog.”     Dorna   was   back   again．"You   are   real   good   to   me   and   I   shouldn’t   have   treated   you   as   I   did．I’m   really   sorry．Look，I   have   all   this   money．Let’s   go   and   blow   it.”

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        "That   money   isn’t   yours．It’s   not   right．It   wasn’t   rightly   come   by.”

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"Theirs   weren’t   rightly   come   by   either，so   what’s   the   harm?   Come   on，let’s   go!"   She   dragged   Dimitri   with   her   and   the   two   figures，one   old，one   young，disappeared   into   the   alleys   in   the   heavy   mist．

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        They   spent   the   whole   day   enjoying   themselves，trying   all   kinds   of   food   at   various   restaurants．They   went   ice   skating   and   saw   some   movies．Dimitri   had   never   had   such   a   good   time．Dorna   spent   her   money   like   water   saying   nonchalantly   "Easy   come，easy   go!"     Now   it   was   night   again．Tired   but   happy，the   two   friends，with   a   difference   of   more   than   thirty   years   between   them，sauntered   hand   in   hand   under   the   star-lit   sky   singing   and   dancing   at   will，completely   carefree．

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        "Hey，kid．I’m   no   longer   young   like   you．I’m   tired   and   need   to   rest.”

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        "OK”   she   said   and   they   sat   down   on   a   bench   by   the   roadside．

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        "By   the   way，what’s   your   real   name?"

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        "Dimitri.”

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        "Do   you   mind   when   I   call   you   old   dog?"

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        "No．I   don’t   mind   what   you   call   me.”

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        "You’re   a   real   character!"   Dorna   giggled．"I’m   glad   to   have   you   for   a   friend.”

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        "Where   are   your   parents?"

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        "Who   knows?   They   abandoned   me   when   I   was   born,   so   I   never   knew   them.”

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        "They   deserted   you,   but   at   least   they   gave   birth   to   you.   You   should   be   grateful   for   that．The   world   would   be   a   less   interesting   place   without   you   Dorna．   Nowadays   people   abort   babies   at   the   drop   of   a   hat．They   take   fetus   from   the   uterus   and   throw   it   away   as   casually   as   taking   something   out   of   their   pockets   and   throwing   it   into   the   garbage   can.’   The   conversation   was   getting   too   steep   for   Dorna   to   understand，so   she   interrupted   saying，

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        "Anyway，I   know   I’m   alive   and   I   want   to   live   well.”

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        "Why   were   you   scared   when   you   saw   the   policeman   looking   at   you   today?"

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        "Nothing．I’m   playing   hide-and-seek   with   them.”

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        "I   know.You’ve   been   breaking   into   houses   in   this   region.   You   don’t   take   anything,   but   you   create   havoc   there,   so   they’re   looking   for   you,   right?"

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        "Every   house   has   a   family   and   every   family   has   a   family   life．I   never   had   one   and   was   curious   to   see   what   goes   on．   That’s   all．But   I’ve   found   it   boring．They   eat,   sleep,   wash，go   to   the   bathroom   all   inside   those   four   walls．The   same   dull   routine   day   after   day．How   can   they   stand   it?     Now   take   me   for   example．I   do   what   I   want   and   go   where   I   will，completely   carefree.’

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        “My   views   exactly!     But   life   is   not   only   that．There’s   a   more   serious   side   to   it．Someone   gave   birth   to   us   and   we   have   to   give   birth   to   others，bring   them   up，educate   them．That’s   an   ironclad   rule．Why   do   modern   people   want   to   break   up   this   natural   cycle?"

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"Sh..."   The   girl   again   interrupted   him．The   stench   of   heavy   body   odor   alerted   Dorna，whose   protective   instinct   was   always   tuned   to   danger   like   that   of   wild   jungle   animals．She   grabbed   Dimitri’s   hand   and   whispered，

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"That   big   bully   is   near．I’ll   count   to   three   and   we’ll   lam   out   of   here   fast!"   She   counted   1，2，3，and   the   two   of   them   suddenly   stood   up   from   the   bench   and   ran．Big-O   appeared   from   behind   the   bench   and   took   after   them,   cursing．Dorna   dragged   the   lagging   Dimitri   after   her，saying，"Quick,   old   dog．He’ll   kill   you   and   put   you   in   the   meat   grinder   if   he   catches   you.”   They   disappeared   once   more   into   the   maze   of   alleys．

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The   two   of   them   hid   behind   a   phone   booth   and   watched   as   Big-O   rushed   onto   the   scene，panting   and   cursing,   looking   left   and   right   for   them．He   turned   round   and   walked   purposefully   into   the   phone   booth.   They   heard   him   bellowing，

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"Come   on   out   here   all   of   you．I   found   that   chick．She’s   with   that   old   dog!   He   cheated   us!   I   swear   to   God   I’ll   fuck   the   hell   out   of   that   chick   and   put   that   old   dog   into   a   meat   grinder．Trying   to   mess   with   me?   Come   on   out   here，fast!"     He   came   out   of   the   booth   and   stalked   about，fuming，waiting   for   his   gang．

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"I’ll   fix   him!"   muttered   Dorna．"I’ll   teach   him   not   to   mess   with   me!"   While   Big-O’s   back   was   turned,   she   slipped   into   the   phone   booth   and   dialed   911．

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        "Somebody   is   trying   to   kill   us．Please   call   the   police.   They   are   fugitives   the   police   are   looking   for．"

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        "Where   are   you?"

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        "I   don’t   know．It’s   phone   booth   #XXX-XXXX.”     She   hung   up   and   slipped   out   without   being   detected．

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        "The   police   want   me．These   guys   want   me，too．Let   them   fight   it   out   among   themselves   and   we’ll   watch   the   fireworks   from   here.”   Dorna   said．

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        "Gosh!   I   really   don’t   know   what   to   say”   said   Dimitri.     Soon   the   thugs   arrived．

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        "They’re   just   around   here．Let’s   look   for   them.”     Just   then   the   screaming   of   sirens   were   heard   and   police   cars   arrived   on   the   scene   surrounding   the   area．

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        "What   the   hell!"   cursed   Big-O   pulling   out   his   gun．So   did   his   men．

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        "It’s   Big-O   and   his   men!"

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        "They’re   cop-killers!   We’re   gonna   nail   them   today   or   I’ll   be   a   son-of-a-bitch!"

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        "I’ll   beat   the   shit   out   of   them   when   we   get   our   hands   on   them   and   make   them   cry   Mammy!"

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        The   loud-speaker   sounded，"Police．Put   down   your   weapons   and   surrender   or   we’ll   be   forced   to   come   in   and   get   you...”     Gunshots   sounded   before   he   was   finished   and   the   police   returned   fire．

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        "See!   The   fireworks   are   beginning!   It’s   time   to   go．Let   them   fight   it   out   among   themselves.”     Dimitri   and   Dorna   slipped   away   during   the   ensuing   chaos   and   went   back   to   the   old   dilapidated   shelter   in   the   alley．

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        "This   is   no   way   to   live,   Dorna．One   day   you’ll   get   it   from   either   one   side   or   the   other．Let   me   take   you   to   somewhere   very   interesting．"

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        "OK．I   trust   you   old   dog．I’ll   go   anywhere   with   you.”   she   said   with   a   naive   smile．

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"Close   your   eyes   then.”

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Suddenly   the   sleeping   girl   on   the   gem-studded   throne   tossed   restlessly   shouting，

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"Run,   old   dog,   run!   Or   they’ll   get   us   both!"   The   ringing   laughter   of   the   five   naked   women   sitting   before   her,   resounded   in   the   hall.   It   seemed   to   be   the   most   beautiful   sound   in   the   world．

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"Let’s   wake   her   up”   said   Aisha   “or   she   won’t   sleep   at   all   tonight．She’ll   prowl   around   and   wake   everybody   up.”   The   other   four   women   went   over   to   the   throne   and   kissed   her   resoundingly   on   her   rosy   cheeks．   Aisha   brought   up   the   rear．Dorna   rubbed   her   eyes   sleepily   and   muttered，

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        "They   were   after   him．You   woke   me   up   just   as   I   was   going   to   save   him   and   bring   him   back   home．Oh,   why   did   you   have   to   wake   me?"

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        "Be   sensible，girl．King   Dimitri   is   a   wonderful   man．He   can   take   care   of   himself．How   could   he   be   pursued   by   bad   men?"   said   Aisha   tenderly   arranging   the   girl’s   ruffled   hair   with   her   fingers．Dorna   had   been   placed   in   her   care   by   Dimitri   when   he   brought   her   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams   and   Aisha   had   an   almost   motherly   love   for   this   unprincipled   but   so   very   lovable   waif．Dorna   was   now   a   grownup   girl，and   since   she   had   never   known   the   warmth   of   a   mother’s   love，she   exuberated   under   Aisha’s   care   and   always   acted   like   a   child   before   her．   Now   she   pouted   like   a   spoilt   child，

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        "It’s   all   your   fault．You   woke   me   before   I   could   save   him   and   bring   him   home．Now   he’s   gone   again!"

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        "Time   for   your   math   class,   Dorna．Where   are   your   shoes?"

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        "I   don’t   like   to   wear   shoes．I   don’t   like   math   either!"

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"OK!   We’ll   read   history   instead   then.”   So   saying，the   two   left   for   the   study   and   Stephanie，Lotus，Angelica   and   Samantha   retired   to   their   rooms．The   great   hall   resumed   its   majestic   silence．

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In   this   Palace   of   Dreams,   time   slipped   by   silently   as   the   sand   through   the   long   slender   fingers   of   a   beautiful   woman,   or   as   painstaking   as   the   hourglass   set   in   the   quiet   deep   recesses   of   an   ancient   palace．What   is   time?   What   significance   does   it   have?   Those   slender   tapering   fingers   which   belong   to   a   lonely   woman   on   the   beach，playing   idly   with   the   sand   or   toying   with   the   clusters   of   weeds．Her   fragrance   is   different   from   that   of   flowers   or   rather   it   is   an   artificial   perfume．Her   body   temperature   is   different   from   the   heat   of   the   sunshine．Sand   slips   slowly   through   her   fingers   as   they   do   in   the   hourglass   of   ancient   times．To   know   the   meaning   and   significance   of   time，   we   should   perhaps   know   what   is   on   her   mind   as   she   languidly   toys   with   the   weeds   or   watches   the   sand   slip   through   her   slender   fingers．

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Dimitri   sat   yawning   and   stretching   himself．The   reflection   of   the   fiery   autumn   sun   filtered   into   his   dilapidated   shelter．   It   was   too   early   to   go   out   yet．Dr．Elina   Gelbart   would   not   be   home   till   after   dark．As   was   the   usual   case   after   a   good   nap,   Dimitri   felt   his   penis   harden．It   gave   him   a   happy,   comfortable   feeling   because   it   meant   he   was   still   physically   strong．He   stretched   and   said，

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"Such   is   life!   This   is   wonderful!"     A   big   fat   mouse   which   lived   in   a   mouse   hole   in   the   shelter   also   woke   up   and   poked   his   head   out．Like   Dimitri，seeing   the   sun，it   knew   it   was   too   early   to   go   looking   for   food,   so   it   closed   its   beady   eyes   and   went   back   to   sleep．In   this   society，Dimitri   was   like   the   mouse，useless   but   also   harmless．He   then   thought   of   the   cigarette   girl，Dorna．She   was   now   in   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams   with   people   to   look   after   her．She   should   be   safe   and   happy．   But   that   woman   whose   slender   tapering   fingers   was   playing   with   weeds   and   sand,   who   was   she?   At   Dimitri’s   age，he   was   numb   to   love   and   its   passions．To   him，they   were   meaningless．   But   he   retained   the   lusty   animal   needs   of   sex   added   with   human   fantasy   -   organic   chemical   reactions   -   which   were   instilled   into   him   at   birth．His   penis   was   still   hard   and   straight   as   a   dry   twig．In   ancient   times   people   rubbed   two   dried   sticks   together   to   produce   fire．Would   his   penis   burst   into   flames   if   her   rubbed   it   continuously?   At   Dimitri’s   age   he   was   numb   to   the   passions   of   romantic   love，though   he   retained   those   lusty   animal   needs   for   sex,   coupled   with   human   fantasy,   those   organic,   chemical   needs   which   were   instilled   into   him   at   birth．   He   did   not   require   actual   fulfillment   of   his   desires．A   certain   degree   of   impulse   was   enough   to   keep   his   flesh   body   in   a   state   of   happiness．The   branches   did   not   have   to   be   rubbed   till   they   burst   into   flames．At   Dimitri’s   age，love   and   its   passions   were   meaningless，though   he   still   retained   the   lusty   needs   of   animal   impulses   with   which   all   men   were   born．Animals   do   not   understand   the   pleasures   of   the   ascetic．The   mouse   hole   was   a   nook，like   the   middle   of   the   letter   Y．   To   perpetuate   its   species，it   needed   sex．Dimitri   wondered   how   long   he   could   maintain   his   present   physical   condition．Perhaps   one   day   he   too   would   be   like   the   dried   up   branch,   with   no   fantasy   of   love   or   sexual   drive．He   would   then   lose   the   pleasures   of   the   ascetic.   Alas,   the   ascetic   and   the   uninhibited   can   both   stimulate   the   flesh   body   and   make   it   happy．Dimitri   then   thought   of   the   vegetation   world．Sexless   pollination   would   make   life   simple   and   is   perhaps   the   reason   for   longevity．If   only   trees   could   think,   it   would   be   ideal．If   part   of   a   tree   had   the   faculty   of   thinking,   it   could   find   joy   in   contemplating   the   serene   tranquillity   of   nature   and   live   hundreds   of   years．That   would   be   wonderful.   But   also，vegetation   has   no   thought．That’s   the   flaw   that   mars   its   perfection．However，Dimitri   thought   he   was   satisfied   to   be   what   he   was   -   a   flesh   and   blood   mammal!   He   yawned   again．   It   was   still   too   early,   better   go   back   to   sleep   and   see   if   any   exciting   dreams   would   come   to   him．His   penis   was   still   hard   as   a   branch   and   as   straight．

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        Aisha   sat   reading   at   her   white   inlaid   desk   gilded   in   gold．Dorna   was   quietly   taking   out   and   thumbing   over   the   books   in   the   bookcases   that   lined   the   walls   of   the   room   from   floor   to   ceiling．Her   pink   socks   were   soundless   on   the   pink   carpet,   only   the   flipping   of   the   pages   broke   the   serene   silence．Occasionally   Aisha   would   glance   up   from   her   reading   to   see   what   Dorna   was   doing   and   smile   at   her．

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        "Look   at   this!"   Dorna’s   excited   voice   exclaimed．"Isn’t   it   cute?"   She   held   up   a   book   with   pictures   of   a   fetus   growing   in   the   mother’s   womb,   from   a   tiny   cell   to   a   full-grown，newlyborn   baby．

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        "What’s   so   strange   about   that?   It’s   common   knowledge.”

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        "King   Dimitri   once   told   me   that   people   nowadays   abort   babies   at   the   drop   of   a   hat   as   casually   as   taking   something   out   of   their   pockets   and   throwing   it   into   the   garbage   can．I   couldn’t   understand   it   at   the   time．   I   didn’t   know   the   changes   of   a   fetus   in   the   mother’s   womb   were   so   fantastic!   How   could   people   abort   it?”

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          "It   is   not   surprising   that   a   kind,   gentle   man   like   King   Dimitri   would   be   anti-abortion，but   unfortunately,   in   the   world   today   prolificacy   of   population   and   scarcity   of   natural   resources   have   made   abortion   an   inevitable   phenomenon   of   the   modern   world．Can   you   imagine   a   world   with   too   many   people   and   no   other   living   animal?   That   is   why   I   stress   the   necessity   of   birth-control．But   then，you   never   know   whether   the   baby   you   didn’t   have   was   a   genius!   We   can   permit   millions   of   average   babies   to   be   born,   but   to   miss   a   genius   like   King   Dimitri   would   be   a   great   loss   to   the   world．If   there   were   more   King   Dimitris，they   would   build   a   beautiful   new   world，where   life   would   be   better，richer   and   more   meaningful．In   my   point   of   view,   though   I   am   all   for   birth-control   I   am   not   pro-choice．I   believe   abortion   is   necessary   for   victims   of   rape，incest   and   other   medical   reasons．But   for   those   who   become   pregnant   because   their   birth-control   methods   did   not   work，I   think   they   should   shoulder   the   responsibility   of   parenthood.”   Aisha   stood   up，her   shapely   naked   body   moving   effortlessly   among   her   vast   resources   of   knowledge．She   chose   a   book，turned   it   to   the   chapter   on   Pre-historic   Art   and   handed   it   to   Dorna，saying，"These   are   pictures   of   frescos   on   the   walls   of   caves   where   man   lived   during   the   Stone   Age．They   depict   men   and   women   in   different   sexual   positions．This   is   a   huge   stone   pillar．At   first，no   one   knew   what   it   meant，but   archeologists   came   to   the   conclusion   that   it   was   the   symbol   of   a   penis，which   primitive   people   worshipped．At   that   time,   man   needed   to   live   in   groups   in   order   to   survive   and   combat   the   dangers   of   the   natural   world，so   proliferation   became   a   sacred   duty．But   in   the   modern   world   today,   overpopulation   and   scarcity   of   natural   resources   have   become   the   number   one   problem，so   our   priority   is   to   control   the   growth   of   world   population   and   not   waste   our   resources   thoughtlessly．Looking   at   those   crude，primitive   etchings，Dorna   was   reminded   of   the   odd   stances   of   Natalie，a   classic   ballet   dancer，doing   her   yoga   exercises．When   she   danced,   her   stylish   poise,   matchless   grace,   legance   and   symmetry   were   unforgettable．

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        "Must   there   be   a   man   and   a   woman   in   making   a   baby?"

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        "Of   course,   my   dear   little   apple!"   laughed   Aisha．

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        "No，I   don’t   believe   it．I   think   a   woman   can   do   it   all   by   herself!"

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        "That’s   impossible!"

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        "Then   how   come   Natalie   made   a   baby   all   by   herself?"

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        "What   did   you   say?"   Dorna   seemed   on   the   verge   of   saying   something,   but   stopped．

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        "What   were   you   going   to   say?"

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"Nothing!"   replied   Dorna,   making   a   face．

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Natalie:

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Natalie   was   extremely   shy   by   nature   and   spent   almost   all   her   time   either   exercising   in   the   gym   or   dancing   on   the   stage   of   the   auditorium．A   true   artist，she   kept   a   strict   diet   to   maintain   the   lightness   and   buoyancy   required   of   a   ballet   dancer．She   spoke   with   a   heavy   Russian   accent，so   the   language   barrier   may   have   been   the   reason   why   she   seldom   communicated   with   others，but   her   dimpled   smile   and   pleasing   disposition   endeared   her   to   everyone．She   was   the   opposite   of   the   outgoing   and   outspoken   Dorna，who   became   on   a   first-name   basis   with   almost   everyone   in   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams   after   only   a   few   months．Dorna   made   friends   with   Cortez   and   Kojak，King   Dimitri’s   two   tigers，who   usually   sat   before   the   throne，and   she   would   roam   the   hills   together   with   them．Dorna   became   interested   in   Natalie   after   seeing   her   perform   in   the   ballet   "The   Bear   and   the   Butterfly"．Her   beautiful   dancing   depicted   the   frolicsome   butterfly   fluttering   delicately   among   the   myriad   of   flowers   up   the   hill   and   down   the   dale．Her   swaying   figure   seemed   to   be   balanced   on   the   stem   of   a   flower   or   a   blade   of   grass．Her   ethereal   beauty   made   her   seem   more   like   a   spirit   than   a   human   being．The   other   role，the   bear，was   of   course   performed   by   King   Dimitri．The   startling   contrast   between   the   big，heavy   body   and   clumsy   movements   of   the   bear   and   the   delicate   butterfly   produced   a   comical   effect．The   audience,   while   marveling   at   the   powers   of   the   Supernatural   Being   who   could   create   creatures   so   opposite   in   appearance   and   temperament，also   applauded   the   imagination   and   versatility   of   the   choreographer，King   Dimitri．There   were   three   acts   in   the   dance：

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        Act   1

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On   a   heavily   foggy   spring   morning，the   bear   was   wandering   aimlessly   in   the   wide   fields   and   meadows．A   butterfly   flew   up   and   down   and   around   him，but   always   within   a   short   distance，as   if   leading   him   towards   some   destination．   Curious，the   bear   followed   her，flapping   his   arms，imitating   her   flying．The   heavy   mist   gave   him   a   privacy   otherwise   impossible，letting   him   revert   to   his   natural   naivete,   throwing   away   the   hypocrisy   of   mundane   decorum．   But   then   the   bear   realized   that   he   no   longer   reposed   in   a   human   body   and   therefore   did   not   have   to   bother   with   human   restrictions．Penetrating   the   dense   fog，he   found   more   clusters   of   flowers   than   he   had   ever   seen   in   the   meadows，heads   bent   together   as   if   whispering   in   each   other’s   ears．   As   he   went   on，a   sea   of   flowers   greeted   him，whispering   that   it   was   said   a   Flower   Fairy   would   be   born   when   the   first   rays   of   sunshine   appeared．   Smitten   by   curiosity，the   bear   continued   to   follow   the   butterfly．Gradually，an   obscure   ray   of   sunshine   penetrated   the   fog．He   zigzagged   on   not   knowing   where   he   was   or   which   way   he   took．Then   he   came   to   the   foot   of   a   hill．The   wind   blew   the   fog   away   to   the   other   side   of   the   mountain．Sunshine   burst   out．He   saw   a   sea   of   exuberant   flowers   fluttering   and   swaying   in   joy，hailing   the   birth   of   the   Flower   Fairy．Butterflies   flew   out   of   the   flowers   and   the   butterfly   and   the   bear   soon   joined   the   crowd   and   disappeared

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        Act   2

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The   bear   went   secretly   into   the   sea   of   flowers．Thousands   of   butterflies   flew   among   them   gathering   pollen．   Flowers   competed   for   attention，using   their   beauty   and   fragrance   to   attract   their   roving   and   flittering   beaus．To   the   butterfly,   they   were   a   sexual   symbol．Their   relationship   was   one   between   the   luring   and   the   lured   to   reach   the   aim   of   reproduction   for   the   continuation   of   the   species．Following   the   sound   of   flowing   water，the   bear   came   to   a   stream   beside   a   wood．Suddenly，an   exquisitely   beautiful   girl   with   long,   snow-white   hair   was   seen   dancing   in   the   woods．She   seemed   to   be   half-floating   in   the   air，her   toes   touching   lightly   on   the   tip   of   the   grass   and   flowers，totally   unconsciousof   her   radiant   beauty   and   matchless   grace，bent   only   on   expressing   her   joy   of   birth   into   this   world．What   she   did   not   know   was   when   God   created   flowers   and   gave   them   beauty，he   also   put   on   them   a   command   not   to   cause   lust   in   others，even   though   unintentionally．To   do   so   was   sinful．This   was   especially   true   for   the   Flower   Fairy,   who   has   to   set   an   example   for   all   her   subjects   and   therefore   had   to   be   more   chaste   than   the   others，or   she   has   to   apologize   to   God   by   death．

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        Act   3

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The   bear   hid   behind   a   tree   to   watch   this   fascinating   scene   unnoticed．The   beauty   and   grace   of   the   Flower   Fairy   seemed   oddly   familiar   until   he   remembered   the   butterfly   that   had   led   him   here．

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"Could   it   be   she?"   he   asked   himself．"If   so,   to   what   purpose?"   A   feeling   of   uncontrollable   lust   filled   his   heart   until   he   wanted   to   rush   out   and   embrace   her．But   when   he   looked   at   his   hairy   paws   and   body，he   was   ashamed   and   remembered   he   was   no   longer   human．Just   then   the   serpent,   an   agent   of   the   devil,   slithered   up   to   him   and   said   fawningly，

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"Congratulations   young   man!   Satan’s   curse   on   you   expires   this   hour   and   you   are   once   more   the   handsome   young   man   you   were．   Go   embrace   your   Flower   Fairy!"   The   bear   looked   at   himself   and   lo!     he   had   resumed   his   human   shape．   Overjoyed，he   rushed   out   and   held   the   Flower   Fairy   tightly   in   his   arms．She   screamed   and   struggledand   then   turned   into   an   Easter   lily   fading   and   withering   before   his   very   eyes.   The   young   man   stood   there   dumb-founded．He   was   filled   with   a   profound   remorse,   for   his   sinful,   mortal   lust   had   killed   a   new-born   Flower   Fairy，long-awaited   and   welcomed   by   all   the   flowers．The   ancient   scene   at   the   Garden   of   Eden   had   repeated   itself   once   more．

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After   her   routine   workout，Natalie   came   down   from   the   stage   and   sat   on   one   of   the   front   seats．She   rested   her   right   foot   on   her   left   thigh   and   began   untying   the   laces   of   her   ballet   shoes．One   afternoon   naughty   girl   Dorna   was   running   around   the   hills   with   her   two   friends，Cortez   and   Kojak，Then，too   tired   to   walk，she   decided   to   ride   on   the   back   of   Cortez．Natalie   sat   there   staring   into   space,   motionless   as   a   marble   statue,   her   snow-white   body   in   vivid   contrast   to   the   black   velvet   sofa．   Time   slipped   by   as   silently   as   sand   through   the   long，slender   fingers   of   a   beautiful   woman，or   as   painstaking   as   the   hourglass   set   in   the   quiet，deep   recesses   of   an   ancient   palace．This   was   the   pose   that   Dimitri   found   entrancing，the   combination   of   feminine   beauty   and   masculine   ease．She   thought   of   her   first   meeting   with   Dimitri   under   very   similar   surroundings．As   they   went   past   the   woods,   she   discovered   a   lonely   figure   in   a   bikini   bathing   suit   on   the   stretch   of   beach   by   the   lake,   playing   idly   with   the   sand，letting   it   slip   slowly   through   her   slender   tapering   fingers．   On   closer   scrutiny,   Dorna   found   it   was   Natalie   and   decided   to   play   a   practical   joke   on   her.   At   the   time,   she   was   the   ballerina   of   the   Russian   National   Academy   of   Ballet   on   her   first   tour   to   the   U.S.   and   always   practiced   on   the   stage   early   every   morning   before   anyone   else   was   around   as   was   her   custom.     and   did   not   pay   much   attention   to   the   janitor   who   was   on   duty.     Dorna   ordered   her   two   friends   to   run   frenzily   around   the   beach   letting   out   loud   ferocious   roars.   The   two   tigers   entered   fully   into   the   spirit   of   the   game   and   zealously   carried   out   her   orders,   giving   the   unsuspecting   Natalie   such   a   scare   that   she   fainted   dead   away.     What   is   Time?   What   significance   does   it   have?   Sand   slipped   slowly   through   her   fingers   as   they   did   in   the   hourglass   of   ancient   times.   To   know   the   meaning   and   the   significance   of   time，we   should   know   what   was   in   her   mind   as   she   languidly   toyed   with   the   sand   and   watched   it   slipping   through   her   slender   fingers．But   she   noticed   that   he   would   stop   his   work   sometimes   and   watch   her   movements   attentively.   Once   she   caught   him   staring   at   her   while   she   was   untying   her   shoelaces   just   as   she   was   doing   now．Her   dimpled   smile   of   friendly   recognition   was   like   ripples   on   a   shallow   pond   and   encouraged   him   to   approach   her   one   morning   and   ask   her   opinion   on   a   poem   he   had   written,   which   he   felt   would   be   a   good   theme   for   a   ballet．Dorna   sighed   and   said，"Oh，you’re   a   hopeless   ninny!"   She   called   to   the   two   noisy,   prancing   tigers   to   stop   and   ran   over   to   Natalie．   She   called   to   her,   shook   her,   but   all   to   no   avail．Natalie’s   shoulders   and   spine,   upright   and   erect,   gave   her   a   stately   carriage．Her   beautiful   breasts   were   just   voluptuous   enough   to   be   cupped   by   a   hand．Her   abdomen，perfect   and   tight   as   a   drum，was   adorned   in   the   center   by   her   umbilication．On   reading   it，she   was   greatly   impressed   and   marveled   at   the   depth   of   his   knowledge   of   ballet   and   wondered   what   other   treasures   were   stored   in   the   brains   of   this   genius   under   the   guise   of   a   common   janitor．Her   enthusiastic   response   drew   them   together   and   after   that   they   often   discussed   the   adaptation   of   his   poems   into   music   and   dance．Realizing   she   might   have   gone   too   far,   Dorna   was   remorseful．She   ran   back   and   forth   to   the   lake   scooping   up   water   with   her   bare   hands   and   splashing   it   on   the   motionless   woman，trying   to   revive   her．When   Natalie   finally   came   to   and   opened   her   eyes,   Dorna   apologized   profusely   for   her   rashness   and   called   the   two   tigers   to   her   so   that   Natalie   could   see   for   herself   they   were   only   Cortez   and   Kojak   and   were   really   harmless．She   was   the   perfect   polished   marble   statue   of   a   naked   woman，except   that   she   had   warmth   and   could   move,   but   she   sat   there   motionless,   letting   time   slip   by   silently   between   her   fingers，just   as   the   woman   on   the   bench   did．When   Natalie   saw   the   two   slink   out   docilely   from   behind   the   trees   at   Dorna’s   beck   and   call   as   if   ashamed   of   their   part   in   the   prank,   she   couldn’t   help   smiling．But   she   was   still   in   shock   and   felt   too   weak   and   limp   to   walk，so   Dorna   helped   her   onto   the   back   of   Kojak，while   she   rode   on   Cortez，and   the   two   of   them   went   back   to   the   palace   together．Suddenly   she   seemed   to   think   of   something   and   stood   up   to   get   her   ballet   slippers   and   put   them   on．Her   movements   were   so   graceful   that   whether   standing，bending   or   sitting，her   figure   had   perfect   symmetry   and   beauty．When   she   struck   a   pose   on   her   toes，her   feet   formed   two   perfect   arches，like   two   lovely，tiny   crescent   moon.   One   day，Dimitri   maneuvered   to   get   her   away   from   under   the   surveillance   of   her   superiors   and   brought   her   to   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams．

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After   Dorna   got   back   to   her   room，she   still   felt   penitent   and   was   afraid   Natalie   might   suffer   from   the   aftermath   of   her   shock．Climbing   out   of   her   window,   she   ran   silently   along   the   eaves   to   peek   and   see   how   she   was   doing.   Her   arms，whether   bent   or   straight，were   beautiful   like   the   leaves   of   house   plants,   extending   out   naturally   and   artistically．Then   she   started   to   dance．In   a   magnificent   leaping   movement，the   bright   cherry   colored   vagina   was   clearly   visible．   Her   tapering   fingers   played   with   the   water   as   if   strumming   on   her   heart   strings．Her   flesh   body   gradually   melted   in   the   warm   sun．

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Dimitri   turned   over   and   opened   his   sleepy   eyes．The   sky   was   already   dark   and   adorned   by   a   few   twinkling   stars．"Time   to   get   up"   he   thought，but   he   was   troubled   by   his   penis   which   was   hard   and   straight   as   ever，like   a   red-hot   rod．

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"We   all   have   our   problems,”   he   thought．"Women   have   their   menstrual   period   and   men   have   trouble   controlling   their   penises.”   He   inhaled   deeply   and   then   held   his   breath，focusing   his   attention   on   the   point   between   his   penis   and   his   anus   for   as   long   as   he   could   before   letting   his   breathe   out   again．He   repeated   this   several   times   and   was   extremely   pleased   to   find   that   this   infallible   method   of   his   really   worked，for   his   penis   had   shrunk   to   its   normal   size．He   got   ready   to   leave   while   the   mouse   came   out   of   its   hole   squeaking   and   running   around   under   Dimitri’s   feet．   The   mouse   brought   back   memories   of   his   childhood,   but   not   having   the   time   for   reminiscence   just   then，the   two   left   the   hut   together,   the   mouse   to   the   left   and   Dimitri   to   the   right．After   their   departure，a   wind   rose   and   dark   clouds   covered   the   moon   and   stars．

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              Chapter   5         Life   Stories   of   Novella,   Elina,   Romi,   Deanna

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                                    White   Fairy   and   Medusa

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Novella   and   Elina:

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        The   huge，ancient   house，an   antiquity   in   itself．was   pitch   black，except   for   the   dimly-lit   kitchen   from   which   the   tempting   smell   of   beef   stew   floated   out   into   the   dark   night．The   fat   mouse   licked   its   lips，anticipating   a   good   meal   and   scurried   towards   the   hole   that   was   his   usual   entrance．This   was   one   of   his   favorite   hunting   grounds   where   he   was   sure   to   find   delicious   morsels   and   he   was   familiar   with   every   corner．The   cook   Marsha   appeared   in   the   kitchen．She   was   a   big,   fat   woman   in   her   fifties,   with   curly   hair   and   cunning   evil   looks   accented   by   her   eyes，which   were   cruel   and   mean．She   took   out   a   big,   sharp   knife，carefully   coated   it   with   a   thick   layer   of   honey,   placed   on   the   counter   and   left   it   half   protruding   from   the   edge，so   that   the   slightest   movement   could   topple   it   to   the   floor．   This   was   her   trap   for   the   big,   fat   mouse   that   was   too   intelligent   to   eat   the   poisonous   morsels   she   placed   at   strategic   spots，and   cleverly   avoided   the   traps   she   set．She   looked   smugly   at   her   handiwork,   confident   of   success   this   time,   and   then   retreated   noiselessly   as   a   ghost   into   the   darkness．Her   private   quarters   next   to   the   kitchen   were   kept   dark   as   she   waited   for   the   quarry   to   come   and   bite   the   bait．   Low   voices   were   heard   conversing，her   high   soprano   contrasting   with   the   low   contrabass   of   the   maintenance   man   Jamaz,   a   tall,   black   brute   of   a   man,   as   hard   as   nails．

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        "What’s   she’s   been   doing’now-a-days?"

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        "Lord   knows   "she   shrugged．"She   done   lock   her   pretty   self   in   her   room   and   ain’t   ate   nor   drank．   She   did   never   call   for   me．No   sir．The   "she"   they   were   talking   about   was   Mrs.   Silkise，the   newly   widowed   mistress   of   the   house．

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        "If   we   could   only   think   of   a   way   to   lay   hands   on   the   dough   her   man   done   left   her，the   two   of   us   could   live   happily   ever   after．"

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        "You   mean   you   want   to   bate   her   and   clump   me?"

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        "Of   course   not!   She’s   too   high   and   mighty   and   not   my   cup   of   tea．You’re   my   main   thing   woman．I   only   want   us   to   live   well   without   having   to   work   for   it.”

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        "You   dumb   nigger!   There’s   no   way   she’s   gonna   give   you   the   eye．   Man，you   gone   have   to   use   fose   bro．Once   you   have   her..."

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        "You   ‘re   tellin’   me   I   aimen   to   get   the   money   and   the   honey?"

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        "But   that’s   too   good   for   you,   you   bum.”

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"But   I   sworn   I   won’forget   you,   Marsha．You’ve   bin   on   your   feet   all   day   and   must   be   tired．Here,   I’ll   massage   you   legs   for   you…People   say   they   done   see   Mr．Silkise’s   ghost   walking   around   the   house   and   garden．Have   you   seen   him?"

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Just   then,   there   was   a   loud   crash,   followed   by   pitiful   screeching．The   mouse,   lured   by   the   beef   stew   and   honey,   had   gone   to   the   kitchen．He   first   jumped   onto   a   chair,   then   onto   the   counter   and   began   nibbling   at   the   honey．As   he   took   one   more   step   forward，the   knife   crashed   to   the   floor   taking   the   mouse   with   it．The   fat   mouse   landed   first   with   a   thud   and   the   knife   fell   on   it,   nailing   it   to   the   ground．

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"My   trap   worked!"   Marsha   cried   triumphantly   and   hurried   out   followed   by   Jamaz．They   pulled   the   knife   from   the   body   of   the   bleeding   and   mortally   wounded   mouse,   who   struggled   to   his   feet   and   still   attempted   to   escape．Jamaz   ran   after   it，chopping   at   it   mercilessly   several   times   until   it   became   a   bloody,   inert   mass.   In   its   short   life   the   mouse   had   been   fortunate   enough   to   escape   innumerable   traps   and   dangers,   but   this   last   time   he   was   not   so   lucky．Lower   level   animals   living   within   the   confines   of   human   society   usually   share   this   tragic   end．

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Taking   the   opposite   direction   from   the   mouse,   Dimitri   went   on   his   way;   but   he   had   only   taken   a   few   steps   when   he   felt   extreme   pain   in   his   left   eye,   like   being   stabbed   by   a   sharp   needle   or   pierced   by   a   knife．His   right   eye   had   been   blind   since   childhood,   and   now   his   left   vision   was   going   too．   He   intermittently   opened   his   eyes   to   look   ahead   of   him   and   then   would   walk   for   a   while   with   his   eyes   closed.   The   terrible   pain   caused   tears   and   nasal   mucus   to   stream   uncontrollably   down   his   face．He   would   wipe   at   them   surreptitiously   with   his   sleeves，but   they   kept   coming．Dimitri   bowed   his   head   and   kept   close   to   the   wall   to   avoid   the   attention   of   passersby．The   pedestrians   talking   and   laughing，the   motorists   whizzing   by   in   their   cars   seemed   happy   and   purposeful,   making   DimItri   feel   he   was   the   most   unfortunate   man   on   the   street   because   he   had   to   put   up   with   such   excruciating   pain．Passing   the   scorched   remains   of   an   adult   movie   theater,   Dimitri   remembered   how   they   used   to   change   ads   every   Friday.   He   would   loiter   about   and   stare   at   them,   forgetful   of   his   whereabouts   until   people   would   stop   in   curiosity   to   see   what   he   was   staring   at   and   he   would   be   driven   away   by   their   snickering．Occasionally   he   would   buy   a   ticket   and   go   in．But   now   it   was   only   a   heap   of   ruins．Only   half   a   poster   remained   showing   the   rump   of   a   naked   woman   doggie   fashion   high   up   in   the   air．The   men   and   women   who   had   made   love   with   their   flesh   bodies   so   furiously   and   with   such   abandonment,   had   now   all   gone   up   in   smoke   and   fire．He   was   there   when   the   fire   broke   out   and   he   saw   an   unrecognizable   body   being   carried   out,   covered   with   newspaper．He   still   felt   nauseous   when   he   remembered   the   smell   of   human   flesh   burnt   to   a   charcoal   log   so   that   no   one   could   determine   who   it   was，or   whether   it   was   male   or   female...

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        Dimitri   woke   from   his   reverie   with   a   start，remembering   he   had   to   see   Dr．Elina   Gelbart．But   how   could   he   go   to   see   that   beautiful   young   woman，dirty   and   smelly   as   he   was?   He   turned   back   went   on   9th   Street,   turned   left   to   go   through   Chinatown,   went   to   the   local   Community   College   and   made   for   the   gym．He   had   a   locker   there,   #45,   where   he   put   his   cleanest   clothes．He   nodded   to   his   old   friend   David,   the   harelipped   janitor   who   gave   him   a   towel   and   he   went   in.   Dimitri   was   greeted   by   a   wave   of   hot   steam,   accompanied   by   noisy   shouts   and   laughter   of   young   athletes   showering   after   practice．If   it   weren’t   for   his   appointment   with   Dr．Gelbart，he   would   be   curled   up   in   a   dark   corner   of   his   dilapidated   shelter,   motionless，eyes   closed，suffering   in   silence   and   resignation．   The   pain，which   was   rending   his   soul   apart,   was   like   the   ripping   sound   of   tearing   paper,   but   Dimitri   endured   all   this   with   infinite   patience．If   the   flesh   body   could   give   pleasure，he   reasoned，it   was   only   to   be   expected   that   it   would   also   bring   suffering．So   now,   he   forced   himself   to   bear   the   pain   of   keeping   his   eyes   open．He   looked   around   him   and   saw   a   group   of   big   boys，rough   and   rowdy．As   they   moved   about,   he   muscles   of   their   magnificent   bodies   bulged   effortlessly   as   if   they   were   made   of   bronze   and   not   of   flesh   and   blood．Dimitri   stood   under   the   shower   and   closed   his   eyes，letting   the   hot   water   soothe   his   tired   body．It   was   a   pity   the   swimming   pool，which   was   damaged   during   the   earthquake，had   not   been   repaired；otherwise，the   swimming   team，with   boys   as   strong   and   muscular   as   these   would   be   training，too．His   thoughts   turned   to   the   team   of   basket-ball   players   he   saw   on   his   way   to   the   gym．The   coach   was   putting   them   through   their   warm-up   practice   and   their   virile，aggressive   responses   brought   a   spark   of   youthful   exuberance   to   Dimitri’s   heart．The   conversation   around   him   had   turned   to   girls   and   sex．An   exceptionally   tall   and   wellbuilt   young   man   was   boasting   of   his   prowess.

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        "How   many   times   did   you   make   it   last   night?"

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        "Eight．"

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"Naw．"

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"You’re   kidding!"

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"Gee-wez…”     Exclamations   of   envy,   admiration   and   disbelief   spurred   the   young   man   on   to   reveal   details   of   his   sex   life．

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        "...but   she   couldn’t   take   it   any   more．She   begged   me   to   stop   and   lay   there   motionless   as   if   she   was   dead,   so   I   quit．I   could   have   gone   on.”

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        "Bull   shit!   If   you’re   the   bull   you   say   you   are,   why   don’t   you   go   into   the   girls’locker   room   next   door   and   let   them   have   it?"

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        "Are   you   daring   me?"

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        "Yeah!     Bet   you   twenty   bucks   you   don’t   dare．"

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        "I   will   if   we   all   go   together.”

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        "What   d’ya   guys   say?   Shall   we?"

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Dimitri   laughed   hysterically   with   them．The   fire   of   youth   seemed   to   burn   once   more   in   him   and   he   felt   young   and   strong   again．

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"What   if   my   eyes   are   painful?”   he   thought.   “It   won’t   last   forever!   That   isn’t   enough   to   keep   me   down.”   With   the   spirit   of   a   tragic   hero,   he   shaved   and   dressed   to   keep   his   appointment   with   Dr.   Elina   Gelbart．

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Reclining   in   her   rocking   chair,   Novella   Silkise   seemed   to   have   thought   of   a   lot   of   things,   but   then   it   also   seemed   that   her   mind   was   a   blank   and   focused   on   nothing．From   morning   till   night   she   sat   there   wondering   why   the   skies   turned   from   bright   to   dark．Time   did   not   run   on   a   specific   schedule．   Actually，there   was   no   objective   standard   to   go   by．All   depended   on   how   the   flesh   body   was   used．When   the   body   was   kept   busy,   time   flew   like   a   fleeting   arrow；but   when   the   flesh   body   was   used   in   a   state   of   leisure,   time   slowed   down   and   might   seemed   to   drag   on   interminably.   Therefore   mundane   calculation   of   the   human   life   span   was   inaccurate．Time   was   only   a   feeling，an   obscure   idea．   Like   fate，it   was   a   neutral   state   between   existent   and   non-existent．   When   we   realized   this，we   could   control   the   speed   of   time   with   our   emotions．Novella   suddenly   recalled   seeing   a   white   cloud   at   the   corner   of   her   window   during   the   day   and   wondered   where   it   had   floated   to．She   felt   as   though   she   was   that   cloud,   floating   and   sinking   in   the   wide   expanse   of   the   sea   of   time．

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        Stiff   from   sitting   in   the   same   position   too   long，Novella   yawned   and   stretched   herself   lazily．Her   arms   paused   in   midair   when   she   thought   of   her   husband,   Joshua,   lying   in   that   narrow   coffin   with   no   space   to   move   about,   let   alone   stretch   himself   when   he   felt   cramped．Oh，how   uncomfortable   that   was!   Every   Sunday   morning，Joshua   would   sit   on   the   rocking   chair   she   was   sitting   on   now，smoking   his   pipe   and   gazing   at   the   beautiful   landscaped   garden   outside．Now   he   could   no   longer   smoke   in   that   narrow   coffin，how   could   he   stand   it   when   his   yearning   for   a   smoke   came   over   him?   She   had   insisted   on   opening   the   glass   cover   of   the   coffin   to   straighten   the   corner   of   his   shirt   collar,   which   happened   to   be   slightly   curled   up，undoubtedly   due   to   the   carelessness   of   the   caretaker．Novella   knew   her   husband   was   meticulous   about   everything   to   the   minutest   detail,   and   knew   it   would   pique   him   to   lie   forever   in   his   coffin   in   such   a   shirt．Otherwise   he   would   even   try   to   climb   out   of   his   coffin   and   straighten   his   ruffled   shirt   before   lying   back   again．Joshua   would   feel   uneasy   and   fretful   if   the   crease   of   his   pants   weren’t   straight．If   his   handkerchief   wasn’t   carefully   ironed   and   properly   folded，he’d   rather   go   without   one．   Even   the   cash   in   his   wallet   had   to   be   ironed   and   so   arranged   that   each   bill   exactly   faced   the   same   way．If   one   of   them   were   out   of   order   or   placed   upside   down,   he   would   feel   really   irritated．Joshua   lived   in   a   world   bounded   by   invisible   and   innumerable   rules   and   patterns,   which   shaped   the   inflexibility   of   his   character．Even   his   sex   life   was   regulated   and   unchangeable，scheduled   punctually   for   every   Saturday   night．His   lovemaking   and   foreplay   were   so   invariable   and   predictable   that   Novella   felt   his   caressing   hand   over   her   body   was   like   a   bored   bus-driver   going   on   his   routine   route，always   undeviatingly   on   schedule.   But   life   with   him   gave   her   a   sense   of   security．Cuddled   in   his   arms,   her   head   on   his   broad   shoulders,   she   slept   peacefully   like   a   bee   which   had   flown   into   a   pink   flower,   snuggling   within   its   petals   and   drinking   honey   through   its   "needle"．Ah，no   more!   No   more   could   Joshua   secrete   honey．She   could   no   longer   suck   out   sweet   honey   from   his   body．

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The   house   though   luxurious   was   old，so   the   floor   creaked   as   Marsha   puffed   up   the   stairs   and   knocked   at   the   bedroom   door．

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"Novella   honey,   I’ve   made   you   your   favorite   beef   stew   and   boiled   onion．You   haven’t   eaten   all   day．Come   down   and   have   some   dinner.”     In   the   darkness,   Novella   was   startled   by   the   sound   of   a   stomach   growling．At   first   she   thought   it   was   Joshua’s   stomach,   but   then   she   realized   it   was   her   own．Live   human   stomachs   needed   to   digest   food．

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"Coming”   she   said．The   full   skirts   of   her   delicate   pale   blue   dress   showed   off   her   tiny   waist   to   its   full   advantage   as   she   walked   slowly   down   the   winding   stairs.   Stopping   at   the   bar，she   took   a   bottle   from   the   shelf   and   used   a   syringe   to   draw   exactly   25cc   of   brandy,   which   she   injected   into   a   small   wine   glass.   This   was   one   of   Joshua’s   rituals   that   he   performed   every   day,   except   when   he   was   ill．   Novella   was   so   used   to   it   that   it   had   become   a   conditioned   reflex   with   her．She   took   her   wine   glass   to   the   elaborately   carved   redwood   dining   table   where   she   sat   down   to   her   lonely   dinner．She   cut   the   stewed   beef   with   her   knife   and   fork   and   chewed   it   slowly   to   savor   the   flavor   of   the   beef   to   its   fullest．Her   cheeks   were   flushed   from   the   effects   of   the   brandy   and   her   large，deep   eyes   were   clear   as   pools   of   autumn   water．Her   Grecian   nose   and   cherry   lips   seemed   more   enchanting   than   ever   to   the   eyes   of   the   lust-filled   Jamaz   outside   the   window,   who   was   ready   to   pounce   on   her   like   a   tiger   on   its   prey   when   he   felt   Marsha’s   restraining   hand   on   his   arm．

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        "Don’t   be   rash，"she   warned．

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        "Didn’t   you   say   I   was   to   use   force?"

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        "Not   tonight．The   time   is   not   ripe   yet．She   is   a   weak-willed   woman   easily   dominated   and   swayed,   but   she   is   no   fool．We   must   plan   this   carefully,   step   by   step,   or   you’ll   be   out   on   your   ears!   Tonight   you’re   going   to   trick   me．Honey,   I   wonna   see   some   action   and   I’ll   make   sure   I   sweeten   your   head．I’ve   taken   care   of   her   since   she   was   a   baby   and   know   her   well．Listen   to   me   and   I’ll   let   you   have   both   her   body   and   her   money.”

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"Yes，ma’am．Yes，ma’am,"   said   Jamaz，giving   her   a   comical   90   degree   Japanese   bow   and   sneaked   away   as   silently   as   he   came．

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        Marsha   was   uneducated，but   wily   and   cunning．She   planned   to   use   Novella’s   white   and   tender   body   to   hook   Jamaz；and   use   his   brutal   and   forceful   nature   to   control   Novella．In   this   way,   she   would   be   in   absolute   control   of   the   two   and   naturally   of   the   Silkise’s   fortune．But   she   wasn’t   going   to   let   him   have   it   that   easily．She   was   going   to   bait   him   till   he   begged   for   it．Marsha   walked   into   the   dining   room   and   sat   by   the   table．

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        "How   d’ya   like   the   stew,   Novella   honey?"

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        "It’s   delicious,   Marsha．Such   a   pity   Joshua   can   no   longer   enjoy   it.”

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"It’s   all   the   will   of   the   good   Lord   honey,   so   don’t   think   about   it   all   the   time．He’s   been   gone   a   month   now．Are   you   scared   at   night   sleeping   all   alone   upstairs?"   Novella   shook   her   head   and   silently   kept   on   eating．Marsha   was   her   nanny,   who   had   taken   care   of   her   since   she   was   a   baby   and   had   come   with   her   to   her   new   home   when   she   married   Joshua．She   never   dreamed   that   the   woman   she   considered   dearest   to   her   next   to   her   parents,   was   now   planning   to   betray   her   for   her   money.   Even   worse,   she   was   cutting   her   up   like   a   butcher   to   sell   her   piecemeal．

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Dimitri   felt   his   closed   eyelid   being   gently   opened   by   a   sensitive   hand   and   a   beam   of   light   shot   into   his   left   eye.   The   close   face-to-face   exam   brought   a   waft   of   fragrance   from   her   misty,   golden   hair,   mingled   with   the   light,   feminine   enticement   of   her   breath．He   was   reminded   of   a   childhood   memory,   how   he   used   to   watch   spellbound   as   the   watch   repairman   working   with   a   glass   eye-piece   over   his   eye，used   intricate   tools   to   toy   gingerly   with   expensive   watches．Dimitri   knew   this   was   a   fleeting   moment，soon   gone，so   he   tried   to   enjoy   every   second   of   it   to   capture   and   prolong   its   transient   happiness．Elina’s   living   room   was   done   in   white   and   purple．The   floor   was   covered   with   white   carpet,   while   the   sofas   and   drapery   were   purple．   Dimitri   lay   full   length   on   the   sofa   while   Elina   sat   by   his   side,   bending   over   to   examine   his   eyes．After   the   exam，Dimitri   lay   still，while   Elina   took   a   piece   of   paper   and   began   writing   her   assessment   and   diagnosis．

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Dimitri   suffered   from   congenital   glaucoma．His   right   eye   was   blinded   at   birth,   but   the   left   eye   retained   some   of   its   functions．Then   began   a   series   of   surgical   operations，the   first   of   which   took   place   when   he   was   only   three   months   old．In   October   1983，Dimitri   came   to   the   Bay   Area   and   was   fortunate   enough   to   see   Dr.   Shaffer，a   renowned   eye   expert．He   was   a   devout   catholic   and   an   extremely   kind   and   caring   person,   but   he   had   to   give   up   his   practice   due   to   age   and   referred   Dimitri   to   Dr．Heterrington，also   a   famous   eye   surgeon．But   he   was   the   opposite   of   the   old   doctor   in   temperament，being   cold，businesslike   and   ready   to   renounce   his   patient   at   any   time．However,   under   Dr．Heterrington   Dimitri’s   eye   pressure   was   miraculously   controlled   after   only   one   operation,   but   eye   filaments   continued   to   grow，bringing   intense   pain．Dr．Heterrington   recommended   anti-inflammatory   FML   eye   drops   four   times   a   day，gradually   to   decrease   to   once   daily．He   admonished   Dimitri   to   use   it   carefully   as   it   could   increase   eye   pressure   if   abused．Then   he   handed   him   over   to   Dr.   Gelbart   to   fight   the   filaments．Dr.   Gelbart   diagnosed   the   filaments   to   be   caused   by   change   of   arc   of   the   eyeball   after   surgery，so   she   told   Dimitri   to   go   back   to   FML   eye   drops   four   times   a   day   to   correct   the   condition．This   misjudgment   resulted   in   the   disastrous   and   uncontrollable   increase   of   eye   pressure．Dr.Heterrington   put   a   tiny,   plastic   tube   to   drain   the   pressure,   but   it   failed．   Dr.   Gelbart   tried   a   cryo-treatment，the   destruction   of   the   moisture   producing   function   of   the   eye   to   control   pressure．This   was   a   cruel   and   painful   operation,   like   turning   off   the   faucet，because   it   also   killed   the   eyeball,   which   needed   moisture．It   failed   too．The   most   recent   laser   treatment   seemed   to   have   a   measure   of   success   as   it   finally   stabilized   his   eye   pressure．   Dimitri   knew   his   sight   was   doomed,   but   overdose   of   FML   hastened   his   doomsday   by   approximately   ten   years．

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        Elina   got   up   and   walked   over   to   another   sofa．

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        "You   may   get   up   now,   Dimitri．1   would   suggest   you   increase   your   FML   eye   drops   to   four   times   a   day   instead   of   the   present   once   daily.”

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        "Four   times   a   day?"

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        "Yes．The   pain   in   your   eyes   is   due   to   the   growth   of   filaments．Before   the   surgery，your   eye   pressure   was   high   and   your   eyeballs   were   full   of   air，as   it   were．Now   with   the   decrease   of   eye   pressure,   your   eyeballs   are   deflated   and   the   arc   is   changed,   therefore   filaments   grow．Raising   eye   pressure   by   increasing   FML   should   solve   the   problem.”

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        "Thank   you，Dr.Gelbart，I’ll   do   as   you   say.”

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        "Don’t   call   me   Dr．Gelbart   any   more．   Just   call   me   Elina．   I’m   divorced.”   Her   expression   was   sad   and   she   seemed   to   be   completely   different   from   the   lively,   happy   and   efficient   career   woman   Dimitri   used   to   know．

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        "I’m   sorry   to   hear   that．I   didn’t   know,”   said   Dimitri   as   he   took   his   leave．

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"Would   you   like   to   stay   for   a   while   longer   so   we   can   talk?"   Dimitri   was   agreeably   surprised   at   this   invitation   and   accepted   with   alacrity.   "Make   yourself   at   home,   Dimitri．   There’s   some   wine   in   the   cabinet．   Help   yourself．I’ll   be   right   back”     she   said   and   left   for   the   bathroom．

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Elina’s   soft，tender   hands   seemed   to   have   miraculous   healing   power,   as   Dimitri’s   eyes   no   longer   hurt   after   they   had   been   touched   by   her．He   looked   around   the   living-room,   leisurely   admiring   the   taste   and   skill   of   the   interior   decorator.   Each   article   taken   separately   was   plain   and   ordinary,   but   once   brought   together   produced   a   fascinating   combination   that   gave   the   room   a   unique   air．His   eyes   fell   on   a   crystal   fruit   bowl   on   the   dining   table．A   pineapple   reclined   on   the   edge   of   the   bowl   next   to   a   bunch   of   luscious   purple   grapes,   which   in   turn   was   flanked   by   two   apples,   one   red,   one   green．In   the   center   were   heaped   a   brilliant   mixture   of   cherries   and   strawberries．Some   bananas   lay   on   the   other   side,   one   of   which   had   been   stripped   and   a   bite   taken   out   of   it,   with   a   peel   dangling   limply   from   the   side   of   the   crystal   bowl．He   heard   the   sound   of   a   flushing   toilet，followed   by   running   water   in   the   bath   tub．   Somehow   during   the   years   he   had   known   Elina,   he   had   assumed   her   to   be   single   and   wondered   what   the   matter   with   the   eligible   bachelors   around   town   was   to   let   a   beautiful，attractive   doctor   remain   single   for   so   long．Were   they   blind?   So   it   was   inconceivable   to   Dimitri   that   she   was   married,   let   alone   divorced．

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"What   was   her   husband   like?"   he   wondered．Suddenly,   his   thoughts   turned   to   the   slender．refined-looking   man   he   met   when   he   stepped   out   of   the   elevator．Elina   was   just   seeing   him   off   and   introduced   him   as   Ike   to   Dimitri．   Ike’s   shoulder-length   blond   hair   was   fashionably   cut   and   layered；his   long   eye   brows   obviously   plucked   and   lined.   He   wore   no   lipstick，but   two   enormous   diamonds，about   two   carats   each，dangled   on   his   ears．He   had   on   a   tight-fitting   suit,   a   white   shirt   with   an   open   collar   and   carried   an   oblong   alligator   lady’s   handbag   in   his   hand．He   smiled   and   said   hello   to   Dimitri   in   his   pleasant   low   resonant   voice,   which   bespoke   of   his   mellow,   friendly   disposition．Watching   him   walk   into   the   elevator，Dimitri   thought   that   from   behind,   he   looked   like   a   charming   lady．

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        Coming   out   of   the   bathroom,   Elina   walked   over   to   her   wine   cabinet,   put   a   decanter   of   white   wine   and   two   wine   glasses   on   a   tray   and   carried   them   over   to   the   coffee   table,   where   there   was   a   pile   of   hand-written   music   compositions．On   the   cover   page   were   the   words："Conversing   with   a   Nude   Angel   -   dedicated   to   the   beautiful   woman   who   was   my   wife."   Elina   poured   out   two   glasses   of   wine,   handed   one   to   Dimitri   and   said,   "Cheers!"   They   sipped   their   wine   in   silence．

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        "I   always   thought   you   were   single,   Elina．Would   you   like   to   tell   me   about   it?"

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        "That’s   what   I   wanted   to   talk   to   you   about.”

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        "Is   that   so?   What   kind   of   man   was   he?"

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        "He   is   that   feminine-looking   man   you   met   at   the   elevator，so   different   from   what   he   was   when   I   first   met   him   in   college．   He’s   a   wonderful   pianist,   excellent   for   his   interpretation   of   Chopin   and   a   talented   composer   in   his   own   right．This   is   something   he   wrote   especially   for   me”   said   Elina,   pointing   to   the   music   on   the   coffee   table．Dimitri   took   up   the   music   sheets   with   interest   and   saw   that   they   were   beautifully   written   in   a   neat   artistic   hand．

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        "I’m   sure   it’s   a   beautiful   and   superb   piece   of   music.”

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"When   I   was   in   college,   I   was   very   popular   and   had   a   lot   of   boyfriends．On   weekends，they   would   come   to   the   dorm   and   try   to   date   me   and   Ike   was   one   of   them．   At   firstI   didn’t   pay   any   special   attention   to   him,   but   one   day   I   found   out   that   his   love   for   me   was   true．That   morning,   quite   a   few   of   my   beaux   turned   up   and   I   decided   to   keep   them   waiting   and   see   how   many,   if   any,   could   pass   the   test   of   patience   I   set   up   for   them.   One   after   another   they   got   impatient   of   waiting   and   left，until   in   the   end,   after   eight   hours,   only   Ike   remained．   He   sat   in   the   waiting   room   of   the   dorm,   writing   out   his   new   contemporary   classic   composition,   which   he   dedicated   to   me,   so   engrossed   and   intent   in   his   work   that   he   lost   track   of   time   and   surroundings．Nimble   fingers   flew   over   the   wooden   table   as   if   it   were   a   piano,   bestowing   the   inanimate   object   with   artistic   powers.   Humming   and   playing,   he   would   stop   to   write   out   a   few   bars   or   make   corrections   when   he   hit   upon   a   new   tune   or   note．That   tune,   written   on   the   day   I   decided   to   test   my   beaux，was   his   first   present   to   me．   He’s   been   working   on   it，revising   it，for   a   long   time   and   tonight   he   brought   me   his   hand-written   composition   as   a   parting   gift   in   memory   of   our   marriage．We’ve   been   separated   for   one   year   to   see   how   we   stand   and   whether   divorce   is   the   only   way   out．I   love   him   and   still   keep   his   picture   with   me   all   the   time,   but   Ike   thinks   we   should   end   our   marriage.”     She   took   off   the   locket   and   chain   which   she   wore   around   her   neck   and   handed   it   to   Dimitri,   saying

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"That’s   him."     Dimitri   opened   the   locket   and   looked   at   the   small   picture   inside．He   was   a   handsome   man   with   intelligent,   clean-cut   features,   melancholy   blue   eyes   deep   as   the   sea   and   full   of   love．His   artistic   blond   hair   was   neatly   combed   and   he   was   casually   dressed   in   a   navy-blue   turtleneck   sweater．

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Elina   went   on   to   tell   the   story   of   their   romance   and   marriage   in   a   low,   pensive   voice．After   she   found   out   the   extent   of   his   true   love   for   her,   Elina   fell   head   over   heels   in   love．She   had   this   strange   feeling   that   she   had   known   him   before   for   a   long   time   and   known   him   well．Every   movement   could   bring   resonance.   They   plunged   headlong   into   marriage．She   knew   before   her   marriage   that   Ike   was   impotent,   but   she   didn’t   care．She   thought   that   love   and   lust   were   two   completely   different   things   and   she   had   married   for   love．But   as   time   passed，she   gradually   became   aware   of   something   missing．True   and   pure   as   their   love   was，it   was   only   a   mirage,   lacking   the   down-to-earth   love   of   the   flesh．She   could   no   longer   be   satisfied   with   organs   the   size   of   a   little   finger．Ike   understood   and   came   to   the   painful   decision   that   it   was   unnatural   to   deny   her   healthy   body．He   allowed   her   to   have   affairs   with   other   men．At   first,   Elina   agreed,   but   every   time   she   came   back   after   ferocious   and   tempestuous   love-making，her   hunger   fully   satisfied，she   was   struck   with   a   sense   of   guilt   and   remorse．The   pain   in   Ike’s   eyes,   which   he   tried   so   hard   to   conceal,   was   like   a   knife   stuck   in   her   heart．They   fell   into   each   others   arms,   crying．The   repetition   of   this   scene   became   a   nightmare   until   they   felt   that   to   continue   this   relationship   was   cruel   to   both   of   them   and   decided   on   separation   to   test   their   feelings．They   parted   amicably，still   very   much   in   love，and   tonight   Ike   told   her   his   decision—divorce．Elina   felt   that   her   marriage   was   not   a   mistake；neither   was   her   divorce．Love   and   lust   could   be   separate．Love   was   a   spiritual   intercourse   between   two   people．Every   time   she   was   with   Ike   and   felt   a   love   for   him,   it   brought   its   own   fulfillment,   complete   in   itself,   without   the   need   for   physical   intimacy;   just   as   a   completely   satisfying   sexual   intercourse   sometimes   has   no   need   for   spiritual   love．Elina   sat   there   looking   lost   and   pensive．

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        "During   the   year   of   separation，I   never   set   my   eyes   on   another   man   because   I   wanted   to   remain   faithful   to   Ike,   even   though   he   allowed   me   to   have   affairs．You   can   see   I   still   love   him，or   I   wouldn’t   keep   his   picture   next   to   my   heart．   But   contrary   to   my   expectations，Ike   has   changed   completely   during   this   year   of   separation   into   the   gay   man   you   just   saw．Today   he   came   not   only   to   tell   me   of   his   decision   for   a   divorce,   but   also   of   his   plans   for   a   sexual   transformation   into   a   woman!   I   still   love   him,   really   I   do..."     Elina   gulped   down   her   glass   of   wine   which   had   hardly   been   touched，as   if   hoping   to   drown   her   sorrow   and   disappointment   in   drink．Dimitri   quietly   finished   his   drink   and   slowly   filled   both   glasses   from   the   decanter,   thinking   of   something   to   say   to   her．Platitudes   and   empty   words   of   consolation   were   useless   if   he   wanted   to   talk   her   out   of   her   despairing   depression．He   had   to   think   of   a   fresh   approach．

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        "There   is   one   thing   we   use   every   day,   even   when   we   are   asleep．Do   you   know   what   it   is，Elina?"

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        "Clothes?"

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        "No,   we   can   go   without   clothes,   but   this   is   indispensable.”     Elina   shook   her   head,   her   expression   wooden,   and   she   didn’t   seem   much   interested．"It   is   our   flesh   body,   Elina.”   She   looked   surprised,   but   her   eyes   were   still   dazed   and   confused．

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        "The   existence   of   things   we   use   every   day   is   often   overlooked   because   being   so   used   to   them，we   take   them   for   granted   and   are   only   aware   of   them   when   we   are   ill．On   the   surface，our   thoughts   control   our   body,   but   on   the   contrary,   our   flesh   body   often   control   our   thoughts．For   example，when   we   are   hungry   we   think   of   food．When   we   need   fulfillment   we   think   of   sex．Take   Ike’s   strange   decision   today．If   you   can   think   of   it   in   this   context，as   being   dictated   by   his   flesh   body,   you   will   see   the   logic,   naturalness   and   inevitability   of   his   choice   and   will   not   be   too   surprised．With   a   beautiful   wife   whom   he   loves   and   who   loves   him   in   spite   of   his   impotency,   is   it   so   surprising   that   he   should   seek   to   give   up   his   male   sexualitv   and   look   for   other   fulfillment?     Everyone   has   a   right   to   choose   how   to   use   his   flesh   body．   In   fact,   how   to   treat   one’s   body   is   an   important   motif   of   life.”     He   stopped   to   take   a   drink   and   asked,   "Now,   let   me   ask   you   this,   Elina．How   are   you   going   to   treat   your   flesh   body?"

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        "I   don’t   know   know.”   said   Elina，still   at   a   loss.

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        "Can   you   tell   me   what   you   want   to   do   most?"

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        "Take   a   vacation.”

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        "Good．What   is   the   thing   uppermost   in   your   mind   now?”

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"Love-making．A   man   and   a   woman．"

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A   delightful   morning   begins   with   a   pleasant   breakfast.   Novella   liked   to   have   it   in   the   dining   room,   sitting   at   the   table   by   the   row   of   French   windows,   looking   onto   a   bed   of   rhododendrons，with   the   brilliant   blue   water   of   the   swimming   pool   sparkling   like   sapphires   in   the   distance．   Bacon，scrambled   eggs   and   coffee   seemed   to   have   an   added   flavor   when   eaten   in   such   pleasant   surroundings．Today   she   woke   up   in   a   good   mood,   but   then   the   memory   of   enjoying   the   same   food   at   breakfast   with   Joshua   saddened   her．He   was   gone   never   to   return.   Suddenly   an   unpleasant   scene   appeared   in   her   mind   and   spoiled   her   mood   for   the   day．It   happened   one   late   autumn   day   when   she   was   living   in   Atlanta   and   had   a   desire   to   wander   about   at   will   in   the   woodlands，sleeping   and   resting   only   when   she   was   tired．The   trees   were   getting   bare.   Brown   and   red   fallen   leaves   formed   a   thick   carpet   on   the   ground,   giving   her   a   certain   pleasurable   feeling   when   her   feet   tread   and   sank   into   the   loose   soil．But   then,   the   weather   suddenly   changed．Novella   quickly   turned   on   her   radio,   only   to   find   that   a   hurricane   was   about   to   land   that   evening．She   hastened   her   steps,   eager   to   find   a   safe   haven   in   one   of   the   larger   inns．Hurrying   on,   worried   that   shelter   would   not   be   found   in   time,   she   was   suddenly   startled   to   see   the   skinned   body   of   a   snake   swinging   to   and   fro   on   the   branch   of   a   tree   before   her．Snakes   hibernate   in   cold   weather,   so   she   could   not   understand   how   it   got   to   be   killed   and   skinned,   but   she   was   in   too   great   of   a   hurry   to   contemplate   much．But   the   impression   of   this   unpleasant   scene   remained   with   her   wherever   she   went.   Even   in   the   remotest   corner   of   the   earth,   it   would   suddenly   just   crop   up   in   her   memory．

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She   was   in   the   living   room   looking   for   her   shoes   in   order   to   go   to   work,   when   she   suddenly   realized   she   had   no   office   to   go   to   now．After   her   husband’s   death,   finding   she   could   not   handle   the   publishing   company   alone,   she   sold   it．Somehow   she   felt   restless，feeling   there   was   something   she   should   have   done   but   didn’t．   Searching   her   mind，it   suddenly   dawned   on   her   that   she   hadn’t   read   the   papers   yet．No,   she   hadn’t   read   the   papers   since   Joshua’s   death．Habits   of   former   days   still   lay   dormant   in   her   memory   and   occurred   again   when   distressed．   She   lit   a   cigarette   and   sat   down．

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The   living   room   was   huge   with   two   sets   of   furniture：one   Chinese,   one   western．The   Chinese   set   was   made   of   rosewood,   lacquered   and   elaborately   carved,   covered   with   embroidered   satin   cushions.   The   western   set   was   of   velvet,   soft   and   comfortable．   There   were   things   scattered   around   the   room，chosen   for   their   artistic   value：a   thick   Persian   carpet   woven   with   pictures   of   the   Crusaders,   sculpture   of   Confucius   with   a   potbelly   which   Joshua   chose   because   it   was   so   different   from   the   usual   likeness   and   showed   the   inventiveness   of   the   artist，a   replica   of   Rodin’s   "Musing"，his   favorite   sculpture．No   one   knew   what   that   man   was   thinking   of   sitting   there   cradling   his   cheeks   in   his   hands．There   was   also   an   ivory   carving   of   a   Thai   dancer,   frozen   in   her   beautiful   and   mechanical   posture．These   were   all   masterpices   made   by   artists   depicting   the   human   body   as   their   subject   matter．Man’s   posture   differs   in   the   different   stages   of   his   life．The   naivete   and   vivaciousness   of   childhood,   where   life   forces   brew   and   grow   for   a   long   time   explode   into   the   seemingly   everlasting   energy   of   youth，like   the   bud   just   bursting   with   bloom．Then   comes   the   stability   and   sophistication   of   adulthood，the   most   precious   and   golden   age   of   man,   which   is   like   the   flower   in   full   bloom,   the   most   beautiful   and   fascinating   stage,   until   it   mellows   and   fades   into   old   age,   where   the   body   shrinks   and   shrivels   and   the   face   wrinkles．But   it   is   like   the   setting   sun   which   leaves   its   residue   warmth   on   the   earth,   symbolizing   the   kindness   and   gentleness   of   old   age．Though   man’s   body   change   because   of   outward   environment   and   circumstances,   we   can   make   our   minds   and   souls   into   masterpieces,   just   like   the   artists   who   make   our   bodies   into   art．

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It   was   at   this   stage   of   his   life   that   Joshua   married   Novella   but   she   did   not   mind   the   age   difference．Having   lost   her   father   during   childhood,   she   looked   up   to   him   as   a   father   figure，seeming   to   promise   safety   and   security．She   thought   that   the   sixties   were   a   man’s   best   years   because   then   he   was   mature   and   as   full   of   substance   as   an   epic．Joshua’s   face   seemed   to   appear   before   her,   its   stern   and   solemn   expression   emphasized   by   his   rimless   glasses.   His   meticulous   calculations   of   time   was   an   obsession   bordering   on   mania，as   he   would   use   his   calculator   to   plan   his   day   exact   to   the   very   second   as   to   how   long   he   could   spend   on   each   of   his   daily   activities．Alas，exact   and   accurate   as   he   was，there   was   no   way   he   could   calculate   how   long   his   heart   would   keep   beating．It   was   a   time   bomb   that   could   explode   at   any   minute.   Novella   used   to   be   his   private   nurse,   then   she   gradually   took   over   the   duties   of   his   business   assistant,   before   finally   becoming   his   wife．

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She   was   still   loafing   on   the   sofa   when   all   kinds   of   pictures   came   unbidden   into   her   head.   The   first   was   Picasso’s   painting   of   "Triangular-faced   Woman"．When   Novella   first   saw   it，she   had   thought   it   weird   and   strange   to   express   things   with   triangles，but   it   left   a   deep   impression   on   her．   Gradually，she   came   to   appreciate   that   the   triangular   shape   was   harmonious．Then   the   scene   changed   to   the   famous   picture   of   a   ragged   old   woman   picking   up   left-over   ears   of   wheat   from   an   already   harvested   field．She   was   smiling   faintly   in   satisfaction．Novella   was   deeply   moved   by   the   picture．

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Suddenly   she   grew   nervous   and   broke   into   a   cold   sweat   because   another   childhood   scene   crowded   into   her   memory．   She   was   only   ten   or   eleven   then，having   just   moved   into   an   apartment   on   the   sixth   floor   of   a   ten   storey   building,   the   upper   stories   of   which   had   not   been   finished．Such   high   apartments   were   still   novel   in   the   South   at   the   time   and   she   loved   to   go   up   to   the   rooftop   and   play．One   day,   playing   on   the   top   of   the   unfinished   building，she   saw   a   space   between   the   balconies,   which   seemed   from   her   angle   to   be   narrow   enough   to   jump   easily   over．She   ran   towards   it,   intending   to   do   just   that．When   she   got   almost   to   the   edge，she   found   that   it   was   actually   a   four   to   five   meter   wide   opening!     She   stopped   aghast,   heart   pounding,   body   still   swaying   from   the   run   and   immediately   squatted   down   to   keep   herself   from   falling．If   she   hadn’t   stopped   in   time,   she   would   have   fallen   from   the   height   of   ten   stories   to   a   tragic   end．This   traumatic   experience   often   recurred   in   her   mind,   causing   fear   and   tension,   which   she   felt   was   harmful   to   her   both   mentally   and   physically．So,   whenever   that   happened,   she   would   visualize   herself   as   a   feather,   flittering   and   falling   harmlessly   to   the   ground．Even   if   she   had   fallen   from   the   Empire   State   Building   in   New   York,   the   landing   would   have   been   as   soft   as   a   stolen   kiss．Thinking   so,   the   tension   loosened   mentally.   Her   muscles   relaxed   to   their   fullest   capacity   and   her   body   became   as   limp   as   a   ball   of   cotton．She   reclined   paralyzed   on   the   sofa．The   brain   was   indeed   the   oddest   and   most   amazing   organ   of   the   body．Man’s   thoughts   are   abstract,   invisible   and   intangible,   but   they   undeniably   exist   and   work   just   as   the   other   organs   do．Man’s   thoughts   work   just   as   lungs   breathe   and   stomachs   digest．The   image   of   the   snake   came   back   again．She   didn’t   know   why   that   pathetic   skinned   body   swinging   on   the   branch   in   the   cold   wind   was   so   haunting   to   her   mind．A   pool   table   appeared   and   Joshua   seemed   to   be   playing,   designing   each   shot   at   an   angle   to   get   the   most   balls   into   the   pocket...

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        Suddenly,   Novella   seemed   to   feel   the   ghost   of   her   late   husband   wandering   all   over   the   house．The   luxurious   antique   mansion   imposed   on   her   such   a   sense   of   suffocating   depression   that   she   felt   an   urgent   need   to   escape．Stepping   onto   the   driveway,   she   saw   her   nanny   Marsha   who   asked   in   surprise,

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        "Where   are   you   going,   honey?"

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        "I’m   getting   bored   with   nothing   to   do．I’m   going   to   visit   my   cousin   Elina.”   Jamaz   had   just   washed   and   waxed   the   car．He   opened   the   door   for   her   solicitously   and   then   gently   closed   it   after   her   when   she   had   got   in．As   she   drove   away,   she   looked   at   the   rearview   mirror   and   saw   the   two   of   them   whispering   surreptitiously   together,   but   she   did   not   pay   any   special   attention   to   them．

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"We   must   act   fast．Elina   is   not   only   an   eye   doctor,   but   a   shrewd   woman   as   well．You’d   better   make   a   move   tonight.”  

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“I   wanted   to   do   that   yesterday．You   told   me   to   wait.”     These   two   conspirators   were   like   two   air-filled   balloons：Jamaz   was   full   of   primitive   lust,   while   Marsha   was   filled   with   greed   and   rapacity．The   blue   skies   seemed   to   tinge   with   obscure   music,   but   when   she   listened   intently,   it   was   gone   and   there   remained   only   the   sound   of   waves   lapping   against   the   shore   and   the   distant   hubbub   of   the   city．Dr.Gelbart,   her   slender   figure   shown   off   to   its   best   advantage   in   casual，tight-fitting   black   sweater   and   pants，was   wandering   by   the   seaside，her   golden   hair   flowing   in   the   breeze．Oh,   we   shouldn’t   be   calling   her   Dr.   Gelbart   since   she   is   now   divorced   from   her   husband,   Mr.   Gelbart,   or   rather   Miss   Gelbart   now，to   be   more   precise．So   perhaps   it   would   be   better   if   we   just   called   her   Elina．She   went   to   the   hospital   early   as   usual,   only   to   find   it   was   the   first   day   of   her   vacation．She   had   forgotten   all   about   it．

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"What’s   the   matter   with   me?"   she   thought   irritatedly．"I’m   so   absent-minded   and   out   of   it   all   that   I   don’t   know   what’s   going   on   any   more．   Take   last   night,   for   example．Did   I   or   didn’t   I   make   love   to   Dimitri?     I   think   I   did，but   I   can’t   be   sure   even   of   that．Isn’t   that   the   limit?"   Her   thoughts   turned   to   Dimitri．What   a   strange   man   he   was．She   could   take   a   spectroscope   and   look   into   the   back   of   his   eyes,   but   she   could   not   see   what   was   in   his   heart．Taking   a   bottle   of   FML   eye   drops   from   her   pocket,   she   toyed   with   it   with   her   fingers．She   had   prescribed   an   overdose   of   FML   and   caused   him   to   go   blind   earlier   than   was   his   due．Actually   wearing   ordinary   plain   contact   lens   would   have   taken   care   of   the   filaments，but   she   hadn’t   known．"What   kind   of   a   doctor   am   I   anyway?”   she   thought   her   heart   full   of   regret   and   remorse.   She   took   the   bottle   and   dropped   the   FML   drop   by   drop   into   the   sea．All   liquids   were   taken   from   nature   and   should   go   back   to   nature．After   squeezing   out   the   last   drop,   she   threw   the   bottle   away   and   came   to   a   decision．She   took   away   his   sight   and   it   was   only   right   that   she   should   repay   him   with   a   lifetime’s   devotion．Lifting   her   head   as   if   a   load   was   off   her   mind,   she   felt   as   if   she   was   her   radiant,   sunny   self   again．

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In   his   dilapidated   shelter,   Dimitri   lay   on   the   ground   motionless   as   a   corpse．Occasionally,   he   would   move   his   arms   and   legs   and   tell   himself   that   his   flesh   body   was   still   functioning．He   would   sit   up,   drink   some   water   and   then   lie   down   again,   his   movements   slow   and   deliberate   as   a   hibernating   bear．Only   bears   are   cozy   and   comfortable   in   their   hibernation   and   after   a   brief   awakening   would   fall   easily   back   to   sleep   again．Not   so   with   Dimitri．He   lay   there，enduring   excruciating   pain   and   thought   the   human   body   was   an   intricate   machine   which   broke   down   easily．A   slight   clog   in   any   small   part   would   affect   the   operation   of   the   whole.   Fluid   recycling   system   was   like   that．How   he   wished   his   body   was   a   simple   but   practical   machine   made   up   of   staunch   parts,   clumsy   perhaps,   but   useful   and   durable．He   felt   like   a   machine   that   had   been   neglected   and   discarded   before   being   fully   utilized．But   then,   strong   acids   and   bases   could   erode   and   dissolve   metals．Ah!   It   was   time   for   his   eye-drops   again．The   hand   that   took   the   eyedrops   bottle   from   his   pocket   shook．Four   times   a   day,   he   had   to   apply   these   tormenting   drops   to   his   left   eye．The   searing   pain   that   flamed   up   upon   its   contact   with   his   sensitive   eyeball   caused   convulsions   in   his   whole   body．It   was   like   dying   four   times   a   day．But   the   doctor’s   orders   had   to   be   followed，so   he   gently   opened   his   eyelids   and   applied   the   eyedrops,   tensing   his   nerves   and   body   for   the   inevitable   spasm   of   burning   pain   that   caused   his   whole   body   to   shiver   and   jump．Dimitri   patted   his   own   shoulders   saying，

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"It   will   pass．Things   will   get   better.”   To   his   groaning   flesh   body,   he   was   like   a   mother   trying   to   comfort   a   seriously   ill   and   moribund   child．

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Just   then，a   big   fly   flew   in   from   the   opening   of   the   shelter   and   hummed   restlessly   around   his   head,   stopping   for   a   moment   on   his   face,   then   onto   the   wall   before   taking   off   buzzing   aimlessly   around   the   room．Dimitri   was   fascinated   by   the   nimbleness   of   the   small   insect   and   thought   that   his   own   movements   were   clumsy   compared   with   those   of   the   fly’s．He   mused   that   helicopters   must   have   been   designed   according   to   the   anatomy   of   the   fly，but   the   naturally   built   ones   were   a   thousand   times   more   dexterous   than   the   imitation   ones．He   felt   no   distaste   for   it．On   the   contrary,   its   humming   and   buzzing   kept   him   company．The   fly   was   unstoppable．It   could   fly   up   ten   stories   or   higher   easily   and   could   go   wherever   it   fancied，be   it   the   lowly   garbage   cans   or   restaurants   of   luxurious   five-star   hotels．Presently，it   flashed   across   his   mind   that   if   he   had   a   soul   and   if   it   was   as   carefree   as   the   fly,   he   would   be   free   of   the   shackles   of   his   visual   communication   systems   and   could   roam   about   where   he   willed．Suddenly   Dimitri   felt   the   intensification   of   the   severe   pain   in   his   eye,   followed   by   a   gritty   sensation   that   a   particle   of   sand   dropped   out   of   his   eyes,   decreasing   his   suffering   and   enabled   him   to   open   his   eyes   and   look   at   his   surroundings．Rays   of   the   setting   sun   came   in   through   the   opening   of   his   dilapidated   shelter,   casting   a   semi-round   shape,   which   seemed   congealed   on   the   floor．He   had   a   feeling   that   time   had   frozen   also，so   he   waved   his   hands   in   the   sunlight   and   saw   the   shadow   move．

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"Ah!   Time   does   move   but   its   speed   cannot   be   measured!   My   body   is   still   working   and   I   am   resurrected   again．My   flesh   body   does   not   belong   to   me．It   was   borrowed   from   nature   to   be   used   temporarily   and   finally   would   have   to   be   returned   to   nature．But   I   am   sure   I   will   use   it   tomorrow   and   will   continue   to   use   it   for   a   long   time   yet.”   Dimitri   felt   lighthearted   again，as   if   a   burden   had   been   lifted   from   his   shoulders．The   progress   of   time   had   not   been   very   smooth,     and   he   felt   that   a   walk   in   the   open   air   would   help   regulate   his   physical   state   with   the   speed   of   time．

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It   was   getting   dark   and   Dimitri   was   walking   alone   on   the   streets．

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"Everyone   thinks   my   flesh   body   is   a   neglected   and   discarded   machine．So   what?   I’m   satisfied   with   what   I   have   and   consider   it   a   priceless   treasure   to   be   used   carefully   and   gingerly.”   His   footsteps   took   him   unconsciously   to   Elina’s   luxurious   apartment   and   his   thoughts   turned   to   the   previous   night．They   had   both   been   drunk   and   he   seemed   to   have   made   love   to   her,   though   he   couldn’t   really   be   certain   about   it．Nevertheless,   it   was   a   night   to   remember．Looking   at   the   lights   in   her   window，he   thought，

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"Elina   is   a   doctor,   a   professional   woman.   What   am   I?   A   street   cat!   I   cannot   possibly   aspire   to   be   her   mate.”   He   looked   at   her   expensive   white   American   sedan   parked   outside   and   was   surprised   to   find   another   identical   one   parked   right   behind   it．Curious,   he   tried   the   door   and   found   it   unlocked．He   went   into   it   and   sat   on   the   back   seat．The   lingering   smell   of   perfume   told   him   it   belonged   to   a   woman,   but   there   was   a   man’s   top   hat,   a   tuxedo   and   an   umbrella   there,   too．Right   beside   him   on   the   back   seat   was   a   purse．Opening   it,   he   found   a   lipstick,   a   compact   and   a   thick   wad   of   bills．  

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"This   woman   is   really   careless!"   he   thought．He   settled   himself   comfortably   on   the   leather   seat   and   soon   fell   asleep．

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In   the   foggy   night,   moonlight   was   obscure．The   blooming   flowers   seemed   more   mysterious   and   beautiful   than   they   had   been   under   the   brilliant   sunlight．Rhododendrons，roses   and   birds   of   paradise,   some   budding，some   in   full   bloom,   vied   with   each   other   in   decorating   the   garden   with   their   colors   and   fragrance．Amidst   these   flowers,   the   tall   strong   figure   of   Jamaz，the   gardener，could   be   seen   under   the   moonlight．He   walked   among   them，tenderly   touching   the   velvety   petals   of   one,   smelling   another   or   stooping   to   kiss   away   a   dew   on   an   exceptionally   well-shaped   and   fragrant   blossom．He   would   never   be   so   cruel   as   to   pluck   any   one   of   them   because   he   knew   beautiful   flowers   were   the   sexual   organs   of   the   plants．Just   then,   brilliant   headlights   lit   up   the   darkness   as   a   car   came   through   the   gate   and   turned   onto   the   winding   driveway   leading   up   to   the   house．The   silent   figure   quickly   disappeared   into   the   shadow   of   the   trees   and   bushes．

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The   swaying   motion   of   the   car   woke   Dimitri   from   his   short   nap．He   wanted   to   sit   up   and   make   known   his   presence,   but   on   second   thought,   he   was   afraid   such   unexpected   disclosure   would   be   sure   to   frighten   the   solitary   female   driver,   who   might   panic   and   cause   an   accident．   So   he   closed   his   eyes   again,   pretending   to   be   asleep,   preferring   to   let   her   find   out   for   herself   later   on．He   heard   the   driver’s   agitated   soliloquy，

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"Conversing   with   a   Nude   Angel"...such   wonderful   music…such   a   dramatic   death...To   shoot   oneself   on   the   stage   in   the   midst   of   applause   of   the   audience．It   really   is   very   romantic，but   what   can   I   say?   Poor   Elina,   I   think   she   still   loves   him   every   much...Poor   suffering   young   artist   Ike,   to   fall   and   die   amidst   screams   and   shocked   exclamations   like   the   downfall   of   a   shooting   star..."   Dimitri   almost   exclaimed   out   loud   on   hearing   the   unexpected   news，but   clamped   his   hand   on   his   mouth   in   time．Who   was   this   woman   and   what   was   her   relationship     to   Ike   and   Elina?   Her   voice   sounded   young   and   sweet．The   car   swayed   as   it   turned   onto   the   driveway   and   drove   on   a   bit   before   it   stopped．Dimitri   heard   the   door   open   and   high-heeled   shoes   click   on   the   pavement．He   was   about   to   sit   up   to   open   the   door   and   leave,   when   two   figures   silently   opened   the   door   and   slipped   noiselessly   inside．The   absent-minded   and   careless   driver   never   dreamed   there   was   a   stowaway   on   the   back   seat   of   the   car,   nor   did   she   notice   two   pairs   of   greedy,   covetous   eyes,   wicked   as   hungry   wolves,   peering   at   her   from   the   shadows．

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        Novella   got   out   of   her   car   and   walked   in   the   front   door.   Used   to   being   waited   on,   she   never   had   to   bother   about   parking   her   car   or   locking   up,   knowing   either   Jamaz   or   Marsha   would   be   there   to   take   care   of   it．Marsha   sat   behind   the   steering   wheel，her   mind   full   of   wads   of   green   C-notes，stacked   so   high   it   was   like   a   small   hill，an   endless   supply   of   wealth，all   hers   for   the   taking．The   only   thing   she   had   to   do   was   control   Novella,   the   girl   she   had   nursed   and   brought   up   would   be   the   source   of   unending   wealth，enough   to   satisfy   her   every   whim．   Jamaz   sat   restlessly   beside   her,   like   a   hunting   dog   rearing   to   go．One   idea   kept   cropping   up   in   his   mind   like   a   repetitious   record   "I   Kiss   the   Ground   She   Walks   On"   because   she   is   always   with   her   lovely   pussy．Whether   walking   on   the   streets,   shopping   in   the   malls,   playing   tennis,   showering   in   the   bathroom   or   sleeping   in   her   bed,   she   is   always   with   her   lovely   pussy…       Marsha   nudged   him   with   her   elbow,

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        "No   time   for   dreaming．Time   to   move   on.”

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        "What   shall   I   do?   You’re   the   boss.”

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        "Take   the   ladder.   Prop   it   up   against   the   wall   and   climb   onto   her   bedroom   verandah．Once   you   get   into   the   room,   don’t   you   go   lugging   at   her   right   away．Go   softly   in   and   open   the   bedroom   door．Then   you   can   go   and   do   your   cushy   job．I’ll   be   ready   with   a   Polaroid   camera   to   catch   the   two   of   you   in   action.”

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        "Aren’t   you   afraid   her   late   husband’s   ghost   will   curse   and   haunt   you?"

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"Even   if   he   does，the   iob   must   be   done.”     Their   heads   were   full   of   air，like   an   overfilled   balloon   that   would   burst   at   the   touch   of   a   cigarette   butt,   and   they   were   in   a   half-mad，   half-hysterical   state   of   mind．Marsha   parked   the   car   in   the   garage   and   the   two   of   them   left，each   with   a   mission   to   fulfill   in   the   moonlight．

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Dimitri   lay   motionless   on   the   back   seat   afraid   of   being   discovered,   his   head   whirling   with   the   events   of   the   adventurous   night．That   careless,   absent-minded   driver   must   somehow   be   related   to   Elina   and   Ike，and   the   two   conspirators，who   slipped   in   later   were   trying   to   harm   her.     He   sat   up．There   was   no   time   to   lose．If   he   wanted   to   help   that   sweet   young   woman，   he   must   move   right   away   as   those   two   were   already   in   action．   The   man   was   piecing   together   the   long   ladder   and   the   woman   would   soon   be   at   the   bedroom   door．His   eyes   fell   on   the   tuxedo,   top   hat   and   umbrella   in   the   car   and   a   great   idea   struck   him．They   had   mentioned   the   ghost   of   her   late   husband,   so   why   not   dress   up   as   a   ghost   and   scare   them   off   before   calling   the   police?   He   quickly   donned   the   suit   and   top   hat   and   then   took   the   cosmetics   from   the   purse   on   the   back   seat．He   first   powdered   his   face   into   a   white   mass,   drew   two   scarlet   circles   around   his   eyes   to   look   like   two   bloody   holes   and   then   reddened   his   teeth   too,   to   depict   the   bloody   mouth   of   a   vampire．   All   this   time,   Dimitri   was   keeping   an   eye   on   the   man   and   saw   him   prop   the   ladder   to   the   wall,   climb   up   a   few   steps   to   test   its   steadiness   and   then   go   away，presumably   to   consult   with   his   lady   accomplice．

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Dimitri   decided   to   make   use   of   this   rare   opportunity．He   grabbed   the   umbrella,   sprang   out   of   the   car,   quickly   climbed   up   the   ladder   onto   the   third   floor   verandah   and   then   slumped   in   the   shadows   to   await   developments．After   a   short   while,   he   heard   the   ladder   squeak   and   groan   under   the   weight   of   someone   climbing   up;   and   soon   the   black   hair   of   the   gardener   came   into   view．Dimitri   stepped   out   of   the   shadows，seemingly   to   appear   out   of   nowhere   and   looked   at   the   dumbfounded   man   with   a   cold   smile,   his   make-up   more   hideous   and   threatening   in   the   moonlight,   like   a   ghost   from   Hell．

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"What   are   you   doing   here?   You   should   know   I   would   not   leave   my   wife   unprotected!"   He   stretched   out   a   bloodless   hand   and   made   as   if   to   push   the   ladder   from   the   wall   with   his   umbrella．Jamaz   was   too   petrifled   even   to   cry   out．Sounds   rattled   in   his   throat．He   tried   to   climb   down,   lost   his   footing   and   fell   onto   the   ground   with   a   thump．

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Opening   the   French   windows,   Dimitri   stepped   into   the   bedroom   to   intercept   the   fat   woman   when   he   came   face   to   face   with   Novella   in   her   bathrobe   just   coming   out   of   her   shower．The   sudden   encounter   with   an   apparition   in   her   husband’s   clothes   gave   her   such   a   fright   that   she   screamed   and   fainted.     Dimitri   looked   ruefully   at   the   unconscious   figure   on   the   floor   whom   he   had   wanted   to   help   not   to   frighten，and   carried   her   over   to   her   bed．He   was   just   puting   her   down   when   he   heard   a   light   knock   on   the   door,   for   Marsha   on   hearing   the   scream   thought   the   impatient   and   lusty   Jamaz   had   gone   for   Novella   as   soon   as   he   entered   the   room   without   bothering   to   open   the   door   for   his   accomplice．She   was   angry   with   his   disobedience   and   was   about   to   knock   again   when   the   door   quietly   opened   ajar．She   poked   her   head   in   to   see   how   things   were   going,   but   was   greeted   by   the   cold   smile   of   a   hideous   phantom   from   Hell   in   her   master’s   clothing．

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"I   know   you,   you   ungrateful   bitch．How   could   you   do   this   to   her?   Do   you   still   know   me?   You   should   know   I   would   protect   my   wife   even   from   the   grave.”   Dimitri   opened   wide   his   bloody   mouth   and   made   as   if   to   pounce   on   her   like   a   vampire,   ready   to   suck   her   blood．

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"No!...No!..."   cried   the   trembling   woman   as   she   backed   away,   forgetting   in   her   terror   that   she   was   standing   at   the   top   of   the   stairs．She   took   one   step   too   many,   stepped   on   air   and   went   rolling   and   crashing   down   the   steep   stairs．Hearing   no   further   sound,   Dimitri   tiptoed   down   step   by   step，alert   and   ready   for   an   attack，but   to   his   horror，he   found   her   lifeless   body   at   the   foot   of   the   stairs,   eyes   wide   open,   staring   in   terror．

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"Oh   my   God!   What   have   I   done?   I   didn’t   mean   to   kill   you．I   swear   to   God   I   didn’t．I   just   wanted   to   frighten   you   away!   Please   believe   me..."     He   gently   and   apologetically   closed   her   staring   eyes   and   then   went   to   the   garden   to   look   for   her   accomplice．He   found   the   man   lying   on   the   ground,   still   alive,   but   shivering   and   frothing   at   the   mouth,   saying   disjointedly，

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"I   want...her   pussy...for   my...cock...For   my...cock，I   want...her...   pussy．She   and…I…a   pussy...and   a...cock..."     Dimitri   didn’t   know   what   to   do．He   ran   back   to   the   house，fumbling   in   the   dark   for   a   phone   to   call   an   ambulance．He   was   still   looking   when   he   heard   the   noise   of   a   car   driving   up   and   saw   the   bright   headlights   turn   onto   the   driveway．It   was   Elina，he   would   know   that   car   anywhere．He   forgot   all   about   the   phone，knowing   his   first   priority   was   to   wash   off   the   makeup   from   his   face   before   having   another   fainting   woman   on   his   hands．

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        Elina   had   a   premonition   that   all   was   not   well   when   she   tried   to   call   Novella   to   inform   her   she   was   coming   and   found   the   phone   disconnected．Seeing   the   gate   wide   open，a   toppled   ladder   and   a   half-unconscious   man   on   the   ground,   she   feared   the   worst．She   left   the   car   engine   running   and   the   lights   on,   without   daring   to   come   out   of   the   car．She   called   out，

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        "Novella,   where   are   you?   Are   you   OK?"     Dimitri   came   running   out   of   the   house．

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        "Hi   Elina,   it’s   me．I’m   here．Come   in   quickly!"

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        "Dimitri!   What   are   you   doing   here?   Why   haven’t   I   seen   you   these   last   few   days?"   She   came   out   of   her   car   with   her   suitcase   and   came   running   to   him   and   kissed   him   like   a   longlost   friend．

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        “I   have   no   time   to   explain．There’s   a   fainted   woman   upstairs.”   They   got   into   the   dark   house,   groped   up   the   dark   stairs   and   went   into   Novella’s   bedroom．

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        "What   happened?"   asked   Elina   as   she   saw   her   cousin’s   half-naked   body   in   a   bathrobe   lying   on   the   bed．

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        "I   scared   her.”

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        "How   come?"

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        "I’ll   explain   later．How   can   we   revive   her?”

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        "Get   me   a   cold   towel   from   the   bathroom   and   put   it   on   her   forehead.”   Dimitri   did   as   he   was   told   and   then   remembered   there   was   another   man   in   the   garden   that   needed   help．

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        "I’ll   go   downstairs   and   see   how   that   man   is   doing.”

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"OK．I’ll   take   care   of   her.”

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        When   Dimitri   walked   from   the   dark   house   into   the   bright   moonlight,   the   man   was   nowhere   to   be   seen   and   Elina’s   car   had   disappeared   as   well．Only   her   suitcase   was   where   she   had   dropped   it   when   she   greeted   Dimitri．Just   then，he   heard   Elina   calling   out   to   him   from   the   third   floor   verandah，

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        "Come   on   up   Dimitri   and   bring   my   suitcase   with   you．There’re   a   lot   of   questions   we   want   to   ask   you.”   So   picking   up   the   suitcase   he   walked   up   the   stairs．The   sweet   young   woman   was   sitting   up   on   her   bed．She   smiled   at   him   in   a   friendly   fashion   and   said，

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"Hi   Dimitri!   I   have   heard   a   lot   about   you   from   Elina.   Will   you   please   tell   us   what   happened   tonight?   I’m   all   in   a   fog.”     Dimitri   told   them   the   whole   story   from   beginning   to   end．

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"You   mean   you   were   in   the   back   seat   the   whole   time?"

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        "Yes．That’s   how   I   came   to   know   what   was   going   on.”   The   two   women   looked   at   each   other   and   smiled．

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        "Now   it’s   your   turn,   Elina．How   did   you   come   to   be   here   just   in   the   nick   of   time?"

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        "Both   of   us   thought   we   needed   a   vacation,   a   change   of   scene,   so   we   booked   tickets   to   Portugal   this   afternoon   and   arranged   to   spend   the   night   here   together   so   that   we   can   start   early   tomorrow   morning.”

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        "Portugal?     That’s   no   fun．Why   don’t   you   two   go   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams?"

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        "Kingdom   of   Dreams?     Where   is   that?"

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        "It   sounds   so   illusional!     Does   it   really   exist?"  

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"That’s   a   hard   question   to   answer”   replied   Dimitri.     “It   was   like   asking   about   the   existence   of   heaven．To   those   who   believe,   heaven   exists．To   those   who   don’t,   it   doesn’t.”

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The   distant   roaring   of   engines   woke   Dimitri   from   his   reverie．He   looked   up   to   see   an   airliner   passing   overhead,   wondered   idly   whether   Elina   and   Novella   were   on   it   and   whether   they   had   decided   to   go   to   Portugal   or   to   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams．Then   he   laughed   at   his   own   folly．The   passing   of   time   these   last   few   days   had   left   a   befuddled   impression   in   his   thoughts．He   found   it   hard   to   ascertain   whether   they   were   real   people   who   actually   existed   and   came   into   his   life，or   just   two   beauties   of   his   imagination．Dimitri   touched   his   eyes   and   felt   a   slight   pain．Yes,   only   one   thing   was   certain,   he   was   going   blind   one   day   in   the   near   future．   Sitting   on   the   bench   by   the   roadside,   he   watched   car   after   car   zoom   by．

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"Will   my   sight   be   gone   in   a   flash,   like   these   cars?"   he   wondered．He   pondered   on   the   events   of   his   life   and   thought   they   were   unique   indeed．   In   real   life，he   was   always   struggling   with   adversity，finding   resurrection   only   in   his   dreams，like   a   log   in   the   water，now   floating，now   sinking．Dreams   and   reality   piled   one   upon   the   other,   interacting   and   mixed   together.   Such   was   his   life．He   saw   a   long   cigarette   butt   on   the   ground   nearby,   crushed   by   someone’s   heels．He   picked   it   up,   rolled   it   softly   and   carefully   between   his   fingers   to   make   it   round   again   and   lighting   it,   sank   back   on   the   bench   to   enjoy   the   luxury   of   a   smoke．

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"Who   am   I?"   he   asked   himself．"That’s   an   easy   question   to   answer．I   am   who   I   am，a   vagabond   with   the   mirage   of   a   beautiful   heavenly   kingdom   in   my   mind．I   live   and   wander   around   the   earth   with   it.”

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For   the   greater   part   of   the   day,   Dimitri   would   sit   there   in   a   trance,   seemingly   doing   nothing,   but   his   brain   was   furiously   at   work．It   was   his   daily   routine,   like   the   physical   exercise   of   the   average   man．Just   then,   he   was   having   a   strange   vision．He   left   his   body   behind   and   became   one   with   the   tranquil   evening，united   with   its   peace   and   joy．   In   his   mind，he   often   thought   of   an   existence   beyond   the   universe，carefree   and   romantic，not   tinged   with   any   pessimistic   thoughts．Under   such   circumstances，he’d   rather   believe   in   the   theory   of   Reincarnation，not   on   a   religious   level，but   on   the   level   of   poetic   fantasy．But   then   he   thought,   no．Soul,   reincarnation,   the   next   life,   these   are   only   the   brainchild   of   clever，profound   philosophers,   not   really   practical．He   only   believed   in   his   flesh   body   with   its   warm   temperature，the   pulsating   heart   and   the   active   brain．Thousands   upon   thousands   of   days   and   nights   have   gone   by,   but   he   had   never   felt   the   presence   of   a   soul   attached   to   his   body   with   which   he   was   as   familiar   as   if   it   were   his   life   long   spouse．But   he   believed   only   in   thought，which   was   a   genuine   organ   of   the   body，a   tool   to   acquire   mental   and   physical   equilibrium．If   there   was   a   soul，it   was   only   the   shadow   of   his   flesh   body．Strangely   enough，all   through   the   ages,   wise   men   have   focused   their   attention   on   the   shadow   instead   of   the   body．

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Fully   satisfied   with   the   day’s   work   done   by   the   brain，Dimitri   stretched   himself   and   woke   up   to   his   surroundings．   Blooming   azaleas   met   his   eye   while   soothing   evening   winds   caresses   his   body．

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"If   I   did   not   have   my   flesh   body，I   would   not   be   able   to   enjoy   such   beautiful   scenes.”   he   thought．"Though   my   sight   will   eventually   drift   away   one   day,   it   is   still   here   now．I   must   make   the   best   use   of   the   limited   time   granted   me．What   will   be,   will   be   and   it   would   be   foolish   not   to   enjoy   myself   while   I   can   and   waste   it   on   fruitless   worry.”     He   stood   up   to   walk   around   and   enjoy   the   beautiful   Lake   Merritt   at   twilight．Coming   upon   a   garbage   can,   he   casually   flipped   through   its   contents   from   force   of   habit   and   pulled   out   a   discarded   1991   calendar,   still   quite   new．He   casually   flipped   through   its   pages   and   was   ecstatic   to   find   twelve   nude   beauties   in   various   poses.   His   pulse   accelerated   and   he   felt   himself   getting   excited．

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  “The   flesh   body   is   a   strange   thing”   he   thought.   “These   are   only   pictures,   beautiful   and   graphic   though   they   be,   not   real   nude   women   in   the   flesh,   but   the   sight   of   them   have   the   power   to   influence   my   body．Who   would   throw   them   away   in   the   garbage   can?   It’s   a   sacrilege   to   these   beauties!   He   must   be   a   rough,   callous   brute   of   a   man   who   does   not   have   a   tender   heart   for   the   fair   sex.”   Dimitri   put   the   calendar   inside   his   coat   and   continued   on   his   leisurely   walk,   proud   as   a   chivalrous   knight   who   had   saved   twelve   damsels   in   distress   from   dirt   and   stink   of   the   garbage   can．

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Dimitri   looked   about   for   a   quiet   and   secluded   spot   to   enjoy   these   twelve   beauties,   who   would   be   material   for   his   dream   that   night．There   was   a   dull   ache   in   his   breast   when   he   realized   beauty   could   only   be   fully   appreciated   through   the   sense   of   sight．Once   that   drifted   away,   so   would   his   visible   enjoyment．

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"Going   blind   in   the   prime   of   life   is   equivalent   to   being   castrated”   he   thought   with   a   heavy   heart．However,   his   frustration   was   only   momentary．He   reminded   himself   of   his   resolution   not   to   waste   time   on   useless   self-pity,   but   to   make   the   most   of   what   he   had   now．

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"Even   if   I   go   blind,   the   memory   of   these   beauties   will   live   on   forever   in   my   memory．The   flesh   body   is   strange   in   that   a   few   suggestive   lines，well   drawn，can   produce   as   much   impact   as   a   beautiful   graphic   picture．It   is   indeed   the   source   of   both   happiness   and   sorrow，which   are   so   entwined   together   that   it   is   hard   to   distinguish   one   from   the   other，for   to   me,   both   are   sweet.”   His   footsteps   took   him   to   a   corner   of   the   park   near   the   conservatory，seldom   patronized   by   rowdy   teenagers   and   playful   children．He   sat   down   inside   the   gazebo   to   enjoy   his   new-found   treasure．

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The   first   page   he   casually   flipped   to   was   an   Asian   beauty   with   rippling   black   hair．Dimitri   was   startled．"Isn’t   this   Lotus?"   he   thought．On   closer   scrutiny,   he   found   there   was   a   similarity   but   it   wasn’t   her.   The   girl   in   the   picture   stood   on   tiptoes   to   hang   a   bird   cage   on   the   window   sill．She   had   a   slender,   well-proportioned   figure   and   her   half-turned   face   had   a   shy,   engaging   smile．Her   tight   belly   protruded   enticingly   above   the   public   hairs,   not   very   dense,   but   soft   as   a   cluster   of   tender   green   grass．

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“Ah!   How   beautiful   she   is!"   Dimitri   sighed．"There   are   beauties   in   every   corner   of   the   earth．Actually   they   are   not   hard   to   find   if   you   will   only   take   the   time   to   look   for   them.”   He   stared   at   the   beautiful   Lake   Merritt   and   remembered   there   was   a   lake   in   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams   too，only   it   was   much   larger   and   the   water   there   was   crystal   clear   blue．   He   had   built   a   straw   hut   after   the   fashion   of   the   Chinese   especially   for   Lotus   and   she   loved   to   stroll   around   the   place   as   it   reminded   her   of   her   homeland．He   wondered   what   Lotus   was   doing   and   if   she   was   walking   around   the   lake．Then   he   drew   his   eyes   back   to   the   picture   in   his   hand   and   looked   at   it   closely，paying   attention   to   every   detail，as   if   reading   an   interesting   article   word   for   word，all   the   time   mumbling   to   the   picture．Joggers   went   by，turning   their   heads   for   a   second   glance   at   this   man   talking   to   a   picture．Passersby   cast   curious   looks   at   him   and   the   more   inquisitive   ones   walked   up   closer   to   find   out   what   mesmerized   him   so．On   seeing   it   was   a   picture   of   a   naked   woman，they   shook   their   heads   and   walked   away，grinning   slyly．Soon，a   small   crowd   had   gathered   around   the   gazebo，tittering   and   pointing   to   Dimitri，who   was   so   lost   in   his   own   world   that   he   was   completely   oblivious   to   his   surroundings．

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Romi:

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Just   as   he   was   lost   in   his   private   enjoyment,   he   was   startled   to   see   a   beautifully   manicured   hand   cover   up   the   lower   part   of   the   naked   beauty’s   body   and   a   soft   voice   was   saying   in   his   ear，

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"Put   it   away，Dimitri．Look   at   all   these   people   around   you.”     Dimitri   glanced   up   and   saw   an   attractive   young   woman   with   a   bag   of   grocery   in   her   arms,   smiling   down   at   him．It   was   Mrs.   Love,   with   her   gentle   smile   somehow   tinged   with   a   melancholy   so   different   from   any   other   that   it   was   memorable   and   hard   to   forget．Dimitri   wanted   to   stand   up,   but   to   his   consternation,   found   he   could   not   decently   do   so   before   a   lady．He   was   flabbergasted   and   blushed   profusely．Mrs．Love   was   a   tactful   and   cultured   lady,   who   understood   his   awkward   predicament   and   knew   the   best   way   to   put   him   at   ease   was   to   pretend   nothing   out   of   the   ordinary   had   happened,   so   she   said，

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        "What   have   you   been   doing   with   yourself,   Dimitri?   We   haven’t   seen   you   for   quite   a   while．We’ve   been   waiting   for   you   to   come   and   help   us   with   the   yard   work.”

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        "Oh...ah...I’ve   been   ill,   Mrs   Love．My...my   eyes   have   been   hurting.”

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        "That’s   too   bad．Have   you   been   to   a   doctor?"

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        "Oh   yes   ma’am．I’ve   been   using   eye   drops."

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        "Are   you   better   now?"

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        "Oh   yes,   I   feel   much   better."

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        "If   you   are   free   this   afternoon,   would   you   like   to   come   and   help   me   with   some   yard   work?     My   garden   is   really   in   need   of   some   work."

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"Sure．I’m   free   this   afternoon.”     So   taking   over   her   grocery   bag,   Dimitri   followed   her   to   her   house   not   far   from   the   lake．

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In   Mrs．Love’s   garden，Dimitri   was   working   animatedly   and   intently，for   gardening   was   one   of   his   passions   and   he   enjoyed   pruning   away   the   tangled   branches   and   trimming   the   bushes   into   symmetrical   shapes．The   people   in   that   neighborhood   knew   he   was   a   good   worker   and   a   knowledgeable   gardener，so   everyone   wanted   his   service．   But   Dimitri   loved   his   freedom   too   much   to   be   pinned   down   to   a   schedule．He   never   haggled   about   pay,   taking   what   he   was   given   no   matter   how   little，but   when   he   felt   he   was   being   overpaid，he   would   insist   on   returning   part   of   the   money．So   he   worked   when   he   felt   liked   it,   never   having   to   worry   about   lack   of   employers,   stipulating   only   that   he   be   given   a   good   meal   after   the   work   was   done．He   became   well-known   in   that   neighborhood   as   an   eccentric   but   lovable   man．From   the   kitchen   came   the   sound   of   fluid   jazz   music，accompanied   by   the   appetizing   fragrance   of   Mrs．Love’s   cooking,   while   Dimitri   worked   on   skillfully，trimming，cutting   and   pruning．His   brain   seemed   to   have   an   invisible   steering   wheel.   When   it   steered   to   the   left，his   body   got   the   neurological   message   and   went   to   the   left．When   it   steered   to   the   right，his   body   turned   to   the   right   in   perfect   harmony．His   muscles   and   nerves   were   in   high   concentration，so   his   movements   were   agile．The   brain   and   the   body   cooperated   beautifully．Though   his   flesh   body   was   working   busily   on   in   the   garden,   his   eyes   were   dazed,   for   his   mind   had   retreated   to   his   dreamland   where   he   seemed   to   see   Lotus,   one   of   his   twenty-four   beauties，walking   alone   by   the   lake   under   the   moonlight．

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The   weather   seemed   to   be   changing．Dark   clouds   covered   the   sky   and   it   turned   humid．Mrs．Love   moved   about   her   kitchen,   preparing   dinner   for   Dimitri．Roast   beef   was   beginning   to   sizzle   in   the   oven,   corn   soup   was   simmering   over   low   heat,   boiled   onions   and   freshly   baked   French   bread   were   ready   on   the   table.   She   was   peeling   apples   for   the   bowl   of   fruit   salad   she   was   making．From   her   kitchen   window，she   could   see   Dimitri   working   zealously   and   the   shadow   of   a   smile   touched   her   lips．Dimitri   was   a   good-hearted   man，though   eccentric．While   people   were   deep   in   slumber,   he   would   roam   the   neighborhood   in   the   stillness   of   the   night,   doing   his   good   deeds   anonymously．He   would   pick   up   letters   or   papers   that   had   dropped   on   the   ground   and   put   them   back   into   the   gaping   mailboxes   and   close   them．He   would   tighten   dripping   faucets   and   once   when   he   discovered   sparks   of   fire   coming   out   of   a   garage,   he   jumped   over   the   low   fence   and   tried   to   put   it   out．The   owner   of   the   house   thought   he   was   a   burglar   and   shot   at   him   with   his   gun,   luckily   missing   him.     After   the   two   of   them   extinguished   the   flames,   the   man   was   about   to   apologize   and   thank   him   when   the   eccentric   good   Samaritan   was   already   on   his   way   with   his   cart．

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"Why   is   a   nice   decent   man   like   that   roaming   the   streets   without   a   wife   and   home?"   Mrs．love   wondered．But   then,   thinking   of   her   own   marriages,   she   thought   that   "single   and   free"   may   have   been   a   wise   choice   after   all．

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During   the   last   three   years,   the   one   thing   she   did   repetitiously   was   to   get   married   and   divorced．She   met   her   first   husband   in   college   and   got   married   soon   after   graduation．He   was   a   hard   worker,   conscientious   and   dependable，with   his   two   feet   on   the   ground．Life   with   him   had   been   safe   and   secure．She   could   not   think   of   a   thing   that   he   could   have   done   but   didn’t．However,   everything   was   so   stiff   and   rigidly   scheduled   that   she   felt   stifled   and   got   tired   of   their   monotonous   marriage．They   did   not   quarrel，but   parted   amicably，citing   incompatibility   as   the   reason   for   their   divorce．She   then   married   her   assistant   at   the   architectural   firm   where   she   worked，a   solicitous   man   who   knew   how   to   please   a   woman．But   soon   she   found   a   lack   of   substance   in   his   character,   for   he   lived   only   to   please   and   had   no   ambition   or   plans   of   his   own．He   had   no   exceptional   talents   that   distinguished   him   from   others，all   anxious   to   climb   up   the   same   corporate   ladder，except   to   marry   the   boss   and   try   to   keep   her   satisfied   with   flattery   and   attention．Soon   she   grew   tired   of   his   shallow,   superficial   attention   and   they   parted   amicably   in   less   than   a   year   after   she   paid   him   a   substantial   sum   of   money．Thinking   over   the   past，she   acknowledged   that   there   was   really   nothing   wrong   with   her   two   ex   husbands．They   were   both   common,   yet   decent   men,   who   loved   her   in   their   own   fashion．The   trouble   was   she   grew   tired   easily   after   the   novelty   wore   off．Then   thinking   of   her   third   husband,   the   handsome   devil   of   a   charmer,   her   brows   came   together   in   a   frown   and   frustration   cast   a   pall   over   her   heart．

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Suddenly   the   wind   rose   and   large   raindrops   splattered   in   a   downpour．A   gust   of   wind   blew   them   into   the   kitchen,   wetting   Mrs.   Love’s   face   while   she   stood   there   peeling   apples   by   the   sink．She   looked   out   of   the   window   and   saw   Dimitri   was   still   working   awaye,   entirely   unconscious   of   the   change   of   weather．She   called   out   to   him，

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"Dimitri!   Dimitri!   Come   on   in!   It’s   raining!"   But   he   continued   to   work   mechanically．In   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams，it   was   a   brilliant   moonlit   night．   He   was   dancing   with   Lotus   in   the   meadow   where   the   soft   breeze   caressed   the   tall   swaying   grass,   which   seemed   to   be   singing   and   swaying   in   chorus．   Mrs.   Love   opened   the   front   door   and   called   out，

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"Dimitri!   Dimitri!   Come   on   in!   Get   out   of   the   rain.   You’re   all   wet．Do   you   want   to   catch   cold?"   Dimitri   looked   up   at   the   darkened   skies   and   pouring   rain．The   raindrops   which   hit   his   face   hard   and   cold   brought   him   back   to   reality．He   felt   his   clothes   clinging   to   his   body,   wet   and   uncomfortable．But   when   he   stepped   into   the   house,   the   mirage   of   his   dreams   came   in   together   with   him．

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        "Don’t   you   know   it’s   raining,   Dimitri?"

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        "It   wasn’t   raining   in   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams.”

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        "Where   were   you?"

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        "Eh...   I   was   too   busy   concentrating   on   the   pruning   to   notice   the   rain，I   guess.”   Mrs．Love   knew   Dimitri   was   in   his   eccentric   mood   again,   immersed   in   his   daydreams,   so   she   said   mildly,

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        "Anyway,   you’d   better   get   out   of   those   wet   clothes   and   take   a   shower,   or   else   you’ll   really   catch   a   cold.”

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        "Yes，ma’am,"   said   Dimitri   docilely   and   followed   her   into   the   bathroom．"I   don’t   really   mind   catching   cold.”   he   thought   as   he   remembered   his   boyish   pranks．He   would   hold   hot   water   in   his   mouth   and   run   towards   the   school   clinic．At   the   door,   he   would   spit   it   out   and   go   to   the   young   nurse,   complaining   of   a   bad   headache．The   nurse,   taking   his   temperature   and   thinking   he   had   a   high   fever,   would   be   exceptionally   tender   and   kind   to   him.   It   was   one   of   the   few   incidents   of   his   boyhood   which   brought   him   happy   memories.   Mrs.   Love   liked   to   wear   casual   clothes   when   she   was   at   home,   so   she   was   in   a   suit   of   red   warmups   and   white   slippers．

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        "Leave   your   wet   clothes   in   the   bathroom   and   I’ll   wash   them   for   you.”

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        "No,   Mrs.   Love，I   can’t   let   you   do   that．I’ll   wash   them   myself.”

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        "It’s   ok   Dimitri，you   don’t   know   the   eccentricities   of   my   washer   and   dryer   as   I   do．Put   on   the   kimono   when   you’re   through.”

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"Thank   you,   ma’am.”

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As   Dimitri   showered   and   lathered   his   whole   body,   his   thoughts   remained   on   his   kind   and   considerate   hostess．He   thought   to   himself,  

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"Her   smile   is   gentle,   but   somehow   it   doesn’t   quite   reach   her   eyes   which   are   sad   and   wistful．She   is   such   a   compassionate   woman．If   I   could   be   changed   to   a   man   the   size   of   an   index   finger，I’d   be   willing   to   make   my   home   in   the   pockets   of   her   sweat   pants．When   she   bends   her   closed   knees   to   sit   down，I’d   be   nestled   in   the   nook   of   the   warmest,   softest   and   most   private   part   of   her   body   like   ginseng   nestling   in   the   deep   recesses   of   the   mountains，partaking   of   the   essence   of   the   sun   and   the   moon.”     But   then，he   slapped   himself．Such   indecent   fantasy   was   a   profanity   to   the   woman   who   had   been   so   kind   to   him．He   finished   his   shower   and   put   on   the   kimono．   As   he   turned   to   go,   the   flash   of   his   reflection   in   the   mirror   arrested   his   attention．He   hadn’t   seen   himself   for   a   long   time   and   had   almost   forgotten   what   he   looked   like．He   stopped   to   contemplate   himself．He   stared   at   his   own   reflection   and   felt   as   if   it   was   that   of   a   stranger,   not   quite   himself．

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"I   must   remember   to   project   my   image   into   my   brain   before   I   become   blind,”   he   thought．

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As   Dimitri   turned   the   knob   and   opened   the   bathroom   door,   he   came   face   to   face   with   Mrs.   Love   who   was   just   in   the   act   of   knocking．They   smiled   at   each   other   and   she   hastily   explained   that   she   just   wanted   to   let   him   know   dinner   was   already   on   the   table．Dimitri   watched   as   she   picked   up   the   wet   clothes   on   the   floor   and   put   them   into   the   washing   machine   in   the   laundry   room   next   to   the   bathroom．The   skirts,   blouses   and   other   women’s   apparel   were   soaking   in   the   washer   and   Dimitri   felt   it   was   an   honor   to   have   his   clothes   washed   together   with   hers．She   led   him   to   the   dining   room   and   said，

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"I’m   on   a   diet   so   I   won’t   keep   you   company.   I’m   going   to   take   a   shower   too．Make   yourself   at   home   Dimitri,   and   enjoy   your   dinner.     It’s   all   for   you.”   She   turned   and   went   upstairs．

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Dimitri   looked   at   the   sumptuous   feast   spread   before   him   and   felt   famished.   The   organs   of   his   whole   body   were   crying   out   to   his   brain   for   replenishment．His   brain   commanded   his   hands   and   feet   to   get   ready   to   serve   his   flesh   body,   which   was   a   tool   for   epicurean   enjoyment．Dimitri   thought,  

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"I   have   to   take   good   care   of   my   flesh   body   to   prolong   its   function   for   enjoyment,   so   it’ll   last   year   after   year   indefinitely．I   would   best   like   to   keep   it   strong   as   a   wild   beast.”   Dimitri   fell   to   ravenously   with   gusto．Such   hot   meals   were   a   luxury   to   a   homeless   vagabond   like   him．Strains   of   a   woman’s   humming   as   she   went   about   preparing   for   her   shower,   together   with   the   sound   of   running   water   could   be   heard,   all   of   which   brought   him   a   sense   of   mounting   excitement.

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  “After   this   splendid   meal,   I   will   turn   into   a   wild   beast!"   he   thought   with   some   dismay．"I   don’t   know   how   food   is   transformed   into   hormones   in   the   blood,   but   there   is   a   strange   chemical   reaction   and   I   am   sure   to   feel   strong   sexual   urges．A   wild   horse   that   has   newly   been   harnessed   will   kick   and   bite   and   struggle   before   it   becomes   subdued   and   resigned．My   mind   too,   has   an   invisible   harness．I   must   keep   a   tight   rein   on   my   primitive   feelings   and   not   let   my   guard   down   when   I   am   alone   with   this   beautiful   woman．I   cannot   become   a   wild   beast"

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Soon   Mrs.   Love   came   down   in   her   white   bathrobe,   her   complexion   radiant,   her   hair   giving   off   a   fresh   fragrance．She   sat   across   the   table   from   Dimitri,   refilled   his   wineglass，   poured   one   for   herself   and   said，

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"Cheers!"   She   nibbled   on   a   small   piece   of   roast   beef   and   helped   herself   to   some   fruit   salad．

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        "How   do   you   like   my   cooking?   Is   it   to   your   taste?"

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        "It’s   delicious!   Thank   you   very   much   Mrs.   Love.”

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        "I’ve   been   meaning   to   tell   you，don’t   call   me   Mrs.   Love.   Love   is   my   maiden   name．I   didn’t   take   my   husband’s   last   name.     Just   call   me   Romi.”     She   finished   her   salad   and   continued,   "It   is   I   who   should   thank   you   for   helping   me   with   the   yard   work   and   keeping   me   company   during   this   stormy   tonight．Otherwise   I’d   be   scared   to   death.”

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        "Doesn’t   your   husband   come   home   at   night?"   Romi’s   face   clouded   with   frustration．

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        "Let’s   not   talk   about   him．It’ll   only   spoil   our   evening.”

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        "What   are   you   afraid   of?"

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        "That   big   house   across   the   lake   belongs   to   Novella   Silkise   and   there   are   ghosts   there.”

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        "Ghosts?   Who   said   so?"

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        "It’s   true．Her   nanny   died   of   fright.”

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        "Really?   How   did   you   know?"

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        "They   had   another   man   servant,   a   gardener   or   something   called   Jamaz．He   also   saw   it   and   was   so   scared   he   fell   and   hurt   himself．He   is   still   in   the   hospital   with   a   broken   leg   and   a   bad   concussion.   The   next   day   Novella   disappeared．The   police   are   still   looking   into   this.”   Dimitri’s   first   impulse   was   to   laugh,   but   then   he   realized   it   was   no   laughing   matter,   as   it   had   serious   consequences．One   woman   was   dead   and   a   man   was   hospitalized．Then   he   told   himself   wonderingly   that   all   that   really   happened   and   wasn’t   a   dream   as   he   had   thought．

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        "Oh,   you   don’t   have   to   worry   about   Novella．She’s   in   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams.”

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        "What   Kingdom   of   Dreams?   This   is   the   second   time   you’ve   mentioned   it   tonight.”

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"Anyway，there’s   no   such   things   as   ghosts．There   must   be   more   to   it   at   your   neighbor’s   place   than   meets   the   eye.”

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        "I   suspect   there   are   ghosts   in   my   house   too”   contined   Romi   after   a   pause.   “When   I   close   my   eyes,   I   seem   to   see   a   bloodless   face   with   two   red   holes   for   eyes   and   blood-stained   teeth..."   and   she   shivered．

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        "Gosh!"   thought   Dimitri   appalled，"That’s   my   masquerade!"

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        "When   night   falls,   that   apparition   is   always   on   my   mind   and   I   am   afraid   to   be   alone．I   would   try   to   stay   at   my   friends   houses   for   as   long   as   possible,   until   I   really   feel   I   was   outstaying   my   welcome,   and   then   come   home   late   at   night,   still   scared．Tonight,   thanks   to   you,   I   don’t   have   to   go   out   for   company.”   Dimitri   drank   some   wine   and   thought   he   had   to   do   something   about   that．

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        "I   think   you   have   appendicitis.”

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        "Appendicitis?   Nonsense!   There’s   nothing   wrong   with   my   intestines．It’s   my   mind   I’m   worried   about．These   terrible   hallucinations!"

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"So   long   as   you   know   they’re   hallucinations,   the   problem   will   not   be   hard   to   resolve．From   my   point   of   view,   our   mind   though   abstract,   are   nonetheless   a   genuine   organ   like   the   other   organs   of   the   body．If   you   have   appendicitis，you   can   have   it   surgically   extracted．If   something   is   wrong   with   your   mind，you   need   to   have   it   extracted   or   exorcised，too.”     Romi   was   listening   attentively，her   large   blue   eyes   alive   with   understanding．

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"Our   flesh   body   needs   coordination   of   nerves，bones   and   flesh   to   keep   its   physical   equilibrium．So   it   is   with   the   mind．   It   needs   the   interaction   and   mutual   restraint   of   quite   a   few   elements   to   ensure   mental   equilibrium   or   stability．I   won’t   go   into   detail   on   the   psychological   aspect，since   we   are   not   writing   a   thesis．Let’s   put   it   this   way：When   birds   fly，they   need   both   wings   to   keep   their   equilibrium．If   one   wing   is   hurt，their   flight   would   become   lopsided．If   your   mind   is   hurt，your   behavior   and   actions，too，would   become   abnormal．So，in   order   to   find   the   knot   to   your   problem   and   disentangle   it,   you   must   adventure   into   the   depth   of   your   mind   and   soul.”     Romi   listened   reflectively．

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"Analysis   of   the   mind   cannot   be   separated   from   that   of   the   body．When   the   mind   is   disturbed，the   origin   or   cause   can   always   be   found   in   the   body．I   don’t   mean   there’s   anything   wrong   with   you   physically,   but   at   some   time   or   other,   the   body   must   have   been   exposed   to   some   event,   experience   or   circumstance   that   it   came   into   conflict   with   or   couldn’t   accept．   That   would   reflect   on   the   mind   as   mental   instability   or   abnormality．When   did   that   ghost   begin   to   haunt   you,   Romi?"

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        "Soon   after   my   third   marriage.”

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"Can   you   try   to   analyze   what   that   ghost   represents?"   Romi   understood   his   point   and   was   lost   in   thought．

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In   the   kitchen，the   dishwasher   was   working   noisily，the   washer   in   the   laundry   room   was   churning   on   and   the   vacuum   cleaner   was   being   recharged   in   the   corner   of   the   living   room．   Outside   the   window,   the   storm   had   abated   somewhat,   but   the   rain   continued   to   pour   down．This   was   the   fifth   consecutive   year   of   draught   and   the   trees   and   flowers   parched   with   thirst   for   water，lifted   their   arms   in   exuberance   at   this   much   needed   nectar   from   heaven．They   needed   rain   to   live   and   grow   just   as   the   indoor   appliances   needed   electricity   to   work．Romi   lay   quietly   on   the   couch   in   the   den,   hands   clasped   behind   her   head，deep   in   contemplation   and   retrospection.   Dimitri   was   sprawled   on   another   sofa,   congratulating   himself   in   self-satisfaction   that   he   had   led   Romi   onto   the   way   to   healthy   self   analysis．Her   beautifully   formed   full   breasts,   half   concealed   by   her   revealing   bathrobe，taunted   him   and   he   felt   an   uncontrollable   surge   of   primitive   desire   and   lust   rising   again   like   a   bulking   horse   struggling   to   be   unleashed．He   pulled   tight   at   the   invisible   mental   rein   until   it   gradually   calmed   down，though   still   a   trifle   restless．Dimitri   had   full   confidence   in   his   self   control,   for   his   mind   and   his   body   had   worked   together   intimately   for   so   long   that   he   was   as   familiar   with   it   as   if   it   were   his   lifelong   spouse．He   knew   he   could   always   keep   it   in   restraint   and   not   let   it   get   out   of   bounds．

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Dimitri   could   control   his   body，but   not   his   imagination．   He   was   once   again   Mr．Finger,   lying   cozily   amid   Romi’s   luscious   brown   hair,   like   ginseng   nestling   in   the   deep   recesses   of   the   mountains,   partaking   of   the   essence   of   the   sun   and   moon,   inhaling   its   fresh   fragrance，feeling   it   was   one   of   life’s   greatest   enjoyments．Then   he   climbed   down   via   her   ear   onto   her   face．He   would   have   liked   to   kiss   her   sweet   mouth，but   it   was   too   big   for   him   and   dangerous   too，for   her   sparkling,   pearly   teeth   could   easily   bite   his   head   off．So   he   reluctantly   climbed   down   her   chin   and   swooped   gleefully   down   the   steep   valley   between   her   breasts．"Why!   The   geographical   layout   is   like   the   Twin   Peaks   in   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams!   Women’s   breasts   have   the   important   mission   of   feeding   the   young”   he   thought．”They   are   beautiful   and   sacred   and   should   not   be   linked   with   anything   profane”．Skidding   to   a   stop，he   walked   further   down   her   body   and   found   it   amusing   to   skip   and   jump   on   the   enormous   barren   square   of   an   abdomen，which   was   like   a   resounding   drum．   Then   he   came   to   her   private   place,   that   moist   tender   spot,   and   climbed   in   tentatively．Perhaps   Romi   thought   it   was   an   ant   crawling   on   the   tender   petal   of   a   beautiful   flower   and   her   body   shivered   slightly   in   reaction,   but   to   Mr.   Finger,   that   slight   shiver   was   like   an   earthquake．He   penetrated   into   her   vagina   and   her   womb   and   nestled   there,   reminiscing   on   his   experience   as   a   fetus．

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"Sexual   organs   are   sacred   because   of   their   function   of   proliferation”   he   thought     “Why   is   it   that   they   are   always   connected   with   profanity?   If   Romi   clamped   her   beautiful   long   legs   tightly   together,   I   would   suffocate．   No,   she   wouldn’t   do   that!   She   is   like   the   marble   statue   of   a   goddess,   running   joyfully   towards   the   sun．Like   the   goddess,   she   is   to   be   admired   and   worshipped   from   afar,   and   should   not   be   desecrated.”     The   atmosphere   in   the   den   was   heavy,   as   each   was   deeply   immersed   in   his   or   her   own   thoughts．Romi   broke   the   silence   by   her   exclamation，

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        "Ah!   I   know   now．The   ghost   in   my   thought   is   my   third   husband．Would   you   like   to   hear   my   story,   Dimitri?"

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"My   pleasure   ma’am,   if   you   would   like   to   tell   me.”

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        One   Friday   afternoon，as   Romi   left   her   office   building   for   the   parking   lot   to   get   her   car，she   suddenly   remembered   she   should   call   her   lawyer   to   ask   about   the   divorce   proceedings   with   her   second   husband．She   stopped   at   the   pay   phone   and   was   happy   to   learn   that   all   was   going   smoothly．She   noticed   a   man   pacing   to   and   fro   before   the   booth,   but   getting   all   the   details   of   the   divorce   took   some   time．So   when   she   came   out,   she   smiled   at   the   man   and   said，

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        "I’m   sorry   to   have   taken   so   long,   but   the   call   was   important.”

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        "I’m   not   waiting   to   make   a   call．It’s   you   I   was   waiting   for.”   Romi   was   not   a   girl   to   be   easily   picked   up,   but   the   man   was   tall,   dark   and   handsome   and   she   happened   to   be   in   good   spirits．His   large   soulful   eyes   were   full   of   expression   and   he   had   a   wonderful   physique，strongly   built，but   not   overly   muscular．In   a   word，the   man   radiated   aggressive，masculine   attraction．They   soon   got   married   after   a   whirlwind   courtship．   Romi   knew   in   her   heart   that   she   was   playing   with   fire,   that   AIlen   was   not   a   wise   choice．He   was   like   a   ball   of   fire，fascinating   and   enchanting   to   look   at   from   afar,   but   if   you   got   too   near   it，you   would   surely   be   burnt．But   she   could   not   escape   his   magnetic   personality．He   was   extremely   attentive   and   could   always   make   her   laugh   and   have   a   good   time．Of   the   one   hundred   couples   of   honeymooners   on   board   the   Love   Boat   on   their   cruise   to   Mexico，they   were   the   most   attractive   pair，the   most   envied．On   the   dance   floor，they   were   the   center   of   attention   where   all   eyes   were   focused．Romi   loved   dancing   but   seldom   found   a   compatible   partner．In   Allen，who   could   execute   the   most   intricate   steps   with   style   and   aplomb，she   found   the   ideal   dancing   partner．They   danced   the   night   away   and   Romi   was   deliriously   happy．

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        But   once   they   were   back   home   and   settled   down   to   their   everyday   life，Allen’s   true   colors   came   to   light．He   considered   himself   an   artist,   and   as   such   had   no   stable   job．Romi   came   to   realize   that   underneath   that   handsome,   glittering   exterior   there   was   no   talent,   so   he   could   only   get   short   sporadic   bookings   at   second-rate   nightclubs，and   that   only   because   of   his   handsome   face，magnificent   physique   and   socializing   skills   which   attracted   some   patrons．He   spent   Romi’s   money   freely   as   a   matter   of   course   and   would   steal   from   her   purse   when   he   needed   money．But   every   time   he   had   sex   with   her,   he   would   pay   her   $500．At   first，Romi   was   angry，but   Allen   explained   that   it   was   just   his   way   of   expressing   his   satisfaction   at   having   such   a   wonderful   wife．   Sometimes   they   made   love   more   than   once   a   day,   he   would   invariably   pay   up   and   say   "Hey   look   how   much   money   you   made   today!"     He   may   take   the   money   from   her   purse   later   on   to   spend   on   wine   or   cards,   but   he   always   paid   her．Romi   got   so   used   to   it   that   once   when   he   failed   to   do   so,   she   asked   him   for   it．   Allen   knew   then   that   Romi   was   hooked   and   had   been   brain   washed   to   connect   money   with   sex   until   it   became   a   natural   reaction．He   used   a   dog   trainer’s   methods   of   rewarding   certain   actions   with   prizes   to   instill   a   call   girl’s   mentality   into   his   wife．He   would   bring   men   friends   home   and   then   leave   them   alone   with   Romi．When   she   repulsed   their   advances，they   would   huff   up   and   leave．Allen’s   reaction   to   this   was   quick   and   terrible．His   once   soulful   eyes   would   turn   sharp   and   cruel   as   an   eagle   and   he   would   beat   her   up．But   she   never   gave   in．After   every   such   scene,   he   would   come   home   to   her,   repentant,   with   flowers   in   his   hand,   every   inch   the   passionate   lover   again．Romi   could   never   resist   him   and   they   would   kiss   and   make   up．Once   she   confronted   him   with   a   love   letter   from   Stephen,   who   obviously   was   his   male   lover．Allen   flew   into   a   rage   and   beat   her   till   she   was   black   and   blue．But   the   next   day,   he   apologized   and   treated   her   like   a   queen．Romi   got   used   to   this   routine   of   being   abused   and   then   making   up．She   learnt   to   bear   molestation   just   for   the   reward   of   reconciliation   and   getting   back   her   Prince   Charming，that   handsome，suave，sensitive   lover   she   fell   in   love   with．Thus,   she   was   being   trained   to   become   an   obedient   hen   that   laid   golden   eggs．

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        Romi   finished   her   painful   narration   and   cried，

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        "Dimitri!   I   can’t   stand   it   any   more．He’s   got   me   jumping   through   hoops   like   a   trained   animal   and   I   know   I’m   walking   step   by   step   into   the   trap   that   handsome   devil   has   set   for   me．   What   shall   I   do?"     Dimitri   took   a   cigarette   from   the   box   on   the   coffee   table,   lit   it   up   and   inhaled   deeply．He   puffed   out   the   smoke   leisurely   and   said，

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"I   cannot   give   you   any   definite   suggestions   at   this   point   because   anything   I   say   may   affect   your   marriage   and   I   do   not   want   to   harm   your   marital   relations   in   any   way．What   I   can   do   is   to   tell   you   my   views   on   life   for   your   reference.”     He   took   out   another   cigarette   and   handed   it   to   Romi．She   did   not   smoke   normally,   but   she   took   it．Dimitri   lighted   it   for   her，and   paused   thoughtfully   for   a   while   before   going   on．

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"Basically   it   is   a   question   of   how   to   control   and   use   your   flesh   body．For   several   million   years,   our   flesh   body   has   remained   about   the   same，with   some   external   changes，still   the   noblest   of   animals．   From   the   human   brain   came   thought，invisible   and   intangible，and   it   exists   and   works   like   any   other   organ   of   the   body．Its   function   is   similar   to   that   of   the   rein   which   controls   a   wild   horse．On   a   larger   scale，it   is   a   nation’s   culture   and   tradition,   which   controls   life   and   habits   of   its   people．   On   a   smaller   scale，the   individual’s   thoughts   control   his   or   her   words   and   actions.”     Dimitri   continued   smoking   and   blowing   out   rings，while   Romi   listened   attentively,   taking   occasional   puffs   at   the   cigarette   which   she   held   between   her   fingers   in   an   elegant   and   charming   pose．

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"The   forming   of   the   rein   is   a   complex   process   and   different   with   every   person．For   some   it   may   be   adventurous,   for   other   torturous,   much   like   an   oyster   that   turns   an   irritation   into   a   pearl.     If   you   pull   the   rein   too   tight,   the   wild   horse   would   snap   the   rein   and   bolt．But   if   the   rein   is   too   lax,   there   is   no   restriction   at   all.   How   to   hit   the   ideal   combination,   neither   too   tight   not   too   lax,   differs   with   the   individual.   For   a   human   being,   a   rein   that   is   too   tight   means   a   barren   and   uninteresting   life,   whereas   a   lax   rein   would   entail   abuse   of   our   miraculous   flesh   body．   If   you   learn   to   tighten   and   loosen   the   rein   at   the   right   time，the   results   would   be   positive   and   you   will   be   happy   and   optimistic，but   any   misuse   would   make   the   rein   the   motive   for   crime   and   a   tool   for   sin.”     Dimitri   took   a   last   long   drag   on   his   cigarette   and   stubbed   it   out．Romi   followed   suit．

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"For   you   Romi，it   is   also   a   question   of   the   horse   and   the   rein．You   find   it   hard   to   withstand   external   temptation   and   coercion，so   you   sell   your   body   for   a   high   price,   bodily   pleasure   and   money．Your   rein   wants   to   take   control   of   this   runaway   situation，but   your   body   revolts   and   tends   to   bolt．Thus,   there   is   a   tug   and   wrestle   between   the   two．That   is   your   problem,   which   is   one   that   most   people   face   at   some   time   in   their   lives．If   you   let   go,   you   know   very   well   that   the   disastrous   result   would   be   violation   of   your   beautiful   body．Your   problem   now   is   how   to   skillfully   maneuver   that   wild   horse，tighten   the   rein，control   and   tame   it.”   Dimitri   stopped   talking   and   silence   again   reigned   in   the   room,   broken   only   by   the   pitter-patter   of   the   falling   rain．Romi   seemed   to   be   caught   up   in   the   whirlpool   of   her   own   thoughts．

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        Dimitri   had   not   rested   all   day   and   was   feeling   tired   and   sleepy．The   prickly   pain   in   his   eyes   was   worsening   and   tears   rolled   unbidden   down   his   cheeks．He   quickly   wiped   them   away,   but   that   slight   gesture   did   not   escape   the   sensitive   eyes   of   his   hostess．

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        "What’s   the   matter   Dimitri?   Are   your   eyes   hurting   again?"

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        "I’m   afraid   so．I   think   I’d   better   go   home   and   rest,”

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        "It’s   still   raining   outside．Why   don’t   you   stay   here   for   the   night?   The   guest   room   is   ready.”

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"Thank   you   so   much   Romi.”   She   led   the   way   and   after   seeing   him   get   into   bed,   she   busied   herself   straightening   the   sheets   and   blankets   to   make   sure   that   he   was   comfortable．Dimitri   could   not   control   himself．His   hands   strayed   up   and   stroked   the   soft，elastic   breasts，half   exposed   beneath   the   bathrobe．Romi   did   not   repulse   him.   She   only   said   mildly，

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"Don’t   forget   I’m   still   somebody’s   wife．Better   tighten   your   reins,   jockey!"   and   gently   tucked   his   hand   under   the   sheet．She   then   softly   kissed   him   on   his   cheek   and   said，"Sweet   dreams.”   At   the   door   she   turned   and   said，"By   the   way，if   you   hear   anything   tonight,   just   don’t   pay   any   attention   to   it   and   go   back   to   sleep.”

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Romi   glanced   at   the   clock   in   the   living   room．   It   was   only   10:30   p.m.     She   emptied   the   ash   trays   and   dusted   the   coffee   table．At   10:32   p.m.   she   paced   up   and   down   the   room   restlessly   but   quietly．It   was   still   early   and   there   was   no   knowing   whether   Allen   would   be   coming   home．Somehow,   she   loathed   the   idea   of   seeing   him   tonight．Usually   if   he   wasn’t   home   by   12:30，he   wouldn’t   be   coming   at   all,   but   she   wouldn’t   know   for   another   two   hours．Going   to   the   laundry   room，she   took   the   clothes   out   of   the   dryer   and   began   folding   them   neatly   and   stacking   them   in   different   piles.   Meanwhile,   the   events   of   her   past   life   flashed   through   her   mind．Now   cool   and   collected,   she   was   able   to   sort   them   out   methodically   into   different   categories．   As   she   folded   Dimitri’s   clothes,   she   pondered   on   what   a   strange   man   he   was．The   way   he   analyzed   what   the   ghost   represented   to   her   and   his   metaphor   about   the   rein   and   the   horse   was   a   profound   philosophy   of   life   and   had   deep   psychological   meaning，not   at   all   the   normal   conversation   with   an   uneducated   hired   hand．He   pinpointed   her   problem   at   once   and   diagnosed   it   logically   and   soundly．He   was   a   strange   man   indeed！10∶45．Still   early．She   softly   turned   the   knob   and   went   into   the   guest   room，laying   Dimitri’s   clothes   on   the   chair   by   the   door．Outside,   it   was   windy   and   raining，but   in   the   cozy   little   room   filled   with   soft   rhythmic   snoring,   all   seemed   to   be   in   perfect   harmony．Leaning   against   the   door，she   looked   silently   at   the   sleeping   form．Sleep   was   indeed   the   happiest   of   time   when   one   knows   no   turmoil   or   trouble．Life   is   only   the   passive   repetition   of   events   leading   to   the   last   sleep   and   eternal   peace．In   the   skies   the   changes   of   night   and   day   succeeded   each   other   and   life   goes   on   -   wake   and   sleep，wake   and   sleep   in   the   same   repetitious   cycle．Dimitri   kept   mentioning   Kingdom   of   Dreams,   which   seemed   to   be   a   secluded   paradise   which   Romi   would   give   everything   to   be   able   to   visit．Perhaps   the   union   of   her   body   with   his   may   be   the   only   route   to   his   Kingdom．   Lying   between   the   freshly   laundered   sheets   which   gave   forth   a   crispy   fragrance,   with   a   beautiful   young   woman   by   his   side   tending   to   his   wants,   Dimitri   felt   as   if   he   was   floating   on   clouds   and   soon   fell   fast   asleep．

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In   the   blurry   obscurity   of   subconsciousness,   the   moon   rose   gradually   from   behind   the   mountains,   casting   a   distinct   profile   on   the   surface   of   the   lake．The   rise   and   fall   of   the   mountain   ranges   looked   like   a   gigantic   Titan   lying   inert   and   helpless   on   the   ground．His   sinewy   muscles   had   stores   of   infinite   might,   power   and   energy．Having   lain   there   for   ages，he   seemed   to   long   to   stretch   and   turn   over,   but   being   paralyzed   he   can   no   longer   lift   even   a   finger．His   muscles   taunted   in   this   futile   attempt．On   the   opposite   bank   of   the   lake,   a   nude   woman   knelt   washing   her   long   hair   in   the   crystal   clear   water．After   vigorously   rubbing   it   dry   with   a   towel，she   twisted   it   loosely   into   a   knot   at   the   back   of   her   head   and   stood   up．Ah!   it   was   Lotus．Her   beautiful   face   fully   revealed   under   the   bright   moonlight．She   stood   there，head   raised   to   the   moon，muscles   so   relaxed   that   they   seemed   to   be   pulled   by   the   gravity   of   the   earth   onto   the   ground．She   seemed   to   hear   strains   of   music   in   the   sky,   but   when   she   stopped   to   listen   intently，it   was   gone．But   after   a   while，the   elusive   melody   appeared   again，starting   as   an   indistinct   murmur   and   then   rising   slowly   to   a   full   rhythm．She   began   moving   her   arms   and   legs   with   a   sluggish   slowness，which   had   no   ratio   to   ordinary   movements.   It   was   as   though   she   was   under   atmospheric   pressure   ten   times   greater   than   normal．But   on   the   other   hand，her   languid   movements   were   like   floating   cloud．If   isolated   into   postures,   each   would   resemble   the   poise   of   a   tree;   but   linked   together   they   were   graceful   as   the   willow   swaying   in   the   spring   breeze．The   full   moon   shone   brightly   as   she   continued   moving，casting   her   elongated   shadow   on   the   ground，making   her   appear   to   be   an   ethereal   genie，the   magical   congealment   of   the   luminescent   moonlight．Her   movements   were   smooth   and   flowing   as   the   water，seeming   to   narrate   the   process   of   the   creation   of   the   earth   and   its   elements．Time   was   frozen   until   she   gradually   stopped．She   stood   there   for   a   second   and   then   walked   back   to   her   hut．The   contact   of   her   bare   feet   with   the   grass   and   soil   was   extremely   soothing．She   was   perspiring   slightly，so   she   sat   by   her   window   softly   fanning   herself．The   unhindered   blood   flow   cruising   through   her   body   gave   her   a   feeling   of   warm，lazy   comfort．The   feeling   brought   back   memories   that   she   had   when   she   sat   under   the   winter   sun   in   the   fishing   village，watching   her   grandfather   mending   the   net．He   was   an   expert   astrologer   and   looking   at   the   myriads   of   twinkling   stars   in   the   sky,   she   wondered   which   one   he   had   turned   into．

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        Just   then,   two   bright   lanterns   were   seen   bobbing   their   way   to   the   hut．The   slender   shadows   cast   on   the   ground   were   all   the   slimmer   because   they   were   unhampered   by   clothes．In   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams,   no   camouflage   was   needed．Everything   was   naive   and   simple   as   nature   itself．As   Lotus   went   out   to   greet   her   guests,   she   heard   Novella   and   Elina   hailing   her   from   afar，

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        "Lotus!   We   saw   you   dancing   in   the   moonlight．It   was   beautiful!"

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        "We   enjoyed   it   so   much   we   decided   to   come   over   and   tell   you   so．It   was   really   exquisite.”   Lotus   welcomed   her   visitors   into   the   straw   hut   and   taking   the   water   boiling   on   the   stove   in   the   corner,   poured   each   of   them   a   cup   of   fragrant   jasmine   tea．

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        "I   wasn’t   really   dancing,   you   know．I   was   just   moving   my   body.”

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        "You   mean   you   were   exercising?   That’s   good   for   your   health.”

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"No，Elina．I   wasn’t   exactly   exercising．I   was   thinking   why   should   every   movement   of   our   body   be   controlled   by   the   brain   from   birth   to   death?   It   isn’t   really   necessary   as   the   body   has   its   own   momentum．I   was   just   trying   to   make   my   brain   stop   working   and   liberate   my   body,   letting   it   move   as   it   liked,   free   from   inhibition"   A   sweet   high-pitched   voice   resounded   in   the   night,   breaking   into   their   conversation．Lotus   looked   out   of   the   window   and   saw   the   shadow   of   a   boat   in   the   distance．

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"That’s   Deanna!"   she   exclaimed．Taking   the   lantern   from   Novella’s   hand,   she   walked   out   to   the   edge   of   the   lake   and   signaled   with   it．The   boat   turned   its   course   and   came   towards   the   lantern．As   it   got   near   the   bank，the   form   of   a   nude   woman   dived   into   the   water   and   swam   to   shore．As   she   climbed   out   of   the   lake，the   water   trickled   down   her   back   as   it   would   off   a   duck’s   back   and   she   was   perfectly   dry．The   two   naked   women   walked   hand   in   hand   into   the   hut．

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"Deanna，I   want   to   introduce   you   to   two   new   companions，Novella   and   Elina，who   just   got   here   recently．I’m   sure   you   will   like   them.”

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Deanna:

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        After   the   introductions，Novella   and   Elina   could   not   keep   their   eyes   off   the   natural   beauty   of   the   native   girl   with   her   strong,   healthy,   perfectly   proportioned   body   and   extremely   slender   waist,   which   twisted   like   a   snake,   reminding   one   of   its   litheness，strength   and   speed．The   four   of   them   sat   down   around   the   log   table．Deanna   smiled   and   said，

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        "Oh!   The   two   of   you   are   new   here．Let   me   offer   you   a   small   present   to   welcome   you   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams．They   are   my   latest   acquisitions.’     Saying   so,   she   untied   the   string   from   around   her   waist   and   opened   the   pouch   which   hung   from   it   by   her   right   hip．She   selected   two   large，perfectly   formed   pearls,   each   the   size   of   a   lichee   and   handed   them   to   the   two   newcomers   from   the   western   civilized   world．Novella   was   fascinated．She   kept   exclaiming   over   the   size,   texture,   luster,   beauty   and   perfection   of   the   pearls,   the   likes   of   which   she   had   never   seen   before．Elina   loved   the   pearls   too,   but   she   said，

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        "Deanna，thank   you   very   much   but   we   couldn’t   possibly   accept   them   because   they’re   too   precious   and   expensive．Why,   it   must   be   worth   a   lot   of   money.”

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        Deanna   was   a   native   of   the   region，one   of   the   rare，now   almost   extinct   areas   untouched   by   civilization   and   had   never   been   to   the   outside   world，so   she   was   mystified   by   Elina’s   question．Her   large   naive   eyes,   bright   as   the   stars,   looked   at   Lotus   inquiringly   and   asked，

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        "Money?   What’s   money,   Lotus?"

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        "It’s   something   the   outside   world   uses   to   calculate   the   price   or   value   of   a   thing.”

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        "Oh，my   dear   visitors   from   the   western   world，pearls   are   plentiful   here   and   aren’t   worth   anything．Nobody   bothers   to   get   them．I   do   so   because   pearl   diving   is   a   hobby   with   me.”

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        "It’s   true"   said   Lotus．"Take   them．Deanna   gets   them   all   the   time．As   a   matter   of   fact，why   don’t   we   take   them   pearl   diving   one   of   these   days，Deanna?   Then   you   two   can   see   the   lake   is   full   of   oysters,   though   not   all   the   pearls   are   as   perfectly   shaped   as   the   ones   she   collects.”

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        That   being   the   case,   Elina   and   Novella   thanked   Deanna   and   accepted   their   presents   graciously．They   sipped   their   tea   appreciatively，and   after   a   while   Elina   turned   to   her   hostess   and   asked，

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        "I   heard   you   talking   about   liberating   the   body   from   the   control   of   the   mind．That’s   a   very   interesting   idea．How   did   you   ever   come   to   think   of   it?"     Lotus   was   silent   for   a   moment,   for   it   was   too   complicated   a   question   to   answer   in   a   few   words．Then   she   said，

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        "We   can   understand   the   movements   of   the   body   are   directed   and   controlled   by   the   brain．But   in   reality，man’s   behavior   is   like   a   puppet   on   a   string，controlled   by   thought，which   in   turn   is   manipulated   by   invisible   and   unpredictable   ideas．But   what   is   the   force   that   controls   the   string?   That   is   what   I   mean   by   sacred   ideas．These   ideas   are   different   from   the   unconscious   state,   which   is   like   an   ocean．A   lot   of   fishes   swim   here   and   there   in   its   waters，just   as   thoughts   flit   through   man’s   mind，confused，disorderly   and   thereby   useless．The   idea   I’m   alluding   to,   can   control   thought   and   at   certain   times   can   make   you   do   certain   things．Man’s   life   runs   like   a   clock，pre-wound   and   preset．It   is   as   accurate   and   orderly   as   the   rotation   of   the   heavenly   bodies   on   its   orbit.”   Realizing   that   her   audience   seemed   lost   and   weren’t   quite   following   her,   Lotus   paused   to   reorganize   her   explanations．

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        "Let’s   put   it   this   way．The   gravitation   of   the   moon   directly   influences   the   morning   and   evening   tides．It   also   affects   half   the   population   of   the   world   as   it   controls   women’s   menstrual   period   by   its   fullness   and   waning．So   if   the   moon   can   be   associated   with   the   physical   state   of   mankind,   why   is   it   so   inconceivable   that   the   other   planets   can   also   influence   man’s   thoughts?   That   is   what   I   mean   by   sacred   ideas.”

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        "Then   what   you   mean   is   fate!"

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        "You   can   say   so   in   a   way．But   King   Dimitri   does   not   like   the   word   fate．He   only   acknowledges   the   existence   of   ideas   within   the   universe   that   can   directly   control   man’s   thoughts   and   actions．My   desire   to   free   my   flesh   body   from   the   influences   of   the   mind   is   actually   a   revolt   against   restrictions   of   this   dominant   and   mysterious   force.”

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        The   silence   around   the   table   was   broken   by   Novella,   who   exclaimed，

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        "Oh,   look!   There’re   lanterns   coming   over   at   the   Twin   Peaks!"   They   all   watched   the   lanterns   moving   briskly   across   the   draw   bridge．

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        "Oh，that’s   Ileen．She   always   works   at   night.”

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        "Who   is   Ileen?”

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        "She   is   like   the   general   manager   of   the   palace   and   runs   everything．She   also   takes   care   of   King   Dimitri’s   huge   financial   empire   in   his   absence   with   a   staff   to   help   her．That’s   them．"

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        As   they   looked，the   shadows   of   the   gigantic   mountain   seemed   to   be   straining   and   struggling   futilely   to   move．The   gusty   winds   sounded   like   his   grunts   and   sighs．As   they   watched，an   enormous   bird   suddenly   swept   into   view   from   the   mountain   where   it   normally   inhabits   and   stirred   up   gales   of   motion   as   it   flashed   by   under   the   moonlight．

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        "Oh，that’s   Medusa!"   cried   Deanna   in   a   panic   and   her   rosy   cheeks   lost   their   color   at   the   mere   thought   of   the   monster．She   hid   herself   behind   Lotus,   who   pulled   the   girl   into   her   arms   and   tried   to   soothe   her   saying，

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        "She   won’t   hurt   you.”

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        "Medusa?"   cried   Novella   and   Elina   incredulously．

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        “Yes,   I   see   that   you   westerners   are   familiar   with   her   story．That’s   Medusa   who   had   been   reborn   and   is   now   the   guardian   of   this   Kingdom   of   Dreams.”   said   Lotus   as   she   patted   Deanna   comfortingly   on   the   shoulder．All   four   women   squeezed   together   at   the   window，watching   the   enormous   bird   fly   towards   the   Administrative   Building   on   the   right   peak．

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"I   think   something   is   about   to   happen,”   said   Lotus．

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Dimitri   woke   suddenly   from   his   dreams   with   a   sense   of   uneasiness．His   sleepy   eyes   saw   the   dawnlight   just   beginning   to   peep   through   the   darkness   of   the   night．All   seemed   quiet   and   serene   and   he   did   not   know   the   cause   of   his   sudden   awakening．This   had   never   happened   before,   and   he   felt   a   foreboding   that   all   was   not   well．Feeling   something   warm   on   his   chest，he   threw   back   his   bedcover   and   was   even   more   alarmed   when   he   stared   with   disbelief   at   the   nude   form   of   his   hostess   lying   sideways   beside   him   sound   asleep,   her   beautiful   manicured   hands   on   his   chest.     Unwilling   to   awaken   her,   he   gently   covered   her   up   and   then   found   that   his   legs   were   entwined   with   hers,   like   two   embracing   trees   planted   side   by   side   whose   roots   were   so   enmeshed   that   they   were   hard   to   untangle．He   lay   there   quiet   and   motionless，enjoying   the   serene   calm   and   felt   as   if   he   was   in   a   huge   virgin   forest，where   for   millions   of   years   no   human   footsteps   had   reached   and   few   birds   visited．As   he   lay   there   enjoying   the   tranquillity   of   the   moment，he   felt   a   sense   of   peace   and   wished   he   could   remain   so   forever，letting   night   turn   into   day   and   day   slip   into   night   in   an   unending   natural   cycle．Without   the   contrast   of   beginning   and   end，the   progress   of   time   in   this   primitive   forest，covered   by   a   thick   morning   fog，was   so   slow   that   it   seemed   to   be   nonexistent．He   felt   a   slight   movement   on   his   chest．It   was   Romi’s   hands   flickering   restlessly．Then   the   beautiful   nude   goddess   opened   her   eyes．When   she   met   Dimitri’s   questioning   gaze,   she   heard   him   ask   softly"Why?"   Romi   smiled   shyly,   looked   hastily   away   and   made   no   answer,   but   her   fingers   continued   to   roam   up   and   down   his   chest   and   abdomen   charmingly．She   felt   that   this   man   lying   beside   her   was   not   so   handsome   as   her   three   husbands．His   broad   chest   did   not   have   bulging   muscles   and   his   legs   were   short   though   strong,   but   mysterious   powers   radiated   from   his   mundane   body．In   his   blood   flowed   the   primitive   wildness   of   the   caveman,   his   brain   was   equipped   with   the   most   advanced   knowledge   of   modern   civilization   and   his   breath   gave   forth   a   profound   mysticism．

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"No   reason,”   she   finally   answered．"My   flesh   body   has   been   tamed   by   an   invisible   rein   and   I   was   willing   to   accept   discipline.”   There   was   really   nothing   more   to   be   said,   both   afraid   to   break   the   tranquillity   of   the   quietness   before   dawn,   the   silence   that   had   existed   in   the   primitive   forest   for   millions   of   years．A   stout   twig   on   one   of   the   embracing   trees   shot   towards   the   sky   and   a   longtailed   bird   with   magnificent   feathers   got   hold   of   it．It   was   well   that   wood   had   no   nerves,   or   the   sharp   claws   of   the   bird   would   cause   the   whole   tree   to   shiver．Romi’s   beautiful   hand   kept   moving   teasingly   up   and   down   until   Dimitri   subconsciously   wished   it   would   go   still   lower．The   hand,   as   if   obeying   the   unspoken   command,   was   about   to   venture   lower   when   a   growling   sound   was   heard   coming   from   Dimitri’s   stomach   and   both   of   them   laughed．

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"Are   you   hungry?   Would   you   like   something   to   eat?"

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"Yes”   he   answered   and   they   got   up   and   put   on   their   robes   in   the   grayness   of   early   dawn．

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        Since   he   knew   not   when,   the   rain   had   started   again,   splattering   down   from   eaves   onto   the   cement   doorway   below．   In   the   grayness   of   dawn,   the   rows   of   houses   across   the   street   seemed   to   bow   their   heads   submissively   and   let   the   rain   wash   over   them．Dimitri   sat   by   the   table   in   a   corner   of   the   dining   room   sipping   the   wine,   watching   the   rain   scene,   enjoying   the   calm   and   quiet   before   daybreak．Romi   was   busy   in   the   kitchen   preparing   breakfast．From   the   perspective   of   the   sounds   coming   from   the   area，her   footsteps，the   running   water，the   clanking   and   clashing   of   pots   and   pans，Dimitri   could   mentally   conjure   up   visions   of   her   bodily   movements．This   was   one   of   the   skills   he   had   learnt   from   Miss   Mindy，at   least   that   was   what   he   thought   her   name   was．He   had   forgotten．She   was   an   instructor   from   the   State   Department   of   Rehabilitation   where   he   had   enrolled   to   learn   mobility   skills   two   years   ago,   when   he   learnt   he   would   soon   go   blind．She   taught   him   how   to   tell   direction   and   distinguish   speed   of   movement   and   height，so   that   whenever   he   heard   a   sound，it   was   almost   a   physical   impact   on   his   body   and   he   could   accurately   tell   its   source,   height,   speed   and   velocity．She   used   to   blindfold   him，give   him   a   white   cane   and   take   him   to   all   kinds   of   streets，busy   or   quiet   ones，to   practice．One   day，he   bumped   into   an   iron   pole   and   learnt   the   lesson   that   it   was   easy   to   avoid   things   that   emitted   sounds,   while   with   mobile   objects   one   had   to   concentrate   all   attention   on   walking   and   not   let   one’s   thoughts   wander   as   his   tended   to   do．That   time   he   was   distracted   because   for   a   moment   he   lifted   the   slipshade   Miss   Mindy   had   put   over   his   eyes   for   practice   and   a   gust   of   wind   just   happened   to   blow   up   her   skirts,   revealing   her   beautiful   legs．Dimitri   hit   the   pole   because   he   was   thinking   of   those   legs   instead   of   concentrating   on   walking．He   was   laughing   hysterically   at   the   remembrance   when   Romi   came   into   the   room   with   his   breakfast   on   a   tray．

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"What   are   you   laughing   at,   Dimitri?"

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        "Nothing   much,”   he   replied   and   thought   not   without   a   sense   of   guilt   that   it   was   unfair   of   him   to   be   thinking   of   another   woman   while   he   was   with   his   lovely   hostess．They   sat   down   to   scrambled   eggs   with   sausage   and   hash   browns   and   wine．

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        "You   know,   you   were   talking   in   your   sleep   last   night.”

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        "I   was?   What   did   I   say?"

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        "You   mentioned   a   lot   of   women’s   names：Novella，Elina，Lotus，Deanna，Ileen   and   oh   yes，Medusa!   What   does   it   mean?"   Dimitri   kept   on   eating,   wondering   how   to   explain   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams   to   her．

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        "Is   Novella   the   Mrs   Silkise   who   lives   across   the   Lake?"

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        "Yes．She   is   now   in   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams.”

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        "This   is   the   third   time   you   have   mentioned   your   Kingdom   of   Dreams．What   kind   of   place   is   that?"

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        Dimitri   remained   silent，not   knowing   where   to   begin．The   rain   outside   seemed   to   be   strips   of   thread,   forming   a   mystical   web   shielding   their   windows．

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        "Deanna   seemed   to   be   afraid   of   Medusa．Why?     What   happened?"

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        "Do   you   really   want   to   know?   It’s   a   long   story   but   if   you   have   time   I’m   willing   to   tell   you   from   the   beginning.”   She   stopped   him   by   putting   her   fingers   to   her   lips   and   whispering   conspiratorially，

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"Sh...Why   don’t   you   let   me   go   there   and   see   for   myself?"   They   ate   hastily   and   finished   their   wine．Pushing   back   their   chairs,   they   went   to   the   bedroom．

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White   Fairy:

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The   rain   poured   down   amid   flashes   of   lightning   and   peals   of   thunder．It   was   as   if   God   was   once   more   angry   at   the   sins   of   man   and   was   sending   down   torrents   of   rain   to   wipe   out   all   traces   of   human   evil．But   Dimitri   and   Romi   locked   in   a   tight   embrace   were   oblivious   of   their   surroundings．Their   bed   was   like   Noah’s   Arc   floating   on   a   turbulent   sea．Romi   offered   her   petal-like   lips   to   Dimitri   and   when   their   four   lips   were   pressed   together，the   thunderstorm   raged   on   unheeded．All   mundane   sorrows   forgotten,   they   entered   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams．

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It   was   a   dark   windy   night   and   a   procession   of   glittering   lights   could   be   seen   making   their   way   towards   the   wide   expanse   of   water．This   was   Dimitri’s   first   visit   to   the   unnamed   wilderness   and   he   was   curious   to   know   what   was   going   on．Walking   towards   the   lights，he   found   to   his   surprise   that   a   group   of   natives   were   carrying   a   canoe   towards   the   lake．The   canoe   was   ornamented   on   both   sides   by   lighted   torches   which   illuminated   its   sole   occupant，   an   ashen   faced   naked   virgin,   staring   hopelessly   ahead   with   wild   frightened   eyes.   She   lay   there   inert，like   an   unscaled   fish，hypnotized   by   fear．Dimitri   walked   up   to   an   old   man   who   looked   like   the   chieftain   or   an   elder   and   asked，

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        "What   are   you   doing?   Is   this   some   kind   of   ritual   or   ceremony?"

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        "You   must   be   from   a   far   away   place   sir,   if   you   don’t   know   what   is   going   on．For   your   own   sake，I   would   advise   you   to   go   on   your   way   ,   as   it   would   be   better   if   you   knew   nothing．"

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        "I   am   just   a   passerby   and   will   soon   be   on   my   way,   but   I   am   curious   to   know   what   is   going   on．I   hope   it   is   not   human   sacrifice   you   are   offering.”   The   old   man   sighed   and   nodded   sorrowfully   in   acquiescence．

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        "Alas   sir,   there   is   a   huge   monster   on   the   top   of   Giant   Hill．If   we   did   not   bring   our   most   beautiful   virgin   every   year   and   offer   her   up   as   human   sacrifice，it   will   cause   terrible   disasters   and   many   more   lives   would   be   lost.”

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        "Really?   What   kind   of   monster   is   it?"

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"It   is   a   huge   bird   with   human   head   and   snakes   for   hair．Go，before   it   comes   down   for   its   yearly   sacrifice．We   will   be   leaving   soon   too.”     Turning   to   the   girl   he   said，

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"Good-bye   Deanna,   my   sweet   girl．It’s   a   pity   you   are   so   beautiful.”   Dimitri   looked   at   the   beautiful   girl   who   was   tearless   now,   and   too   petrified   to   move.   He   felt   a   pang   of   pity   for   it   was   inhuman   to   leave   such   a   beautiful   helpless   young   life   to   the   mercy   of   the   monster．

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        "Beauty   is   not   a   sin   and   should   not   be   punished   and   sacrificed   to   an   evil   monster.”

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        "But   beauty   is   her   undoing,   as   the   monster   will   take   only   the   most   beautilul   virgin   as   offering.”

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        "No"   said   Dimitri   "I   will   not   allow   this   to   happen.”

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"But   how   are   you   to   save   her,   sir?"   Taking   his   bow   and   arrow   from   his   back   and   his   sword   from   his   side   Dimitri   said,   "By   these.”

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        "Ah   sir，you   are   indeed   kindhearted   and   brave．But   for   almost   a   century   many,   many   young   men   had   tried   to   do   just   that   to   save   their   loved   ones.   They   only   died   in   vain.   The   monster   turns   people   into   stone   just   by   looking   at   them   with   its   evil   eyes.”

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        "My   mind   is   made   up．You   cannot   dissuade   me．I   cannot   stand   by   and   see   the   weak   and   the   helpless   sacrificed.”

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"You   are   a   stubborn   man.”   said   the   old   man,   with   respect   and   admiration   glimmering   in   his   eyes．"As   you   will   the   sir．I   wish   you   the   best   of   luck．If   by   a   miracle   you   succeed   in   ridding   us   of   this   monster,   you   would   have   saved   the   people   of   our   entire   area   and   we   will   make   you   our   sovereign   and   king．May   the   gods   bless   you.”   They   pushed   the   canoe   down   the   sloping   bank   into   the   water   and   Dimitri   went   down   with   it,   hiding   underwater   beneath   the   canoe．

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Dimitri   was   not   a   frivolous   man   who   rushed   rashly   into   the   unknown   if   he   was   not   confident   of   victory．His   assurance   of   success   lay   in   a   remarkable   adventure   he   had   that   very   afternoon   in   the   deep   recesses   of   those   mountains，when   he   acquired   his   bow,   arrow   and   sword．Dimitri   was   thirsty   from   wandering   and   longed   for   a   drink   when   he   caught   a   glimpse   of   the   yellow   walls   of   a   temple   in   the   densely   wooded   mountains．He   walked   up   to   it   and   knocked．To   his   surprise，a   monkey   came   to   answer   the   door   and   made   a   sign   of   religious   obeisance．  

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"I   am   a   passerby”’   said   Dimitri．”May   I   see   the   head   priest?   Is   he   in?"   The   monkey   pointed   to   a   cloud   in   the   sky，from   which   Dimitri   understood   the   head   priest   was   out,   wandering   like   a   drifting   cloud．

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"May   I   come   in?"   he   asked．In   reply,   the   monkey   stepped   aside   and   let   the   man   in．As   he   stepped   in,   Dimitri   was   surprised   to   see   monkeys   sweeping   the   courtyard．But   he   was   even   more   surprised   when   he   passed   the   study   and   saw   other   monkeys   reading   scriptures．He   was   in   the   corridor   walking   to   the   backyard   when,   to   his   surprise,   he   saw   a   beautiful   naked   girl，with   long   snow-white   hair,   washing   her   feet   by   the   stream．A   monkey   was   there   by   her   side，wiping   her   exquisite   feet   with   a   towel．

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        "Isn’t   that   the   flower   fairy   of   my   dream?   The   one   in   the   ballet   The   Bear   and   the   Butterfly?   But   she   is   only   a   character   in   the   ballet．I   never   expected   her   to   really   exist!"   White   Fairy   turned   her   head   and   saw   Dimitri   standing   there   transfixed．She   gave   him   a   captivating   smile   and   said，

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        "Ah!   You   are   finally   here．I’ve   been   waiting   for   you   for   a   long   time．Please   come   to   the   Zen   quarters   for   a   cup   of   tea.”   Saying   so,   she   walked   airily   towards   him   like   a   cloud，courteously   invited   him   into   her   antechamber   and   ordered   the   monkeys   to   bring   fresh   tea   and   fruit   for   her   guest．Curious,   Dimitri   asked，

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        "Forgive   me．I   do   not   know   how   to   call   you，sweet   fairy，but   I   was   looking   for   the   head   priest   of   this   temple.”

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        "I   am   the   head   priest.”

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        "Oh!   My   respects   to   you,   head   priest．I   hope   you   don’t   mind   my   coming   in   unannounced．But   I   am   curious   about   why   you   have   so   many   monkeys   for   disciples.”   White   Fairy   seemed   lost   in   a   pensive   retrospective   reverie   and   said，

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        "Years   ago，I   used   to   be   an   expert   hunter   with   bow   and   arrows．No   animal   could   escape   me．On   hearing   a   sound,   whether   it   was   the   flapping   of   wings   or   movement   in   the   grass，I   could   shoot   it   without   having   to   take   aim   and   never   missed．To   catch   live   monkeys,   I   used   fresh   fruit   as   bait   and   set   many   traps   in   the   forest,   but   the   next   day   the   bait   was   gone   and   the   traps   destroyed．I   had   found   my   opponent   of   equal   intelligence．I   was   very   angry   and   decided   to   get   even．So   I   set   my   traps   again   and   watched   nearby．One   day,   a   female   monkey   came   by，took   the   fruit   and   broke   my   traps．I   was   furious   and   shot   it   with   my   bow   and   arrow，killing   it   instantly．I   was   elated   for   getting   my   revenge,   threw   the   body   aside   and   went   home．But   when   I   went   to   set   the   traps   again   the   next   day,   the   dead   body   was   gone．Surprised   and   curious,   I   followed   the   tumbling   footsteps   and   blood   stains   on   the   grass   and   mud   until   I   came   to   a   tree．There   under   the   tree   was   the   dead   body   of   the   monkey   with   five   live   baby   monkeys   in   her   arms   and   tears   in   the   corner   of   her   eyes．She   had   come   out   to   look   for   food   for   her   babies．Even   in   death，she   crawled   back   to   her   children．Faced   with   the   consequences   of   the   slaughter，I   was   struck   with   remorse   and   decided   on   the   spot   to   give   up   my   profession   of   killing   and   spend   my   time   doing   good   deeds   and   raising   the   young   orphaned   monkeys．Those   are   the   monkeys   you   saw.”     Just   then,   some   eagles   circled   the   sky   above   as   if   seeking   to   descend.   A   monkey   climbed   up   the   tower   and   began   striking   the   bell   with   a   rod．The   air   resounded   with   peals   of   music,   elegant   and   soothing．

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        "It’s   time   for   prayer．Would   you   care   to   join   me?"

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"I’d   be   honored   to.”

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        Dimitri   walked   with   White   Fairy   to   the   courtyard   before   the   temple．Eagles   flew   down，settling   on   roofs   and   walls．Serpents   crawled   from   the   grass   and   entwined   themselves   around   the   pillars   of   the   temple．Frogs   leapt   from   ponds   and   fishes   swam   to   the   surface   of   the   water．All   kinds   of   birds   flew   down   and   settled   on   roofs   and   walls   with   the   now   docile   eagles．Sheep,   rabbits   and   deer   came   into   the   courtyard．Bears,   wolves   and   tigers   became   gentle．Predators   stood   peacefully   together   with   their   prey．Dimitri   sat   down   amid   the   numerous   disciples   of   White   Fairy   and   listened   to   her．Her   sermon   was   as   changeable   as   the   illusive,   multi-colored   clouds．Her   flashing   eyes   reflected   her   wisdom．

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"Survival   of   the   fittest   is   a   natural   law,”   she   said,   "but   it   is   not   the   absolute   truth．In   humans,   there   are   things   that   go   against   the   natural   law．Once   reverted，it   is   compassion   -   the   purest   and   most   sublime   feeling．I   hope   you   too   will   practice   compassion   and   not   bully   the   weak．Do   not   take   joy   in   killing,   even   if   it   is   for   food．   Be   good   to   your   own   kind   and   to   others   as   well．I   will   welcome   you   when   in   your   next   life   you   become   humans．Then   you   can   go   from   there,   and   through   prayer   and   good   deeds,   build   a   better   future.”

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        Dimitri   was   moved   and   sat   there   immersed   in   thought，oblivious   to   the   fact   that   the   birds   and   animals   around   him   had   disappeared.     White   Fairy   and   her   monkeys   came   towards   him   and   she   said，

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"Dimitri,   you   cannot   stay   here．It   is   late   and   you   should   be   on   your   way.”   Dimitri   was   unwilling   to   part   and   would   much   prefer   to   be   a   small   monkey   and   work   as   gate-keeper   for   the   temple．As   if   knowing   his   innermost   thoughts,   she   smiled   and   said，

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"No，this   hermit’s   life   is   not   for   you．You   are   destined   for   greater   things．You   must   go   forth,   and   through   trials,   tribulations   and   adventures,   build   up   your   own   empire．Here   is   a   sword   and   bow   and   arrow，Soon   I   too   will   come   and   help   you   in   the   building   of   your   empire.”

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"Thank   you   White   Fairy,”   said   Dimitri,   gratefully   taking   the   weapons   from   her   hand.     "Hope   to   see   you   soon.”   He   bowed   respectfully   and   went   on   his   way,   but   he   could   not   help   turning   his   head   to   look   back   at   the   graceful   figure   of   White   Fairy,   standing   in   the   midst   of   her   monkeys,   her   white   hair   flowing   and   ruffling   in   the   evening   breeze．Soon   night   fell   and   he   could   no   longer   see   the   temple   or   its   mysterious   and   ethereal   mistress．

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The   man   and   the   canoe   floated   silently   with   the   tide   towards   Giant   Mountain．Dimitri’s   hand   touched   the   hilt   of   his   sword．That   and   the   bow   and   arrow   on   his   back   gave   him   full   confidence   of   victory．Under   the   moonlight,   the   mountain   ranges,   which   so   resembled   a   gigantic   Titan   lying   inert   and   helpless   on   the   horizon,   still   seemed   to   be   struggling   to   move，muscles   tauted   in   this   futile   attempt．As   they   approached   the   shore，powerful   wings   could   be   heard,   bringing   with   it   gusts   of   wind,   as   the   monster   circled   the   canoe,   emitting   hair-raising   screams   and   croaks   of   triumph   as   it   contemplated   its   victim,   who   was   shivering   with   fear．Then   it   pounced   down．At   that   precarious   moment   hearing   the   girl’s   cry，Dimitri   shot   out   from   beneath   the   canoe   on   a   backstroke,   floating   face   upwards   towards   the   sky．He   saw   an   enormous   bird   with   a   woman’s   head   and   snakes   for   hair   snatch   up   Deanna   with   its   long，sharp   claws   and   take   off   towards   the   sky．Dimitri   shot   at   it   with   his   mighty   bow   and   heard   an   agonizing   shriek   as   the   arrow   pierced   the   vulnerable   area   between   the   body   and   the   wing．The   monster   let   go   of   its   prey   and   Deanna   fell   into   the   water．Once   there   she   was   in   her   element   and   lost   no   time   in   escaping   to   safety   from   beneath   the   water   without   leaving   a   trace．Seriously   wounded，the   bird   took   off   for   the   mountains   and   fell   into   a   densely   wooded   area．Dimitri   swam   to   shore   and   walked   towards   the   forest．On   the   way，he   saw   many   stones   in   various   uncanningly   life-like   poses：some   sword   in   hand   in   the   motion   of   striking；some   in   the   action   of   pulling   back   their   bows，others   crawling   on   the   ground．He   realized   these   were   the   young   men   the   monster   had   turned   to   stones   with   her   evil   eye．

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Medusa:

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Sword   unsheathed,   Dimitri   walked   towards   the   densely   wooded   area   into   which   he   had   seen   the   bird   disappear．As   he   made   his   way   into   that   virgin   forest,   he   suddenly   came   upon   two   embracing   trees   growing   side   by   side，whose   roots   were   so   enmeshed   that   they   were   hard   to   entangle．The   trunk   of   the   tree   on   the   left   was   strong   and   sturdy,   resembling   a   virile   male．The   one   on   the   right   was   slender   and   curving,   like   a   clinging   female．These   two   trees   coiled   and   entwined   had   stood   there   embracing   each   other   for   thousands   of   years．Dimitri’s   heart   stopped   for   a   moment   at   the   sight，but   then   before   him   was   the   imminent   task   of   killing   the   monster   and   saving   the   people   of   the   area，so   he   put   all   other   thoughts   aside   and   proceeded   with   his   search．As   he   came   near   the   edge   of   the   forest,   he   was   attracted   by   the   racket   created   by   distraught   birds,   chirping,   crying   and   flying   all   over   the   place．Going   towards   the   noise,   he   soon   came   to   an   open   clearing   where   hundreds   of   birds   could   be   seen   circling   aimlessly   overhead   as   if   in   panic   and   distress．   But   a   dense   fog   permeated   the   clearing   and   he   could   scarcely   see   a   few   feet   ahead．From   the   heart   of   the   fog,   came   the   sound   of   groans,   so   Dimitri   made   his   way   slowly,   step   by   step,   into   the   fog   where   he   suddenly   saw   before   him   a   snake-haired   naked   beauty   lying   on   the   ground   badly   wounded,     with   an   arrow   protruding   from   the   right   side   of   her   body．She   was   pulling   herself   strenuously   towards   a   cave   not   far   away,   leaving   a   trail   of   blood   on   the   grass   as   she   dragged   herself   over．

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        Dimitri   walked   towards   her,   sword   raised   ready   to   strike,   when   he   heard   her   speak   in   a   human   voice．

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        "Before   you   kill   me,   will   you   answer   me   one   question?   How   could   you   shoot   and   wound   me   without   being   turned   to   stone?   Didn’t   you   look   at   me?"

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        "No,   I   did   not．I   am   trained   in   telling   direction   and   distinguishing   speed   of   movement   and   height   just   by   my   sense   of   hearing．I   targeted   you   by   my   ears,   not   eyes.”

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        "Such   is   Fate．The   first   time   I   was   killed   by   Perseus,   who   slew   me   by   looking   at   my   reflection   in   his   bronze   shield．After   that,   I   was   on   my   guard   so   as   not   to   be   taken   in   again   that   same   way．I   never   dreamed   it   was   possible   to   substitute   ears   for   eyes!   And   this   unseasonable   fog   has   broken   my   spell   of   turning   men   to   stones．It   is   indeed   the   will   of   heaven!"   Dimitri,   who   was   about   to   strike,   slowly   put   down   his   sword   and   asked   incredulously，

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        "What?   Do   you   mean   to   say   that   you   had   been   beheaded   before?"   Thinking   of   events   that   happened   thousands   of   years   ago,   she   said   in   a   pensive   voice   that   seemed   to   come   from   another   world，

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"My   name   is   Medusa,   daughter   of   the   sea   god   Phocys   and   his   sister-wife,   Ceto．I   was   very   beautiful   and   had   many   admirers．One   day   I   was   caught   making   love   in   the   Temple   of   Delphi   and   was   transformed   into   an   ugly   monster   with   serpents   for   hair,   claws   of   bronze   and   staring   eyes   capable   of   turning   anyone   who   looked   at   me   into   stone．I   should   not   have   profaned   the   Temple,   but   even   after   thousands   of   years,   I   still   think   the   penalty   was   too   severe.”     She   paused,   mulling   over   the   injustice   of   the   sentence．

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"Many   died   because   of   me;   and   in   the   eyes   of   the   world   I   became   a   monster   to   be   destroyed．Did   anyone   stop   to   think   whether   I   wanted   to   change   people   to   stones?   Did   they   ever   ask   who   put   that   power   into   me   without   my   ever   wanting   it?   The   hero,   Perseus，beheaded   me   with   the   aid   of   sword,   shield   and   winged   shoes   borrowed   from   the   gods．He   presented   my   head   to   Athena   to   thank   her   for   lending   him   the   shield   with   which   to   kill   me   and   she   put   my   head   on   it   as   a   trophy．But   before   giving   my   head   away，Perseus   showed   my   head   to   old   Atlas,   who   was   tired   of   having   heaven   on   his   shoulders   and   asked   to   be   turned   to   stone   as   a   reward   for   telling   him   where   I   was.”   Medusa   patted   the   ground   she   was   lying   on   and   said，

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"That’s   him!   Once   he   changed   into   stone   and   could   no   longer   move   even   a   finger，he   regretted   his   rash   request,   but   it   was   too   late．He’s   been   struggling   ever   since，but   to   no   avail.”     Exhausted   by   her   long   speech,   Medusa   was   panting．She   lay   sidewise   on   the   ground,   rested   for   a   while   and   then   went   on．

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"Beauty   is   not   a   sin，but   it   proved   to   be   my   undoing   and   brought   me   only   misfortune   and   unmeritted   punishment.   Perhaps   the   gods   were   jealous   of   my   beauty．The   series   of   events   that   happened   after   they   changed   me   into   a   Gorgon,   all   those   people   being   turned   to   stone   or   dying   because   of   me，were   beyond   my   control．   I   felt   like   a   puppet   on   a   string，with   no   power   whatsoever   over   my   life   and   wishes．Scorned   and   persecuted,   I   was   beheaded   by   Perseus．Now   I   am   about   to   die   by   your   sword．But   no   matter，I   am   tired   of   life   anyway．Let   my   blood   wash   away   my   sins.”   She   laid   her   cheeks   on   the   ground，gently   ruffled   the   luscious   grass   saying，"Can’t   you   feel   the   slight   palpitations   of   the   heartbeat   and   the   warmth   of   the   temperature   of   the   earth?     It   is   gentle   and   soothing．   It   may   be   a   blessing   to   end   my   sinful   life   and   lie   asleep   here   forever   and   enter   into   the   eternal   dreamland!"

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After   hearing   Medusa’s   story,   Dimitri   was   filled   with   sympathy．He   walked   nearer   to   where   she   was   lying   and   stooped   down,   no   longer   regarding   her   as   an   evil   to   be   exterminated．For   the   first   time,   he   looked   at   her   face   to   face   and   was   shaken   by   her   extraordinary   beauty,   whose   radiance   was   undimmed   by   the   fog,   the   wilderness   and   her   severe   wound．   Her   fascinating   eyes,   large   and   eloquent,   were   now   lusterless   and   tired;   and   she   seemed   to   be   struggling   to   keep   them   from   closing．He   said   gently,  

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"You   are   only   a   victim   cheated   by   Fate,   Medusa．So   am   I．So   is   everyone．But   fate   cannot   predominate   your   life．You   have   to   realize   that   no   matter   what   dire   straits   you   are   forced   into,   you   still   have   sufficient   strength   and   control   with   which   to   redirect   your   life．There   are   uncontrollable   forces,   but   the   rein   is   still   in   your   own   hands．Few   people   realize   this;   so   when   struck   with   adversity,   they   tend   to   drift   with   the   tide   and   let   Fate   and   misfortune   take   over   the   course   of   their   lives   without   a   struggle．But   once   you   understand   your   position   between   Fate   and   reality,   you   can   adjust   it   to   the   most   desirable   pitch   and   assume   command．   Through   ingenious   maneuvers   you   can   regain   control   of   your   own   life．Let   bygones   be   bygones．From   now   on，I   want   to   help   you   shake   free   of   the   ropes   and   chains   that   bind   you   and   begin   a   new   life.”

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Dimitri   was   about   to   pull   out   the   arrow   and   help   Medusa   bind   her   wound,   when   he   was   startled   by   a   hoarse,   low   voice   coming   from   the   cave,   saying，

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"I’m   so   thirsty．Blood!   Give   me   the   virgin’s   blood!"     He   was   at   once   on   the   alert   again．Sword   in   hand，he   went   into   the   cave   and   saw   Cyclops   with   hands   and   feet   fastened   by   iron   chains   to   the   wall   of   the   cave．On   seeing   Dimitri,   he   flew   into   a   tempestuous   rage，shrieking，shouting   and   rushing   at   him,   only   to   be   pulled   back   by   the   chains．   From   outside   the   cave，Medusa’s   voice   could   be   heard   imploring，

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"Don’t   kill   him!   He   is   helpless   and   innocent．If   you   must   kill,   kill   me   instead!"Seeing   the   struggling   monster   chained   and   helpless,   Dimitri   knew   it   could   do   no   harm;   so   he   retreated   to   Medusa’s   side   and   asked，

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"Who   is   he?   Why   do   you   want   me   to   spare   him?"   But   Medusa   was   so   weak   that   she   could   hardly   speak   and   lay   there   pale   and   panting．

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"The   story   can   wait”   said   Dimitri,   "We   must   treat   your   wounds   first.”   Taking   hold   of   the   arrow，he   pulled   at   it   with   his   right   hand．The   arrow   came   out   whole   and   clean，but   blood   gushed   out   of   the   wound   like   an   unstoppable   stream   in   spite   of   his   efforts   to   stop   it．Watching   it   flow   on   and   on   and   seeing   Medusa   grow   even   paler,   Dimitri   did   not   know   what   to   do．He   bent   his   head   and   kissed   the   flesh，torn   and   mutilated   by   his   arrow．To   his   surprise，the   blood   flow   slowed   and   he   could   see   the   wound   closing   and   mending   until   it   healed   completely   and   seemed   as   if   it   had   never   been   inflicted．

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        After   resting   a   while，Medusa   opened   her   eyes   and   saw   Dimitri   sitting   there   tending   her   wound．

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        "You   must   be   curious   about   Cyclops．Would   you   like   to   know   his   story?"

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        "Are   you   better?     Do   you   feel   up   to   it?"     Medusa   nodded   compliantly．

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"On   the   day   I   was   struggling   with   Perseus   and   he   cut   off   my   head   and   flew   away   with   it   to   Olympus,   Cyclops   happened   to   be   passing   by．He   saw   a   winged   horse，Pegasus，spring   up   from   my   blood   and   jumped   on   it   in   pursuit．He   waited   patiently   around   the   Temple   of   Athena   until   one   day   when   no   one   was   guarding   my   head,   he   slipped   in   and   came   away   with   it．He   put   it   back   on   my   head   and   I   was   resurrected.     Not   only   was   I   alive   again，I   had   regained   my   beauty．But   the   reward   he   claimed   was   my   hand   in   marriage.   I   did   not   want   to   marry   him   because   he   was   cruel   and   ugly   and   took   pleasure   in   killing   and   plundering．I   only   wished   to   marry   a   kind,   clever   mortal   and   live   a   happy   and   peaceful   life.   But   I   felt   I   owed   him   my   life   and   therefore   should   marry   him   out   of   gratitude．   One   stormy   night,   he   was   struck   by   lightning   while   hunting   and   was   mortally   wounded．I   could   not   abandon   my   savior   in   his   hour   of   need   and   leave   him   to   his   fate，though   I   did   make   use   of   that   extraordinary   opportunity   to   fasten   him   to   the   wall   of   the   cave   with   strong   heavy   chains．He   had   to   have   virgin’s   blood   every   year   for   the   next   100   years   in   order   to   cure   his   wound,   so   I   got   it   for   him.   99   years   have   gone   by   and   this   time   would   be   the   last．But   I   met   you,   who   took   away   my   prey．Such   is   Fate!   But   no   matter．I   am   willing   to   use   my   blood   to   take   the   place   of   the   virgin’s   to   repay   him   for   saving   me   and   keeping   me   alive…”

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Upon   hearing   her   side   of   the   story,   Dimitri   was   silent   for   a   while,   lost   in   contemplation．Then   he   said   emphatically

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“Cyclops   gave   you   back   your   life.   He   is   your   savior.   You   have   repaid   him   by   staying   with   him   for   99   years，tending   to   his   needs．Though   many   have   died   because   of   you   two，the   ultimate   fault   does   not   lie   with   you．I   will   spare   both   of   you．But   let   Cyclops   remain   in   the   cave   until   I   can   think   of   a   way   to   tame   his   irascible   temper   and   ferocious   nature.   Then   I   will   set   him   free,   too.”     Medusa   struggled   to   sit   up   saying，

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"I   must   see   him   once   more.”     Dimitri   helped   her   to   her   feet   and   gave   her   a   supporting   arm   while   she   walked   feebly   towards   the   cave,   still   weak   from   the   enormous   loss   of   blood．On   seeing   Dimitri,   Cyclops   again   flew   into   a   rage   and   rushed   towards   him,   shrieking   and   shouting   ferociously，only   to   bellow   and   stamp   his   feet   in   frustration   when   he   was   pulled   back   by   the   chains.

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“Calm   down,   Cyclops”   said   Medusa   as   she   walked   towards   him．She   put   her   hands   on   his   face   and   repeated   the   words   again,   gently   and   soothingly．At   her   soft   touch   and   gentle   words,   Cyclops   stopped   struggling   and   turned   docile   as   if   hypnotized．

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"My   dear   Cyclops,”   she   continued.   “I   know   you   have   loved   me   ever   since   you   saw   me   in   the   days   before   I   was   turned   into   a   Gorgon．But   love   is   spontaneous   and   cannot   be   forced．I   stayed   with   you   for   almost   a   century   out   of   gratitude   for   giving   me   a   second   life,   and   in   return   I   have   helped   you   as   much   as   I   could   in   your   hour   of   need．But   now   I   have   met   a   man   worthy   of   my   love   and   I   am   going   to   follow   him   wherever   he   goes．You   must   stay   here   for   the   present．I   will   come   and   see   you   and   take   care   of   you   from   time   to   time．If   you   are   willing   to   change   your   ferocious   nature   and   explosive   temper,   you,too   will   be   free   in   the   not   too   distant   future．"   This   generosity   on   the   part   of   Dimitri   was   to   cause   him   innumerable   disasters   one   day,   which   will   be   dealt   with   later．

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Medusa   followed   Dimitri   out   of   the   cave．The   thick   fog   had   dispersed   and   dawn   lighted   up   the   skies．   She   looked   up   at   the   infnite   stretch   of   the   heavens   and   was   deepty   moved   by   the   majestic   splendor   of   nature.     She   closed   her   eyes   for   a   moment，thinking   of   her   past   life，too   full   of   hate，sins   and   fear   to   enjoy   these   very   scenes   that   had   always   been   there   before   her．Now   her   heart   was   full   of   peace   and   quiet．It   was   as   if   she   had   been   given   a   third   chance   at   life．When   she   opened   her   eyes   again，they   were   filled   with   exuberant   brilliance．At   the   edge   of   the   forest，there   was   a   row   of   trees，extremely   feminine   and   graceful   in   shape，showing   womanly   beauty，slender   and   delicate．Under   Medusa’s   sweeping   glance，they   turned   back   into   beautiful   virgins,   dazed   and   confused,   as   if   just   waking   from   a   deep   slumber．These   were   the   human   sacrifices   of   former   years,   turned   into   trees   after   Cyclops   had   drunk   their   blood．Hand   in   hand,   they   followed   Dimitri   and   Medusa   on   the   path   towards   the   seaside．On   the   way，wherever   Medusa’s   glance   lingered，the   stone   figures   became   alive   in   the   twinkling   of   an   eye   and   joined   the   ranks   of   the   newly   resurrected，excitedly   questioning   each   other   and   laughing   unbelievingly．

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Just   then   the   air   resounded   with   hails   of   excitement   and   hearty   laughter．The   natives   were   overjoyed   at   the   news   that   the   monster   had   been   shot   down．They   swarmed   out   of   their   huts   and   into   their   boats   to   greet   their   savior   and   to   see   with   their   own   eyes   the   downfall   of   their   arch   enemy,   who   had   demanded   the   sacrifice   of   their   dearest   ones   every   year．But   such   was   Medusa’s   overpowering   threat   that   none   dared   to   venture   ashore   before   the   news   was   confirmed;   so   a   mass   of   boats   and   canoes   seemed   frozen   motionless   in   the   middle   of   the   lake．When   the   figure   of   Dimitri   appeared   on   the   shore   with   a   snake-haired   beauty   by   his   side   and   a   retinue   of   young   men   and   women   behind   him，gleeful   shouts   and   laughter   rose   up   and   a   fervor   of   joy   and   excitement   permeated   the   air，as   the   boats   and   canoes   raced   each   other   to   come   to   shore．A   native   girl，impatient   with   the   delay，dived   into   the   water   and   swam   to   shore   ahead   of   the   boats．It   was   Deanna,   the   girl   who   so   narrowly   escaped   a   tragic   death   the   night   before．She   scrambled   up   the   banks,   fell   on   her   knees   and   kissed   Dimitri’s   feet．An   elder   of   the   tribe   walked   solemnly   ashore   and   bowed   low   in   obeisance．He   told   Dimitri   that   in   gratitude   for   his   heroic   act，all   the   tribes   of   that   district   had   agreed   to   unite   together   under   one   kingdom,   with   him   as   their   king．Under   his   reign   they   would   build   an   ideal   kingdom   from   the   barren   mountains   and   arid   wilderness．

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Romi   and   Dimitri   woke   from   the   same   dream，and   their   thoughts   were   still   in   that   wild   and   ethereal   domain．The   long-tailed   bird   with   magnificent   feathers   perched   on   the   embracing   tree，got   hold   of   the   stout   twig   that   shot   towards   the   sky．It   flew   up   and   down，wetting   the   twig   with   its   saliva，like   a   silkworm   spinning   a   cocoon，creating   one   of   the   most   expensive   exotic   tonics   of   the   East．Dimitri   refreshed   himself   with   the   delicious   juices   from   the   Fountain   of   Life.     Sunbeams   shone   through   Romi’s   web   of   brown   hair，which   swayed   in   the   sunshine．Like   the   mating   of   two   clouds，all   happened   naturally   and   had   a   dreamlike   quality．They   were   like   a   pair   of   fish，swaying   rhythmically   with   the   soft   motions   of   the   water，or   like   two   hungry,   ferocious   animals,   snarling   and   fighting   to   devour   each   other   in   hand   to   hand   combat．Soon   the   stillness   that   had   existed   in   the   forest   for   millions   of   years   returned,   where   even   the   slightest   rustle   of   a   falling   leaf   touching   the   ground   would   surprise   the   old   and   silent   earth．Romi   offered   Dimitri   her   wet   petal-like   lips   and   said，

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"The   dream   brought   home   to   me   the   meaning   of   Fate，just   as   making   love   with   you   gave   me   a   deeper   understanding   of   how   to   use   my   flesh   body．I   am   tired   of   all   the   other   men   in   the   world   except   you．You   are   right．We   must   learn   to   use   our   thought   as   the   rein   to   harness   and   control   our   flesh   body   that   is   like   a   wild   horse．   If   we   can   maneuver   our   flesh   body   well，Fate,   which   is   but   a   shadow   of   our   flesh   body,   can   also   be   controlled.”   Dimitri   nodded   in   agreement,   but   he   was   not   as   optimistic．While   he   agreed   that   the   relation   of   the   flesh   body   and   thought   was   like   that   of   a   wild   horse   and   the   rein,   he   further   thought   we   should   not   only   learn   how   to   use   the   rein   of   thought   to   control   our   flesh   body,   but   should   also   learn   to   comprehend   how   the   wild   horse   came   to   be   tamed   by   the   rein   of   Fate．Thus,   the   relation   of   the   flesh   body   and   Fate   is   the   same   as   that   of   the   horse   and   the   rein．Life   seems   complicated   and   unpredictable   but   cut   down   to   the   essentials,   it   is   basically   the   inter-relationship   between   fate,   flesh   body   and   me．

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                        CHAPTER   6         Life   Stories   of   Yoko,   Ileen   and   Marcelina

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It   was   already   mid-afternoon   when   Dimitri   left   Romi’s   home．The   rain   had   stopped   and   they   parted   with   the   understanding   that   three   days   later   she   would   enter   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams．Dimitri   was   enchanted   that   through   pure   coincidence,   another   beauty   would   be   added   to   his   fold．The   sun   was   out,   but   its   radiance   was   dimmed   and   hidden   by   thin   clouds．Looking   at   the   faint   shadow   of   the   sun，Dimitri   felt   uneasy   with   a   premonition   that   misfortune   was   awaiting   him,   though   he   knew   not   when   or   where．He   walked   on   the   streets   as   usual，but   he   suddenly   had   an   odd   urge   to   inspect   his   arms   and   legs   to   see   if   they   were   manipulated   by   strings．He   tried   stretching   them．They   looked   normal   enough，but   he   had   the   uncomfortable   feeling   that   they   were   controlled   by   unseen   strings   that   made   his   movements   clumsy   and   awkward   as   a   puppet．He   thought   to   himself，

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"Man   is   a   strange   animal，different   from   the   others   in   that   though   vulnerable   to   the   pulls   and   tugs   of   Fate,   it   preserves   its   own   volition   and   lives   between   heaven   and   earth,   between   Fate   and   Reality,   equally   controlled   by   Fate   and   Self．When   his   will   is   in   complete   accord   with   those   invisible   strings,   he   is   like   a   puppet   dancing   happily   in   complete   harmony   with   Fate．But   when   he   finds   himself   at   odds   with   those   invisible   strings,   the   slightest   movement   could   cause   him   to   be   entangled．The   more   he   struggles   to   extricate   himself，the   more   hopelessly   fettered   he   would   become,   until   finally   he   finds   himself   to   be   an   inert   puppet.”

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The   Bay   Area   at   twilight   was   a   scene   of   pandemonium   traffic   congestion,   typical   of   cosmopolitan   cities．The   faint   shadow   of   the   sun   seemed   to   be   murmuring   a   prophesy   of   some   imminent   misfortune．The   declining   temperature   of   the   sun   foretelling   the   approach   of   nightfall,   brought   a   chill   to   the   air．Dimitri   raised   his   head   to   look   at   the   skies   and   wondered   whether   the   misfortune   was   to   be   in   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams   or   in   his   real   life．He   walked   on   deeply   immersed   in   his   own   thoughts．

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"What   is   Fate?   How   can   we   prove   its   existence？Actually   it   is   very   simple   because   life，our   daily   routine   life,   is   an   epitome   and   development   of   Fate．Every   single   incident.   every   random   thought,   proves   its   existence．Careful   observation   of   life   will   bring   about   intuitive   comprehension   of   the   existence   of   Fate．Dimitri   laughed   at   himself   and   thought   it   was   officious   of   him   to   want   information   and   foreknowledge   of   the   future．It   would   be   better   to   go   on   as   he   was．He   didn’t   know   how   long   he   had   been   on   this   earth,   but   he   was   sure   he   would   be   here   for   quite   some   time   yet．So   give   unto   Fate   that   which   is   Fate’s,   and   unto   life   that   which   is   life’s．

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"Our   flesh   body   is   a   miraculous   gift   from   heaven．One   day   it   would   have   to   be   returned   to   Nature   from   whence   it   came．But   during   the   brief   years   it   is   allotted   to   us，while   using   it   to   the   best   capacity，we   should   also   preserve   it   well，for   it   is   ours   only   temporarily   as   a   loan．When   my   flesh   body   is   sleeping，I   am   that   omnipotent   king   in   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams，rich   as   Croesus，and   my   people   are   naive   and   primitive．They   need   no   clothing   because   they   have   no   sense   of   affectation   or   evil   and   there   are   no   intrigues   because   no   power   struggle   exists．But   when   my   flesh   body   is   awake,   I   am   a   homeless   person,   a   street   cat,   a   machine   creating   excrement．Day   by   day,   year   after   year,   so   long   as   I   live,   life   is   like   vintage   wine，mellowed   and   more   fragrant   as   time   goes   on．Every   day   is   a   page   to   remember,   as   flavorful   as   a   poem   in   retrospect．My   life   is   divided   into   two   segments．Comparing   the   two，my   preference   is   being   a   vagabond   on   this   mundane   earth   to   being   a   king   in   my   dreamland．Let   my   life   drift   on   thus   until   the   end   of   its   natural   years．

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Yoko

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Dimitri   walked   among   the   hustling   crowd   like   a   fish   swimming   leisurely   in   the   water．Looking   at   the   hurrying   crowds，he   thought   detachedly，

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"Minute   by   minute,   hour   by   hour,   these   people   hurry   to   work,   eat,   sleep   and   make   love．Always   in   haste,   always   on   the   make．Superficially,   they   seem   to   be   making   full   use   of   their   flesh   body;   but   they   do   not   realize   the   full   value   of   this   miraculous   gift．Do   they   have   anywhere   to   retreat   to   when   they   meet   adversity   or   misfortune?   Or   is   it   just   a   void   of   emptiness?   The   hustle   and   bustle   of   the   crowd   suddenly   seemed   to   intensify   until   it   was   a   deafening   crash   of   thunder．The   multicolored   and   ever   changing   neon   lights   flashed   like   lightening．Dimitri   was   frightened   by   this   babelic   scene   and   stood   there   flabbergasted．From   the   corner   of   the   street，a   timid   voice   with   a   pronounced   accent   was   asking．

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"Are   you   foolin’around?   D’ya   wonna   date?"     Dimitri   turned   and   saw   an   Asian   girl   in   a   yellow   blouse   and   soiled,   white,   pleated   skirt,   shyly   and   diffidently   approaching   him．Her   blushing   cheeks   and   downcast   eyes   obviously   indicated   her   to   be   a   green   hooker．Coming   towards   them   was   a   fierce-looking   bully   of   a   man．Though   he   was   dressed   in   a   suit   and   tie，the   tie   certainly   was   not   sufficient   rein   to   check   his   beastly   nature．   Catching   his   designing   and   contriving   gaze   as   he   looked   at   the   girl,   Dimitri   knew   that   if   he   refused,   that   man   would   take   her   away   and   it   would   be   like   offering   a   lamb   to   a   lion．So   he   said，

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        "...yes．What   is   your   name?"

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        "Yoko.”   The   girl   came   forward   and   took   his   arm,   and   they   walked   away．At   the   corner   of   the   street,   Dimitri   suddenly   lurched   forward,   tripped   by   the   curb,   but   he   did   not   fall．

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        "Are   you   all   right?"   asked   Yoko   anxiously．Dimitri   steadied   himself   and   found   he   was   surrounded   by   darkness．His   head   whirled   and   mentally   his   heart   contracted   in   pain   and   anguish．   His   only   thought   was   to   get   back   to   his   nest,   the   dilapidated   hut,   to   be   alone   with   his   grief   and   have   a   good   cry．But   here   on   the   street,   he   must   maintain   his   poise   and   dignity．Yoko   waved   her   hands   in   front   of   his   face   and   asked，

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        "What   happened?   Are   you   OK?"

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        "I   have   lost   my   sight．I   cannot   see.”

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        "I’ll   take   you   home.”   The   good-hearted   girl   was   full   of   sympathy．

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"Thank   you．Would   you   please   see   if   there   are   any   long   stick   or   pole   lying   around   that   I   can   use   for   a   cane?"

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As   they   walked   on,   Yoko   kept   her   eyes   peeled   and   suddenly   gave   a   triumphant   cry   as   she   caught   sight   of   a   long   pole   in   a   pile   of   debris．She   rushed   over   and   got   it   for   him．It   was   a   bit   long，but   serviceable．Holding   the   stick，Dimitri   tapped   his   way   forward   asking   himself，  

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"Is   this   how   I   am   going   to   spend   the   rest   of   my   life?   I   am   like   a   crippled   bird   that   can   no   longer   fly,   like   the   dim   sun   that   falls   into   a   deep   abyss   never   to   rise   again.”   But   amidst   his   despair   and   pain,   he   retained   his   sensitivity．He   felt   warm   hands   supporting   him   and   the   natural   fragrance   of   a   maiden’s   body   reached   his   nostrils,   bringing   him   comfort   and   excitement.    

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“I   must   keep   calm   until   I   get   back   to   my   hut   and   lie   down,”   he   kept   telling   himself．Soon   they   left   the   noise   and   crowds   behind   and   turned   into   a   narrow   alley．

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        "Here   we   are．I   can   go   by   myself．Thank   you   very   much.”

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        "Are   you   sure   you   don’t   want   me   to   take   you   to   your   door?"

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        "No,   thank   you   Yoko．   You   have   done   quite   enough   by   going   out   of   your   way   to   bring   me   home．But   before   you   leave,   will   you   take   a   piece   of   advice   from   me?"

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        "Of   course.”

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"You   are   a   very   lovely   young   girl．The   female   body   is   beautiful   and   sacred   and   you   are   lucky   to   have   an   exquisite   one．Do   not   sell   it   for   money．Don’t   desecrate   yourself   by   allowing   any   strange   man’s   penis   to   penetrate   in   and   out   of   your   body   at   random，just   as   you   would   not   allow   a   stranger   to   enter   your   home.”   Yoko   was   silent，but   Dimitri   felt   she   was   nodding   in   agreement．Soon   he   heard   her   quiet   steps   walking   away．

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Familiar   with   the   neighborhood，Dimitri   had   no   trouble   finding   his   way，but   the   echo   of   his   stick   tapping   on   the   pavement   brought   a   sense   of   loneliness   and   desolation．He   thought   of   the   hookers   he   saw   on   the   streets,   working   under   the   cover   of   darkness   like   the   shadows   of   ghosts   flittering   in   the   graveyard．If   there   was   life   after   death   and   the   soul   lived   on,   these   people   would   surely   regret   their   excessive   abuse   of   the   flesh   body   with   sex   and   drugs．Those   that   use   their   money   to   buy   sex   from   these   unfortunate   women   were   the   real   culprits   who   deserve   to   be   castrated   and   buried   alive．Lost   in   thought   as   was   his   custom,   Dimitri   ran   smock   into   an   iron   pole   with   a   bang．In   that   instant，he   seemed   to   see   stars   and   doubled   up   in   pain，holding   his   right   cheek   and   groaning   aloud   involuntarily．He   felt   blood   running   from   his   nose   and   knew   it   was   a   serious   impact．He   could   only   hope   that   no   bones   had   been   broken．After   resting   for   a   while，Dimitri   stood   up   to   go，only   to   find   that   he   had   dropped   his   stick   somewhere   during   the   accident．Unable   to   continue   without   it，he   stooped   down   and   groped   all   around   the   ground   for   it．Suddenly，his   hands   touched   something   soft   and   the   threatening   growl   that   accompanied   it   told   him   that   he   had   disturbed   a   stray   dog   in   its   slumber．He   quickly   withdrew   his   hand，but   the   angry   dog   fell   on   him   biting   him   wherever   it   could．Dimitri   dodged   and   fended   the   best   he   could   but   to   no   avail．Finally   after   landing   a   vicious   bite   on   his   inner   right   thigh，the   vengeful   animal   went   away．Dimitri   sat   on   the   ground，overcome   with   emotion．To   lose   his   sight，bump   into   an   iron   pole   and   then   be   bitten   by   a   wild   dog．What   next?

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        Feeling   the   smarting   bite   on   the   thigh，he   wondered   how   deep   it   was，and   then   laughed   hysterically   when   he   thought   how   lucky   he   was   that   the   dog   felt   it   had   had   its   revenge   and   did   not   bite   his   other   thigh，thereby   leaving   his   penis   intact．He   groped   again   for   his   stick   and   as   luck   would   have   it，there   it   was   right   beside   him!   He   stood   up   weakly,   supported   by   his   re-found   stick,   not   knowing   that   his   every   move   was   being   watched   by   a   pair   of   bright，piercing   eyes．Just   as   he   was   turning   to   go，a   male   voice   with   a   strong   Asian   accent   said，

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        "Where   do   you   live?   I’ll   help   you   home.”

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        "Thank   you．I   live   in   a   dilapidated   shelter   at   the   end   of   the   alley.”

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        "I’ll   take   you   there.”   A   pair   of   strong   hands   helped   him   to   his   destination．"You   live   here?"

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        "Yes.”

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"Take   this.”   Dimitri   felt   a   tin   box   being   thrust   into   his   hands．He   opened   it，felt   its   contents   and   realized   it   was   his   own   box,   in   which   he   kept   his   coins   and   money.

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        “Sorry,   old   man．I   did   not   know   you   were   blind   or   I   would   never   have   taken   it.”   Dimitri   wanted   very   much   to   see   what   this   man   looked   like,   a   man   who   stole   his   money   and   then   returned   it   to   him．He   seemed   to   see   a   glimmer   of   moonlight   and   looked   tentatively   up   at   the   sky．To   his   intense   delight,   he   saw   myriad   of   stars．   He   dropped   his   stick   and   shouted，

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        "Oh!   I   can   see   again!"   His   eyes   moved   to   the   man   in   front   of   him,   an   unsavory   looking，middle-aged   Asian   man,   with   a   hawk   like   nose   and   sunken   cheeks．

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        "Well，I’m   glad   for   you   that   you   can   see   again．Sorry   about   taking   your   box,   man．I’m   not   really   a   thief．I   was   just   forced   by   circumstances.”

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        "Why?   What’s   the   matter?"

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        "Well,   it’s   like   this．This   friend   of   mine,   Jamaz.   He’s   from   Africa．He   fell   down   and   is   in   the   hospital   for   concussion   and   broken   bones   and   needs   a   lot   of   money   to   pay   his   hospital   bills.     I   am   trying   to   help   him．I   hoped   to   win   at   the   gambling   table,   but   no   luck!   I   lost   my   shirt．So   the   only   chance   left   for   me   was   to   steal.”

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        "Jamaz?     You   mean   the   servant   in   that   house   by   the   lake   who   fell   down   the   ladder?"

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        "Yes．Do   you   know   him?"

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        "No.”   The   man   was   a   thief,   thought   Dimitri，but   he   was   loyal   to   his   friends   and   therefore   worth   helping．"What’s   your   name?"

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        "Richard   Chao.”

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        "Come   here   tomorrow   in   the   evening   and   I   may   have   some   money   for   you.”

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        "Really?   You   will?"

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        "I’ll   do   my   best.”

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"Ok．I’ll   be   here   tomorrow   evening．Thank   you   so   much”   said   Richard   and   left．The   narrow   alley   resumed   its   customary   serenity．

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The   cold,   refreshing   rays   of   the   crystal   clear   moon   shone   through   the   opening   of   the   shelter   onto   Dimitri’s   old,   patched-up   bedding,   but   to   him,   his   threadbare   nest   was   more   comfortable   than   Mrs.Love’s   soft   luxurious   bed．He   stretched   and   relaxed,   completely   at   ease,   and   sighed，

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"Ah!   There’s   no   place   like   home!   If   I   am   to   close   my   eyes   and   die   now，I   would   feel   perfectly   comfortable.”   But   then,   the   wound   on   his   cheek   and   the   various   dog   bites   began   smarting   again.   Dimitri   thought   sadly   that   the   flesh   body   could   give   pain   as   well   as   pleasure．He   reflected   on   his   brief   bout   of   blindness   and   his   heart   was   filled   with   apprehension   and   trepidation．But   he   comforted   himself   with   the   thought   that   the   flesh   body   was   only   a   transient   possession   that   will   turn   back   to   dust   one   day   from   whence   it   came．Blindness   might   be   a   great   loss,   but   an   impaired   body   was   still   serviceable   and   he   would   just   have   to   overcome   the   inconveniences   and   make   do   with   what   he   had，for   without   it，he   would   not   be   able   to   appreciate   and   enjoy   his   amusing   and   adventurous   life   in   this   universe．Thinking   so，Dimitri’s   mind   felt   more   at   ease．The   pain   would   subside   in   a   day   or   two,   he   thought,   and   he   would   be   as   good   as   new．Come   what   may，he   would   deal   with   it   when   the   time   came.     He   was   drifting   off   drowsily   to   sleep   when   he   thought   of   the   happenings   of   the   day．Was   Yoko   safe?   Did   she   take   his   advice   and   go   home?   He   had   promised   Richard   Chao   that   he   would   take   care   of   Jamaz’s   hospital   bills．   Where   was   he   to   get   hold   of   such   an   exorbitant   sum   of   money?   Accosted   by   these   problems,   all   traces   of   drowsiness   fled   and   Dimitri   tossed   and   turned   on   his   bed,   unable   to   sleep．

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        The   beautifu   athletic   figure   of   a   naked   woman   flashed   by   under   the   moonlight．   Bowing   her   beautiful   body,   she   entered   the   dilapidated   shelter   and   knelt   beside   the   bed，kowtowing   respectfully   and   said．

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        "Your   Majesty.”   It   was   Medusa．Dimitri   was   overjoyed   at   this   totally   unexpected   visitor．He   never   thought   he   would   see   Medusa   at   this   time   and   place．

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        "How   did   you   get   here,   Medusa?"

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        "These   days,   I   was   perturbed   by   unexplainable   apprehensions   that   all   was   not   well   with   you．The   other   beauties   also   had   the   same   feelings．They   sent   me   to   come   and   see   you   because   I   am   the   only   one   that   can   fly   and   commute   easily   between   the   two   planes   of   the   real   world   and   your   Kingdom．Are   you   all   right，King   Dimitri?"

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        "I   am   fine．Don’t   worry.”

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        "Everyone   has   been   thinking   of   you．The   grand   palace   is   silent   and   empty   and   the   beautiful   flowers   and   trees   in   the   gardens   have   lost   their   colors   and   appeal   because   all   the   beauties   are   doing   is   sitting   around   and   moping   listlessly．They   have   no   interest   in   doing   anything．Life   in   the   Kingdom   is   dull   and   lonely   without   your   presence．Why   don’t   you   come   back?"

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        "Tell   them   to   be   patient．My   return   is   imminent．Oh,   did   Romi   arrive   safely?"

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        "Yes．Romi   came，but   she   didn’t   know   of   your   whereabouts   except   that   your   eyes   have   been   hurting   you.”

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        "How   is   she   adapting   to   her   new   environment?"

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"She   likes   Aisha，and   the   two   get   along   very   well.”   Aisha’s   mature,   scholarly   and   fascinating   figure   rose   before   his   eyes,   and   Dimitri   smiled   and   nodded   in   satisfaction．Medusa’s   bright,   mysterious   eyes   gazed   at   Dimitri   and   asked   concernedly，

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"King   Dimitri,   are   your   eyes   hurting   you?   Elina   said   you   will   go   blind   one   day.”

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        "What   will   be,   will   be．Fate   is   unchangeable,   but   I   am   able   to   take   care   of   myself.”

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        "Oh,   how   I   wish   I   could   give   you   one   of   mine!"

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        "Alas，the   medical   field   has   not   yet   advanced   to   such   heights;   but   I   am   sure   it   will   come   to   pass   one   day.”     Medusa   suddenly   remembered   something   and   said，

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        "Your   Majesty,   I   want   to   report   to   you   that   recently   on   my   nightly   patrols,   I   detected   strange   electric   waves   coming   and   going   from   our   kingdom．I   suspect   there   are   spies   at   work.”     Dimitri   was   surprised   at   the   news．He   himself   lived   the   life   of   a   hermit   and   his   remote   kingdom   was   far   away   from   civilization,   in   a   world   of   its   own．Who   would   be   interested   enough   to   spy   on   them?

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        "Then   be   alert   and   be   on   your   guard,   Medusa.”

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        "Yes,   your   Majesty.”   Medusa’s   expressive   eyes   looked   at   him   in   shy   and   timid   inquiry．Dimitri   understood   and   replied   to   her   unspoken   request   by   patting   his   bed   and   said，

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"Keep   me   company.”   Medusa   smiled   in   satisfaction．Dimitri   felt   a   strong   sexual   desire   rising   in   him，but   he   was   hampered   by   the   knowledge   that   Cyclops,   still   imprisoned   in   the   cave,   would   go   mad   if   he   knew   that   the   woman   he   loved   was   making   love   with   someone   else．Dominated   by   the   cravings   of   his   flesh   body,   he   put   aside   his   apprehensions   and   told   himself，"Let   my   flesh   body   have   its   indulgence   tonight.”

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The   empty   lot   seemed   to   have   mushroomed   overnight   into   an   amusement   park   with   roller   coasters，merry-go-rounds   and   train   rides   full   of   energetic   children，teenagers   and   other   young-at-hearts，screaming   in   wild   excitement，while   the   parents   of   the   young   ones   looked   on   smilingly   at   their   offspring   or   charges．Other   stalls   offering   prizes   for   target   shooting,   ball   punching,   fortune   telling   and   all   kinds   of   food，were   equally   busy．The   brilliantly   lit   lot，full   of   laughter，noise，music   and   chatter   seemed   to   be   a   place   where   human   civilization   suddenly   surfaced   out   of   nowhere．Later,   when   the   weather   turned   cold，this   temporary   amusement   park   would   be   moving   to   warmer   locations．Would   this   illusion   of   civilization   also   be   gone?   Who   could   tell?   Yoko   stood   by   the   roller   coaster,   looking   at   the   whirling   seats,   her   head   an   empty   void,   where   Dimitri’s   parting   words   kept   echoing   in   her   mind.

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"You   are   a   lovely   young   girl．The   female   body   is   beautiful   and   sacred   and   you   are   lucky   to   have   an   exquisite   one．Do   not   sell   it   for   money．Don’t   desecrate   yourself   by   allowing   any   strange   man’s   penis   to   penetrate   in   and   out   of   your   body   at   random，just   as   you   would   not   allow   a   stranger   to   enter   your   home.”     The   tempting   smell   of   freshly   broiled   hot   dogs   wafted   towards   her   and   intensifted   the   gnawing   hunger   in   her   stomach．She   took   out   the   money   Dimitri   had   given   her   and   counted   it．Wow!   $63！   She   did   not   know   it   was   what   Mrs.Love   paid   Dimitri   for   the   yard   work   he   had   done   for   her   and   he   had   given   it   all   to   Yoko．Taking   out   $3   she   bought   a   cup   of   coffee   and   a   hotdog   bun   and   then   she   went   on   to   top   her   hotdog   with   seltzer，onion   and   mustard．Walking   over   to   a   table   to   enjoy   her   supper，she   couldn’t   help   first   smelling   its   appetizing   aroma   and   letting   out   a   sigh   of   satisfaction，"Mm-m-m!"   and   then   licked   its   juicy   exterior．All   at   once，she   was   smote   with   its   resemblance   to   the   human   penis．What   practical   joker   invented   such   kind   of   food,   the   size,   shape   and   color   of   which   suggested   such   an   obscene   resemblance   that   Yoko   blushed．Her   heart   skipped   a   beat   and   she   was   almost   ashamed   to   eat   it．But   hunger   got   the   upper   hand   and   she   wolfed   it   down   ravenously,   and   then   leaned   back   contentedly，her   cherry   lips   sipping   the   scalding   coffee．Her   hunger   appeased，Yoko   felt   much   better   and   looked   lazily   around   her   at   the   jostling   crowd   and   numerous   activities．

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Suddenly   Yoko   felt   her   bowels   move   and   heard   noises   in   her   abdomen,   and   before   she   knew   it,   out   came   a   loud   fart．Acutely   embarrassed,   she   looked   around   and   was   relieved   to   find   no   one   had   noticed   it   in   the   noisy   outdoor   environment．She   stood   up   and   made   for   the   restroom．It   wasn’t   too   bad   so   far   as   public   restrooms   go,   and   had   good   lighting   and   mirrors．She   hastened   into   one   of   the   stalls   and   peeled   off   a   paper   seat   pad   to   cover   the   toilet．Then   she   hoisted   up   her   skirt,   pealed   down   her   red   panties   and   sat   down   to   relieve   herself．As   she   sat   there,   feeling   the   dirty,   smelly   stool   leave   her   body,   she   thought   of   the   cycle   of   human   life：tasty   food   became   foul   smelling   excrement，delicious   hotdogs   became   stool，similar   in   shape，but   then   so   different!     Humans   need   food   to   live．They   use   their   flesh   body   to   work   in   order   to   get   food   to   eat   and   eat   to   excrete   it!     Such   is   the   endless   cycle   of   human   life!     If   she   became   a   hooker，she   would   accept   a   man’s   penis   as   casually   as   eating   a   hot   dog   and   as   casually   use   the   money   she   earned   to   buy   food   and   then   excrete   it．She   looked   at   the   lower   portion   of   her   beautiful   naked   body   exposed   there   before   her   and   Dimitri’s   words   came   back   to   her   again，"Do   not   allow   any   strange   man’s   penis   to   penetrate   in   and   out   of   your   body   at   random，just   as   you   would   not   let   a   stranger   enter   your   home.”     He   was   right．Such   a   beautiful   body   should   not   be   thrown   away   at   random．Fully   relieved，she   cleaned   herself   with   the   paper   and   flushed   the   toilet．She   pulled   up   her   panties，adjusted   her   skirt   and   felt   gratified   as   she   watched   all   the   smell   and   filth   go   down   with   the   swirling   water．She   left   her   stall   and   went   to   wash   her   hands   at   the   basin．She   smiled   at   the   image   in   the   mirror   as   she   powdered   her   face   and   added   a   touch   of   lipstick   to   her   lips,   which   had   been   rubbed   off   by   the   hot   dog．

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"How   stupid   I   was!   I   almost   committed   an   inexcusable   mistake   that   would   have   ruined   my   whole   life!"     Then   she   left,   the   noise   of   the   flushing   toilet   still   whirling   behind   her．

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Physically   Yoko   felt   happy   and   relaxed   now   that   she   had   come   to   a   decision,   but   there   was   still   a   heavy   burden   on   her   heart   because   the   question   of   her   livelihood   remained   unsolved．She   hurried   towards   the   gambling   house，hoping   Amalia   had   a   lucky   streak   today．Amalia   was   an   old   woman   in   her   eighties．Her   past   was   an   enigma   and   a   puzzle．No   one   knew   anything   about   her,   except   that   she   had   a   son   called   Dimitri，whom   no   one   had   ever   seen   and   she   had   forgotten   his   last   name．For   the   past   fifty   years，her   life   had   been   centered   around   the   gambling   house．Yoko   was   an   abandoned   baby   she   saw   on   the   street   one   day   and   on   a   rare   generous   impulse,   took   her   home   and   raised   her．Though   old   enough   to   be   her   grandmother,   she   insisted   on   being   called   by   her   name   only,   so   Yoko   grew   up   calling   her，Amalia．The   two   made   their   living   by   gambling,   the   only   way   of   life   they   knew．Recently，they   were   down   on   their   luck.   That   was   the   main   reason   why   Yoko   thought   of   turning   hooker．She   wanted   to   get   hold   of   some   money   to   provide   Amalia   with   gambling   funds   to   try   her   luck   again   at   the   tables．When   they   were   lucky，they   lived   very   well   indeed．But   what   came   easy，went   easy．They   lived   extravagantly   and   splurged   as   if   there   was   no   tomorrow．Even   when   their   luck   was   bad，it   wasn’t   hard   to   get   by   in   the   gambling   house   where   they   were   "old   timers"   and   knew   most   of   the   regular   customers．Yoko   would   run   errands   for   them,   fetch   food,   make   phone   calls,   pick   up   or   take   home   customers   in   her   jalopy．Those   on   their   winning   streaks   would   magnanimously   give   her   fat   tips   from   their   winnings．They   were   kindred   spirits   who   had   known   the   misfortune   of   losses   themselves．But   recently，Amalia’s   luck   had   been   very   bad，and   as   she   hurried   along，Yoko   hoped   there   would   be   a   turn   for   the   better   that   day．

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        As   she   got   near   her   destination，she   saw   Richard   Chao   loitering   at   the   entrance，enjoying   the   cloud   of   a   cigarette,   a   smug   smile   on   his   face．

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        "Hi,   Richard!     You   seem   to   be   in   a   good   mood．Doing   well   today?"

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        "Not   bad.”   he   replied,   patting   the   bulging   pockets   of   his   jacket.

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        "The   owner   of   a   Chinese   restaurant   was   getting   nervous   as   the   stakes   got   higher   and   higher   and   begged   me   to   sit   and   gamble   in   his   place．I   did．And   you   know   what?   I   won   over   three   hundred   thousand   dollars   for   him!"

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        "Wow!   How   much   did   he   give   you?"

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        "$35,000.”

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        "That’s   great,   Richard!     Congratulations!     You’ll   be   set   for   a   while.”

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        "Not   really．I   have   to   pay   my   friend   Jamaz’s   hospital   bills   and   let   me   tell   you,   they   are   sky   high!"         Richard   was   a   professional   gambler,   not   adverse   to   turning   to   petty   thievery   when   he   was   down   on   his   luck，but   he   had   his   own   code   of   honor   and   took   care   of   those   he   considered   his   friends．He   always   looked   out   for   Yoko，too，protecting   her   from   wolves   who   tried   to   take   advantage   of   her   youth   and   innocence．It   was   to   his   credit   that   he   never   tried   to   take   any   liberties   with   her   and   treated   her   as   a   younger   sister；and   Yoko   on   her   part,   always   had   a   warm   spot   in   her   heart   for   the   meager   man．

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        "Did   you   see   Amalia   today?"   asked   Yoko

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"Yeah．She   says   it’s   her   80-year-old   birthday   today   and   drank   herself   under   the   table．I   took   her   home.”

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She   looked   sad-faced   as   she   thought   of   how   frustrated   Amalia   must   have   been   all   day，waiting   for   her   to   bring   back   the   seed   money   to   enable   her   to   get   back   to   her   beloved   gambling   tables   and   try   her   luck   on   her   80th   birthday,   a   day   of   felicity   that   she   was   sure   would   turn   the   tide   of   their   recent   misfortunes．

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"She   thought   she   could   count   on   me   and   I   let   her   down,”   thought   Yoko   contritely．"She   took   me   in   and   brought   me   up   as   her   own，and   I   let   her   spend   her   80th   birthday   alone，consoling   herself   with   wine!   No，I   can’t   do   that!   But   how   can   I   get   hold   of   some   money?   The   only   valuable   thing   I   have   is   my   body.”     She   turned   her   eyes   to   Richard’s   bulging   pockets   and   had   an   idea．

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        "Wonna   bet   Richard?"

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        "Bet   what?"

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        "If   I   win,   you   give   me   $10,000．If   I   lose,   I   lose   myself   to   you   for   life．How’s   that?           I’m   serious.”   The   gambler   in   him   was   intrigued   by   this   unusual   wager   and   he   rose   to   the   bait．

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        "What   do   you   want   to   bet?"

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        "I   have   $60   left．I’ll   go   in   and   place   a   bet．If   I   lose,   I   lose   all；but   if   I   win,   I   get   my   winnings   and   your   $10,000.”

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"It’s   a   deal!"   he   said．The   ludicrous   couple,   with   their   preposterous   and   farcical   bet，walked   into   the   gambling   house．It   was   noisy   and   smoky．Excited   shouts   of   perpetual   optimists   and   outraged   curses   of   desperate   losers   could   be   heard   in   all   corners   of   the   room．   Walking   to   the   Domino   table,   Yoko   changed   her   $60   to   chips   and   placed   her   bets；but   within   minutes   they   were   all   wiped   away．She   shrugged   philosophically   and   said，

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        "Ah   well!   That’s   that．I’m   all   yours   now.”   She   didn’t   feel   too   bad,   as   she   had   always   liked   Richard，so   the   turn   of   events   were   to   her   liking．Richard,   however,   patted   her   on   the   shoulders   and   said，

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        "Cheer   up!   It’s   ok．Since   you’re   so   desperate,   I’ll   give   you   the   $10,000,   even   though   you   lost．But   I   won’t   hold   you   to   your   promise   if   you   have   second   thoughts．I   don’t   force   myself   on   people.”

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        "No，I’m   game．It’s   fun   losing   myself   to   a   lovable   thief"   and   they   smiled   at   each   other．

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        "But   you   can’t   have   your   money   just   yet．I   heard   a   big   shot，Mr．Kaffee，will   be   coming   tonight，and   he’s   loaded．I   want   to   try   my   luck   again   tonight．This   time   for   myself.”

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"With   your   luck   you   may   win   at   least   another   $300,000   or   even   a   million!"   said   Yoko   excitedly．

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  Just   then，a   sudden   silence   reigned   in   the   room   as   all   heads   turned   towards   the   entrance．The   owner   of   the   gambling   house   and   his   staff   hurried   to   welcome   their   long-expected   patron，smiling   and   bowing   obsequiously．Mr．Kaffee   came   in,   followed   by   his   young   and   beautiful   secretary   Ileen,   carrying   a   suitcase．A   retinue   of   bodyguards   crowded   around   him，pushing   their   way   unceremoniously   through   the   crowd．He   boasted   to   his   followers,   saying，

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"I   am   rich．I   don’t   need   the   money．I   come   just   for   the   pleasure   of   seeing   the   expression   of   those   blighted   bastards   as   they   lose   their   shirts   to   me,   cabishee?"   The   owner   of   the   gambling   house   and   his   staff   smiled   widely   and   nodded   in   agreement   to   all   he   said   while   they   led   him   to   the   VIP   room   where   some   of   the   richest   gamblers   and   millionaires   were   scattered   around   chatting   and   smoking，waiting   for   his   arrival．According   to   Californian   law，while   casinos   where   patrons   lost   to   the   owners   were   prohibited,   gambling   houses   may   legally   provide   site   for   people   who   wanted   to   gamble   among   themselves，and   they   could   take   a   percentage   of   the   winnings   as   commission．Therefore   the   owners   of   the   gambting   house   looked   upon   rich   clients   like   Mr．Kaffee   as   their   bread   and   butter,   and   fawned   on   them   unabashedly．   Richard   would   not   have   normally   been   admitted   to   this   exclusive   room，but   being   an   old   customer，he   knew   the   attendants，and   they   were   aware   he   had   $35，000   on   him，so   they   grudgingly   let   him   place   the   minimum   bet   once   and   try   his   luck．Richard’s   heart   was   in   a   flurry．If   he   lost，Jamaz’s   hospital   bills   and   his   commitment   to   Yoko   would   be   all   gone；but   if   he   won，his   winnings   would   double   or   triple，and   if   he   won   ten   times   consecutively,   why,   he   would   be   made!     Such   was   the   gambler’s   dream,   so   easily   inflated   and   which   never   knew   when   to   stop,   which   was   the   crucial   point   between   winning   and   losing．

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Mr．Kaffee   sat   there   detachly   puffing   at   his   cigar，but   Richard’s   eyes   were   glued   to   the   table,   while   large   beads   of   perspiration   stood   out   on   his   forehead．   Mr．Kaffee’s   lewd   eyes   fell   on   Yoko，standing   beside   Richard   and   he   took   stock   of   her   up   and   down．Yoko   bowed   her   head   in   embarrassment．Mr．Kaffee   smiled   and   commented   rudely   to   his   companions，

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"That’s   a   tasty   dish!"     Everyone   at   the   table   laughed   and   looked   condescendingly   at   the   girl   and   her   tense   and   obviously   desperate   companion.   When   the   cards   opened   up   Richard   unfortunately   lost，as   did   most   of   the   others．Mr．Kaffee   was   the   sole   winner   and   chips   stacked   up   high   in   front   of   him．Richard   looked   around．In   such   merciless   and   coldly   practical   surroundings   there   was   no   sympathy,   no   pity．What   could   he   do?   He   stood   up   to   go．

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"Stop!   Come   back   here,”   came   Mr．Kaffee’s   arrogant   voice．"I’ll   give   you   another   chance．I’ll   bet   $10,000.     If   you   lose，give   me   that   girl   who   is   with   you.     You   are   not   worthy   of   such   a   tender   and   juicy   meat   anyway.”   Richard’s   self   respect   was   deeply   hurt,   but   what   was   self   respect   in   this   gambling   house?   He   turned   his   head   to   look   at   Yoko．At   the   same   time,   Ileen   was   eyeing   her   too   with   envy   and   jealousy．Expensively-dressed   and   beautifully   made   up,   Ileen   was   a   young   woman   that   turned   heads   wherever   she   went，but   here   before   her   was   youth，naivete   and   natural   beauty,   which   had   caught   Mr．Kaffee’s   eye   in   spite   of   the   cheap   dress   and   lack   of   ornamentation．But   Yoko   was   shaking   her   head   and   saying，

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"No   big   deal.   What’s   in   a   loss?     If   we   lose,   we   lose.     There’s   always   a   next   time．   Come   on，let’s   go.”     She   took   his   arm   and   the   two   walked   dejectedly   out   of   the   gambling   house．They   went   out   onto   the   cold   lonely   streets,   feeling   snubbed   and   humiliated．Richard   was   still   devastated   and   said，

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        "If   I   had   known，I   wouldn’t   have   gone   in   at   all．We   would   still   have   the   $35,000   and   everything   would   be   fine.”

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        "What’s   done   is   done   and   cannot   be   undone．Never   regret．That’s   Amalia’s   rule   and   mine   too.”     Richard   felt   bad，but   Yoko’s   warm   hand   in   his   made   him   feel   better．

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"You’re   right．It’s   night   time．Let’s   go   and   get   what   we   can.”   Yoko   understood   him   perfectly   and   the   two   figures   disappeared   into   the   darkness,   which   was   like   soft，black   velvet，lightly   covering   the   sleeping   earth．The   night   was   like   an   unfathomable   treasure，where   if   you   would   only   go   and   seek,   there   you   would   find．

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        Under   the   moonlight，as   bright   and   warm   as   sunshine,   lay   Dimitri   and   Medusa，feeling   comfortably   relaxed,   like   two   primitive   mammals   resting   in   the   fields   after   the   fiery   heat   of   mating   on   a   spring   night．But   their   mating   was   not   one   of   animal   lust,   an   inborn   instinct   to   vent   their   sexual   urge   and   propagate   their   species．No,   theirs   was   the   consummation   of   the   highest   and   noblest   sentiment,   mutual   love   and   the   art   of   the   body．Dimitri’s   hands   caressed   the   voluptuous   body   of   Medusa,   once   the   most   feared   of   monsters，but   now   the   most   loyal   of   subjects．Medusa,   on   the   other   hand,   was   treasuring   every   moment   of   her   precious   night   with   her   master,   naked,   free   from   all   inhibitions,   a   rare   incident   that   had   never   happened   before   when   they   were   surrounded   by   Dimitri’s   numerous   retinue   in   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams．But   Medusa   noticed   an   absentmindedness   about   him   that   seemed   to   tell   her   there   was   something   on   his   mind．

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        "Is   something   worrying   you,   Your   Majesty?”     Dimitri   hesitated   for   a   moment．

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        "Well   yes．I   promised   someone   I   would   help   with   his   friend’s   hospital   bills   and   was   wondering   where   I   could   get   the   money.”

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        "Your   Majesty,   have   you   forgotten   that   the   World   Bank   is   now   yours,   and   you   can   take   out   whatever   you   want   to?"     Dimitri   looked   at   her   in   amazement   and   gratification．He   tapped   his   forehead   with   his   hand   and   said，

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        "What   a   relief!   It   slipped   my   mind   completely!   How   stupid   of   me   to   forget   that!"

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"Well,   now   that   the   load   is   off   your   mind，I   hope   Your   Majesty   can   have   a   good   night’s   rest．I   must   go   back   to   the   Kingdom   and   make   sure   nothing   is   amiss.”     Medusa   headed   for   the   entrance   of   the   hut．As   she   was   bending   to   leave,   she   turned   back   and   said．

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"If   Your   Majesty   should   ever   meet   with   some   problem   and   need   me,   you   only   have   to   call   my   name   out   loud   three   times   and   I   will   know   and   will   come   to   your   side   at   once.”   Dimitri   nodded   and   watched   as   she   left   the   dilapidated   shelter，spread   out   her   hands   and   slowly   floated   upwards．As   she   ascended   above   the   surrounding   rooftop,   she   suddenly   somersaulted   in   the   air,   transformed   into   a   huge   bird   and   shot   up   into   the   sky．

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Medusa   traveled   in   the   night   at   a   tremendous   velocity．The   fluttering   of   her   huge   wings   stirred   up   a   swirling   wind   in   the   atmosphere．Looking   down   from   on   high   at   the   masses   of   twinkling   lights   shining   below,   she   felt   that   this   human   society   that   had   ostracized   her   thousands   of   years   ago,   now   seemed   so   strange   and   unfamiliar．The   changes   were   phenomenal．God   created   the   world,   but   man   created   civilization,   which   had   developed   so   swiftly   it   seemed   almost   to   have   reached   its   extreme．What   would   come   after   that,   Medusa   wondered．After   traversing   tens   of   thousands   of   miles,   she   was   finally   nearing   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams．Medusa   slowed   down   her   pace   and   flew   lower,   encircling   the   surrounding   mountains   several   times．Finding   nothing   out   of   the   ordinary,   she   flew   lower   still   over   the   twin   peaks．She   saw   lights   by   the   lake,   where   Lotus，Deanna，Elina   and   Novella   were   talking   in   the   hut，decided   not   to   disturb   them，and   made   for   the   highest   roof   of   the   palace，where   she   settled   down   and   scouted   the   district．Pairs   of   lanterns   moved   briskly   across   the   drawbridge   and   she   knew   it   was   the   efficient   Ileen   and   her   staff   going   to   work   at   the   administrative   building．

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Ileen

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        In   the   great   hall   of   the   administrative   building   were   spread   boxes   of   tributes   sent   to   King   Dimitri   from   his   emissaries   all   over   the   world．Knowing   there   were   twenty-four   beauties   whom   he   favored，many   of   them   paid   tributes   in   the   form   of   original   and   expensive   gems   and   exquisitely   mounted   jewelry．Ileen   glanced   over   the   lot   and   saw   that   there   was   nothing   spectacular   or   unusual   because   gems   and   jewels   were   in   abundance   in   King   Dimitri’s   Kingdom．She   ordered   her   staff，

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        "Ask   the   Beauties   to   come   in   and   see   if   there’s   anything   they   would   like   to   keep．Whatever   is   left   can   be   itemized   and   put   in   the   safe.”

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        "What   should   be   done   with   the   fifty   kilos   of   diamonds   sent   from   Africa?"   asked   one   of   her   staff.   Ileen   looked   at   the   magnificently   carved   box   of   red   sandalwood   full   of   diamonds,   their   brilliance   sending   off   multicolored   sparks   under   the   lights．She   hesitated   for   a   moment   while   her   eyes   traveled   around   the   hall   and   fell   on   the   water   fountain   in   the   middle．Nine   gold   dragons   frolicking   in   the   water,   each   in   a   different   pose,   were   placed   at   strategic   positions   so   that   the   streams   of   water   sprouting   from   their   mouths   would   crisscross   and   form   an   extravagant   water   display．

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"Pour   them   into   the   water   fountain.”   Her   order   was   carried   out   at   once   and   the   precious   gems   added   flash   and   sparkle   to   the   already   brilliant   and   shimmering   display．

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Ileen   walked   up   the   broad   but   shallow   steps   to   the   four   elevators   which   led   to   the   top   of   the   building．These   old   fashioned   semi-manual   bespoken   automaton   were   an   obvious   contrast   to   thus   ultra   modern   building，but   its   very   incongruity   accented   the   designer’s   uniqueness   and   ingenuity．One   of   her   staff   slid   open   the   latticed   glass   outer   door   and   the   folding   inner   door   made   of   solid   gold．Ileen   stepped   into   one   of   the   cages,   while   her   staff   scattered   into   the   remaining   three   elevators．She   closed   the   doors   one   after   the   other   and   pushed   the   button   to   the   top   floor．Ileen   used   to   be   the   secretary   to   Mr．Kaffee,   president   of   World   Bank．Her   exceptional   capabilities   made   her   indispensable   to   him．She   was   legendary   for   her   dexterity   at   reviving   failing   and   bankrupt   enterprises   and   making   them   profit-   producing   again．She   had   been   sent   to   third   world   countries   that   owed   money   to   the   World   Bank   and   were   unable   to   pay   back．She   modernized   their   financial   system,   organized   and   renovated   their   banking   practices，thereby   stimulating   their   economy   until   they   became   healthy   institutions   that   could   repay   their   debts．King   Dimitri   happened   to   meet   her   in   one   of   his   numerous   adventures   and   brought   her   to   his   kingdom．Confident   of   her   abilities,   he   bestowed   on   her   the   distinctive   honor   of   chief   administrator   of   his   Kingdom,   in   charge   of   everything   in   his   absence．Her   efficient   management   freed   him   from   monumental   administrative   work   his   colossal   wealth   entailed,   enabling   him   to   pursue   his   favorite   pastime   of   roaming   about   as   he   willed．He   became   like   a   besotted   emperor   who   went   about   enjoying   himself,   leaving   his   empire   in   the   hands   of   one   trusted   subject．

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When   the   antique   elevator   stopped   at   the   top   floor，Ileen   stepped   out   and   closed   the   two   doors   behind   her，while   the   other   three   elevators   also   arrived   one   by   one，letting   out   her   staff．Ileen   took   out   a   gold   key   and   fitted   it   into   the   gold   padlock   of   Dimitri’s   office，located   at   the   center   of   the   top   floor．Gold   was   so   common   in   the   Kingdom   that   it   was   used   for   everything   that   needed   metal．His   office   was   modern   and   practical,   with   no   signs   of   luxury，the   only   exception   being   the   huge,   pure   gold   abacus   studded   with   gems   that   he   kept   standing   upright   in   the   room．Dimitri   often   stood   before   it   while   giving   out   orders   to   his   staff．It   looked   bare   and   simple   as   a   classroom，not   at   all   resembling   what   it   actually   was，the   headquarters   of   a   huge   financial   kingdom．   Decisions   made   here   had   repercussions   all   over   the   world．Behind   the   main   office   was   a   small   room   kept   in   semi   darkness   where   the   altar   of   the   god   of   wealth   was   kept．It   was   a   freakish,   ugly-looking   pygmy   wearing   the   elaborate   costume   of   the   Tsing   Dynasty．His   hat   and   coat   were   of   material   woven   with   gold   thread   and   shone   under   the   two   gigantic   candles   that   were   kept   lighted   night   and   day．   Every   night，when   the   staff   came   in,   they   lit   fresh   candles   and   incense   and   everyone   bowed   before   the   altar   in   turn．A   dozen   fresh   eggs   were   placed   there   every   night   and   the   offering   of   the   previous   night   taken   away.   While   the   eggs   they   took   away   looked   whole   and   untouched   as   fresh   ones，they   were   only   light   and   empty   shells,   the   whites   and   yolks   had   been   entirely   sucked   away   somehow．This   was   one   of   the   mysteries   in   the   Kingdom   and   the   beauties   often   commented   among   themselves   that   the   god   of   Wealth   actually   lived   and   it   was   with   his   help   and   blessing   that   Dimitri   had   been   able   to   amass   his   vast   fortune．

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On   the   right   of   the   main   office   was   an   immense   living   room，lavishly   furnished   with   every   conceivable   comfort   and   luxury．It   had   originally   been   designed   as   a   place   for   Dimitri   to   receive   his   guests,   but   as   he   was   often   absent   from   the   Kingdom   wandering   in   remote   corners   of   the   earth   amid   forests   and   mountains,   the   room   had   been   turned   into   Ileen’s   office．   A   description   of   her   desk   alone,   which   was   made   of   expertly   sculptured   ivory   using   up   over   a   thousand   tusks，would,   be   sufficient   to   denote   the   caliber   of   the   furnishings．   Ileen   sat   at   her   desk   listening   to   the   reports   of   her   staff,   reading,   signing   or   writing   her   comments   on   the   stack   of   papers   placed   for   her   review．Every   now   and   then,   she   looked   at   the   twelve   large   screens   that   surrounded   her,   on   which   flashed   statistics   of   the   ever   changing   world   Market   of   finance．She   did   everything   briskly   and   efficiently,   as   if   there   was   an   innate   calculator   in   her   brain   that   could   instantly   point   out   errors   in   what   she   heard   or   read．She   had   comments,   changes,   or   orders   for   almost   everything   that   came   under   her   review,   with   the   only   exception   of   reports   from   World   Bank,   which   she   accepted   unconditionally.     In   no   time，she   had   disposed   of   her   night’s   work．She   sat   back   comfortably,   took   out   her   compact   from   the   drawer   and   carefully   scrutinized   her   image   in   the   mirror   before   giving   herself   a   little   touchup．She   skillfully   penciled   her   eyebrows   and   eyelids,   making   her   already   beautiful   and   alluring   eyes   seem   larger   and   more   luminous   than   ever．Then   she   applied   mascara   to   her   lashes，added   color   to   her   lips   and   touched   up   her   immaculate   hair．But   all   the   while   her   eyes   kept   darting   to   the   screen   from   time   to   time   and   her   brain   was   always   in   a   whirl,   planning   and   scheming   on   how   to   make   more   money．

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How   could   an   essentially   healthy   world   economy   suddenly   deteriorate   into   a   recession?   It   only   needed   a   boost   and   she   had   it   within   her   power   to   give   it   that   little   push．Oh   yes,   this   recession   was   a   great   chance   for   her   to   display   her   formidable   talents   and   make   or   break   princes   of   finance，she   thought，especially   since   she   had   Dimitri’s   unlimited   resources   at   her   disposal．Satisfied   with   her   image   in   the   mirror，she   put   back   her   cosmetics   into   the   drawer，but   then,   looking   at   the   luxurious   but   lonely   room,   she   sighed   and   wondered   why   she   even   bothered．No   one   would   see   her   in   this   god-forsaken   place   or   even   care   about   how   she   looked．She   put   on   makeup   only   to   wash   it   off   a   few   hours   later．It   was   a   lonely   life   despite   the   immense   financial   power   invested   in   her   and   she   longed   for   the   glittering   flamboyant，old-fashioned   lifestyle   she   had   led   with   Mr．Kaffee,   hobnobbing   with   the   rich   and   famous，being   complimented   for   her   beauty   and   ability．   But   now，her   youth   and   beauty   were   hidden   in   these   mountains   and   the   best   years   of   her   life   were   wasted．She   was   just   sitting   there   waiting   for   old   age   to   come．

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"No!   I   won’t   let   that   happen!"   she   thought   vehemently,   hitting   the   desk   with   her   fist．"I   will   be   mistress   of   my   own   fate.”     But   then,   she   thought   of   how   Dimitri’s   eye   sight   had   been   deteriorating   fast   these   last   few   years   and   rumor   in   the   palace   had   it   that   he   would   be   blind   one   day．Her   insatiable   lust   for   power   bade   her   be   patient   and   wait,   for   when   Dimitri   went   blind,   he   would   be   entirely   at   her   mercy,   leaving   her   in   sole   and   actual   control   of   the   Kingdom．The   immense   wealth   would   be   his   in   name   only．   But   then，she   thought   of   the   cool   and   savoir   faire   of   the   man   that   was   her   master．   He   may   look   simple   and   ignorant,   but   he   was   a   mean   opponent,   as   she   well   knew,   and   not   one   to   be   taken   lightly．She   sighed   and   wished   he   would   go   wandering   all   round   the   world   and   never   come   back   and   bother   her．   Since   that   was   impossible，she   could   only   work   harder   and   make   herself   indispensable   to   him,   to   secure   his   confidence   and   trust．

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Just   then   she   remembered   Mr．Kaffee’s   request,   asking   her   to   use   Dimitri’s   funds   to   buy   as   much   gold   as   possible,   so   that   the   price   of   gold   would   go   up．He   had   rashly   invested   all   the   liquid   assets   of   World   Bank   in   gold,   thinking   it   had   hit   rock   bottom．It   only   continued   going   down   and   Mr．Kaffee   was   beginning   to   feel   the   pinch;   so   he   came   to   his   former   secretary   for   help．Ileen’s   brows   knitted   in   concentration，thinking   of   a   way   out   for   her   former   boss   without   incurring   the   displeasure   of   her   present   master．She   hit   upon   the   strategy   of   building   a   palace   of   gold   on   the   top   of   Giant   Mountain,   so   when   Dimitri   came   back   he   would   have   only   praise   for   his   resourceful   manager．She   called   in   her   staff   and   told   them   that   gold   was   bottoming   out   and   it   was   time   to   buy．She   set   the   wheels   in   motion   to   buy   in   gold   through   their   emissaries   throughout   the   world   and   have   it   sent   back   to   the   Kingdom   to   build   a   new   palace   on   top   of   Giant   Mountain．As   the   staff   scattered   to   do   her   bidding,   she   mused   about   her   two   bosses．Mr．Kaffee   was   a   ruthless，hard-headed   businessman，but   lacking   her   knowledge   and   expertise．He   always   took   her   advice   and   they   complemented   each   other   to   perfection．Now   without   her，he   was   having   a   hard   time   coping．Then   her   thoughts   turned   to   Dimitri,   her   present   master．When   she   first   met   him,   he   was   wearing   a   dark   brown   three-quarter   jacket,   oversized   and   baggy   black   trousers,   old   army   shoes,   no   socks   and   an   olive   colored   safari   hat．He   talked   with   a   stammer   and   stood   there   awkwardly,   not   knowing   what   to   do   with   his   hands   and   feet．That   was   her   impression   of   Dimitri   when   she   met   him   for   the   first   time   in   the   hall   of   World   Bank．

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Dawn   was   approaching   and   gray   light   was   just   beginning   to   disperse   the   darkness   when   Dimitri   woke   from   his   slumber．   He   remembered   his   promise   to   Richard   and   how   Medusa   told   him   he   could   get   as   much   money   as   he   wanted   from   World   Bank．But   a   feeling   of   dread   and   uncertainty   hit   him,   for   how   was   he,   a   homeless   person,   to   go   up   to   that   imposing   counter   and   ask   for   money   with   nothing   whatsoever   to   support   his   claim?   But   that   was   his   only   resource,   so   however   reluctant   he   was   to   crash   the   gates   of   that   awe-inspiring   institution,   he   had   to   do   so．Therefore,   he   got   dressed,   left   his   dilapidated   shelter   and   went   on   his   way．

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The   morning   was   still   gray   and   the   steel   and   cement   jungle   of   buildings   had   just   begun   to   revive．Human   society   had   its   own   unique   system   of   ecological   balance．As   Dimitri   crossed   the   wide   expanse   of   the   empty   square，his   solitary   figure   seemed   dwarfed   and   insignificant．On   the   right   of   the   square   was   an   abandoned   auto   body   shop；on   the   left，a   hospital,   open   twenty   four   hours   a   day   for   emergency   calls．In   his   ambiguous   impression，there   wasn’t   much   difference   between   the   two．They   were   both   repair   shops，one   dealing   with   machines，the   other   with   the   human   body．Across   the   square   was   a   Catholic   Church,   elegant   and   classical,   where   he   often   heard   soothing   and   peaceful   music   of   the   choir   accompanied   by   the   organ   coming   from   the   interior，inspiring   his   imagination．The   nuns   in   their   flowing   veils   and   habits   come   and   go   on   their   sacred   and   charitable   missions，like   nymphs   descending   from   heaven．He   had   often   wished   he   could   summon   up   enough   courage   to   get   on   intimate   terms   with   them,   but   he   never   dared   to．After   passing   the   square,   he   came   to   some   narrow   steel   tracks,   which   had   always   been   there，though   no   train   ever   came   through．It   must   be   a   remnant   of   the   pioneer   days．The   nearer   he   got   to   his   destination,   the   faster   his   heart   went   pitapat．The   streets   were   still   deserted   in   the   early   morning．   A   battered   car   parked   by   the   side   of   the   street，with   its   lights   still   flashing   weakly   added   to   the   sense   of   desolation．The   batteries   were   almost   used   up   and   the   car   looked   worn   out．The   driver   had   fallen   asleep   in   his   seat，evidently   exhausted．Both   the   driver   and   the   car   had   co-operated   well   on   their   long   trip   and   now   both   were   tired   and   needed   a   rest．Further   down,   he   noticed   a   dead   seagull   lying   on   the   pavement．Why   had   it   left   its   natural   habitat   by   the   waters   and   ventured   into   human   society   only   to   end   on   the   sidewalks?   It   was   still   early,   but   cars   and   pedestrians   had   already   begun   to   appear,   going   hastily   on   their   way   with   cold   expressionless   faces．As   he   approached   the   financial   district，he   saw   the   twenty-four   storey   World   Bank   building   that   spread   over   the   entire   block．It   was   hard   to   believe   that   all   this   belonged   to   him!     It   hadn’t   opened   its   doors   yet,   so   Dimitri   squatted   down   on   the   curb   across   the   street   to   wait   quietly．

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With   the   passing   of   time，Dimitri   became   tense   and   worried．He   could   hear   the   frantic   thumping   of   his   heart．The   streets   were   coming   alive   with   cars   and   pedestrians   when   the   door   of   World   Bank   finally   opened．Gathering   up   his   courage   Dimitri   moved   slowly   towards   it．His   ragged   image   reflected   by   the   polished   marble   shamed   him,   but   he   steeled   himself   to   push   open   the   revolving   door   and   stepped   into   the   interior,   his   heart   almost   jumping   out   of   his   mouth．In   the   hall   all   eyes   riveted   to   the   intruder,   this   dirty,   ragged,   homeless   person   who   braved   the   sanctuary   of   the   rich．He   stepped   on   the   thick,   soft   carpet   as   he   made   for   the   line   forming   in   front   of   the   counter   and   thought   how   wonderful   it   would   be   to   sleep   on   it．   It   would   surely   be   like   lying   on   clouds．What   sweet   dreams   might   come   to   him?   His   roving   thoughts   were   interrupted   by   the   voice   of   the   teller   asking，

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"May   I   help   you,   sir?"

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        "I   need   some   money,   but   I   have   no   certificate.”

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        "Have   you   lost   it   or   misplaced   it?     Please   go   over   to   one   of   the   desks   across   the   aisle   and   ask   for   a   replacement.”   Dimitri   looked   across   the   aisle   to   where   the   teller   pointed   and   saw   a   row   of   desks   with   a   dozen   or   so   bank   clerks   talking   to   customers．

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        "Thank   you.”   He   moved   towards   the   desks,   but   all   the   clerks   were   busy   and   no   one   paid   the   slightest   attention   to   him．He   stood   awkwardly   in   the   middle   of   the   huge   hall，not   knowing   what   to   do．A   security   guard,   who   had   been   paying   special   attention   to   him,   came   over   and   said，

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        "May   I   help   you?"

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"I   need   some   money   but   have   no   certificate．They   told   me   to   go   there   and   get   a   replacement.”

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Just   then   a   customer   at   one   of   the   desks   stood   up,   shook   hands   with   the   clerk   and   turned   to   go．The   security   guard   pointed   to   the   desk   and   asked   Dimitri   to   be   seated．The   clerk   was   very   polite．She   introduced   herself   and   waited   for   Dimitri   to   be   seated   before   sitting   down   herself．The   security   guard   stood   on   alert   nearby   in   case   of   a   disturbance．

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        "How   may   I   help   you   sir.”

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        "I   need   some   money   but   have   no   certiticate．They   told   me   to   come   over   to   this   aisle..."   He   began   to   stutter   in   his   anxiety．

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        "Do   you   remember   your   account   number?"

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        "No   ma’am.”

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        "I’ll   try   and   check   it   out   on   the   computer．What   is   your   name   sir?"

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        "Dimitri   Jackson．"   After   checking   again   and   again   at   the   terminal,   she   turned   to   him   and   said,   "I’m   sorry   sir   but   I   cannot   find   your   name   anywhere．When   did   you   open   your   account?"     Dimitri   felt   hot   under   his   collar   and   his   stutter   became   more   pronounced   in   his   anxiety   and   embarrassment．

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        "Well，I   really   need   the   money．My   friend   is   ill   in   the   hospital   and   I   promised   to   get   him   the   money   to   pay   his   bills．You   see,   I   gave   Richard   my   word．I   must   have   the   money．I   swear   to   God   it’s   for   someone   else,   not   for   myself..."

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        "I’m   sorry   but   I   cannot   give   you   money   if   you   don’t   have   an   account   with   us.”

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        "But   I   must   have   it!"   cried   Dimitri．From   the   corner   of   his   eye   he   could   see   the   security   guard   and   two   others,   who   stood   at   the   other   end   of   the   room   starting   to   close   in   on   him．At   this   critical   moment,   a   bright   idea   flashed   in   his   mind．He   collected   himself   and   calmed   down,saying   solemnly，

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        "I   want   to   see   your   president，Mr．Oliver   Kaffee.”   They   looked   at   him   open-mouthed   as   if   they   couldn’t   believe   their   ears．

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        "You?   You   want   to   see   Mr．Kaffee?"     Just   then,   Mr．Kaffee’s   secretary   stepped   into   the   hall．She   worked   on   a   flexible   schedule   and   came   and   went   as   she   pleased．The   clerk   and   the   security   guard   exchanged   glances   and   the   latter   moved   over   to   Ileen，conferred   with   her   in   an   undertone   for   a   moment   and   the   two   walked   over   to   the   desk．Dimitri   found   himself   facing   a   fashionably   dressed   young   woman,   whose   penetrating   glance   looked   him   up   and   down，causing   him   to   lose   his   composure．A   sweet   voice   asked，

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        "Are   you   Dimitri   Jackson?"

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        "Yes．"

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        "Come   with   me，please.”     Dimitri   followed   her   into   the   elevator   in   a   daze,   hardly   able   to   believe   his   luck   that   things   were   resolved   so   easily．The   fact   was,   Ileen   remembered   her   boss   telling   her   if   ever   a   man   called   Dimitri   Jackson   should   present   himself   at   the   bank，he   should   be   received   with   the   greatest   promptness   and   respect．She   didn’t   know   who   Dimitri   Jackson   was   and   Mr．Kaffee   did   not   elaborate;   but   she   certainly   had   not   expected   him   to   be   a   dirty,   ragged,   homeless   person!     She   pushed   the   number   24   and   the   elevator   shot   up．

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        "His   office   is   on   the   top   floor?"

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        "Yes,sir"

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        "So   is   mine.”

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        "What   did   you   say?"

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        "Eh...Nothing...It’s   just   a   dream...I   mean..."

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        Ileen   disdained   to   say   more．Stepping   out   of   the   elevator,   she   hesitated   for   a   moment   before   the   luxurious   suite   Mr．Kaffee   used   for   special   guests.     She   thought   it   was   too   grand   for   this   homeless   person,   so   she   ushered   him   to   the   small   waiting   room   adjoining   her   office．

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"Please   be   seated．Mr．Kaffee   will   be   coming   in   his   private   helicopter   any   minute   now.”   Then   she   went   about   her   own   work   and   paid   him   no   more   attention．

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Mr.   Finger   showed   up   again．He   danced   and   somersaulted   on   the   soft,   lush   carpet   like   a   truant   schoolboy   playing   in   the   grass．Then   he   struttered   about   as   arrogantly   as   a   big   shot．He   leapt   up   the   window   sill   and   looked   down   at   the   grandiose，panoramic   view   spread   out   below,   elated   that   this   spectacular   building   with   its   magnificent   view   all   belonged   to   him．It   was   too   good   to   be   true!     Meanwhile，Ileen’s   voice   was   raised   haughtily   in   a   phone   conference，but   Dimitri   paid   her   no   special   attention．His   mind   was   attracted   by   the   miniature   model   of   a   seventeenth   century   sailboat   on   the   coffee   table   before   him，thinking   that   it   would   be   marvelous   if   the   boat   was   real   and   he   could   sail   around   the   world   in   it．He   couldn’t   resist   touching   the   delicate   art   work，whose   every   detail   was   so   minutely   carved   out   and   the   figures   so   life-like   in   their   poses   that   he   could   almost   imagine   himself   jumping   aboard   and   setting   sail．Just   then,   a   cold   voice   cut   in，

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"Please   don’t   touch   it!   It’s   an   expensive   piece   of   antique,only   to   be   looked   at.”   Dimitri   jumped   at   her   sharp   admonition   and   sat   down   docilely，afraid   to   move   about   too   casually，and   then   retreated   into   his   dream   world．

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Mr.   Finger   walked   under   Ileen’s   desk   and   saw   a   pair   of   expensive,   toeless   high-heeled   shoes   and   perfectly   proportioned   legs   encased   in   sheer   stockings．He   climbed   up   to   her   knee   and   without   her   knowing   it,   furtively   raised   a   corner   of   her   beige-colored   skirt   and   climbed   under．Warm   air   rushed   at   him   as   if   he   had   just   entered   a   room   with   the   heater   on．He   continued   to   meander   up   the   soft，silken   skin   of   the   inner   thigh   until   he   reached   the   Y-shaped   center   where   the   paths   parted．He   touched   it   tentatively，felt   a   pulsated   throbbing,   opened   his   mouth   and   bit   down   hard   as   if   in   retaliation   for   her   disrespect   towards   Dimitri．Ileen   suddenly   cried   out,   for   she   heard   the   rumbling   of   a   helicopter   getting   ready   to   land．She   hung   up   hastily，rushed   out   of   the   room   and   hurried   to   the   rooftop   landing．   A   red   carpet   was   rolled   out   in   a   flash   and   Mr．Kaffee’s   tall,   virile   figure   descended   unhurriedly   towards   the   entrance   where   Ileen   was   waiting．Her   voice   was   drowned   by   the   noise   of   the   engines，but   she   seemed   to   be   reporting   to   Mr．Kaffee   that   someone   was   waiting   for   him．His   expression   was   sober   as   he   listened   and   the   two   hurried   inside   the   building．

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        When   Ileen   pushed   open   the   door   to   Mr.   Kaffee’s   office，the   scene   before   her   was   so   unexpected   that   she   lost   her   composure   and   almost   dropped   the   tray   with   its   two   cups   of   coffee．Dimitri   was   sitting   comfortably   in   the   swivel   chair   behind   Mr.   Kaffee’s   big   office   desk，his   feet   resting   on   the   shining   lacquered   top，talking   casually   to   the   normally   brutal   and   arrogant   Mr．Kaffee.     Mr．Kaffee   was   standing   by   like   a   lackey,   with   a   subservient   manner   she   had   never   seen   in   him   before．The   story   was   as   follows：When   gang   war   broke   out   in   Mr．Kaffee’s   mansion，he   escaped   in   his   yacht.     What   he   did   not   know   was   his   subjects，who   wished   to   succeed   to   his   power,   had   already   set   a   time   bomb   there,   which   exploded   on   the   open   sea．If   it   were   not   for   Medusa,   sent   by   Dimitri   to   save   him,   he   would   have   perished.   Dimitri   then   used   his   limitless   resources   to   pull   World   Bank   from   the   brink   of   bankruptcy,   after   which   Mr．Kaffee   remained   president   in   name   only．The   real   owner   was   Dimitri,   who   preferred   to   stay   behind   the   scenes,   leaving   Mr．Kaffee   as   the   figurehead．Dimitri   flipped   open   an   expensive-looking   cigar   case   on   the   table   and   took   out   a   Havana   cigar．Mr．Kaffee   immediately   stepped   up   to   light   it   for   him．Meanwhile，Ileen   did   her   best   to   recover   her   composure   and   put   a   cup   of   coffee   on   the   table   for   Dimitri   and   one   at   the   corner   for   Mr．Kaffee．

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        "I   need   some   money，Mr．Kaffee．I   don’t   know   how   much．I   could   go   anywhere   for   it，but   since   your   place   is   the   nearest,   I   decided   to   come   here．You   should   deem   this   request   of   mine   an   honor.”

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        "Of   course,   Your   Majesty．I   am   much   honored   you   chose   to   come   here．I   will   take   you   to   the   vaults   myself   and   you   can   take   whatever   you   wish.”     Dimitri   made   a   face   at   Ileen   and   asked,   "Who   is   this   young   lady?"

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        "Her   name   is   Ileen,   my   secretary．She   is   very   capable   and   a   great   help   to   me.”   Dimitri   looked   her   up   and   down,   his   eyes   lingering   on   her   silver   high-heeled   shoes   which   seemed   very   familiar   to   him,   as   if   he   had   seen   it   in   the   window   of   some   shoe   store.   Turning   to   Mr．Kaffee   he   said，

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        "Ah!   If   I   had   such   a   beautiful,   capable   secretary   that   would   be   an   enormous   asset．Would   you   consider   letting   me   have   her,   Mr．Kaffee?"   The   banker   did   not   want   to，since   he   relied   greatly   on   Ileen’s   knowledge   and   expertise,   but   he   could   not   refuse   King   Dimitri,   who   owned   him   body   and   soul．

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        "That   would   be   her   honor   and   mine,   Your   Majesty.”

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"What   about   you,   Ileen?   Would   you   agree   to   work   for   me   in   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams?"   Dimitri   asked.     Ileen   who   had   been   silently   standing   by,   was   observing   everything   carefully，and   had   taken   in   the   full   significance   of   her   boss’s   transformation．She   came   to   the   conclusion   that   this   dirty,   homeless   person   must   be   the   eccentric   super   trillionaire   everyone   in   the   financial   world   had   been   hinting   and   guessing   at，but   whom   no   one   had   ever   seen．To   be   in   his   service   would   be   the   chance   of   a   lifetime．

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        "Since   my   boss   agrees．I   have   no   reason   to   refuse”   she   replied.   Dimitri   stood   up   cheerfully   and   said，

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"OK,   let’s   go   to   the   vault   now.”     He   was   happy   to   have   so   successfully   recruited   a   beautiful   and   capable   secretary   into   his   Kingdom．

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        Mr．Kaffee   led   the   way   through   a   glass   door   in   his   office,   which   he   opened   by   inserting   a   plastic   card，the   size   and   shape   of   a   normal   credit   card，and   which   opened   onto   a   small   but   expertly   designed   bar,   the   quintessence   of   beauty   and   practicability．It   was   stocked   with   all   kinds   of   expensive   wines   and   liquors   and   served   as   a   bar   when   he   needed   a   drink,   but   which   was   also   his   private   elevator   when   he   needed   to   inspect   his   vaults．Ileen   regretted   her   former   brusque   treatment   of   Dimitri，which   she   feared   might   have   offended   him,   so   she   tried   to   make   amends．

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        "Please   be   seated,   Your   Majesty．Would   you   like   a   drink?"

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"My   favorite   is   Blue   Sky，the   cheapest   whiskey，but   you   may   not   have   it   here．Just   give   me   a   glass   of   Paradise.”     Ileen   complied．Mr．Kaffee   pushed   a   button   and   the   small   bar   began   to   sink．Mr.   Finger   again   appeared   and   grabbed   greedily   at   the   glass   in   Dimitri’s   hand，like   a   little   alcoholic,   unable   to   withstand   the   tempting   fragrance   of   wine．

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"So   this   is   your   private   elevator!"   said   Dimitri．

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"Yes,   Your   Majesty．I   use   it   when   I   need   to   inspect   the   vaults.”   When   the   elevator   stopped   at   the   basement,   they   entered   the   vault．

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        Dimitri   saw   before   him   a   long   corridor   of   huge   coffers,   sectioned   off   by   glass   doors，each   walled   with   huge   safes   on   both   sides．   Mr．Kaffee   opened   door   after   door   with   his   plastic   card,   saying，

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        "This   is   a   special   card   for   my   personal   use．It   will   open   every   single   door   in   the   bank   without   exception,   from   the   parking   lot   to   the   safes．The   managers   and   senior   staff   each   has   one．They   were   given   different   cards   and   when   one   needs   to   come   in,   they   have   to   come   together．The   door   will   open   only   when   the   combination   of   cards   are   inserted   in   the   prescribed   order;   otherwise   the   alarm   will   go   off   and   the   police   alerted.”

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        "That’s   interesting.”

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        Finally   they   came   to   the   last   door   with   rows   of   safes   stacked   up   to   the   ceiling．Mr．Kaffee   opened   one   with   his   plastic   card   and   Dimitri   saw   stacked   before   him，rows   upon   rows   of   cash．Mr.   Finger   was   already   there   before   them，eyes   blurred   with   drink，climbing   the   mountains   of   cash   with   unsteady   feet，whooping   and   laughing，completely   befuddled．Suddenly   he   tripped,   fell   flat   on   his   face   and   lay   there   in   a   drunken   stupor．Dimitri’s   eyes   widened   in   astonishment   as   he   had   never   seen   so   much   money   in   his   life．

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        "Take   whatever   you   wish,   Your   Majesty.”     Dimitri   took   a   stack   and   put   it   in   his   pocket．"Take   some   more,   Your   Majesty.”

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"No,   I   think   that’ll   be   enough   for   the   present.”     As   Mr．Kaffee   was   closing   the   door，Dimitri   suddenly   thought   of   something   and   asked，

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"By   the   way，Mr．Kaffee，can   I   have   one   of   these   cards   made   so   I   won’t   have   to   bother   you   every   time   I   need   something?"

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        "Of   course,   Your   Majesty．All   this   is   yours．You   can   have   this   master   card   and   I   will   have   another   one   made．There   is   a   phone   number   on   the   back   of   this   card．You   may   call   me   at   any   hour   of   the   day   or   night   and   I   will   always   be   available.”

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        "Thank   you.”

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        "Just   one   thing,   your   Majesty．Please   notify   us   of   the   sums   you   take   for   book-keeping   purposes.”

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        "Of   course.”

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        "Your   Majesty,   how   do   I   get   to   your   Kingdom   of   Dreams?"   Ileen   asked．

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        "Don’t   worry．Just   go   to   sleep   tonight   and   you   will   wake   up   in   my   Kingdom.”

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Ileen   said   nothing,   half   believing,   half   doubting;   but   she   really   had   no   choice   except   to   do   what   she   was   told．That   was   how   Ileen   entered   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams．

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On   leaving   the   grandiose   structure   of   World   Bank，Dimitri   seemed   to   be   strolling   along   alone   in   the   desolate   seclusion   of   his   dreamland，completely   oblivious   of   the   din   and   bustle   of   the   surrounding   traffic．He   could   hardly   believe   what   had   just   happened．but   the   stack   of   cash   he   could   feel   in   the   inside   pocket   of   his   jacket   and   the   plastic   card   at   his   fingertips   proved   he   wasn’t   dreaming．However,   dream   or   reality，things   in   this   world   were   often   deceiving：what   seemed   false   may   be   true   and   what   seemed   true   may   be   false．Nevertheless,   he   was   relieved   that   with   money   in   his   pocket，he   could   now   fulfill   his   promise   to   Richard．What   pleased   him   most   was   the   addition   of   yet   another   beauty   to   his   Kingdom,   one   who   was   not   only   beautiful   but   a   financial   wizard   as   well．She   would   be   a   great   help   to   him   and   could   relieve   him   of   the   encumbersome   administrative   burdens   of   running   his   huge   financial   empire．But   on   second   thought,   could   he   be   sure   of   the   reality   of   what   had   just   happened?     Dimitri   shrugged．He   would   know   the   truth   tonight   in   his   dreams．He   shook   his   head   from   side   to   side   to   clear   his   thoughts   and   woke   himself   up   from   his   musings．

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Raising   his   head，he   looked   at   the   clock   on   the   graceful，ancient   tower   building   and   saw   it   was   12.05   p.m.     It   didn’t   keep   very   accurate   time,   but   Dimitri   didn’t   mind,   as   he   only   wanted   a   rough   estimate   of   the   time   of   day．He   thought   to   himself，

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"That   clock   must   be   over   a   hundred   years   old,   much   older   than   I   am!   But   I   don’t   really   know   how   old   I   am．Fifty,   probably．Half   a   century   is   a   long   time．What   did   I   do   with   it?

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A   blank．Eat,   sleep   and   dream,   that’s   all   I   did   all   these   years,   day   after   day．   If   you   want   to   add   another   item,   it   would   be   excretion．The   world   may   consider   me   a   superfluous   person，a   dredge   of   society,   but   I   never   cared   for   the   opinion   of   others．I   know   I   am   alive，I   breathe．That’s   the   simplest   rudiment   of   joy.   I   enjoy   dreaming.   Those   thousands   upon   thousands   of   dreams   may   fade   away   with   time,   but   there   are   always   more   to   come．To   me，they   are   the   purest   happiness．If   I   am   only   a   machine   creating   excrement，I   am   the   happiest   one   in   the   world.”

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The   growling   of   his   stomach   cut   into   his   reverie   and   reminded   him   it   was   feeding   time．   From   force   of   habit，he   walked   towards   the   back   door   of   the   restaurant   where   Marianna   used   to   work．She   had   left   there   long   ago   for   destinations   unknown,   but   Dimitri   still   faithfully   patronized   the   garbage   cans   there，for   he   could   always   find   decent   scraps   of   food   to   fill   his   stomach．He   never   even   thought   of   the   small   fortune   inside   his   pocket．Money   meant   nothing   to   him   and   he   lived   his   life   as   he   always   did，seemingly   not   to   know   how   to   spend   money．Having   satisfied   his   hunger，he   walked   over   to   his   favorite   bench   by   the   square   near   his   dwelling   and   sat   down   to   rest．He   had   the   satisfaction   of   a   mission   accomplished，a   promise   fulfilled   and   felt   carefree   and   unhampered．He   had   only   to   wait   for   Richard   to   come   by   and   get   the   money   at   nightfall．As   languor   overcame   him，he   lay   down   and   covered   his   face   with   his   hat．The   warmth   of   the   sun，the   coolness   of   the   breeze   soothed   his   relaxed   body．Gradually   his   flesh   body   seemed   to   become   transparent   and   invisible，concealed   and   blended   into   mixtures   of   sunshine   and   breeze．He   embraced   the   unperceivable   but   nevertheless   existing   time   and   went   along   with   it   eternally，as   if   it   was   a   soft，warm   and   naked   beauty   in   his   dream,   and   his   life   span,   like   time,   extended   everlastingly．

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        When   he   next   opened   his   eyes,   it   was   already   dusk．The   clouds   were   extravagantly   spread   out   over   the   heavens,   illuminated   by   the   setting   sun   in   colors   of   bright   red,   gold   and   purple．The   spectacular   splendor   was   stunning．A   flock   of   birds   flew   onto   this   magnificent   ancient   sky．Their   graceful，rhythematic   flying   motions   added   young   and   energetic   life   force   to   the   quiet,   natural   beauty．Still   groggy   with   sleep,   Dimitri   sat   up   and   saw   two   figures   smiling   at   him   across   the   square,   with   the   backdrop   of   the   flaming   twilight   scene．Dimitri   waved   and   the   two   ran   to   him   hand   in   hand,   the   girl’s   white   pleated   skirt   and   yellow   blouse   flowing   in   the   wind．

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        "Hi   Dimitri!   Did   you   have   a   good   nap?   We’ve   been   waiting   here   for   quite   a   long   time．Look   at   the   beautiful   sunset!   We   were   afraid   you’d   sleep   away   such   gorgeous   scenery．It   would   have   been   a   pity   to   miss   it.”     Yoko   stood   silently   by   and   smiled   at   Dimitri，who   took   a   stack   of   cash   from   his   inside   pocket   and   handed   it   to   Richard   saying，

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        "Here’s   the   money   for   your   friend.     Take   it   and   pay   his   hospital   bills.”     Richard   and   Yoko   stared   at   the   money，hardly   able   to   believe   their   eyes   that   a   homeless   person   could   have   so   much   money   on   him．

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        "Stay   here，Yoko．   I’ll   be   back   in   a   minute．I   have   to   get   something   from   my   car.”   Saying   so,   Richard   rushed   to   his   car   which   was   parked   a   short   distance   away．Yoko   and   Dimitri   smiled   at   each   other．

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"Don’t   let   Richard   know   about   our   meeting   last   night.”

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"Of   course   not．It’s   our   little   secret.”

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"Would   you   come   to   our   wedding   tonight"?

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        "I’d   love   to．You   decided   to   marry   Richard?"

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        "Yes,   we   will   have   a   unique   wedding.”

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        "That’s   great．But   what   can   I   give   you   for   a   wedding   present?   I   have   nothing   left．Ah，I   have   an   idea!"said   Dimitri   whimsically．He   pointed   to   the   sky   full   of   blazing，colorful   clouds   and   said，"I’ll   give   you   this   magnificent   scenery!"   Yoko   clapped   her   hands   excitedly，her   expression   naive   and   artless   as   a   little   girl．

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        "What   a   wonderful   gift!   I   will   treasure   it   and   keep   it   in   my   memory   forever.”   Just   then，Richard   came   running   with   a   camera   slung   over   his   left   shoulder   and   a   pair   of   binoculars   in   in   his   right   hand．

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        "Look!   These   were   last   night’s   booties,   my   gifts   to   you.”

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"Are   there   any   films   left   in   it?   If   there   is,   we   could   take   a   picture   of   this   beautiful   evening   scenery.”     Richard   opened   the   camera,   shrugged   and   said，

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"Oh—oh!   It’s   empty.”

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        "There’s   no   need   for   reminders”   said   Yoko.   "I’ll   never   forget   it.   This   precious   scenery   is   indelibly   printed   in   my   mind.”   Dimitri   took   the   binoculars   and   looked   all   around   with   it．The   streets   bordering   the   square   leapt   into   his   view   as   if   they   were   near   at   hand,   and   he   saw   pedestrians   walking   on   the   pavements，a   bus   passing   and   two   men   in   a   black   car   looking   towards   the   three   of   them．   He   didn’t   pay   any   special   attention   to   them   and   handed   the   binoculars   back   to   Richard   saying，

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        "I   have   no   use   for   these   things．Take   them   and   exchange   them   for   your   gambling   funds.”         Richard   took   the   binoculars   back．At   that   moment，he   produced   a   gold   pen   from   his   coat   pocket   and   handed   it   to   Dimitri   saying，

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"What   about   this?   Would   you   like   this   better?”   Dimitri   felt   something   impact   on   his   heart   and   a   cloud   of   melancholy   dampened   his   normally   happy-go-lucky   spirits．This   gold   pen   could   be   used   to   great   advantage   in   the   hands   of   a   poet,   writing   down   beautiful   and   immortal   words,   but   in   the   hands   of   a   blind   man，it   was   a   worthless   object．What   use   was   it   to   him   who   would   soon   become   blind?     Without   sight,   this   pen   might   as   well   be   rubbish．

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Richard   and   Yoko   ran   away   hand   in   hand   like   two   lovebirds   flying   side   by   side，promising   to   come   for   Dimitri   after   nightfall   to   participate   in   their   unique   wedding   ceremony．Dimitri   sat   there，looking   at   the   ever-changing   clouds，brilliantly   lit   by   the   setting   sun   into   all   hues   of   the   rainbow   and   thought，

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"If   it   were   not   for   my   flesh   body,   I   would   not   be   able   to   enjoy   this   beautiful   scenery．I   have   nothing   whatsoever   to   ask   of   this   world   since   I   am   already   so   rich．The   sky   and   its   colorful   clouds   belong   to   me．My   fifty   years   on   this   earth   is   like   a   long   extended   vacation．I   enjoy   the   world   as   a   bystander，according   to   my   original   way   of   life.   Each   and   every   little   life   is   a   precious   miracle．If   there   is   a   God,   I   must   thank   him   for   creating   this   incredible   tool，my   flesh   body,   enabling   it   to   live   in   this   beautiful   world．If   there   is   no   God,   I   must   thank   the   sperm   and   the   egg,   whose   union   gave   me   birth，and   also   the   warm   and   cozy   uterus   that   nestled   me．The   world   is   so   fabulously   beautiful．If   one   day   I   have   to   leave   it，but   that   won’t   be   for   many，many   years   yet，I   will   have   no   regrets,   as   I   have   enjoyed   life   to   the   hilt.”   Then   Dimitri   thought   a   leisurely   walk   in   this   colorful   twilight   would   be   as   suave   as   walking   on   the   clouds．So   hands   behind   his   back，he   sauntered   on,   so   engrossed   in   his   enjoyment   of   nature   that   he   never   noticed   the   two   men   in   the   black   car   who   followed   him   stealthily   at   a   distance   like   a   phantom．

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Dimitri’s   reverie   was   rudely   interrupted   by   Charles，a   dumb   homeless   person，who   rushed   up   to   him，hands   gesticulating，as   if   he   had   some   urgent   message   to   convey．When   he   saw   Dimitri   couldn’t   make   head   or   tail   of   his   signs,   he   pulled   him   impatiently   towards   the   store   windows   of   a   nearby   shop   producing   mannequins．He   pointed   to   the   group   of   mannequins，figures   in   different   stances   exhibited   there，and   gestured   frantically；but   Dimitri   still   couldn’t   understand．He   stamped   his   foot   in   exasperation   and   indistinguishable，animallike   sounds   came   from   his   throat,   as   if   in   his   frustration   he   was   trying   to   speak．Finally,   he   sighed   in   desperation．He   hit   the   palm   of   his   hand   with   his   other   fist   and   walked   petulantly   away，shaking   his   head   sorrowfully．Dimitri   gazed   after   him   in   perplexity，attempting   to   figure   out   what   he   was   trying   to   say．He   turned   his   eyes   to   the   mannequins   inside   the   window   to   solve   the   problem,   but   still   nothing   clicked．Then   his   thoughts   again   riveted   to   what   he   was   thinking   of   before   he   was   interrupted．

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"If   God   does   exist   and   man   was   created   according   to   his   image   and   likeness，these   mannequins，which   are   copies   of   the   human   body,   are   also   in   God’s   image．The   difference   between   them   and   humans   is   that   humans   can   think，move   and   have   passions   and   desires．We   have   a   flesh   body,   while   they   cannot   know   the   taste   of   food   or   the   satisfaction   of   sexual   happiness．They   are   an   unfortunate   group,   forgotten   and   deserted   by   both   God   and   man．   Though   they   have   eyes,   they   see   not   the   myriad   of   brilliant   stars   in   the   sky．Though   they   have   ears，they   hear   not   the   sweet   songs   of   the   birds．Though   they   have   the   shape   of   the   human   body，they   cannot   stretch   or   move   their   arms   and   legs   spontaneously．They   have   been   waiting   for   the   second   coming   of   Christ   for   over   two   thousand   years，but   have   been   disappointed．If   I   were   God，I   would   breathe   on   them   and   give   them   life,   enabling   them   to   live   like   human   beings.   But   this   is   only   an   absurd   fancy．On   the   other   hand，though   their   bodies   are   lifeless，they   have   the   advantage   of   never   being   ill.   Having   no   thoughts，they   need   not   fear   death．To   exist   benumbed   may   not   be   a   bad   deal.”   Just   then，two   pairs   of   hands   reached   into   the   store   window   and   lifted   out   a   golden-haired,   well-proportioned,   naked   mannequin   onto   the   work   table,   where   an   electric   saw   was   operating   at   full   speed．They   pushed   the   waist   of   the   mannequin   towards   the   running   wheels   and   in   a   matter   of   seconds，sawed   it   in   halves．Dimitri   quickly   turned   away   in   shock,   unwilling   to   witness   such   barbaric   behavior.   He   rushed   blindly   forward   towards   the   corner   of   the   street   where   a   black   car   was   parked．He   felt   a   blunt   object   hit   him   at   the   back   of   his   head，fell   down   unconscious   and   was   thrown   into   the   trunk   of   the   car,   which   then   sped   away．

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        The   last   patch   of   crimson   clouds   blushed   lingeringly   on   the   western   horizon   before   vanishing   from   view，leaving   the   earth   to   the   Prince   of   Darkness．Street   lights   flashed   into   life，twinkling   like   the   stars，but   uniformly   arranged   into   lines．The   noise   of   man   and   traffic   gradually   subsided．In   the   abandoned   auto   body   shop   at   the   edge   of   the   square，shadows   could   be   seen   moving   about．It   was   Mrs.Love’s   husband   Allen   and   his   male   lover   Steven，who   had   dragged   the   unconscious   Dimitri   into   the   deserted   workshop   and   was   splashing   him   with   cold   water   to   wake   him   up．Dimitri   regained   consciousness   with   a   splitting   headache   that   seemed   to   tear   his   skull   apart．He   opened   his   eyes   with   difficulty   to   see   a   dust-filled   warehouse   or   workshop．Two   men   stood   in   front   of   him．The   ugly，flatfaced   one，stocky   and   muscular，with   only   a   few   strands   of   hair   covering   his   almost   bald   head，looked   at   him   coldly   in   silence．Then   a   pair   of   eyes，sharp   and   cruel   as   an   eagle   appeared   before   him，and   a   voice   asked   in   deadly   calm，

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        "Where   is   my   wife?"

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        "Your   wife?   Who   is   your   wife?"A   rubber   hose   hit   him   on   his   right   cheek，searing   and   painful   as   a   hot   iron   rod，

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        "Where   is   my   wife?"

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        "Who   is   your   wife?"   Before   he   finished   speaking,   the   other   side   of   his   cheek   was   hit   again．

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        "The   one   you   slept   with   night   before   last.”

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        "Mrs.Love?"   Hardly   was   the   name   out   of   his   mouth   when   he   was   furiously   assailed   by   vicious   punches   and   kicks   all   over   his   body．Tied   hand   and   foot，Dimitri   had   no   way   to   fend   off   the   assault.

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        "Yes,   where   is   she?"     Dimitri   lay   there,defenseless   against   the   brutal   attack．When   it   finally   stopped,   he   felt   desperately   weak   and   was   on   the   brink   of   death．

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        "She   is   in   my   thoughts...in   my   dreams..."   he   muttered   brokenly．

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"You   mean   she’s   in   your   head?"   the   other   man   jeered，"That’s   simple．We’ll   just   cut   it   off   and   see   if   she’s   there.”   The   cellular   phone   which   Steven   hung   on   his   shoulder   rang．

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"Yes   sir，..Yes   sir..."   he   said   respectfully   and   handed   it   to   Allen．

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"Yes   sir...I’ll   be   back   right   away.”   he   said   in   an   obedient   and   utterly   respectful   tone   and   handed   it   back   to   Steven   saying，

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"Let’s   go．It’s   Don   Kaffee．Says   it’s   urgent.”     Turning   to   Dimitri,   he   said,   "You’re   in   luck．You   can   live   a   little   while   longer!   If   you   don’t   give   Romi   back   to   me，I’ll   tear   you   apart   limb   by   limb!"     Then   the   two   of   them   hurried   out．

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Mr．Kaffee   called   in   all   his   trusted   lieutenants   and   ordered   a   strict   watch   to   be   kept   over   Dimitri,   a   homeless   person   in   the   district.     They   were   to   report   on   his   every   move   and   action．When   Allen   and   Steven   realized   that   the   person   they   had   kidnapped   and   beaten   up   was   the   one   Mr．Kaffee   wanted，they   hurried   back   to   the   warehouse，but   the   bird   had   flown   the   coop．However，that’s   getting   ahead   of   our   story．We   had   better   go   back   to   Dimitri，lying   on   the   dirty   floor   of   the   warehouse,   battered   and   bruised,   covered   all   over   with   perspiration   and   dust．

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"Am   I   to   die   like   this?"   he   asked   himself．   He   feared   not   death   itself，but   the   uncertainty   of   the   existence   of   the   soul   and   of   God．Towards   the   end   of   life,   one   was   inclined   to   believe   in   His   existence，but   who   could   prove   it?     Gradually   fear   overcame   him   on   the   approach   of   Death．

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"Ah!   If   the   end   of   life   is   only   destructible   extinguishment,   I’d   rather   be   an   inanimate   mannequin.”     Suddenly   he   heard   the   deafening   sound   of   roaring   engines   and   saw   from   the   window   a   space   shuttle   shoot   up   into   the   darkening   sky   with   its   remnant   scarlet   clouds   amid   a   trail   of   spectacular   fire   and   smoke.

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"Life   and   Death   is   a   natural   and   inescapable   cycle   that   would   go   on   forever．All   living   men   must   die．So,   too,   must   this   earth,   whose   destruction   is   being   accelerated   by   human   callousness．Yet   the   new   generation   continues   to   seek   perfection…   and   modernize   our   civilization．If   man   cannot   migrate   to   other   planets   within   the   next   century,   it   might   mean   destruction   of   the   human   race．I   do   not   fear   Death   itself,   because   it   is   a   natural   and   irreversible   phenomenon．One   generation   is   succeeded   by   another   till   the   end   of   time．In   the   face   of   such   reality,   I   only   ask   that   after   the   death   of   my   flesh   body,   I   could   go   back   to   my   dreams..."   Despite   great   pain,   Dimitri   was   getting   tired   and   drowsy   and   drifting   towards   a   merciful   semi-consciousness．

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        Faint   sounds   of   wooden   pranks   being   removed   was   heard，and   stealthy   steps   approached   the   still   and   motionless   form   on   the   ground．Dimitri   opened   his   eyes   when   he   felt   someone   pushing   him   and   he   saw   the   figure   of   a   tall，black   brute   of   a   man，hard   as   nails．   He   recognized   him   at   once   as   Jamaz，Mrs．Silkise’s   maintenance   man．Dimitri   heard   his   low   contrabass   voice   exclaiming．

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        "Thank   God   you   are   still   alive.”

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        "You’re   Jamaz，aren’t   you?     Richard   and   Yoko   went   to   the   hospital   to   get   you.   How   come   you’re   here?”

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        "Oh,   you   know   Richard   Chao?"   Jamaz   exclaimed   in   delight．"I   know   he   must   be   having   money   problems   when   he   didn’t   come   to   get   me,   so   I   gave   them   the   slip   when   I   felt   ok．This   was   my   hangout   before   I   went   to   work   for   Mrs.Silkise,   so   I   came   back   here   again.”

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        "It’s   time   I   explained   everything．I   was   the   ghost   that   scared   you   into   falling   from   the   ladder.   I   hope   you’ll   forgive   me.”

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"Really?   I’ve   been   thinking   it   must   be   a   weird   human   being   because   I   don’t   believe   in   ghosts．But   it’s   my   fault   too．I   shouldn’t   have   plotted   against   poor   Mrs．Silkise，my   mistress．"         Just   then,   blinding   headlights   flooded   the   dark   room   and   Dimitri   and   Jamaz   stiffened   in   apprehension,   afraid   that   the   kidnappers   were   back   again.   The   screeching   of   brakes,   the   slamming   of   car   doors,   accompanied   by   the   jovial   voice   of   Richard   calling

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"Are   you   there，Jamaz?"   set   their   hearts   at   rest．Richard   and   Yoko   came   into   the   room   and   saw   Jamaz．Richard   ran   up,   gave   Jamaz   a   dig   in   the   rib   and   exclaimed，

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        "Hey,   you   son-of-a-gun，when   I   went   to   the   hospital   and   found   you   gone，I   knew   I   would   find   you   here!"   Yoko   bent   down   to   examine   the   dark   form   tied   up   and   lying   on   the   ground   and   exclaimed   in   astonishment，

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        "Why,   it’s   Dimitri!   How   did   you   get   here?"

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"No   time   to   explain   now．Untie   me   and   let’s   get   out   of   here   as   quickly   as   possible   before   they   come   back.”   Three   pairs   of   hands   worked   on   the   ropes   and   in   no   time   Dimitri   was   free   again．They   all   hurried   into   Yoko’s   old   car   and   drove   away   into   the   night．The   car   passed   the   bright   lights   and   hustling   crowds   of   the   urban   area   and   made   for   the   bleak   valley．Soon   it   disappeared   from   sight   in   the   narrow，winding   trails，hastening   towards   Yoko’s   wedding   and   an   unpredictable   future．

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Marcelina

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Under   the   glow   of   the   setting   sun，the   shadow   of   a   young   Latino   girl   could   be   seen   in   the   woods．The   tiny   bells   at   her   ankles   tinkled   and   jingled，its   tintinnabulation   echoing   faintly   in   the   vast   wilderness   as   she   walked   about   gathering   dry   twigs   and   branches   for   the   camp   fire．She   was   Marcelina,   Yoko’s   best   friend   and   confidante，who   had   been   asked   to   come   and   help   make   preparations   for   the   wedding．Yoko   had   told   her   she   might   be   bringing   two   friends,   so   Marcelina   busied   herself   finding   a   campsite   by   the   lake,   set   up   a   tent   and   went   gathering   dry   wood   for   the   camp   fire．As   she   walked   about，she   could   feel   agitation   brewing   in   the   dry，parched   forest,   where   trees   once   flourished   and   thrived．Leaves   and   branches   were   all   dried   and   shriveled，barely   able   to   survive．They   seemed   to   be   crying，"If   we   cannot   have   water   to   sustain   our   lives,   give   us   a   blazing   fire   so   that   we   can   dance   in   a   merry   pyre.”

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Marcelina   sat   by   the   entrance   to   the   tent   to   wait   for   the   coming   of   the   wedding   party．She   took   up   her   guitar   and   strummed   it   with   her   nimble   fingers,   filling   the   air   with   strands   of   melodious   music．She   sometimes   looked   far   into   the   distance，eloquent   eyes   full   of   melancholy，like   the   last   glance   of   the   setting   sun   loathing   to   part   from   this   earth．The   heat   had   diminished   somewhat,   but   the   agitation,   instead   of   abating   had   actually   heightened．Shadows   flitted   here   and   there   in   the   forest,   unwilling   to   endure   being   half   dead．They   wanted   to   revive   in   the   fire   and   dance   in   the   breeze，waiting   for   the   coming   of   the   wind   and   dire   for   their   resurrection．The   shadows，already   fully   aroused，could   not   withstand   the   provocation   of   the   whispering   lullaby．Every   now   and   then，Marcelina   would   glance   at   the   agitated   forest,   at   the   branches   blown   about   harassingly,   at   the   dry   leaves   fluttering   in   the   wind．They   reminded   her   of   a   traumatic   scene．Under   the   blazing   spotlights,   trapeze   artists   in   their   glittering   costumes   were   swinging   and   flying   in   the   air．All   eyes   were   fastened   on   these   flying   figures   and   the   excited   audience，hearts   contracting，watched   entranced，exclaiming   at   their   dangerous   exploits．Suddenly   one   of   them   missed   by   a   hair’s   breath,   bounced   off   the   edge   of   the   net   below   and   fell   to   the   ground,   his   young   life   snuffed   out   amid   the   horrified   cries   of   the   audience．It   was   her   fiancé.     Marcelina   had   always   been   a   street   musician，living   off   the   scanty   donations   of   passing   music   lovers．Her   hopes   of   finding   a   safe   haven   died   with   her   fiance’   s   tragic   accident．She   continued   to   live   from   day   to   day，insecure   as   the   leaves   and   branches   swaying   in   the   wind,   uncertain   of   what   might   befall．

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Darkness   covered   the   evening   skies.   Leaves   rustled,   the   wind   rose   and   dark   clouds   gathered.   The   dancing   shadows,   excited   by   their   desire   for   revival,   watched   expectantly．Apprehensive,   as   if   watchful   and   prying   eyes   were   peeping   at   her   from   the   darkened   forest,   Marcelina   took   some   branches   she   had   gathered,   laid   the   camp   fire   and   lit   it．   As   it   burst   into   flames，the   restless   shadows，disregarding   all   dangers,   rushed   out   laughing   gleefully．The   figures   of   Dimitri，Richard   and   Yoko   joined   and   mixed   with   this   jubilant   crowd，singing   and   dancing   around   the   fire．Bottle   in   hand，Richard   drank   with   gusto   and   then   poured   the   rest   of   the   liquor   on   the   blaze，making   it   into   a   roaring   fire．The   shadows   revived   in   the   fire   and   danced   in   the   wind，knowing   that   at   sunrise   this   freedom   would   disappear．They   abandoned   themselves   to   revelry   and   joy   and   wanted   to   squander   their   energy   and   power．What   if   they   died?   They   would   have   died   in   midnight   revelry．Perhaps   the   purpose   of   life   was   just   to   capture   this   moment   of   jubilee，even   if   it   tinted   of   insane   pleasure．Muffled   rumbles   of   thunder   rolled   closer   and   closer,   like   trotting   hoofs   of   running   horses   from   far-off   places．Jamaz   sat   by   the   fire   beating   the   Congo   drum．Shadows   of   the   flickering   flames   danced   on   his   shining   black   body,   and   his   bulging   and   well-developed   muscles   flexed   and   rippled,   overflowing   with   primitive   vitality．He   seemed   intent   on   this   vigorous   pursuit   as   an   outlet   for   his   pent-up   fury   that   tormented   him．Sexual   urges   were   primarily   intended   for   the   proliferation   of   the   species,   but   like   the   progress   of   civilization，it   had   gradually   transformed   into   a   perfect   art   of   enjoyment．Jamaz   could   only   give   vent   to   his   extra   body   energies   in   the   vehement   beatings   of   the   Congo   drum,   which   betrayed   his   frustrated   aspirations．The   monotonous   but   energetic   drumbeat，interwoven   with   and   accented   by   the   rolling   thunder，shook   the   wilderness．As   lightning   flashed,   Yoko   and   Richard，hand   in   hand，swore   to   take   each   other   for   better   or   for   worse   till   death   did   they   part．The   lightning   disappeared．Would   their   marriage   disintegrate   as   quickly?   The   fire   blazed   on   furiously   as   if   bent   on   self   destruction．The   singing   and   drumbeat   and   dancing   shadows   happily   enjoyed   their   life．What   if   they   died?   Their   life   might   be   short,   but   they   had   lived   in   this   midnight   revelry．They   had   existed．

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Its   spectacular   boisterousness   abating,   the   fire   burnt   on   more   calmly,   the   flames   subsiding   to   a   steady   glow．   Jamaz,   his   fury   spent,   lay   there   exhausted   and   intoxicated，dozing   beside   the   fire．Marcelina   was   already   asleep,   though   the   air   still   seemed   to   resound   with   her   melancholy   tunes．Yoko   and   Richard,   too   excited   to   sleep,   sat   under   a   tree，whispering   to   each   other．Dimitri   was   looking   at   the   camp   fire．A   minute   ago，the   blazing   flames   seemed   to   resemble   a   phoenix   with   her   wings   fully   spread   as   if   to   soar   to   the   heavens．But   thwarted   in   her   attempts,   this   magnificent   bird   metamorphosed   from   wood，would   finally   be   reduced   to   embers   and   ashes．Dimitri   raised   his   eyes   to   the   lake   in   the   distance   and   marveled   at   its   resemblance   to   the   one   in   his   dreams.   He   had   been   wandering   too   long   and   this   separation   increased   his   longing   for   his   Kingdom;   so   he   too   lay   down   and   soon   fell   asleep．

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                                Chapter   7       Crisis   in   the   Kingdom

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Through   the   heavy   fog   that   pervaded   heaven   and   earth，hazy   glimpses   of   the   moon   could   be   seen,   pearly   and   opalescent．It   would   have   been   a   lovely   moonlit   night   if   it   had   not   been   for   the   fog．A   bare-footed   Ileen,   holding   a   sword   in   her   hand,   tip-toed   her   way   towards   the   lake,   intending   to   row   to   the   meadow   on   the   opposite   shore   of   Giant   Mountain．Just   as   she   was   pushing   the   canoe   into   the   water,   she   caught   sight   of   a   huge   Easter   lily,   snow-white   in   color,   blossoming   by   the   water．Surprised   to   see   it   blossoming   out   of   season,   Ileen   stooped   down   and   touched   its   dainty   petals,   meaning   to   pick   it,   but   then   changed   her   mind   and   decided   to   do   so   on   her   way   back．   She   pushed   the   canoe   swiftly   and   noiselessly   into   the   lake,   and   paddled   on   with   surreptitious   but   nevertheless   strong   and   decisive   strokes．It   was   only   in   such   thick   fog   that   she   could   hope   to   evade   the   sharp   eyes   of   the   ever-vigilant   Medusa   and   have   a   chance   to   conspire   with   the   captive,   Cyclops．The   thought   of   him   brought   to   her   mind   his   strong   muscular   body，and   she   could   feel   a   wild   tingling   sensation   at   her   loins．His   single   eye，the   protruding   horn   at   the   top   of   his   head，his   very   ugliness   added   to   his   primitive   sexual   attraction，and   she   could   feel   the   heat   of   arousal   permeating   her   body．   She   had   come   upon   the   cave   where   Cyclops   was   detained   quite   accidentally,   while   searching   for   a   suitable   site   for   King   Dimitri’s   gold   palace   at   the   top   of   Giant   Mountain．She   had   long   been   seeking   for   an   accomplice,   an   ally   who   could   help   her   usurp   the   Kingdom,   for   she   knew   that   she   alone   was   not   up   to   an   undertaking   of   so   grand   a   scale．Who   could   be   more   suitable   than   Cyclops   who   himself   had   an   ax   to   grind?   So   making   full   use   of   her   physical   attractions,   she   enslaved   the   barbarous   and   simpleminded   monster,   who   would   willingly   carry   out   her   every   bidding．Reaching   the   meadow,   Ileen   tied   her   canoe   to   a   stake   and   was   about   to   leave   when   she   found   another   giant   Easter   lily   growing   by   the   water,   similar   to   the   one   on   the   opposite   shore．She   caressed   it   fondly   and   decided   to   pick   both   of   them   on   her   way   back，thinking   that   coming   upon   two   such   gorgeous   flowers   was   a   good   omen．

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        When   Ileen   had   walked   away   towards   the   mountains,   the   Easter   lily   changed   into   a   naked，curvaceous   figure，whose   features   were   indistinguishable   in   the   fog，but   whose   white，flowing   hair   could   be   seen   swaying   as   she   followed   in   the   direction   Ileen   had   taken．It   was   White   Fairy,   whom   Dimitri   had   met   in   her   temple   in   the   mountains   during   one   of   his   wanderings   and   who   had   now   finally   come   to   help   him   build   his   empire   as   she   had   promised．On   her   first   day   here,   she   had   come   upon   this   suspicious   event：a   palace   beauty   furtively   coming   to   this   wild，deserted   mountain   alone   in   a   thick   fog,   holding   in   her   hand   the   sword   the   Fairy   had   given   to   Dimitri   at   parting．She   felt   it   needed   investigation，so   she   tailed   her   to   a   cave   at   the   back   of   Giant   Mountain．   Cyclops   was   overjoyed   to   see   Ileen   and   swooped   her   into   his   arms   in   a   tight   embrace．But   she   pushed   him   away,   saying，

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        "Slowly   now,   Cyclops．You’ve   been   chained   up   so   long   you   need   to   exercise   and   get   back   your   super   strength．The   fog   is   so   thick   I   thought   I’d   come   by   and   take   you   for   a   walk.”   Saying   so,   she   cut   through   his   cumbersome   chains   with   a   few   slashes   of   the   magic   sword   as   easily   as   if   it   were   a   sickle   harvesting   wheat.     White   Fairy   found   a   strategic   spot   at   the   edge   of   the   woods,   and   barely   had   time   to   change   back   again   to   an   Easter   lily   when   the   two   came   out   of   the   cave   hand   in   hand．They   walked   about   slowly   in   the   dense   fog．Fragments   of   low，conspiratory   murmurs   could   be   heard,   but   White   Fairy   was   not   able   to   hear   their   conversation   until   they   came   within   a   few   feet   of   the   place   she   was   hiding．

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        "I   have   been   imprisoned   in   that   dark   cave   for   almost   a   hundred   years   and   this   is   my   first   taste   of   freedom．I   am   so   grateful   to   you，Ileen．If   it   weren’t   for   you，I’d   never   see   the   light   of   day.”

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        "Now   that   you   are   free,   you   should   think   of   who   it   was   that   condemned   you   to   all   this   misery   and   seek   your   revenge.”

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        "I   don’t   even   have   to   think．The   culprit   is   that   abominable   Medusa,   of   course．I   rescued   her   from   the   vengeance   of   the   gods，but   that   ungrateful   vixen   bit   the   hand   that   saved   her．She   left   me   for   Dimitri,   a   man   she   had   never   seen   before   that   incident,   and   she   has   served   him   loyally   ever   since．One   day,   I   will   have   my   revenge   and   kill   both   of   them.”

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        "If   you   will   let   me   arrange   everything，I’ll   let   you   have   your   heart’s   desire．This   needs   to   be   meticulously   planned．Stay   put   here   in   the   cave   for   the   present．When   the   time   is   ripe，I’ll   let   you   know   what   to   do.”     Cyclops   was   silent   in   contemplation．

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        "That   virago   Medusa   is   not   easy   to   deal   with．She   can   fly   and   is   invulnerable   to   mortal   weapons．If   you   could   only   get   hold   of   the   bow   and   arrow   Dimitri   used   to   wound   her,   she   could   be   captured.”

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        "That’s   easily   done．   They   are   in   the   attic   of   the   palace   together   with   the   sword   I   brought   to   cut   your   chains．I’ll   attend   to   that.”     Cyclops   was   getting   impatient．

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        "When   can   we   start，Ileen?     The   fire   of   revenge   is   consuming   me．It   will   burn   me   to   ashes   if   I   don’t   do   something.”

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        "The   day   will   soon   be   here．Be   patient．You   will   have   your   revenge   and   all   Dimitri’s   beauties   will   be   yours,   including   me．My   condition   is,   his   wealth   will   be   mine.”

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"Of   course．Earthly   riches   mean   nothing   to   me．I   just   want   his   beauties.”     Then   Ileen   began   to   describe   to   him   the   various   beauties,   the   scholarly   Aisha,   the   innocent   virgin   Dorna,   the   oriental   Lotus   with   smooth   silken   skin...until   Cyclops   was   overwhelmed   with   lust,   swung   her   from   her   feet   and   carried   her   impetuously   towards   the   cave．From   the   corner   of   her   eye,   Ileen   caught   a   glimpse   of   another   Easter   Lily，and   for   a   brief   moment,   suspicion   lurked   in   her   subconsciousness   as   to   how   so   many   huge   Easter   lilies   could   be   in   bloom   all   at   once   out   of   season   in   this   deserted   spot.   But   then,   sharing   the   same   intense   feeling   as   Cyclops,   she   thought   no   more   of   it,   never   dreaming   they   were   incarnations   of   White   Fairy,   who   was   keeping   them   under   her   surveillance．

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The   magnificent   Easter   Lily   was   very   much   shocked   at   the   alarming   plot   she   had   accidentally   come   across   and   was   nonplused．She   remained   there   silent   and   motionless，contemplating   on   what   should   be   done   to   stop   this   conspiracy．It   was   evident   that   if   they   succeeded,   not   only   would   the   loyal   and   beauteous   Medusa   die,   but   King   Dimitri’s   vast   kingdom   would   fall   into   the   hands   of   these   two   unscrupulous   scoundrels．The   result   would   be   unthinkable．She   finally   decided   that   in   order   to   prevent   tragedy   from   happening,   the   most   pressing   thing   at   the   moment   was   to   temporarily   take   back   the   bow   and   arrow   she   had   given   Dimitri   at   parting,   before   Ileen   could   lay   her   hands   on   them．Acting   immediately   on   her   decision,   the   Easter   Lily   changed   into   a   wisp   of   smoke   and   instantly   disappeared   from   view.

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        In   the   dense   fog,   only   the   outline   of   King   Dimitri’s   grand   and   majestic   palace   was   faintly   discernible．It   was   in   the   deep   of   the   night   so   everything   was   pitch   dark.   The   beauties   must   all   be   nestling   in   the   soft,   dark,   silky   folds   of   slumberland．Only   Medusa   was   there,   standing   guard   at   the   top   of   the   highest   roof,   alert   to   every   sound   and   movement．As   the   fog   prevented   her   from   seeing   beyond   a   few   feet,   she   would   leave   her   post   every   now   and   then，and   fly   low   around   the   palace   to   ensure   that   the   beauties，whom   King   Dimitri   prized   above   all   else,   were   all   safe   and   sound．An   uneasy   premonition   of   misfortune   had   been   troubling   her，prompting   her   to   increase   her   vigilance．She   had   just   returned   to   the   rooftop   from   one   of   her   inspections   when   a   slight   sound   from   the   vicinity   of   the   attic   caught   her   attention．The   attic   was   enclosed   on   all   sides   by   a   beautifully   carved   platform，on   which   rows   and   rows   of   bonsai   were   exhibited．A   flower   pot   fell   and   crashed．Medusa   immediately   dived   down   in   a   flash．Eyes   wide   and   alert，she   searched   all   around，but   the   only   evidence   was   a   broken   flower   pot．Seeing   a   huge   white   Easter   Lily   in   full   bloom   in   a   pot   nearby   brought   a   knowing   smile   to   her   lips   and   she   said，

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        "Ah,   it’s   you，White   Fairy!   You’d   better   show   yourself   or   I’ll   pull   you   out   by   the   roots．"         A   naked,   curvaceous,   white-haired   beauty   immediately   appeared   and   ran   happily   towards   Medusa．They   kissed   each   other   affectionately   and   were   locked   in   a   long   embrace．Medusa   sucked   the   saliva   from   the   mouth   of   White   Fairy,   tasting   the   sweet   honey   that   was   nectar   from   heaven．The   two   had   known   each   other   from   way   back．When   Medusa   discovered   the   lecherous   Cyclops   had   obscene   designs   on   the   delicate   White   Fairy,   she   thwarted   several   of   his   libidinous   attempts   which   would   have   made   the   dainty   and   fragile   fairy   a   hapless   prey   under   his   brutal   assault，and   for   that   White   Fairy   was   eternally   grateful．Medusa,   in   turn,   felt   a   protective   love   for   the   enchanting   fairy   who   was   panting   from   the   hearty   embrace.

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        "King   Dimitri   said   you’d   be   coming   over   quite   a   while   ago．What   took   you   so   long?"   Medusa   asked．

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        "I   had   to   settle   things   at   the   temple   before   I   could   leave．But   what   I   rushed   here   to   tell   you   about   is   the   conspiracy   I   chanced   to   overhear   on   my   first   day   here   in   the   Kingdom.”   She   then   proceeded   to   relate   in   detail   what   she   had   just   seen   and   heard．

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        "I   have   long   detected   signs   of   Ileen’s   monstrous   greed   and   unscrupulous   ambitions．I   know   she   had   collaborators   in   the   financial   world，but   I   never   dreamed   she   would   go   so   far   as   to   cultivate   conspirators   here   and   plan   an   ambush   inside   the   Kingdom.   She   even   dares   to   assassinate   King   Dimitri!   Once   freed,   Cyclops   would   be   a   formidable   foe,   especially   when   he   is   equipped   with   the   magic   sword．Luckily,   we   still   have   the   bow   and   arrow,   otherwise   he   would   be   undefeatable．Then   it   would   really   be   a   catastrophe!"

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        "Why   didn’t   you   act   sooner   if   you   already   had   your   suspicions?"

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        "I   wanted   to   round   up   her   entire   ring   of   renegades．I   think   it   would   be   a   good   idea   if   you   do   not   show   yourself   publicly   and   keep   behind   the   scenes.”

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        "Yes,   I   think   so   too．This   way   I   would   be   the   element   of   surprise   if   no   one   suspected   my   presence．The   important   thing   now   is   to   keep   the   bow   and   arrow   in   a   safe   place.”

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        "Of   course．Once   these   traitors   have   been   dealt   with,   you   and   I   must   do   our   best   to   protect   the   kingdom   of   King   Dimitri.”

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"A   man   as   kind   and   generous   as   King   Dimitri   is   hard   to   find．Only   one   such   as   he,   is   worthy   of   our   undying   loyalty.”     Hand   in   hand   Medusa   and   White   Fairy   stepped   into   the   depth   of   the   dense   fog，heads   bent   together   conferring   on   what   should   be   done．The   indistinct   outlines   of   their   beautiful   goddess-like   figures   looked   like   marble   statues,   except   that   their   languid   gestures   and   movements   showed   that   these   statues   had   body   temperature；they   were   warm,   alive   and   moving．Under   cover   of   the   thick   fog,   both   sides   were   gathering   their   forces．The   shadowy   trees   and   looming   figures   gathered   here   and   there   heralded   that   the   secret   wrestle   had   begun．

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The   crystal   clear   skies   were   blue   as   usual   and   the   reflection   of   the   dazzling   brilliance   of   the   sun   shimmered   and   glittered   on   the   large   glass   windows   of   the   luxurious   and   colossal   buildings．Cars   on   the   ground   sped   by   soundlessly,   their   exhaust   pipes   spreading   into   the   chilly   air   the   unburned   fuel   which   seemed   to   be   fragrance   of   modern   urban   cities．These   running   machines   had   steel   lives   made   by   man,   and   like   the   natural   cycle   of   human   society，many   new   machines   were   born   every   year   and   many   old   ones   discarded．   The   plan   of   the   city,   and   the   layout   of   the   streets   were   all   designed   for   those   with   optical   functions．To   be   more   precise,   human   civilization   was   built   on   the   indispensable   necessity   of   the   power   of   vision．As   Dimitri   walked   sedately   on   the   neat，wide   streets，strands   of   mournful   tunes   from   the   violin   of   a   blind   musician   coming   from   the   vicinity   of   the   BART   station   reached   his   ears，making   him   feel   dejected．

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"If   I   lose   my   sight,”   he   thought   "but   still   have   to   live   in   the   city,   where   everything   relies   on   vision，it   would   indeed   be   a   painful   experience.   But   I   need   not   be   over   anxious   about   what   is   to   happen   in   the   future．At   least   I   can   always   retreat   to   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams.”

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Between   two   buildings,   a   shaft   of   bright   golden   sunlight   struck   a   large   shop   window   whose   brilliant，multi-colored   reflections   attracted   Dimitri’s   attention．He   walked   closer   and   saw   it   was   a   shop   selling   glassware．The   intricate   exhibitions   comprised   of   fruit   bowls，wine   glasses，plates   and   figurines   of   all   shapes   and   sizes，every   one   of   them   gorgeous   and   exquisite．Dimitri   stood   there   transfixed，enjoying   the   artwork，marveling   at   how   the   human   race   revolved，step   by   step，from   the   Stone   Age，the   bronze   Age，the   Iron   Age   till   now   they   were   able   to   make   such   delicate   cutglass．It   was   really   a   long   evolution．So   was   human   civilization,   it   had   come   a   long   way   too．A   mass   of   mixed,   indistinguishable   confusion   gradually   clarified   and   developed   till   it   formed   concepts   clear   as   transparent   glass．But   though   glass   is   fundamentally   hard,   it   actually   was   brittle   and   easily   broken.   So   is   the   human   spirit   fragile   and   easily   splintered   into   fragments,   like   the   stone   cast   into   a   pool   of   calm   water,   breaking   and   disturbing   its   polished,   mirrorlike   surface,   shattering   the   image．

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        Just   then,   the   door   of   the   shop   opened   and   out   stepped   a   charming   blond   lady   carrying   some   parcels   she   had   bought．Her   appearance   magically   brightened   the   atmosphere   like   the   rising   sun   in   the   early   morning．Seeing   Dimitri   standing   in   front   of   the   window   transfixed   by   the   display，she   nodded   and   smiled   politely   as   she   passed   by．But   soon   she   was   back，saying，

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        "Could   you   do   me   a   favor,   sir?     My   car   won’t   start．   Would   you   be   so   kind   as   to   give   it   a   shove?"

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        "Sure,   my   pleasure,”   said   Dimitri,   waking   from   his   reverie．

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        By   the   side   of   the   street   was   parked   a   big   old   sedan,   one   of   those   large   luxury   cars   popular   in   the   1960s．In   its   day，it   must   have   been   an   object   of   envy，but   now   it   was   old   and   battered．The   lady   opened   the   door   of   the   car   and   sat   in   the   driver’s   seat．

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"My   name   is   Megginn   Bowman”   she   said.   This   big   piece   of   junk   is   really   atrocious．Two   of   its   eight   cylinders   are   broken   and   it   has   trouble   starting   up   by   itself．   I   know   it   should   go   to   the   junk   yard   and   I   should   get   a   new   car,   but   I   grew   up   with   it   and   it’s   like   a   dear   old   friend   to   me,   bringing   back   a   lot   of   memories,   so   I’m   still   driving   it.”   She   stepped   on   the   gas   and   Dimitri   pushed   and   shoved   until   the   engine   started   up   and   the   car   moved.

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“Thank   you   so   much,   sir．See   you   later．I   think   we’ll   meet   again.”     Dimitri   stood   there   looking   at   the   disappearing   car,   thinking，

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"Man’s   body   is   really   like   a   machine,   more   precisely,   like   an   automobile,   with   the   tiny   steering   wheel   in   our   brain   taking   command   by   sending   out   neurological   messages   to   other   parts   of   the   body,   directing   their   actions．The   car   and   the   driver   cooperated   beautifully．But   the   life   span   of   the   car   is   only   a   few   decades,   and   when   it   can   no   longer   be   operated,   we   can   always   discard   it   for   a   new   one．Megginn   must   be   a   sensitive   and   sentimental   lady   to   attach   so   great   an   importance   to   that   old   used   car．But   then,   there   is   affection   through   long   association   and   one   feels   loathe   to   part   with   old   possessions   one   is   used   to．Alas，man’s   body   is   not   a   car．It   is   impossible   to   change   it   for   a   new   one．The   time   will   inevitably   come   when   we   must   discard   this   flesh   body.”

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Yoko   and   Marsalina   came   up   to   Dimitri,   but   he   was   so   engrossed   in   his   private   musings   that   he   did   not   even   see   or   hear   them   approaching．The   playful   and   artless   Yoko   waved   her   hands   in   front   of   his   eyes   and   Dimitri   turned   to   them,   his   eyes   bedazzled   by   a   pair   of   lovely，fresh   beauties   attired   in   expensive   dresses   of   the   latest   style．Marsalina,   the   dust-coated   pearl,   now   thoroughly   cleansed   and   purified,   appeared   in   her   natural,   original   splendor．These   five   unfortunate   people   from   different   races   –   Latino,African,Japanese   and   Taiwanese,   had   become   close,   devoted   friends   without   any   trace   of   racial   gap   between   them．Dimitri’s   money   had   brought   Richard   good   luck   at   the   gambling   tables   and   he   was   on   a   winning   streak   that   seemed   to   bring   in   an   endless   supply   of   money.     They   all   agreed   that   it   was   Dimitri   who   brought   Richard   good   fortune．Richard   was   thus   able   to   realize   his   heart’s   desire   of   pampering   his   beloved   bride   Yoko,   and   sending   her   and   her   good   friend   Marsalina   on   an   endless   shopping   spree   without   their   ever   having   to   worry   about   the   price   tag．With   Richard’s   consent,   Yoko   could   get   whatever   she   wished   for   from   the   shopping   malls．Now   the   groceries   were   her   pantry,   the   furniture   department   her   living   room，the   cosmetics   department   her   beauty   parlor   and   the   different   boutiques,   her   closet．For   the   first   time   in   her   life,   Yoko   had   more   money   than   she   could   spend   and   she   felt   that   at   long   last,   the   bad   luck   that   had   plagued   her   all   her   life   was   gone，and   she   could   finally   live   happily   with   Richard   and   his   friends．   She   bought   innumerable   dresses：evening   gowns,   formal   dresses   and   suits   and   casual   garments   of   every   conceivable   style．She   spent   money   like   a   drunken   sailor,   never   dreaming   that   misfortune   was   close   at   hand．Even   Dimitri   was   not   aware   that   these   two   young   companions   were   destined   to   be   future   members   of   his   Kingdom．The   trio   strolled   along   the   streets   hand   in   hand，humming   and   chatting，heedless   of   and   unconcerned   about   the   stares   of   amazed   passerby,   whose   curiosity   was   piqued   by   the   sight   of   a   ragged   street   person   walking   and   chatting   with   two   young,   well-dressed   beauties．It   was   like   a   bizarre   scene   from   a   modern   fairy   tale   and   caused   innumerable   heads   to   turn．At   the   corner   of   the   street,   they   separated,   the   girls   to   continue   shopping   and   Dimitri,   who   had   no   interest   in   that   feminine   pastime,   to   go   on   his   way.   They   arranged   to   meet   at   dusk   at   Jamaz’s   place   and   return   to   their   campsite   by   the   lake,   where   Richard   was   to   cook   a   sumptuous   Chinese   dinner   for   them   in   celebration   of   his   continuous   victory．

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Dimitri   walked   on   thinking   of   his   friend   Richard,   who   was   in   the   gambling   house   as   usual,   engaged   in   a   life-and-death   battle   with   the   odds，hoping   to   win   more   money．He   contemplated   on   the   power   of   money   that   could   drive   some   people   crazy．Some   made   the   accumulation   of   wealth   their   prime   goal   of   life，but   to   Dimitri，money   was   of   no   significance   because   his   fortune   was   of   such   astronomical   figures   that   it   was   almost   incalculable   and   thereby   equal   to   zero．In   this   world,   no   job   suited   him   better   than   his   present   one,   that   of   a   cynical,   roving   observer.   To   him   each   individual   that   passed   before   him   was   like   a   book   on   the   open   rack   of   the   library．If   the   different   incidents   and   trifles   of   his   or   her   life   were   loyally   recorded   and   described,   it   would   make   an   outstanding   book．When   you   have   read   all   the   books   on   the   rack，you   would   be   satisfied   and   have   no   regrets   when   it   was   time   to   be   interred   in   the   depth   of   the   earth   with   these   copious   stories   collected   from   the   world   of   mortals．

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On   the   sidewalk   of   the   busy   street   where   pedestrians   were   densest，Jamaz   and   his   band   of   African   street   musicians   were   playing   for   a   paltry   donation．Using   several   kinds   of   traditional   drums   and   a   few   other   simple   African   musical   instruments，they   performed   vigorously   and   enthusiastically．The   simple   reiteration   of   the   monotonous   beat   bestowed   an   atmosphere   of   primitive   mystery，so   full   of   life.   Dimitri   sat   on   a   bench   across   the   street，a   cup   of   coffee   in   his   hand,   enjoying   their   performance．Jamaz   looked   up   at   the   crystal   blue   sky   and   then   down   on   his   own   shiny   black   body.   The   blueness   of   the   skies   were   the   same，unchangeable   in   any   part   of   the   universe,   but   the   color   of   skin   differed   in   different   territories．Jamaz   was   the   leader   of   the   band   and   his   companions   tried   to   keep   up   with   the   rhythm   of   his   Congo   drum．Crowds   of   young   women   passed   them．It   must   be   a   girls’school   hosting   some   outing．Jamaz   felt   that   the   fair   young   ladies   were   like   flocks   of   sheep   and   droves   of   deer   that   roamed   over   the   vast   desolate   plains   of   his   homeland,   too   numerous   to   require   being   hunted．A   random   arrow   shot   into   a   crowd,   a   spear   thrown   into   their   midst   would   land   a   prey   at   any   time．But   these   young   women   belonged   to   the   noblest   of   animals   and   could   not   be   hunted．In   the   animal   kingdom,   the   males   dominated   the   scene，strong，virile   and   resplendent，but   in   the   world   of   humans，it   was   the   females   that   were   more   beautiful   and   captivating．Jamaz’s   beat   became   faster   and   faster,   reflecting   his   impatience,   and   his   band   accelerated   in   accompaniment.     Influenced   by   the   music,   Dimitri’s   heart   became   uneasy，not   knowing   why   a   feeling   of   alarm   and   terror   invaded   his   serenity．An   oft   repeated   picture   appeared   in   his   mind   -   Ileen   lying   spread-eagled   on   the   medical   examination   table,   her   voluptuous   body   fully   exposed   under   the   strong   light，legs   widely   parted，undergoing   a   pelvic   exam．Who   would   have   thought   that   she   was   to   fall   prey   to   the   cruelest   of   death   penalties，being   chopped   in   two   at   the   waist?   The   involuntary   repetition   of   this   isolated   scene   disturbed   him   and   gave   him   the   uneasy   feeling   that   all   was   not   well   with   his   Kingdom．He   decided   to   give   free   rein   to   his   brain   and   let   the   scene   go   naturally   like   a   movie   so   that   he   could   see   how   the   story   would   develop   and   what   would   follow   in   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams．

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The   Kingdom   of   Dreams   was   bathed   in   warm   sunlight．Aisha   was   hard   at   work，completing   her   thesis,   but   the   long   hours   of   concentration   tired   her,   so   she   stretched   and   looked   out   of   the   window   at   the   lovely   lagoon   and   mountain   ranges．Deciding   some   relaxation   was   in   order,   she   stood   up   to   go   to   the   tearoom   for   some   coffee   or   light   cocktail   and   perhaps   chat   and   pass   the   time   with   the   beauties   who   might   be   there．A   thin   roll   of   lambskin-covered   book   in   hand，she   moved   her   shapely   body，which   was   unhampered   by   any   clothing   in   this   warm   weather．The   natural   fragrance   of   feminine   flesh   rushed   straight   at   her   as   she   entered   the   tearoom,   announcing   the   presence   of   quite   a   few   of   the   beauties．An   incredible   array   of   charming   ladies   met   her   eyes．It   was   like   a   masterpiece   of   art,   which   had   for   its   subjects   the   noblest   and   most   beauteous   of   animals,   perfectly   formed   in   every   detail，from   the   strands   of   their   glossy   hair   to   the   tip   of   their   delicate   toes．Any   one   of   them   would   be   worth   the   timeless   appreciation   of   an   artist．En   mass,   they   were   a   dazzling   representation   indeed．Aisha   smiled   and   nodded   to   them   and   went   to   pour   herself   a   cup   of   coffee,   adding   a   few   drops   of   brandy,   a   trick   she   had   learnt   from   King   Dimitri．The   beauties   seemed   to   have   been   talking   about   something   mystifying,   as   they   all   looked   perplexed．Aisha   sat   down   among   them   on   a   seat   by   the   window．Her   calm   yet   magnetic   personality   made   her   at   once   the   center   around   which   they   gathered．

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        Little   Dorna   had   grown   to   be   a   big   girl   now,   her   figure   blooming   into   young   womanhood.   "Aisha!"   she   exclaimed，"You’re   the   very   one   we   were   hoping   to   see!   We   wanted   to   talk   to   you，but   knowing   you   were   in   the   midst   of   finishing   your   thesis，we   did   not   want   to   disturb   you.”     Aisha   smiled   affectionately   at   the   impulsive   girl   and   asked，

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        "What   are   you   all   so   serious   about?"     Deanna,   who   was   born   and   raised   in   the   region   far   from   the   realms   of   human   civilization,   took   it   upon   herself   to   enlighten   the   newcomer   with   the   story   of   Medusa．Romi   looked   at   the   native   girl   with   long   black   hair   dark   as   night   falling   long   below   her   waist,   adorned   only   by   a   single   giant-sized   tropical   flower．If   the   delicate   flower   fairy   with   her   long   cascading   snow-white   hair   were   there   beside   her，seen   from   the   back，they   would   be   a   perfect   contrast，bringing   a   singular,   unparalleled   impact．Deanna   went   on   to   say，

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        "Not   only   are   the   treasures   gone．I’ve   heard   natives   say   that   on   moonlit   nights   a   one-eyed   monster，with   a   single   horn   on   the   top   of   his   head，has   been   seen   roaming   the   Giant   Mountains．If   might   be   Cyclops,   who   has   somehow   struggled   free   from   the   cave   where   Medusa   had   imprisoned   him．If   so,   it   bodes   ill   for   everyone   in   the   Kingdom．The   news   was   met   with   a   stunned，shocked   silence．Exquisite，crystal-like   Angelica   was   the   first   to   react．A   shiver   passed   through   her   body   and   her   diamond,   pendulum-like   drop   earrings   trembled   slightly   in   repercussion．

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        "Really?   I’ve   been   immersed   in   my   writing   and   never   knew!   Oh，how   terrible!   What   if   he   crashed   through   the   gates   of   the   palace?"   The   poised   and   sophisticated   Samantha，who   was   always   extravagantly   made   up,   was   sitting   next   to   her．She   knew   that   for   all   her   sharp   intelligence，the   talented   poetess   was   emotionally   fragile   and   easily   shattered，so   she   went   to   the   bar   and   poured   out   two   glasses   of   brandy   with   her   perfectly   manicured   hands   and   brilliantly   painted   long   finger   nails．She   handed   one   to   Angelica   to   soothe   her   and   said，

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"Don’t   be   afraid．This   is   blessed   land．No   evil   monster   can   harm   us   here   or   usurp   the   heavenly   ordained   sovereignty   of   King   Dimitri．He   is   invincible   because   he   is   protected   by   hundreds   of   gods.”    

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Natalie,   still   in   her   ballet   shoes,   was   huddied   on   a   cushion   on   the   floor，hands   clasped   around   her   knee   deep   in   thought．She   said，

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        "I   had   a   premonition   that   White   Fairy   in   King   Dimitri’s   ballet   will   appear   and   help   us   through   the   times   of   trial   and   tribulation.”   Novella,   who   had   been   lying   sidewise   on   the   davenport,   stretched   as   if   waking   from   a   nap．She   turned   her   slender   waist   towards   the   gathering   saying，

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        "There   must   be   a   traitor   among   us   or   the   treasures   could   not   have   been   stolen..."     Elina,   who   was   sitting   by   her   side,   nudged   her   lightly   on   the   thigh,   seemingly   to   caution   her，insinuating   that   as   a   newcomer，she   should   not   say   things   that   could   not   be   substantiated．The   outspoken   Dorna,   who   was   sitting   on   the   floor   with   her   elbows   on   Aisha’s   lap   said，

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        "She’s   right   and   I   know   who   the   traitor   is.   It’s   Ileen!   Recently   she’s   been   very   secretive，coming   and   going   alone．She   is   so   proud   and   seldom   communicates   with   any   of   us．I’ve   suspected   her   of   having   ulterior   motives   ever   since   she   cane   to   our   Kingdom.”   Aisha,   who   was   playing   with   Dorna’s   hair,   said   speculatively，

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        "I   have   a   feeling   that   things   weren’t   quite   right．Medusa   has   almost   disappeared   from   sight．During   the   day，she’s   nowhere   to   be   seen   and   at   night   she   stands   guard   on   our   rooftop   or   flies   low   around   the   palace．I   can   smell   tension   in   the   air.”     Deanna   interrupted   her   saying，

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        "I   know   where   she   is   during   the   day!   I   saw   her   drilling   the   young   natives   in   the   depth   of   the   forest   as   if   preparing   for   an   emergency.”     Elina   sat   on   the   couch,   her   legs   closely   clamped   together,   presenting   a   graceful   posture．The   doctor   mused，

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        "If   I   had   a   chance，I’d   like   to   do   a   physical   checkup   on   Cyclops   to   see   how   different   his   outer   physical   construction   and   internal   organs   are   from   those   of   humans.”     Deanna   was   aghast   and   said   agitatedly，

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        "Don’t   even   think   of   it!     He   is   a   monster   that   even   Medusa   has   a   hard   time   controlling!"     Aisha   interposed   saying，

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        "Keep   calm．Things   are   not   that   serious   yet．At   least   Medusa   knows   something   is   brewing   and   has   taken   measures．The   best   way   for   us   to   help   her   would   be   to   keep   calm，be   alert   and   not   become   an   additional   burden   on   her.”     The   quiet   and   taciturn   Lotus   was   seated   demurely   on   the   circular   recliner，legs   curled   up   beneath   her,   her   soft,   silken   hair   fresh   and   lustrous   as   a   rainwashed   flower．   She   had   been   sitting   there，silently   but   attentively   listening   to   the   conversation,   while   she   bent   over   her   embroidery．Now   she   raised   her   head   and   said，

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        "I   agree．The   best   we   can   do   is   not   to   hamper   Medusa   in   her   battle   against   strong   enemies．We   can   think   of   a   safe   place   to   retreat   to,   put   our   most   precious   and   important   belongings   into   a   bag,   put   on   practical   clothing   so   that   we   would   be   ready   to   evacuate   at   a   moment’s   notice．Also，I   heard   that   Cyclops   is   a   cruel，lecherous   monster．We   must   take   care   not   to   fall   into   his   hands.”     Aisha   nodded   in   agreement．

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        "Right!   Let’s   transfer   our   helicopters   to   the   courtyard   in   front   of   the   palace，ready   to   take   off   at   any   time.”     Dorna   jumped   for   joy．

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        "Leave   that   to   me!     I   love   to   fly   helicopters.”     While   these   noble   and   most   beautiful   of   animals   were   exchanging   ideas   in   sweet   voices,   the   phone   rang．   Picking   up   the   receiver,   Elina   said,   "This   is   Elina...   Very   well,   I’ll   be   right   there.”     Everyone   looked   at   her   questioningly   and   asked，

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        "Who   was   that?"

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        "Ileen．She   said   she   wasn’t   feeling   well   and   is   at   the   clinic．She   wants   me   to   go   there   at   once.”     Dorna   pulled   fearfully   at   her   arms   and   said，

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        "Don’t   go．It   might   be   a   trap.”     Elina，composed   and   imperturbable，patted   her   cheeks   and   said，

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"Don’tworry．The   time   is   not   ripe   yet   and   I   won’t   be   her   main   target.”     The   beautiful   animals   scattered,   each   to   her   own   room   to   prepare   for   the   worst．

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        Strong   lights   were   focused   on   the   lower   part   of   a   fully   exposed,   voluptuous   female   body．   It   was   Ileen，lying   spread-eagled   on   the   medical   examination   table，legs   widely   parted,     while   Elina,   masked   and   gloved   but   otherwise   stark   naked   like   her   patient,   was   giving   her   a   pelvic   exam．

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        "Have   you   been   missing   your   periods   lately?”   she   asked   as   she   probed   and   pushed．"Feel   any   nausea   in   the   morning?"

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        "I   haven’   been   feeling   well   lately   and   was   afraid   I   might   be   pregnant,   so   I   wanted   to   be   sure.”     Ileen   sat   up   and   watched   as   Elina   stripped   off   her   gloves   and   took   off   her   mask．The   doctor   turned   to   her,   smiled   and   said，

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        "Congratulations!   You   are!"     A   slight   shadow   flitted   over   Ileen’s   face   and   was   gone   in   a   second;   but   it   did   not   escape   the   sharp   eyes   of   the   smart   doctor   who   said，

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        "You   are   not   happy?   You   should   be!   In   our   palace   there   are   so   many   beauties．They   all   have   fertile   uteruses,   but   lack   the   irrigation   of   King   Dimitri’s   sperm．You   are   new   here,   but   already   carry   his   heir．You   are   fortunate   indeed!"     Ileen   did   her   best   to   keep   her   composure，for   she   had   never   had   any   intercourse   with   King   Dimitri．It   was   Cyclop’s   seed   that   was   growing   within   her   uterus．She   had   always   taken   the   pills,   but   Cyclops’   sperm   must   be   ultra   obstinate   and   immune   to   human   contraceptives．At   whatever   cost,   she   must   pretend   to   be   happy   and   avoid   suspicion．Meanwhile,   Elina   was   saying，

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"You   must   take   care，Ileen，and   not   exert   yourself   too   much   because   the   early   months   of   pregnancy   are   the   most   susceptible   to   miscarriage．Call   me   whenever   you   feel   any   discomfort．This   is   the   heir   to   King   Dimitri’s   throne，so   it’s   a   great   responsibility   for   you．

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Pay   attention   to   diet   and   exercise   and   ease   off   the   work   for   the   moment.”

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"Thank   you,   Elina”   smiled   Ileen   and   got   off   the   examination   table．This   was   her   first   visit   to   the   clinic．As   she   walked   over   the   marble   floors，she   was   heavy-hearted   and   felt   none   of   the   joys   of   an   expectant   mother．She   zigzagged   her   way   among   the   latest   and   most   expensive   medical   instruments   which   filled   the   rooms.   They   were   awe-inspiring,   bulky   and   complicated,   whose   very   exterior   showed   they   were   comprised   of   the   latest   and   highest   technology．Humans   created   life   for   these   machines,   and   in   return   these   machines   protect   or   prolong   human   life.   Thus   formed   an   amazing   relationship   between   the   two…     But   the   twenty-four   beauties,   for   whom   all   these   were   prepared   were   like   blooming   flowers   and   their   health   condition   were   still   at   high   noon．Therefore，for   the   time   being，they   had   no   need   for   these   machines   and   the   machines   had   been   lying   there,   useless   as   a   pile   of   waste   iron．Moving   towards   the   elevator，Ileen   felt   the   need   for   seclusion   in   order   to   sort   things   out   and   come   to   a   decision．

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The   elevator   with   its   solid   gold   door   took   Ileen   to   the   top   floor   and   she   walked   back   to   her   office   in   dead   silence,   past   the   lavishly   extravagant   rooms   which   silently   exhibited   the   exorbitant   riches   of   the   mysterious   kingdom．She   went   to   the   ivory   desk，her   heart   in   turmoil   and   her   mind   confused   and   chaotic   as   a   tangled   web．The   decrees   of   Fate   were   unfathomable．She   never   dreamed   she   would   come   to   this   palace   in   the   wilderness，become   one   of   King   Dimitri’s   beauties   and   be   put   in   almost   sole   charge   of   his   huge   financial   empire．If   things   progressed   smoothly   and   she   bore   him   an   heir，her   position   would   be   consolidated，and   she   would   automatically   become   mistress   of   it   all．But   no,   what   she   was   carrying   was   the   seed   of   one-eyed,   single-horned   monster,   Cyclops．Could   things   be   done   over   again,   she   would   willingly   become   one   of   the   gentle,   comfortable   beauties   instead   of   a   traitor．But   her   actions   were   unredeemable．What   was   done   was   done   and   could   not   be   undone．The   unruly   Cyclops   was   free   and   roamed   the   area   at   night，which   could   not   possibly   escape   the   sharp，observant   eyes   of   Medusa．The   disappearance   of   the   bow   and   arrow   had   her   worried，for   it   showed   that   Medusa   was   already   on   her   guard．She   must   act   at   once   or   her   treachery   would   soon   be   exposed．

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        The   ringing   of   the   fax   machine   signaling   an   incoming   message,   interrupted   her   trend   of   thoughts．She   picked   up   the   paper   which   said，

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        1．Tonight   Dimitri   and   some   others   will   be   going   to   World   Bank．Intentions   unknown．

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        2．Please   send   inventory   of   all   King   Dimitri’s   assets．

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        No   sender’s   name   was   given，but   Ileen   knew   it   was   from   Mr．Kaffee．Her   brows   knitted   in   vexation,   another   tough,   ambitious   customer   who   wanted   the   whole   of   King   Dimitri’s   riches!   She   had   better   come   up   with   a   plan   to   use   Mr．Kaffee’s   hands   to   kill   King   Dimitri   and   then   dispose   of   Mr．Kaffee   later．Ileen   was   trying   to   figure   out   why   Dimitri   would   want   to   go   to   World   Bank   and   with   what   other   people，when   a   heinous   plan   came   to   mind．Why   not   make   use   of   this   opportunity   to   get   rid   of   him?     Overjoyed   at   conceiving   this   ingenious   plot，she   took   over   a   fax   sheet   and   wrote   swiftly   with   no   hesitation   whatever，

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        1．Make   good   use   of   this   Godsent   opportunity   and   kill   all．Leave   no   loose   ends．

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        2．Will   divide   King   Dimitri’s   entire   assets   with   you．

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She   faxed   it   back   with   no   name   given．She   walked   over   to   the   windows   and   prayed，

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          "Oh   God!   If   you   do   exist,   please   help   me!   My   actions   are   immoral   and   are   sure   to   be   punished   later   by   you，but   I   have   no   other   choice．I   know   I   am   wrong，but   there’s   no   turning   back．I   have   to   go   through   with   it   to   the   end．Tonight,   please   let   the   kingdom   again   be   covered   with   fog   so   that   I   can   act．Oh   God,   if   you   do   not   exist，forgive   my   present   foolishness．Let   blood   and   death   wash   away   my   wicked   actions!"    

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          Oh   yes!   why   would   Dimitri   want   to   sneak   into   the   World   Bank?   Who   were   his   companions   and   for   what   purpose?   The   story   was   this：That   afternoon,   the   five   friends   met   for   a   grand   celebration,   but   alas,   to   their   consternation,   Richard   had   lost   every   penny   he   had   and   they   could   not   afford   to   do   so．The   group   of   penniless   vagabonds   retreated   to   the   campsite   by   the   lake,   lit   a   blazing   fire   and   sat   gloomily   around   it．   As   the   fire   blazed，dimmed   and   then   blazed   again，their   shadows   flickered，moved   and   merged   into   a   whole．At   the   center   was   the   glowing   fire   into   which   Richard   threw   in   his   specialty   -   “Beggar’s   Chicken”   -   which   he   was   preparing   one   by   one．He   had   stolen   the   chicken   from   the   neighboring   farms，for   out   of   necessity   man   would   do   anything   in   order   to   survive．By   the   side   of   the   fire,   some   Chinese   Shao-shing   wine   was   being   heated,   for   this   particular   brand   was   at   its   best   when   taken   warm．   Everyone   was   silent．   Richard’s   bad   luck   at   the   tables   affected   them   all,   as   with   it   went   all   their   hopes．Richard   himself,   however,   assumed   a   nonchalant   attitude,   and   kept   up   a   lively   chatter   as   he   prepared   his   chicken．

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"When   I   came   to   America,   I   brought   with   me   a   million   dollars   in   U.S.   currency，hoping   to   settle   down   and   do   some   business．But   as   I   was   looking   around   to   see   which   field   I   should   invest   in,   I   happened   to   go   to   the   casino   one   day   and   try   my   luck．I   won．I   returned   and   won   again．I   thought   that   was   as   good   a   way   to   invest   my   money   as   any   other，so   I   began   to   plunge   in   with   a   vengeance．Some   days   I   was   lucky,   but   others   I   lost   heavily   and   before   I   knew   it，my   million   dollars   was   all   gone；and   I   became   the   penniless   guy   you   see   now   before   you．Such   is   life!"     Meanwhile   he   was   cleaning   out   the   intestines   of   the   chicken，leaving   the   feathers   intact．He   started   to   sprinkle   the   inside   of   a   chicken   with   wine   and   salt   and   then   coated   it   with   wet   mud   from   the   banks   of   the   lake．He   threw   the   mud-coated   chicken   into   the   fire   and   worked   on   another   one．When   he   had   finished   with   the   last   one，he   smiled   and   said，         "That，my   friends，is   the   famous   “Beggar’s   Chicken”   invented   by   people   like   us   out   of   necessity．   It’s   easy   to   prepare   and   very   tasty   too，as   you   shall   judge   for   yourself   soon.”

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The   air   gradually   filled   with   the   appetizing   fragrance   of   warm   wine,   and   the   cooking   of   chicken   which   whetted   their   appetites．If   the   trees   could   feel   hunger,   they   too   would   be   drooling   in   envy．Richard   pried   out   the   first   thoroughly   baked   chicken,   which   was   hard   as   a   rock,   and   cracked   it   open   by   throwing   it   on   the   ground．The   feathers   came   off   with   the   dry   mud,   revealing   the   juicy   white   meat   within．Richard   tore   the   fully   cooked   chicken   into   five   large   portions,   handing   one   to   each   of   his   friends．Jamaz   devoured   his   portion   ravenously，   tearing   the   meat   with   his   sharp   white   teeth．Dimitri   ate   with   relish   and   the   two   gentler   sexes   retained   their   table   manners,   eating   and   chewing   slowly   and   enjoyably．   Richard   cracked   open   his   specialty   one   by   one   and   served   them   to   his   friends,   happy   to   see   them   enjoying   his   cooking   and   then   poured   out   bowls   of   wine   for   every   one．So   they   ate   and   drank   happily，forgetting   their   sorrow．Soon   the   ground   was   strewn   with   chicken   bones,   like   scattered   tools   in   an   auto   workshop．Chicken   wings   looked   like   pliers，thigh   bones   like   hammers，while   the   smaller   fragments   looked   like   nails   and   screws．Pieced   together，they   would   become   a   whole   skeleton,   now   they   were   scattered   all   around．

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Hunger   and   thirst   satisfied，Richard   took   one   last   gulp   and   said，

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        "Life   is   weird．The   rich   win，even   though   they   don’t   particularly   care   to;   while   the   poor   who   want   it   so   badly   invariably   lose．   Even   though   I   lost   my   shirt   today,   I   don’t   really   care．I’ve   been   through   ups   and   downs   before．What   I   hated   was   losing   to   that   rich   but   slimy   Mr.   Kaffee.”     Marcelina   tried   to   comfort   him，

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        "Poor   or   rich   makes   no   difference．Life   goes   on   as   usual．We   have   no   money   now,   but   we   can   still   have   this   picnic   with   food   and   wine   and   enjoy   ourselves.”     The   naive   and   artless   Yoko   added，

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        "Right．What   if   you   did   lose?   Night   is   like   a   huge   black   bag．If   you’d   only   put   your   hand   in   it，you’re   sure   to   come   up   with   something.”     She   meant   of   course   that   they   could   resort   to   stealing   as   they   usually   did   when   broke．But   this   time   Richard   disagreed，

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"Steal?   No，that’s   chicken   feed．You   are   my   bride.   I   cannot   let   my   woman   live   the   uncertain   life   of   a   nomad．I   have   a   great   plan．   If   it   succeeds，I’ll   be   able   to   provide   all   of   you   with   a   comfortable   and   happy   life.”   He   looked   at   Jamaz，big   and   bad，sitting   there   statuesque   as   a   mountain．

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"I   know   what   you   want   most   of   all   out   of   life．With   money，you   can   get   any   woman   you   want.”   Turning   to   Dimitri   he   said，

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"You，Dimitri，needn’t   be   homeless   any   more．With   unlimited   wealth,   we   will   all   live   together   as   a   happy   family.”     Marcelina   asked   eagerly，

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        "What   is   your   plan   Richard?"     He   answered   simply，

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        "Rob   a   bank!"

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        "Rob   a   bank!”   Yoko   and   Marcelina   exclaimed．"How   could   you   even   think   of   such   a   thing!   You   may   lose   your   life   if   you’re   not   careful!”   Richard’s   expression   was   strange．He   seemed   to   be   smiling,   but   actually   was   not．

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        "How   else   can   we   get   rich?"   he   asked．Then   turning   to   Jamaz，he   said，

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        "Are   you   with   me   Jamaz?"

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        "Why   not?”   answered   Jamaz   slowly.   “In   the   desolate   African   wilderness   where   I   grew   up，I   saw   too   many   life   and   death   struggles．In   the   jungle,   it   is   kill   or   be   killed   and   only   the   fittest   survived．Of   course,   there   are   also   natural   deaths   as   well,   so   all   in   all，I   do   not   really   set   too   much   store   on   life．You   have   a   good   head   on   your   shoulders   Richard．   I’ll   follow   you   and   do   what   you   say.”     Richard’s   eyes   turned   to   Dimitri．

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        "What   about   you   Dimitri?"     Dimitri   was   surprised   tha   Richard   would   suggest   robbing   a   bank,   but   he   assumed   a   blank   expression   and   said，

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        "Rob   a   bank?   That’s   a   game   I’ve   never   played   before   and   I’m   willing   to   try   anything   once．Do   you   have   any   detailed   plans?   "

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"No,”   said   Richard,   shaking   his   head.   “It’s   just   a   thought.”

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Dimitri’s   brains   were   whirling   behind   his   bland   look.     He   was   thinking，

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"Robbing   a   bank   would   be   courting   danger   and   disaster．It   would   be   better   if   I   let   them   rob   my   bank．Gold   and   cash   are   piled   high   in   the   vault   there,   why   not   share   them   with   my   needy   friends?"     His   hand   touched   the   plastic   master   card   in   his   pocket   which   Mr．Kaffee   had   given   him   and   said，

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        "If   you   don’t   have   a   plan,   why   not   follow   mine?"

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        "You，Dimitri?”   exclaimed   Richard   taken   aback．”You   have   a   detailed   plan   for   robbing   a   bank?   I   don’t   believe   it!   You   would   never   spend   time   figuring   out   such   things!"   All   eyes   turned   to   Dimitri   in   surprise，but   he   said，

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        "Don’t   be   so   unbelieving．Have   you   forgotten   how   I   got   you   all   that   money   overnight?"   The   words   were   like   a   flash   of   lightning   in   the   dark．Eyes   on   fire，they   stared   hopefully   at   him．Richard   asked，

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        "How   did   you   go   about   it   that   time?"   Dimitri   did   not   want   his   true   identity   known，so   he   decided   to   make   up   a   plausible   story．

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        "Well，I   happened   to   pick   up   this   card   on   the   sidewalks   one   evening．I   tried   it   on   the   World   Bank   and   found   it   opened   every   door,   including   the   vault．That’s   how   I   got   the   money．   Isn’t   it   wonderful?     If   you   all   follow   me,   I’ll   guarantee   none   of   us   will   be   hurt．With   no   risk   and   no   danger，you’ll   get   all   the   money   you   want   and   live   happily   ever   after．How’s   that?"     Richard   was   greatly   excited   at   the   prospect   of   getting   his   hands   on   a   lot   of   money   again.     He   exclaimed   impatiently，

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        "Great!     I’ll   gamble   my   life   once   more．When   shall   we   start?     We   must   do   it   as   soon   as   possible   before   they   discover   the   loss   of   the   card   and   change   the   codes．What   about   tonight?"     Dimitri   thought   for   a   moment   and   decided   that   a   call   to   Mr.   Kaffee   ordering   him   to   pull   off   all   security   that   night   and   leave   no   one   in   the   bank   would   do   the   trick．So   he   agreed，

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        "Why   not?   Tonight   it   is!"   The   five   friends   scrambled   up   full   of   the   spirit   of   joy   and   adventure．They   dashed   about   putting   out   the   fire   and   got   into   the   car．

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        "Hey,   wait   a   minute!"   Dimitri   said，"We’ve   forgotten   something!"

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        "What?"   they   all   asked．

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        "Something   to   carry   the   cash   in.   Why   don’t   we   just   take   down   the   tent?"They   all   laughed．

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"That’s   a   good   idea!"   They   took   down   the   tent,   folded   it,   threw   it   in   the   trunk   and   all   five   of   them   hurriedly   piled   back   into   the   car．Laughing   joyfully，they   drove   away．Thus，they   decided   on   a   course   of   action，rashly   and   flippantly，as   if   they   were   playing   a   game．Life   actually   is   like   a   game，but   all   games   have   their   rules．If   you   go   beyond   them,   you   encounter   the   unexpected．Such   was   the   case   here．Dimitri   was   leading   his   friends   into   a   trap   he   set   for   himself，one   that   was   fraught   with   danger   and   death．

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        The   car   went   on   its   way   tediously，passing   road   sign   after   road   sign   on   the   arrow   straight   freeway,   its   wheels   rolling   past   the   flashing   road   bubbles．Then   it   exited   and   turned   in   at   a   self-serve   gas   station   located   on   the   outskirts   of   the   city．It   was   late,   the   attendants   had   gone   home．Few   cars   stopped   there，so   the   place   looked   desolate   and   deserted．A   big   beige-colored   car   was   parked   at   one   side,   one   of   those   luxury   models   so   popular   in   the   sixties．In   front   of   the   vending   machine   was   the   slim   figure   of   a   young   lady   feeding   coins   into   the   slot．The   plop   of   a   soda   can   rolling   out   sounded   loud   and   clear   in   the   empty   lot．Dimitri   walked   quickly   towards   the   pay   phone，while   the   others   waited   in   the   car．He   punched   the   numbers   printed   on   the   car   and   a   voice   immediately   answered．

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        "..."

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        "Oliver   Kaffee，please.”

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        "..."

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        "My   name   is   Dimitri.”

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        "..."

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        The   mumbling   of   thunder   sounded   in   the   distance．The   weather   had   been   strange   these   days,   all   thunder   and   lightning   but   not   a   drop   of   rain．

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        "..."

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        "This   is   Dimitri．Are   you   Mr.   Kaffee?"

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        "..."

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        "Listen．Pull   off   all   security   and   night   shift   clerks   for   tonight...Don’t   ask   why,   just   do   it!"

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        "..."

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        A   crash   of   thunder   drowned   out   words   at   the   other   end   and   forced   Dimitri   to   raise   his   voice．

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        "I   may   be   coming   into   headquarters   tonight   with   some   of   my   friends．I   want   to   show   them   around,   so   get   everyone   out   within   thirty   minutes.”

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"..."

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        He   hung   up   and   was   turning   to   go   when   he   saw   a   charming   blond   lady   in   front   of   the   vending   machine   smiling   at   him,   saying，

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        "We   met   this   afternoon,   remember?   I   told   you   we   would   meet   again.”

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        "Oh   yes．Isn’t   this   a   coincidence!"

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        There   was   the   embarrassed   silence   of   acquaintances   at   a   loss   for   words．

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"The   weather   has   been   strange   these   last   few   days,   hasn’t   it?"   Dimitri   continued.   A   blinding   flash   of   lightning,   sharp   as   a   sword,   cut   into   the   dark   clouds,   followed   by   a   deafening   crash   of   thunder.   "The   weather   is   turning   nasty．You   should   be   back   in   your   cozy   home   listening   to   music，instead   of   braving   the   elements   here.”

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"I   stopped   to   get   some   gas   for   my   old   friend,”   said   Megginn   pointing   to   her   car   parked   at   the   curb,   and   I   needed   some   refueling   myself,   so   I   thought   I’d   get   a   soda   as   well.”

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        "You’d   better   go   home   now．What   if   your   car   gets   stuck   again．It   isn’t   safe   for   a   young   lady   like   you   to   be   out   here   alone   at   night.’

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        "I   know．But   I   have   finally   decided   it   was   time   to   retire   this   old   friend   of   mine．I   wanted   to   take   him   for   one   last   ride   before   leaving   him   at   the   junk   yard   tomorrow   morning．Over   the   years,   it   has   run   over   every   inch   of   the   freeway   and   roads   around   here   again   and   again，keeping   all   the   traffic   rules   and   had   never   been   in   an   accident．I’m   sure   it   will   be   sorry   to   leave   and   the   freeway   will   miss   it   too．They’ve   been   good   partners.”

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        "You   are   really   a   charming   and   good-hearted   lady   full   of   imagination   and   sentiment．It’s     been   a   pleasure   to   know   you.”     The   thunder   kept   on   rolling   and   Megginn   asked，

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        "Why   are   you   out   so   late   and   you   seem   to   be   in   a   hurry.”

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        "I   have   some   business   to   attend   to．My   friends   and   I..."     Richard   was   honking   impatiently，so   Dimitri   said，"My   friends   are   waiting．Got   to   go   now．Hope   to   see   you   again．"

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        Megginn   waved   and   nodded   her   good-bye,   but   Dimitri   turned   back   almost   immediately   and   said，

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        "I’d   better   see   you   safely   on   your   way   first．You   may   need   another   push   or   shove.”

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        "Thank   you.”   said   Megginn   smiling．"I   really   appreciate   it.”

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        The   gusty   wind   blew   her   full   skirt   about   as   she   walked   to   her   car．Dimitri   stepped   forward   and   opened   the   car   door   for   her   solicitously．She   quickly   got   in   and   to   their   surprise   the   machine   started   smoothly．

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        "Adios,   my   friend!"Megginn   said．"I’m   sure   we’ll   meet   again.”

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        The   soon-to-be-junked   car   carried   its   beautiful   mistress   loyally   though   laboriously   down   the   familiar   road．Dimitri   watched   until   the   tail   lights   disappeared   and   he   said   softly，

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"Hope   you   have   a   good   drive．May   both   of   you   enjoy   your   last   drive   together.”

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The   thunder   mumbled   in   the   distance,   and   then   rolled   nearer   and   nearer   until   it   culminated   in   a   deafening   crescendo．Lightning   flashed   right   and   left,   as   if   wishing   to   split   and   tear   the   dark   clouds   apart   and   seek   the   brilliant   moon   and   twinkling   stars   hidden   behind   them．Dimitri   felt   a   moment   of   panic,   as   if   something   untoward   was   about   to   happen   in   his   Kingdom，but   there   was   no   time   to   lose   in   idle   speculation．Richard’s   honking   horn   was   hastening   him   on   his   way．He   walked   swiftly   back   to   his   good   friends   and   led   his   little   group   into   the   unknown   darkness   of   the   night．

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There   seemed   to   be   a   God   in   heaven,   who   heard   the   prayers   of   the   villainous   Ileen   and   granted   her   request,   for   late   that   afternoon   a   thick   fog   rose   and   was   getting   heavier   and   heavier   every   minute．She   stood   at   the   window，her   heart   pounding   wildly   in   excitement   and   exhilaration．

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"This   is   the   good   omen   which   proves   that   heaven   is   with   me!   Such   thick   fog   is   the   best   concealment   to   block   the   sharp   eyes   of   Medusa!"   In   her   heart，she   began   to   plan   her   campaign．In   the   whole   of   the   Kingdom，the   only   one   she   feared   was   the   fierce   and   ferocious   Medusa，her   worst   enemy   and   the   hardest   person   to   tangle   with．If   Medusa   could   not   be   dealt   with   at   one   stroke   as   formerly   planned,   the   only   alternative   was   to   take   the   beauties   as   hostages   and   force   Medusa   to   come   to   terms-to   forfeit   her   life   in   exchange   for   the   beauties   whom   Dimitri   had   left   in   her   care．She   decided   to   use   the   element   of   surprise   and   storm   the   palace   at   night   with   Cyclops,   so   as   to   catch   them   all   off   guard．   This   way，she   would   be   able   to   take   all   the   beauties   as   hostages．   Knowing   Cyclops   insatiable   lust,   she   would   feed   him   one   or   two   beauties   at   a   time   to   keep   him   hooked,   satisfied   and   enslaved,   while   she   would   grasp   sole   control   of   the   Kingdom．But   her   conscience   smote   her,   telling   her   it   was   wrong   to   do   unto   others   what   she   did   not   wish   them   to   do   to   her．   She   had   gone   on   the   wrong   path，why   force   others   to   go   along   the   same   route   and   endure   the   degradation   and   physical   abuse   at   the   hands   of   a   monster?     If   she   could   only   live   her   life   over   again,   she   would   have   chosen   otherwise．If   she   could   make   restitution   for   her   sins，she   would   willingly   do   so   and   begin   life   with   a   clean   slate.   But   she   had   foolishly   put   all   her   eggs   in   one   basket   and   there   was   no   other   road   open   to   her．Just   then,   the   fax   machine   beeped   again．The   incoming   paper   said，

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"King   Dimitri   will   be   here   in   thirty   minutes．Everything   completely   under   our   control   and   surveillance．Will   kill   all．Need   cooperation   on   your   side   as   well.”

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Ileen   hardened   her   heart．There   was   no   turning   back.   She   could   only   go   on   relentlessly   Leaving   the   administrative   building,   she   made   her   way   towards   the   bridge．   Waves   of   hope,   regret   and   ambition   raged   within   her,   leaving   her   mind   in   turmoil   and   vanquished   whatever   decent   instincts   that   were   left．   The   demons   of   greed   tortured   her，so   that   she   could   no   longer   face   the   palace   and   its   inhabitants   as   calm,   efficient   and   collected   as   she   was   want   to   be．Neither   could   she   live   carefree   and   happy   as   the   other   beauties．Crossing   the   drawbridge，she   looked   at   the   vast   expanse   of   water   and   decided   that   this   was   not   the   way   to   come．They   could   easily   be   targeted   and   destroyed   by   the   ever-vigilant   Medusa，with   her   huge，powerful   wings   and   sharp   iron   claws   when   she   swooped   down   on   them   from   above．Her   mind   turned   to   the   forest   at   the   back   of   the   palace,   with   its   tall，dense   trees．That   would   be   the   ideal   location：easy   concealment   and   hard   to   be   marked．She   looked   back   at   the   palace．All   was   calm   and   quiet   as   usual．Lights   from   the   windows   flickered   in   the   fog   and   merry   laughter   could   be   heard   from   behind   closed   doors．Outwardly，all   seemed   normal，the   only   difference   being   her   complex   state   of   mind．She   was   glad   no   defense   mechanism   was   seen   and   swiftly   walked   towards   the   lake．Taking   a   small   canoe，she   paddled   towards   the   opposite   shore．Once   more，she   turned   to   look   at   the   majestic   palace   enveloped   in   fog．

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"Tomorrow   when   the   sun   rises,   all   in   the   Kingdom   will   be   mine!   Oh   God!   Will   there   be   a   tomorrow   for   me?"   The   woman   and   the   canoe   soon   disappeared   in   the   fog   over   the   still   water．

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When   the   slim   figure   of   Ileen   reemerged   from   the   dense   fog   at   the   mouth   of   the   secret   cave,   she   was   no   longer   alone．She   was   accompanied   by   the   stalwart   Cyclops,   her   tool   for   taking   over   the   Kingdom   of   King   Dimitri．He   looked   more   imposing   and   awesome   than   ever   with   the   magic   sword   by   his   side．They   came   out   of   the   cave   and   was   moving   towards   the   back   of   the   mountains，while   Ileen   reiterated   her   plans   and   strategies．Suddenly，her   eyes   fell   on   a   huge,   white   Easter   lily   blooming   nearby．That   was   the   fourth   time   she   had   seen   it，and   its   mysterious   and   unseasonable   appearance   jarred   on   her   already   ultra-sensitive   nerves．   She   was   flustered．Clutching   Cyclops’arm，she   said，

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"Quick!   Use   that   sword   and   cut   that   lily．It’s   evil!"   Cyclops   obediently   stepped   forward   and   was   about   to   strike   when   the   flower   disppeared   in   a   cloud   of   smoke．

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"I   knew   it!   It   was   as   I   feared!   Our   plans   are   exposed   and   there’s   no   time   to   lose．Let’s   hurry!"

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        The   two   quickened   their   steps   towards   the   back   of   the   mountains．The   cloud   of   white   smoke   streaked   swiftly   across   the   lake   which   was   as   polished   as   a   mirror．It   was   White   Fairy,   frantic   to   report   the   urgent   news   of   an   imminent   attack   on   Medusa．At   the   palace   gardens，she   changed   back   to   her   beautiful   feminine   shape   and   went   to   the   meeting   place   they   had   agreed   upon   -   the   attic   enclosed   on   all   sides   by   a   beautifully   carved   platform   with   rows   and   rows   of   bonsai．Medusa   was   not   there．She   looked   all   around，but   could   not   find   the   whereabouts   of   her   old   friend．Savage   battle   cries   could   be   heard   from   the   back   of   the   mountains，increasing   her   anxiety   and   apprehension．She   was   wringing   her   hands   trying   to   think   of   what   she   could   do   in   such   a   crisis,   when   the   flapping   of   powerful   wings   announced   the   arrival   of   her   friend   who   descended   to   the   veranda   in   her   human   form．White   Fairy   ran   towards   her   saying，

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        "Where   have   you   been?   I   was   looking   everywhere   for   you!   You   know   about   Ileen?"

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        "Yes.   That   sly   traitor!     If   they   came   by   the   lake．I   could   swoop   down   from   above   and   kill   them   in   the   water，even   though   they   could   mortally   wound   me   with   the   magic   sword．   But   they   chose   the   mountain   route．I   cannot   see   anything   from   above   because   of   the   fog，and   if   I   fly   lower，the   trees   would   hamper   my   flight   and   even   break   my   wings   if   I   am   not   careful.”

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        "Oh,   what   shall   we   do?   What   shall   we   do?   My   bow   and   arrow   are   also   useless   in   the   foggy   forest.”

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        Medusa   patted   her   fragile   friend   on   the   shoulder   and   tried   to   comfort   her   by   saying，

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        "Don’t   panic．I   was   afraid   of   something   like   this，so   I   have   trained   the   natives   troops   just   for   such   an   emergency．They   are   now   positioned   in   strategic   spots   in   the   mountains．I   ordered   them   not   to   attack,   for   they   are   no   match   for   the   mighty   Cyclops   and   his   magic   sword.   To   do   so   would   only   be   sacrificing   their   lives   in   vain.   I   told   them   only   to   use   the   guerrilla   tactics   of   distracting   and   hampering   the   enemy   to   slow   down   their   progress   as   much   as   possible．I’m   hoping   for   the   fog   to   disperse   soon   and   come   to   a   showdown   with   them   when   they   dash   from   the   mountains   to   the   palace．There   is   a   small   distance   between   these   two   points,   which   will   give   me   space   to   move   around   in．I   hope   to   destroy   them   at   that   crucial   spot   at   whatever   cost.”

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        "What   do   we   do   in   the   meantime   then?   We   cannot   just   wait   here   for   developments.”

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        "No．You   go   to   the   front,   scout   for   news   and   report   back   to   me．I   will   go   to   the   palace   and   comfort   the   beauties   who   must   be   scared   to   death，not   knowing   what’s   going   on.   I   do   not   want   them   to   run   out   in   a   panic   and   scatter   everywhere．That   would   be   disastrous!"

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"Right．I’ll   meet   you   here   later.”     Thus   the   two   friends   parted,   each   to   her   own   task．

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Shadows   of   swiftly   or   stealthily   moving   bodies   appeared   and   disappeared   in   the   dense   fog．The   skies   resounded   with   heroic   shouts   of   the   brave   warriors   as   they   surrounded   Cyclops   and   fought   him   with   their   primitive   weapons，attempting   to   block   his   progress．The   non-human   shouts   that   came   from   the   monster’s   throat   were   like   roars   of   an   aroused   lion   as   he   fought   his   way   through   the   forest,   beset   by   the   natives’   traps   and   weapons．Already   the   ground   was   paved   with   bleeding   corpses，but   they   still   attacked   with   renewed   force，watching   with   unbelief   as   their   swords   and   spears   thrust   into   Cyclops’   body   and   made   big   gaping   wounds,   only   to   see   the   bleeding   stop   and   the   wound   close   in   a   matter   of   seconds．But   Cyclops,   on   the   other   hand,   could   cut   through   shields   and   armors   as   if   they   were   made   of   paper．Suddenly,   one   brave   man   came   forward   and   made   a   mighty   thrust   at   Cyclops．His   spear   sank   a   few   inches   into   Cyclops’chest．With   an   angry   yelp，the   monster   threw   away   the   spear   and   cut   off   the   man’s   head   in   one   swipe   of   his   sword．His   comrade-in-arms   rushed   to   save   him．A   few   slashes   of   the   magic   sword   and   heads   could   be   seen   rolling   all   over   the   ground．Blood   spurted   as   head   and   body   separated．Ileen   hid   behind   Cyclops，directing   him   where   to   go，how   to   fight，what   traps   to   skirt   and   pointing   out   where   they   might   be   ambushed．

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One   native,   whose   left   arm   and   shoulder   had   been   cut   off   by   Cyclops,   had   fainted   and   lay   motionless   among   the   dead．Now,   coming   to   and   seeing   Ileen’s   traitorous   behavior,   he   stood   up,   raised   his   sword   with   the   right   hand   and   was   about   to   lunge   at   her,   when   Cyclops’   back   eye   caught   sight   of   the   attack．Turning   around,   he   gave   a   mighty   shout   and   charged   straight   at   the   man   with   lowered   head．His   horn   pierced   the   man,s   stomach,   leaving   his   intestines   all   round   him   where   he   fell．He   died   in   a   pool   of   blood,   his   teeth   clenched   in   bitterness．The   death   toll   rose,   but   the   natives   still   advanced,   wave   after   wave,   surrounding   the   couple   like   a   human   wall,   willing   to   give   their   lives   just   to   hamper   the   enemy’s   progress．They   knew   that   tree   trunks   and   traps   were   of   no   avail，that   the   only   thing   that   could   momentarily   stop   the   monster   was   their   flesh   and   blood．The   natives   battled   on   courageously   against   all   odds   in   loyalty   to   King   Dimitri   and   to   protect   the   celestial   nymph-like   beauties．They   died   in   droves．A   cloud   of   smoke   hung   in   the   sky   above   the   battle   field   and   with   it   could   be   heard   suppressed   and   indistinct   sounds   of   muffled,compassionate   sobs．   Ileen   was   immediately   on   the   alert   and   pointed   it   out   to   Cyclops   saying，

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"That   cloud   of   smoke   is   the   embodiment   of   the   evil   flower   we   saw   by   the   cave．Cut   it   with   your   sword!"     Cyclops   thrust，stabbed   and   cut   right   and   left，but   the   metal   sword   could   not   cut   through   the   intangible   smoke．The   world’s   sharpest   sword   that   could   pierce   the   hardest   metal   was   impotent   when   it   came   into   contact   with   the   softest   and   lightest   of   substances．The   smoke   parted，only   to   come   together   again．The   cloud   of   smoke   drifted   towards   the   palace,   weeping   for   the   noble   warriors．The   battle   waged   on．

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        The   battle   waged   fiercer   than   ever，and   the   uproarious   shouts，the   din   of   clashing   weapons   which   filled   the   air,   came   nearer   and   nearer   to   the   edge   of   the   forest．Cyclops’violent   roars   could   clearly   be   heard,   but   the   brave   warriors   still   fought   to   the   death．Medusa   and   the   beauties   stepped   out   onto   the   attic   lined   with   bonsai,   and   waited   there   tense   and   worried．But   all   remained   calm,   with   no   trace   of   hysteria，for   they   had   come   to   a   resolution   to   live   or   die   with   the   palace．Just   then，a   cloud   of   smoke   flew   swiftly   towards   them   and   changed   into   a   beautiful   human   shape.   When   it   got   to   the   attic,   Medusa   said，

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        "This   is   White   Fairy   I   was   telling   you   about.”   Everyone   clapped   their   hands   in   welcome．Natalie,   the   beautiful   ballerina,   was   especially   happy   and   said，

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        "I   knew   you   would   come   to   our   rescue.”

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        "Of   course   I   would,”   replied   White   Fairy．"My   life   was   created   by   King   Dimitri   in   that   ballet．I   couldn’t   possibly   remain   a   passive   bystander．I   had   to   come   and   help   defend   his   Kingdom.”     She   continued   sorrowfully   "The   natives   are   defeated,   but   their   selfless   bravery   and   dedication   is   unbelievable．They   threw   themselves   at   Cyclops，attacking   him   like   human   waves，regardless   of   their   lives   or   safety，impeding   his   progress   by   sheer   numbers．Their   blood   has   dyed   the   soil   and   their   bodies   paved   the   battlefield,   for   they   pit   their   flesh   and   blood   against   the   monster   and   his   magic   sword．Though   they   are   forced   to   retreat,   they   have   done   their   best．"

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        "Oh，why   did   they   have   to   do   that?"   Medusa   cried   in   exasperation．"I   told   them   again   and   again   that   they   were   no   match   for   Cyclops   and   the   sword，so   they   should   not   fight   him   face   to   face，as   it   could   only   mean   death．I   ordered   them   to   do   their   best   to   preserve   themselves   and   hamper   the   enemy   with   guerrilla   tactics．Why   didn’t   they   do   as   I   told   them   to?   The   cost   is   too   heavy!”     The   shouts   came   nearer   and   nearer   to   the   edge   of   the   forest,   and   Medusa   tried   to   comfort   her   companions   by   saying，

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"There   is   still   one   last   line   of   defense,   a   wide   belt   of   fire．We   could   not   hope   to   stop   them，but   with   the   help   of   the   winds，we   could   at   least   slow   them   down．Our   only   real   hope   is   for   the   fog   to   disperse，as   only   then   do   I   have   the   chance   to   fight   him   one   to   one.”

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In   the   dense   fog，the   flicker   of   orange   flames   could   be   discerned，heralding   that   the   warriors，unable   to   resist   any   longer，had   lit   the   fire   which   formed   a   kind   of   belt．They   retreated   in   order   to   prepare   for   and   form   a   new   onslaught．Their   mood   was   tense   and   grew   tenser   by   the   minute   as   the   flames   jumped   higher   and   higher．Everyone   braced   themselves   for   the   final   confrontation．Medusa   stood   there   at   the   forefront   of   the   beauties,   motionless   and   expressionless   as   a   statue，with   her   eyes   glued   to   the   progress   of   the   battle，thinking，

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"If   King   Dimitri   were   here，how   heartbroken   he   would   be   to   see   his   loyal   subjects   fall   in   pools   of   blood，his   beloved   beauties   worried   and   frightened，and   his   hard-won   Kingdom   going   up   in   flames．He   would   be   especially   aggrieved   and   hurt   by   the   treachery   of   Ileen，whom   he   entrusted   with   the   management   of   his   entire   financial   empire，She   has   been   conspiring   with   the   monster，Cyclops，to   take   over   the   Kingdom   and   is   causing   such   damage   and   disaster.”

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        Medusa   was   looking   at   the   wide   belt   of   fire   burning   brightly．It   seemed   to   be   stopping   the   progress   of   the   enemy   at   least   for   the   moment，giving   the   native   warriors   a   brief   respite．She   was   thinking   of   how   best   to   deal   with   Cyclops,   when   she   heard   the   faint   but   insistent   voice   of   Dimitri   calling   to   her．Medusa   shuddered   and   exclaimed   agitatedly，

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        "King   Dimitri   is   in   deep   trouble   and   calling   for   help．I   must   go   to   him   at   once.”   Then   looking   at   her   surroundings，she   paused   and   said，"But   how   can   I   leave   now   when   things   here   are   in   such   a   critical   state?   Oh!can   heaven   mean   to   destroy   us   then?   For   how   could   I   go   to   King   Dimitri’s   aid   and   save   the   situation   here   as   well?   What   shall   I   do?   What   shall   I   do?   Can   heaven   mean   to   destroy   us   then?"   Aisha,   who   was   usually   calm   and   collected,   said，

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        "King   Dimitri   is   more   important．So   long   as   he   lives,   there   is   hope．If   he   is   no   longer   with   us,   everything   will   return   to   nil.   Even   if   we   win,   it   would   only   be   a   hollow   victory   and   thereby   insignificant.”     All   the   beauties   agreed．

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        "Go   Medusa!"   they   said.   "Go!   Go!   We   may   not   be   able   to   fight   as   well   as   you   can,   but   with   our   combined   intelligence,   we   may   come   up   with   something.”   Medusa   no   longer   hesitated．Transforming   into   a   huge   bird，she   flourished   her   powerful   wings   and   was   soon   out   of   sight，leaving   the   courageous   warriors   and   matchless   beauties   in   the   palace   surrounded   by   fire．In   the   midst   of   such   chaos   and   apprehension，Medusa   gave   priority   to   the   claims   of   her   master．

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Medusa   soared   up   for   an   indeterminable   distance   until   she   finally   dashed   through   the   dense   mass   of   fog   and   saw   before   her   a   splendid   array   of   sparkling   stars．She   changed   her   angle   and   flew   beneath   them   towards   mankind．The   magnificence   of   nature   moved   her   deeply．The   brilliant   stars   and   translucent   moon   were   arranged   in   so   intricate   a   pattern   that   she   could   not   but   believe   in   the   existence   of   a   Superior   Being   who   was   responsible   for   all   this．   She   seemed   to   hear   psalms   and   celestial   music   circulating   amid   the   heavenly   bodies，but   on   closer   scrutiny，it   was   only   the   thundering   sounds   emitted   by   planets   rotating   on   their   orbits．As   she   flew   on，Medusa   prayed，

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"Oh   God!I   am   a   monster   on   earth．I   have   committed   evil   and   abhorrent   crimes   and   deserve   to   be   punished．Let   your   wrath   be   on   my   head   alone．I   beg   you   please，please   spare   King   Dimitri   and   safeguard   his   Kingdom!"     Medusa   never   prayed   in   her   life,   but   now   under   such   circumstances，praying   was   the   only   thing   she   could   do．   Gradually，she   saw   below   her，the   myriad   of   lights   of   humans．She   was   amazed   at   the   progress   made   by   man’s   evolution．Though   human   life   span   was   short,   they   had   accumulated   knowledge   and   handed   it   down   generation   after   generation   to   posterity,   overcoming   the   limitations   of   mortality．Man   is   the   animal   that   can   best   use   his   mental   powers   and   is   therefore   God’s   most   perfect   creation   of   which   he   must   be   very   proud．But   up   to   the   present，man   has   not   been   able   to   overcome   the   threat   of   fate，illness   and   death．Swift   as   the   wind，Medusa   passed   the   factories   where   work   went   round   the   clock，passed   the   maze   of   freeways   extending   in   all   directions，until   she   came   to   the   vicinity   where   King   Dimitri’s   call   for   help   originated．She   hovered   up   on   high   for   a   moment,   making   a   topographical   survey   of   the   area．Then，having   ascertained   her   target，she   plunged   down   into   the   highly   civilized   society   of   human   beings．

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        Since   Dimitri   and   his   friends   were   only   going   to   his   bank   to   get   his   money,   why   should   there   be   hindrance   serious   enough   for   him   to   summon   Medusa?     What   happened   was   this：After   parting   from   the   golden-haired   Megginn,   they   left   the   suburban   gas   station   and   drove   swiftly   over   the   smooth   freeway．Thunder   crashed   and   lightning   flashed,   momentarily   lighting   up   the   dark   night．Richard,   the   operator   of   the   moving   vehicle,   seemed   a   little   daunted   by   the   elements．His   meager   face   and   body,   which   normally   emitted   boundless   energy，seemed   abnormally   nervous   and   tense;   but   he   was   still   in   high   spirits．He   kept   changing   lanes   and   stepping   on   the   gas,   driving   aggressively   to   pass   the   car   in   front   of   him，but   he   never   succeeded．The   cars   behind   him，however，passed   him   one   by   one，causing   him   to   cry   out   in   exasperation，

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"When   I   am   rich,   I   will   buy   the   fastest   sports   car   there   is,   and   watch   me   show   them   a   thing   or   two!"

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Dimitri，who   was   sitting   next   to   him，noticed   his   odd   behavior   and   thoughts.Things   were   out   of   the   ordinary   that   day．Even   the   weather   was   abnormal.   It   had   been   warm   and   sunny   in   the   afternoon,   but   where   was   the   dazzling   sun   now?   Gone   to   the   other   end   of   the   earth   as   was   the   normal   orbit   of   the   evolving   planets．   A   strange   idea   came   to   his   mind．That   big   bright   ball   seemed   like   a   huge   microscope   and   the   seven   billion   people   that   populated   the   earth   were   like   wriggling   micro-organisms,   changing   momentarily；for   in   human   population，birth   and   death   happened   every   second．Though   the   most   advanced   science   and   technology   had   succeeded   in   creating   life   in   test-tubes,   they   could   not   as   yet   accurately   calculate   the   span   of   life   of   that   which   it   had   created．Only   one   thing   was   certain   every   living   creature   could   live   only   once．He   mused   on   the   inequality   of   the   lives   of   the   different   people   who   lived   under   this   huge   microscope．He   thought,

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"I,   Dimitri,   am   successful   and   happy,   effortlessly   accumulating   incalculable   wealth;   but   there   are   others   who   struggle   and   work   continuously,   yet   can   never   merge   from   the   deep   pit   of   poverty．Everyone   lives   under   the   same   condensing   lens   and   each   has   only   one   life,   but   these   lives   may   be   as   different   as   heaven   from   earth.”

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Thunder   rumbled   on   and   lightning   continued   to   light   up   the   dark   sky．Jamaz,   sitting   at   the   back   seat,   was   calm   and   quiet   as   usual,   but   his   broad   chest   heaved   like   the   waves   on   a   turbulent   sea．His   heart   was   palpitating   fast   and   furiously，betraying   his   tension．Next   to   him   sat   Yoko   and   Marcellina，whose   cold   clammy   hands   were   tightly   clasped   together．They   were   painfully   aware   that   in   spite   of   Dimitri’s   confident   assurances   that   all   would   be   well，there   was   a   sword   of   Damocles   hanging   over   all   their   heads   that   could   bring   death   to   them   at   any   moment．After   all,   they   were   going   to   rob   a   bank．   Influenced   by   his   surroundings,   Dimitri   felt   a   nagging   sense   of   nervousness．He   scoffed   at   himself，saying   there   were   no   grounds   for   apprehension，after   all，he   was   only   taking   money   out   of   his   own   pocket   and   giving   it   away   to   his   friends．He   tried   to   assure   himself   that   there   was   nothing   to   worry   about．He   had   stashed   up   so   much   riches   effortlessly   that   one   man’s   accumulation   caused   many   more   to   lack   it．Therefore,   he   wanted   to   give   some   of   it   away．In   fact,   one   day   he   would   open   up   his   coffers   and   with   one   extravagent   sweep   distribute   all   his   riches   to   the   needy,   to   the   homeless   and   the   disabled   who   were   micro-organisms   under   the   same   microscope．For   like   him,   they   too   could   only   live   once．Some   of   them   have   never   seen   the   brilliant   sun,   and   some   spent   their   lives   listless   and   apathetic,   in   a   limbo   of   their   own．

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As   the   car   entered   city   limits,   the   tall   imposing   majestic   structure   of   World   Bank   came   into   view，dominating   the   area．They   drove   to   the   back   of   the   building   where   Dimitri   used   his   master   card   to   unlock   the   entrance   to   the   underground   parking   lot．The   garage   door   rolled   up   slowly,   like   an   enormous   monster   opening   its   large   and   fierce-looking   mouth   -   a   product   of   modern   science．The   elaborate   electric   system   was   like   nerves   spreading   over   every   part   of   its   body   -   the   air   conditioning,   its   breathing   system；water   pipes，its   colossal   blood   vessels；steel   structure,   its   skeleton；and   cement,   its   strong   unyielding   muscles．In   the   years   of   deep   recession，it   was   lean   and   famished   as   a   wild   animal,   left   destitute   in   the   depth   of   winter，and   in   extremities   would   not   be   adverse   to   swallowing   its   master．Using   his   master   card，Dimitri   led   his   little   group   into   the   building,   magically   opening   all   the   doors．He   was   not   familiar   with   the   building,   but   they   stumbled   on   until   they   came   to   the   big   hall,   his   familiar   land   mark．Not   knowing   any   short   cuts,   he   took   the   only   route   he   knew,   up   to   Mr.Kaffee’s   office   at   the   top   of   the   building   and   then   down   again   to   the   vault   via   the   private   elevator．They   seemed   to   be   going   from   the   stomach   of   the   giant   monster   along   his   spine   up   to   his   head,   the   headquarters   of   the   central   nervous   system   and   then   down   again   to   his   abdomen,   where   all   the   riches   were   stored．What   they   did   not   know   was,   as   soon   as   they   stepped   into   the   building,   they   came   under   the   surveillance   of   video   cameras．

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        In   a   secret   room   surrounded   by   TV   screens,   Mr．Kaffee   was   closely   monitoring   their   every   move．Behind   him   were   his   trusted   lieutenants,   Allen   and   Steven．Ugly   and   flat-faced   Steven   stood   there，stocky   and   muscular，light   shining   on   his   almost   bald   head，covered   with   only   a   few   strands   of   hair．Allen’s   sharp   eyes   were   glued   to   the   screen   as   figures   flickered   by,   silent   as   the   shadows   and   reflections   drifting   over   water．The   close-up   countenances   of   Dimitri，Richard   and   the   rest   appeared   on   the   screen   one   by   one．Mr．Kaffee   looked   intently   at   all   these   drifting   faces,   which   were   silent   as   the   phantoms   floating   about   in   the   cemeteries．He   had   to   destroy   them   all．It   was   his   last   chance   at   survival,   or   the   one   to   fall   may   be   himself．He   had   been   juggling   with   the   books   with   the   help   of   highly   paid   and   not   so   scrupulous   geniuses   of   accounting,   so   the   gradual   transition   of   funds   had   escaped   the   sharp   and   evervigilant   eyes   of   the   government．Now,   he   had   bought   back   all   the   shares   that   had   originally   belonged   to   him   at   the   expense   of   his   clients,   whose   accounts   he   ruthlessly   plundered．But   what   he   couldn’t   possibly   have   predicted   was   the   recession，which   botched   all   his   plans．It   wasn’t   just   personal   bad   luck,   for   the   ever-deepening   recession   was   worldwide   and   totally   beyond   his   control．His   load   was   getting   heavier   and   heavier,   and   his   embezzlement   would   inevitably   be   exposed，unless   he   could   rub   out   Dimitri．It   was   his   only   hope   of   survival,   one   which   he   couldn’t   let   go．So   he   sat   in   the   secret   room,   tautly   scrutinizing   the   little   group．   Dimitri   on   the   other   hand，was   surveying   the   brilliantly   lit   empty   hall   in   satisfaction.   Evidently   Mr．Kaffee   had   carried   out   his   orders   meticulously．   The   naive   and   vivacious   Yoko   walked   up   to   him,   linked   her   fingers   in   his   and   whispered   softly，

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        "Do   you   remember   telling   me   once   not   to   allow   strangers   into   my   home?   Aren’t   you   doing   just   that   now?"

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"The   situation   is   different,”   said   Dimitri,   looking   at   her   smilingly．"Here   you   can   make   yourselves   at   home.”

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The   fact   of   the   matter   was，in   these   bad   economic   times，graveyard   shifts   weren’t   really   necessary   as   there   wasn’t   much   urgent   work   that   needed   to   be   attended   to   at   once．People   could   make   use   ot   the   recession   years   to   revert   to   a   more   frugal   and   leisurely   life   style．The   clerks   might   as   well   spend   their   time   sauntering   through   the   parks．The   grand   building   with   its   orderly   rows   of   desks   and   modern   technological   equipment   was   like   a   quiet   grave   yard   in   the   suburbs．Marcelina   and   Yoko   were   like   two   happy   birds，flitting   around   full   of   interest   and   curiosity   about   their   surroundings．Marcelina   sat   before   a   desk,   enviously   touching   the   personal   computers，word   processors，fax   machines   and   other   equipment,   for   while   roaming   the   streets   as   a   pavement   musician,   her   dream   in   life   had   been   to   become   an   office   clerk．Yoko   was   looking   in   fascination   through   the   glass   panes   into   a   room   full   of   automatically   rotating   equipment,   unaware   that   these   movements   were   ineffective   because   nothing   much   needed   to   be   automatically   transmitted．Letting   them   rotate   was   better   than   letting   them   stand   idle,   as   they   were   but   slaves   of   modern   man．

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        Suddenly，their   forms   disappeared   from   the   screen,   for   Dimitri   had   led   them   into   the   elevator,   which   took   them   to   the   top   of   the   building，into   Mr．Kaffee’s   private   office，the   only   room   not   under   surveillance．Dimitri   became   aware   that   the   mood   of   his   friends   had   changed,   becoming   more   and   more   tense．   He   took   a   bottle   of   expensive   vintage   wine   from   Mr．Kaffee’s   private   bar   in   the   elevator   and   said．

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        "Come   on!   Have   a   drink   and   lighten   up!   What   is   there   to   be   so   tense   about?   In   a   moment   we’ll   take   this   elevator   down   to   the   vault   where   all   the   money   is.”     After   a   few   drinks，Richard   sat   in   Mr．Kaffee’s   swivel   chair   behind   the   large   desk．Glass   in   hand,   he   looked   around   him   and   said   admiringly，

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        "Such   is   life!   If   one   day   I   could   sit   in   this   seat,   in   control   of   so   much   wealth   and   power，that   would   be   real   living!"     He   held   up   his   glass   and   tossed   down   his   drink．Dimitri   who   was   sitting   on   the   sofa   said   laconically，

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        "That’s   not   impossible．   If   you   really   want   it   so   badly,   it   can   be   arranged．I   can   help   you   attain   your   dream.”

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"That’s   impossible!"   Richard   laughed.   To   actually   be   here   in   this   room   is   a   dream．”Don’t   forget   what   we   are   here   for.”

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Everyone   laughed．The   room   was   full   of   the   fragrance   of   expensive   vintage   wine.   What   they   did   not   know   was   that   their   chatter   and   laughter   interrupted   the   sweet   dreams   of   a   mysterious   character．Mr.   Finger，who   had   climbed   through   a   hole   in   the   lining   of   the   sofa   and   was   napping   inside,   now   climbed   out   of   his   temporary   abode．He   stretched   and   rubbed   his   sleepy   eyes,   wondering   who   dared   to   talk   and   laugh   so   loudly   in   this   private   office．   Dropping   onto   the   thick   carpet,   he   looked   up   and   was   delighted   to   see   to   the   right   and   left   of   him,   long   legs   encased   in   expensive   shoes．

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"Ah!   What   luck   to   have   erotic   and   romantic   adventures   as   soon   as   I   wake   up!"     Being   a   lecherous   fellow,   he   wanted   to   climb   up   and   nestle   in   intimate   warmth   under   the   skirt．But   the   fragrance   of   vintage   wine   enticed   him   more,   for   in   his   heart   of   hearts,   wine   was   more   important   than   women．Sniffing   and   looking   around,   he   crossed   over   the   legs，came   to   Dimitri’s   feet   and   began   tugging   energetically   at   the   cuffs   of   his   trousers．Dimitri   looked   down   and   was   delighted   to   see   his   old   friend   again．He   bent   down   and   said，

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        "How   are   you   doing,   Mr.   Finger?     What   a   pleasure   to   see   you   again.”

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        "I’m   ok．What   about   sharing   some   of   the   wine   with   me?"

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        "No   problem,”   chuckled   Dimitri,   who   knew   his   little   friend   was   an   alcoholic．He   put   him   into   the   palm   of   his   hand   and   set   him   on   the   top   of   the   table   next   to   the   glass．"But   you’re     so   small!     How   are   you   going   to   drink?"

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        "Just   put   me   inside   your   glass．How’s   that?"   Dimitri   obligingly   dropped   him   into   his   glass   where   the   wine   came   up   to   his   waist．Mr.   Finger   cupped   his   hands   and   began   drinking   greedily   until   he   was   fully   satisfied．Then   he   lay   floating   on   the   wine   as   if   he   were   in   a   bathtub．

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        "So   you’re   not   dead   yet,   my   good   friend!"

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        "Of   course   not．How   else   could   I   be   talking   to   you?"

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        "Well"   said   Mr．Finger   licking   his   fingers，"since   you’re   still   alive，you’d   better   drink   as   much   of   this   wine   as   possible,   because   you   won’t   be   able   to   do   so   after   you   die.”   Dimitri   was   taken   aback   by   this   dismal   prophesy．

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        "What   do   you   mean?"

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        "About   half   an   hour   ago,   the   master   of   this   office,   Mr．Kaffee,   was   secretly   planning   with   his   lieutenants   to   dispose   of   you．He   wanted   to   put   you   away.”   Mr．Finger   looked   tipsily   at   the   faces   around   him   and   said，"Mr．Kaffee   will   be   getting   more   than   he   bargained   for,   as   you   have   brought   all   these   people   to   die   with   you.”   Then   turning   to   Yoko   and   Marcelina   he   added，"Pity，these   two   beauties   have   to   die，too．But   it’s   no   big   deal．Even   if   they   are   as   beautiful   as   the   most   gorgeous   flowers,   when   they   wither   and   fall   to   the   ground,   they   will   be   covered   with   dirt   and   mud.”   All   eyes   in   the   room   were   concentrated   on   their   odd   and   minute   pal．

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        "Can   you   tell   me   exactly   what’s   going   on?"   asked   Dimitri.   Mr.   Finger   hesitated   for   a   minute．Then   he   sighed   and   said，

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        "OK．Since   you   treated   me   to   this   excellent   wine,   I’ll   give   you   the   low   down．But   you   must   first   treat   me   to   more   wine.”

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        "No   problem.”   said   Dimitri   and   began   pouring   more   wine   into   the   glass．

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        "Stay!   Stay!   Enough   is   enough!   Do   you   want   to   drown   me?"   The   wine   was   already   up   to   his   chin   by   then．He   ducked   his   whole   body   down   under   the   wine   and   drank   to   his   heart’s   content．Then   he   surfaced，shook   himself   and   brushed   away   the   wine   from   his   face   and   hair，saying，"Great!   Such   is   life!"     Dimitri   had   a   premonition   that   something   sinister   was   brewing,   so   he   probed   him   on．

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        "Come   on．No   more   joking．Out   with   it!"

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        "What’s   the   hurry?   You’ll   know   sooner   or   later．It’s   like   this：   Mr．Kaffee   was   certain   you   would   be   bringing   your   friends   in   to   rob   your   own   bank,   so   he   did   things   to   the   alarm   system   to   make   it   alert   the   police   even   if   you   use   the   master   card   to   open   the   door   to   the   vault．He   wanted   to   have   all   of   you   killed   through   the   hands   of   others.”   Dimitri   was   angry   and   hit   the   table   so   hard   with   his   fist   that   the   glass   jumped．

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        "How   abominable   that   scoundrel   is!   I   forgave   him,   saved   him   from   certain   death   and   treated   him   well．But   he   repays   me   by   betrayal   and   wants   me   dead.”   Dimitri   was   silent   for   a   moment．Then   he   said   "Since   that’s   the   case,   let’s   forget   about   the   money   and   run.”   Mr   Finger   seemed   not   at   all   sympathetic   to   their   plight   and   said   mockingly，

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        "You   still   want   to   run?   No   way.   They   never   intended   you   to   leave   here   alive.”         Dimitri   seemed   to   have   come   to   a   decision．He   hit   the   table   emphatically   and   said，

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        "Since   it’s   only   me   they   want,   let   my   friends   leave．I   cannot   involve   them.”

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        "Don’t   hit   the   table   so   hard"   cried   Mr．Finger．"You’ll   upturn   the   glass．It   would   really   be   a   pity   to   spill   this   expensive   wine!”

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        "We   are   in   danger   of   losing   our   lives,   but   all   you   care   about   is   wine!"   said   Dimitri   indignantly．

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        "That’s   your   business，not   mine，"   replied   Mr．Finger   with   perfect   composure．   He   drank   again   with   obvious   appreciation   and   then   said   conciliatorily，"Don’t   be   mad   at   me，Dimitri．It’s   not   my   fault．Even   if   you   die，they   will   kill   your   friends   to   prevent   disclosure   of   their   secret．So   why   don’t   you   all   just   drink   and   enjoy   yourselves?"

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        "Who   has   the   heart   to   drink   in   such   circumstances?"     Everyone   was   silent   and   hung   their   heads   in   dejection,   not   knowing   what   to   do．Mr.Finger   felt   sorry   for   them   and   said，

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        "All   right．A11   right．For   the   sake   of   these   two   beauties，I’ll   tell   you   a   trick   that   just   might   possibly   work．But   no   sure   bets   of   course.”     These   words   raised   the   hope   of   life   in   them   again   and   they   cried   out   urgently，

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        "What   trick?"

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        "What   do   you   mean?"

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        "Tell!"   But   Mr．Finger   would   not   be   hurried．He   deliberately   sipped   more   wine,   and   when   he   felt   he   had   had   enough,   said，

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        "Punch   the   ground   floor   button   of   the   elevator   and   retreat   before   the   door   closes．They   would   naturally   assume   that   you   had   all   gone   down   to   the   vault．   There   will   only   be   an   interim   of   a   minute   or   two．Rush   up   to   the   landing   on   the   roof   and   get   into   Mr．Kaffee’s   helicopter．If   none   of   you   can   operate   one,   then   you   have   come   to   a   dead   end.”

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        "I   can!   I   can   fly   a   helicopter!"   cried   Dimitri   excitedly.     Mr．Finger   lay   indolently   in   the   glass   and   waved   his   hand   lackadiasically   in   adieu,   saying，

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        "Go   then．Don’t   spoil   my   enjoyment   of   drinking.”   Everyone   stood   up   braced   for   action．Dimitri   punched   the   elevator   button   and   all   scrambled   out   of   the   room   before   the   door   of   the   elevator   closed．

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        Sitting   before   the   surveillance   screens   in   the   secret   observation   room，Mr．Kaffee   was   imperturbably   smoking   his   favorite   pipe．In   times   of   crisis,   he   could   always   keep   his   head   and   remain   calm   and   collected．That   was   part   of   his   character   and   secret   to   his   success,   the   main   reason   why   he   was   able   to   rise   so   swiftly   through   the   rank   and   file   of   the   mob   and   ascend   to   his   leading   position   in   the   hierarchy．   The   pipe   he   was   holding   was   a   special   one   and   had   always   brought   him   good   luck．Therefore，he   had   it   with   him   whenever   he   was   planning   or   carrying   out   important   assignments．The   pipe   flared   and   dimmed   as   he   smoked，his   demeanor   thoughtful   and   authoritative，fully   exhibiting   the   charisma   of   a   mature   male．He   had   been   invincible，seeing   his   opponents   fall   before   his   eyes   one   by   one．But   tonight   he   will   be   facing   a   man   of   another   caliber,   a   mysterious   trillionaire,   who   seemed   to   be   simple   and   goodhearted   but   whose   mind   was   unfathomable   and   inscrutable．For   once,   Mr．Kaffee   was   not   sure   of   success．He   took   up   his   Chinese   porcelain   cup   and   sipped   the   oolong   tea，commenting，

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        "Strange!   What   can   they   be   doing   up   there   in   my   office?"     Just   then,   Steven   pointed   to   a   screen   and   exclaimed，

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        "Look!   The   elevator   is   moving!   They’ve   started!"   All   eyes   centered   on   that   screen，anticipating   the   shrieking   noise   of   alarm   once   Dimitri   tried   to   open   the   door   to   the   vault   with   his   master   card．But   when   the   elevator   door   opened,   they   saw   to   their   surprise,   which   it   was   empty．Allen   pointed   excitedly   to   another   screen   and   said，

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        "There   they   are!   They   are   on   the   landing   on   the   roof!"   Mr．Kaffee   cursed   and   said，

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"Some   son   of   a   bitch   must   have   let   the   cat   out   of   the   bag!   Who   could   it   be?"

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        He   could   never   in   his   wildest   dream   have   known   that   the   culprit   was   a   minute   man,   who   was   hiding   in   his   sofa．There   was   no   time   for   idle   speculation．In   a   flash，he   adjusted   his   plan   of   action   and   made   his   decision．Putting   down   his   pipe,   he   picked   up   his   44   caliber   Magnum   and   coolly   checked   to   see   if   it   was   fully   loaded．Steven   and   Allen   both   took   up   their   AK47   automatic   and   prepared   for   action．

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"The   time   for   confrontation   has   come．It’s   either   them   or   us.   They   must   be   terminated!"   said   Mr.   Kaffee   and   hurried   out．Steven   stopped   for   a   second   to   fix   the   bayonet   onto   his   weapon   with   a   cunning   smile．He   was   of   a   sadistic   disposition,   taking   pleasure   in   inflicting   the   most   pain   and   thought   a   simple   bullet   was   too   mild   a   way   to   kill．Then   he   followed   his   boss   and   Allen   onto   the   roof．Before   the   puzzle   of   Fate   was   solved，everyone   rushed   on   blindly．It   was   just   as   well   that   these   three   were   ignorant   of   what   was   in   store   for   them;   for   had   they   known   that   they   were   rushing   to   their   own   deaths,   they   would   have   slowed   down   a   bit．After   all,   life   was   precious   and   worth   holding   on   to．

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A   brand   new   luxurious,   large-sized   helicopter   stood   ready   for   action   on   the   landing，glossy   in   shimmering   splendor   under   the   limelight．Dimitri   and   his   friends   were   just   preparing   to   board   it，when   suddenly   a   door   on   the   other   side   of   the   roof   flung   open   and   rows   upon   rows   of   bullets   flew   at   them   as   the   automatic   weapons   opened   fire．Dimitri’s   heart   contracted   as   he   exclaimed   to   himself   in   dismay，

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"Oh   no!   We’re   too   late!"     He   looked   swiftly   around，saw   maintenance   shed   and   issued   a   brief   command，"Duck   and   run   for   the   shed!"     They   immediately   obeyed．Mr．Kaffee   was   progressing,   slowly   and   cautiously   as   he   wasn’t   sure   if   any   of   the   group   was   armed．Once   inside,   Richard   turned   to   Jamaz   and   said，

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        "Time   to   do   your   stuff,   Jamaz．Can   you   break   that   limelight?"   Jamaz   silently   took   up   a   long   iron   rod   and   threw   it,   just   as   he   would   throw   a   spear   at   a   prey   in   the   wilds   of   Africa．The   light   broke   into   splinters   and   the   roof   was   enveloped   in   total   darkness．

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"Good   job!"exclaimed   Richard,   patting   him   on   the   back．Then   turning   to   the   others，he   said   solemnly，"Of   the   five   of   us,   it   is   hard   to   say   who,   if   any，would   live   through   this，but   we   must   do   our   best．Jamaz   and   I   will   go   in   opposite   directions   as   decoys   to   distract   their   attention，while   you，Dimitri，take   care   of   the   two   girls   and   make   use   of   every   opportunity   to   bring   them   to   safety.”   Dimitri   nodded,   for   when   life   and   death   were   at   stake,   there   was   no   better   plan．In   a   flash，Richard   ran   lithely   towards   the   water   tower   on   the   right,   while   Jamaz   scooted   towards   the   elevator   on   the   left．   There   was   a   spatter   of   shots,   Richard’s   tragic   cry   and   then   silence．He   had   fallen   an   easy   prey,   as   Allen   aimed   at   and   shot   him   coolly   and   casually   as   a   hunter   would   target   a   lower   level   animal   on   the   hunting   ground．Meanwhile   Jamaz   and   Steven   were   engaged   in   hand   to   hand   combat．The   barehanded,   weaponless   Jamaz   was   no   match   for   the   fully   armored，experienced   veteran   army   sergeant．This   time，Jamaz   was   not   up   against   the   mindless   beasts   of   the   wilds   he   was   used   to   hunting   on   the   grasslands   of   Africa，but   a   wily   army   bayonet   charger．Soon   his   body   was   stabbed   and   wounded   in   numerous   places   and   fell   in   a   pool   of   blood．All   this   happened   so   quickly   that   it   was   over   before   they   knew   it．Mr．Kaffee’s   gun   remained   pointed   at   Dimitri,   giving   him   no   chance   to   dash   at   freedom   with   the   two   girls．From   the   corner   of   her   eyes,   Yoko   and   Marcelina   could   see   the   two   butchers,   Allen   and   Steven,   come   back   towards   them   again．Trembling   in   fright   and   anger,   they   threw   their   arms   around   each   other   in   a   desperate   embrace,   prepared   to   die．Backed   into   a   corner，Dimitri   suddenly   thought   of   Medusa’s   parting   words．He   raised   his   head   to   the   sky   and   cried   out   Medusa’s   name   loudly   three   times．

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A   miracle   happened!   An   enormous   black   bird   suddenly   appeared   from   out   of   the   blue   and   swooped   down   crying，

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"Don’t   worry，my   master，I’m   here!"   Her   five   sharp   iron   claws   clutched   Steven’s   head   so   tightly   in   her   mighty   grip   that   they   were   deeply   imbedded   in   his   scalp   and   he   screamed   in   agony．Allen   at   once   whipped   out   his   gun   prepared   to   shoot．Medusa   flew   out   into   space   and   let   go   of   Steven’s   unconscious   body,   which   fluttered   down   the   heights   to   land   in   a   crash   on   the   pavement   below．Turning   back，she   gathered   speed   and   flew   straight   at   Allen，impervious   of   the   shots   he   fired   at   her．Her   powerful   wings   knocked   him   against   the   wall，which   cracked   open   his   skull．The   impetus   of   that   collision   did   not   weaken,   but   went   on   to   hurl   his   body   over   the   edge   of   the   roof   and   down   the   heights   after   his   friend．Dimitri   watched   as   Medusa   disposed   of   his   opponents   so   easily   and   thought   in   anguish，

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"Oh!   How   stupid   of   me   not   to   have   called   her   earlier．If   I   had   done   so,   my   friends，Richard   and   Jamaz，need   not   have   perished.”     Just   then，Mr．Kaffee   tried   to   make   use   of   the   moment   when   no   one   was   noticing   him   to   slip   away   unobserved,   but   Dimitri   called   out，

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        "Oliver   Kaffee!   Don’t   run．Come   back!"     The   authoritative   voice   stopped   him   dead   in   his   track   and   he   instinctively   turned   to   face   his   master．His   eyes   encountered   the   blazing   glance   of   Medusa,   who   had   changed   back   to   her   human   form,   a   snake-haired   naked   beauty，and   was   standing   behind   Dimitri．The   vermin   he   saw   in   her   eyes   made   him   shudder   and   his   hands   went   intuitively   for   his   gun，prepared   to   shoot．But   even   as   he   was   pulling   the   trigger，he   felt   his   fingers   stiffen   and   lose   all   sense   of   feeling．Soon，it   spread   over   his   entire   body   and   he   felt   himself   gradually   turning   into   stone．

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        "Stop   Medusa!"   Dimitri   called   out．"We   cannot   let   him   off   that   easily．Let   his   brains   continue   working,   encased   in   a   body   of   stone．Make   him   live   in   torment．That   is   my   punishment   for   him!"

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        "Yes,   your   Majesty,”   said   Medusa，pulling   her   eyes   away   from   Mr．Kaffee．"Your   wish   shall   be   done.”   Meanwhile   Yoko   had   run   to   Richard,   crying   and   calling   to   his   now   lifeless   body,   which   she   cradled   in   her   arms,   while   Marcelina   stood   by,   tears   streaming   down   her   cheeks,   trying   futilely   to   comfort   her   friend．

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        "Your   Majesty,"   said   Medusa．"I   must   go   back   at   once．There   is   a   terrible   crisis   in   the   palace   which   could   easily   turn   disastrous   any   minute．I   would   never   have   left   the   place   if   it   had   been   anyone   other   than   you   who   called   me.”

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"Very   well"   said   Dimitri.   "You   may   go，but   take   these   two   girls   with   you．I   will   follow   right   away.”

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        Medusa   changed   back   into   an   enormous   bird   and   stooped   docilely   in   front   of   Yoko   and   Marcelina,   to   let   them   get   on   her   back．Having   no   other   alternative,   the   two   girls   timidly   mounted   their   ferocious   ride   and   closed   their   eyes   in   fright   as   she   soared   up   into   the   sky   and   flew   back   to   the   Kingdom．Dimitri’s   solitary   figure   was   like   a   phantom，wandering   around   in   the   dead   of   night   to   bid   farewell   to   his   friends．Walking   over   to   Richard,   he   looked   sadly   at   his   remains,   remembering   what   a   nimble   thief   and   gambler   he   was.   Now   after   death,   that   same   body   had   become   a   useless   waste．

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        "You   have   always   wished   for   endless   riches   Richard,”   he   said."May   you   remain   forever   in   your   long   dream   and   enjoy   it   to   your   heart’s   content.”   Then   going   over   to   Jamaz，he   said   in   deep   remorse，

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"Alas，my   friend，I   had   hoped   to   lead   you   all   to   wealth   and   riches，but   instead   I   led   you   to   an   early   grave．Your   magnificent   physique   had   hunted   and   fought   with   wild   beasts   in   the   wilds   of   Africa   and   survived,   only   to   meet   your   death   here   in   the   most   civilized   part   of   the   world   far   away   from   home.”   Dimitri   sighed   and   said，"But   then,   few   people   were   ever   born   and   die   in   the   same   place.”     Looking   at   Jamaz’s   bloody   body，he   added   "Your   fondest   wish   was   to   possess   the   body   of   a   Caucasian   woman．I   hope   that   in   your   long   dream，your   wish   may   be   realized.”   The   shrill   screams   of   police   sirens   could   be   heard   in   the   distance   coming   from   all   sides,   getting   closer   and   closer   until   they   screeched   to   a   halt   before   World   Bank．Dimitri   murmured，"It’s   time   for   me   to   go   and   find   myself   a   safe   haven   to   lay   down   my   flesh   body,   free   from   disturbances,   for   I   must   go   back   to   my   long   neglected   Kingdom   which   is   now   in   crisis.”   He   left   the   spot   hastily,   leaving   the   statue-like   body   of   Mr．Kaffee,   eternally   stiff   and   immobile，standing   there   immersed   in   painful   silent   contemplation   to   endure   the   callous   erosion   of   time   and   the   harshness   of   the   sun,   wind   and   rain．

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Flapping   her   powertul   wings   swiftly   and   forcefully,   Medusa   made   a   bee   line   for   the   Kingdom,   anxious   to   return   to   the   rescue，praying   she   would   not   be   too   late．The   two   girls   on   her   back，nervous   and   frightened，closed   their   eyes   and   clutched   her   tightly，while   the   roaring   of   winds   rushed   past   their   ears．After   flying   over   countless   mountains   and   rivers,   they   felt   her   speed   slacken   and   Medusa   began   her   descent．The   fog   had   dispersed,   the   mountain   below   seemed   consumed   in   flames   and   battle   cries   resounded   in   the   air．Just   as   she   had   anticipated，the   wide   belt   of   fire   was   not   sufficient   to   hold   off   Cyclops’   attack   after   her   departure．He   and   Ileen   had   already   crossed   the   fire   belt   and   was   engaged   in   hand   to   hand   combat   with   the   brave,   loyal   warriors   of   King   Dimitri,   who   rushed   dauntlessly   forward   to   check   his   advance．Shoulder   to   shoulder,   they   formed   a   wall   of   flesh,   heedless   of   their   own   lives   and   safety,   for   they   knew   once   Cyclops   crossed   their   last   line   of   defense,   the   result   would   be   disastrous   and   unthinkable．The   ground   was   already   paved   with   broken   limbs   and   mutilated   bodies   and   crimson   blood   dyed   the   earth．White   Fairy   was   in   the   attic，shooting   random   arrows   at   Cyclops   when   the   opportunity   arose．But   Cyclops   had   eyes   both   at   the   front   and   at   the   back   of   his   head   and   with   Ileen   to   help   him，he   managed   to   fend   off   most   of   them．The   ones   that   did   hit   him，he   pulled   out   and   threw   away   and   the   wound   soon   closed   and   healed．Finally   no   arrow   was   left   in   her   quiver．When   he   seemed   on   the   point   of   breaking   through,   White   Fairy   threw   caution   to   the   winds．Transforming   herself   once   more   to   white   smoke，she   made   straight   for   the   battlefield   and   directed   the   warriors   to   change   their   tactics．   Once   more,   under   authoritative   guidance,   the   spirits   of   the   brave   warriors   rose   and   the   battlefield   came   alive   again．They   focused   their   attack   on   Ileen,   distracting   Cyclops’attention,   forcing   him   to   turn   back   and   protect   his   woman,   thus   slackening   the   force   and   speed   of   his   on   slaught．   But   they   were   still   at   an   impasse：Cyclops’magic   sword   could   not   cut   through   the   intangible   white   smoke，but   neither   could   White   Fairy   capture   the   monster．It   was   at   this   crucial   moment   that   the   rushing   of   wings   announced   the   arrival   of   Medusa   and   soon   her   huge   form   overshadowed   the   battlefield．The   beauties   who   were   anxiously   watching   from   the   balconies   in   the   attic   shouted   in   joy："Medusa’s   back!   We’re   saved!"

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Medusa   circled   the   air   and   landed   smoothly   on   the   roof．Transformed   to   human   form，she   carried   the   two   badly-shaken   girls   to   the   attic   and   placed   them   in   the   hands   of   the   beauties．Then   once   again   resuming   her   original   shape，she   flew   down   and   joined   in   the   battle．Medusa’s   appearance   greatly   boosted   the   morale   of   the   warriors,   who   fought   with   renewed   vigor．To   Ileen   however,   it   was   like   handwriting   on   the   wall，prophesying   a   disastrous   ending．But   like   a   cornered   animal,   she   had   no   choice   but   to   put   up   a   desperate   fight．Having   been   captured   before   by   Medusa，Cyclops   was   on   his   guard   and   was   not   taking   any   chances．His   cautiousness   curtailed   his   advance   and   he   could   no   longer   go   all   out   and   fight   as   he   formerly   did，meeting   no   resistance．Medusa   kept   circling   overhead，making   as   if   to   dive   down，but   she   knew   of   his   extraordinary   strength   and   the   power   of   the   magic   sword．Therefore，she   waited   patiently   for   an   opening   before   attacking．The   two   principals，Medusa   and   Cyclops，circled   each   other   warily，like   two   wellmatched   gladiators．Gradually，Cyclops   was   losing   the   edge   of   the   fight   and   felt   hedged   in．The   beauties   on   the   attic   were   elated   and   hailed   and   cheered   on   their   troops．Ileen   shouted，

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"Rush   to   the   attic   and   go   for   the   women．Take   them   as   hostages．They   are   our   only   hope!"     But   White   Fairy   was   one   jump   ahead   and   led   the   warriors   in   capturing   the   treacherous   instigator．Cyclops’attention   was   diverted   when   his   back   eye   saw   Ileen   being   taken．He   paused   for   a   second   and   turned   to   rush   to   her   aid，but   in   the   heat   of   battle，a   second’s   hesitation   could   mean   disaster．Medusa   dived   down   in   a   flash   and   dug   her   sharp，iron   claws   into   his   front   eye．That   was   his   Achilles   heel   -   the   only   vulnerable   spot   on   his   entire   body．He   roared   in   pain   and   plunged   the   magic   sword   deep   into   Medusa’s   body．Medusa   let   out   a   sharp   cry   and   fell   to   the   ground   in   her   human   shape．White   Fairy   immediately   led   her   warriors   over   to   shackle   the   monster   and   then   rushed   over   to   tend   to   Medusa．

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        "Are   you   all   right?"

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"Yes”   panted   Medusa．”It’s   not   too   serious．I’m   not   mortally   wounded.”   Thus   the   battle   ended．The   victors   shouted   in   joy，but   the   cost   of   victory   had   been   prodigious   in   terms   of   life   and   destruction．The   mysterious   Kingdom   had   successfully   survived   the   crisis   and   the   defeated   couple   must   pay   their   dues   in   blood．

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The   night，august   and   dark，sheathed   in   grandeur   and   mystery,   now   showed   a   shaft   of   light．The   battle   was   over．The   warriors   were   busy   carrying   away   the   dead   and   the   wounded   and   had   no   time   to   extinguish   the   wild   fire   which   was   still   blazing   in   the   mountains．They   knew   that   sooner   or   later   it   would   burn   itself   out．The   two   captives,   the   cause   for   this   insane   destruction,   were   chained   to   the   imposing   pillars   at   the   front   entrance   of   the   palace．In   the   blurry   light   of   dawn,   the   gigantic   figure   of   Cyclops   could   be   seen,   sitting   dejectedly   on   the   front   steps，his   expression   dazed   and   wooden，his   back   eye   blinking   in   the   dark   as   if   thinking   of   something；but   then，perhaps   his   mind   was   just   a   blank．His   wounds   healed   easily   but   he   lost   forever   the   vision   of   his   front   eye．At   the   other   pillar,   Ileen   sat   with   her   head   raised，looking   at   the   wide   expanse   of   the   sky   overhead．So   embroiled   was   she   in   her   plots   and   schemes   that   never   before   had   she   taken   time   to   appreciate   and   enjoy   the   grandeur   of   nature．Formerly，this   was   the   time   for   her   to   go   back   towards   her   quarters   in   the   palace   after   a   night’s   hard   work．She   was   one   of   the   twenty-four   beauties,   rich   and   pampered   and   in   control   of   unimaginable   wealth．She   had   thought   that   by   making   use   of   Cyclops   she   could   take   over   Dimitri’s   financial   empire   as   her   own．But   in   reality，the   schemer，so   sure   of   victory   in   the   dark   of   the   night,   found   she   had   lost   everything   by   daybreak．She   should   have   known   that   Dimitri’s   monarchical   authority   came   through   the   divine   right   of   kings，which   no   human   power   could   overturn   or   take   away．   Only   when   her   ambitions   were   broken   into   pieces   did   she   realize   her   insignificance．But   what   was   done   was   done   and   it   was   too   late   for   regrets．The   only   thing   she   got   was   Cyclops’   stubborn   sperm   in   her   womb,   rapidly   growing   and   maturing，wriggling   and   moving   like   a   naughty   spirit．The   only   shred   of   hope   for   her   was   that   with   the   generosity   and   decency   of   his   heart,   Dimitri   would   not   execute   a   pregnant   woman．

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        When   King   Dimitri   arrived   at   his   majestic   palace，the   sun   was   already   high   in   the   sky．Its   golden   rays   shed   an   aura   of   dazzling   brilliance   that   gave   him   the   majestic   and   imposing   stature   of   a   god．Behind   him   walked   the   jet   black,   militant   figure   of   the   snake-haired   beauty,   Medusa,   who   could   change   the   color   of   her   skin   at   will，like   a   chameleon,   and   the   snow   white   flower   fairy,   incarnation   of   the   Easter   Lily．His   expression   turned   somber   and   sorrowful   as   he   saw   the   former   lush   and   grassy   valley   now   burnt   and   barren．The   bodies   of   his   brave   warrior   were   lying   in   neat   rows   on   the   ground   behind   the   palace，as   if   professing   their   loyalty   that   even   in   death   they   were   there   for   his   review   when   he   returned．As   he   entered   the   palace,   he   glanced   at   the   two   captives,   who   hung   their   heads，unable   to   encounter   his   glittering   eyes．Wordlessly,   he   strode   to   his   golden   throne   and   sat   down,   with   the   two   beauties,   one   black,   one   white,   standing   behind   him．

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        "Bring   in   Cyclops!"   he   ordered．

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        "Yes,   Your   Majesty.”   answered   his   gallant   palace   guards．Cyclops   walked   backwards   into   the   hall，unsteadily   and   clumsily．The   human   body   and   its   movements   are   supposed   to   be   designed   to   correlate   with   the   eyes，which   are   always   in   the   front   of   the   face．Cyclops,   who   had   lost   the   sight   of   his   front   eye,   however,   could   only   use   the   back   one,   and   had   to   walk   backwards．The   unfamiliar   physical   bearing   greatly   encumbered   him   and   made   his   movements   slow   and   hesitant．Seeing   this   former   invincible   monster,   who   could   easily   have   covered   the   distance   in   a   few   strides,   make   his   way   so   strenuously   down   the   hall,   Dimitri   was   reminded   of   his   own   imminent   loss   of   sight．A   feeling   of   compassion   rose   in   his   breast   for   this   monster,   who   was   now   no   longer   a   threat．The   guards   pushed   him   down   on   his   knees   and   said   curtly，

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"Kneel   down!"   and   Cyclops   knelt   down   obediently   facing   Dimitri．

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        "Off   with   his   head!"   ordered   Dimitri,   pretending   to   be   in   a   stormy   wrath．Turning   his   head   to   Medusa,   he   indicated   with   his   eyes   that   she   should   intercede．Medusa   understood   at   once．

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        "Your   Majesty!"she   said   coming   forward，"Allow   me   to   say   a   word．Cyclops   has   indeed   committed   a   heinous   crime   and   deserve   to   die．But   he   once   saved   my   life   and   he   did   help   to   fight   the   invasion   of   the   Roman   soldiers．I   beg   Your   Majesty   to   consider   his   former   contributions   and   reconsider   your   verdict.”   Dimitri   pretended   to   hesitate   for   a   moment   and   then   said，

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        "His   death   sentence   may   be   commuted,   but   adultery   with   one   of   the   beauties   is   unpardonable．Have   him   castrated   and   banished   forever   from   the   Kingdom.”

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        "Thank   His   Majesty   for   pardoning   your   life，Cyclops!"   said   Medusa．Cyclops   kowtowed   and   said，

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        "I   am   willing   to   take   my   punishment，your   Majesty，but   please   do   not   banish   me．I   have   lived   in   these   mountains   for   as   long   as   I   can   remember，and   know   of   no   other   home．I   do   not   want   to   leave.”     What   he   did   not   say   was,   he   wanted   to   be   near   Medusa，to   be   able   to   catch   a   glimpse   of   her   every   now   and   then．He   could   not   forget   her   beauty   and   her   gracefulness   as   she   flew   in   the   sky．

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"So   be   it,”   said   Dimitri   and   waved   his   hand   for   him   to   be   taken   away．The   castration   did   not   bother   Cyclops   very   much   as   his   body   had   the   extraordinary   function   of   healing   any   wound   within   minutes.   After   that,   he   went   back   to   his   old   life   in   the   Giant   Mountains   and   his   sexual   organs   which   had   been   castrated   grew   back   again   which   would   later   wreak   havoc   in   the   Kingdom.     By   then，the   gold   which   Ileen   had   bought   from   all   around   the   world   had   begun   to   arrive   and   a   dock   was   built   at   the   foot   of   the   mountain．Cyclops   was   given   the   task   of   carrying   them   to   the   top．Walking   backwards,   he   began   to   work   at   daybreak   and   rested   at   sunset,   laboring   slowly   on   until   this   Herculean   task   was   done．He   never   revolted   again．

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        After   Cyclops   had   been   taken   away，King   Dimitri   ordered   Ileen   to   be   brought   in．The   magisterial   voices   of   the   palace   guards   repeating   the   order   echoed   through   the   hall，

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        "Bring   in   the   traitoress,   Ileen!"   Dirt-smeared,   hair   in   disarray,   Ileen   walked   in．Her   beauty   shone   out   in   spite   of   all   she   had   been   through．Seeing   King   Dimitri’s   dignified   demeanor   from   afar,   she   was   smote   with   a   sense   of   shame,   so   when   she   came   before   the   throne,   she   knelt   down,   head   bowed．

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        "Raise   your   head   and   look   at   me!   "Dimitri   commanded．   Ileen   looked   up   and   saw   King   Dimitri’s   stern   face   cold   as   frost,   with   no   trace   of   his   usual   easy-going   humor   and   affection．Her   eyes   turned   to   the   black   and   white   beauties   behind   him   and   a   green   fire   of   jealousy   raged   in   her   heart．

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        "What   have   you   to   say,   Ileen?   Why   did   you   betray   me   again   and   again?   If   you   can   give   me   one   good   reason   for   your   course   of   action,   I   will   pardon   you.”   Ileen   looked   back   at   him   antagonistically．Defiance   and   anger   obliterated   any   concern   for   her   own   life．Love   is   a   strange   thing．It   can   be   sweet   as   honey   or   as   bitter   as   poison．

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        "I   was   born   a   rebel．There’s   no   rhyme   or   reason   for   my   actions.”

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        "You   fully   deserved   the   execution   I   ordered   Medusa   to   carry   out．Out   of   the   kindness   of   my   heart，I   resurrected   you，but   not   only   were   you   ungrateful   for   your   second   chance   at   life，you   betrayed   me   again   by   bringing   in   the   Roman   soldiers．Now   you   betray   me   yet   again   by   conspiring   with   Cyclops   and   Mr．Kaffee   and   raise   the   winds   so   high   that   you   could   upturn   my   Kingdom   and   have   me   killed．Your   treacherous   actions   are   viperish   and   inexcusable.”         Cyclops’sperm   wriggled   in   her   womb,   impatient   as   a   moth   struggling   to   burst   forth   from   its   cocoon．Ileen   had   thought   of   using   pregnancy   as   an   excuse   and   work   on   King   Dimitri’s   generosity   for   a   pardon．But   his   words   brought   back   the   pain   and   hatred   of   two   incarnations   so   vividly   that   it   would   not   allow   her   to   ask   for   pardon   from   this   man．She   only   wished   for   a   quick   death．Knowing   him   so   well,   she   was   sure   that   after   provoking   him   into   executing   her   a   third   time，he   would   live   forever   in   self-condemnation   and   contrition   when   he   discovered   he   had   killed   a   pregnant   woman．That   was   to   be   her   ultimate   retaliation．Raising   her   head,   her   eyes   full   of   hate,   she   taunted   him   saying，

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"Say   no   more．Twice   I   have   been   killed   by   you．Kill   me   now   for   the   third   time.”         King   Dimitri   was   outraged   by   her   non-repentance   and   in   a   moment   of   anger   ordered   her   to   be   chopped   in   two   from   the   waist,   to   be   executed   by   Medusa,   just   like   the   first   time．

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Dimitri   did   not   want   to   witness   the   tragic   scene,   so   he   hurriedly   left   the   Kingdom．The   beauties   had   all   moved   to   the   administrative   building   because   of   the   battle,   so   they   were   not   even   aware   that   King   Dimitri   had   returned．Not   wishing   to   be   entangled   with   the   webs   of   love   and   emotion,   he   left   quietly．The   execution   was   once   more   enacted   at   the   same   spot   under   the   same   conditions,   with   the   setting   sun   looking   on   at   the   barren   hills．Armed   by   a   strong   urge   for   survival,   the   yet   unshaped   fetus   burst   from   her   mother’s   womb   and   saw，to   her   horror,   the   warm   haven   that   had   sheltered   her   was   now   a   bloody   mutilated   body   lying   on   the   ground．Too   fragile   and   weak   to   be   master   of   her   own   actions   she   floated   like   pollen   in   the   air,   now   falling   from   one   flower   and   nestle   for   a   while   sucking   the   honey;   now   being   blown   to   another．Sometimes,   she   landed   on   some   wild   berries   which   nurtured   her   with   their   juices．Thus   undetected，she   floated   about   in   the   wilds   of   the   mysterious   Kingdom,   living   off   honey   and   dew．Floating   around   in   the   soft   spring   breeze，her   feelings   of   revenge   budded   and   grew．

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                        CHAPTER   8         MEGGINN   AND   LAVERNE

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        Time   passed   by   normally,   neither   too   fast   nor   too   slow,   going   its   way   silently,   like   the   slight   breeze   slowly   wafting   over   the   sleeping   form,   whose   forelock   waved   slightly   with   the   breeze．Time   and   breeze   were   both   transparent   and   unpredictable．Anyone   could   feel   the   wind   blowing,   but   only   the   ultra   sensitive   could   fathom   the   passing   of   time．Suddenly,   the   sleeping   form   sat   up,   crying   hysterically，

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        "I   killed   a   pregnant   woman!   I   savagely   killed   a   pregnant   woman!"   He   sat   there   rubbing   his   sleepy   eyes   and   found   it   was   only   a   horrible   dream．This   man   was   Dimitri,   the   dreammaker．Looking   about,   he   found   he   was   sleeping   in   the   ruins   of   a   burnt   out   house．Outside,   stretched   a   neglected   rose   garden,   with   the   flowers   wilted   and   covered   with   dust．But   the   dream   was   vividly   with   him．He   could   remember   the   ferocious   and   earth-shaking   battle   between   the   tall   and   mighty   Cyclops   and   the   flying   Medusa   amidst   savage   battle   cries   and   the   roaring   flames．These   two   characters   from   mythology   were   somehow   interwoven   in   his   other   dreams．They   had   appeared   several   times   and   may   perhaps   appear   again   in   the   future．They   made   their   debut   in   an   ancient   Chinese   house   where   Cyclops   changed   from   a   pigmy   wearing   garments   of   the   Tsing   Dynasty   and   Medusa   was   a   serpent   guarding   the   fabulous   treasures．They   made   love   with   each   other   madly．Suddenly，Dimitri   realized   that   Cyclops   was   him   personified，but   he   had   not   known   it   at   the   time．Their   second   appearance   was   in   an   African   temple   where   Cyclops   was   the   God   of   Fate   and   Medusa   was   his   attendant．In   the   great   battle   defending   the   Kingdom   against   the   attack   of   the   Roman   soldiers，Dimitri   was   quite   aware   that   he   and   Cyclops   were   one．Then   why   did   Cyclops   betray   him   in   his   recent   dream?   Why   were   the   stories   so   confused   and   jumbled   up?   Then   he   laughed   involuntarily   and   said   to   himself   with   an   enigmatic   smile，

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"Dreams   are   dreams,   untraceable   and   illogical,   why   seek   to   explain   them?   I   am   a   dream-maker，a   solitary   traveler   under   the   vast，limitless   skies，where   the   ever   changing   hues   were   variable   from   the   gray   and   white   of   dawn   to   the   bright   blue   skies   of   day,   from   the   brilliant   orange   and   red   sunset   to   the   darkness   of   night．I   come   and   go   as   I   please   in   my   various   dreams．My   dreams   change   like   the   hues   of   the   skies   and   are   just   as   unfathomable   and   unpredictable.”   Then   he   eyed   his   surroundings   with   a   puzzled   expression,   thinking，

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"How   on   earth   did   I   come   to   sleep   in   this   old   house,   half   destroyed   by   fire?"

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He   remembered   hurriedly   leaving   World   Bank   last   night,   too   nervous   and   panicky   to   notice   which   way   he   was   going,   and   somehow   or   other,   had   stumbled   upon   this   abandoned   and   secluded   spot   to   park   his   flesh   body   so   as   to   return   to   his   Kingdom．Thinking   of   his   Kingdom   reminded   him   of   the   faithless   and   treacherous   Ileen,   beautiful   but   venomous,   who   collaborated   with   outside   enemies   not   only   to   take   over   his   wealth   and   his   Kingdom,   but   plotted   to   have   him   killed   as   well．The   human   heart   was   indeed   unfathomable．But   then，he   quickly   came   to   reality,   realizing   he   was   only   a   penniless,   homeless   person,   that   his   vast   Kingdom   and   fabulous   wealth   were   all   illusionary   fabrications   of   his   prolific   brain   that   no   one   could   take   away．He   laughed   hysterically   remembering   the   despair   and   panic   of   his   dreams   which   shook   him   so,   and   his   devious   endeavors   at   espionage   that   were   really   much   ado   about   nothing．These   were   but   strange   dreams．However,   those   beautiful   naked   women   were   so   real   and   each   had   her   individual   personality   and   vivid   beauty   that   were   so   distinctive   that   they   stood   out   as   real   human   beings   and   he   could   not   reconcile   to   the   fact   that   they   never   existed   except   in   his   dreams．Dimitri   sat   there   confused，trying   to   distinguish   between   dreams   and   reality，when   the   growling   of   his   stomach   told   him   it   was   time   to   move   on．He   looked   up   at   the   blue   skies   and   wondered   what   time   it   was．He   had   no   sense   of   time，which   was   useless   and   superfluous   to   him．Its   passage   was   capricious,   sometimes   fast,   sometimes   slow．A   transparent   wind   billowed   through   the   branches,   causing   the   budding   leaves   to   sway   in   unison．Dimitri   thought   that   perhaps   time，too，moved   like   the   wind．Stirred   by   the   motion，the   faded   petals   of   the   wilted   rose   nearest   to   Dimitri   fluttered   and   fell   on   his   eye．

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“Ah   yes!”   he   thought.   “   time   did   move．It   might   do   so   imperceptibly   but   the   budding，blooming   and   finally   wilting   of   the   flowers   showed   that   it   did.   What’s   the   difference   between   man’s   flesh   body   and   the   flowers?”,   thought   Dimitri.   “It   gradually   ages   and   dies,   too．So   the   most   practical   thing   would   be   to   feed   it．Only   when   the   flesh   body   is   alive，can   it   weave   more   dreams．In   this   society,   people   use   their   flesh   body   in   different   ways．Some   do   manual   labor，others   do   mental   labor，but   it   is   all   towards   the   same   end—to   attend   to   the   physical   needs   of   their   body,   to   feed,   cloth   and   shelter   it!     I   want   to   let   my   flesh   body   live   on   and   make   more   dreams.   I   love   to   dream.   I   love   to   make   dreams．I   am   a   dream-maker．Thus   I   live,   not   disturbing   anyone   and   I   don’t   want   anyone   to   disturb   me!"   He   smiled   happily，"Ah!   I   wonder   what   kind   of   dreams   will   stray   into   my   slumber   tonight!"

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Mysterious   Dwelling

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Gnawing   hunger   reminded   Dimitri   he   had   to   find   sustenance   immediately,   for   his   body   was   no   different   from   those   of   other   living   things,   vegetable   or   animal,   which   all   needed   nourishment   to   sustain   life．The   design   of   the   flesh   body   was   perfect   in   every   detail，but   it   did   give   rise   to   a   lot   of   trouble，for   it   had   to   be   fed   and   its   sexual   urges   had   to   be   satisfied   somehow．This   was   troublesome，but   on   the   other   hand，also   brought   pleasure．At   the   same   time,   the   flesh   body   had   to   contend   against   diseases，aging   and   death．Dimitri   did   not   want   to   think   about   it   any   further．It   was   more   expedient   to   deal   with   the   practical   needs．Just   as   he   was   about   to   get   up   and   go   out   to   look   for   food，a   huge   shadow   looked   over   him．His   first   startled   reaction   was   that   it   was   Cyclops   coming   after   him   for   his   revenge．But   on   second   look，he   found   it   was   a   six   foot   four，300   pound，blue-eyed，blond-haired   Titan   of   a   young   man   in   his   twenties,   with   a   water-melon   hoisted   on   his   shoulder,   coming   through   the   rose   garden   towards   the   half-burnt   ruins   of   a   house．He   was   humming   indistinctly   as   he   walked，his   hearing   aid   showed   that   he   had   hearing   impairment．   Encumbered   by   excess   weight,   his   movements   were   clumsy,   but   his   expression   was   innocent   and   naive   as   a   child’s，insinuating   he   was   mentally   retarded．   Suddenly   with   a   shout   of   joy，he   put   down   his   melon   and   pounced   on   a   sword-shaped   bamboo   on   the   ground   and   tested   its   sharpness   and   flexibility   as   a   musketeer   would   his   sword．Then   he   sprang   into   position   and   fenced   with   it，decapitating   roses   as   if   he   would   an   opponent’s   head，causing   a   flurry   of   petals   and   leaves   to   fall   to   the   ground．   He   had   his   fun,   but   caused   havoc   in   the   rose   garden．After   a   while   tired   of   his   game   he   threw   away   his   stick   and   wandered   around   looking   for   other   amusements．It   seemed   that   the   ruins   of   this   formerly   luxurious   home   was   his   paradise．When   he   found   a   pornographic   magazine   amid   the   ruins，he   laughed   gleefully   and   excitedly   and   sat   down   on   the   steps   of   the   porch   as   he   flipped   through   the   pages，while   making   love   with   Mrs.Thumb   and   her   four   daughters．Animal   need   and   instinct   had   no   relations   whatever   to   his   IQ．

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Just   then，a   melodious   voice   called   out，"Mark!   Mark!   Where   are   you?"   and   a   beautiful   young   girl   made   her   way   through   the   fallen   roses   and   leaves   towards   the   ruined   house．It   was   Laverne,   Mark’s   step   sister，both   residents   of   the   near   by   district．When   she   saw   him   intently   doing   his   job   while   staring   at   the   pictures   in   the   magazine,   she   blushed   in   maidenly   modesty   and   shyness   and   turned   her   back   saying，

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"Hurry!   It’s   late!   We   have   to   go   home.”   Then,   throwing   an   exquisitely   embroidered   Chinese   silk   handkerchief   at   him,   she   added,   "Wipe   yourself   clean   when   you’re   through.”   When   he   was   done,   the   two   siblings   walked   arm   in   arm   past   the   rose   garden   and   made   their   way   towards   their   home．The   skies   were   still   blue．

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The   house   in   the   nearby   prime   residential   district   was   an   average   one．Their   father，Mr.   John   Johnson，had   not   been   able   to   work   atter   his   stroke，so   the   family   finances   had   deteriorated   drastically   and   the   house   looked   run   down．Old   Mr．Johnson   was   walking   laboriously   in   the   garden   with   the   help   of   his   stick，each   step   seemed   to   be   heavy   as   a   thousand   pounds．The   strenuous,   struggling   expression   on   his   face,   together   with   the   deep   wrinkles   made   one   think   that   another   precious   human   life   was   about   to   perish   from   this   earth．Laverne   and   Mark   sprang   forward   to   help   him   to   a   chair   when   their   mother’s   voice   was   heard   calling   to   Laverne．She   answered，"Coming!"   and   then   turned   to   her   brother   who   had   the   melon   on   his   shoulder   and   the   man’s   magazine   in   his   hand   saying,

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"Put   the   melon   into   the   refrigerator   and   go   and   take   a   shower．Don’t   play   with   it   any   more   or   I   won’t   fry   steak   for   you   tonight.”     Mark   made   a   face   at   her   and   ran   towards   the   bathroom．

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Laverne   walked   into   the   house   and   threw   the   wet   and   sticky   silk   handkerchief   into   the   washing   machine   to   soak   for   a   while   before   washing   it   by   hand．It   was   her   favorite．She   was   worried   that   her   brother，who   had   recently   discovered   the   joys   of   masturbation，was   enjoying   it   with   abandon，randomly   wasting   his   vitality．She   felt   something   should   be   done   to   prevent   him   from   going   on   like   this   lest   his   vitality   would   be   exhausted；but   as   his   step   sister，she   felt   she   was   not   in   a   position   to   teach   him   sex   education．However，a   human   being   like   Mark，who   lived   in   his   own   world,   free   from   worries,   actually   lived   a   happier   life   than   his   normal   counterparts．Mrs．Johnson’s   voice   broke   into   her   musings．She   pulled   herself   back   to   reality   and   hurried   into   her   mother’s   bedroom．

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        Thick   curtains   blocked   out   all   light   and   the   room   was   dimly   lit   by   the   faint   bedside   lamp．The   room   was   full   of   the   pungent   smell   of   alcohol，all   of   which   gave   one   the   impression   that   it   was   the   room   of   a   sick   person．Mrs．Johnson   lay   in   bed，completely   paralyzed．Her   inner   body   had   lost   all   its   powers   except   that   of   speech，so   she   ironically   called   herself   a   "speaking   dead   body"．Every   two   hours   she   had   to   be   turned   over   to   prevent   bedsores   from   forming   and   to   keep   her   blood   running   well．When   she   heard   Laverne’s   footsteps   coming   into   the   room,   she   said．

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"Laverne,   would   you   please   come   over   for   a   moment?   I   think   there   is   an   ant   on   my   face．I   feel   itchy.”         Laverne   went   over   and   was   about   to   kill   the   ant   when   Mrs.   Johnson   stopped   her   saying，

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"No，it’s   a   little   life   too．Don’t   kill   it．Just   blow   it   away.”   So   Laverne   blew   the   ant   away   gently．   She   was   moved   that   even   in   her   mother’s   extreme   and   despairing   condition，her   heart   was   filled   with   only   love   and   not   the   slightest   vestige   of   hate．

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        "If   I   remember   correctly，it’s   your   twenty-first   birthday   today,   Laverne，Am   I   right?"

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        "Yes，mom，it   is.”

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        "Happy   birthday，my   dear．I’m   so   sorry   that   we   are   not   able   to   celebrate   it   for   you   with   presents，a   birthday   cake   and   a   party．On   the   contrary，the   whole   family   has   been   a   heavy   burden   on   you.”     Laverne’s   eyes   filled   with   tears   and   she   replied,

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        "Say   no   more,   mom．We’re   a   family．It’s   very   stuffy   in   your   room．   Dad’s   out   in   the   back   yard．Would   you   like   me   to   push   you   there   too   for   some   fresh   air?"

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        "That   would   be   nice.”   Laverne   gently   pushed   Mrs．Johnson’s   bed   into   the   garden   next   to   Mr．Johnson’s   chair．

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Laverne’s   slender   figure   could   be   seen   silently   moving   around   in   the   kitchen，preparing   dinner．From   the   window   which   looked   out   on   the   back   yard,   she   could   see   the   old   couple，both   smote   down   harshly   by   the   same   fate，yet   still   full   of   love   and   compassion．Mr．Johnson   was   feeding   his   wife   slices   of   apple   dipped   in   mayonnaise，her   favorite   snack．He   was   a   very   compassionate   man,   who   took   care   of   his   wife，the   "speaking   dead   body"   without   any   complaints．There   was   no   explanation   for   that   except   love   and   respect   for   human   life．When   next   Laverne   looked   again，she   saw   Mr．Johnson   had   put   a   woolen   cap   on   his   wife’s   head，where   medication   had   caused   great   loss   of   hair．   Mrs．Johnson   had   fallen   asleep   and   lay   under   the   tree，caressed   by   the   evening   breeze．   She   slept   on   with   a   naive，infant-like   smile   on   her   face．Perhaps   she   was   thinking   of   her   first   happy   day   on   this   earth,   the   day   she   was   born．

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        Fresh   out   of   the   shower，Mark   sat   by   the   dinette，his   wet   hair   neatly   parted   and   combed．His   rotund   body   and   chubby   cheeks   gave   him   the   look   of   a   docile,   overgrown   boy．His   large   rolling   eyes   followed   Laverne’s   every   movement   and   his   simple   mind   seemed   to   be   struggling   with   some   perplexing   problem．Laverne’s   heart   was   with   the   old   couple   in   the   garden．She   loved   them   and   was   willing   to   give   them   her   all，although   she   was   no   blood   relation．She   felt   happy   taking   care   of   them，even   though   she   was   not   a   member   of   the   family．Walking   towards   the   dinette，she   patted   Mark’s   cheeks   and   said，

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        "What   are   you   thinking   of   Marky   boy?"

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        "I’m   thinking   about   a   mathematical   problem.”

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        "Can   you   tell   me   about   it?"

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        "You   taught   me   ten   fingers   and   ten   toes   make   twenty.”

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        "Right．Ten   and   ten   makes   twenty.”

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        "For   you   it   may   be   right,   but   for   me,   it’s   wrong.”

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        "How   so?   Count   your   fingers   and   toes．Do   you   have   more   than   twenty?"

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        "For   me，ten   and   ten   makes   twenty-one.”     Unzipping   himself,   he   pulled   out   his   penis   and   said，"Add   this   one   and   you   get   twenty-one!"     Laverne   blushed   red   as   a   beet   at   this   blatant   impertinence．She   felt   Mark   was   being   deliberately   impertinent   and   rude   to   her，but   she   could   not   believe   his   simple   mind   capable   of   such   duplicity．

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        "I   must   cook   dinner   and   have   no   time   to   argue   with   you．Put   it   back   into   your   pants．I’ve     told   you   time   and   again，never   to   take   it   out   in   front   of   people．If   you   don’t   listen   to   me，I   won’t   play   with   you   any   more.”   With   that，Laverne   turned   her   back   to   him   and   went   about   her   work．She   glanced   at   him   once   or   twice   surreptitiously   and   was   placated   to   find   he   showed   no   trace   of   embarrassment   at   her   rebuff．He   was   still   his   normal   simple   self．To   her，it   signified   that   his   outbreak   was   unintentional．

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        "I   heard   mom   say   it’syour   birthday   today.”

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        "Yes,   it   is．Do   you   have   any   presents   for   me?"

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"Of   course．That   melon   I   brought   home   was   for   you.”   Laverne   was   touched   that   he   remembered   her   birthday   and   thought   it   would   be   nice   to   share   it   with   someone．

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"Mark，will   you   get   the   melon   out   of   the   refrigerator   and   put   it   on   the   table   for   me,   please?"     Mark   eagerly   jumped   down   from   his   seat   and   carried   out   her   orders．Laverne   took   out   a   long   knife   and   cut   into   the   water   melon．To   her   disappointment，it   was   dry   and   shriveled，totally   inedible．This   had   never   happened   before.     She   was   dismayed   and   didn’t   know   what   to   do．   A   strange   thought   came   to   her．Waste,   whether   of   the   human   body   or   organic   substances,   was   sinful   and   cruel．This   melon,   for   instance,   was   a   waste   of   the   ground   that   grew   and   nurtured   it,   and   to   the   melon   itself   that   went   through   the   arduous   process   of   growth．Nevertheless,   its   ultimate   fate   was   being   thrown   into   the   garbage   can．

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That   was   rare   leisure   time   for   Laverne,   the   short   interval   before   dinner．She   was   tired   after   a   whole   day’s   work   and   was   reclining   on   the   lounge   chair   on   the   deck,   gazing   at   some   clouds   floating   around   a   far-off   mountain．Mr.   and   Mrs．Johnson   too   were   tired．They   had   struggled   all   day．Life   to   them   was   an   endless   struggle，which   was   to   continue   until   their   last   hour，like   a   machine   about   to   be   unserviceable，but   still   churning   on   arduously．Human   life   was   but   an   organic   machine   and   one   day   would   inevitably   be   totaled，too．   But   so   long   as   they   breathed,   they   could   still   live;   for   breathing   was   the   purest   if   simplest   enjoyment   of   the   flesh   body．So   long   as   their   brains   functioned，they   had   reason   to   exist．Thoughts   might   be   the   origin   of   sorrow，but   they   were   also   the   source   of   the   highest   form   of   happiness．These   two   had   struggled   all   day   and   were   looking   forward   to   a   delicious   meal,   after   which   they   would   slip   into   the   mysterious   darkness   and   enjoy   the   sweetness   of   slumber．But   alas,   it   was   only   to   await   the   coming   of   the   morrow,   another   day   of   struggle．Meanwhile，Mark   was   locked   in   his   room．Perhaps   he   was   still   trying   to   puzzle   out   that   complicated   mathematical   problem;   or   he   may   be   intently   researching   his   precious   prize   from   the   ruins．One   day，he   was   bound   to   understand   the   differences   of   the   sexes   and   that   masturbation   was   not   the   only   way   to   satisfy   the   needs   of   his   flesh   body．Maple   leaves   were   turning   red   in   the   crisp   autumn   air，and   fleecy   clouds   surrounding   the   hilltops   floated   lightly   towards   her．Laverne   was   suddenly   struck   with   a   strange   idea．If   the   clouds   could   be   plucked   as   easily   as   maple   leaves,   she   would   seize   them   as   they   passed   and   make   them   surround   her   house．She   would   plant   maple   trees   all   around   so   that   Mr．and   Mrs．Johnson，Mark   and   herself   would   live   their   whole   lives   harmoniously   together，hidden   by   clouds   and   surrounded   by   colorful   leaves，for   this   fragile   family   could   no   longer   withstand   the   slings   and   arrows   of   outrageous   fortune．

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Her   mind   was   in   a   turmoil   as   she   thought   of   the   past．She   would   never   forget   that   stormy   winter   day   when   Mr．Johnson   came   home   amid   the   wind   and   rain，breaking   the   terrible   news   that   Laverne’s   mother   had   died．It   was   a   painful，traumatic   scene，etched   deeply   in   her   young   memory，for   within   a   year，she   had   lost   both   her   parents：her   father   in   a   car   accident   and   now   her   mother．She   came   to   live   with   Mr.   Johnson   when   her   mother   remarried；but   the   brief，happy   interlude   had   not   lasted   the   year．She   could   still   remember   her   hurt,   fear   and   anxiety   when   Mr．Johnson   married   again   and   his   new   wife   Lavyrl   brought   Mark，her   son   from   her   previous   marriage   with   her   to   live   in   the   Johnson   home．Laverne   was   rude   and   resentful   to   the   latest   additions   to   her   family,   but   Lavyrl   was   wonderful．Though   blind,   she   was   very   sensitive   and   was   all   the   mother   Laverne   could   wish   for．She   seemed   to   understand   the   little   girl’s   antagonism   and   gradually   won   her   over   by   genuine   love   and   kindness,   taking   care   of   her   as   she   would   her   own．Her   son，eight-year-old   Mark，was   strong   as   an   ox．He   was   a   bit   retarded,   to   be   sure,   but   extremely   protective   of   his   little   sister，and   stood   up   for   her   amid   their   peers．From   then   on，with   Mark   as   her   body   guard，she   never   had   to   fear   being   bullied   in   school．This   new   family,   brought   together   by   different   circumstances   of   life,   had   a   strong   tie   in   misfortune．

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That   year，due   to   mismanagement，Mr．Johnson’s   firm   went   bankrupt   and   he   was   laid   off．   Unemployment   was   a   big   blow   and   on   top   of   itall,   Mr．Johnson   contracted   hepatitis   and   had   to   be   hospitalized．Huge   medical   bills   piled   up   and   the   heavy   burden   of   supporting   a   family   of   four   fell   on   the   courageous   shoulders   of   this   weak,   blind   woman．She   got   a   permit   as   a   vendor   inside   the   City   Hall   Building   selling   cigarettes,   candy,   coffee   etc．She   took   her   two   children   with   her．Laverne   was   only   five   then,   but   she   had   to   take   care   of   her   blind   step-mother   and   her   mentally   retarded   step-brother．They   managed   to   exist   on   their   scanty   income   through   those   difficult   times,   but   adversity   united   the   family   heart   to   heart．Alas，ill   fortune   seemed   to   dog   the   footsteps   of   this   kind,   blind   woman．One   day   she   was   knocked   down   by   a   car   while   trying   to   cross   the   street．Though   doctors   found   nothing   amiss   at   first,   aside   from   some   cuts   and   bruises,   gradual   numbness   in   her   lower   limbs   proved   that   her   nervous   system   had   been   seriously   damaged   and   she   had   to   get   around   in   a   wheel   chair．The   numbness   spread   and   extended   until   it   completely   incapacitated   her   and   she   became   a   "speaking   dead   body"．Fate   had   been   cruel   to   this   woman   and   her   husband,   who   loved   her   dearly．A   serious   stroke   took   away   his   ability   to   work．A   curse   seemed   to   hover   over   their   home,   looking   for   a   chance   to   pounce．   Sickness   and   death   were   the   mightiest   curse   of   all．Ah   thought   Laverne，this   family   really   does   need   a   shield   of   clouds   to   protect   it   from   the   curse   of   the   devil!         It   was   getting   dark   and   Mark’s   huge   figure   came   up   to   her，stooped   down   and   complained，

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        "I’m   hungry   Laverne.”     His   words   were   indistinct,   but   through   long   association,   she   understood   perfectly．She   started   up   guiltily，

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"Oh   Mark，I’ve   been   daydreaming   and   forgot   the   time.”   She   kissed   his   chubby，infant-like   cheeks   and   hugged   him   to   her   saying，"Sorry，Marky   boy．I’ll   go   and   fry   your   steak   right   away．Would   you   like   to   set   the   table   and   light   the   candles?   We’ll   dine   in   style   tonight!"     Mark   nodded   vigorously   and   enthusiastically．His   excited   exclamations   reflected   his   happiness，though   she   couldn’t   make   out   the   exact   words．Hand   in   hand,   the   two   siblings   walked   into   the   old   house．

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In   the   quiet   afternoon，time   ticked   by   normally，neither   too   fast   nor   too   slow，like   water   flowing   tranquilly   by   in   the   river   or   an   airy   melody   vibrating   in   the   atmosphere．The   blue   sky   had   not   yet   darkened，but   a   few   stars   were   already   visible，twinkling   from   on   high．On   the   way,   Dimitri   inspected   every   garbage   can   in   search   for   aluminum   cans,   but   he   was   disappointed．In   times   of   recession，even   recyclable   garbage   had   become   scarce．But   he   was   still   in   good   spirits，his   muscles   relaxed，neither   too   tense，nor   too   slack．He   was   amused   to   find   that   quite   a   few   people   on   the   streets   were   dressed   as   he   was—olive   safari   hat，three-quarters   down   jacket，oversized   black   trousers   and   old   black   shoes   worn   without   socks．He   knew   it   was   a   practical   joke   Samantha   was   playing   on   him   and   he   smiled   at   her   suave   humor．Perhaps   that   was   to   be   the   trend   of   fall   fashions   of   the   year!   Another   fall   season   was   beginning,   he   thought．His   twenty-four   beauties   back   in   the   Kingdom   were   thinking   of   him   and   he   of   them．What   was   he   doing   here   wandering   about   alone，missing   each   other   on   two   different   planes?   Perhaps   it   was   time   he   went   back   and   enjoyed   the   luxury   of   his   Kingdom   and   the   companionship   of   his   beauties．That   would   make   them   happy，too．However,   there   was   so   much   here   on   this   mundane   world   worth   staying   for．In   a   spirit   of   bonhomie,   he   called   out   cheery   "Good   evening"   and   "Have   a   good   one!"   to   the   passersby   hurrying   past   him,   but   only   a   few   bothered   to   force   a   smile   or   nod   in   return．They   were   like   fish   in   the   water,   glaring   at   each   other   with   cold,   indifferent   stares，before   swishing   their   tail   and   going   on   their   way．Each   seemed   to   be   swimming   purposefully   towards   his   own   destination，and   accidental   encounters   did   not   leave   much   of   an   impression   on   either   one．   Perhaps   they   were   too   busy   and   occupied   with   their   affairs   even   to   notice   they   were   alive   and   breathing，too   busy   to   enjoy   and   rejoice   at   the   very   magic   of   existence．A   group   of   small   children   pranced   by   talking,   laughing,   shouting   animatedly,   like   frisky   shrimps   or   lively   small   fish   frolicking   in   the   shallow   waters，jumping   and   scooting   around．   Once   they   grew   up，they   too   would   become   lonely   fish，reserved   and   impersonal，swimming   about   in   the   water，not   communicating   with   each   other   though   living   in   a   group．Dimitri   thought，in   the   current   of   time，everyone   is   like   a   fish，including   himself．   He   was   only   a   fish   that   liked   to   lurk   in   deep   waters,   immobile   and   hushed,   while   others   glided   busily   around   at   the   top   of   the   water   seeking   survival．They   did   not   have   the   time   to   think   of   the   significance   of   living   or   the   value   of   existence．If   one   day   they   went   down   to   the   deep   and   remained   there,   still   and   motionless，they   would   then   suddenly   understand   that   they   were   living．

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Immersed   in   this   thoughts，Dimitri   suddenly   found   himself   at   a   bustling   intersection，where   car   after   car   flashed   by,   intent   on   reaching   their   destinations,   loathing   to   waste   even   one   second   of   their   precious   time．What   they   did   not   realize   was   that   they   were   actually   squandering   away   their   life   because   they   were   sacrificing   their   leisure．   Finally   he   crossed   the   busy   street   and   came   to   a   remote   corner   of   the   city．

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"I   should   go   back   to   my   dilapidated   shelter,”   he   thought．"I   haven’t   been   back   to   that   narrow   alley   for   quite   a   while．There   in   my   retreat,   I   would   be   far   away   from   the   hustle   and   bustle   of   the   city，unaffected   by   sunrise   and   sunset．Sunshine   and   moonlight   will   be   but   successive   alterations   of   light   outside   my   door．There   I   can   fully   savor   the   taste   of   life，enioy   some   lovely   dreams   and   the   pleasure   of   breathing.”   Then   he   passed   a   luxurious   office   building,   in   the   corner   of   which   many   shadowy   silhouettes   could   be   seen   moving   around．Some   seemed   to   be   banded   together   singing   in   a   silent   choir．Others   were   shaking   their   bodies   to   the   rhythm   of   time,   dancing   in   elation．All   went   on   in   absolute   silence,   like   an   occasional   turbulent   whirlpool   in   a   body   of   water．Soon   they   would   be   gone，swept   by   it   to   parts   unknown．   If   people   died   and   their   souls   continued   to   live   on，they   would   be   able   to   enjoy   life   fuller   than   they   did   during   their   lifetime，as   then   they   would   have   more   leisure．   Isn’t   the   flesh   body   then   a   yoke   on   the   soul?     No，to   enjoy   life   we   need   not   wait   until   death．We   can   free   ourselves   from   the   constraints   imposed   upon   us”  

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Raising   his   head，Dimitri   suddenly   saw   a   battered，beige-colored   automobile   stranded   at   the   curb   of   the   street．   Its   beautiful   young   mistress   was   standing   by   the   door   of   the   car，dressed   in   a   light   gray   suit,   smiling   sweetly,   her   long   golden   hair   tousled   in   the   wind．

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        "Why   hi!     It’s   you   again,   Dimitri．I   knew   we’d   meet   again!"

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        "Hi   Megginn!"   said   Dimitri   hastening   up   to   her．"Why   are   you   here   alone?     Has   the   car   been   acting   up   again?"

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        "I’m   afraid   so,”   she   said   ruefully．"I   was   just   hoping   you’d   appear   again   out   of   nowhere   and   come   to   my   rescue,   and   here   you   are   at   the   most   opportune   time!"

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"The   honor   is   all   mine,”   said   Dimitri   gallantly.     Megginn   got   into   her   car   and   sat   in   the   driver’s   seat,   while   Dimitri   pushed   with   all   his   might．The   large,   heavy   car   began   to   move   slowly．The   engine   purred   and   the   car   came   to   life．Megginn   put   her   head   out   of   the   window   and   said，

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"Come   on,   jump   in!"   and   Dimitri   did   so   without   thinking   twice.     Dimitri   sat   there,   too   exuberant   to   enjoy   the   scenery，his   attention   fully   centered   on   this   young   woman   he   so   coincidentally   encountered．

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        "Well   Megginn，how   have   you   been   doing?"

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        "Pretty   good．I   was   going   to   dump   this   old   car   in   the   junk   yard   and   let   it   rest   forever，but   when   I   got   there   and   saw   the   litter，I   just   couldn’t   do   it!     It   was   too   cruel   to   let   my   old   friend   be   dismembered   and   crushed．I’m   all   for   live   and   let   live，so   I   changed   my   mind   and   drove   it   back   again．But   it   got   stuck   at   the   curb   and   I   was   at   a   loss   what   to   do,   when   you   came   along   just   in   the   nick   of   time   and   gave   me   a   hand.”

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        "The   pleasure   is   all   mine．Are   you   always   so   soft-hearted   about   old,   used   things?"

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        "Not   always,”   she   answered，"but   you   sort   of   get   attached   to   things   you’ve   been   used   to   for   a   long   time.”   The   car   stopped   at   a   red   light．

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        "Where   are   you   going   Megginn?"   She   looked   at   the   delicate   platinum   and   diamond   watch   on   her   left   wrist   and   saw   it   was   four   o’clock．

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"I   always   go   swimming   at   this   time   of   the   day．Would   you   like   to   have   a   dip   at   my   pool   at   home?"   Dimitri   hesitated   for   a   moment   and   then   said，

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"Sure.”   He   was   glad   to   have   met   such   a   generous,   beautiful   young   woman，compassionate   even   to   inanimate   machinery．Such   kindhearted，sentimental   people   were   rare   nowadays．He   was   curious   to   see   how   she   would   look   in   her   bathing   suit,   curvaceous   figure   fully   exposed．He   was   only   a   poor,   dirty,   old   homeless   person,   but   she   asked   him   home   for   a   swim,   which   showed   she   was   free   of   prejudice．

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        "After   the   swim,   would   you   like   to   go   to   a   dinner   and   ball   with   me?   It’s   a   rare,   grand   occasion   and   the   great   princes   of   finance   are   expected   to   be   present．How   about   it?"

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        "No，thank   you,”   said   Dimitri，"I   am   not   properly   dressed   and   I   don’t   think   I’ll   fit   into   these   high   society   functions．Remember   I’m   only   a   vagabond   roaming   around   the   streets.”

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        "It’s   ok．You’re   about   my   father’s   height   and   size．He   passed   away．but   I’ve   kept   his   expensive   wardrobe．You   can   choose   what   you   want   to   wear.”

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        "No．I’m   not   used   to   socializing   and   will   be   a   disgrace   to   you.”

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"Come   on，Dimitri，"coaxed   the   girl．"If   you   don’t   go   with   me．What’ll   happen   when   the   car   stalls   again?     Would   you   let   me   drive   alone   at   midnight?"   That   was   a   good   excuse．Dimitri   couldn’t   find   one   better．

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In   the   quiet   autumn   afternoon，dry   twigs   and   leaves   snapped   and   crackled   as   the   wheels   of   the   car   rolled   over   them，making   its   way   up   the   winding   trail．Sunshine，peeping   through   the   dense   eucalyptus   trees   cast   latticed   shadows   on   the   ground，giving   a   dizzy，now-bright，now-dark   impression．On   the   top   of   the   hill   was   an   exquisite   house，built   in   the   shape   of   a   miniature   castle，extremely   well   kept   up   and   perfect   in   every   detail．The   roomy   interior   was   a   jewel   in   interior   decoration．Two   hundred   year   old   Victorian   style   antique   furniture   were   polished   till   they   shone   and   gleamed．Next   to   the   grand   living   room，was   a   small   den，whose   French   windows   opened   onto   the   back   yard   with   quite   a   large   swimming   pool．The   pool   was   a   masterpiece   of   ingenuity，equipped   with   a   huge   collapsible，transparent，glass   shield   to   keep   out   the   cold   wind   and   rain   in   winter．Air   conditioned   and   well   lit，it   was   guaranteed   to   give   maximum   comfort   in   all   weather．When   not   needed   in   summet，it   could   be   folded   and   stored．

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Dimitri   sat   by   the   glass，looking   at   the   pale   blue，shadowy   Sierra   Mountains   in   the   distance，so   much   like   an   impressionist   water   color,   which   could   give   one   a   general   picture   in   a   few   strokes．Soon   the   mountain   tops   would   be   covered   with   several   feet   of   snow，and   the   following   summer   the   snow   would   melt   into   the   water   flowing   into   the   rivers，invigorating   the   fishes   with   a   fresh,   cool   current．Dimitri   watched   as   Megginn   swam   freestyle   back   and   forth   across   the   pool，slowly   almost   indolently,   perfectly   relaxed．He   marveled   at   the   cleverness   of   humans   who   could   mimic   the   fish’s   motions   in   water．He   thought   of   the   blue   lagoon   in   his   Kingdom，where   Deanna，the   mermaid，was   also   an   excellent   swimmer．If   these   two   could   swim   together，it   would   make   a   gorgeous   picture．Just   then，wild   pidgins   flew   by   overhead   in   a   flurry   of   wings．Dimitri   envied   their   innate   sense   of   direction，which   always   led   them   home   on   the   right   track   without   ever   getting   lost．In   this   respect，they   were   superior   to   human   beings．If   no   one   in   this   world   had   the   gift   of   vision，perhaps   human   beings，too，would   have   developed   the   bat’s   ability   to   find   their   direction   unerringly   by   echoes   generated   by   themselves．But   then,   the   over   development   of   one   sense   would   probably   weaken   another．If   they   had   the   bat’s   sense   of   direction,   they   would   perhaps   lose   the   enjoyment   of   sight．Dimitri   felt   saddened   by   the   fact   that   he，unfortunately，was   one   who   was   destined   to   lose   that   precious   enjoyment．The   constitution   of   man   was   not   as   perfect   as   that   of   birds，at   least   for   him   that   was   true．

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        Megginn   climbed   out   of   the   pool,   with   water   dripping   from   her   body   1ike   strings   of   pearls，saying，

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        "Shame   on   you,   Dimitri!   You   only   swam   two   laps．That’s   too   little!"

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        "I’m   out   of   practice   Megginn．I   used   to   be   able   to   swim   across   a   lagoon   quite   easily,but   give   me   time   and   I’ll   get   back   my   pace.”     Megginn   took   off   her   cap，letting   her   golden   hair，bright   as   the   sun，cascade   down   her   shoulders．She   began   wiping   first   her   hair，then   her   body   with   a   large   bath   towel，while   Dimitri’s   eyes   followed   her   every   movement．Checkered   blue   bikini   bathing   suit   matched   the   deep   blue   of   her   eyes   and   the   background   of   blue   skies   as   seen   through   the   transparent   glass   roof，embelished   her   skin,   which   was   paler   and   smoother   than   ever．But   what   attracted   his   attention   were   her   firm   breasts   and   deep   cleavage   and   he   thought   if   only   that   cranky   Mr.   Finger   were   here,   he   would   be   sure   to   find   a   way   to   grasp   tightly   and   suck   those   pink   nipples．Megginn   noticed   his   preoccupation   and   turned   about   self-consciously   in   embarrassment．The   appearance   of   her   maid   Louisa   saved   the   day．Louisa   pushed   a   cart   with   silver   tea   set   and   perking   coffee   and   asked，

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        "Would   you   like   a   few   drops   of   brandy,   sir?"

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        "Thank   you.”

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        "I’d   like   five   drops   please”   said   Megginn.

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        "Same   here”   said   Dimitri.     Louisa   put   a   spoonful   of   cream   into   each   of   the   cups   to   make   Irish   coffee   and   turning   to   Megginn，said，

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        "The   vice-president   of   public   relations   of   the   World   Bank   called   to   let   you   know   that   $1，000，000   had   been   placed   in   your   account   and   is   now   available．He   also   wanted   me   to   tell   you   that   president   Kaffee   won’t   be   attending   the   ball   tonight.”

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        "Really?     He   said   that?     Why   not?   He’sthe   organizer!"

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        "The   vice   president   didn’t   say，miss．‘For   personal   reasons’was   all   he   told   me.”   Saying   so,   she   pushed   her   cart   and   left．The   name   of   president   Kaffee   at   once   put   Dimitri   on   his   guard．Had   he   escaped   from   one   pitfall   only   to   fall   into   another?   But   Megginn   was   saying   to   herself，

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        "It’s   just   as   well   he   doesn’t   show   up．Saves   me   the   trouble   of   having   to   deal   with   that   slippery   old   fox!     Tonight   I’ll   give   all   of   that   one   million   dollars   to   charity.”

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        "Give   away   one   million   dollars   all   at   once?   Doesn’t   your   heart   pang   at   losing   so   much   money?"

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        "Not   at   all．The   money   was   never   mine，and   anyway   it’s   for   a   good   cause．For   charity．"

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        "What   do   you   mean?   It’s   in   your   account，under   your   name，so   the   money   is   all   yours．"

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"Well,   it’s   a   long   story．If   you’re   interested，I’ll   tell   you   about   it.”

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One   day   Megginn’s   car   broke   down   again   at   the   door   of   a   half   burnt   luxury   house，where   a   fat，overgrown   boy   with   rotund   body   and   chubby   cheeks   sat   playing   with   paper   airplanes．His   expression，naive   and   innocent   as   a   child’s，insinuated   that   he   was   mentally   retarded．An   open，worn   out   suitcase   was   beside   him，from   which   he   took   pieces   of   paper   to   fold   into   planes   and   throw   in   the   air．Megginn   went   up   to   him   and   asked   for   help   in   starting   the   car．He   obligingly   agreed,   stipulating   only   that   she   play   airplanes   with   him．Megginn，who   was   still   a   child   at   heart,   gleefully   agreed,   but   while   folding   the   paper,   her   eyes   accidentally   fell   on   the   signature   of   the   mysterious   trillionaire,   Dimitri   Jackson．Glancing   quickly   through   the   suitcase，she   found   that   it   contained   memos，letters，telegrams，reports   and   orders   between   Dimitri   and   his   emissaries   around   the   world   through   the   years   1971   -   1972，which   must   have   been   of   the   highest   economic   value   at   the   time．Though   almost   twenty   years   had   elapsed   since   then，these   papers   were   still   precious   material   for   research   and   would   be   sure   to   offer   insight   into   the   business   methods   and   success   of   that   mysterious   personage．

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"What   a   novel   subject   for   my   thesis!"thought   the   soon-to-be   graduate,   who   had   been   racking   her   brains   for   a   suitable   topic．She   felt   no   scruples   about   cajoling   the   young   man   to   exchange   his   papers   for   a   pair   of   tennis   rackets，for   to   him   they   were   only   waste   paper   to   fold   planes   with;   while   to   her,   they   represented   first-hand   reference   material   to   base   her   writing   on．The   very   first   chapter   of   her   MBA   thesis,   "Business   Theory   &   Strategy   of   the   Super   Trillionaire．Dimitri   Jackson”   -     the   product   of   careful   research,   backed   with   authentic   supportive   data，was   a   bombshell   and   caused   an   uproar   in   the   business   world．It   attracted   the   attention   of   Mr．Kaffee，president   of   World   Bank，who   offered   her   one   million   dollars   to   subsidize   her   research．However,   her   elation   soon   evaporated   when   she   found   out   the   evil   intentions   he   harbored   behind   the   veil   of   patronage．It   was   not   her   scholastic   efforts   he   was   interested   in，but   the   papers   she   happened   to   find   so   opportunely．The   money   was   only   a   pay-off   in   exchange   for   the   papers．

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        "When   I   found   out,”   she   said，"I   was   mad．But   then,   I   decided   to   deal   with   him   in   a   perfunctory   manner   and   make   the   most   of   this   opportunity．I   got   him   to   sponsor   a   fund-raiser   for   one   of   my   favorite   charities,   which   only   a   heavy   weight   like   him   could   do．His   prestige   and   position   in   the   financial   world   were   crucial   in   ensuring   the   attendance   and   thereby   the   donations   of   the   elite   of   society．That’s   the   ball   I   asked   you   to   go   with   me   tonight.”   Dimitri   smiled   and   asked，

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        "Have   you   ever   seen   the   mysterious   trillionaire?"

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        "Uh-uh．But   I’ve   seen   his   signature.”

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        "Really?"

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        "Yes．His   signature   is   eccentric   and   resembles   a   soaring   dragon．The   first   letter"D"looks   like   a   dragon   with   its   bloody   mouth   wide   open.”   Dimitri   wrote   his   name   with   coffee   on   the   table   and   looked   quizzically   at   Megginn   with   raised   eyebrows   and   asked，

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        "Like   this?"

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        "Right!   Right!"   she   exclaimed   in   great   amazement．"How   could   you   do   it   so   precisely，freehand?"

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        "I’ve   seen   it   too,   and   I’m   good   at   forging   other   people’s   signature.”   Megginn   clapped   her   hands   in   joy   and   said，

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        "If   I   could   get   him   to   come   to   my   fund-raiser，the   ball   is   sure   to   be   a   huge   success   and   I’ll   be   able   to   raise   a   lot   of   money.”   Never   in   her   wildest   dreams   did   she   imagine   that   this   humble   man   sitting   in   front   of   her   was   the   super   trillionaire   she   wanted   to   invite．

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        "What   kind   of   fund-raiser   is   it?"

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        "It’s   a   fund-raiser   for   the   disabled．Whenever   I   see   them   scattered   all   around   the   country,   each   trying   to   make   it   on   his   own，I   always   had   an   urge   to   do   something   for   them   and   thought   it   would   be   a   great   idea   to   get   them   to   come   together   and   form   a   kind   of   community．If   I   could   only   help   them   establish   factories，suitable   to   their   physical   state，and   form   a   company   which   they   could   run   efficiently   by   themselves，I’m   sure   it   would   invigorate   their   spirits   and   bring   out   the   best   in   these   unfortunate   people．Some   of   them   are   very   bright   and   clever，but   just   never   had   an   opportunity   to   do   anything   about   their   gifts,   which   lay   there   dormant   and   useless．But   that   would   cost   a   lot   of   money,   perhaps   more   than   two   billion   dollars!"

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        "I   think   it’s   a   wonderful   idea!   I’m   sure   your   kind-heartedhess   will   be   rewarded   and   your   dream   will   come   true,”   said   Dimitri．Apollo,   the   handsome   god   of   the   sun,   rode   across   the   sky   from   east   to   west   in   his   splendid，golden   chariot，untiringly   day   after   day．He   passed   over   the   transparent   glass   roof,   taking   with   him   the   colorful   brightness   of   day   and   leaving   behind   the   darkness   of   night   to   the   world．But   on   the   way,   he   scattered   handfuls   of   twinkling   stars   into   the   sky,   like   a   farmer   sowing   seeds   in   the   fields．

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        The   brilliant   stars   twinkled   and   gleamed   zealously,   like   vivacious   guests   at   a   grand   ball．The   beige-colored   car,   carrying   its   beautiful   mistress   and   that   mysterious   personage，passed   under   them．The   old   car   chugged   bravely   on，puffing   like   a   tired   jogger   and   Megginn   said   in   a   low   voice，

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        "Sorry,   my   old   friend．I   know   you’re   tired   today，but   I   need   you   to   make   one   more   round   trip   for   us．I   promise   not   to   step   on   the   gas   so   you   won’t   be   too   stressed   out．   I’m   really   sorry,   my   old   friend.”   Dimitri   smiled   and   watched   silently   as   the   generous   girl   talked   cozily   with   her   old   friend．   He   thought   that   her   profound   knowledge   of   finances,   especially   her   familiarity   with   his   business   methods   could   be   of   great   use   to   him   in   the   management   of   his   Kingdom．On   his   part，he   could   realize   her   fondest   dreams   of   charity．But   most   crucial   of   all   was   her   generous   heart．Soon,   the   car   came   to   the   bridge   and   they   crossed   over   to   the   other   side   of   the   Bay．

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When   the   two   of   them   entered   the   ballroom,   all   eyes   were   attracted   by   the   magnetic   beauty   of   Megginn，who   was   wearing   a   low-cut，black   silk   evening   gown   with   two   thin   ribbon   as   straps．A   sparkling   diamond   necklace   adorned   her   graceful，swan-like   neck   and   a   silver-fox   wrap   was   flung   with   studied   carelessness   over   her   shoulders,   exhibiting   noble   bearings   and   elegance．An   endearing   smile   was   always   on   her   lips．Her   companion   was   a   middle-aged   man，impeccably   dressed   in   an   expensive   suit   and   black   tie，wearing   a   safari   hat   made   of   the   same   material   as   his   suit．Of   course,   that   was   Dimitri．As   he   seldom   appeared   in   public,   he   was   a   stranger   to   the   company,   which   buzzed   in   speculation   as   to   his   identity．Gone   was   the   lazy   indolence   of   the   homeless   person．He   was   clothed   in   dignified   silence，but   what   little   he   said   carried   weight，exuberating   an   aura   of   trustworthiness   and   reliability．They   were   late．The   ball   had   already   begun．When   they   were   led   to   their   reserved   table   near   the   dance   floor，Megginn   was   quickly   invited   to   dance   by   a   tall   young   man，well-built   and   well-dressed．Dimitri，whose   reclusive   nature   disliked   social   functions，felt   ill   at   ease   at   the   curious   glances   that   came   his   way．Smiling   and   nodding   impartially   and   distantly   seemed   to   be   the   best   resort．

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The   room   was   dimly   lit，but   his   eyes   roamed   around   the   place，the   sparkle   of   the   diamonds   and   precious   gems   ornamenting   the   ladies   around   him，flickered   and   shone   like   the   stars   twinkling   in   the   dark   sky．Waitresses   in   mini   skirts,   exposing   their   luscious   figures，made   their   way   to   and   fro   among   the   tables,   offering   refreshments   and   taking   orders．Bar-tenders   busy   behind   their   counters,   were   skillfully   operating   their   bodies   in   precise   movements．A   slightly   intoxicated   middie-aged   man,   with   a   pair   of   upward   tilting   mustaches,   a   bulky   pouch   of   a   stomach,   was   busy   socializing．His   awkward,   comical   movements   as   he   got   up   from   his   seat   to   greet   friends   and   acquaintances，shake   hands   and   chat   affably   before   sitting   down   again，gave   one   the   impression   of   a   jack-in-the-box．A   waitress   passing   by   Dimitri’s   table   accidentally   dropped   her   order   pad   at   his   feet   and   he   smiled   at   her   quandary,   for   hampered   by   her   tight-fitting   mini   skirt，she   couldn’t   bend   down   to   pick   it   up．However,   she   bent   one   knee   in   a   graceful   curtsey,   keeping   her   body   erect，picked   up   her   pad   and   smiled   triumphantly   at   him   saying，"Sorry   to   bother   you，sir.”     Dimitri   returned   her   smile．Megginn   came   back   to   the   table,   only   to   be   whisked   away   to   the   dance   floor   again   and   again;   her   beauty   and   good   nature   made   her   the   ideal   partner   for   the   young   men   there．

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        Time   flew   by   as   Dimitri   surveyed   his   surroundings．The   band   played   one   tune   after   another．On   the   large   screen，names   and   numbers   flashed．"Mr．XXX   donated   $XXX"，while   appreciative   applause   rose   and   fell．Then   the   band   abruptly   changed   to   a   hot，fast   tune   and   the   dancers   accelerated   their   speed,   swinging   energetically   to   the   music．Their   frenzied   forms，swinging   to   the   rhythm   of   a   silent   chorus，dancing   in   elation，reminded   Dimitri   of   the   shadowy   silhouettes   he   saw   in   the   corner   of   the   luxurious   office   building   that   afternoon．For   a   moment，he   had   the   illusion   that   they，too，had   joined   the   ball．But   no．These   were   real   flesh   and   blood   humans，though   their   deliriously   giddy   movements   seemed   to   indicate   eager   intentions   to   separate   their   souls,   if   any,   from   their   bodies   through   these   intense   vibrations．Answering   the   call   of   nature，Dimitri   stood   up   and   left   the   ballroom．On   the   way   through   the   spacious，empty   hallway，he   was   joined   by   an   old   gentleman   in   his   sixties，bound   for   the   same   destination．Almost   at   the   same   time，they   entered   the   men’s   room，each   chose   a   urinal   and   stood   side   by   side．With   the   same   movement,they   unzipped,   took   out   their   penises   and   let   go．Dimitri   quickly   put   back   his   penis   and   zipped   up   his   trousers,   but   the   old   man   was   slow   in   urinating．After   over   sixty   years   of   use,   his   muscles   were   flabby   and   loose   and   he   had   trouble   compressing   the   superfluous   liquid   out   of   his   body．As   Dimitri   was   drying   his   hands,   the   old   man   came   up   to   the   basin．He   smiled   and   said，

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        "Hi   !   How   d’ya   do?   I’m   Mike   Keilly.”

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        "Hi!     Glad   to   meet   you．You   must   be   the   great   real   estate   magnet．I’m   Dimitri.”

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        "Glad   to   meet   you   too．What’s   your   line   of   business?"

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        "I   don’t   really   do   much．Just   loaf   around   and   play   a   little   with   stocks.”

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        "You   must   be   one   of   the   Wall   Street   movers   and   shakers.”

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        "Why   so?"

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"Because   only   major   clients   of   World   Bank   all   over   the   nation   were   invited   tonight.   Some   flew   in   especially   for   it．I   knew   president   Kaffee   was   a   great   one   for   business,   but   I   never   dreamed   he   was   in   for   charity   as   well.”   He   moved   over   to   one   of   the   hand-drying   machines   and   continued．"I   wonder   why   he   isn’   here   tonight．It’s   impolite   not   to   show   up   at   his   own   fund-raising   function，especially   when   the   guests   came   at   his   personal   request．I   wonder   what’s   keeping   him?"     Dimitri   kept   a   discreet   silence   while   saying   to   himself，

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        "Of   course   he   can’t   come．He’s   been   turned   into   stone   and   no   longer   needs   to   take   a   leek.”

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"I’m   afraid   his   absence   will   dampen   the   ardor   of   the   donors.”

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“No,   I   don’t   think   so,”   said   Dimitri．"I’m   sure   they   will   attain   their   projected   amount   and   more.”

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        "I’m   not   as   optimistic   as   you   are,   sir.”

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        "Just   wait   and   see.”   They   nodded   at   each   other   and   went   their   own   way，their   reflections   disappearing   from   the   polished   mirror．

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The   hallway   was   not   as   deserted   as   it   was．A   young   man   was   using   the   public   phone   at   one   end   and   an   arrestingly   beautiful   woman   in   a   pale   blue,   daringly-cut   evening   gown   was   smoking   in   the   lounge．Her   gown,   which   left   one   dazzling   white   shoulder   and   arm   bare,   was   sewed   with   gold   thread．She   sat   there,   legs   gracefully   crossed,   one   hand   holding   a   lighted   cigarette，a   picture   of   indolent   decadence．She   might   be   anything   from   a   dissolute   harlot   to   a   Bohemian   artist．As   Dimitri   sauntered   by   her   sofa，he   glanced   casually   at   her．The   encounter   of   two   pairs   of   eyes   caused   an   unprecedented   impact   that   gave   his   heart   a   great   jolt．That   noble   forehead,   finely   chiseled   chin,   sad   eyes   deep   as   a   pool，seemed   hauntingly   familiar，but   he   could   not   for   the   life   of   him   remember   where   he   had   seen   her   or   recall   which   dream   she   had   once   appeared   in．He   heard   someone   call，

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"Chanel,   come   in!   The   meeting   has   begun!"And   the   young   woman   put   out   her   cigarette   butt,   stood   up   and   followed   Dimitri   into   the   ballroom．

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        The   music   had   stopped   and   Megginn   was   on   the   platform,   speaking   passionately   and   persuasively   about   her   charity．She   then   thanked   the   absent   Mr．Kaffee   for   sponsoring   the   function   and   then   announced   her   intention   of   donating   all   of   the   one   million   dollar   grant   given   to   her   by   World   Bank   to   charity．Enthusiastic   applause   accompanied   her   back   to   her   table,   where   Dimitri   stood   up   clapping   to   salute   her．

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        "Thank   you,”   she   said   as   she   sat   down．"Where   were   you?   I   thought   you   were   bored   and   slipped   away!"

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        "Oh   no!   I   would   never   do   that   to   you．I   just   went   to   the   men’s   room.”

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"I’m   sorry   to   have   left   you   to   your   own   devices   all   night．Oh,   my   feet   are   killing   me!"   she   moaned．"High   heels   are   really   a   plague,   especially   when   dancing．I’d   give   anything   to   take   off   my   shoes,   soak   these   poor   feet   in   warm   water   and   give   them   a   good   massage．But   it   was   for   a   good   cause   and   my   labor   will   bear   fruit,   because   I’ve   been   lobbying   hard   and   they   all   promised   to   donate.”

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        At   a   nearby   table   the   young   woman，Chanel，kept   glancing   at   them   with   a   puzzled   expression;     as   if   she   too,   was   searching   her   memory   for   his   familiar   figure,   trying   to   recollect   where   they   had   met   before．On   the   platform,   the   vice   president   was   drumming   up   donations．The   amount   became   larger   and   larger，as   if   the   donors，unwilling   to   be   outdone   by   others   were   competing   to   prove   their   wealth   and   status．Dimitri   sat   there,   aloof   and   quiet，an   outsider,   untouched   by   the   noisy,   excited   enthusiasm.   Suddenly   it   dawned   on   him   that   she   was   the   spiritual   and   beautiful   nun   he   had   met   at   daybreak   on   the   street   during   his   wanderings．It   was   she   who   wrapped   his   wounded   hand   so   softly   with   her   handkerchief   so   that   though   his   wounded   hand   was   torn   and   bleeding,   he   did   not   feel   the   pain．   Why   was   she   dressed   like   that   now?   he   wondered．   Had   she   left   the   orders?     He   then   remembered   that   he   had   caught   a   glimpse   of   her   as   she   bathed   in   a   hot   spring   pond，set   like   a   pearl   in   the   midst   of   tall   trees   and   luxuriant   tropical   flowers,   when   a   huge   carnivorous   leaf,   fresh   and   dewy，curled   up   and   enveloped   her．He   had   cried   out   and   run   to   help   her,   but   had   woken   up   with   a   start   from   his   dream，thereby   losing   all   traces   of   her   whereabouts．Fancy   meeting   her   here!   He   did   not   know   how   long   he   had   sat   there   immersed   in   thought   and   reverie,   but   the   words   of   the   vice   president   woke   him   up   to   reality，

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        "Though   the   donations   are   still   far   from   meeting   our   goal,   it   is   more   than   what   the   President   was   able   to   amass   for   his   presidential   campaign．Thank   you，ladies   and   gentlemen，for   your   generosity．We   have   to   stop   now   and   go   on   with   the   other   items   of   tonight’s   program，but   a   special   account   has   been   opened   at   World   Bank．I   hope   those   of   you   who   are   interested   in   aiding   the   cause   of   the   disabled   will   continue   to   send   in   your   checks   to   that   account.”

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        "Wait   a   minute,”   called   out   Dimitri   standing   up．"I’ll   donate   two   billion   dollars.”

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        "Two   million   dollars?   Good!   Ladies   and   gentlemen,   this   gentleman   here   has   donated   two   million   dollars!   Thank   you   very   much,   sir!"

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"No，no，no．Not   two   million．Two   billion   dollars．Billion．B   as   in   boy.”     A   ripple   of   surprise   and   disbelief   passed   through   the   room   as   heads   turned   to   see   who   it   was   that   made   such   a   preposterous   offer．

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        "Two   billion,   sir?     Did   I   hear   right?     Or   was   it   a   slip   of   the   tongue?   How   can   you   prove   you   will   honor   the   donation?"     Snickers   of   ridicule   and   derision   grew   louder   as   did   the   exclamations   of   surprise   and   disbelief．Dimitri   made   his   way   calmly   to   the   platform   and   handed   a   slip   of   paper   to   the   vice   president,   saying，

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        "Since   you   are   the   vice   president   of   World   Bank,   I   think   you   will   recognize   this.”         The   man’s   eyes   bulged   as   he   looked   at   the   specially   designed   check   assigned   to   Dimitri   Jackson   for   his   huge,   astronomical   transactions   and   recognized   the   unique   scrawl   resembling   a   soaring   dragon．He   announced   in   a   trembling   voice，

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"Two   billion   dollars   from   Mr.   Dimitri   Jackson!"   The   room   was   in   an   uproar   and   everyone   craned   their   necks   to   catch   a   glimpse   of   the   mysterious   trillionaire   who   had   never   before   been   seen   in   public．To   think   that   he   had   anonymously   been   in   their   midst   all   night   long   and   no   one   had   discovered   it!   Before   their   excited   exclamations   subsided,   Dimitri   had   quickly   grabbed   Megginn’s   arm   and   strode   for   the   exit．They   were   like   two   brilliant   shooting   stars，spinning   quickly   in   a   huge   arc   across   the   sky,   past   the   myriad   of   twinkling   stars   that   stood   by   in   awe   and   admiration   until   they   disappeared   from   view．

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        At   the   parking   lot   near   the   waterfront,   the   beige-colored   old   Cadillac   was   parked．Discreet   ripples   slowly   rocked   the   boats   moored   there,   like   a   mother’s   hand   gently   pushing   the   cradle．In   the   distance,   strands   of   jazz   music   floated   down   intermittently   from   the   nearby   saloon,   creating   a   dream-like   atmosphere．A   pair   of   lovers   was   strolling   down   the   waterfront．Megginn   raised   her   eyes   to   look   at   him   and   asked,

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"Are   you   really   Dimitri   Jackson,   the   mysterious   trillionaire?   I   can’t   believe   it!"        

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"The   stars   are   my   witnesses"   swore   Dimitri   in   mock   seriousness.

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        "After   I   went   through   a   box   of   your   papers,   I   was   really   impressed   with   your   financial   genius．You   became   my   hero   and   I   prayed   every   night   that   one   day   I   would   meet   you．Tonight   that   dream   came   true.”

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        "You   must   be   disappointed   to   find   that   your   idol   has   clay   feet,   and   I   am   only   a   poor   homeless   person.”

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        "Oh   yes!   I   had   meant   to   ask   you   why   you   posed   as   a   homeless   person?"

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        "It’s   hard   to   explain   to   you   in   a   few   words．Life   to   me   is   but   a   game   to   be   played   at   my   pleasure,   and   the   life   of   the   homeless   has   certain   attractions   that   are   irresistible   to   me．Their   life   is   hard   and   not   many   people   can   stand   these   trials   and   tribulations,   but   don’t   you   think   the   homeless   are   the   freest   people   on   earth，unhampered   by   conventions   and   whose   eccentricities   attract   little   attention?"     Megginn   nodded   half   comprehendingly．   "I   will   continue   to   live   my   present   mode   of   life   until   I   go   blind．I   want   to   have   my   last   glimpse   at   this   world,   so   beautiful   that   I   cannot   stand   leaving   it.”

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"You   will   go   blind?     Oh   Dimitri,   can   nothing   be   done?"     Dimitri   looked   at   the   stars．

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"It   is   the   will   of   heaven,   ordained   from   on   high   and   cannot   be   changed.”   A   pregnant   pause   followed．

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"It’s   ok，Dimitri,”   said   Megginn   gently．"I’ll   always   be   with   you．I   will   be   your   eyes   and   take   care   of   you   for   the   rest   of   my   life.”

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        Dimitri   turned   his   eyes   to   heaven   in   gratitude   that   before   the   dreaded   day   arrived,   he   was   able   to   meet   this   gentle   talented   beauty.   Not   only   was   her   appearance   beautiful,   but   most   important   of   all,   she   had   a   kind   heart．He   could   entrust   her   with   the   management   of   his   Kingdom．

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        "Megginn，I   hope   you   will   become   a   member   of   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams   and   become   its   general   executive   administrator.”

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        "Your   Kingdom   of   Dreams?   What   is   that?   Is   it   far   from   here?"

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        "It’s   far,   far   away，but   I’m   sure   you’ll   like   it   there．It   is   prettier   than   paradise   and   is   inhabited   by   many   talented   beauties   who   would   be   enchanted   to   have   you   as   their   new   companion．I’m   sure   you’ll   be   good   friends.”

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        "Is   there   really?   Oh，how   wonderful!"     Megginn   jumped   for   joy．"Oh，take   me   there，take   me   there.”     Then   she   remembered   her   old   friend,   the   car.     “But   I   will   have   to   make   arrangements   for   my   car   first．I   can’t   leave   just   like   that.”

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        "There   are   many   things   in   life   that   are   inevitable   ,Megginn．Sometimes   you   have   to   make   painful   choices   and   give   up   what   you   must．One   day   you   will   have   to   leave   even   your   flesh   body，not   to   say   your   car..."     Megginn   did   not   reply．To   lighten   the   mood   and   break   the   silence，Dimitri   said，   "I’m   sure   you’d   love   it   there   and   I’ll   gladly   take   you，but   you   might   find   things   unconventional．My   people   believe   in   keeping   life   simple，preserving   the   naivete,   innocence   and   carefree   nature，so   the   beauties   in   the   Kingdom   have   all   gone   back   to   Nature,   as   it   were，regarding   clothing   as   superfluous，an   encumbrance   on   the   flesh   body.”     Dimitri   glanced   at   her   and   saw   she   had   taken   the   bait．Her   eyes   grew   round   in   astonishmerit．

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        "You   mean   they   go   around   naked?"

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        "Yes，my   dear，"said   Dimitri，"and   so   will   you   when   you   go   there.”   Megginn   gave   him   a   white   eye．"Don’t   you   want   to   go?"

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        "I’d   like   to，but   you   can’t   give   up   everything   here   just   like   that..."

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        "If   you   won’t   go，I’ll   be   leaving,”   said   Dimitri   and   made   as   if   to   go．

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        "I   didn’t   say   I   won’t"   said   Megginn   hastily．Then   she   pouted   seductively   and   said，"But   my   legs   are   tired   now,   so   you’ll   have   to   carry   me.”     Dimitri   swung   her   up   and   carried   her   to   the   beige-colored   Cadillac   like   a   newly-wed   couple   crossing   the   threshold   and   then   drove   off   into   the   deep   of   the   night．That   was   how   Megginn   came   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams,   took   over   Ileen’s   duties   and   became   an   important   member   of   Dimitri’s   Kingdom．

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The   warm   autumn   sun   shone   on   the   earth．Tender   green   grass   gradually   turned   brown   and   fallen   leaves   and   flowers   covered   the   ground．Formerly   luscious   foliage   were   gone，leaving   only   bald   branches   now．Dimitri   had   resumed   his   old   habits．Wearing   his   ragged   garments，he   was   lying   lazily   on   the   park   bench,   half   asleep,   half   awake,   hazily   conscious   of   his   surroundings．In   the   skies,   the   changes   of   night   and   day   succeeded   each   other   and   life   went   on   wake   and   sleep,   wake   and   sleep,   in   the   same   repetitious   cycle．The   daily   routine   deepened   his   impressions   which   were   as   natural   to   him   as   his   own   steady   breathing．More   and   more，he   felt   like   a   fish，now   swimming   up   to   the   surface   of   the   water，now   sinking   down   to   the   depth   of   the   sea．This   year，time   really   seemed   to   fly   and   it   was   autumn   again．But   the   speed   of   time   could   actually   be   controlled   by   one’s   emotions．Dimitri   let   nature   go   on   its   own   stable   schedule，from   spring   to   summer，from   autumn   to   winter，while   he   himself   lived   in   his   own   ever-changing，creative   impressions，according   to   his   own   concept   of   time．Now   sunlight   was   warming   his   body．How   different   was   it   from   the   warmth   of   spring?   Dimitri   opened   his   drowsy   eyes   and   looked   around．Suddenly,   he   found   it   was   spring   again．The   grass   was   green,   the   flowers   were   blooming   on   the   branches   amid   green   luxuriant   leaves   and   butterflies   were   dancing   among   them   all．Yes，he   lived   in   his   own   time   frame，different   from   the   outside   world．In   the   distance，he   saw   Mark’s   fat   figure   walking   towards   him   with   a   used   condom   in   his   hand,   which   he   was   blowing   like   a   balloon．When   it   burst,   he   tossed   it   away．A   butterfly   caught   his   attention   and   he   ran   after   the   agile   fluttering   creature,   his   bulky   body,   free   and   happy,   moved   clumsily   in   the   rapid   flood   of   time．He   was   happy   because   he   did   not   have   to   use   his   brains,   just   letting   his   limbs   move   indulgently,   however   it   would,   in   the   flood   of   time．Dimitri   understood   Mark’s   happiness，but   his   consciousness   was   growing   blurred   and   he   felt   sleepy．How   wonderful   it   was   not   to   have   to   think．Hazier   and   hazier．How   wonderful   it   was   not   to   have   to   think．Mark’s   clumsy   body   moving   in   the   flood   of   time．How   happy…How   happy..．Didn’t   have   to   use   his   brains…   Dimitri   grew   drowsier   and   drowsier.   Happy   Marky   boy   letting   his   limbs   move   carefree   in   the   flood   of   time…indulgently，however   it   would．Dimitri’s   consciousness   was   getting   blurred,   getting   blurred．

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Just   as   he   was   dropping   off   to   sleep，he   heard   someone   calling，"Dimitri!   Dimitri!"   and   he   woke   up   with   a   start   to   see   before   him   the   beautiful,   smiling   face   of   a   young   girl．Her   bright   moist   eyes   and   slightly   swelling   breasts   showed   that   golden-haired   Mary   had   grown   up   into   a   young   lady   now.  

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"Where   have   you   been   Dimitri?   I   haven’t   seen   you   these   last   few   days.”

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        "I’ve   been   busy.”

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        "I   know,   you   must   have   been   making   dreams,   right?"

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        "Well，maybe．I   don’t   quite   know   myself.”

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        "Look!   I   brought   you   some   doughnuts   for   dinner.”   she   said   and   handed   him   a   brown   paper   bag．Mary   had   worked   as   a   salesgirl   in   a   nearby   doughnut   shop   ever   since   her   early   teens．Reticent   by   nature，she   never   talked   much   about   herself,   so   no   one   knew   from   whence   she   came   or   where   she   lived．The   only   thing   they   were   certain   of   was,   she   was   working   her   way   through   school．She   had   a   soft   spot   in   her   heart   for   Dimitri   and   often   kept   for   him   some   of   the   day-old   doughnuts   which   were   normally   thrown   away．

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        "Thank   you   Mary.”   Just   then，he   saw   there   was   another   girl   behind   her   on   the   tandem   they   were   riding   together，both   of   them   dressed   exactly   alike   in   short-sleeved   white   blouses   and   faded   blue   jcans．

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        "Hi   Dimitri!"   the   girl   said，"Do   you   remember   me?"   Dimitri   looked   at   her   and   saw   a   cute   teen   age   girl，who   seemed   somewhat   familiar，though   he   couldn’t   recall   where   they   had   met   before．

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        "I’m   Sheila．We   met   in   the   sewer,   remember?"   Dimitri   suddenly   recalled   the   crippled   young   prostitute   he   once   met   in   the   underground   sewer．"But   I’m   no   longer   in   that   business   and   I’ve   quit   drugs．Now   I’m   working   at   the   same   doughnut   shop   as   Mary   and   we’re   going   to   school   together.”

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        "How   wonderful!"   exclaimed   Dimitri．"I’m   so   glad   for   you!"

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        "We’ve   just   gotten   off   work   and   have   to   go   to   the   evening   classes   tonight．Good-bye!"

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        Dimitri   looked   at   the   departing   forms   of   the   two   girls，fresh   and   lovely   as   two   dewy   roses,   with   bright   futures   ahead   of   them   and   felt   really   happy．

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"These   last   few   days，I’ve   been   dreaming   too   much,”   he   muttered   to   himself．"Even   a   fish   that   crouches   too   long   in   deep   waters   of   fantasy   cannot   withstand   the   pressure,   so   I   had   better   come   up   to   the   surface   and   experience   more   of   real   life．   Life   without   dreams   is   boring，but   too   much   of   it   will   put   me   out   of   touch   with   reality．Yesterday,   I   dreamed   of   attending   a   fabulous   ball   with   an   exotic   beauty   on   my   arms   that   turned   every   head   and   I   even   donated   two   billion   dollars   to   charity!"   He   laughed   in   derision．"Heaven   knows   I   am   just   a   penniless,   homeless   person"   he   thought．"If   I   were   the   King   Dimitri   of   my   dreams   with   a   huge   fortune   and   a   harlem   of   beauties   all   in   love   with   me，I   would   not   have   as   much   qualms   about   the   day   I   become   blind．But   alas,   I   have   nothing.”

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The   changes   of   Dimitri’s   facial   expression   were   as   mercurial   as   his   train   of   thoughts．His   inevitable   blindness   touched   him   to   the   quick   and   sunny   laughter   faded,   to   be   clouded   over   by   a   deep   gloom．The   future   was   so   uncertain．Any   minute,   the   hair   on   which   the   sword   of   Fate   was   hung   might   break，cutting   off   forever   his   visual   links   to   this   beautiful   world．And   the   sad   part   was,   no   earthly   power   could   avert   this   tragedy．The   only   thing   to   do   was   to   live   from   day   to   day．Yes,   it   was   better   to   go   and   hide   in   the   deep   waters,   away   from   it   all,   and   stay   there．Dimitri’s   heart   contracted   with   pain   as   he   thought   of   how   his   vision   was   getting   more   and   more   blurry   each   day．Yes，he   needed   a   haven,   a   quiet,   dark   place   to   hide   forever   from   this   cruel,   cruel   world.   Rubbing   his   eyes,   Dimitri   looked   at   the   multi-colored   clouds   scattered   in   the   twilight   sky：orange，fiery   red   and   light   purple   lined   with   the   golden   glitter   of   the   setting   sun．He   suddenly   saw   a   slim，fairy-like   figure，dressed   in   a   flowing   gown   of   the   finest,   flimsy   lace，jumping   from   cloud   to   cloud   and   disappearing．   She   was   too   far   away   and   moved   too   fast   for   him   to   make   out   her   features．Was   this   fantasy   or   reality?     He   rubbed   his   eyes   again．Was   there   really   a   fairy   or   was   he   steeped   in   his   fantasy   again?  

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Suddenly   a   sweet   voice   broke   into   his   reverie.   "Excuse   me   sir，but   have   you   seen   a   young   man   in   his   twenties，about   six   foot   four，three   hundred   pounds,   dressed   in   a   yellow   T-shirt   and   black   slacks?   He   is   a   little   retarded.”     Dimitri   woke   with   a   start   and   saw   before   him   Laverne,   the   beautiful   girl   he   first   met   in   the   half-burnt   house．

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        "You   mean   Mark?   He   was   here   a   while   ago.”

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        "Thank   you，sir．I’ve   been   looking   for   him   all   day．If   you   saw   him   a   while   ago，he   must   still   be   around   somewhere．I’ll   go   and   look   for   him   around   here.”

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        "Wait   a   minute,   Laverne．It’s   getting   dark   and   this   place   is   full   of   prostitutes   and   drug   traffickers,   not   a   safe   place   for   a   young   girl   like   you   to   wander   around   in．You’d   better   get   into   that   old   beige-colored   car   and   let   me   drive   you   around   slowly   as   you   look   for   him.”

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        "How   do   you   know   my   name?"

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        "I   was   sleeping   in   the   rose   garden   yesterday   afternoon   and   overheard   your   talk   with   Mark.”   Laverne   blushed   with   embarrassment   as   she   recollected   that   scene   in   the   rose   garden   of   the   half-burnt   house．But   the   man   before   her   looked   kind   and   decent．However，she   was   hesitant   about   getting   into   a   car   with   a   stranger，not   a   wise   thing   for   a   young   girl   to   do，she   had   often   been   told．Dimitri   seemed   to   divine   her   thoughts．

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"Don’t   be   afraid．I   just   meant   to   be   of   help．You   can   drive．Here’s   the   key．   I   won’t   even   get   in,   if   you   prefer.”   Laverne   smiled   her   thanks．

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“There   shouldn’t   be   any   problem   if   she   was   in   control   of   the   wheels”   she   thought，so   they   got   into   the   car   and   she   started   the   engine．

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        "Be   careful,"   warned   Dimitri．"Two   of   the   cylinders   are   dead,   so   the   car   often   stalls，that’s   why   I   didn’t   want   you   to   drive   alone.”   Strange   to   say，in   Laverne’s   hands，the   car   started   out   as   smoothly   as   if   it   were   a   brand   new   one．It   seemed   to   have   a   life   of   its   own   and   knew   that   this   young   woman   at   the   wheel   was   lighter   than   its   mistress，Megginn，and   had   better   and   nimbler   driving   techniques．

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        "Wow!   Your   driving   is   really   impressive!   You   work   wonders   even   with   this   almost   unserviceable   old   car.”

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        "There’s   nothing   to   it   really．I’m   used   to   taking   care   of   sick   people   and   I   treat   this   car   as   if   it   were   a   patient   needing   tender,   gentle   care.”

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        "You’re   a   nurse   then?"

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"No.”   From   their   random   conversation   during   the   drive,   Dimitri   got   to   know   that   Laverne   lived   with   and   took   care   of   a   blind,   paralyzed   old   mother,   an   invalid   father   and   a   retarded   brother．The   amazing   thing   was   they   were   no   blood   relations   of   hers．He   marveled   at   his   luck   in   meeting   again   yet   another   goodhearted   young   woman．Her   voice   was   sweet,   her   words   though   few   were   concise,   fully   expressing   her   brave,   stoic   character．

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        "You’re   so   kind   and   generous，Laverne．Aren’t   too   many   people   like   you   around   any   more   in   this   world.”

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"Not   really．They   brought   me   up   and   I   feel   the   least   I   could   do   was   to   tend   them   in   their   old   age．It’s   nothing   to   brag   about.”     The   car   cruised   around   the   blocks   as   the   night   got   darker,   but   no   trace   of   Mark   was   to   be   found．Laverne   began   worrying   about   her   parents   at   home   needing   her   attention   and   so   became   more   and   more   agitated．

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The   night   before，the   Johnsons   sat   around   their   dining   table，enjoying   a   sumptuous   meal   of   prime   ribs,   clam   chowder,   baked   potatoes,   boiled   onion,   creamed   corn   and   French   rolls   with   butter．Mark,   whose   appetite   was   enormous,   fell   to   ravenously   and   finished   his   share   quickly．Laverne   smiled，cut   half   of   hers   and   put   it   on   his   plate，glad   to   see   him   enjoying   his   food   so   much．Mr．Johnson，meanwhile，had   cut   his   portion   into   small   pieces   and   from   time   to   time   fed   choice   morsels   to   his   wife．She   could   not   eat   much，but   was   in   an   excellent   mood   and   drank   quite   a   bit   of   wine．Mr．Johnson   stared   at   the   red   wine   in   his   cup,   on   which   the   wavering   candle   light   flickered   like   an   image   of   paradise.     Drinking   his   wine,   he   talked   and   joked   with   his   family   at   the   dining   table,   full   of   an   amiable   atmosphere   of   happiness．Little   did   they   know   it   was   to   be   their   last   meal   together．After   dinner   Laverne   helped   the   old   couple   settle   down   in   bed．Tired   of   struggling   all   day，they   needed   to   enjoy   a   sweet   slumber   in   the   gentle   darkness．They   felt   tired   not   because   of   over-exertion，but   from   being   unable   to   stretch   and   extend   their   limbs．Mark   cleared   away   the   table   and   dumped   everything   in   the   sink,   his   huge   shadow   fluctuating   in   the   candle   light   as   he   moved   about，and   then   disappeared   from   view   when   he   went   up   to   his   room．Laverne   snuffed   out   the   candles   and   the   house   was   again   cloaked   in   darkness，lit   only   by   the   luminous   moonlight．She   made   her   way   softly   up   the   stairs   in   the   semi   darkness,   careful   to   avoid   the   creaky   spots   on   the   wooden   steps,   preferring   not   to   interrupt   the   peace   and   quiet   brought   by   the   moonlight．   She   had   had   a   hard   day   too，and   wished   only   to   relax   in   her   bath   tub   and   then   go   to   bed．

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Subdued   voices,   hoarse   and   husky,   could   be   heard   coming   from   the   room   of   the   old   couple，sounding   more   desolate   and   sorrowful   than   ever   in   the   quiet   night．Laverne   could   not   quite   make   out   what   was   being   said，but   recently   she   had   often   heard   Mr．Johnson   say，"The   human   body   is   like   a   tool   that   not   only   knows   how   to   use   itself，but   knows   and   can   co-relate   with   each   other’s   needs．It   is   this   co-relation   that   constitutes   human   society.”   She   had   heard   Mrs．Johnson   say，"Fate   is   like   a   factory，well   designed   and   well   equipped，but   no   matter   how   good   quality   control   is，there   is   bound   to   be   some   waste   product.”   But   Laverne   could   not   fully   understand   these   words   and   their   significance．She   did   not   bother   to   turn   on   the   lights   as   she   entered   the   master   suite，formerly   the   bedroom   of   Mr．and   Mrs．Johnson，which   they   could   no   longer   occupy   since   their   infirmity   would   not   allow   them   to   climb   up   stairs   any   more．For   convenience’s   sake，they   exchanged   quarters   with   Laverne,   who   used   to   sleep   in   a   room   downstairs．   Brittle,   artificial   light   would   only   bring   more   fatigue   and   she   was   exhausted   after   having   taken   care   of   three   sick   people   all   day．She   acknowledged   sadly   that   her   parents   were   sliding   swiftly   on   the   downward   path   and   needed   her   full   attention，so   that   she   no   longer   had   enough   energy   to   do   much   for   her   brother．She   contemplated   the   idea   of   sending   him   back   to   the   special   school   for   the   mentally   disabled，where   he   had   attended   before，so   that   she   could   concentrate   on   the   care   of   her   parents．But   unfortunately,   Mark   did   not   like   it   there   and   ran   back   home   as   often   as   he   could．To   force   him   to   live   in   an   institution   he   hated   would   not   be   fair   to   him，but   then   to   let   him   go   unsupervised   wherever   he   fancied   was   just   as   irresponsible．Laverne   was   in   a   quandary   and   did   not   know   what   to   do，so   she   pushed   the   problem   to   the   back   of   her   mind   and   tested   the   temperature   of   the   water   in   the   tub   which   was   almost   full．

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In   the   dim   night   light，she   began   stripping   off   the   fabrics   encumbering   her   body．She   yawned   and   stretched   in   front   of   the   full-size   mirror   behind   the   bathroom   door   and   examined   her   reflection．Yes，her   father   was   right，she   thought，human   bodies   were   like   tools．There   was   a   great   similarity   between   her   naked   body   and   a   bare   metal   tool,   for   hadn’t   she   used   her   body   to   do   a   lot   of   work   since   morning?   She   caressed   her   curvaceously   proportional   figure   and   felt   a   warm   sensitivity   upon   touch，as   if   the   vigor   and   vitality   imprisoned   in   that   body   was   ready   to   burst   out，like   a   wet，saturated   sponge   where   water   oozed   out   when   squeezed．Yes，she   thought，the   human   body   not   only   knew   how   to   use   itself，but   knew   and   could   co-relate   to   another   male   tool   to   fulfill   its   needs．She   stepped   daintily   into   the   bath   tub   and   lay   in   the   warm   water，letting   her   tense   muscles   relax   and   loosen，releasing   the   fatigue   ol   the   day．Splashing   water   against   her   body   to   wash   away   the   perspiration，she   thought   of   her   mother’s   words   on   how   Fate   was   like   a   well   designed，well   equipped   factory，but   she   thought   that   the   human   body，too，was   like   a   factory   that   could   produce   another   life   just   as   intricate   as   itself，but   could   not   guarantee   the   perfection   of   the   product．

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Slender，nimble   fingers   kept   splashing   water   on   her   body，causing   ripples   in   the   water，which   reminded   her   of   how   she   and   Mark   went   rowing   in   a   boat   one   summer   day   when   they   were   young，slowly   paddling   on   the   quiet   river．Mark’s   strong   arms   easily   manipulated   the   two   oars，while   she   sat   quietly   enjoying   the   scenery   on   both   shores，with   a   straw   hat   to   protect   her   from   the   sun．In   her   memory，Mark，solid   and   stale   as   a   mountain，was   someone   she   could   always   rely   on．But   that   was   years   ago．Now   they   had   both   grown   up．Not   only   had   her   body   developed   and   matured，her   thoughts   too   became   more   complex．But   Mark   while   physically   husky   and   robust   had   retained   the   IQ   of   a   child，still   reveling   in   fairy   tales．Was   that   a   tragedy   or   a   blessing   in   disguise?   The   feeble-minded   Mark   did   not   have   to   face   the   complex   problems   of   modern   society，but   neither   could   he   experience   the   satisfaction   and   happiness   of   solving   those   problems．Recently   neighbors   had   told   her   they   had   seen   Mark   fool   around   with   the   hookers   in   the   park，who   teased   and   played   practical   jokes   on   him,   getting   him   to   show   his   penis   in   public   and   telling   him   10+10=21．The   scene   in   the   kitchen   that   afternoon   came   to   her   mind，causing   her   heart   to   beat   faster   and   her   breath   to   come   quicker．Strange   sensations   came   to   her   and   the   saliva   in   her   mouth   seemed   to   multiply   on   its   own．Mark’s   large   penis   was   only   a   part   of   his   huge   body,   like   his   muscular   arms   or   elephantine   legs，why   then   did   it   make   her   heart   flutter   and   cause   her   such   restless   confusion?   Laverne   quickly   sat   up   in   the   tub   and   washed   off   the   soap   suds．As   she   dried   and   dressed   herself，putting   on   her   underwear   and   pajamas，she   thought   that   she   must   try   and   protect   Mark   from   falling   a   hapless   victim   to   the   AIDS   virus   which   was   spreading   at   an   alarming   speed.   That   afternoon   she   had   bought   some   extra   large   condoms   at   the   drugstore,   but   did   not   know   how   to   teach   him   to   use   them   for   his   own   protection．The   best   solution   was,of   course，for   Mr．Johnson   to   do   so，but   given   his   present   state   of   health，he   may   not   be   up   to   it．She   had   made   up   her   mind，that   should   the   occasion   rise，she   was   willing   to   make   the   ultimate   sacrifice   and   give   herself   to   him   as   an   outlet   for   the   natural   sexual   urges,which   might   otherwise   lead   him   to   unsafe   sex   outside   home．

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        The   cold   rays   of   the   full   moon   emphasized   the   size   and   emptiness   of   the   spacious   master   suite．Laverne   sat   on   the   edge   of   the   king   size   bed，which   had   once   witnessed   the   intimate   love   and   slumber   of   a   young   couple，now   pushed   relentlessly   by   Time   towards   the   final   line   in   the   flood   of   life,   their   once   young   and   supple   bodies   now   paralyzed   or   half-paralyzed．Their   hoarse，indistinct   murmurs   could   still   be   heard，like   a   pair   of   sleepless   phantoms,   conversing   in   the   deep   of   the   night．Sitting   there   alone   under   the   moonlight，Laverne   suddenly   had   the   eerie   feeling   that   there   was   another   heart   beating   nearby．She   looked   sharply   around   and   in   a   corner   where   the   moonlight   did   not   reach，she   discerned   a   pair   of   piercing   eyes   watching   her．

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"Mark！"she   cried   out，"What   are   you   doing   here?"   Then   patting   the   bed   she   said，"Come   here．Why   aren’t   you   in   bed?"     Mark   walked   over   very   slowly   and   stooped   down   in   front   of   her，putting   his   beseeching   hands   silently   on   her   knees．   Laverne   looked   down   at   his   troubled，yearning   eyes   and   understood   the   complex   urges   raging   inside   him，which   he   could   neither   understand   nor   express．She   took   him   in   her   arms   and   patted   his   wide   shoulders   as   if   she   was   comforting   a   favorite   pet，saying   "Poor   Marky   boy!"   thinking   it   was   time   to   give   herself   to   him   and   so   said   decisively，"You   may   do   whatever   you   want   to   do.”   Mark’s   huge   warm   hands   gently   caressed   her   soft，yielding   body   and   she   gave   them   full   rein，letting   them   roam   wherever   they   would．In   reality，Mark   himself   was   not   sure   why   he   had   come   to   her   room．His   violent   heartbeats   were   like   battle   drums   hastening   him   on．Perhaps   he   had   come   for   answers   to   the   puzzling   questions   that   had   tormented   his   simple   mind   after   looking   at   the   pornographic   magazines   he   found，such   as  

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"Why   don’t   females   have   penises?   How   then   did   they   take   a   leak?"

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"Why   did   the   male   penis   enter   the   female   body．It   was   like   a   key   fitted   into   a   1ock   to   open   it   up”．

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”How   does   it   feel?"   Wherever   the   warm   hands   touched,   the   fabrics   on   her   body   fell   away,   reminding   her   of   a   large,   beautiful   butterfly   Mark   caught   one   bright   spring   morning   and   whose   wings   he   tore   off   one   by   one．She   felt   like   that   butterfly   being   dismantled   when   she   let   him   rip   off   her   tiny，clinging   panties．Mark   parted   her   legs   and   penetrated．She   felt   wet   but   painful．Painful   but   sweet．

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        Wheels   screeched   as   Laverne   stepped   on   the   brakes   to   avoid   colliding   headlong   with   an   oncoming   motorcycle，which   flew   by   with   reckless   speed．As   the   rider   sped   away,   he   turned   his   head   and   sneered，"Are   you   blind?   Wanna   commit   suicide?"   In   that   instant，Dimitri   recognized   the   hideous   face   of   Big-O，the   ring   leader   who   was   strong   as   an   ox．The   sky   was   almost   dark，with   only   an   orange   tinge   left   by   the   setting   sun．The   car   cruised   on   round   and   round，but   no   Mark   was   to   be   seen．Actually   Mark   was   at   the   corner   of   the   park．It   was   getting   dark，just   the   time   when   ladies   of   the   night   emerge，and   he   mingled   happily   among   them，glad   for   so   much   attention   and   company．Last   night，hearing   Laverne   mention   she   was   considering   sending   him   back   to   the   special   school   which   he   hated，he   climbed   over   the   walls   of   the   house   when   everyone   was   asleep   and   ran   away．He   loved   to   roam   about   aimlessly，letting   his   limbs   rise   and   fall   with   the   tide   of   time．Now   night   was   again   about   to   fall．He   was   sitting   on   a   park   bench   talking   to   a   brazenly   dressed，ultra   exposed   woman，

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        "What   are   you   doing,   Mark?   Doing   your   beaver   patrol?"

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        "What’s   a   beaver   patrol?"   asked   Mark.   The   other   prostitutes,   bored   with   no   potential   customers   around,   walked   over   and   gathered   around   them．They   knew   Mark   was   retarded   and   loved   to   tease   him,   so   they   baited   him   to   pass   the   time．

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        "It   means   looking   for   a   cunt,   Mark"   one   of   them   explained   laughingly．Then   everyone   started   talking   together,   joking   and   plaguing   him,   taking   advantage   of   the   simplicity   of   his   mind．

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        "Do   you   have   money?   If   you   have   money,   I’ve   got   holes.”   They   giggled   and   laughed．

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        "I   have   no   money”,   he   unzipped   his   trousers   and   cintinued，"but   I   have   a   penis!   Do   you   have   one?   No,   you   don’t．If   you   want   to   make   love,   you   need   it．Why   should   I   give   you   money?"     That   made   them   laugh   uproariously．

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        "Why   the   bastard’s   getting   clever!"   They   crowded   around   him,   pinching   his   bulky   abdomen,   punching   his   fat   belly   and   playing   with   his   exposed   penis．Just   then,   sounds   of   urgent   running   feet   were   heard   and   a   husky   man   with   a   smoking   gun   came   running   towards   them,   looking   back   and   firing．It   was   Big-O,   their   head   pimp．

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"Scram!   It’s   a   bust!   The   cops   are   coming!"

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        The   women   screamed   and   shouted,   dispersing   like   a   flock   of   screeching,   flapping   hens   and   were   soon   out   of   sight,   leaving   Mark   standing   there   gaping   woodenly   and   uncomprehendingly．Big-O   thrust   the   smoking   gun   into   Mark’s   hand   saying，

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        "Here!   Here’s   a   toy   gun   for   you   to   play   cops   and   robbers   with．Fire   when   you   are   fired   at."     With   that   he   ran   away．Mark   looked   at   the   gun   in   his   hand   and   whooped   for   joy,   for   no   boy   could   resist   a   toy   gun.   He   jumped   up   and   down   happily,   aiming   at   trees   and   bushes   and   got   a   fright   when   he   pulled   the   trigger   and   it   went   off   with   a   bright   flash   of   orange   light   and   a   big   bang.   The   backlash   scared   him,   for   toy   guns   never   gave   off   flashes   like   that!   The   four，five   policemen   who   came   on   the   scene   saw   only   one   tall,   husky   man   firing   a   gun   and   they   too,   returned   fire．Before   he   knew   what   was   happening,   several   bullets   reached   their   target   and   Mark   fell   in   a   pool   of   blood,   though   not   mortally   wounded．This   distracted   the   police   and   gave   Big-O   the   chance   to   slip   away   unnoticed．

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Meanwhile   Laverne   and   Dimitri   were   cruising   around   the   quiet   blocks   and   were   surprised   when   police   cars,   sirens   in   full   blast,   surrounded   a   section   of   the   park．There   was   furious   action   as   officers   got   out   of   their   patrol   cars   with   guns   drawn   and   conferred   tensely   via   their   walkie-talkies．They   saw   them   all   run   towards   one   direction,   heard   an   exchange   of   shots,   the   wail   of   sirens   and   finally   saw   a   man   being   carried   out   to   the   ambulance   on   a   stretcher．Laverne   knew   at   a   glance   that   it   was   Mark,   and   without   getting   out   of   the   car，immediately   turned   around   and   tailed   the   ambulance   to   the   emergency   room   of   the   nearest   hospital．   Mark   had   fainted   from   loss   of   blood，but   luckily   had   not   been   mortally   wounded．He   did   not   fall   victim   to   the   AIDS   virus   as   Laverne   feared,   but   became   the   sacrificial   lamb,   the   fall   guy   of   the   gangster，Big-O．After   he   was   discharged   from   the   hospital，Mark   was   put   in   custody   of   the   special   school   for   the   severely   handicapped，a   place   he   had   always   hated．But   strange   to   say,   he   was   to   find   new   adventure   there．He   attracted   the   attention   of   Mrs．Simpson，his   middle-aged   sign   instructor，a   woman   in   her   forties，highly   intellectual，with   a   mature   beauty   that   made   her   a   much   sought   after   woman．She   was   like   a   peony   in   full   bloom,   nearing   the   withering   age   but   still   eye-catching   and   attractive．After   three   failed   marriages,   she   had   lost   all   faith   in   men,   convinced   that   even   the   most   qualified   among   them   could   not   be   trusted   to   remain   loyal   to   her   as   this   retarded,   big   boy   Mark．Finally，she   married   him   and   Mark   got   a   home   he   could   call   his   own．So   the   simple-minded   Mark   profited   from   his   misfortune．He   used   the   correct   key   to   open   yet   another   door．

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Seeing   Mark   settled   in   his   hospital   bed，and   knowing   that   as   serious   as   his   condition   was，the   wounds   were   not   fatal，Laverne   felt   more   at   ease．She   drove   quickly   home   to   attend   to   her   parents，grateful   for   the   use   of   the   old   car   and   its   owner，without   whose   help   she   would   not   have   known   what   to   do．As   she   neared   home，her   heartbeat   drastically   accelerated，as   if   surmising   something   untoward   had   happened．The   feeling   intensified   when   she   turned   into   the   narrow   street   and   saw   that   the   facade   of   the   familiar   old   house   at   the   end   was   pitch   dark，as   if   it   was   deserted，with   no   sign   of   life．Normally   the   lights   at   the   front   door   were   always   on   before   she   returned．Laverne   sprang   out   of   her   car   without   bothering   to   park   it   correctly   and   made   straight   for   the   door，which   would   not   open，however   she   rattled   it．The   door   was   never   locked   to   facilitate   the   two   old   people．The   premonition   of   disaster   heightened   as   she   ran   to   the   back   entrance，followed   closely   by   Dimitri   who   also   felt   things   were   not   quite   normal．When   she   found   that   the   back   door   was   also   locked，she   exclaimed   in   dismay，

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"Oh   no!     Something   must   have   happened!"

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Dimitri   forced   open   the   back   door   without   further   ado   and   the   two   of   them   rushed   in．Pungent   smell   of   gas   choked   them   and   seemed   to   infiltrate   right   into   their   brains．They   held   their   breaths   as   they   quickly   opened   doors   and   windows．The   gas   stove   in   the   kitchen   was   still   generating   gas，hissing   like   a   malicious，poisonous   snake．This   time   the   curse   of   the   devil   did   not   come   from   heaven   but   from   underground．When   the   ambulance   arrived，the   two   corpses   were   already   cold   and   stiff,   no   longer   needing   the   physician’s   care，so   they   were   taken   straight   to   the   morgue．   The   larger   corpse   was   John   and   the   the   smaller   sized   one   was   Lavyrl．Under   the   faint   starlight，they   were   taken   one   by   one   into   the   van．Their   role   on   earth   had   ended．Perhaps   on   another   planet,   they   would   enact   in   another   way．If   souls   existed，theirs   had   already   left   the   cold,   stiff   shell   of   their   bodies．The   ambulance   started   moving   slowly,   carrying   Lavyrl   and   John．They   left   after   their   last   scene．The   ambulance   carried   them   away．They   had   finished   their   last   play．The   ambulance   carried   them   away，along   a   familiar   road，to   a   strange   place．They   had   finished   acting   in   their   last   play．They   left．They   were   gone   forever．

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        The   house   by   the   road   stood   really   empty   now,   doors   and   windows   wide   open.   The   curtains   blown   outside   the   window   by   the   night   wind,   fluttered   and   flapped   desolately．Laverne   curled   up   inside   the   old   car，for   the   house   still   smelled   of   gas   and   was   inhabitable．Looking   at   the   old   house   over   which   a   curse   seemed   to   hover,   she   remembered   how   she   dreamed   of   planting   tall,   red   maple   trees   all   around   it   as   a   shield，and   covering   it   with   clouds   plucked   from   the   skies,   wrapping   the   house   and   its   occupants   safely   inside   and   protecting   them   from   the   curse   of   the   devil   descending   from   above．She   never   dreamed   that   this   time,   the   curse   would   come   from   underground．The   suffocating   fumes   poured   out   from   below   the   ground   in   an   endless   flow，like   the   hissing   of   a   poisonous   snake．The   devil’s   curse   was   inescapable   and   followed   every   member   of   the   family．She   murmured，"The   next   will   be   me!"   Dimitri   was   holding   her   in   his   arms,   while   her   head   rested   on   his   shoulders．He   patted   her   soothingly   and   said   positively   in   a   firm   voice，

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        "You   will   never   be   the   next   victim   of   the   devil,   Laverne.”

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        "Why   not?"

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"Close   your   eyes   and   rest   in   peace．When   you   wake   up   tomorrow，you   will   be   in   a   place   where   the   curse   of   the   devil   cannot   reach.”

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It   was   dusk．The   sky   was   gradually   darkening   but   in   the   west   a   few   brilliantly   colored   clouds   still   lingered，and   among   the   willow   trees   the   sparkling   of   water   could   still   be   discerned．Two   naked   beauties   were   laughing   and   chasing   each   other   in   the   scanty   woods，their   movements   so   well   synchronized   that   they   resembled   a   dancing   duet．The   lovely   floating   white   hair   of   one   was   like   a   cloud   of   white   smoke   when   she   moved   and   the   incredible   grace   of   the   movements   of   the   other   immediately   caught   Laverne’s   eyes   when   she   arrived   on   the   scene．She   didn’t   know   then   that   it   was   the   world-famous   ballerina，Natalie．But   in   the   twinkling   of   an   eye，the   two   disappeared   from   sight．Walking   on   towards   the   willow   trees   by   the   water,   another   amazing   sight   met   her   eyes：a   trio   of   naked   beauties   were   playing   in   the   water:   naughty   Dorna,   recently   arrived   Yoko,   and   the   native   girl   Deanna   .     They   shouted   and   laughed,   splashing   water   at   one   another   and   then   swam   to   play   tag   with   a   huge   fish   that   jumped   out   of   the   shallow   water．What   surprised   her   most   was   the   scene   on   the   shore   where   activities   bustled．Other   naked   beauties，not   inclined   to   active   sports，were   busy   running   to   and   fro   at   their   own   chosen   tasks．In   the   center   of   the   clearing,   a   pile   of   firewood   had   been   gathered   and   a   snake-haired   beauty   could   be   seen   lighting   the   fire．Her   well   developed   muscles   gave   out   a   feeling   of   power   and   wild   primitive   beauty．The   gentle   silken-skinned   oriental   beauty   Lotus,   was   preparing   food   on   a   square   log   table，assisted   by   Aisha，who   as   usual   knotted   her   hair   casually   at   the   nape   of   her   neck．On   the   other   side   of   the   table,   the   sophisticated   Samantha,   an   expert   at   mixing   cocktails,   was   making   the   drinks.   Musically   inclined   Marcelina,   the   Latino   beauty,   was   tuning   up   her   instruments．Megginn   was   talking   idly   with   Elina．The   newcomer   was   not   quite   accustomed   to   appearing   naked   in   public,   but   when   in   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams，"do   as   the   beauties   do"，so   she   had   discarded   all   encumbrances   like   the   rest．Her   mannerisms   were   somewhat   self-conscious   and   unnatural,the   tendency   to   sit   with   her   arms   crossed   and   legs   clamped   together   revealed   her   inner   shyness．The   rest   of   the   beauties   were   scattered   around，strolling   about   or   sitting，talking   in   twos   or   threes，seemingly   to   be   waiting   for   the   ceremony   in   honor   of   the   new   arrivals   to   begin．

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Not   long   after   noon-time   that   day，a   beautiful   young   woman   in   blood   red   leotard，bright   yellow   blouse   and   platform   scandals   arrived   at   the   helicopter   air   base，carrying   a   worn-out   suitcase   of   documents   she   was   bringing   back   to   the   Kingdom   to   complete   King   Dimitri’s   files．It   was   Megginn,   who   looked   with   wonder   and   awe   of   a   city-bred   person   at   the   miles   upon   miles   of   mountain   ranges   that   surrounded   a   wide   expanse   of   crystal   clear   lagoon．The   waves   lapped   the   shore   and   a   smoky   mist   covered   the   deep,   cool   waters．She   gazed   with   wonder   at   the   twin   peaks,   between   which   stretched   a   suspension   bridge,   like   a   colorful   rainbow   lying   across   the   sky   after   rain．The   ferocious   battle   did   not   seem   to   have   left   any   trace   on   the   Kingdom．Time   had   wiped   out   all   footprints,   including   those   of   human   culture．Looking   at   her   surroundings,   she   went   over   in   her   head   the   instructions   Dimitri   had   given   her．"Go   from   the   administrative   building   towards   the   bridge．Cross   to   the   Chinese   palace   on   the   opposite   peak   and   settle   down   before   doing   anything   else.”   Instantly   recognizing   these   places   by   the   graphic   descriptions   Dimitri   had   given   her，she   made   her   way   briskly，enjoying   the   scenery．She   was   amazed   at   the   spring   like   atmosphere，the   budding   trees，blossoming   flowers   and   intoxicating   breeze，for   it   was   autumn   when   she   parted   from   Dimitri．   Did   time   move   in   two   ways，both   clockwise   and   counterclockwise?   Alas，time   moved   on   soundlessly   and   motionlessly，as   carressingly   as   the   spring   breeze，removing   all   traces，be   it   war   or   human   culture．At   the   edge   of   the   square，Megginn   stopped   in   astonishment   to   enjoy   the   magnificent   foliage   and   the   bewildering   assortment   of   flowers   of   different   seasons   which   were   in   full   bloom   together．Roses，daffodils，chrysanthemums   and   Christmas   flowers   rubbed   shoulders   with   each   other．She   contemplated   on   the   similarity   between   humans   and   plants．Plants   sent   their   roots   deep   into   the   soil   to   get   nutrition，and   through   a   magical   process，it   bloomed   and   grew,   whereas   man   ate   food   which   turned   into   energy   for   the   body.   Just   then,   she   had   an   uncomfortable   feeling   in   her   abdomen   and   realized   it   was   the   beginning   of   her   menstrual   cramps   which   was   about   to   come   before   its   time   and   caught   her   unawares．Was   menstruation   a   sign   of   feminine   beauty   like   the   flowers   blossoming   on   the   branches?   Year   after   year，flowers   bloomed   in   the   spring   breeze，while   month   after   month   menstruation   came   to   the   human   female   body．There   was   a   kind   of   similarity   there．

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As   she   was   about   to   hurry   on，she   stopped   for   a   moment   to   study   with   curiosity   a   huge   white   Easter   lily   growing   on   a   rose   bush．Megginn   stretched   out   her   hand   and   was   about   to   touch   it   carressingly，when   she   heard   a   voice   call   out,

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        "Don’t   touch   me!     Don’t   touch   me!"   She   was   startled   and   gaped   in   fascination   as   the   flower   changed   before   her   eyes   into   a   white-haired   beauty．Megginn   said，

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        "Oh,   I’m   sorry   I   frightened   you．I   wasn’t   going   to   pluck   you．I   was   just   curious   how   an   Easter   lily   came   to   grow   on   a   rose   bush   and   wanted   to   feel   if   you   were   real.”

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        "It’s   alright,”   replied   the   fairy   who   knew   Megginn   meant   no   harm．"I   attached   myself   to   the   rose   bush   because   I   wanted   to   absorb   some   of   the   blood-red   color   of   the   rose．One   needs   the   nutrition   of   blood   to   make   one   beautiful,   you   know.”     Megginn   suddenly   recalled   that   Dimitri   had   told   her   about   a   beauty   in   the   Kingdom   who   was   transformed   from   an   Easter   Lily，and   knew   the   beauty   before   her   must   be   the   Flower   Fairy．She   heard   her   asking，

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        "Who   are   you?   I   don’t   think   we’ve   met   before.”

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        "I’m   Megginn．King   Dimitri   invited   me   to   join   his   Kingdom.”

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"Oh,   how   wonderful!"   the   Fairy   replied,   clapping   her   hands   excitedly．"I   must   tell   the   others   that   there’s   another   new   member!"   She   changed   into   a   cloud   of   white   smoke   and   streaked   towards   the   palace．Megginn   continued   on   her   way,   enjoying   the   myriad   of   spring   flowers   scattereds   everywhere,   so   rare   and   so   beautiful   she   felt   she   couldn’t   possibly   do   justice   to   them   all．On   the   drawbridge   suspended   in   midair，she   took   a   deep   breath   and   inhaled   air   so   pure   and   fresh   it   seemed   to   cleanse   her   body．She   felt   herself   becoming   so   light   that   the   slightest   breeze   could   lift   her   off   her   feet．If   an   Easter   Lily   could   change   into   a   fairy,   was   it   possible   for   humans   to   become   a   fairy,   too?   Of   course   it   was,   she   decided．

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        Soon   she   came   to   the   other   side   of   the   bridge   and   was   impressed   by   the   grandeur   and   magnificence   of   the   ancient   Chinese   palace   with   its   glittering   yellow   tile   and   tilting   eaves   of   carved   dragons．The   enormous   front   door   was   tightly   closed，but   by   the   side   entrance，two   naked   beauties   stood   waving   and   smiling，dwarfed   by   the   imposing   red   pillars   that   ornamented   the   entrance．It   was   White   Fairy   and   another   beauty   with   her   hair   casually   knotted   at   the   nape   of   her   neck．   Slightly   visible   wrinkles   by   the   side   of   her   eyes   only   accented   her   mature   beauty   and   noble   carriage．It   was   Aisha，who   said   smiling，

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"You   must   be   Megginn．King   Dimitri   has   already   notified   us   of   your   coming．Are   you   tired   by   the   long   journey，my   dear?   Your   rooms   are   ready   for   you．Would   you   like   to   lie   down   and   rest   for   a   while   to   refresh   yourself?"   She   chatted   affably   on   doing   her   best   to   put   the   new-comer   at   ease   as   she   ushered   her   into   the   hall．Before   she   could   introduce   her   to   her   new   surroundings,   a   host   of   naked   beauties   arrived．The   atmosphere   at   once   became   vivacious   while   they   introduced   themselves   and   welcomed   their   new   companion,   keeping   up   a   lively   chatter   all   the   way   to   her   spacious   and   expensively   furnished   rooms   on   the   third   floor．Everything   was   arranged   to   her   taste，as   if   she   had   designed   them   herself：thick   carpets，antique   furniture   and   a   wonderful   view   of   the   splendid   mountain   ranges．Aisha   then   formally   introduced   Megginn   to   the   others   who   welcomed   her   warmly．

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        Megginn   was   quite   overcome   by   their   beauty   and   friendliness   and   tried   her   best   to   match   the   names   of   the   beauties   to   these   beautiful   faces   surrounding   her．The   faces   and   naked   slender   figures   floated   around   within   her   vision   1ike   a   cloud   of   wavering   shadows   reflected   on   the   water，reminding   her   of   the   myriad   of   rare   blossoms   she   encountered   on   the   way   to   the   palace．Megginn   had   always   prided   herself   on   her   beauty，but   here   she   saw   that   every   one   of   them   were   at   least   her   equal．After   a   while，Aisha   said，

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        "We   should   let   Megginn   rest   a   while．Why   don’t   we   all   go   and   make   preparations   for   the   welcome   party   tonight   in   honor   of   Yoko,   Marcelina   and   Megginn?"   The   beauties   nodded   in   agreement   and   began   to   disperse，again   reiterating   their   welcome   and   asking   her   to   come   to   the   party   as   soon   as   she   felt   rested．Soon,   the   only   one   1eft   was   Aisha,   who   always   acted   as   hostess   and   initiated   the   new   members．Megginn   took   to   the   mellow   and   intelligent   woman   at   once   and   told   her   about   her   anxiety   regarding   her   coming   menstrual   period   and   asked   if   she   could   borrow   some   pads．Aisha   smoothed   the   hair   of   the   young   woman   softly   and   lovingly   as   a   mother   would   and   said   soothingly，

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"Don’t   trouble   yourself   about   these   trivial   things，Megginn．It’s   no   problem   at   all．Just   rest   and   take   it   easy．You   see   that   here   in   the   Kingdom   all   of   us   go   around   naked,   free   from   all   constraints．Everything   is   natural   and   casual   here．If   you   wish，Stephanie   could   teach   you   how   to   stop   your   period   altogether   so   you   won’t   be   bothered   with   it   any   more．Now   take   a   nap   Megginn,   and   when   you   feel   rested   come   and   join   us   by   the   lake.”

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        After   Aisha   left，Megginn   remained   seated   there,   not   knowing   what   to   do．She   kept   on   thinking   of   the   novel   events   of   the   day．What   a   strange   and   unique   place   she   had   come   to！   It   was   spring   time   in   autumn,   with   extravagant   flowers，floating   shadows   and   faces   which   drifted   away．What   a   strange   place   this   was！Year   after   year，flowers   bloomed   under   the   nurture   of   the   spring   breeze，and   month   after   month，menstruation   came，a   biological   function   that   was   a   part   of   a   natural   cycle．We   are   all   living   in   the   bosom   of   Mother   Nature．If   the   monthly   cycle   stopped，would   time   stay   still?   Probably   not，she   thought．Year   after   year，the   spring   breeze   would   blow   just   as   it   had   always   done   from   the   beginning   of   time．If   the   monthly   period   stopped，then   time   would   stop   and   women   would   not   age．They   would   remain   young   and   beautiful   as   they   were   now．Perhaps   time   flowed   in   two   directions．What   a   strange   place   this   was!   She   felt   drowsy,   scarcely   able   to   keep   her   eyelids   open;   so   she   decided   she   would   not   think   of   it   any   more．Walking   to   the   other   room,   she   lay   down   on   the   soft   inviting   bed   and   being   fatigued   fell   asleep．

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  In   the   faint   light   of   the   gloaming，Megginn   was   awaken   by   a   soft   nudge．She   opened   her   sleepy   eyes   and   saw   a   lovely   face   smiling   at   her．

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        "I   remember   you,”   she   smiled   back."You   are   Dorna.”

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"Right．Come   on，get   up!     It’s   time   for   your   welcome   party．We’re   all   waiting   for   our   guest   of   honor!"     Megginn   sprang   out   of   bed   and   the   two   left   the   suite   hand   in   hand   in   the   dusky   twilight．The   building   was   an   imitation   of   the   ancient   Chinese   palace，and   life   went   on   as   it   did   in   the   olden   days，without   electricity．The   main   hall   was   huge．magnificent，solemn   and   forbidding   and   made   one   feel   as   though   one   was   back   in   the   ancient   times   thousands   of   years   ago．The   severe   majesty   of   the   atmosphere   was   suffocating，so   if   it   weren’t   for   the   soft   spring   breeze   that   permeated   the   air   with   the   fragrance   of   flowers   and   the   refreshing   aroma   of   grass，Megginn   would   have   felt   as   if   she   were   in   the   tomb   of   a   feudal   emperor．   But   soft   as   the   spring   breeze   was，it   impregnated   an   immense   invisible   strength．Year   after   year，spring   breeze   blew   on   the   earth，awakening   the   flowers   and   plants   which   budded，grew   and   withered，just   as   time   cleansed   all   traces   on   the   sands   of   time，including   human   civilization．

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        The   two   of   them   walked   along   the   winding   paths   amidst   blooming   flowers   and   drooping   willows   till   they   came   to   the   clearing   by   the   side   of   the   lake．Dorna   saw   Yoko   and   Deanna   playing   in   the   water   and   immediately   dashed   to   join   in   the   fun，leaving   Megginn   to   chat   with   the   others.   Her   genial   friendly   attitude   made   her   easily   accepted   by   the   beauties，most   of   whom   felt   alienated   by   the   proud   and   forbidding   Ileen，who   always   kept   aloof．The   brilliant，rosy   cloud   in   the   west   had   long   been   swallowed   by   the   darkness   of   night，but   the   roaring   fire   with   its   dancing   flames   lit   up   the   clearing．Aisha   gathered   everyone   around   the   fire   and   formally   welcomed   Yoko，Marcelina   and   Megginn   to   the   Kingdom，amidst   enthusiastic   applause．Only   the   snake-haired   beauty，Medusa   seemed   inattentive，her   attention   distracted   by   some   slight   movement   behind   the   trees，and   she   kept   a   vigilant   watch   over   the   area   outside   the   range   of   the   fire．It   was   Laverne．Intimidated   by   the   unbelievable   scene   before   her，she   did   not   dare   to   come   forward．To   her，the   group   of   beauties   seemed   to   descend   from   heaven   to   gather   together   at   this   specific   spot   on   the   earth．Medusa   shouted   sternly，

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        "Who’s   there?   Come   forward!"   All   eyes   centered   on   the   direction   she   was   facing   and   saw   the   timid   form   of   Laverne   come   out   of   hiding   from   behind   a   tree   like   a   frightened   girl   who   had   misbehaved．

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        "Are   you   Laverne?"   asked   Aisha   kindly．"King   Dimitri   said   you   might   be   coming，but   I   didn’t   expect   you   so   soon．Come   on   here．You’re   just   in   time   to   join   the   welcome   party.”

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        "Yes，I’m   Laverne"   said   she，as   she   walked   closer   to   the   circle   around   the   fire．Everyone   clapped   in   welcome   and   quickly   made   room   for   her   to   sit   down．

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"This   is   wonderful!"   said   Aisha．"Our   number   is   growing．Life   would   be   merrier   and   more   interesting   than   ever.”   As   everyone   settled   down,   Marcelina   began   playing   the   guitar．Music   floated   in   the   open   air   and   wine   brought   added   color   to   the   already   beautiful   complexions   made   more   radiant   by   the   flickering   beams   of   flame．Yoko,   Dorna   and   Deanna   had   become   fast   friends,   and   Yoko   had   put   her   city   worries   and   sorrow   behind   her,   enjoying   life   and   happiness   as   she   never   had   before．Marcelina’s   ten   nimble   fingers,   like   hundreds   of   branches   trembling   in   the   wind,   brought   forth   music   which   directed   everyone’s   emotions，now   sad   and   sorrowful   silencing   the   light-hearted   laughter   and   chatter,   now   unrestrained   as   a   gushing   torrent．

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White   Fairy   transformed   from   an   Easter   lily，sat   far   from   the   blazing   fire．She   absented   from   eating,   but   drank   a   lot   of   wine,   giving   her   normally   pale   complexion   a   rosy   tinge．Naughty   girl   Dorna   chattered   on   with   more   than   her   usual   vivacity，seeming   to   be   slightly   intoxicated，now   and   then   nestling   for   a   while   in   Aisha’s   lap．Laverne,   the   most   recent   newcomer,   infected   by   the   group,   had   discarded   her   clothes,   the   hypocritical   cover   mandated   by   a   dissembling   society,   and   returned   to   nature,   as   naked   as   on   the   day   she   came   to   this   earth．She   had   lost   her   family   in   the   city,   only   to   join   an   even   larger   and   happier   one．Reassured   after   inspecting   every   face   and   finding   them   all   kind   and   easy   to   get   along   with，she   was   happy   with   this   new   haven．Marcelina’s   ten   magic   fingers   brought   forth   spontaneous   music．She   lived   in   the   twentieth   century，in   a   society   whose   steel-like   coldness   and   lack   of   friendliness   and   human   touch   had   made   her   feel   life   was   unbearable   and   existence   impossible．But   here   in   King   Dimitri’s   Kingdom,   with   the   blazing   fire,   ancient   palace，beautiful   natural   scenery   so   familiar   and   comfortable,   she   found   the   most   suitable   niche   for   herself．She   switched   to   an   old   popular   folk   song   everyone   knew   and   sang   in   accompaniment．The   beauties   joined   in．The   beautiful   female   chorus   was   the   most   wondrous   sound   in   the   world．

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The   fire   blazed，warm   fragrant   breeze   blew   and   blew   like   the   soft   even   breathing   of   a   young   mother   while   she   slumbered   in   the   deep   of   the   night，a   gentle   smile   on   her   sweet   face，enjoying   endless   dreams   in   the   long   nights   that   would   never   be   interrupted   by   the   light   of   dawn．The   warm   fragrant   breeze   blew   and   blew   from   the   beginning   till   the   end   of   time，like   the   soft   even   breathing   of   a   young   mother   while   she   remained   in   an   endless   dream   from   which   she   would   never   wake．The   beautiful   female   chorus   was   the   most   wondrous   music   in   the   world,   resounding   in   the   open   mountains．Just   then   Cyclops’obstinate   sperm，the   unshaped   fetus   which   had   struggled   out   of   Ileen’s   lifeless   body   was   attached   on   a   dandelion．The   sight   of   the   group   of   beautiful   women   singing   happily   fanned   the   fire   of   her   revenge.   Her   mother   used   to   be   the   most   beautiful   of   beauties,   but   came   to   such   a   tragic   end．She   would   never   forget   the   bitter   oath   of   vengeance   she   took   as   she   burst   forth   from   the   lifeless   womb   of   her   poor   mother．To   her   twisted   mind，the   beautiful   voices   raised   in   song   was   an   excruciating   torture，seemingly   to   be   the   tragic   howl   of   her   dying   mother   being   executed．The   warm   fragrant   wind   blew   gently．The   yet   unformed   fetus，still   too   fragile   to   be   master   of   her   own   actions,   was   blown   up   into   the   air，and   floated   like   pollen   in   the   domain   of   King   Dimitri’s   mysterious   Kingdom．

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Under   the   radiant   luminescence   of   the   full   moon   which   had   moved   to   the   center   of   the   sky,   the   water   in   the   lake   sparked   and   shimmered   in   a   myriad   of   pinpoints   of   light,   and   the   profile   of   the   mountain   ranges   became   more   clear-cut   and   distinct   than   ever．The   low   horizontal   ranges   of   the   Giant   Mountain   looked   amazingly   life-like，as   if   the   huge   giant   was   truly   struggling   to   move   his   paralyzed   body．The   beautiful   female   chorus   seemed   to   have   injected   in   him   a   strong   torrential   urge   for   resurrection．Around   the   fire，the   beauties   enjoyed   to   the   fullest   this   strange   exotic   night．Medusa,   however,   felt   ill   at   ease,   looking   around   tensely，alert   for   any   unusual   sound   or   movement．Suddenly,   she   stood   up   and   said，

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"Quick!   Put   out   the   fire   and   hide   behind   the   trees．An   unknown   foreign   body   has   entered   our   area   from   the   air   and   is   heading   this   way，It’s   hard   to   say   whether   it’s   friend   or   foe.”   Having   just   gone   through   the   trials   of   battle,   the   beauties   were   full   of   fear   and   trepidation.   They   quickly   got   some   water   from   the   lake,     put   out   the   fire   and   disappeared   into   the   woods．

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        Just   then   a   witch   on   a   broom-stick   appeared   in   mid-air．The   snake   hair   on   Medusa’s   head   stood   on   end   like   a   lion   aroused   and   she   was   about   to   transform   into   a   huge,   ferocious   bird   to   encounter   the   enemy,   when   Yoko   put   her   hand   restrainingly   on   Medusa’s   arm，saying，

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        "No．Wait，Medusa!     Don’t!     That’s   Grandma   Amalia   who   brought   me   up   like   her   own   flesh   and   blood．She   means   no   harm.”   The   witch   seemed   to   be   drunk;   swaying   unstably   on   the   broom．She   took   another   swing   at   the   bottle   in   her   hand   and   sighed，

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        "There   is   no   place   on   earth   I   haven’t   visited，but   never   have   I   seen   such   beautiful   waters   and   mountains．This   is   really   a   fairy   land   on   earth．With   a   full   moon   overhead   and   crystal   clear   blue   water   underfoot，it’s   too   beautiful   for   words!"   She   took   another   drink   from   her   bottle,   but   overwhelmed,   fell   headlong   from   her   broom．Too   drunk   to   fend   for   herseif，she   sank   like   a   stone   to   the   bottom   of   the   lake．Yoko   exclaimed，

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        "Help！It’s   my   Grandma   Amalia!”     Deanna,   an   expert   swimmer，immediately   dived   in   and   dragged   the   unconscious   form   of   the   old   woman   out   of   the   water．while   Medusa   continued   to   remain   alert   on   the   sidelines,   a   passive   spectator．Deanna   recessitated   the   old   woman,   who   threw   up   the   water   she   had   swallowed   and   slowly   regained   consciousness．She   hiccuped   drunkenly   and   muttered，

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"Thank   you．Thank   you   all.”   Dripping   wet   and   still   drunk，she   was   both   comically   distressed   and   embarrassed，but   the   dunk   in   the   ice-cold   water   of   the   lake   made   her   more   clear   headed   and   she   had   the   presence   of   mind   to   thank   her   saviors．   Looking   at   the   naked   beauties   surrounding   her,   Amalia   thought   she   had   come   to   fairyland．Just   then，a   delicate   Asian   beauty   came   out   from   amongst   the   group．She   had   bright   eyes,   lovely   dimples，   delicate   features   and   straight   coal   black   hair   hanging   down   her   shoulders   and   said，

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        "Amalia，how   did   you   come   here?   I’m   Yoko．Don’t   you   know   me?"

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        "Yoko！Is   that   really   you?   I’ve   been   looking   for   you   everywhere．How   come   you’re   here?"     They   were   both   so   happy   to   meet   again   that   they   held   each   other   in   a   tight   embrace   and   shed   tears   of   happiness．Aisha,   the   ever   hospitable   hostess,   said，

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        "Amalia   has   just   been   through   a   trying   experience．Since   she   is   Yoko’s   grandmother,   let’s   take   her   back   to   the   palace   and   let   her   rest．We   can   talk   tomorrow.”   Amalia   nodded   in   agreement，for   she   really   felt   weak   and   tired．Waving   her   hand   at   the   skies,   her   broom   flew   back   to   her   hand   obediently．She   held   it   upside   down，using   it   as   a   walking   stick   and   was   led   to   the   ancient   palace,   attended   by   the   group   of   beauties．

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        The   next   morning，Megginn   woke   up   early   to   a   mist   of   golden   light   outside   her   window．Completely   refreshed   and   invigorated   after   a   good   night’s   sleep，she   jumped   out   of   bed，washed   and   got   ready   for   the   day   with   alacrity．The   challenge   of   being   chief   executive   officer   of   King   Dimitri’s   fabulous   Kingdom   and   the   wish   to   use   her   knowledge   and   intelligence   to   the   fullest   and   bring   the   Kingdom   to   new   heights，stimulated   her   and   she   couldn’t   wait   to   get   started.   She   hesitated   at   the   doorway   of   her   room,   shy   and   self-conscious   at   the   unaccustomed   nudity,   loathing   to   step   out．She   felt   like   a   little   girl，naked   in   her   bathtub，who   suddenly   remembered   she   had   forgotten   to   bring   clean   clothes   with   her   and   was   filled   with   apprehension   at   the   thought   of   having   to   run   naked   to   her   room   to   get   them．But   the   thought   that   everyone   else   in   the   Kingdom   went   around   naked   without   qualms   somewhat   comforted   her，and   she   envied   them   their   naturalness   at   not   feeling   the   need   for   covering   their   flesh   body．So   she   left   the   room   and   went   down   the   stairs．In   the   great   hall，everything   was   completely   different   from   what   it   had   been   like   the   previous   night．Gone   was   the   dismal，forbidding   atmosphere，which   had   given   her   the   suffocating   feeling   as   if   she   were   in   an   ancient   tomb．The   bright   morning   sun   shone   on   the   scales   of   the   gold   dragon   behind   King   Dimitri’s   throne，giving   forth   an   almost   blinding   brilliance，infusing   the   great   hall   with   an   awesome   magnificence．The   dragon   itself   seemed   so   life-like   that   one   could   expect   it   to   soar   up   to   the   heights   any   moment．Stepping   out   of   the   hall，Megginn   saw   two   slender   figures   come   strolling   hand   in   hand   towards   her   from   out   of   the   golden   mist   of   dawn，chatting   and   laughing．Megginn   recognized   the   mature，benevolent   Aisha   and   the   gentle   quiet   Asian   girl，Lotus，who   daintily   held   a   pink   peach   blossom   between   her   fingers，both   of   whom   hastened   towards   her   when   they   saw   her   emerge   from   the   great   hall．Aisha   embraced   her   with   open   arms   and   asked，

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        "Why   don’t   you   sleep   longer，Megginn?     It’s   still   early.”

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        "I   had   a   good   night’s   rest   and   felt   uncomfortable   about   the   chaos   that   must   be   in   the   administrative   building．I   wanted   to   have   a   look   so   that   I   could   get   a   feel   of   things   and   begin   making   some   headway.”

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        "That’s   good．Do   you   know   the   way?"

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        "Oh   yes，King   Dimitri   gave   me   detailed   instructions   as   to   how   to   get   around   in   the   Kingdom.”

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        "The   I’ll   leave   you   to   yourself   as   I   have   a   thesis   to   finish   to   meet   a   deadline.”   Lotus   who   had   been   standing   by   silently   smiling   added，

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        "You   haven’t   eaten   anything   yet   this   morning   and   must   be   hungry．I’ll   bring   you   a   bowl   of   lotus   seeds   and   swallow   nest   porridge．It’s   a   rare   delicacy,   very   nutritious,   handed   down   through   the   past   centuries   in   China   and   will   be   good   for   you．I   will   bring   a   bowl   to   Amalia,   too.   She   is   getting   on   in   years   and   must   be   feeling   awful   this   morning，what   with   her   hangover   and   falling   into   the   cold   water   last   night.”

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        "Thank   you,   Lotus．I’m   sure   it   will   be   very   tasty.”   Then   the   three   of   them   separated，each   going   her   own   way．

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Megginn   walked   through   the   golden   mist   until   she   came   to   the   drawbridge   which   extended   to   the   opposite   peak   like   a   colorful   rainbow．A   flock   of   waterfowl   strutted   and   jumped   about   on   the   bridge，oblivious   of   her   presence，quacking，squalling，pecking   at   each   other．Their   clumsy,   comical   movements   brought   a   smile   to   her   lips，reminding   her   of   the   tottering   gait   of   her   early   childhood   when   she   made   her   first   unsteady   steps,   learning   to   walk．Now   she   was   fortunate   enough   to   transform   from   an   ugly   duckling   into   a   slender，beautiful   swan   of   a   young   woman．The   worn   out   suitcase   in   her   hand   was   a   turning   point   in   her   life，the   key   which   brought   her   to   King   Dimitri’s   Kingdom．Smiling   happily   at   this   fortunate   turn   of   luck，she   strode   past   the   water   fowls   towards   the   other   side   of   the   bridge，leaving   behind   the   chattering，bickering   birds．According   to   King   Dimitri’s   instructions，she   entered   the   ultra   modern   administrative   building，took   the   gold   elevator   to   the   top   floor   and   went   into   the   grand，luxurious   office   Ileen   formerly   occupied．She   filed   back   the   documents   in   her   suitcase,   suppressing   the   urge   to   read   everything   there，determined   to   deal   only   with   the   urgent   and   major   things   first   before   burrowing   down   for   an   overall   picture．Then   she   looked   through   the   documents   piled   high   on   the   ivory   desk   that   her   aides   had   sorted   out   for   her.   They   were   divided   into   three   categories：urgent，attention   and   long   term,   to   be   dealt   with   in   that   order．Then   she   pulled   over   the   first   pile，reading，making   notations   and   was   soon   deep   in   contemplation．The   disappearance   of   Mr．Oliver   Kaffee，president   and   CEO   of   World   Bank．has   paralyzed   operations   there   and   it   was   imperative   that   King   Dimitri   appoint   a   new   president   as   soon   as   possible．Gold   bricks   for   the   building   of   the   gold   palace   on   the   Giant   Mountain   were   running   out   and   she   needed   to   amass   another   large   quantity   of   gold   in   the   world   Market，but   in   such   a   way   so   as   not   to   attract   attention   to   the   mysterious   Kingdom   which   King   Dimitri   wished   to   be   segregated   from   the   outside   world，a   haven   where   he   could   retreat   to   when   he   wished．She   could   maneuver   things   so   that   the   least   ripple   is   caused．but   King   Dimitri’s   enormous   wealth   was   multiplying   astronomically   and   it   was   inevitable   that   one   day，however   unwillingly，he   would   be   forced   to   become   an   important   figure   in   the   world   of   finance   and   his   Kingdom   included   in   the   economic   system．As   his   CEO，the   person   he   entrusted   with   the   management   of   his   Kingdom，Megginn   felt   she   had   to   look   farther   than   the   daily   routine   and   gradually   prepare   for   the   day   when   the   Kingdom   was   to   become   a   political   entity，a   country   that   needed   rules   and   laws．She   decided   to   talk   to   Aisha,   whose   knowledge   and   expertise   would   be   invaluable．There   was   so   much   to   be   done，but   Megginn’s   clever   mind   sorted   everything   out   into   categories   to   be   dealt   with   at   the   appropriate   time．

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Day   after   day   went   peacefully   by，like   the   pages   of   the   book．flipped   by   Aisha’s   slender   fingers，sounding   like   small   pebbles   dropped   into   calm，unruffled   waters.     In   the   wide   expanse   of   the   skies   in   King   Dimitri’s   mysterious   Kingdom,   day   and   night   succeeded   each   other   tranquilly，its   silence   broken   occasionally   by   the   flapping   of   wings．Thus，time   passed   peacefully   with   days   and   nights   overlapping   seamlessly   into   each   other．For   time   was   always   a   total   inseparable   unit，artificially   segmented   by   humans   into   fragments   of   light   and   shadow，from   large   portions   covering   years   and   decades   down   to   the   infinitesimal   morsels   designating   the   residue   of   time,   who   is   perhaps   weary   of   the   officious   interference   of   mankind．Having   kept   the   same   reading   posture   for   too   long   a   time,   Aisha   felt   tired．She   put   her   book   down   on   the   desk，and   with   her   right   hand   supporting   her   cheek,   gazed   at   the   wide   expanse   of   skies,   while   her   left   hand   loosened   the   knot   at   the   nape   of   her   neck，letting   the   soft   and   luscious   hair   cascade   down   her   shoulders．Her   graceful   and   elegant   movements   and   manners   were   perhaps   the   fruit   of   her   literary   excellence．The   gentle   spring   breeze   blew   in   dawdlingly   from   the   window，rubbing   her   body   without   restraint，and   softly   ruffling   the   pages   of   the   book   on   the   desk   as   if   considering   stealing   the   knowledge   of   human   civilization，but   then   abandoning   the   idea   with   disdain，laughingly   flew   out   of   the   other   window．Aisha   picked   up   the   book   idling   on   the   desk   and   scanned   through   it   quickly．Days   went   by，page   by   page，flipped   over   by   her   hand．

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Ever   since   Amalia   blundered   into   the   mysterious   Kingdom，she   seemed   to   have   taken   a   fancy   to   the   place，not   knowing   the   master   of   this   paradise   on   earth   was   her   own   son．The   beauties   were   careful   to   preserve   secrecy，afraid   that   once   the   truth   was   out，she   would   have   to   leave   and   never   return．and   their   beloved   master’s   fervent   wish   to   support   his   mother   in   style   in   her   old   age   would   come   to   naught．Days   went   by   while   shadow   and   light，dawn   and   dusk   interchanged．Amalia   would   live   for   days   in   the   palace   and   then   disappear   for   days   on   end   to   no   one   knew   where．She   came   and   went   as   she   pleased，and   would   accept   no   interference．While   in   the   palace，she   did   not   like   to   stay   indoors．She   would   put   her   broom   horizontally   under   the   portico   and   sleep   on   it．Sometimes   she   used   it   to   sweep   the   palace   grounds．The   beauties   tried   to   dissuade   her   from   doing   such   manual   labor,   telling   her   there   were   lots   of   palace   maids   to   do   the   work，but   she   persisted   doggedly．In   the   end   they   let   her   do   as   she   pleased   fearing   she   would   leave   altogether   if   she   felt   her   freedom   threatened,   hampered   or   curtailed   in   any   way．

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The   gentle   Asian   girl   Lotus   put   her   dewy   peach   blossom   in   the   silver   vase   on   the   window   sill   and   began   preparing   her   lotus   seed，swallow   nest   porridge．Disdaing   modern   utentials,   she   preferred   cooking   the   original,   ancient   way,   so   bringing   a   small   earthen   stove   out   to   the   verandah   she   lighted   a   few   pieces   of   charcoal，fanning   it   with   a   small   fan．Then   she   put   a   clay   pot   over   the   small   flame，knowing   Amalia   would   prefer   food   cooked   the   old   fashioned   way．Suffering   from   a   severe   hangover   this   morning，she   would   appreciate   some   novelty   in   her   diet，and   this   dainty，nutritious   porridge   would   suit   her   to   a   T．The   beautiful   body   incased   in   luscious,   silken   skin   bent   in   an   arc   as   she   stooped   gracefully   to   coax   the   reluctant   flames，exposing   a   curvaceous   figure．Her   skin   was   smoother   than   silk,   but   whereas   the   finest   silk   tended   to   crease，Lotus’   glowing   glossy   skin   would   not   wrinkle,   remaining   softer   and   smoother   than   ever   no   matter   how   she   bent   or   stooped．

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        As   Lotus   fanned   the   fire，she   thought   of   Amalia．To   most   people，her   words   and   actions   might   be   peculiar，but   strange   and   eccentric   though   she   be，there   was   nothing   of   the   wicked，evil   witch   about   her．During   her   stay   in   the   Kingdom，she   had   created   a   strange   bond   of   affection   with   the   beauties   whom   she   loved   like   daughters   of   her   own;   and   they   treated   her   like   a   benevolent   elder．Whenever   she   returned   from   her   wanderings，she   would   regale   them   with   news   or   stories   she   had   gathered   and   held   them   spellbound   with   fascinating   tales   of   far-off   places，some   of   which   happened   hundreds   of   years   ago．Raising   her   eyes   to   the   peach   blossom   in   the   silver   vase   Lotus’   mind   wandered   to   the   latest   story   Amalia   had   told   them   about   a   talking   buffalo,   an   evil   young   monk   who   abused   the   imprecations,   and   a   dazzlingly   beautiful   young   widow   and   her   sad   fate,   all   of   which   happened   in   a   forest   of   peach   blossoms．She   also   thought   of   Angelica’s   short   poem：

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        "At   a   side   glance,   the   peach   blossom   resembled   an   old   monk   reverently   praying，

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        He   remained   there   on   the   window   sill,   serene   and   quiet,   deeply   thinking，

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        Suddenly   a   whiff   of   gentle   breeze,   a   soft   tremble   to   the   petals   bring，

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A   blink   of   his   eye   is   in   itself   a   bright   shaft   of   spring.”

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In   the   golden   morning   sun,   Lotus   seemed   to   see   the   peach   forest,   the   imprecation-chanting   big   buffalo，the   evil   young   Taoist   monk   and   the   unfortunate   young   widow.   Under   the   influence   of   the   imprecations,   the   peach   blossom   in   her   vase   flew   out   of   the   window   back   into   the   forest   and   was   seen   no   more．Lotus   woke   with   a   start   from   her   reverie．She   looked   around．The   golden   sunshine   was   bright   as   ever   and   the   dewy   peach   blossom   was   still   in   the   silver   vase   by   the   window．Her   large   almond   eyes   framed   by   long   eye   lashes   blinked   in   puzzlement．Could   it   be   that   the   mind   still   retained   fragments   of   memories   of   the   past   incarnations?     Bewildered   and   bemused，she   came   back   to   the   real   world   and   saw   that   the   porridge   on   the   stove   was   perking   and   ready   for   consumption．

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        A   floating   white   cloud   happened   to   encounter   a   streak   of   light   smoke   in   the   blue   skies   of   the   mysterious   Kingdom．The   cloud   introduced   herself   to   him   saying，

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        "I   am   a   flower   of   the   Kingdom   of   Heaven.”

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        "I   am   a   sigh   from   Hell”   he   replied．

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        "Where   are   you   going?"   the   cloud   asked   after   a   short   silence．

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        "I   am   heavy   and   full   of   saturated   vapor．I   must   drench   the   earth   with   it   and   may   even   permeate   down   to   Hell．Where   are   you   bound   for?"

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        "I   just   passed   through   the   singeing   flames   of   Hell   and   have   been   turned   into   light   smoke．I   feel   myself   rising   upwards   and   may   even   pass   the   Gates   of   heaven．I   am   curious   to   know   what   it   is   like   up   there．Since   you   are   a   flower   of   heaven,   perhaps   you   can   tell   me   if   it   is   indeed   the   true   paradise   it   is   reputed   to   be，full   of   happiness   and   free   from   all   care，worries   and   vexations?"

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        "Indeed   it   is．But   you   will   soon   find   that   a   place   free   from   care，worries   and   vexations   is   also   the   most   lonesome   and   monotonous．By   the   way   you   just   passed   through   hell．Could   you   tell   me   what   it   is   like?   Is   it   as   horrid   as   they   say?   A   place   full   of   pain   and   suffering?"

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        "Yes．Hell   is   full   of   pain   and   suffering,   but   you’ll   get   used   to   it   and   take   it   in   your   stride.”

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        "Ah!"   both   of   them   said   in   union，"We   are   living   in   Time   and   Space,   in   the   bosom   of   Nature!"     The   warm   spring   breeze   blew   the   two   apart，each   to   its   own   destination   and   they   separated   reluctantly，wistful   over   the   briefness   of   their   encounter．

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        White   sails   dotted   the   crystal   blue   water   as   the   beauties   competed   joyfully   in   a   sailing   match,   shouts   of   laughter   breaking   the   quiet   calm,   ornamenting   the   silence   like   notes   of   music．On   the   shore   deep   in   the   shadows   of   the   trees，two   naked   animals   lay   indolently   on   the   soft   sand   engaged   in   heart   to   heart   talk．One   was   the   hysterically   inclined   poetess   Angelica，wearing   her   favorite   dangling   earrings   of   Chinese   jade．She   was   of   a   high   strung   temperament,   fragile   and   delicate   as   intrinsic   glassware,   needing   constant   and   solicitous   care   or   she   would   break   into   pieces．The   other   was   the   beautiful   and   knowledgeable   doctor，Elina．Angelica   was   saying，

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        "King   Dimitri   has   been   away   for   a   long   time．I   wonder   where   he   is   now．Do   you   think   he   is   still   looking   for   new   beauties   for   the   Kingdom?"

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        "Perhaps"   was   Elina’s   laconic   reply．Suddenly   the   poetess   changed   the   subject   and   asked   abruptly．

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        "Have   you   ever   had   sexual   intercourse   with   King   Dimitri，Elina?"

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        "You’re   not   going   to   believe   this"   murmured   the   doctor   ruefully,   gazing   quizzically   at   the   distant   skies   "but   to   this   day   I   really   don’t   know   whether   or   not   I   ever   had   sexual   intercourse   with   King   Dimitri．That   night   I   was   stone   drunk   and   could   not   distinguish   between   delusion   and   reality．That’s   the   only   night   I   ever   spent   alone   with   him，so   I’m   not   sure．What   about   you?     Have   you   ever   had   intercourse   with   him?"

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"No，never"   replied   Angelica．"I   never   had   sexual   intercourse   with   King   Dimitri．In   my   sub-consciousness,   there   has   always   been   a   wish   to   end   my   life   in   suicide．King   Dimitri   saved   me   from   myself   and   brought   me   here，back   from   the   mouth   of   Death．(a   silence)．I   have   had   coitus   with   numerous   handsome，sinewy   young   men   and   was   immersed   in   the   sexual   pleasures   of   their   passionate   lovemaking，so   akin   to   death．   But   where   are   they   now?   Scattered   like   smoke   floating   in   the   air,   leaving   not   a   trace   in   my   memory．   Strangely   enough，King   Dimitri   the   man   I   had   never   had   sexual   relations   with，is   the   one   I   cannot   forget，and   with   whom   I   wish   to   share   the   rest   of   my   life.”     On   the   calm   surface   of   the   lake，ripples   widened   to   waves．   The   wind   rose，whipping   the   waves   to   turmoil．The   blue   skies   were   suddenly   enveloped   by   black   clouds   that   came   out   of   hiding   in   ambush   from   behind   the   mountains   and   covered   the   mysterious   Kingdom，shutting   off   the   sunshine．The   snow   white   bosoms   of   the   sea   gulls，flying   and   crying   in   alarm，shone   out   of   the   dark   skies．Elina   said,

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        "Look!   The   weather’s   changing．How   strange   for   this   time   of   the   year!   We   had   better   turn   back.”

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        "Where   do   you   think   he   is?"   asked   Angelica，still   immersed   in   her   reverie，seeming   not   to   have   heard   her   companion’s   words.．

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        "Don’t   worry，Angelica"   said   Elina   smiling，"He   never   left   us．All   this，the   grand   palace，lovely   mountains   and   waters．are   but   the   scenery   of   his   dreams   and   you   and   I   are   only   particle   cells   of   his   brain   living   in   his   dreams．We   never   were   separated   from   him.”         Angelica’s   dazed   eyes   were   more   puzzled   than   ever．Meanwhile   Medusa’s   huge，protective   wings   hovered   over   the   water,   urging   the   merry   sailors   to   go   ashore．

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        "A   storm   is   coming   up,   Angelica．Let’s   go.”   The   two   naked   beauties   hurried   back   towards   the   palace，but   their   beautiful   figures   and   long   flowing   hair   seemed   to   remain   in   a   corner   of   the   desert．The   sudden   unseasonable   storm   which   enveloped   the   Kingdom   seemed   to   symbolize   another   drastic   approaching   crisis，but   the   master   was   still   roaming   around   the   world   and   have   not   been   heard   of   for   quite   a   while．All   this   increased   the   anxiety   and   apprehension   of   the   beauties．No   kingdom   can   run   smoothly   without   a   sovereign，just   as   the   skies   cannot   be   without   the   sun   and   its   revolving   planets．Let   us   hope   King   Dimitri   will   come   back   soon．His   Kingdom   needs   him．His   subjects   need   him．His   beauties   need   him.

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                                CHAPTER   9         MARY   AND   SHEILA

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The   wind   rose,   causing   the   waste   paper   discarded   by   careless   pedestrians   to   dance   desolately   in   the   air   under   the   dark   sky，ornamented   neither   by   the   moon   nor   the   stars．The   last   bus   of   the   night   approached   slowly   from   afar，letting   off   some   passengers   who   went   quickly   on   their   way，and   taking   away   those   who   had   been   waiting   anxiously   for   it，leaving   the   shelter   at   the   bus   stop   desolate   and   empty   except   for   Dimitri．He   had   nowhere   to   go   and   there   wasn’t   anywhere   in   particular   he   wanted   to   be,   so   he   could   only   stay   put   in   the   covered   shelter．Where   could   he   go?   Back   to   his   mysterious   Kingdom?     It   was   only   an   illusion   of   his   dreams   and   the   naked   beauties   with   their   gorgeous   figures   were   but   particle   cells   of   his   brain．   No，there   was   nowhere   he   could   go   and   there   wasn’t   anywhere   in   particular   he   wanted   to   be．Looking   out   on   the   streets，he   watched   a   host   of   waste   paper   dance   in   the   air   under   the   dim   street   lights，and   pedestrians   hurrying   on   their   way   in   the   cold   wind，their   wavering，floundering   figures   resembling   ghosts，condemned   to   the   deep   of   the   night．Ghosts?   What   an   ambiguous，abstract   term！They   were   not   ghosts   but   humans，the   fruits   of   an   accidental   union   of   a   sperm   and   en   egg   in   their   mother’s   womb，born   after   months   of   nurturing   in   the   warmth   of   the   uterus．   In   any   crowd，one   could   see   people   in   different   stages   of   growth，from   infancy，childhood，youth，adulthood   to   old   age;   and   after   a   certain   interval   they   all   died．Did   they   become   ghosts   after   death?   he   wondered．Then   ghostst   oo，are   the   products   of   sperms   and   eggs．What   a   ridiculous   notion!   The   conversation   between   the   cloud   and   the   smoke   suddenly   came   to   his   mind，and   he   thought   it   was   quite   true   that   everyone   lived   in   Time   and   Space   in   the   bosom   of   nature.     Life   is   a   revolving   cycle   and   after   death,   there   is   the   possibility   of   a   future   life．   But   who   can   prove   it?   It’s   an   unsolved   mystery，perhaps   a   beautiful   lie．   But   I’d   rather   believe   it   while   my   blood   is   still   warm   and   my   body   still   feels   hunger   and   sexual   urges.   That   is   reality.   Leave   the   abstract,   philosophical   questions   for   the   wise   men   to   think   about．I   will   live   in   the   present   and   enjoy   the   short   moments   of   life   granted   me．There   are   many   unsolved   mysteries   in   life,   oversights   of   the   Maker   when   he   created   the   universe．Perhaps   God   himself   is   the   ultimate   mystery．Let   me   enjoy   life   while   my   body   temperature   is   still   warm．

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Under   the   dim   street   lamps，a   tall   figure   with   a   strong   physique   carrying   a   paper   bag   emerged   from   a   liquor   store   that   was   still   open．From   the   back,   it   was   a   remarkable   replica   of   his   late   friend   Jamaz．At   a   street   corner,   a   slim   man   with   a   crushed   hat   low   on   his   forehead   scraped   his   cigarette   butt   with   the   heels   of   his   shoe   and   snapped   his   fingers   at   the   tall   man，calling   him   over，and   the   two   disappeared   into   the   night．The   slim   man   looked   like   his   hapless   friend   Richard．   Dimitri   rubbed   his   eyes   in   disbelief．Could   his   sight   be   so   bad   now   that   he   was   seeing   people   who   had   been   long   dead?     Recently   figures   doubled   or   tripled   in   his   vision   and   street   lights   had   a   red   fringe．His   heart   ached   and   bled   as   he   realized   that   his   glaucoma   was   gradually   wearing   down   and   eroding   his   vision.   A   blare   of   music   from   a   stereo   woke   him   to   the   fact   that   another   homeless   guest   had   joined   him．Before   he   could   take   stock   of   the   newcomer   who   was   probably   going   to   share   the   shelter   with   him   for   the   night，his   ears   were   attracted   by   the   heartrending   blues   that   filled   the   air.   The   music   was   slow   and   gentle．but   encompassed   concealed   stores   of   strength，like   the   turbulent   undercurrent，invisible   from   the   smooth   surface   of   the   water，but   which   could   build   up   to   a   dire   threatening   whirl   pool.   Each   pulsating   beat   impacted   his   heart   and   the   alluring,   magnetic   and   slightly   hoarse   female   voice，now   tantalizingly   low,   now   swelling   to   the   heights,   was   like   a   flapping   banner   flying   in   the   wind,   taking   with   it   its   mesmerized   listener．

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Dimitri   turned   his   attention   to   the   owner   of   the   stereo，a   pedestrian   black   man，completely   immersed   in   the   enjoyment   of   music．His   hands   and   feet   kept   beat   to   the   time，his   body，unable   to   withstand   the   bewitchment   of   the   powerful   beat，jerked   rhythmically，head   nodding   and   swaying，induced   to   a   state   of   madness．Meanwhile，nicotine，alcoho1   and   cocaine   cruised   in   his   veins，making   him   feel   high，as   if   floating   on   clouds，experiencing   the   ultimate   comfort   of   body   and   spirit．He   took   a   deep   drag   at   his   cigarette，which   he   inhaled   into   his   lungs，bringing   a   slight   pain   that   brought   him   pleasure，just   as   the   rhythm   of   the   music   hurt   the   depth   of   his   soul．Watching   him，Dimitri   felt   an   irresistible   impulse   to   smoke．From   the   inside   of   his   pocket，he   took   out   the   whole   cigarette   he   had   been   hoarding   for   a   special   occasion，for   they   were   not   easy   to   come   by．He   too   came   under   the   spell   of   the   music．Man   was   easily   influenced   by   outside   environment，he   thought，why   keep   too   tight   a   rein   on   it?   This   was   the   best   time   of   the   day．It   was   befitting   that   he   kill   the   cigarette   and   let   its   life   be   sacrificed   to   himself．Stimulated   by   the   music,   he   lit   the   cigarette   and   took   a   deep   drag．The   nicotine   excited   his   brain，but   also   brought   with   it   a   slight   dizziness．Ah!   If   he   could   only   have   some   wine，it   would   be   perfect．He   would   ask   no   more   of   life．

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The   shadowy   figures   he   saw   earlier   outside   the   liquor   store   came   unbidden   to   his   mind．They   looked   so   much   like   Jamaz   and   Richard．Could   they   still   be   alive?"   No，that’s   impossible!”   Dimitri   thought．"The   dead   cannot   be   resurrected．I   do   not   dare   to   say   that   the   stories   of   the   past   and   future   lives   are   only   beautiful   lies，but   let   the   wise   men   deal   with   them．Why   do   I   need   to   know   about   past   1ives   and   have   a   preview   of   the   future?   I   deal   only   with   the   present.”   He   took   another   puff   and   a   red   light   flashed   brightly   for   a   moment   in   the   darkness,   adding   another   notch   of   ashes   which   he   flipped   off．They   were   like   the   past   years   of   his   life，turned   to   ashes，never   to   come   back   again．Dimitri   quietly   enjoyed   his   cigarette,   smoke   puffing   out   from   his   nostrils，thinking，"Life   is   like   a   cigarette，simultaneously   burning   out   and   turning   to   ashes．The   smoke   is   like   the   smoke   of   life，confusing   and   enigmatic．But   if   what   goes   into   my   lungs   brings   me   pleasure，let   it   turn   to   ashes．Why   bother   with   the   past   or   future   lives?"   A   woman’s   voice   began   to   sing，like   groans   from   the   depth   of   the   soul   -     sadness   of   the   heart   turned   to   song,   magnetic,   maddening   and   hypnotic！Listening   to   her，Dimitri   felt   a   sense   of   satisfaction，like   pealing   off   the   dry   scab   of   a   wound，painful   but   pleasant．The   cigarette   was   finished．He   threw   it   down   and   grounded   it   with   his   heel．Such   was   life,   so   much   like   a   burnt   out   cigarette．It   brought   pleasure   to   man’s   lungs，that   was   all．No   past   life   or   future．Under   the   dim   street   light，the   crushed   cigarette   butt   lay   stone   cold   on   the   pavement．The   end   of   life，like   a   burnt   out   cigarette，is   black   destruction．But   before   it   ends,   it   is   full   ot   unforseeable   surprises   and   undulant   climaxes．Take   Dimitri   for   instance．He   thought   he   was   hallucinating   when   he   saw   Richard   and   Jamaz,   attributing   it   to   a   delusion   of   his   eyesight．But   actually   they   were   alive   and   kicking．

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What   happened   was   this：That   night，they   were   left   for   dead   on   the   landing   on   the   roof   of   World   bank，but   miraculously   the   half-drunk   Mr.   Finger   attracted   by   the   commotion   came   up   to   see   what   was   happening．When   he   saw   the   two   corpses   lying   there   in   pools   of   blood，he   was   overcome   with   pity．Using   magic，known   only   to   himself,   he   revived   them   and   led   them   quickly   out   of   the   hornet’s   nest,   after   which   he   himself   disappeared．His   mercurial   and   sometimes   irascible   temperament,   his   mysterious   and   uncanny   behavior,   could   not   be   inferred   by   normal   standards．Richard   and   Jamaz   went   on   with   their   lives   like   animals   of   the   wild，sleeping   by   day   and   prowling   by   night．When   they   were   loaded，they   would   make   the   rounds   of   the   gambling   halls   and   bars，squandering   all   their   money   on   wine   and   women．Then   they   would   revert   to   their   old   habits   and   look   for   targets   to   steal   from．With   the   passing   of   time   ,   unlawful   and   predatory   as   their   behavior   was,   it   had   become   a   decadent   life   style   they   liked,   a   life   of   their   own．

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Now   Jamaz   took   out   the   two   bottles   of   wine   he   had   bought   from   the   liquor   store   with   the   last   of   his   money   and   handed   one   to   Richard,   who   was   carefully   roasting   chickens   over   a   fire．   As   the   skin   gradually   turned   brown   and   crispy,   fat   oozed   from   it   and   an   appetizing   aroma   filled   the   air．Richard   threw   a   roasted   chicken   at   him,   which   he   ate   ravenously，drinking   now   and   then   from   his   bottle   with   relish．Meanwhile   Richard   was   warming   and   rubbing   his   right   arm   near   the   fire   saying，

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"This   blasted   weather   is   changing   again．It’ll   be   raining   because   my   darned   arthritis   is   acting   up   again!"   Looking   at   Jamaz’s   magnificent   physique,   splendid   in   its   primitive   exuberance,   watching   him   eat   with   such   gusto，Richard   recalled   the   words   of   Dimitri．

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"If   there   is   a   future   life,   I   would   like   to   become   a   naked   male   lion,   the   King   of   Beasts，roaming   the   mountains   and   wilds，fighting，killing   and   mating，uninhibited   and   free.”     There   was   a   philosophy   in   Dimitri’s   words，he   thought．For   food   and   coitus   are   the   most   basic   fundamentals   of   life．They   are   also   the   highest   goals   man   strives   to   acquire   on   this   earth．Jamaz   suddenly   asked，

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        "Where   do   you   think   Dimitri   is   now?"

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        "Who   knows?   But   I’m   quite   sure   we’ll   meet   again．He   is   our   benefactor   and   chief．Without   him   there’s   nothing   much   that   just   the   two   of   us   can   do.”   The   two   of   them   went   on   eating   and   drinking，preparing   for   a   new   adventure，for   they   were   again   broke．They   planned   to   go   into   the   darkness   of   the   night   and   try   their   luck．Tearing   at   his   chicken，Jamaz   asked，

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        "Any   new   targets?"

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        "Sort   of．One   that   I’m   sure   will   interest   you．I   often   see   two   young   girls   go   in   and   out   of   a   half   burnt   house．If   you’re   game,   we’ll   check   it   out   and   see   what’s   going   on.”

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        "Yes．You’re   right．Girls   are   what   I’m   most   interested   in!"

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        "Don’t   forget   our   priorities，Jamaz．We   only   take   money   and   valuables．We   do   not   touch   unwilling   girls．Tonight   we’re   just   looking   around．Big-O   has   been   seen   in   that   vicinity   and   I   want   to   know   what   he   is   up   to．We   may   even   be   able   to   protect   the   two   girls   from   him.”   Finishing   their   meal,   the   two   of   them   prepared   for   their   night’s   adventure．

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        The   howling   night   wind   seemed   to   have   blown   away   all   the   shadows   from   the   streets   as   they   were   nowhere   to   be   seen，and   feathery   raindrops   sprinkled   on   Dimitri’s   old，worn-out   jacket．He   turned   and   looked   at   the   stranger   sitting   beside   him，puffing   away   at   his   cigarette，still   immersed   in   his   music,   lost   in   reverie   and   fantasy,   while   his   portable   radio   blared   out   heart-rending   blues．Dimitri   did   not   wish   to   disturb   him,   but   in   this   cold   dreary   night   he   thought   he   would   be   better   off   in   his   dilapidated   shelter   in   the   narrow   alley   or   that   halfburnt   house   where   hopefully   he   could   hide   himself   and   might   have   some   sweet   dreams．He   rose   gingerly,   prepared   to   go   when   he   heard   the   man   mutter，

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        "Do   I   really   have   lung   cancer?   I   cannot   believe   it!   It   must   be   a   practical   joke   on   the   part   of   the   doctors.”   Dimitri   sank   abruptly   back   to   his   seat．The   man   went   on．"I   can’t   be   that   unfortunate!   I’ve   been   unemployed   for   over   a   year   and   have   been   desperately   looking   for   work.   How   can   I   afford   to   be   cursed   with   this   fatal   disease   now?   It   must   be   a   joke.”   In   the   dark   night,   thunder   rumbled   in   the   distance   and   rain   began   pouring   down   in   torrents．

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        "Am   I   really   diagnosed   with   lung   cancer?   If   it’s   not   a   joke，it   must   be   God’s   jealousy．My   name   is   Napoleon．In   former   life,   I   once   conquered   Europe.   Now   back   again   on   this   earth,   my   purpose   is   to   conquer   the   world!"   The   man’s   voice   grew   louder   and   more   infuriated   until   he   was   almost   shouting．   A   deafening   peal   of   thunder   crashed   as   if   it   was   God’s   answer.     The   man   stood   up   shaking   his   fists   at   the   heavens．

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        "You   God!   Don’t   be   jealous!   I   am   the   unique,   incomparable   hero．I   cannot   have   gotten   lung   cancer!     You   can   be   jealous   all   you   want．This   time   I   will   conquer   the   whole   world!   I   am   not   afraid   of   you．Don’t   be   jealous!   Don’t   be   jealous!"   He   thrashed   out   his   arms   as   he   spoke．In   his   fury,   he   threw   his   portable   radio   crashing   to   the   ground．The   music   abruptly   stopped   and   the   man   ran   headlong   out   into   the   rain．

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        Dimitri   wanted   to   stop   the   hysterical   but   undaunted   figure   as   it   dashed   madly   headlong   into   the   pouring   rain；however   he   was   too   late．He   sat   looking   at   the   broken   radio   on   the   ground．This   new   creation   of   man’s   ingenuity,   made   of   metal,   plastic   and   other   materials.   This   intricate   machine   could   not   withstand   the   heavy   crash，just   as   human   flesh   and   blood   could   not   withstand   the   attack   of   cancerous   cells．Dimitri   picked   up   the   wreck   which   was   once   a   radio   and   put   it   on   his   lap，gently   caressing   it，as   if   to   ease   its   pain．Then   his   thoughts   turned   to   the   stranger   who   had   so   recently   shared   the   bus   shelter   with   him   for   a   short   while．There   were   similarities   between   them，he   thought，though   they   were   not   really   alike．He   thought，

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"That   man   has   been   out   of   work   for   over   a   year,   while   I   almost   never   worked   a   day   in   my   life．Maybe   my   lifework   is   daydreaming．That   man   too   is   a   dreamer．His   name   is   Napoleon，once   the   mighty   conqueror   of   Europe   and   Emperor   of   France．Now   he   wants   to   conquer   the   world．This   may   be   why   God   is   jealous   of   him   and   inflicted   him   with   a   terminal   disease．   Disease   and   death   are   the   most   formidable   tools   God   uses   to   control   the   world．Man’s   mightiest   weapons   are   inconsequential   by   comparison．In   my   dreams，I   have   a   kingdom   and   am   an   almighty   king，surrounded   by   matchless   beauties   and   stupendous   riches．But   I   have   no   wish   to   conquer   the   world．I   only   want   to   dream   and   loaf．   Perhaps   God   doesn’t   like   people   like   me   either，so   I   am   doomed   to   lose   my   sight   soon．   But   I   do   not   regard   that   as   God’s   jealousy．I   think   of   it   as   a   blessing   in   disguise，because   when   I   lose   my   sight,   1   will   no   longer   be   able   to   roam   around   the   world   and   would   have   to   go   back   to   my   Kingdom   and   enjoy   a   1ife   of   luxury   and   riches.”     Dimitri   smiled   gently．The   rain   and   wind   had   increased   in   ferocity,   making   it   impossible   for   him   to   leave．During   the   day   he   had   dreamed   that   his   Kingdom   was   also   facing   rain   and   storm．Angelica   and   Elina   were   talking   on   the   beach，while   the   other   beauties   were   rowing   on   the   lake．He   wondered   whether   they   got   safely   back   to   the   palace．Why   not   continue   the   dream   from   there，he   thought，since   he   could   not   go   anywhere   in   that   weather   anyhow．Whenever   his   thoughts   turned   to   his   mysterious   Kingdom   and   the   numerous   beauties，a   warm   feeling   came   over   him，obliterating   rain,   cold,   hunger   and   all   other   worldly   miseries．It   was   his   unique   way   of   self   healing．

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A   roaring   fire   was   burning   brightly   in   the   room   with   large   French   windows．There   the   beauties   gathered   after   running   in   from   the   torrential   rain   and   storm．Some   were   still   vigorously   drying   their   long   flowing   hair   with   large   towels，some   rested   languidly   on   the   couches，while   others   sat   on   the   thick   carpet   in   different   groups   and   poses，drinking   strong   black   coffee   or   stimulating   wine.   The   chill   of   a   sudden   drenching   having   been   dispelled   by   their   showers，their   bodies   felt   relaxed   and   comfortable   and   their   blooming   complexions   reflected   radiant   freshness   and   color,   flushed   from   their   recent   exertions．Every   one   of   them   was   the   most   perfect   and   beautiful   animal   of   their   species．Gathered   there   together，it   was   a   picture   whose   perfection   defied   the   artistry   of   the   greatest   painters．The   cold   and   beautiful   Medusa   stood   at   the   French   windows   looking   out   at   the   rain，on   her   guard   as   always.   For   recently,   traces   of   barbarian   tribes   have   been   found   near   the   Kingdom   and   they   would   be   hard   to   resist   if   they   attacked   during   this   ruthless   storm．However   not   wishing   to   alarm   the   other   beauties   with   her   fears，she   kept   her   worries   to   herself，shouldering   alone   the   duty   of   safe-guarding   the   mysterious   Kingdom．Suddenly，two   sneezes   sounded．Aisha   tossed   some   tissues   to   Dorna；and   the   thoughtful   Lotus，gentle   as   the   full   moon,   poured   a   cup   of   hot   ginger   soup   flavored   by   brown   sugar   which   she   kept   boiling   in   a   clay   pot，and   handed   it   to   the   young   girl，saying，

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”It’ll   make   you   perspire   and   soon   you’ll   be   well.”   Dorna   took   a   sip，frowning   at   the   pungent   taste   of   ginger，but   sweetened   by   brown   sugar   it   was   palatable，so   holding   her   nose，she   drank   it   down   with   a   gulp   and   then   made   a   face   at   Lotus．Everyone   laughed．

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        "Dorna"   said   Aisha，"You’d   better   go   to   bed   straight   away，cover   yourself   snugly   and   sweat   it   out．You’ll   be   OK   tomorrow.”   But   the   young   girl   was   too   active   and   restless   to   go   docilely   to   bed．She   ran   here   and   there   talking   to   the   other   beauties,   unable   to   stay   put．Yoko   poured   a   glass   of   sparkling   wine   from   the   wine   cart．Her   large   luminous   black   eyes，clear   and   deep   as   the   autumn   pool，were   pensive   as   they   gazed   at   the   bubbles   rising   in   the   crystal   glass．

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        "I   wonder   where   Amalia   is   now   in   this   rain   and   storm．I   worry   about   her.”   Just   then，Dorna   cried   out   pointing   to   the   large   windows，

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"Look!   Amalia’s   back!"   Everyone   crowded   over   to   the   large   French   windows   and   peered   out   at   the   downpour   outside．Amid   the   foggy   sheets   of   rain，the   figure   of   Amalia   could   be   decerned   approaching   closer   and   closer，hunched   over   her   flying   broom   as   if   battling   against   the   currents   of   wind．The   broom   flew   on   slowly   and   seemed   to   be   sinking   under   the   heavy   weight   she   carried   behind   her，like   an   old   car   chugging   along，buoyed   up   and   supported   only   by   her   super   skill．She   saw   the   beauties   watching   and   gesturing   at   her   through   the   windows．So   she   gave   a   hoop   and   waved．They   immediately   rushed   to   the   large   hall   to   welcome   Amalia   and   her   visitors．

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        In   the   pouring   rain   the   magically   flying   broom   slowly   landed   and   two   beautiful   girls   descended   from   the   broom   with   Amalia．All   three   were   soaked   through   to   the   skin   and   caked   in   mud．On   her   way   back   from   her   wanderings，Amalia   was   caught   in   the   rain   storm．As   she   flew   over   the   woods   she   heard   frantic   screams，and   in   a   moment   of   charitable   chivalry   decided   to   go   down   and   investigate．Making   her   way   towards   the   commotion,   she   saw   a   young   girl   lying   on   the   ground,   left   leg   caught   in   a   trap;   another   young   girl   standing   beside   her   screaming   for   help   surrounded   by   fierce   looking   barbarians   who   were   about   to   seize   them．Amalia   knew   these   primitive   tribes   were   accustomed   to   offering   live   sacrifices   to   their   pagan   gods   and   was   moved   with   pity．   She   swooped   down   on   the   wild   barbarians   and   used   her   broom   as   a   weapon   to   disperse   them,   just   in   time   to   save   the   two   hapless   girls   from   becoming   human   sacrifices．Now   after   offering   a   few   simple   words   of   explanation，the   three   were   taken   by   the   beauties   to   hot   baths   and   medical   treatment   for   their   wounds．The   beauties   noticed   that   though   one   of   the   girls   was   limping   because   of   the   wound   caused   by   the   trap，her   left   leg   was   abnormally   thinner   and   shorter   than   the   right   one   -   she   was   a   cripple．Medusa   looked   at   the   distant   mountains,   eyes   fiery   with   rage   and   said，

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        "These   barbarians   are   getting   more   audacious   every   day   and   must   be   wiped   out．I   don’t   know   why   every   time   I   was   about   to   do   so，King   Dimitri   ordered   me   to   back   off．   What   are   his   plans?   These   tribes   are   getting   nearer   and   nearer   to   the   palace   and   something   must   be   done.”

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        White   Fairy   soothed   and   comforted   her   friend   saying，

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        "Don’t   be   angry   and   frustrated．King   Dimitri   must   have   his   own   reasons   for   his   decision．He   was   always   against   sly   trapping，considering   it   a   contemptible   means   of   entrapping   animals   of   a   lower   order．When   he   comes   back，everything   will   be   decided．Come   on,   let’s   go   in   too.”   So   hand   in   hand,   they   too   walked   back   into   the   hall．

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The   storm   slowly   abated,   until   only   threads   of   rain   were   blown   about   with   the   wind．In   a   secluded   spot   in   the   recess   of   the   garden，glorious   roses   succored   by   the   rain   bloomed   resplendently．Crimson   petals   scattered   over   the   ground   would   soon   be   absorbed   by   the   rich   soil   and   be   changed   to   nutrients，to   bloom   again   on   the   stems   the   next   year．The   ancient   land，nourished   by   the   life   and   beauty   of   the   flowers   had   an   endless   life   span．Next   to   the   garden   was   a   large   luxurious   bath   house   separated   by   transparent   glass,   with   every   conceivable   equipment   one   might   wish．There   were   Turkish   bath   and   Japanese   ones，but   in   the   center   was   a   round   hot   spring   where   King   Dimitri   would   often   bathe   with   his   beauties   when   he   was   in   the   palace．Now   only   Amalia   lay   there   relaxing   in   the   mildly   steaming   water．She   was   thinking   what   a   luxury   it   was   to   bathe   as   if   amidst   the   flowers．Her   thoughts   turned   to   the   master   and   designer   of   all   this   luxury．

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"I   have   never   seen   King   Dimitri，"she   mused，"but   he   certainly   does   know   how   to   enjoy   life!   Those   beauties   of   his   were   each   perfect   and   different   in   her   own   way．Any   single   one   would   be   worthy   of   a   life   time,   tireless   appreciation   of   a   connoisseur   and   he   had   so   many   of   them!   When   he   comes   here   to   bathe,   it   would   make   a   bedazzling   and   spectacular   painting   of   bathing   nymphs．What   an   epicurean!     But   then   he   is   also   unique   in   that   he   is   always   away   a   lot   of   the   time   wandering   around   the   earth，enduring   trials   and   tribulations   instead   of   enjoying   the   luxury   of   his   Kingdom．Why?   Could   it   be   that   not   content   with   what   he   has,   he   is   still   seeking   more   beauties，like   the   ones   I   saved   today?   That   poor   crippled   girl,   how   can   she   survive   amongst   those   beauties?   It   would   be   sure   to   give   her   an   inferiority   complex.”   Amalia   was   worried   for   her．She   felt   it   unjust   that   since   everyone   was   created   to   God’s   image   and   likeness,   why   did   God   have   to   inflict   disabilities   on   his   creatures?   But   then   her   thoughts   turned   again．

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"What   beauty   is   permanent   and   unaffected   by   time?   Like   the   rose   it   will   soon   wither．   Take   me   for   instance,   I   used   to   have   youth   and   beauty   and   enjoyed   it   to   the   hilt．Now   all   that   is   gone.”   She   looked   sadly   at   her   loose   and   flabby   body   in   the   water，with   no   remnant   of   its   former   shapely   curves   left，no   trace   of   beauty   attached   to   her   flesh   body．

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"No,”   she   thought，"flesh   and   blood   is   not   like   the   rich   soil   that   grows   flowers．No   amount   of   fertilizer   can   make   it   produce   a   single   red   rose   again.”     Amalia   lay   in   the   steaming   bath，gradually   losing   the   tension   and   tiredness   of   many   days,   almost   falling   asleep．She   used   to   be   young   and   beautiful   and   was   once   pregnant   and   bore   a   son，her   only   child   whom   she   had   lost   track   of   since   he   was   a   boy．Perhaps   the   reason   why   she   felt   compelled   to   wander   around   the   world   was   because   subconsciously   she   was   seeking   for   him．Lulled   by   the   soothing   warmth，Amalia   soon   fell   asleep．In   her   dream，a   hazy   figure   emerged．A   dark   brown   figure   with   a   three   quarter   jacket，olive   safari   hat，loose   slacks   and   old   shoes．A   middleaged   man   in   a   crowd   of   busy   pedestrians，bumping   around，wearing   dark   glasses   and   carrying   a   white   cane   -   a   blind   man．He   was   making   his   way   with   difficulty   amid   the   bustling   crowd   of   a   busy   prosperous   city   street．She   could   see   his   lips   moving   as   though   he   was   talking   loudly，but   she   could   hear   nothing．The   scene   changed   and   she   saw   the   same   figure   walking   along   a   lonely   mountain   trail．The   sun   was   setting   as   he   proceeded   laboriously，perilously   close   to   a   precipice．One   more   step   and   he   would   plunge   to   his   death   in   the   deep   unfathomable   abyss   below．An   abyss   so   deep   that   it   seemed   as   if   once   the   sun   dropped   down   after   setting,   it   would   never   rise   again．At   that   crucial   moment,     Amalia   felt   soft   hands   shaking   her．It   was   Yoko，her   protégé.

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"Wake   up   Amalia!   You’ll   catch   cold   sleeping   like   this!   They   are   all   waiting   for   you   there.”   Amalia   opened   her   sleepy   eyes．The   storm   had   stopped   and   bright   stars   were   twinkling   in   the   cool   evening   skies．

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As   was   the   custom   in   the   palace，a   welcome   party   was   in   progress   for   the   new   arrivals   in   the   Kingdom．The   blazing   fire   in   the   huge   fireplace,   brilliantly   lit   palace   lanterns   and   the   laughter   and   chatter   of   the   beauties   brought   an   air   of   warmth   and   festivity   to   the   side   hall．Slender   figures   dashed   about   preparing   the   dinner.   Even   their   shadows   on   the   floor   were   dainty   and   bewitching．Golden-haired   Mary   stood   talking   to   White   Fairy   and   Deanna，the   three   of   them   all   had   long   tresses   falling   to   their   waist，each   of   a   different   color   making   a   lovely   unique   picture.   Marcelina   sat   there   strumming   her   guitar   and   humming   her   favorite   songs，infusing   the   room   with   delightful   music．But   Sheila   tightly   clutching   her   tan   bathrobe，curled   in   a   corner，her   expression   wooden   and   unhappy,   ashamed   to   show   her   abnormal   and   disfigured   left   leg   in   this   company   of   flawless   beauties．When   Amalia   entered，everyone   clapped   and   called   out   in   joy,   forming   a   crescent   around   her   before   the   fire,   eating   and   drinking,   anticipating   tales   of   faroff   places   which   she   always   enchanted   them   with   whenever   she   came   back   from   her   wanderings．But   tonight   she   seemed   unusually   quiet   and   subdued．The   hazy   figure   of   the   strange   blind   man   in   her   dreams   gripped   and   worried   her，pulling   her   heart   strings   like   strings   of   a   kite   which   bobbed   up   and   down,   right   and   left，moving   interminably．

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Meanwhile，golden-haired   Mary   was   telling   of   how   she   came   to   the   Kingdom．"I   have   known   King   Dimitri   for   many   years．I   worked   at   a   donut   shop   and   often   gave   him   day-old   donuts，never   dreaming   that   the   poor   vagabond   was   master   of   all   this   luxury!"The   words   floated   past   Amalia’s   inattentive   ears．Her   attention   was   concentrated   on   the   kite   in   her   heart，which   ascended   higher   and   higher   into   the   blue   skies   until   it   was   only   a   small   black   dot，stretching   tautly   the   thin   thread   threatening   to   break   away   any   minute．The   image   of   the   strange   blind   man   resembled   the   master   of   the   palace，of   whom   she   had   often   heard，but   had   never   seen．Why   would   he   enter   her   dreams?   The   kite   in   Amalia’s   heart   flew   higher   and   higher   and   grew   smaller   and   smaller，struggling   to   break   away   from   the   string   that   held   its   dash   for   freedom．The   other   beauties   were   listening   to   Mary’s   story   of   how   she   and   Sheila   came   to   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams．

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Sheila   was   a   poor   homeless   girl   who   had   been   forced   into   prostitution   and   was   controlled   by   Big-O．Taking   pity   on   her   sad   plight   when   she   found   her   lying   sick   on   the   streets，Mary   took   her   into   her   home   for   companionship   and   taught   her   the   normal   outlook   on   life．The   two   of   them   stayed   in   the   basement   of   the   half-burnt   house   which   belonged   to   Mary’s   parents,   who   both   perished   in   the   flames   and   Mary   had   lived   there   alone   since   she   was   a   child,   secluded   from   the   world．During   the   day   the   two   girls   worked   together   in   the   donut   shop;   and   in   the   evenings   they   studied   at   the   local   community   college．Sheila   hoped   that   from   then   on   she   would   be   able   to   walk   head   high   on   life’s   broad   road．But   alas,   she   could   not   shake   off   the   shadow   of   Big-O！   One   evening   not   feeling   very   well，she   did   not   go   to   class   with   Mary．Big-O   broke   into   the   house,   tied   her   hands   and   feet,   gagged   her   and   was   about   to   take   her   away   when   Mary   came   back   and   happened   on   the   scene．Big-O   was   exuberant   to   get   another   pretty   victim   and   kill   two   birds   with   one   stone,   so   he   easily   tied   and   gagged   Mary   too   and   stuffed   them   into   the   trunk   of   his   car．Just   at   that   moment，two   figures   jumped   out   from   the   shadows,   one   of   whom   was   a   black   man,   brave   and   ferocious   as   a   beast   of   the   wilderness．While   he   was   fighting   with   Big-O，the   other   slender   Chinese   man   freed   the   two   girls．Big-O   was   no   match   for   the   black   man,   so   he   took   out   his   big   Magnum   and   was   about   to   pull   the   trigger   when   a   stone   flew   out   of   the   dark   and   hit   him   on   the   head，causing   blood   to   flow．The   gun   went   off，but   fortunately   the   bullet   went   wild．The   black   man   sprang   forward   and   tried   to   take   over   the   gun,   but   Big-O   ran   away．That   crucial   rock   thrower   was   Dimitri．The   three   old   friends   were   happy   to   be   reunited   again．They   embraced   each   other,   vying   to   tell   of   what   happened   after   their   adventure   on   the   roof   of   World   Bank．

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        Many   of   life’s   encounters   were   repeatedly   focused   and   crisscrossed．Take   the   half-burnt   house   for   instance,   it   had   become   the   entrance   to   King   Dimitri’s   Kingdom．Megginn   and   Laverne   accidentally   stumbled   upon   the   house   and   happened   to   meet   King   Dimitri．Today,   he   chanced   to   save   the   two   innocent   girls   from   the   beastly   claws   of   Big-O   and   by   sheer   luck   was   reunited   with   his   friends   who   had   been   through   life   and   death   adventures   with   him   -   decidedly   one   of   life’s   pluses!     King   Dimitri   no   longer   wished   to   conceal   his   identity   from   his   friends．He   arranged   for   the   two   girls   to   go   to   his   Kingdom   and   live   there   happily,   free   from   worries   and   threats．He   remembered   Richard’s   wish   and   appointed   him   to   the   long   vacant   post   of   president   of   World   Bank   with   Jamaz   as   his   vice-president．The   two   couldn’t   believe   their   luck   in   being   elevated   suddenly   from   vagabonds   to   the   ranks   of   the   movers   and   shakers   of   the   finance   world．To   them,   King   Dimitri   was   like   an   all-powerful   magician   who   could   change   their   destiny．King   Dimitri   did   not   want   to   expose   his   identity   to   the   outside   world,   so   he   decided   to   use   the   sheltered   burnt-out   house   as   their   future   meting   place．They   arranged   to   communicate   by   putting   three   stones   in   a   certain   spot   of   the   overgrown   back   yard   with   different   arrangements   as   secret   signals．After   that   they   often   met．Dimitri   remained   incognito   as   a   homeless   person,   for   he   seemed   not   to   tire   of   his   carefree   life   of   wandering   in   the   world．

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        The   beauties   sat   before   the   blazing   fire,   listening   to   Mary’s   narration   of   how   she   and   Sheila   came   to   the   Kingdom．When   they   heard   that   Richard   and   Jamaz   were   still   alive   and   were   reunited   with   King   Dimitri，they   shouted   in   irrepressible   delight   and   cheered   in   joy   from   the   bottom   of   their   hearts,   happy   their   master   had   not   lost   his   good   friends.     Though   they   had   never   seen   the   two   men,   they   felt   familiar   with   them   from   the   stories   told   by   some   of   the   beauties   on   their   arrival．Just   then，Megginn   received   King   Dimitri’s   decree   ascertaining   the   appointment   of   Richard   and   Jamaz   to   their   new   positions．Yoko   and   Marcelina,   who   had   shared   in   the   adventures   of   King   Dimitri   and   his   two   good   friends   jumped   for   joy．Their   contact   had   been   short   but   unforgettable．Yoko   said，

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        "At   last   these   two   prolifigates   have   a   happy   ending!     Richard   no   longer   needs   to   gamble   for   a   living．He   can   use   the   unlimited   resources   of   World   Bank   for   investments，which   had   always   been   his   dream．Now   he   has   a   chance   to   prove   himself．I   am   confident   he   will   do   well.”

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"And   that   Jamaz,”   added   Marcelina   laughingly   "will   be   surrounded   by   beautiful   women   running   after   him．He   can   pick   and   choose   and   no   longer   needs   to   fear   repudiation!"

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        But   in   that   room   filled   with   an   air   of   jocular   festivity   and   elation，two   people   seemed   isolated   in   their   own   thoughts,   remote   from   the   atmosphere   of   jubilance．Humiliated   by   her   past,   Sheila   felt   dirty   and   polluted   in   the   present   company，her   shame   heightened   by   her   disability．She   did   not   know   how   to   face   the   future   in   their   midst．The   other   was   Amalia，whose   attention   and   emotions   were   still   controlled   by   the   kite   in   her   heart．The   kite   flew   up   and   down   in   the   blue   skies,   floating   right   and   left   as   it   was   tossed   by   the   mighty   wind，seemingly   to   struggle   to   break   from   the   thin   thread   controlling   it   and   go   with   the   wind．Amalia’s   thoughts   were   still   on   the   figure   of   the   blind   vagabond．Who   was   he?   Why   did   he   appear   in   her   dreams，tugging   at   her   heart   strings?   The   wind   intensified．The   thread   broke．The   kite   broke   away   and   gradually   disappeared   from   view.   Amalia   suddenly   started．Ah!   That   kite!   It   broke   away   and   faded   from   sight，just   as   her   son   had   disappeared   all   those   years   ago，destination   unknown．Her   thoughts   were   interrupted   by   heart   broken   sobs．Dorna   was   saying，

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        "That   rascal   Big-O   got   away!   What   a   pity!   He’ll   go   on   preying   on   innocent   girls…How   did   he   get   hold   of   you,   Sheila?"         Aisha   eyed   the   rash   girl，but   it   was   too   late   to   stop   her   impetuous   words．Sheila   cried   and   said,

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"My   body   is   a   sacrifice   of   Fate．So   is   my   life．Oh,   1et   me   go   back   to   my   dark   and   filthy   corner．I   am   unfortunate   and   am   suited   only   to   darkness   and   dirt!"

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Her   anguished   words   blew   away   the   happy   atmosphere．Like   a   gust   of   dreary   rain   and   wind   at   midnight，her   story   brought   desolation   and   sorrow   to   the   carefree   group．The   beauties   hastened   to   comfort   her   with   gentle   words   which   warmed   her   like   rays   of   sunshine,   gentle   as   the   spring   breeze,   temporarily   salving   her   wounded   heart,   but   which   alas   were   not   able   to   change   the   reality   she   had   to   face．Words   could   not   efface   the   shadows   in   her   heart   nor   the   disability   of   her   body．But   aside   from   that,   what   else   could   they   do?     Amalia   thought，

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"I   am   the   only   one   who   can   do   something．With   my   magic   powers,   I   can   stop   her   from   sliding   back   to   her   past   by   making   her   normal   again．I   am   capable   of   rescuing   her   from   her   destiny．But   my   magic   powers   can   only   be   used   once．Could   that   blind   vagabond   in   my   dreams   that   tugs   so   at   my   heart   strings   be   my   long   lost   son?   If   so,   1   want   to   keep   my   once   in   a   lifetime   magic   for   him．But   it   is   only   a   dream．Like   a   kite,   my   son   has   been   lost   to   me   all   these   years,   blown   to   I   know   not   where;   while   right   here   before   my   eyes   is   a   poor   girl   that   needs   my   help．Perhaps   I   should   use   it   on   her   in   recompense   for   my   irresponsibility   towards   my   own   flesh   and   blood.”     Having   made   up   her   mind，she   turned   to   Sheila   and   said，

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        "Go   to   bed   dear.   Tomorrow   everything   will   be   well.   You   will   have   a   bright   future，I   promise.”     Her   words   surprised   everyone．   Could   Amalia   really   help   the   poor   girl?     But   no   one   dared   to   question   her．So   everyone   stood   up   and   agreed   it   was   late   and   time   to   rest．Holding   a   bright   light，Dorna   led   the   way   up   the   steps   with   all   the   beauties   following，taking   Mary   and   Sheila   to   their   rooms，after   which   they   bid   each   other   goodnight   and   retired   too   to   await   the   miracle   the   next   day．

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Only   Aisha   was   left   in   the   empty   hall   after   the   others   went   away,   carefully   blowing   out   the   candles   one   by   one．Her   beautiful   shadow   followed   her   every   step．With   each   candle   she   blew   out,   the   brilliance   of   the   room   lessened   and   an   indescribable   sense   of   anxiety   in   her   heart   heightened．Like   wine   anxiety   was   diffused   in   her   body,   taking   effect   in   her   blood   stream．When   all   the   candles   had   been   blown   out,   a   sense   of   emptiness   and   desolation   prevailed,   always   present   at   the   end   of   every   feast．Aisha   stood   for   a   moment   before   the   blazing   fireplace   and   then   sat   down,   her   ever   faithful   shadow   following   suit，letting   the   fire   cast   her   beautiful   silhouette   so   much   like   her   gracious   soul   quietly   on   the   floor   beside   her．She   seemed   to   intend   to   sit   there   through   the   night   and   await   the   coming   of   the   miracle   of   the   morrow．

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Aisha   gazed   steadfastly   at   the   gradually   dying   fire．Her   elongated   shadow   beside   her   seemed   to   dim   and   become   obscure   in   the   weakened   flames   and   glowing   embers．Immersed   in   her   thoughts，she   absent-mindedly   added   a   few   logs   to   it．The   fire   started   to   perk   and   blaze   and   her   shadow   once   again   became   clear   as   that   of   a   person   standing   under   the   sun．Once   the   flesh   body   no   longer   existed,   the   shadow   would   vanish   completely,   obliterated,   never   to   appear   again．The   time   that   man   could   impose   his   shadow   on   the   ground   was   not   too   long，for   life   alas   was   too   short．

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”It   was   really   unjust   that   Sheila   should   be   made   to   endure   such   disaster   and   pain   in   her   short   life   span”   she   thought．”Fate   had   inflicted   too   much   on   her．The   punishment   was   too   severe.”     Her   thoughts   then   turned   to   Amalia．Did   she   really   have   the   powers   to   change   the   girl’s   fate?   No,   that   was   beyond   human   power．The   kind-hearted   woman   sat   before   the   fire，her   lips   moving   in   silent   prayer．

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"Almighty   God,   our   Father   in   heaven,   please   make   use   of   Amalia’s   hand   to   save   the   poor   damsel．I   am   but   a   person   offering   a   humble   prayer   and   have   no   right   to   make   excessive   demands   on   you．But   you   have   performed   miracles   before．Why   be   so   parsimonious   of   your   favors   and   not   show   your   might   by   saving   the   poor   damsel?”  

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“I   am   but   a   person   offering   a   humble   prayer   and   have   no   right   to   make   excessive   demands   on   you．But   in   this   world，there   are   so   many   disabled   people，all   with   the   same   wish   -   to   become   whole   again．Their   universal   wish   would   find   satisfaction   in   your   miraculous   healing．If   you   could   make   the   blind   see   the   myriad   of   twinkling   stars   again，it   would   be   the   highest   and   most   beauteous   praise   for   you．If   the   dumb   could   speak   and   sing   and   the   deaf   could   hear   the   chirping   of   birds   and   the   trickling   of   springs，that   would   be   the   highest   and   most   beauteous   praise   to   you．If   the   paralyzed，made   also   to   your   image   and   likeness,   could   use   their   limbs   normally   again,   it   would   be   the   highest   and   most   beauteous   praise   of   you.”

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“Almighty   God,   I   am   but   a   person   offering   a   humble   prayer   and   have   no   right   to   make   excessive   demands   on   you，but   please   make   use   of   your   omnipotent   power   through   Amalia   and   help   a   poor   damsel..."   The   fire   weakened   and   dimmed   while   Aisha   prayed   silently   through   the   night   until   the   sky   lightened   with   the   first   crack   of   dawn．

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In   the   eastern   sky，dawn   stealthily   appeared   in   eternal   silence，there   since   the   beginning   of   time，announcing   with   magnificence   and   grandeur   that   a   new   day   had   begun．Sheila   woke   up   refreshed   and   vitalized   after   a   night’s   deep   slumber   and   watched   the   gradually   brightening   sky   with   alert   eyes．She   remembered   Amalia’s   promise，but   could   not   believe   that   a   miracle   would   happen   on   her   body．Lifting   the   bedcovers,   she   sat   up   and   to   her   utter   amazement   found   that   her   left   leg   was   a   perfect   counterpart   of   her   right，no   longer   thinner   and   shorter．Stunned,   she   stood   up   and   took   a   few   tentative   steps,   surprised   to   find   she   was   no   longer   a   cripple．Amalia   had   kept   her   word!     A   miracle   had   happened!   She   was   thunderstruck   and   could   scarcely   believe   her   eyes!   Opening   her   bedroom   door，she   walked   softly   to   the   auditorium   so   as   not   to   disturb   the   other   sleepers．There   on   the   stage，she   slowly   extended   her   limb   and   found   everything   soft，natural   and   comfortable．Miraculous   transformation   was   hard   to   believe，but   here   it   was．She   danced，her   body   light   and   agile   as   a   cat，muscles   supple   as   if   floating   on   clouds．Through   the   skylight，a   shaft   of   golden   dawn   light   shone   on   the   swaying   form．

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Overpowered   by   her   emotions，she   cried   silently   in   prayer   and   thanksgiving，tears   streaming   down   her   cheeks．What   she   did   not   know   was,   last   night   after   she   had   fallen   asleep,   Amalia   performed   her   magic．She   shrank   the   girl’s   body   to   the   size   of   a   finger   and   swallowed   her   whole,   feeling   the   girl   pass   through   the   abdomen   and   reach   the   womb．There   Sheila   was   made   whole   and   reborn   with   a   new   body．Like   the   speck   of   sand   inside   the   oyster   shell   that   began   as   an   irritation，she   became   a   dazzling   pearl．Then   just   as   quickly   Amalia   restored   the   girl   to   normal   size．She   had   been   reborn,   normal   and   complete   in   every   respect，including   her   virginity．All   her   sins   and   debauchery   had   been   purged．In   her   past   1ife，unfortunate   fate   put   her   in   the   role   of   a   sufferer，but   now   she   became   the   most   fortunate   person   in   the   whole   world   for   never   in   the   history   of   the   universe   had   any   human，animal   or   vegetation   ever   gone   back   to   the   mother’s   womb   to   be   reborn.   If   it   were   not   for   the   almighty   power   of   God，who   performed   the   miracle   through   Amalia’s   womb，Sheila   would   not   be   weeping   in   joy   and   gratitude．Through   her   joyful   turbulence,   she   felt   the   presence   of   someone   by   her   side．She   looked   up   and   saw   Amalia,   dressed   in   her   black   witch   cloak   and   hat,   her   features   no   longer   sinister,   but   kind   and   gentle   as   a   benevolent   elder．Sheila   knelt   before   her   and   kissed   her   feet．Amalia   helped   her   up   gently,   took   her   into   her   arms   and   patted   her   on   the   back   as   if   comforting   a   child．   For   the   first   time   in   her   life，Sheila   felt   the   warmth   of   a   mother’s   love   and   Amalia   too,   seemed   to   feel   the   satisfaction   of   her   maternal   instincts．

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                  CHAPTER   10         CHANEL   AND   THE   TWIN   FAIRIES

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Dimitri   woke   up   murmuring,   "Wonderful!   A   wonderful   dream!"   Opening   his   eyes   he   found   he   was   still   at   the   bus   stop   shelter．The   wind   and   rain   had   stopped   and   under   the   clear   blue   skies   golden   sunlight   sprayed   the   streets，giving   one   a   refreshing   feeling．Several   young   students   with   backpacks   stood   talking   and   laughing   at   the   bus   stop．He   saw   a   blond   girl   in   white   shirt   and   blue   jeans   who   looked   like   golden-haired   Mary．Soon，bus   #51   came   and   took   them   away．Across   the   aisle   from   Dimitri   sat   a   well-dressed   middle-aged   man   reading   the   newspapers   and   circling   out   things   with   his   pencil．Perhaps   he   had   just   been   laid   off   and   was   looking   for   a   job．   Bus   #40   came   and   took   him   away，and   Dimitri   was   left   all   alone．He   yawned   and   stretched   himself，wondering   if   he   should   keep   his   original   plan   of   going   back   to   his   home   in   the   narrow   alley   and   check   up   on   his   dilapidated   shelter．Just   as   he   was   about   to   get   up，he   noticed   the   broken   portable   radio   on   his   lap   and   his   thoughts   went   to   its   owner，the   man   who   called   himself   Napoleon,   whom   he   happened   to   meet   here   in   the   rain   and   storm   the   night   before．He   had   lung   cancer   and   dared   to   raise   his   fists   against   God’s   jealousy．Carrying   the   radio   Dimitri   wandered   aimlessly   on．It   was   a   fine   sunny   day,   but   the   climate   seemed   abnormal．The   buildings   on   both   sides   of   the   streets   towered   high   in   the   skies   and   passersby   hurried   here   and   there   in   haste．In   this   abnormal   weather,   the   city   he   knew   so   well   seemed   unfamiliar   and   the   forms   of   the   buildings   looked   old   and   weird．He   continued   walking   on．In   his   head，one   sentence   kept   cropping   up   and   repeating   itself，"Don’t   be   jealous   of   me．Don’t   be   jealous   of   me.”   The   hysterical   but   undaunted   figure   appeared   again   in   his   mind．From   Broadway,   Dimitri   turned   onto   14th   Street   and   walked   aimlessly   on．The   buses   rotated   back   and   forth   on   their   routine   routes，letting   off   passengers   at   their   destinations   and   picking   up   new   ones   waiting   at   the   designated   stops．

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From   behind，sounds   of   light，regular   footsteps   came   nearer   and   nearer．A   well-formed   man   strong   as   an   ox   ran   past   Dimitri，jogging   towards   Lake   Merritt．His   regular   heavy   breathing   and   strong   body   odor   showed   he   had   been   at   it   for   quite   a   while．His   shadow   cast   on   the   ground   by   the   sun   moved   as   quickly   as   its   owner．When   he   stopped,   he   would   feel   much   refreshed   from   the   exercise．Just   then   the   audible   traffic   signal   sounded，reminding   Dimitri   it   was   time   to   stop   and   wait   for   the   light   to   change．Across   the   street   was   an   elementary   schoo1．From   its   rows   of   classroom   windows   came   voices   of   young   children   reading   aloud   in   unison，mixed   with   the   pleasant   melodious   female   voice   of   the   teacher   instructing   the   class．   Each   room   held   a   different   grade   of   classes,   like   steps   on   a   staircase．The   children   climbed   up   a   step   at   a   time，their   brains   changing,   becoming   more   complex   and   intricate   as   they   went   higher   up．Left   of   the   street   were   rows   of   warehouses   heaped   with   electronic   parts   for   TVs．Dimitri   walked   slowly   on．The   warehouses   on   the   left   and   the   school   on   the   right   were   linked   together   somehow   in   his   brain，but   he   could   not   come   to   a   conclusion   as   to   the   connection．On   the   other   side   of   the   classroom，was   a   basket-ball   field,   where   a   game   was   in   progress   between   two   teams   of   teenagers．They   sped   around   the   field   agilely，shouting   to   each   other，passing   the   ball   or   jumping   to   shoot   at   the   basket，giving   off   the   vitality   of   youth,   never   dreaming   that   one   day   this   vitality   would   be   all   sapped   up．Not   far   from   there，was   a   fish   market   where   different   kinds   of   fishes   swam   to   and   fro   in   the   water   tank,   seemingly   tranquil   and   happy．In   the   world   different   animals   can   live   under   different   circumstances   in   amazing   ways．Suddenly   a   net   swooped   down   and   caught   a   squirming   fish．No   sooner   was   it   thrown   on   the   chopping   board   than   it   was   stunned   by   a   heavy   blow   on   the   head   with   a   sharp   knife．In   a   matter   of   minutes   the   fishmonger   had   it   skillfully   scraped，cleaned,   chopped   into   several   pieces,   put   in   a   plastic   bag   and   handed   to   the   waiting   customer．The   fish   was   still   twitching,   its   heart   still   beating．

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        In   the   early   winter   morning，the   warmth   of   the   sun   gave   one   a   feeling   of   indolence．The   mailman   went   leisurely   on   his   route，carefully   collecting   all   the   mail   from   the   mail   boxes   and   putting   them   into   his   bag．Out   of   the   blue，Dimitri’ss   portable   radio   gave   off   an   amazingly   loud   blare   of   music，startling   the   sedate   mailman．But   soon,   it   resumed   its   original   silence．The   mailman   exchanged   a   smile   with   Dimitri   and   continued   on   with   his   work．His   shadow   cast   on   the   ground   by   the   sun   was   so   at   ease   and   unperturbed．The   radio   in   Dimitri’s   hand   intermittently   gave   off   short   bouts   of   music．Evidently   its   connection   had   been   damaged   when   thrown   down   by   its   owner   the   previous   night．His   words   kept   resounding   in   Dimitri’s   ear．"Don’t   be   jealous   of   me!   Don’t   be   jealous   of   me!"     Not   far   away，within   a   radius   of   two   blocks   came   the   shrill   siren   of   an   ambulance   breaking   the   calm   of   the   early   winter   morning．   Dimitri   continued   walking   aimlessly   on．At   the   corner   of   the   next   block   he   saw   the   ambulance   stop   and   a   crowd   gather,   some   exchanging   information   in   a   hushed   whisper   and   some   exclaiming   aloud   in   consternation．As   Dimitri   elbowed   his   way   through   the   crowd，he   heard   people   saying，

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        "That   was   the   maintenance   man   of   one   of   the   apartments   by   the   Lake!   He   was   laid   off   a   year   ago   and   has   not   been   able   to   find   work   since.”

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        "That’s   because   they   found   he   had   HIV   virus   and   later   lung   cancer．Really   bum   luck.”

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"They   say   he’s   been   in   the   rain   and   wind   all   night,   sometimes   muttering   under   his   breath,   sometimes   shouting   at   the   top   of   his   voice   like   a   mad   man.”   When   he   got   to   the   front   of   the   crowd，Dimitri   saw   a   man   sitting   on   the   stone   bench   in   front   of   the   fast   food   restaurant．   It   was   Napoleon，the   owner   of   the   radio,   the   man   who   had   shared   the   bus   stop   shelter   with   him   the   night   before．He   was   about   to   call   out   to   him．"Hey   Napoleon,   what   are   you   doing   here?"   when   he   was   stopped   by   an   authoritative   voice   saying，

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        "Don’t   touch   him．He’s   dead.”   Dimitri   looked   carefully   at   Napoleon．His   open   eyes   were   glazed,   but   still   showed   his   bitterness   and   animosity．Raindrops   glistened   on   his   lashes   and   the   sunshine   was   still   casting   his   shadow   on   the   ground．But   quickly   the   shadow   disappeared   forever   from   the   face   of   the   earth   as   his   flesh   body   was   carried   into   the   ambulance．

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When   Napoleon   bolted   out   of   the   bus   stop   shelter   in   anger   the   night   before，he   dashed   headlong   into   the   rain   with   no   destination   in   mind．Rain   and   wind   pounded   down   on   him，soaking   him   to   the   skin．He   shivered   and   marveled   how   so   much   water   could   pour   down   from   the   heavens．Rain   was   such   a   common   everyday   phenomenon   that   until   now   he   never   thought   of   the   majestic   marvel   of   it．Napoleon   walked   on   thinking，

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"This   flesh   body   will   soon   no   longer   belong   to   me．When   it   is   destroyed,   where   will   I   be?   Will   I   be   destroyed   along   with   it，or   will   I   exist   independent   of   it?   Only   God   knows   the   answer.     Is   there   a   God?     Who   knows   if   He   exists   or   not.     I   don’t   believe   in   Him.   I   am   foolish   indeed．But   if   he   does   not   exist   and   I   do   believe   in   Him，I   would   be   more   foolish   still．If   He   doesn’t   exist   and   I   don’t   believe   in   Him，I   am   a   wise   man．If   He   does   exist   and   I   do   believe   in   Him，I   would   be   the   wisest   man   of   all．But   now，wise   or   foolish，it   is   irrelevant   to   me   because   my   flesh   body   will   soon   be   destroyed   and   I   may   be   destroyed   along   with   it.”   As   he   walked   on   he   saw   unknown   flowers   continuing   to   bloom   in   the   cold   and   the   rain．

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"Who   can   keep   them   from   being   born   to   this   earth?   God   cannot   determine   the   birth   of   a   life   by   his   love   or   hate．I   swear   by   thunder   and   lightening   that   one   day   I   will   be   back   again   on   this   earth!"

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        Dimitri   walked   in   a   daze   on   the   quiet，sunny，solitary   street．His   shadow   cast   on   the   ground   by   the   sunlight   followed   its   maser   assiduously   step   by   step．From   time   to   time，Dimitri   looked   down   on   the   shadow   by   his   side，as   if   only   by   doing   so，could   he   assure   himself   it   was   still   there．He   thought，

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"My   shadow   has   followed   me   all   its   life．He   is   my   most   devoted   servant   never   asking   anything   of   me,   but   following   me   faithfully   though   I   am   only   a   poor   vagabond.   But   how   long   can   it   hold   out?   One   day，it   will   disappear   from   this   earth   just   as   Napoleon’s   shadow   did．Ah   yes!   All   flesh   bodies   will   one   day   turn   to   ashes．The   end   of   life   is   extinction   into   eternal   darkness．Where   has   Napoleon   gone   to   now?   Is   the   next   life   a   continuation   of   this   one?   I’d   rather   believe   in   its   existence,   for   otherwise   what   is   the   meaning   of   our   life   here   on   earth?   But   who   can   prove   it?   Wouldn’t   it   be   too   foolish   if   I   pin   all   my   hopes   on   the   next   life   and   overlook   the   pleasures   of   the   flesh   body   in   this   world?   But   who   can   prove   it   does   exist?"   Dimitri   shook   his   head   emphatically，"Why   trouble   myself   with   this   enigmatic   and   unsolvable   question?   The   sunshine   is   so   bright．   Though   it   is   winter，flowers   are   still   blooming   and   my   body   temperature   is   still   warm.   Think   no   more   of   such   troublesome   problems．Perhaps   only   after   my   death   will   I   know   the   answer   to   whether   the   next   life   exists．So   let’s   leave   the   heavy   load   to   Jehovah．   His   relationship   with   humans   is   as   simple   and   intimate   as   that   of   the   shadow   and   the   flesh   body.”

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In   the   quiet   of   early   dawn   the   lake   was   calm，with   only   a   suggestion   of   ripples   to   mar   the   smooth，mirror-like   surface．On   the   center   of   the   lake   could   be   seen   the   reflection   of   a   solitary   cloud,   on   which   perched   a   gorgeous   nymph   contemplating   her   own   reflection   on   the   water，full   of   confidence,   seemingly   satisfied   with   her   beauty．Her   figure   on   the   cloud   and   her   reflection   on   the   water   complemented   each   other   like   a   pair   of   beautiful   twin   sisters．Her   appearance   added   a   glow   to   the   gray，foggy   morning，like   a   bright   lantern   cheering   the   gloom   of   dusk．The   monotony   of   life   in   heaven,with   its   limitless   skies   and   a   sea   of   rolling   clouds，was   broken   only   by   the   statuary   rotation   of   the   sun,   the   moon   and   the   stars．Outside   of   that   there   was   only   eternal   silence．She   sighed，frustrated   that   her   beauty   was   doomed   to   exist   unappreciated．   Perhaps   that   propelled   her   to   run   away   from   her   palace,   enveloped   by   rainbow   and   clouds   in   the   far   away   seventh   heaven   and   came   down   stealthily   to   earth．   Golden   auroral   rays   came   through   the   clouds   and   the   nymph’s   gaze   roved   towards   the   shore   and   found   a   familiar   figure   in   a   brown   three   quarter   coat   and   olive   safari   hat.     She   seemed   to   feel   a   speciat   attraclion   towards   that   mediocre-looking   vagabond，who   nevertheless   emanated   an   aura   of   amiable   suavity．Her   heart   rate   accelerated   with   the   first   heady   taste   of   sweet，earthly，forbidden   love．She   knew   that   though   he   was   suffering   from   a   huge   physical   and   mental   pain,   he   was   able   to   sublimate   it   to   endless   treasures   to   be   stored   in   the   depth   of   his   heart．There   he   constructed   for   himself   a   mysterious   Kingdom,   with   numerous   beauties   for   companions.   He   seemed   to   appreciate   them,   really   give   them   true,   tender   love．He   had   an   enormous   capacity   for   sweet   earthly   love   which   made   him   a   guardian   and   custodian   of   the   fair   sex,   a   gardener   cultivating   exotic   flowers，enabling   them   to   bloom   on   forever．Her   ultimate   desire,   whether   in   heaven,   on   earth   or   in   her   fondest   dreams   was   to   be   able   to   live   forever   with   a   man   like   Dimitri.     But   alas,   as   a   spirit   possessing   only   an   illusionary   image   and   no   flesh   and   blood   body,   such   earthly   bliss   was   beyond   her   reach．She   could   only   hide   behind   clouds   and   look   longingly   down   at   the   humans   below．

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Dimitri   sat   on   the   bench   under   the   sunlight，looking   at   Napoleon’s   radio，thinking   about   taking   it   apart   and   fixing   it   himself．He   had   been   apprenticed   to   an   electrician   when   he   was   a   boy   and   had   learnt   the   rudiments   of   repairing   electrical   appliances．

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"Yes”   he   thought，"I’ll   do   it   myself．This   radio   belongs   to   Napoleon．He   is   no   longer   here,   but   I   must   do   my   best   to   preserve   his   property.     I   can’t   just   throw   it   away．   It’s   broken，but   it’s   still   repairable．I’m   broken   too．If   I   didn’t   take   care   of   myself，I’d   have   been   gone   long   ago.”     Taking   the   broken   radio，he   began   slowly   to   take   it   apart．Soon   the   radio   was   being   dismembered   and   its   parts   spread   over   the   entire   bench,   not   as   intricate   but   similar   to   the   human   body   opened   up   by   the   surgeon   on   the   operation   table,   the   only   difference   being   the   human   body   needed   anesthesia   when   being   operated   on   and   machines   didn’t．   Dimitri   was   at   a   loss   as   to   what   was   wrong   with   the   radio,   for   like   medical   science,   modern   technology   had   progressed   by   leaps   and   bounds   and   he   found   it   hard   to   put   it   back   together   again．

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"I   must   do   it!"   he   told   himself．"Man   loves   himself,   but   he   is   cruel   to   his   possessions．Anything   which   is   useful   has   a   life   of   its   own   and   should   not   be   abused.”     He   worked   arduously   on,   but   after   a   while   his   eyes   began   hurting.

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"I   must   close   my   eyes   and   rest   for   a   while，or   they   will   act   up   again”   he   thought．So   he   leaned   back   and   closed   his   eyes,   relaxing   under   the   sun．When   he   opened   his   eyes   again,   he   saw   a   beautiful   nymph   peeping   down   concernedly   at   him   from   her   cloud．He   had   seen   her   several   times   before   and   had   given   her   a   name,   Clementine．He   waved   at   her，"Hi   Clementine!"   but   the   nymph   jumped   from   cloud   to   cloud，her   flimsy   clothes   resembling   the   semi-transparent   wings   of   dragonflies，and   was   soon   out   of   sight．Dimitri   turned   his   mind   to   the   work   at   hand．His   eyes   fell   on   the   cluttered   radio   parts   on   the   bench   and   he   really   was   not   sure   how   to   go   about   the   task   of   putting   it   back   together   again,   having   forgotten   how   he   had   taken   them   apart   but   he   was   determined   to   do   so．He   began   patiently   fitting   the   parts   together,   relying   partly   on   intuition，partly   on   past   knowledge   and   partly   on   inspiration．He   worked   on   as   if   in   a   trance．Finally   it   was   done．Everything   was   back   into   the   case．He   turned   it   on   and   to   his   exhaliration,   sound   came   out，somewhat   similar   to   the   buzzing   of   a   fly,   but   it   worked!   Dimitri   was   happy．He   had   revived   it!   It   was   working   again!   Though   far   from   perfect，he   was   satisfied   and   treasured   it   immensely．He   was   especially   happy   because   he   felt   a   sense   of   accomplishment   after   resurrecting   the   radio．

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Perhaps   Dimitri   had   expended   too   much   energy   on   fixing   the   broken   radio，for   he   felt   tired   and   closed   his   over-strained   eyes   which   were   hurting   again．When   he   reopened   his   blurry   eyes，the   world   seemed   enveloped   in   an   obscure   golden   curtain   of   sunshine,   behind   which   shadows   of   trees   moved．The   sun   was   warm，but   the   night   he   spent   in   the   bus   stop   shelter   in   the   rain   and   wind   had   taken   its   toll．   Dimitri   shivered   in   the   golden   sunlight   and   goose   pimples   rose   in   spite   of   the   warmth．

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"Compared   to   vegetation,   man’s   body   is   too   fragile”   he   thought．"See   how   happy   these   trees   are!   They   thrive   on   exposure   to   the   rain,   storm   and   sunshine．I   used   to   think   they   only   live   longer   than   man   and   scoffed   at   their   meaningless,   mindless   state．Now   I   wish   I   were   a   broad   green   leaf,   photosynthesizing   under   the   sun,   producing   protein   to   vitlize   myself．Thought   can   give   pleasure，but   it   also   brings   worries．Oh，let   me   be   a   leaf   photosynthesizing   under   the   sun，without   great   happiness   or   sadness   and   of   course   no   thought．   Let   me   be   a   tree   taking   nutrients   from   the   soil，growing   and   living．That’s   the   simplest   pleasure．To   grow   and   live，hidden   in   the   obscure   curtain   of   golden   sunshine，without   the   need   for   thought，photosynthesizing   under   the   sunlight，taking   nutrients   from   the   soil,   continuing   to   live   and   grow．That’s   the   simplest   pleasure．Wave   after   wave   of   sunshine   rolled   down   from   on   high，bringing   with   it   ringing   laughter，extremely   wanton   and   seductive，but   nevertheless   naively   innocent．It   was   hard   to   define   its   intrinsic   nature．Dimitri   cocked   his   ear,   concentrating   his   attention   on   distinguishing   the   source   of   the   laughter．

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On   a   cloud，Dimitri   spied   the   beautiful   nymph，Clementine，whom   he   had   seen   several   times   peeking   at   him．Dressed   in   her   flimsy   clothes，transparent   as   dragonfly   wings，she   was   chasing   and   playing   with   that   great   bronze   gong   of   a   sun,   causing   him   to   spin   around   at   the   same   spot   in   order   to   escape   the   clutches   of   the   naughty   nymph．Clementine,   the   youngest   daughter   of   Zeus，was   born   after   the   era   when   the   gods   of   Olympus   were   active   in   the   affairs   of   man，so   her   name   was   unknown   to   scholars   of   Greek   mythology．Unlike   her   siblings，she   had   no   specific   work   assigned   to   her   and   therefore   was   left   to   roam   at   will   in   heaven．Grown   to   be   a   beautiful   young   girl   of   an   age   to   understand   the   sweetness   of   love，she   chafed   under   her   solitude   and   the   heavenly   confinements   and   secretly   longed   to   go   down   to   the   forbidden   earth   to   seek   adventure   and   excitement．To   chase   away   her   boredom，she   caught   hold   of   the   arm   of   the   sun．As   it   inched   on   its   scheduled   route   to   the   west，she   pulled   it   back   again，making   it   stand   still，bringing   the   calculation   of   time   into   total   disarray，causing   errors   in   the   movements   of   the   planets   of   the   solar   system．Perhaps   that   was   how   the   leap   year   came   about!   It   was   only   a   practical   joke   on   the   part   of   a   bored，prankish   numph，but   it   had   affected   the   orderly   orbit   of   heavenly   bodies．A   proud   and   mighty   neigh   heralded   the   arrival   of   a   magnificent   chariot，drawn   by   golden   heavenly   horses，driven   by   a   glitteringly   armoured   warrior．The   chariot   came   flashing   by，fast   as   a   light   beam．When   it   got   to   the   sun，the   angry   warrior   cast   his   dazzling   net   woven   of   golden   threads   at   Clementine，to   take   his   wayward   sibling   back   to   heaven．But   she,   being   only   an   illusionary   image   with   no   flesh   and   blood，easily   slipped   out．Determined   not   to   be   brought   back   to   her   monotonous   palace   in   disgrace，Clementine   jumped   down   from   the   clouds   and   escaped   towards   earth．The   warrior   then   caught   sight   of   Dimitri,   who   happened   to   be   looking   on   at   the   scene．   In   frustration，he   cast   his   golden   net   once   more   towards   the   hapless   bystander．Dimitri   was   dumbfounded!

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Dimitri   woke   from   his   reverie,   still   concerned   about   the   fate   of   that   headstrong   nymph   Clementine,   in   her   dash   for   freedom   to   the   earth．   He   looked   up   at   the   clear   blue   skies   with   the   solitary   cloud   floating   over   the   lake．No   golden-armoured   warrior,   no   nymph   in   flimsy   clothes   transparent   as   dragonfly   wings．He   laughed   at   himself.  

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"Maybe   it   was   me   and   my   fantasy   again．From   the   beginning   of   time,   those   blue   skies   have   been   the   place   where   humans   consign   their   fanciful   thoughts，weaving   stories   and   myths   that   have   come   down   through   the   ages.   It   is   really   the   cradle   of   man’s   civilization.”   Suddenly，Dimitri   heard   a   squeaky   voice   calling，"Help!   Help!"   and   felt   something   tugging   at   the   legs   of   his   pants．

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Looking   down   he   found   to   his   surprise,   it   was   his   long   separated   little   friend,   Mr.   Finger,   who   was   calling   loudly，

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        "Dimitri   help!   There’s   a   ferocious   tiger   after   me!"   Dimitri   scooped   him   up   and   put   him   in   the   upper   right   pocket   of   his   coat．Just   then，a   cute   pekingese   dog，dragging   a   long,   thin   chain   behind   him   came   ambling   up，sat   down   before   Dimitri   and   started   barking．   Bright   red   tongue   busily   licking   its   lips，playful   eyes   half   covered   by   long，curly   hair，made   one   long   to   hold   and   cuddle   it．Dimitri   smiled．By   proportions,   that   harmless   dog   would   seem   to   be   a   ferocious   tiger   to   Mr．Finger．He   patted   the   dog   on   the   head   cooing   soothingly，

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        "Now,   now,   don’t   be   fierce.”     To   his   astonishment，the   dog   bit   down   hard   on   his   fingers   and   would   not   let   go．   Dimitri   cried   out   in   pain．Just   then   its   mistress   came   rushing   up   panting,   crying   out   to   the   dog   to   let   go   and   apologized   profusely   to   Dimitri．She   was   a   beautiful   young   lady．   As   the   winter   day   was   quite   warm,   she   was   wearing   a   loose,   off-size   tan-and-gray   sweat   shirt   with   coordinating   skirt，fishnet   pantihose   and   walking   shoes，looking   very   refreshing   and   exuberant．She   inspected   Dimitri’s   hand   and   exclaimed，

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        "Oh!   Your   hands   are   bleeding!   I’m   so   sorry!   There’s   a   first-aid   kit   in   my   car．I’ll   get   it   and   dress   your   hand   for   you．You   don’t   have   to   worry   sir．My   dog   has   been   vaccinated,   so   there’s   no   danger   of   rabies   or   tetanus.”   Saying   so,   she   walked   briskly   to   her   car．Though   she   was   no   longer   dressed   as   a   nun,   Dimitri   recognized   her   right   away,   for   she   was   that   slim，veiled,   nymph-like   figure   in   the   black   habit   that   that   arrested   his   eyes   in   the   early   morning   sunlight   one   dawn   with   her   unworldly   air   of   spiritual   intelligence．While   she   was   applying   antiseptic   medication   on   his   hand，Dimitri   said，

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        "If   I   remember   correctly,   this   is   the   second   time   you   fix   my   hand   for   me.”   The   young   woman’s   slender   hands   worked   busily，but   she   did   not   reply．When   she   finished，she   raised   her   head   and   asked，

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        "Are   you   asking   why   I’m   no   longer   wearing   my   habit?"

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        "If   you   are   willing   to   tell   me，I’d   like   very   much   to   know.”   She   hesitated   for   a   moment．

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        "I   will   tell   you   one   day．For   the   time   being,   I’d   prefer   to   keep   it   a   secret．You，too，have   your   secrets．   If   I   am   not   mistaken,   I   met   you   once   at   a   large   charity   ball   where   you   made   huge   donations   to   help   the   disabled.”     Dimitri   nodded   in   agreement．

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        "I   heard   people   call   you   Chanel．Is   that   your   name?"

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        "Yes，it   is．I   live   around   here   now，and   I   am   giving   voice   and   piano   lessons   at   a   nearby   college．I   enjoy   it   very   much   and   intend   to   keep   at   it   for   a   while   instead   of   moving   around   like   a   nomad   and   changing   jobs   all   the   time．We’ll   meet   again.”

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        "Yes，I   am   always   in   this   area．We’ll   meet   again.”     Chanel   stood   up．

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"Time   for   class．I   must   take   Lucky   Boy   home   and   then   go   to   work．See   you   around.”            

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When   the   beautiful   woman   and   her   dog   got   into   the   car   and   drove   off，Mr.Finger   stuck   his   head   out   of   Dimitri’s   pocket   exclaiming，

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        "What   a   beautiful   lady!   I’ve   never   seen   one   more   gorgeous!”   Dimitri   took   him   out   of   his   pocket,   held   him   in   the   palm   of   his   hand   and   said，

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        "Long   time   no   see,   Mr.Finger!   How   have   you   been?   I   must   thank   you   on   behalf   of   my   friends   Richard   and   Jamaz．They   told   me   it   was   you   who   saved   their   lives.”   Mr．Finger   shrugged   nonchalantly，

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        "Not   intentionally，I’m   sure．I   was   just   testing   out   my   magic   powers   on   them   as   an   experiment．It   was   just   their   luck   that   it   worked．If   it   hadn’t，they’d   still   be   dead.”         Understanding   Mr．Finger’s   eccentric   peculiarities，Dimitri   said   no   more   and   changed   the   subject．

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        "Why   did   that   Pekinese   dog   Lucky   Boy   run   after   you?"

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        "Well，I   was   there   under   the   bench   minding   my   own   business   when   I   saw   a   pair   of   extremely   shapely   legs   in   fishnet   pantihose   stop   in   front   of   me．I   couldn’t   resist   climbing   up   those   beautiful   legs．But   then,   the   tiger   saw   me   and   came   after   me．Almost   swallowed   me，too．I   just   saw   those   fabulous   legs．I   didn’t   know   she   was   so   beautiful!"

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        "Where   do   you   plan   to   go   now?"

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        "Let   me   down．I   have   my   places   to   go.”   Dimitri   set   him   down   gently   so   as   not   to   hurt   him．Mr．Finger   said   good-bye   dryly   and   walked   away．Dimitri   suddenly   thought   of   something   and   called   out   to   him，

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        "Mr．Finger,   with   all   due   respect,   I   have   to   remind   you   that   it   is   really   dangerous   out   there   for   you   to   be   travelling   alone．That   tiger   you   met   was   only   a   small   one．What   if   you   met   a   bigger   one?   That   would   be   disastrous!   I   can’t   help   worrying.”   Mr．Finger   rolled   his   intelligent   eyes   reflectively   and   nodded，

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        "You’re   right．If   you   will   buy   me   a   balloon,   I’ll   go   with   you.”

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        "No   problem.”   Dimitri   picked   him   up,   put   him   on   the   brim   of   his   hat   and   they   walked   away．

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The   annual   Festival   of   the   Lake   was   in   progress．Children,   boisterous   and   excited,   ran   about   impatient   to   see   and   do   everything   at   once,   while   their   parents   lagged   behind．Young   couples   strolled   hand   in   hand,   happily   enjoying   the   atmosphere   of   festivity，and   proprietors   of   the   different   stalls   were   calling   out   their   wares．Dimitri,   holding   a   large   balloon   in   his   hand，mingled   in   the   crowd   with   Mr．Finger   dancing   in   glee   on   the   brim   of   his   hat   at   the   sight   of   such   gay   and   noisy   activities．Luckily   people   were   too   busy   enjoying   themselves   to   notice   him．They   thought   he   was   only   a   hat   ornament   and   paid   little   attention．The   two   went   from   stall   to   stall,   but   Dimitri’s   spirits   were   not   contaminated   by   the   air   of   merrymaking   and   revelry，for   he   was   still   deeply   concerned   about   the   fate   of   Clementine,   that   beautiful   nymph   who   had   jumped   so   rashly   down   to   earth．He   would   often   raise   his   head   to   look   at   the   blue   skies,   hoping   in   vain   to   see   her   peeking   down   at   him,   or   leaping   from   cloud   to   cloud   as   he   had   found   her   on   quite   a   few   occassions．   But   alas   she   was   nowhere   to   be   seen．His   blue   mood   became   as   blue   as   the   blue   skies．

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        Soon，they   came   to   a   costume   jewelry   stand,   where   Dimitri   saw   a   strand   of   imitation   pearls   he   thought   would   look   nice   on   Chanel．"Why   don’t   I   go   back   to   my   Kingdom   and   get   some   of   those   large，lustrous   pearls   from   the   bottom   of   the   lake．I   could   have   them   made   into   a   necklace   and   clasp   it   around   her   swanlike   neck   with   my   own   hands．That   would   be   even   better!"   His   thoughts   turned   to   the   atmosphere   of   mystery   that   surrounded   all   his   meetings   with   her．He   had   seen   her   taking   a   bath   in   the   hot   spring   pond   in   the   woods   amid   luxuriant   tropical   flowers．When   he   saw   a   huge，carnivorous   leaf   curl   up   and   envelop   her，he   had   run   into   the   water   to   help   her，but   just   then   he   woke   up．   He   had   often   wondered   what   happened   to   her   after   that．His   thoughts   so   incongruous   with   his   bustling   surroundings   were   broken   by   Mr．Finger’s   excited   cry,

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        "Hey!   I   smell   liquor．Let’s   go   and   get   some!"

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        "I   don’t   smell   anything.”

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"I’m   a   far   smeller．Follow   my   directions   and   you’ll   see.”       Dimitri   acquiesced   to   his   demands   and   soon   they   came   to   an   open   spot   where   a   crowd   had   gathered   around   some   street   musicians，swaying   to   the   merry，fast-paced   jazz   music．   Four，five   intimidatingly   large   men   sat   at   a   corner，among   whom   was   Big-O，tearing   ravenously   at   a   chicken   thigh   and   drinking   liquor．The   bright   red   spot   of   new   flesh   still   unhealed   on   his   forehead，was   the   souvenir   of   his   last   encounter   with   Dimitri   when   he   tried   to   kidnap   Mary   and   Sheila．It   made   his   already   hideous   face   even   more   ferocious．

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From   behind,   Dimitri   felt   someone   pulling   at   his   arm．He   looked   back   and   saw   a   man   elbowing   his   way   out   of   the   crowd,   signaling   him   to   follow．Out   of   curiosity   he   did   so．He   saw   the   man   stop   under   a   tree   and   turn   to   smile   at   him．It   was   his   old   friend   Richard．Dimitri   hurried   towards   him   shaking   his   hand   saying，

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        "Richard!   What   a   surprise   seeing   you   here!   I   heard   you   are   now   president   of   World   Bank．Is   everything   OK?   How   come   you   have   time   to   come   here?"

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        "Fine，everything’s   fine．Whatever   I   don’t   understand   I   ask   for   advice   and   orders   from   Megginn,   our   general   administrator   from   the   Kingdom．But   Jamaz   and   I   still   try   to   keep   our   former   life   style.   We   can’t   resist   our   old   haunts,   and   occasions   like   these   are   irresistible．Sometimes   I   still   like   to   practice   my   old   trade.”   He   made   a   comical   sign   of   picking   pockets．Dimitri   laughed．

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        "And   Jamaz?   Is   he   here   too?"

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"Oh   yes．He’s   somewhere   around,   keeping   an   eye   on   Big-O   and   his   gang．We   heard   something   new   is   brewing．This   time   we   won’t   let   them   give   us   the   slip   so   easily．We’ll   do   away   with   them   once   and   for   all．Can’t   let   them   remain   at   large   victimizing   the   fair   sex.”         Dimitri   nodded．

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"Who’s   their   next   victim?"   Richard   shrugged．

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"Not   very   clear   about   all   that，but   it’s   someone   living   in   that   5-story   apartment   near   your   old   dilapidated   shelter．His   men   have   been   seen   casing   it   out.”

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        "I   haven’t   been   back   there   for   ages，so   I   have   no   clue   who   they   might   be   interested   in．"

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        "I   was   afraid   Big-O   might   see   you   and   kill   you．That’s   why   I   called   you   away．Let’s   go   our   own   ways   for   now．I’ll   come   for   you   tonight   at   your   old   shelter   and   we’ll   plan   what   to   do   next.”     They   parted．Mr．Finger   was   stomping   his   foot   impatiently．

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        "I   want   liquor．Go   and   buy   some.”

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        "Not   today．Now’s   not   the   time   for   drinks．There   are   things   to   do   tonight   and   we   must   keep   sober.”

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"That’s   your   business,   not   mine,"   said   Mr.Finger   petulently．"I   want   liquor．I   don’t   care   what’s   going   to   happen   tonight，I   want   my   liquor   now!”   Knowing   his   little   friend’s   irascible   temper,   Dimitri   said，

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"OK．OK．I’ll   go   and   buy   some   for   you.”

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On   the   other   side   of   the   lake,all   was   calm   and   quiet．In   a   bright，sun-lit   corner，a   beauty，sitting   on   the   bench   habitually   frequented   by   Dimitri,   was   happily   accepting   the   caresses   of   the   spring   breeze   ruffling   her   long   hair．She   rewarded   the   sunlight   with   her   radiant   smile，looked   at   the   blue   skies   and   let   out   a   sigh   of   relief．From   the   far-off   heavens,   she   had   flown   innumerable   miles   to   reach   her   destination   -   the   earth．It   was   the   nymph   Clementine．She   thought   of   the   years   she   spent   roaming   the   universe,   like   swimming   in   waves   of   light,   flying   faster   than   the   speed   of   light   waves   in   the   immense   universe．Fast   as   the   speed   of   light   was，it   was   still   calculable,   but   the   speed   of   ideas   she   traveled   by   was   incalculable   and   unfathomable．Making   use   of   the   elastic   force   of   the   different   magnetic   fields   of   the   planets，she   roamed   the   boundless   universe.

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“Ah，I   am   tired   of   the   silent，immense   expanse，"she   thought．"Tired   of   such   a   nihilistic   life   style．At   last，I   have   reached   the   earth．which   I   had   peeked   at   so   longingly   for   so   long．I   hope   it   won’t   repudiate   the   addition   of   an   admiring   stranger   from   the   outer   space．This   is   really   a   lovely   planet．I   don’t   think   it   will   repulse   the   visitation   of   a   citizen   of   seventh   heaven.”   She   stood   up   and   walked   towards   the   sun．The   hem   of   her   gray   dress   fluttered   high   in   the   blasts   of   air   when   cars   scooted   past．It   was   a   dress   she   had   picked   out   from   a   laundromat   in   passing．

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        In   the   dilapidated   shelter   at   the   end   of   the   alley，Dimitri   lay   flat   on   his   back   on   the   ground,   too   tired   to   move   even   a   finger．From   the   side   his   prone   posture   resembled   the   rambling   ranges   of   the   Giant   Mountain   in   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams．His   eyes   were   tightly   closed   enduring   extreme   pain．He   had   used   up   all   his   strength   to   move   his   flesh   body   strenuously   back   to   his   shelter．His   eyes   were   blurry   like   peering   at   flowers   in   a   fog   or   looking   at   the   fog   from   under   water．The   shapes   of   all   objects   were   distorted   and   deformed．This   had   happened   many   times   before,   but   usually   quickly   resolved   itself．This   time   it   had   1asted   longer   than   ever   before   and   showed   no   sign   of   letting   up．Maybe   this   was   the   end，thought   Dimitri   sadly．The   time   had   come   when   he   would   be   completely   blind．   In   the   other   corner   of   the   shelter，a   pint-size   empty   bottle   lay   with   the   cork   off．Beside   it,   in   Dimitri’s   old   chipped   bowl   full   of   strong   cheap   whiskey,   lay   the   satisfied   and   happy   Mr．Finger,   immersaed   in   liquor,   drinking   when   he   felt   like   it．

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"How   I   wish   I   had   Dimitri’s   huge   body   so   I   could   drink   more!"   he   said   to   himself．"Mine   is   too   small   and   cannot   contain   much．More’s   the   pity!"   He   climbed   tipsily   out   of   the   bowl,   hiccupping   drunkenly   and   staggered   towards   Dimitri,   pulling   at   the   legs   of   his   trousers   to   get   his   attention．But   Dimitri   seemed   to   be   all   spent   and   paid   no   heed   to   his   call．Mr．Finger   shrugged   his   shoulders   and   held   up   his   hand   in   helpless   resignation．

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"This   guiy   is   too   much!   To   be   his   friend   is   really   no   fun．To   die   so   soon!   Maybe   he   is   out   only   temporarily．What   can   I   do   for   entertainment?”   He   tugged   at   the   string   of   the   balloon   and   pulled   it   outside   the   shelter．As   it   rose   into   the   air   pulling   Mr．Finger   with   it，he   shouted   in   gleeful   exultation，

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        "Hey，I’m   flying!   Free!   Free!   I   can   fly   now!"     But   as   the   balloon   rose   higher   and   higher,   he   suddenly   realized   that   should   the   balloon   burst，he   could   fall   to   his   death!   However，by   then   it   was   too   late   as   the   balloon   had   soared   up   into   the   air．   In   spite   of   his   intoxication,   Mr．Finger   was   quickwitted   enough   to   swing   his   body   to   and   fro   like   a   pendulum   to   change   and   slow   the   ascent,   hoping   to   be   able   to   latch   onto   something．Luckily   as   it   rose   to   the   top   floor   of   a   nearby   five   story   apartment   building，Mr．Finger’s   toe   caught   the   edge   of   the   veranda．As   soon   as   he   got   a   firm   hold,   he   let   go   of   the   string   of   the   balloon．Sobered   and   covered   by   cold   perspiration，he   clambered   onto   solid   ground   again,   exulting   relievedly   that   he   had   not   missed   his   last   chance．

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The   French   doors   leading   to   the   veranda   was   left   ajar,   with   a   crack   just   large   enough   for   Mr.Finger   to   squeeze   through   and   he   found   himself   in   a   simply   furnished   living   room．In   a   corner   stood   an   old   piano,   its   keys   yellow   with   age   and   its   surface   badly   scratched   and   no   longer   glossy．On   the   fireplace   next   to   it，was   a   portrait   of   the   Holy   Mary,   flanked   by   a   vase   of   lilies．A   large   crucifix   adorned   the   wall   behind   it．In   front   of   the   fireplace   was   a   cushion，evidently   used   for   genuflexion．In   another   corner   was   a   single   sofa   and   an   end   table．On   the   opposite   side   of   the   room   was   a   small   dining   set．Just   as   Mr．Finger   was   looking   around，assessing   his   new   environment   he   heard   the   growling   of   a   beast．Looking   sharply   around   he   found   a   cute   Pekinese,   alert   upon   discovery   of   an   intruder，but   as   it   was   shut   in   a   cage，Mr．Finger   felt   no   cause   for   alarm   and   continued   roaming   about   at   will   unconcernedly．He   walked   through   another   half-closed   door   and   saw   it   was   a   small   bedroom   with   a   full-size   bed   and   some   suitcases．Only   a   few   suits   and   dresses   hung   in   the   closet．   Evidently   the   owner   had   only   recently   moved   in   and   hadn’t   had   time   to   unpack   fully   yet．Through   another   door，he   came   to   the   bathroom   with   a   laundry   basket   half   full,   standing   beside   the   tub   and   a   pair   of   familiar   fish-net   stockings   hanging   on   the   towel   bar．It   suddenly   dawned   on   him   that   those   very   stockings   had   recently   covered   the   legs   he   had   tried   to   climb   that   morning   in   the   park   and   the   tiger   chasing   him   was   the   Pekinese   in   the   cage．

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"Ah!   What   luck!"   he   cried．"I   have   stumbled   into   the   home   of   that   beautiful   lady   I   met   this   morning!”   The   intoxicated   Mr．Finger   thought,   “Though   the   stockings   were   no   longer   encased   on   her   legs,   they   still   looked   very   sexy   just   hanging   there.     If   I   could   climb   into   one   of   those   stockings   and   take   a   nap，it   would   be   like   sleeping   in   a   hammock!"   So   he   proceeded   to   do   so．

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This   was   Chanel’s   temporary   abode．That   morning   she   rose   at   the   crack   of   dawn，washed   in   the   dim   gray   light   and   said   her   morning   prayers   as   was   her   custom   of   many   years．She   had   long   considered   devoting   her   life   to   the   Church   and   break   through   the   mundane   routine   of   human   life．But   Chanel   was   not   satisfied   with   the   existing，rigid   status   quo,   handed   down   through   the   ages   which   cramped   and   limited   man’s   potential   life   force，limiting   it   to   youth，age   and   death，so   she   sought   a   new   path   of   life．She   considered   herself   a   pilgrim．Not   satisfied   with   just   living   in   her   allotted   space,   she   wanted   to   migrate   towards   heavenly   peace   and   placidity．Also   contrary   to   her   wishes，she   could   not   do   so．She   had   always   considered   chastity   an   unalterable   pre-requisite   to   her   chosen   mode   of   1ife，but   in   an   indefensible   situation,   she   lost   her   virginity   and   her   high   hopes   collapsed．Disillusioned,   she   lived   a   life   of   decadence，letting   her   body   develop   lustful   cravings，wallowing   in   the   happiness   and   fulfillment   of   her   flesh   body．But   the   desires   of   the   flesh   and   the   longings   of   the   spirit   produced   an   extremely   painful   and   traumatic   controversy．Recently，the   hope   to   continue   on   her   pilgrimage   rose   again．She   pulled   herself   together   and   went   back   to   her   old   life   style．She   then   walked   pensively   over   to   the   window,   glanced   out   and   pushed   it   open．Gusts   of   morning   wind   like   her   mind   so   full   of   sentiments,   surged   into   the   room．Feeling   chilly,   Chanel   closed   the   window   and   began   preparing   breakfast   in   the   obscure   light   of   dawn.   The   wind   was   not   fierce   but   it   made   the   room   and   the   person   in   it   feel   as   if   floating   upon   the   current．She   ate   her   solitary   breakfast   silently   in   this   windy   hour   before   sunrise．   Soon   the   wind   calmed   down   and   the   clouds   dispersed，heralding   a   bright   sunny   morning．The   changeable   weather   was   a   synopsis   of   Chanel’s   kaleidoscopic   life．

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        The   incessant   barking   of   the   pekinese，obsessed   with   the   intrusion   of   a   stranger   into   its   domain   made   sleeping   out   of   the   question．Mr．Finger   climbed   angrily   out   of   Chanel’s   fishnet   stocking   and   stomped   over   to   the   dog   cage，He   fisted   his   hands   and   shouted，

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        "Pipe   down   and   let   me   get   some   sleep,   will   you?   For   if   you   don’t,   wait   and   see   how   I   will   deal   with   you!"   But   the   dog   only   bared   its   teeth   and   barked   more   frenziedly．Mr．Finger   climbed   nimbly   up   the   legs   of   a   chair，the   table   cloth   and   finally   onto   the   table．There   he   saw   a   plate   with   a   piece   of   ham   and   some   left-over   scrambled   eggs   on   it，evidently   remnants   of   Chanel’s   breakfast   which   she   hadn’t   had   time   to   clear   away．   Beside   the   plate   were   two   small   bottles,   one   of   pepper   ,the   other   of   salt．There   was   also   a   blank   piece   of   scratch   paper．Using   all   his   strength   Mr．Finger   managed   to   overturn   the   bottle   of   pepper   and   spill   the   contents   onto   the   piece   of   paper   which   he   rolled   up   tightly   and   folded   the   edges   to   prevent   the   pepper   from   leaking   out．Then   taking   it   and   the   piece   of   ham   with   him，he   scrambled   down   from   the   table   cloth   to   the   chair   and   then   to   the   floor．Feigning   friendliness,   he   fed   the   piece   of   ham   to   the   dog．While   its   attention   was   concentrated   on   suspiciously   sniffing   and   examining   the   peace   offering,   Mr.Finger   foldedd   the   piece   of   paper   in   his   hand   into   a   pipe   and   blew   all   the   pepper   onto   the   dog’s   face．Eyes   and   nose   irritated   by   this   hot   powder   like   substance，the   dog   began   to   sneeze   uncontrollably，tears   and   mucus   running   down   its   face．Mr．Finger   laughed   and   clapped   his   hands   in   glee   at   the   sight，but   the   infuriated   dog   only   barked   more   loudly   and   angrily．Mr．Finger   said，"So   this   isn’t   enough?   You   want   more,eh?"   He   looked   all   round   for   new   tools   of   torture．Going   into   the   bedroom，he   found   a   sewing   kit   and   his   eyes   lighted   when   he   saw   the   pin   cushion   full   of   needles．Taking   one   he   hid   it   behind   his   back，went   back   to   the   cage   and   waited   for   the   instant   when   the   dog’s   hind   leg   was   nearest   the   cage   bars   to   jam   the   needle   hard   into   its   flesh．The   dog   howled   in   pain．   Just   as   Mr．Finger   prepared   to   strike   again,   the   dog   backed   away   to   the   innermost   recess   of   the   cage，so   that   it   couldn’t   be   reached   by   Mr．Finger’s   short   arms，all   the   while   barking   incessantly,   dauntless   and   unsubdued．   Mr．Finger   knew   there   was   no   way   to   reach   the   dog   again   once   it   was   wise   to   his   strategy，so   he   threw   down   the   needle   and   looked   for   something   else．Seeing   an   extension   cord   left   in   the   outlet   on   the   wall,   he   went   back   to   the   sewing   kit   to   get   a   pair   of   scissors   and   a   blade．Then   placing   both   his   feet   against   the   wall   for   additional   weight，he   pulled   at   the   cord   with   all   his   might，until   it   finally   popped   out．He   cut   open   the   other   end   of   the   cord   baring   the   copper   wires   within   and   frayied   them   with   the   blade．Meanwhile   the   hapless   pekinese   looked   on   at   these   activities,   puzzled   and   unblinkingly，for   its   simple   mind   could   not   comprehend   that   this   little   finger-tall   man   was   malicious   and   sly．Mr．Finger   tied   the   frayed   cord   to   the   iron   bars   of   the   cage   and   then   plugged   it   back   to   the   outlet．Electric   currents   passed   to   every   inch   of   the   cage．The   poor   pekinese   rushed   around   in   frenzied   agony   but   could   not   escape．

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        The   anguished   struggles   of   the   animal   before   him，brought   a   feeling   of   satisfaction   to   Mr.Finger’s   sadistic   nature．But   he   knew   that   once   its   mistress   came   home   and   let   it   out，he   would   be   in   deep   trouble，as   there   would   then   be   no   way   to   escape   its   wrath   and   revenge．He   would   be   hounded   pitilessly．   It   was   easy   to   come   into   the   apartment,   but   impossible   to   get   out   under   his   own   power．Buildings   were   designed   to   suit   only   the   average   human   form．He   couldn’t   even   open   the   door．   Even   if   he   managed   to   get   outside,   he   would   not   be   able   to   reach   up   and   push   the   buttons   of   the   elevator．Neither   could   he   walk   down   the   stairs．The   steps   were   too   steep   for   him．   Even   if   he   didn’t   fall   and   break   his   neck,   he   would   not   have   the   strength   and   energy   to   manage   the   staircase．So   it   was   imperative   to   think   of   a   way   to   tame   the   tiger   so   it   would   not   dare   to   assault   him   in   revenge．Yes,   that   was   the   only   solution．Thinking   hard,   he   looked   around   the   room   once   more   and   saw   a   pack   of   cigarettes   and   a   book   of   matches   on   the   end   table．He   quickly   climbed   up   and   brought   the   matches   down   with   him   to   the   cage．The   pekinese   was   restlessly   running   around   his   charged   cage．Mr.   Finger   showed   it   the   box   of   matches,   lighted   one   and   said，

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        "Hey！You   want   me   to   throw   this   into   your   cage   and   burn   all   your   fur?   Want   to   try?   Or   shall   we   call   it   a   truce?   If   you   agree   to   live   and   let   live，I’ll   unplug   the   cord．How’s   that?"

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The   pekinese   seemed   to   understand   and   nodded．Happy   and   satisfied，Mr．Finger   unplugged   the   cord   and   the   dog   was   at   once   freed   from   the   torture   of   slow   electrocution．Just   then   the   door   opened   and   long,   shapely   legs   in   a   pair   of   elegant   and   stylish   shoes   walked   into   the   room．Mr．Finger   knew   the   mistress   of   the   house   was   back   and   scurried   to   a   shadowy   corner   of   the   room．

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        Having   finished   teaching   her   piano   classes,   Chanel   walked   towards   the   parking   lot   with   the   heavy   music   books   under   her   arm,   listening   to   the   hollow   echoes   of   her   lonely   footsteps   on   the   cement   floor．Her   car   seemed   extremely   solitary,   stranded   there   in   the   middle   of   the   almost   empty   lot．   As   she   passed   a   row   of   well-trimmed   bushes,   the   glossy   white   egg-   shaped   pebbles   scattered   over   the   soil   for   ornamentation,   caught   her   eye．She   picked   one   up   and   toyed   with   it   in   her   hand,   thinking，

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        "This   must   have   been   artificially   shaped   and   polished．If   it   were   placed   together   with   real   eggs   beneath   a   hatching   hen,   even   she   would   be   deceived   into   thinking   it   was   one   of   her   own,   except   that   it   would   not   react   to   the   warm   heat   emanated   by   the   mother   hen,   and   certainly   no   chickling   would   emerge．Chanel   felt   the   warmth   of   the   sunshine   and   saw   her   shadow   cast   by   the   side   of   the   bushes．She   suddenly   thought，

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        "I   have   a   healthy   body   and   can   conceive．Should   I   go   according   to   the   norm   of   nature，or   take   the   opposite   direction   of   abstinence?   The   human   body   is   indeed   the   source   of   annoyance   and   vexation．I   could   make   it   into   a   tool   of   crime   or   a   symbol   of   sacredness   and   nobility．How   should   I   use   this   body   of   mine   to   face   the   future?"   She   felt   completely   at   a   loss   and   did   not   know   what   to   do．Discarding   the   egg   shaped   pebble,   she   hurried   towards   her   car,   opened   the   door   and   then   pulled   it   shut   with   a   bang，enclosing   herself   within   the   vehicle．She   automatically   put   her   key   into   ignition   but   did   not   start   the   engine，feeling   the   need   to   sort   out   her   flurried   thoughts   as   to   which   way   she   should   go．

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"What   should   I   do?   Which   way   should   I   go?"   she   asked   herself．"Oh,   I   should   go   to   the   dry   cleaners   and   get   my   gray   suit   to   wear   to   mass   this   Sunday．I   haven’t   stepped   inside   a   church   for   a   long   time．Ah   yes，I   am   out   of   oral   contraceptives，too．I   need   to   get   some   right   away   if   I   am   to   take   my   daily   dose．I   cannot   make   the   same   mistake   twice.”     Thinking   so，she   started   up   her   car   and   drove   towards   the   nearby   pharmacy．

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On   the   rows   and   rows   of   shelves   inside   the   pharmacy，a   profusion   of   merchandise   of   daily   necessities   was   on   display．Clementine   strolled   leisurely   between   the   aisles，curiously   examining   these   mundane   objects．She   did   not   know   what   everything   was   for，but   concluded   they   must   be   everyday   articles   of   necessity   for   the   human   flesh   body．Protecting   and   preserving   the   body   of   flesh   and   blood   seemed   to   be   a   troublesome   duty．She   marveled   at   the   seemingly   endless   things   needed   for   its   comfort   and   upkeep．Being   a   spirit   without   shape   or   substance   to   burden   her，Clementine   felt   unencumbered   by   these   multitudinous   needs．It   was   only   because   humans   had   flesh   and   blood   bodies   that   they   needed   all   these   superfluous   things,   which   brought   along   troubles,   annoyances   and   vexation;   while   she,   a   spirit   with   no   shape   or   substance,   was   free   of   all   these．Maybe   the   flesh   body   was   the   greatest   trouble   for   human   beings．Taking   up   a   powder   puff，she   was   puzzled   as   to   its   use,   but   her   feminine   intuition   told   her   it   must   be   used   to   put   powder   on   her   face．Female   humans   certainly   worked   hard   trying   to   keep   their   youth   and   beauty   and   spent   a   lot   of   time   and   money   every   day   towards   that   end．If   all   females   were   just   as   beautiful   or   as   plain   as   the   others,   with   no   distinction   among   them，cosmetics   would   be   useless．But   if   it   were   so,   the   other   half   of   the   human   race,   the   males，would   certainly   find   life   monotonous   and   uninteresting.   The   attraction   between   "Ying"   and   "Yang"   propagated   the   human   species   and   is   a   natural   law,   just   as   the   planets   of   the   universe   rotated   smoothly   on   due   to   the   pull   of   gravitation．

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The   profuse   array   of   merchandise   on   both   sides   of   the   aisle   deluged   Clementine’s   eyes．   Crowds   of   people   carrying   baskets   or   pushing   carts   milled   around，choosing   what   they   needed,   like   fishes   swimming   around,   looking   for   food   at   the   bottom   of   the   deep   sea．A   fat   lady   with   a   gargantuan   body   ambled   clumsily   towards   Clementine   and   stretched   out   her   arm   to   take   a   bottle   from   the   shelf，murmuring，

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"I’ve   been   overeating   again   and   feel   indigested   and   constipated.   This   should   help.”     Looking   at   her   bloated   form,   Clementine   was   happy   she   did   not   have   such   troubles，as   she   had   neither   digestive   nor   excretory   systems．Human   bodies   crave   gourmet   food,   a   luxury，especially   when   they   are   hungry.   Clementine   knew   because   she   came   across   a   hot-dog   stand   that   morning   and   saw   people   standing   around   it,   devouring   the   hot-dogs   with   evident   satisfaction；while   she   could   only   sniff   at   the   appetizing   aroma   without   being   able   to   savor   its   delicious   flavor．That   made   her   reconsider   her   estimate   of   the   flesh   body．It   could   bring   grief   and   misery,   but   on   the   other   hand   it   is   also   the   source   of   happiness   and   satisfaction．

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Humans   have   flesh   bodies   that   fall   sick   and   die;   but   at   its   prime   the   body   can   also   bring   great   happiness．Clementine   wistfully   remembered   that   summer   afternoon   when   she   was   taking   a   nap   on   a   cloud．Wakened   refreshed   from   her   short   slumber，she   found   the   cloud   she   had   been   resting   on   had   thickened   considerably   and   had   been   joined   by   numerous   other   clouds   to   form   a   mass   so   large   that   she   could   not   see   the   earth   below   that   mesmerized   her．Clementine   decided   to   poke   a   hole   through   the   mass   so   she   could   peek   down．She   found   the   clouds   so   fully   saturated   that   an   iota   of   moisture   would   trigger   a   downpour   of   rain．Looking   down   through   the   hole   she   had   made，she   saw   a   virgin   forest，still   unmarred   by   civilization，covered   by   a   steamlike   fog．The   myriad   of   multi-colored   wild   flowers   on   the   prairie   seemed   suffocated   by   the   warm   steam．On   the   carpet-like   grass，lay   a   pair   of   sleeping   forms   in   surroundings   so   comfortable   that   they   didn’t   want   to   wake   up．Suddenly   the   clouds，unable   to   sustain   so   much   moisture，opened   and   rain   fell   in   abundance   to   the   earth   below．The   young   male   woke   up   first,   looked   at   the   beautiful   sleeping   form   of   his   other   half   beside   him   and   kissed   her   with   insatiable   passion．The   female   turned   to   him   drowsily   and   entwined   herself   around   him．The   pouring   rain   did   not   dampen   their   ardor．They   clung   to   each   other，entangled   in   spite   of   the   rain   and   mud.The   strong   young   male   at   the   height   of   his   physical   powers，chest   expanding   and   contracting，breathing   hard，reached   his   climax．The   female   body   joined   to   him   seemed   weak   and   spent．She   lay   on   the   muddy   grass   with   an   expression   hard   to   describe．She   seemed   to   be   in   pain   but   also   happy，like   a   mountain   climber，who   saw   her   destined   height   in   sight   and   was   forcing   herself   to   go   on，using   the   last   remaining   strength   left   in   her   to   reach   the   goal．Clementine   wept   like   the   raining   cloud   she   was   sitting   on，for   having   no   flesh   body，she   would   never   be   able   to   experience   the   happiness   of   making   love．After   the   rain   was   over,   the   clouds   would   shrink   in   form   and   disappear．

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        The   pharmacist’s   assistant   was   calling   out   names   at   the   dispensary．A   pale，sick-looking   man   walked   over   to   the   counter，paid   for   his   medication   and   hurried   out   with   it，his   bent   form   soon   disappearing   amid   the   shadows   of   tall   buildings．Clementine   saw   other   customers   choose   what   they   wanted   and   then   queue   up   before   the   cash   register．In   curiosity，she   picked   up   something   randomly   from   the   shelf   and   stood   in   line   too,   though   she   had   no   idea   what   the   box   was   for．Actually，it   was   a   big   box   of   extra   large-   sized   condoms．When   it   came   to   her   turn,   the   cashier   punched   in   the   price   of   the   metchandise   on   his   machine   and   asked   automatically，

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"Cash，charge   or   third   party?"     Clementine   smiled   naively   at   him   and   said   perplexedly．

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"I   don’t   understand   what   you   are   saying.”   The   young   male   cashier   patiently   explained

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"That   means   you   can   pay   for   your   purchase   by   cash，check   or   credit   card，whichever   you   prefer.”

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"You   mean   I   must   give   you   something   in   exchange   for   this?"   The   cashier   was   taken   aback   and   looked   at   the   young   girl   standing   before   him   with   her   artless   smile   and   couldn’t   decide   whether   she   was   someone   with   a   strange   sense   of   humor   or   a   practical   joker   for   she   certainly   didn’t   look   like   a   moron．At   a   loss   as   to   how   to   cope   with   someone   who   obviously   had   no   understanding   whatsoever   about   everyday   dealings   in   society，he   could   only   smile   inanely   and   a   trifle   hysterically   at   her．Clementine   said，

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“I   have   nothing   to   give   you   in   exchange.”   The   cashier   could   only   continue   to   smile   at   her   and   the   other   customers   standing   behind   guffawed   at   the   bizarre   scene．Just   then   a   female   voice   behind   her   came   to   her   rescue，saying，

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        "It’s   ok,   I’ll   pay   for   her.”     It   was   Chanel．She   paid   for   her   own   oral   contraceptive   and   Clementine’s   purchase   and   the   two   walked   out   of   the   drug   store   together,   talking   animatedly.

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        "I’ll   give   you   the   gray   suit   you   have   on   if   you   like,”said   Chanel.   “It’s   mine，you   know．You   took   it   from   the   dry   cleaner’s，right?   It   was   missing   when   I   went   to   pick   it   up   today.”

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        "Thank   you．I’ll   return   it   to   you   when   I   leave．Human   society   is   really   strange．There’s   so   many   unnecessary   things.”   The   two   walked   on   in   silence   for   a   while．Then   Clementine   turned   to   her   companion   and   asked，

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        "Can   you   tell   me   what’s   in   this   box   I   just   bought?"

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        "Contraceptives.”

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        "What’s   that?"

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        "It’s   a   device   humans   invented   for   their   own   selfish   and   unjust   purpose   of   deciding   which   life   should   come   to   this   world   and   which   shouldn’t.”

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"Really?   You   mean   you   can   decide   who   can   and   who   cannot   come   to   this   earth?   I   didn’t   get   anyone’s   permission，but   I’m   here!"   Chanel   didn’t   know   what   to   say．

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        "How   do   you   use   this?"   Clementine   continued   with   her   questions．

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"You   put   this   on   the   male   penis   to   prevent   sperm   from   entering   the   female   body,   thus   obstructing   a   new   1ife   from   starting,   just   like   when   a   fisherman   casts   his   net,   he   decides   which   fish   could   1ive   and   which   must   die.”   Clementine   was   astonished．

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"That’s   strange!   Man   is   indeed   a   strange   animal!”   They   came   to   a   large   tree   and   stood   talking   happily   under   it．Two   birds   stopped   to   perch   at   the   top   of   the   tree,   looking   like   ornaments   adorning   it,   but   they   were   real   living   creatures．They   chirped   and   twittered   as   if   exchanging   messages   they   had   collected   from   heaven   and   then   parted，each   to   fly   its   own   way．The   two   beautiful   women   also   waved   good-bye   and   went   their   separate   ways,   though   they   were   loathe   to   part   as   both   seemed   to   have   a   lot   more   to   say   to   the   other．They   were   destined   to   meet   again   soon   in   King   Dimitri’s   Kingdom   of   Dreams,   though   there   was   no   way   they   could   have   predicted   it   at   the   time．

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        Entering   her   apartment，Chanel   closed   the   door   behind   her，walked   straight   to   the   single   sofa   and   sat   down   at   her   customary   seat．Slowly,   she   took   off   her   shoes   and   kicked   them   under   the   sofa，where   Mr．Finger   happened   to   be   hiding.   The   sudden   appearance   before   him   of   two   feet   filled   him   with   joy．They   were   perfect   in   shape   and   proportion,   exquisite   as   a   piece   of   ivory   sculpture．But   he   still   lamented   he   could   not   be   out   there   and   feast   his   eyes   on   her   graceful   motions   of   taking   off   her   shoes．After   putting   on   her   slippers，she   opened   the   door   of   the   cage   where   Lucky   Boy   was   already   jumping   about   in   joy,   anticipating   freedom．The   pekinese   wagged   his   tail   vehemently   and   jumped   into   her   arms.   Chanel   held   him   lovingly   in   her   arms   saying，

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        "Poor   Lucky   Boy，you’ve   been   shut   up   for   a   long   time．   But   you   were   very   naughty．I   put   you   in   that   cage   as   punishment   for   biting   people．Now   remember,   you   must   not   bite   people   ever,   ok?"     She   put   him   down   and   the   dog   ran   around   the   room   ecstatically,   delighted   to   be   out   of   the   cramped   cage   free   to   run   and   jump   again．Chanel’s   face   had   a   maternal   smile，thinking，

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        "If   Lucky   Boy   were   a   boy，he   should   be   going   to   nursery   school．Pity   he’s   only   a   pet．But   being   a   pet   is   not   a   bad   deal,   because   he   could   be   free   of   the   numerous   human   troubles．Low   IQ   animals   have   their   good   points.”   Taking   some   clean   clothing,   she   walked   into   the   bathroom   for   a   shower．The   dog   then   crawled   under   the   sofa   where   Mr.Finger   was   hiding   with   no   feeling   of   animosity,   seeming   to   have   accepted   him   as   a   friend．The   two   chased   each   other   playfully   around   the   room，having   a   good   time．When   Chanel   came   out   in   a   hick   corduroy   bathrobe,   Mr．Finger   hastily   hid   himself   under   the   sofa   again．

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        Chanel   went   to   her   seat   and   lit   a   cigarette,   slowly   inhaling   and   exhaling．Dusk   was   advancing．At   this   time   of   the   day，she   always   felt   melancholy   and   despondent．A   sad   expression   covered   her   beautiful   face   with   its   noble   forehead，large   soulful   eyes   and   flushed   cheeks．Her   appearance，gorgeous   and   majestic，coupled   with   elegant   and   refined   manners，made   her   an   unforgettable   and   mesmerizing   figure，whether   life   cast   her   in   the   role   of   a   sacred   nun   or   a   dissolute   and   wanton   aristocrat．A   flock   of   swallows   flew   past   her   window.   Her   eyes   followed   them   as   they   soared   away   and   disappeared   in   the   horizon．Standing   up，she   walked   over   to   the   window   and   sat   down   before   the   piano   which   was   little   more   than   a   piece   of   junk，but   as   her   slender   fingers   touched   the   old，yellow   keys   tenderly，she   managed   to   coax   out   of   them,   wonderful   music．She   sang   as   she   played，

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        "Who   has   lost   her   precious   hope   in   the   twilight?

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        The   twilight   that   treasures   the   parting   of   every   guest   to   remote   places．

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        Your   frantic   footsteps   scattered   the   birds   resting   on   the   branches

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        Perhaps   now   they   remember   it’s   time   to   return   to   their   nests．

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        Stars   scattered   about   the   twilight   skies   look   down   mystifled   at   your   frantic   footsteps

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        You   lost   your   hope   in   the   twilight

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        Once   lost，hope   will   never   be   found   again，

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Perhaps   twilight   will   take   the   place   of   its   mother’s   heart.”        

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She   stopped，head   bowed,   her   fingers   lying   idle   on   the   key   board   for   a   moment．Sad   and   desolate,   Chanel   began   playing   again,   pouring   out   in   music   the   secrets   bottled   for   so   long   in   her   heart．The   music   sometimes   loud   and   soaring,   sometimes   low   and   murmuring   revealed   her   closely   guarded   past.   It   was   also   a   twilight   afternoon   when   the   setting   sun   still   remained   in   the   cold   air．Chanel   was   happy   as   she   walked   in   the   dirty   and   cluttered   ghetto   streets．If   it   weren’t   for   the   restrictions   imposed   by   her   habit，which   curtailed   her   high   spirits，demanding   a   solemn   demeanor,   her   footsteps   would   be   light   and   dancing．She   had   just   visited   some   juvenile   prostitutes   who   had   been   converted   to   a   normal   life   through   her   persistent   advice．It   made   her   very   happy   indeed．Suddenly   a   large   shadow   covered   the   sunshine．A   tall   robust   man   blocked   her   way．It   was   the   ferocious   and   hideous   Big-O．Chanel   had   helped   too   many   young   girls   escape   from   his   clutches,   and   now   he   had   come   at   last   to   settle   scores   with   her．The   devil   had   come   to   confront   the   angel   for   a   showdown．Chanel   didn’t   even   have   a   chance   when   she   was   pushed   into   a   waiting   car   by   his   men．After   a   traumatic   three   days，she   was   released   and   brought   back   to   the   convent,   bringing   within   her   the   seed   of   a   new   life．Weeks   later,   Chanel   realized   she   was   pregnant．Worse   still   she   didn’t   even   know   from   which   male   body   the   new   life   derived．But   she   did   not   regret   the   loss   of   her   chastity,   for   it   redeemed   the   life   and   freedom   of   an   innocent   girl．Though   according   to   the   Bible,   the   Mother   of   God   was   a   virgin   who   conceived   through   an   Immaculate   Conception,   a   pregnant   nun   would   only   bring   shame   and   infamy   to   herself   and   her   order．Pregnancy   was   a   natural   phenomenon,   not   an   illness   that   could   be   cured   by   medication,   so   the   only   recourse   was   abortion．The   song   Chanel   just   sang   was   written   for   her   unfortunate   unborn   child．After   that   whenever   she   knelt   before   the   Virgin   Mary   she   could   never   recover   her   former   serenity   and   tranquillity．The   collapse   of   her   high   hopes   and   her   subsequent   insatiable   obsession   with   enjoyment   of   her   flesh   body，left   her   with   only   one   recourse   -   to   break   her   vow   and   return   to   secular   life．Then   began   the   most   dissolute   years   of   her   life．She   changed   jobs   to   elude   the   emotional   entanglement   of   her   admirers   and   moved   frequently   to   throw   off   the   relentless   pursuit   of   Big-O   and   his   gang．She   didn’t   know   where   her   life   was   headed．Perhaps   because   of   her   beautiful   flesh   body，she   was   not   suited   for   this   mundane   world，but   more   suited   to   the   sublimity   and   tranquillity   of   heaven．

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        At   the   end   of   her   song   Chanel’s   hands   dropped   to   her   lap   and   her   gaze   was   fixed   meditatingly   on   the   setting   sun   in   the   west．Suddenly   Lucky   Boy   who   was   lying   at   her   feet，   tensed   and   growled   warningly   and   Mr．Finger   who   was   still   hiding   under   the   sofa   suddenly   saw   a   pair   of   large   boots   stride   into   the   room．They   must   belong   to   a   brute   of   a   man,   he   thought．Turning   abruptly   to   face   the   intruder，Chanel   saw   to   her   dismay   that   it   was   the   fierce,   and   repulsively   ugly   Big-O   standing   right   behind   her．She   screamed   in   terror   and   trembled   all   over．Big-O   laughed   maliciously   saying，

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"I   only   knew   you   lived   in   this   apartment   building,   but   not   which   floor   or   which   unit．Your   song   and   music   seduced   me   here,   so   you   have   only   yourself   to   blame.”   He   stretched   out   his   hand   to   grab   hold   of   the   trembling   Chanel．Brave   Lucky   Boy   saw   the   terror   of   his   mistress   and   the   threat   posed   by   the   intruder．Despite   his   small   bulk,   he   jumped   and   snapped   Big-O   on   his   shank．But   alas   his   tiny   teeth   couldn’t   possibly   penetrate   the   thick   leather   boots．   Uttering   a   curse，Big-O   kicked   out   like   a   soccer   ball   player   and   the   furry   body   of   the   tiny   Pekinese   dog   flew   up   into   the   air,   slammed   against   the   wall   and   then   fell   to   the   floor．His   tiny   body   twitched   convulsively   and   then   lay   still   without   even   letting   out   a   cry．He   died．Chanel   cried   for   help,   but   Big-O   clamped   his   hand   over   her   mouth   and   nose．Her   struggles   were   futile   against   such   prodigious   strength,   arms   with   muscles   of   iron   and   chest   immovable   as   a   wall．He   dragged   her   into   the   bedroom   with   his   other   arm   and   kicked   the   door   shut.   Mr．Finger   came   out   from   under   the   sofa   and   ran   towards   his   friend．Blood   streamed   out   of   the   eyes，nose，ears   and   mouth,   pointing   to   internal   bleeding   as   the   cause   of   death.     Mr.Finger   knelt   before   his   friend   and   cried，

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"Oh!   I   didn’t   know   you   were   such   a   brave   and   loyal   dog.   If   I   had   known,   I   most   certainly   wouldn’t   have   tormented   you   when   you   were   shut   in   that   cage．I   am   so   sorry,   but   now   it   is   too   late．You   are   indeed   a   faithful   dog．You   treated   me   as   a   good   friend   even   after   all   those   practical   jokes   I   played   on   you.   I   am   so   sorry…"

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Mr．Finger   cried   in   genuine   grief,   kowtowing   before   the   lifeless   body   of   his   friend．Short   though   their   friendship   was,   the   relationship   was   true   and   close．   Chanel’s   cries   and   begging，Big-O’s   cruel   laughter，the   sound   of   the   rending   of   clothes   made   Mr．Finger   realize   that   now   was   not   the   time   for   grieving．He   should   be   trying   to   help   Chanel,   the   lamb   waiting   for   slaughter．Perturbed，agitated   and   frustrated，he   ran   around   the   room   in   circles，feeling   much   as   Lucky   Boy   did   when   he   was   in   the   electrified   cage．The   only   way   out   of   the   apartment   was   the   way   he   came   -   from   the   verandah．But   a   five-story   jump   would   certainly   kill   him   and   wouldn’t   mend   matters．As   Chanel’s   terrified   cries   continued   to   come   out   of   the   bedroom，Mr．Finger   felt   more   helpless   and   powerless   than   ever   and   large   beads   of   perspiration   trickled   down   his   forehead．   Suddenly   his   eyes   lighted   on   the   handkerchief   on   the   floor   which   Chanel   had   dropped   in   her   struggle   and   he   thought   that   perhaps   it   could   save   the   day.   He   dragged   it   to   the   verandah   and   climbed   up   the   banister   with   it   in   tow．He   wasn’t   at   all   sure   whether   his   plan   would   work,   but   having   no   time   for   second   thoughts   he   decided   to   gamble   with   his   life．Clutching   tightly   the   four   corners   of   the   handkerchief   in   both   hands   shaping   it   like   a   parachute,   he   closed   his   eyes   and   jumped．Wind   filtered   the   ballooning   handkerchief   as   he   floated   gradually   down   the   five-story   building   like   a   white   pigeon   descending   dexterously   from   the   roof   top．When   he   reached   the   ground   safely,   he   quickly   rolled   over   to   offset   the   force   of   the   fall   and   was   elated   that   his   adventurous   method   was   successful．Still   dragging   the   handkerchief   with   him,   he   hurried   towards   Dimitri’s   dilapidated   shelter．

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        Dusk   was   approaching,   and   beautiful   clouds   of   multi-colored   hues   spreading   over   the   skies   were   reflected   in   the   water   of   the   lake．Tiny   ripples   tossed   the   reflection   of   an   expensive   streamline   sedan   parked   along   the   lakeside．Chanel   and   Dimitri   were   seated   in   the   front，with   Mr．Finger   lying   on   the   top   of   the   compartment．All   three   were   silent．Dimitri   closed   his   eyes   tightly,   enduring   the   stabbing   and   piercing   pain．It   was   as   if   a   sharp   blade   or   needle   was   pricking   at   his   eyes．If   he   opened   them   ever   so   slightly   and   let   them   come   in   contact   with   light，excruciating   pain   would   result．Dimitri   was   indeed   in   a   sad   state．There   were   discolored   bruises   on   his   face，and   he   tried   to   stop   his   bleeding   nose   by   holding   it   to   the   handkerchief   Mr．Finger   had   used   as   a   life   saver．When   Mr．Finger   woke   him   up   from   his   dreams   and   told   him   of   Chanel’s   plight,   Dimitri   went   with   him   at   once   to   her   apartment．Intent   on   saving   Chanel，he   had   no   concern   for   his   own   safety．Relying   on   his   half-blinded   and   fuzzy   sight，he   stumbled   up   the   flight   of   stairs，bumping   into   walls   and   banisters,   thus   hurting   himself   as   he   went．When   they   rushed   into   Chanel’s   room，all   was   over．Miraculously   Chanel   had   not   been   raped，though   she   had   suffered   physical   abuse,   molestation   and   mauling．Big-O   suddenly   stopped   in   the   midst   of   his   tempestuous   attack．   Just   as   the   arrow   on   a   tense   bow   was   about   to   shoot   out，Big-O   suddenly   changed   his   mind．The   chemical   elements   secreted   by   his   brain   must   have   changed   dramatically,   for   no   reason   other   than   himself   could   have   stopped   him   then．He   ran   out   of   the   room   in   a   panic   and   disappeared．Chanel   was   still   in   shock   and   had   not   recovered   from   her   traumatic   experience,   when   Dimitri   and   Mr   Finger   arrived   in   her   room．All   three   left   at   once   in   a   hurry   without   taking   anything,   lest   Big-O   should   change   his   mind   and   come   back   to   kidnap   Chanel．Now   they   sat   silently   in   the   car．Chanel   muttered   to   herself，

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        "I   no   longer   dream   of   heaven，since   it   is   unattainable．But   I   am   tired   of   city   life．Where   shall   I   go?"     With   his   eyes   closed，Dimitri   wiped   away   the   blood   still   seeping   from   his   nose   and   said，

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        "You   need   a   complete   change   of   environment.     Why   don’t   you   come   to   my   Kingdom   of   Dreams?"

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        "What   is   the   Kingdom   of   Dreams?"   asked   Mr．Finger   curiously．"Is   it   fun   there?   Can   I   go   too?"

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        "Of   course   you   can．I   sincerely   invite   you   too．There   you   will   find   an   inexhaustible   supply   of   excellent   wine   and   liquor   and   resplendent   scenery.”

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        "Great!   Let’s   go!   Let’s   go!"   he   cried．

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        "Well”   said   Chanel   "It   seems   I   have   no   choice.”

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        "Will   the   three   of   us   go   together?"     Mr．Finger   asked．

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        "No”   Dimitri   replied．"You   two   go   first．I   must   stay   behind   for   a   while   longer．I   still   have   some   things   to   attend   to.”   In   his   heart   Dimitri   was   still   concerned   about   that   nymph   from   heaven   who   had   disappeared   without   a   trace．Just   then，two   shadows   ran   towards   them．

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        "Look!   Look!"   Mr．Finger   cried，"It’s   Richard   and   Jamaz!"   The   two   friends   came   running   up   to   the   car．

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        "There   you   are   Dimitri!"   cried   Richard   in   relief，"I’ve   been   looking   all   over   for   you．I   tried   the   shelter   but   you   weren’t   there．I   have   the   most   unexpected   news   for   you   regarding   Big-O．He   gave   us   the   slip   a   while   back   and   we   could   find   no   trace   of   him,   but   now   he   had   suddenly   reappeared   in   a   Tibetan   Buddhist   Temple   and   has   taken   a   strong   oath   never   to   step   outside   the   Temple   building   on   pain   of   heavenly   retribution.”

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        "Continue   the   surveillance”   Dimitri   ordered．"If   he   should   do   evil   again，we   will   deal   out   justice   and   not   wait   for   divine   intervention.”

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        "If   he   really   repents"   said   Chanel   "I   am   willing   to   forgive   him.”   Seeing   Dimitri   was   about   to   get   out   of   the   car,   she   asked，"How   are   we   to   get   to   your   Kingdom   of   Dreams?"

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        "Just   drive   your   car   to   a   safe   and   secluded   spot   and   settle   down   to   sleep．When   you   wake   up,   you’ll   be   there.”   Seeing   the   two   people   he   had   saved   from   the   jaws   of   death，Mr.   Finger   thought   of   Lucky   Boy，He   hit   the   car   window   in   agony   and   cried，

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        "It’s   such   a   pity   Lucky   Boy   cannot   go   with   us!   If   I   had   known   what   was   to   happen，I   would   have   saved   some   of   my   magic   powers   for   him．Then   I   could   have   revived   my   dear   friend.”   With   that   he   wept   and   was   drowned   in   deep   sorrow．Dimitri   sighed   and   tried   to   comfort   him．

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        "You   are   too   emotional,   my   dear   friend．Sentiment   is   good,   but   in   this   world   where   separation   in   life   and   parting   at   death   are   unavoidable,   it   is   better   to   be   more   callous   and   devoid   of   too   deep   feelings.”   Chanel   nodded   in   empathy,   understanding   the   deep   meaning   underlying   his   words．   As   Dimitri   stepped   out   of   the   car,   Richard   and   Jamaz   stepped   forward   to   help   their   good   friend,   who   was   also   their   King,   to   his   dilapidated   shelter．Isn’t   Dimitri   also   a   sentimentalist?     Dimitri   was   as   we   saw   him   at   the   beginning   of   the   story,   dressed   in   his   old   ragged   clothes,   shivering   in   the   cold   wind,   enduring   excruciating   pain   his   ailing   eyes   brought   him．It   was   time   for   him   to   go   back   to   his   Kingdom   of   Dreams．Why   was   he   procrastinating?   Was   he   worried   about   the   fate   of   the   nymph?   Or   did   he   want   to   make   full   use   of   his   sight   during   the   limited   time   remaining   to   him   and   look   some   more   at   this   beautiful   world?

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        The   fiery   sun   was   setting，but   still   radiated   light   and   heat，as   if   desirous   of   giving   off   the   last   remnants   of   its   energy   before   it   extinguished．Cars   and   pedestrians   crowded   the   streets．After   a   full   day’s   work,   they   were   impatient   to   get   back   to   the   warmth   of   their   respective   homes   and   hurried   along,   hoping   to   get   there   before   nightfall   descended．By   the   side   of   the   tranquil   lake   was   a   Tibetan   Buddhist   Temple．In   the   dark   hall，a   gilded   gold   Buddha   sat   high   on   his   lotus   seat,   calmly   contemplating   the   mystery   of   life   and   death   that   had   puzzled   man   throughout   the   centuries．   His   posture   so   rootedly   solid   looked   as   though   he   had   never   moved   since   the   beginning   of   time．The   gilded   gold   glittered   and   shimmered，its   luster   enhanced   by   the   reflection   of   the   setting   sun，creating   an   austere   atmosphere   which   gave   faithful   believers   a   sense   of   safety．Towards   the   left   of   the   hall   was   a   small   courtyard   with   a   well-kept   manicured   lawn   and   a   fountain   of   emerald   green   water，beside   which   a   beautiful   lady   was   reclining．Her   slender   figure   was   fully   revealed   by   her   flimsy   dress   and   her   long   hair   was   being   caressingly   combed   by   the   evening   wind.     Yes，it   was   the   nymph   Clementine   who   had   run   away   from   heaven   and   whom   Dimitri   was   so   desirous   of   seeking．She   had   reverted   to   her   original   clothing   and   seemed   to   be   talking   to   her   own   image   in   the   water．She   was   calling，"Charmaine!   Charmaine!   Where   are   you?   Show   up!   Show   up!"

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        An   image   of   a   beautiful   girl,   almost   identical   to   Clementine   appeared   on   the   water．It   was   her   twin   sister   Charmaine．Not   only   did   she   have   no   substance，she   didn’t   even   have   an   image   and   was   therefore   only   a   shadow   attached   to   Clementine,   seen   only   in   the   mirror   or   reflections   of   the   water．Therefore   even   their   almighty   divine   parents   did   not   know   they   had   a   pair   of   twin   daughters．It   was   only   when   Clementine   was   grown   that   she   realized   she   had   a   twin   sister，and   the   two   of   them   kept   their   intimate   relationship   a   closely   guarded   secret   from   the   rest   of   the   world．Clementine   said   to   her   twin   sister，

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"Charmaine，I’m   sorry   to   tell   you   I   have   decided   to   go   back   to   our   heavenly   home．Life   here   on   earth   do   not   suit   us.”

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"Why   not?   This   is   something   you   have   pursued   so   singlemindedly．You   have   come   such   a   long   way,   why   change   your   mind   now   that   you   are   here?"

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        "As   you   know   we   are   not   like   humans．Though   I   have   a   beautiful   image   I   really   have   no   substance．   Living   here   would   only   increase   my   frustration   and   vexation，so   it’s   better   that   we   go   back.”

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        "Oh   Clementine,   even   though   you   have   no   substance,   you   at   least   have   a   physical   image!   I   don’t   even   have   that   and   must   rely   on   your   image   to   exist．Isn’t   that   even   worse?     So   maybe   you   are   right,   we   should   go   back   to   our   heavenly   home．But   before   we   leave，don’t   you   think   you   should   bid   farewell   to   your   lover   Dimitri?"

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        "I   don’t   think   so．What’s   the   use?   It   would   only   increase   my   sorrow．Let’s   leave   as   stealthily   as   we   came   without   bothering   anyone.”

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        "Why   Clementine?   Your   motive   for   coming   down   to   earth   was   to   be   with   him．You   should   at   least   let   him   know;   otherwise   all   this   would   have   been   in   vain.”

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        "You   are   right．I’ll   go   and   say   good-bye   to   him   under   cover   of   darkness，so   as   not   to   shock   anyone   with   the   sight   of   my   unusual   dress   code   and   flying   form.”     Just   then   the   sound   of   loud   heavy   footsteps   were   heard   coming   swiftly   towards   the   temple．

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"Someone’s   coming   Charmaine!     I’ll   go   and   hide   so   as   not   to   scare   people.”   Saying   so，she   slipped   behind   the   Buddha   and   the   sweet   voice   of   her   twin   sister   disappeared   from   the   emerald   green   water   of   the   fountain．

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              Safely   hidden   behind   the   Buddha，Clementine   cautiously   peeked   out   and   saw   an   ugly,   ferocious-looking   man   stride   into   the   temple．As   soon   as   he   crossed   the   threshold,   he   immediately   fell   on   his   knees,   walking   on   them   towards   the   altar   of   the   Buddha,   kowtowing   repeatedly．This   was   the   highest   form   of   showing   respect,   according   to   Tibetan   religious   rites．On   his   forehead   was   a   fresh   red   mark   which   added   to   the   fierceness   of   his   features，so   much   at   odd   with   his   pious   actions.   Tears   and   mucous   covering   his   face,   he   wept   tears   of   repentance,   crying   as   he   knelt   his   way   to   the   altar，

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"Oh,   Buddha!   Buddha!   Take   back   my   life．Destroy   my   flesh   body,   so   saturated   with   sins!   It   adds   to   my   sufferings   and   is   like   a   devil   thrashing   his   slave，forcing   me   to   sin．Confessions   after   the   fact   only   adds   to   my   pain．I   cannot   enjoy   at   all   the   happiness   of   life   and   only   hope   for   deliverance   by   death.”

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“Oh   Buddha!   Buddha!   Take   away   my   life!   Why   are   you   always   so   generous,   accepting   my   confessions   without   severe   reprimands   every   time   I   allow   my   flesh   body   to   molest   innocent   young   maidens?   Oh   Buddha!   Buddha!   Take   back   my   flesh   body!"       He   kowtowed   repeatedly   before   the   Buddha,   while   confessing   his   evil   doings．Clementine’s   heart   went   out   to   him．   Although   she   didn’t   know   who   he   was，she   could   decern   that   he   was   a   devout   Buddhist,   really   wishing   to   start   anew,   but   could   not   fully   control   his   rebellious   flesh   body   which   waywardly   pursued   its   excessive   lustful   pleasures．The   man   continued，

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"Buddha!   Buddha!   Please   show   yourself．Why   are   you   always   so   silent   accepting   my   confessions   without   reprimands?   To   continue   living   would   only   add   to   my   pain．My   flesh   body   would   force   me   to   sin，like   the   devil   thrashing   his   slaves   to   make   them   do   evil．My   flesh   body   would   go   on   molesting   young   women   and   then   come   back   to   repent   before   you．This   unchanging   routine   could   only   add   to   my   torture.   Buddha!   Buddha!   Please   show   yourself!   Destroy   my   sinful   flesh   body   and   take   back   my   life.”

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        Clementine   listened   to   the   self-condemnation   that   came   from   the   bottom   of   the   soul   of   this   ferocious   man．Her   heart   was   touched．She   now   understood   the   severe   pain   of   possessing   a   flesh   body．Just   as   she   was   thinking   of   how   she   could   help   one   who   was   thrown   into   the   depth   of   hell，Big-O   suddenly   shouted   madly   and   ferociously，

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        "Buddha!   Buddha!   Please   show   yourself．Why   are   you   so   silent   and   forgiving?   Please   destroy   my   sinful   flesh   body   or   I   will   first   destroy   your   silent，motionless   image   and   then   kill   myself.”     Just   as   he   was   going   to   rush   at   the   graven   image,   Clementine   came   out   from   behind   the   Buddha   and   showed   herself．Basking   in   the   afterglow   of   the   setting   sun，Clementine’s   body   seemed   to   diffuse   a   celestial   light．Big-O   was   stopped   in   his   tracks   by   the   descent   of   this   beautiful   nymph   and   thought   it   was   really   the   Buddha   showing   himself   in   his   female   form．He   kowtowed   to   her   saying，

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        "Buddha!   Buddha!   You   really   showed   yourself!   Please   destroy   my   flesh   body   and   take   back   my   life.”

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        "Why   don’t   you   try   again?"   said   Clementine   gently．"I   understand   that   your   repentance   is   real．You   will   be   able   to   raise   yourself   from   the   abyss   of   sin.”     Big-O   stared   at   this   beautiful   nymph,   the   red   spot   on   his   forehead   standing   out   like   the   red   dot   of   the   target．

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        "It’s   hopeless．I   have   tried   many,   many   times   to   no   avail．   It’s   the   same   pattern   over   and   over   again：molestation   and   confession．Molestation   and   confession．I’m   tired   of   this   painful，   vicious   cycle．Please   take   back   my   life   and   release   me   from   this   hell   on   earth.”   Clementine   walked   towards   Big-O   and   gently   caressed   his   big   head   with   her   slender   fingers,   saying，

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        "Haven’t   you   thought   of   any   other   way   to   control   your   flesh   body?   If   you   are   sincere，you   are   sure   to   succeed.”

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        "I   have   thought   of   shutting   myself   in   this   small   temple   and   never   step   out   of   it   while   I   live   and   breath．Perhaps   that   will   be   my   salvation.”

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"You   have   found   the   solution,"   smiled   Clementine．"You   will   succeed.”     Saying   so，she   rose   from   the   ground   and   flew   out   of   the   window．Big-O   stared   at   her   disappearing   form   and   decided   on   the   spot,   under   the   rays   of   the   setting   sun,   to   cut   his   hair   and   become   a   monk,   swearing   never   during   his   lifetime   to   step   again   out   of   the   temple．

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        After   leaving   the   Buddhist   Temple，Clementine   flew   to   the   top   of   the   five-story   building   in   a   flash   and   hid   herself   in   the   shadows   of   the   water   tank．The   sun   had   not   yet   set   and   she   didn’t   want   people   to   see   her．To   passersby，she   was   no   more   than   a   fleeting   glimpse．There，in   the   shadows   she   mulled   over   the   events   of   the   day   thinking，

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        "Some   people   use   their   flesh   bodies   successfully，while   others   disastrously，wasting   their   whole   life．   So   how   to   use   the   flesh   body   wisely   is   really   a   great   study．However   since   I   have   none，it   needn’t   concern   me，and   I   shall   be   leaving   the   earth   soon   anyway．I   just   want   to   say   goodbye   to   Dimitri.”   Meanwhile   in   the   alley   next   to   the   building,   Dimitri   lay   in   his   dilapidated   shelter   enduring   great   pain   praying，

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"My   beautiful   angel   Clementine，please   enter   my   dreams   tonight．You   are   my   last   tie   to   this   earth,   for   besides   you   there   is   nothing   here   I   am   reluctant   to   part   with．My   beautiful   angel   Clementine,   please   enter   my   dreams   tonight!"

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        In   the   shadows   of   the   water   tank   on   top   of   the   five-story   building，Clementine   seemed   to   have   heard   his   silent   prayer．Magnificent   clouds   covered   the   evening   sky,   lighting   up   the   heavens   with   dazzling   hues   of   red   and   gold，red   as   balls   of   fire   and   yellow   as   gold   with   its   glittering   metallic   glow．The   bullion   were   willing   to   endure   great   pain   to   be   forged   by   the   fire   before   it   burnt   out   and   be   purified   of   all   impurities   before   night   swallowed   up   the   sky．The   fire   too   wanted   to   give   out   its   entire   heat   and   energy．Beneath   this   grandiose   scenery   of   evening   skies   covered   by   the   brilliance   of   fire   and   gold，was   a   pool   of   crystal   clear   lake   water   beside   which   Clementine   sat   facing   her   twin   sister   Charmaine．   Suddenly   a   slight   breeze   blew   ripples   on   the   water   and   the   image   reflected   on   the   surface   moved   slightly   as   if   stretching   herself．Charmaine   said，

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        "Where   is   this   place,   Clementine?   It’s   so   peaceful   and   beautiful   with   the   brilliant   clouds   and   clear   lake   water．I   wouldn’t   mind   lying   here   forever   and   not   go   anywhere   else.”

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        "This   is   King   Dimitri’s   Kingdom   of   Dreams   and   it’s   really   beautiful!"   answered   Clementine．"I   don’t   want   to   leave   either．When   we   were   living   in   heaven   I   never   appreciated   clouds．They   were   just   there，and   I   never   felt   any   beauty   and   strangeness   about   them．It   was   only   when   I   came   down   here   and   looked   up   that   I   discovered   their   beauty.”   The   reflection   of   the   radiant   clouds   on   the   surface   of   the   water   made   Charmaine’s   image   more   beautiful   than   ever．She   cried，

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        "Oh!   It’s   too   beautiful   for   words!   Let   me   lie   here   forever   and   ever   on   the   surface   of   this   lake!"

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          "Don’t   forget   that   when   darkness   covers   the   earth   we   must   leave,”   warned   her   twin   sister．"Since   we   have   no   body   and   no   substance，it’s   useless   to   covet   earthly   beauties   as   it   would   only   add   to   the   pain   of   ultimate   separation.”

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        "Not   really”   said   Charmaine．"Perhaps   we   may   have   a   chance   to   stay   on.”

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"Impossible!"   said   Clementine   adamantly．The   image   on   the   water   suddenly   smiled   and   said，

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"If   you   don’t   agree,   look   who’s   behind   you!"

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        Clementine   turned   and   looking   behind   her   in   the   setting   sun   saw   a   naked   male   form   walking   towards   her．He   was   not   overly   husky   or   robust,   but   strong   muscles   and   a   large   penis   swaying   like   an   elephant   trunk,   demonstrated   his   male   virility．His   mundane   face   with   its   constant，warm，friendly   smile   was   familiar   to   her．It   was   King   Dimitri．Dimitri   smiled   and   opened   his   arms   evokatively．Clementine   ran   joyously   to   him   and   threw   herself   recklessly   into   his   arms．But   on   the   impact   of   their   bodies,   they   both   found   the   embrace   was   only   a   fantasy．Dimitri   felt   as   if   he   was   holding   a   body   of   air，and   Clementine   was   unable   to   feel   the   warmth   of   the   embrace   of   an   elastic   body．She   broke   away   and   sighed，

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        "Oh!   How   I   wish   my   lips   and   yours   could   unite   in   a   beautiful   kiss!   How   I   hope   my   body   could   unite   with   yours   like   two   embracing   trees!   But   it   is   only   a   fantasy   because   I   do   not   have   a   flesh   body   like   yours．The   longer   I   stay   in   your   dreams，the   sadder   I   become，so   it   is   better   that   I   leave   and   go   back   to   where   I   came   from．I   entered   your   dream   just   to   say   goodbye.   I   must   go   now."     She   walked   slowly   away   dragging   her   heels．

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        "Do   you   really   long   so   much   for   a   flesh   body,   Clementine?"   asked   Dimitri．”You   should   know   that   all   things   of   substance   are   doomed   to   destruction，just   as   the   clouds   above   will   soon   be   swallowed   by   darkness．If   you   have   a   flesh   body，you   must   face   illness   and   death．Why   don’t   you   reconsider?   Having   a   flesh   body   is   not   as   perfect   and   desirable   as   you   think.”

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        "Even   if   it   means   destruction"   replied   Clementine   determinedly，"I   will   not   regret!   The   clouds   may   later   be   swallowed   by   darkness,   but   at   least   now   they   give   forth   this   splendid   magnificence．If   I   could   live，really   live，even   for   a   short   period   of   time,   I   will   not   regret”   Dimitri’s   expression   turned   solemn   as   if   contemplating   a   serious   and   important   matter．He   looked   up   at   the   skies   and   said   thoughtfully，

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        "From   the   beginning   of   time,   only   humans   have   been   known   to   seek   immortality.   You   may   be   the   first   nymph   willing   to   give   up   eternal   life   and   come   down   to   earth   to   become   a   mortal!   If   you   are   sure   this   is   what   you   want   and   you   won’t   regret，I   can   help   you   realize   your   dream.”   Clementine   raised   her   head   to   look   at   the   skies．She   raised   her   hand   as   if   taking   a   solemn   oath   and   said   in   a   determined   voice，

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        "I   will   never   regret．   If   I   can   have   a   flesh   body,   I   am   willing   to   face   illness   and   death．The   clouds   be   my   witness.”   Looking   around   him，Dimitri   knew   this   was   the   place   where   he   once   made   a   figure   out   of   mud   and   lake   water   for   Ileen’s   resurrection．This   too   was   where   the   beauties   had   worked   so   hard   night   and   day   and   created   thousands   of   warriors   to   withstand   the   invasion   of   the   Roman   soldiers．The   soil   and   water   here   could   create   life．So   King   Dimitri   silently   walked   over   to   the   lake，took   up   a   handful   of   soil，mixed   it   with   the   crystal   clear   water   to   make   a   female   figure．He   raised   his   head   and   said，

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        "What   are   you   waiting   for?   Enter   this   figure   and   you   will   have   a   flesh   body.”   When   Clementine’s   body   and   the   mud   figure   became   one，   King   Dimitri   like   Jehovoh   before   him，said   "Lo!"   and   the   mud   figure   grew   and   grew   until   its   outline   became   clear   cut   and   a   live   body   exactly   like   Clementine’s   emerged．She   got   her   wish．Clementine   jumped   for   joy   and   embraced   King   Dimitri   in   glee．This   time   she   could   feel   the   contours   and   warmth   of   his   body．Two   figures,   one   male   and   one   female,   embraced   against   the   fiery   background   of   the   setting   sun   before   crossing   the   barren   mountains   to   go   back   to   the   palace．As   King   Dimitri   held   the   former   nymph   Clementine   tightly   in   his   arms   as   they   walked   towards   the   mountains，she   turned   to   wave   goodbye   to   the   glorious   clouds   saying，

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        "I   meant   to   come   into   your   dream   to   say   goodbye．I   never   thought   I   would   be   saying   goodbye   to   my   heavenly   home．This   is   all   so   sudden   it’s   hard   to   believe!"   Dimitri   did   not   answer．His   smiling   face   showed   his   happiness   at   getting   another   beauty   as   they   both   turned   and   waved   goodbye   to   the   radiant   clouds．

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        After   Clementine   left   with   King   Dimitri，the   mountains   and   waters   resumed   their   original   serene   silence．Charmaine   did   not   go   with   them   but   remained   on   the   water   surface，   seemingly   deep   in   thought   on   a   different   problem．She   knew   that   her   twin   sister   would   not   be   looking   for   her   shadow   at   a   time   like   this．At   the   height   of   her   excitement   and   exuberance   at   fulfilling   her   dream   of   acquiring   a   flesh   body，she   would   be   curiously   exploring   this   new   tool,   curious   as   a   child   just   learning   to   walk．It   was   getting   dark．A   falling   flower   dropping   on   the   water   caused   circles   of   ripples   which   distracted   her   contemplation．

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        "If   I   should   ask   King   Dimitri   to   create   a   flesh   body   for   me，I   am   sure   he   would   not   be   so   miserly   as   to   refuse．   But   as   he   said   all   things   with   form   and   substance   cannot   escape   eventual   destruction．One   day，it   will   die   of   illness   or   natural   causes．   Why   court   the   fleeting   happiness   a   flesh   body   could   bring   at   such   an   enormous   price?   Suddenly   an   unformed   fetus   tossed   about   by   the   breeze   hovered   for   a   moment   over   the   water   but   was   soon   carried   by   it   to   a   far   off   place   beyond   her   view．

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"What   animal   fetus   was   that?"   she   wondered，"So   helpless   and   abandoned．One   day，it   will   mature   and   have   a   form   and   shape．Its   shadow   will   be   projected   on   the   earth   by   the   sunshine   as   all   things   of   substance   have   shadows．   But   one   day   it   will   be   destroyed   by   Time.”   Soon   darkness   swallowed   the   sky   and   only   a   few   splashes   of   red   remained   on   the   western   sky．Charmaine   continued   her   train   of   thoughts，

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"Why   seek   pleasures   of   the   flesh   body?   This   happiness   will   eventually   end   in   pain．Though   I   have   no   flesh   body   and   cannot   enjoy   carnal   pleasures，neither   need   I   face   the   pain   of   illness   and   death．Though   I   have   no   form   or   substance,   I   can   live   on   forever   like   Time,   between   this   heaven   and   earth．So   why   should   I   seek   the   pleasures   of   the   flesh   body?   Though   I   have   no   flesh   body   and   cannot   enjoy   carnal   pleasures,   I   need   not   experience   unnecessary   frustrations   and   pain,   never   feel   tired   or   feel   the   need   for   sleep   and   rest.   I   will   forever   be   energetic   and   alert   in   mind.”     More   flowers   fell   on   the   surface   of   the   water,   causing   more   ripples．Though   Charmaine’s   image   could   not   be   seen,   it   could   be   assumed   that   she   was   dancing   in   ecstasy．

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  Brightness,   after   the   death   of   darkness   and   the   birth   of   a   new   day,   was   back   again．Day   and   night，darkness   and   brightness，go   on   and   on   in   an   endless   cycle．Lying   in   his   dilapidated   shelter，Dimitri   was   waken   from   his   sweet   dreams   by   a   voice   calling，

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        "Wake   up!     Wake   up,   sir!"     Opening   his   eyes   he   saw   a   fog   thick   enough   to   cut   with   a   knife．He   waved   his   fingers   directly   before   his   face   and   found   that   the   visibility   was   only   a   few   inches．

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"What   a   thick   fog!"   he   exclaimed．   A   surprised   voice   said，

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"It’s   a   very   beautiful   day   out   there   today.   The   sun   is   bright   and   there   is   no   fog   at   all.”       Dimitri   felt   his   heart   skip   a   beat，as   if   some   blunt   object   struck   his   chest．So   the   dreaded   day   had   finally   arrived．He   had   lost   his   sight．

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        "Sorry   to   wake   you   up   sir，but   it   couldn’t   be   helped．We   have   received   so   many   complaints   from   the   neighboring   community   that   I   was   told   to   come   and   tear   down   this   unlicensed   structure.”

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"Not   your   fault,   man"   replied   Dimitri．"I   have   been   expecting   this   for   a   long   time．I   knew   this   was   to   come   and   I’m   prepared．

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        He   came   out   of   his   sweet   nest,   searching   the   pockets   of   his   jacket   for   his   folding   cane，which   he   had   prepared   in   advance   for   this   dreaded   day．Then   he   walked   with   it   through   the   alley   without   turning   his   head   amid   the   racket   and   clangor   of   tin   sheets   and   old   boards   being   torn   apart   and   thrown   into   the   pile.     Strangely   the   loss   of   his   home   and   sight   did   not   devastate   him．On   the   contrary，he   felt   as   if   a   heavy   burden   had   been   lifted   from   his   shoulders．Now   that   the   ultimate   blow   had   been   struck,   he   actually   felt   liberated   from   the   fears，worries   and   anxiety   of   waiting   for   the   ax   to   fall．   His   range   of   activity   would   be   limited,   but   his   other   senses   were   as   sharp   as   ever．Each   blade   of   grass，each   flower   was   imprinted   so   deeply   and   indelibly   in   his   memory   that   vision   itself   seemed   somewhat   superfluous．His   white   cane   soon   brought   him   to   the   crossroads．Suddenly   he   heard   a   female   voice   with   an   exotic   nasal   accent   ask，

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        "Need   some   help   sir?   Do   you   want   to   cross   the   street?"

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        "Yes   please.”   The   female   voice   tucked   his   hand   under   her   arm   and   guided   him   gently   across   the   street．   He   knew   not   how   she   looked，but   he   could   tell   she   had   a   warm   and   generous   heart,   the   most   beautiful   of   virtues．The   voice   continued，

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        "If   you   are   going   to   the   BART   station,   I   can   take   you   there,   as   I’m   taking   the   BART   train   to   work.”

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        "No   thank   you．I’m   not   gonna   take   BART．I   am   familiar   with   this   area   and   can   find   my   way   about.”

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        "Are   you   sure   you’re   ok?"

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"No   problem．Thank   you   ma’am.”   The   female   voice   said   goodbye   and   the   clicking   of   her   high   heeled   shoes   on   the   pavement   soon   faded   away．Dimitri   stood   there   dazed，his   ears   full   of   the   noise   of   accelerating   engines   and   hurrying   pedestrian   footsteps．He   seemed   to   have   found   fabulous   material   to   be   woven   into   his   sweet   dreams   that   night．

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                                                              THE   END

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